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.

JOHANNES Dei gratia Rex Angliae, &c. Archiepiscopis, &c. Sciatis nos* 1.1 pro saluto animae nostrae, & antecessorum, & successorum nostrorum Regum Angliae, de communi consilio Episcoporum, Comitum, Baronum, & aliorum fidelium nostrorum reddidisse & concessisse Deo & Ecclesiae Christi Cantuar. & Venerabili Patri nostro S. Cantuariensi Archiepiscopo, totius Angliae Primati, & Sanctae Romanae Ecclesiae Car∣dinali, Patronatum Ecclesiae Episcopatus Roffensis, cum omnibus pertinentiis, dignitati∣bus, libertatibus, & liberis consuetudinibus suis; Ita quod vacante illa sede Epis∣copali custodiam, et ordinationem illius Ecclesiae, idem Archiepisco∣pus et successores sui habeant libere et pacifice in perpetuum ut Pa∣troni. Ita quod in Ordinatione illius Ecclesiae de Episcopo et Episcopi electione, nec ante, nec post electionem Episcopi (marcke it) Regius requiretur assensus, set totum ad Archiepiscopum quicunque fuerit pertinebit. Episcopus autem vel electus loci illius temporalia quae prius vocabantur Regalia, de manu praedicti Archi∣episcopi et successorum suorum plenarie recipiet, et fidelitatem ei faciet de feodis pertinentibus ad Ecclesiam illam Episcopalem tan∣quam Patrono ejusdem Episcopatus: servitia autem quae nobis in∣de et Heraedibus nostris debentur, Episcopus, qui pro tempore ibi fuerit facerit predicto Archiepiscopo & successoribus suis in perpetuum tanquam Dominis et Patronis, et ipse Archiepiscopus et succes∣sores sui eadem servitia per manus suas nobis et successoribus nos∣tris facient. Faciet quoque Episcopus Roffensis nobis et Heredibus nostris fidelitatem tanquam Principi, set non propter feodum. Quare volumus et firmiter precipimus, quod predictus Archiepiscopus et suc∣cessores sui predictum Patronatum Episcopatus Roffensis cum custo∣dia et ordinatione ejusdem, cum vacaverit, habeant et teneant libere et quiete, pacifice, integre, et plenarie, cum omnibus pertinentiis dignitatibus, Libertatibus, et liberis consuetudinibus imperpetuum sicut praedictum est. Prohibemus autem ex parte Dei omnipoten∣tis, et Beatae Mariae, et omnium Sanctorum, et nostra, ne quis con∣tra hanc piam et liberalem redditionem et concessionem nostram venire praesumat. Quod si quis fecerit maledictionem Dei et Beatae Petri, et omnium Sanctorum ac nostram incurrat. Testibus Dominis W. Londonensi, P. Wintoniensi, R. Elyensi, E. Herefordensi, J. Bathoniensi & Glast. H. Hunting. Episcopis, R. Comite Cestriae, W. Marr. Comite Pembroc, W. Comite Arundell, W. Comite Warren. W. Comite de Ferrariis, S. Comite Winton. W. Briwerr. Roberto filio Walteri, Galfrido de Mandevill, Richardo de Muntificher, Thoma de Erdington. Dat. per manum Magistri Richardi de Marisc. Cancellarii nostri, apud Novum Templum London. xxij. die Novembris, Anno Regni nostri Sexto Decimo. How well he requited the King, by betraying Rochester Castle to the Barons, soon after you shall * 1.2 hear more.

The Archbishop, Bishops, and Barons, having by treachery fraud, and force thus wrested all these Charters, and confirmations from King John, thereby in a manner totaly devested him of all his Ecclesiasticall and Civil Royal authority

in Church and state, deemed themselves, the Church and Kingdom in a most happy secure, flourishing, prosperous condition for the future; when God by his provi∣dence sodenly blasted all their hopes, by alienating the Kings heart from them, and by making use even of the Popes usurped power, interest in England, (which they were the principal instruments to promote to dethrone their Lawful King,) the instrument to scourge, excommunicate, punish, and revenge their Rebellions against the King, and null most of the Charters wrested from him, by his Bulls. For King John with drawing and obscuring himself from his Bishops and Barons in the Isle of Wight, sent messengers secretly to Rome, to complain and appeal to the Pope against their Treasons, rebellions, and the Charters forcibly extorted from him, whiles under the Popes protection; who thereupon vacated the Charters, thus recorded by Matthew Paris.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Carta. 16 Jo∣hannis Regis▪ m. 6. intus in cedula.
• * 1.2

  Here▪ p. 34••