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.

REX Omnibus & singulis Mercatoribus ultra-marinis London. commorantibus,* 1.1 salutem. Quoniam Monasterium Westmonaster. quae nostra Capella est, & cu∣jus sumus Patroni, specialiter reputamus nostrum, & speciali diligimus affectione; no∣lentes illud aere nimis obligari alieno, vobis pre cisè mandamus, quod Monachis ejusdem Monasterii super sigillum Capituli, sine nostro, & Abbatis consensu, nec etiam ipsi Abbati, nostro assensu irrequisito, pecuniam ullam mutuare praesumatis. Hoc idem sociis vestris in Curia Papali, seu alibi commorantibus intimantes. Teste Rege apud Rading, 17 die Junii.

I pretermit the complaints to the King by the Nobility, Commonalty and others of the Diocesse of Lincoln, against the Bishop, his Deans and Officials, for vexing them with Citations from place to place, and enforcing them to make Inquisitions and give testimony against their wills upon Oath, and the memorable forecited Prohibitions issued to him thereupon, which you may peruse p. 705, 706.

What strange Dispensations for Pluralities and Commendaes the Pope then granted to Foreigners and unworthy persons (and the King by his example) to the oppression of the English Clergy and Religious persons; and how one ill pre∣sident, usurpation, Non obstante produced another, will appear by this relation.

Eodemque tempore, electus Wintoniensis Aethelmarus, de partibus veniens trans∣marinis* 1.2 cum Comitatu copioso & pomposo, applicuit in Anglia. Cui adventanti Rex laetabundus cum nobilium, & praecipuè Pictavensium multitudine copiosa occur∣rit. In qua fuerunt fratres ejus Willielmus de Valentia, & Galfridus de Lizinnum, Rege tertio existente, mutuo applaudentes, & in crastino Sanctae Mariae Magdalenae, scilicet die Dominica, festo facto celeberrimo Wintoniae convivabantur, & sic devo∣luta est magna jam Angliae Nobilitas, exclusis indigenis, ad alienigenas. Auxit au∣tem causas laetitiae gratia Papalis, quam sibi electus memoratus comparaverat cum gratia Regali, quam-sanguis fraternus excitaverat. Quibus cooperantibus, meruit obtinere redditus prius obtentos, quae ad plusquam mille marcarum summam ascenderunt, quas ipse egenus electus, dignos∣citur

ex fratris sui Domini Regis extorsione possedisse. Nulla enim creditur fuisse notabilis Ecclesia, de cujus uberibus in Anglia lac non creditur ex∣uxisse. Unde huic libello quiddam, quod lachrymas excutere debeat ab oculis au∣dientium, duximus inserendum. Abbas Ecclesiae Sancti Albani per extorsionem Do∣mini Regis satis enormem & impudentem▪ ad opus Simonis de Norwico Clerici de Pincerna sua, solvit de Camera sua centum solidos. Ipso nempe Simone vicesimo anno sequente decedente, & vix sepulto, postulavit idem Dominus Rex precibus ar∣matis, ut translatus redditus ille quendam alium & alienum saginaret. Quod & in∣vito Abbate & ingemiscente factum est. Rogaverat insuper Dominus Rex, ut fratri suo Aimero jam Wintoniensi electo decem marcae annuae de Camera concederentur ac solverentur. Ipso igitur Aimero in Praesulatum Wintoniensem electo, illico postula∣vit, ut cuidam Clericulo Pictavensi, ipsae eaedem decem marcae, quas per aliquot an∣nos receperat Aimerus memoratus, facta tali translatione, Dominus Rex non erubuit postulare. Quod in periculum Ecclesiae, praeter damnum, dignoscitur redundare. Sic enim servitus indelebilis & damnum irrestaurabile subrepere minabatur. Et praeter haec, alias quamplures & pluries multas & multiformes Ecclesiae beati Protho∣martyris Anglorum Albani injurias & gravamina, Rex tyrannizans non est veritus irrogare. Quae scribenti, taediosum foret enumerando scribere, & auditoribus au∣dire foret onerosum. To which * 1.3 Matthew Westminister subjoyns; Praelati et viri Religiosi, Papa jubente, et Rege spoliante, in ultimam servitutem detruduntur. Haec detestabilis adjectio (Non obstante) enervat Sanctorum scripta et facta.

How strangely and unworthily this Pope, against his own former expresse Bulls and Grants, not to grant Provisions to Italians and other Foreigners in successi∣on, presumed by his Non obstantes to grant Provisions to them of any Churches voyd or to be void, in the gift of Abbots and other Religious persons, against their Char∣ters, Priviledges; and what great scandal and schism they produced, inducing men to depart from the Pope and Church of Rome as Antichristian, this Bull of Pope Innocent, and subsequent relation will inform us.

Tempore quoque sub eodem, transmisit Dominus Papa Abbati sancti Albani lite∣ras* 1.4 sub hac forma. INNOCENTIUS Episcopus, &c. Dilectis filiis Abbati & Conventui S. Albani, Lincolniensis Diocesis, Salutem & Apostolicam benedictionem. Cum dilectus filius Iohanes de Camecana, nepos & Capellanus noster, Ecclesiam de Wen∣grave, in qua, sicut intellximus, ius patronatus ad vos dignoscatur pertinere, discretio∣nem vestram affectione paterna rogamus, per Apostolica vobis scripta mandantes, qua∣tenus eidem Capellano, dictam Ecclesiam cum alia Ecclesia primò vacaturae, quae ad praesentationem vestram spectare noscatur, quam etiam dictus Capellanus vele∣jus procurator duxerit acceptandum, commuteris, illam donationi nostrae nihilominus reservando. Inhibitione seu reservatione qua∣libet non obstante, aut etiam indulgentia illa quae dicitur Angli∣cis esse concessa; Ne beneficia Clericorum Italicorum cedentium vel decedentium▪ immediate alicui Clerico Italiae conferantur. Datum Lugduni, secu••ndo Idus Decem∣bris. Hoc verò huic libro duximus inserendum, ut legentibus innotescat, quot angariis et injuriis nos miseros Anglos exagitat curia Romana. Per∣pendens enim hujus literae tenorem, multiplicem potexit conside∣rare contemptum, injuriam, et oppressionem. Sed ut Apostoli* 1.5 adimpleatur sententia comminatoria: Nisi prius venerit discessio, non revelabitur filius iniquitatis. Ecce causa, ecce materia quare rece∣dunt corda, etsi non corpora, a patre nostro Papa, qui in vitrica∣lem exasperatur austeritatem, et a matre nostra Ecclesia Romana, quae in novercalem desaevit persecutionem.

Whereupon * 1.6 Matthew Paris gives us this Character and Epitome of this year 1251. in relation to the Pope, and Court of Rome.

Transit igitur annus illae frugifer & fructifer usque ad sufficientiam, & potius a∣bundantiam quamvis procellosus, turbidus, & fulgure formidabilis. Dommo ve∣ro* 1.7 Papae et curiae Romanae, laboriosus, sumptuosus, et propter transmigrationem periculosus.

The Pope pilling and polling the Bishops, Archbishops, and extorting great summs of money from them, for their confirmation in their Sees, (no Symony or sin at all in his Holinesse, but a Papal vertue) to make them some recompence to re∣imburse their monies, granted them not only Licenses to hold all their former Livings and Revenues in Commenda with their Bishopricks, but likewise to extort annual pen∣sions from their Clergy who had benefices, to their great oppression; as in the ca∣ses of Archbishop Boniface, Grosthead, Aethelmar, and others forecited, so of the New Bishop of Rochester Anno. 1252.

Anno quoque sub eodem, scilicet primo quo creatus extitit, adquisivit sibi Epis∣copus* 1.8 Roffensis adhuc novellus à curia Romana, ubi notus fuerat, ob hoc quia Domini Regis ibi diu extiterat procurator, potestatem, non sine multorum admiratione, extorquendi a beneficiatis in suo Episco∣patu quintam partem redituum suorum usque in quinquennium: li∣cet idem Episcopus pristinos reditus suos, quos antequam ad E∣piscopatum promoveretur ex indulgentia Papali sibi retinuisset: necesse enim habuit, ut asserui, Episcopatum suum exilem a pau∣pertate relevare. Opprobium enim ei videbatur, quod ille Episco∣patus inter omnes Angliae Episcopatus pauperimus diceretur, et a Karleolensi jam superaretur. Exigebat igitur sibi summam memo∣ratam exhiberi, non secundum aestimationem bonorum Ecclesiasti∣corum a subjectis, sed quocunque modo ex bonis Ecclesiasticis e∣mergentium.

The Pope under pretence of relieving the King of France, who was taken cap∣tive in the Holy Land, and the distressed Christians there, but in truth to promote his own designs, earnestly pressed the King of England, to expedite his voyage to the Holy Land which he had long delayed, retarding others who were ready to march to its assistance. Who joyfull of his oportunity, made good use of it for his own advantage to pillage both the Jews and Christians. Thus related.

Ipsius quoque diebus, missit dominus Papa Domino Regi Angliae persuasoriam &* 1.9 efficacem valde Epistolam, ut idem Rex viriliter accingeret, & sine damnosa dila∣tione ad Terram sanctam adjuvandam, & ut Domino Regi Francorum auxilium prae∣stolanti, oportunum ac festinum impenderet adminiculum. Quod si nollet, sal∣tem alies transfretari & peregrinari paratos & desiderantes, non impediret. Haec autem clausula finalis adjecta fuit, quia quosdam Magnates Terram sanctam adire pa∣ratos, in magnum damnum & jacturam eorundem, retardavit. Dominus autem Rex, ut Papali desiderio & persuasioni obtemperaret, à Judaeis quicquid ipsi miseri habere videbantur, non tantum abradendo vel excoriando, sed eviscerando extorsit. Auri quoque sititor hydropicus, talenta, vel crusta, aut jocalia, adeo avide tam a Christianis quam Judaeis emunxit, ut videretur Crassus a mortuis novus resuscitatus.

To colour this his rapine the better, to make all his subjects believe he really in∣tended a speedy passage to the Holy Land, and induce them to take up the crosse, to extort more money from them by dispensations with their vows.

Anni quoque sub ejusdem circulo, die videlicet Lunae, quaeipsum diem praecedit* 1.10 proximò quem Hokedai vulgariter appellamus, fecit Dominus Rex omnes Londi∣nenses à minimo usque ad maximum voce praeconia convocari, praecipiendo sub edi∣cto Regio vt omnes ad Westmonasterium voluntatem suam audituri convenirent. Qui∣bus congregatis, jussit Rex, ut Wigorniensis, & Cicestrensis Episcopi, & Abbas Westmonasteriensis, sermonem facerent populo solennem nimis & efficacem, de cruce suscipienda. Ad quorum praedicationem, propter Romanae curiae varias pecuniae extorsiones et illusiones, pauci de civibus vel compatrio∣tis crucem susceperunt. Veruntamen de curialibus, Richardus de Gray, Johanes frater ejus, & I. de Plexeto, ad crucis susceptionem avolarunt. Quos illico Rex accurrens cum amplexibus, osculabatur, vocans eos fratres suos. Et objurgans vocavit Londinenses ignobiles mercenarios, eò quod eorum pauci crucem susceperunt. Audaciam autem hanc, imo pertinaciam Roma parturivit, eo quod

a Papa jam impetraverat, ut per triennium decimam reciperet a Regni clero et populo, quae si colligeretur, ad plusquam sexcenta millia totalis ejus summa ascendere, in perpetuum Regni detrimen∣tum, videretur. Vnde dictum est secretius, quod piis mentibus est incredibile, * 1.11 ipsum non ob aliud Regem crucem humeris susce∣pisse, nisi ut regnum tali argumento bonis spoliaret. Tamen passa∣gium suum juravit a die sancti Johannis Baptistae in sequens triennium, nisi morte vel gravi infirmitate vel alia rationabili causa impediretur: (by which conditions inserted he easily evaded his Oath.) Et jurans hoc, apposuit manum suam dexteram ad pectus suum more sacerdotis, & postea supra Evangelia apposita, & osculatus est ea more laici. Nec tamen hoc circumstantes reddidit certi∣ores. Praeteritarum enim transgressionum memoria, suspicionem in praesentibus suscitavit.

The Pope to animate the King to undertake this voyage, (at least wise in pre∣text) had granted him a new Triennial Disme upon the Clergy of England and Ire∣land, towards this expedition, whereupon the King summoning the Bishops of the Province of Canterbury, to appear before him to collect and levie this Disme, they all made answer, that they could not do it without the Archbishops assent who was their head (then absent at Rome,) wherefore the King sent this Writ unto him for his assent and assistance in promoting this affair.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Claus. 36H.3. m. 14. dorso. De Monasterio Westmonaster.
• * 1.2

  Mat. Paris, p. 794. Adventus electi Wintoniensis in Angliam à Curia Roman••.
• * 1.3

  Anno 1251▪ P. 249.
• * 1.4

  Mat. Paris Hist. p. 791. Indignae Literae Papales.
• * 1.5

  Nota. 2 Thes. 2.
• * 1.6

  Hist. p. 802▪
• * 1.7

  Annalis Con∣clusio.
• * 1.8

  Anno 1252. Mat. Paris p. 804. Episcopus Rof∣fensis colligit quintam par∣tem reddituum suorum subje∣ctorum.
• * 1.9

  Mat. Paris Hist. p. 80••. Papa animat Regem Angliae ad Peregrinan∣dum.
• * 1.10

  Mat. Paris Hist p. 807. Rex Angliae jurat peregri∣naturum in Terram San∣ctam.
• * 1.11

  As the event demonstrated.