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.

MIsit igitur ad singulos Episcopos Angliae, praecipiens districtissi∣me, ut quilibet eorum illi Chartae detestabili, quam lachryma∣bilis memoriae Rex Anglorum Iohannes, reclamante Archiepiscopo Cantuariensi Stephano, infoeliciter confecit de tributo, signum suum appenderet, ut magis roborata perpetuaretur. Quod ipsi Episcopi timore inexcusabiliter effaeminati, non sine enormi Regis et Regni, (proh dolor) fecerunt praejudicio. Vnde cum Dominus Rex hoc au∣disset, in maximam iram excandens juravit, quod etsi etiam ipsi E∣piscopi turpiter fint incurvati, ipse firmiter staret pro Regni liberta∣te, nec unquam dum vitales carperet auras, censum sub nomine tri∣butae Curiae Romanae persolveret. Porro Episcopus Londinensis F. ultimus et invitus in arcum pravum versus, signum suum dictae Chartae apponens, minus aliis meruit reprehendi. Simili quoque modo, cuidam amplae Chartae transcriptae de verbo ad verbum, (as that of K. Johns Charter was) secundum Chartam Bulla Papali communitam, de sententia depositionis in Imperatorem Fredericum lata, apposuerunt omnes Praelati signa sua, tam ad majorem roborationem quam memoriam rei sempiternam.

From whence I shall observe: 1. That King Johns original Charter was then ei∣ther actually burnt or lost, else what needed this desired subscription and sealing a new transcript of it? 2ly. That this Pope held it invalid (if not burnt) for want of the

Bishops seals and subscriptions to confirm it. 3ly. The unparallel'd Treachery, Unworthinesse, Cowardice, Slavery of all the English Archbishops and Bishops in that age, who fearing the Pope more then either * 1.1 God himself or their King, (against Gods and St. Peters peremptory commands) out of an Unenglish, Unmanly, Un∣christian fear of his indignation, after such a general complaint against this Charter and Tribute, made by the King and whole Kingdom in the general Council of Lyons, and the protestation of Archbishop Langhton himself, in the name of all the people of England, durst thus presume upon the Popes Decree, Mandate, without the Kings, Barons, Kingdoms privity, and against their resolutions, Trayterously to subscribe, seal, and as much as in them lay ratifie this detestable Charter; such broken reeds were they then for the King, Church, Barons, Kingdom to depend on; yea so perfidious to them, as upon all extremities to desert, betray them, to advance the Pope and his in∣terest, to the Kings, Kingdoms, Churches, their own prejudice and inthralling. 4ly. Their like unworthy compliance in setting all their seals to the Popes excommunicati∣on of the Emperor Frederick, the Kings alley, though his Embassadors protested a∣gainst it in the Council of Lyons. 5ly. The Kings just indignation against the Bi∣shops, for this their Treachery, Cowardice, and Unworthy complyance, and his mag∣nanimous resolution to unburthen the Kingdom of Papal exactions, and never to pay this Rent or Tribute to Rome whiles he breathed. 6ly. That neither the King nor Barons ever subscribed or ratified this Transcript, but only the degenerous, craven Bishops▪ and that in a clan destine manner▪ Therefore it neither obliged the King, Barons, Kingdom, or Commonalty of the Realm, and was but a meer insignifi∣cant nullity.

15ly. That the Parliament of England, Anno 40 Edw. 3. was specially summon∣ed for this particular occasion of King Johns Charter, and the Rent therein granted, which the Pope (after above 50. years discontinuance and non-claime) intended to revive and put in execution, by issuing out a Processe against the King and Kingdom, to demand the Homage and Rent reserved to him and his Successors by vertue of that Charter; whereupon the King craved the advice of the Bishops, Dukes, Earls, Barons, Knights, Citizens, and Burgesses then assembled, in case the Pope should proceed against him or the Realm for this cause, and what they would do therein; who upon mature deliberation severally resolved, that King John had no power at all to make such a Charter, or grant such a Rent, without his Barons and Commons con∣sents: That it appeared by several evidences, they never gave their assents thereto, and so the Charter null and voyd: and that if the Pope should issue out any Processe to demand the Homage or Rent against the King or his Kingdoms, they would resist him with all their might. I shall here present you with a true Transcript of the Parliament Roll it self, thus Recorded in French.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Prov. 24. 21. 1 Pet. 2. 17.