II. A.D. 1212, as is partly before touched. In the days of these kings, deposed

popes, and emperors, it were too long to recite all that happened the pope. in England, but especially in Germany, betwixt popes Honorius and Gregory and Frederic, the emperor ; the horrible tragedy whereof were enough to fill a whole book by itself. But yet we mean (God willing) somewhat to touch concerning these ecclesiastical matters, first beginning with this realm of England.
After the kingdom of England had been subjected by King John, as hath been said, and made tributary to the pope and the Romish church, it is incredible how the insatiable avarice and greediness of the Romans did oppress and ^vring the commons and all estates and degrees of the realm, especially beneficed men, and such as had any thing of the church; who, what for their domestical charges within the realm, what for the pope, what for the legates, what for contributing to the Holy Land, what for relaxations, and other subtle sleights to get away their money, were brought into such slavery, captivity, and penury ; that whereas the king neither durst, nor might remedy their exclamations by himself: yet notwithstanding, by his advice Simon Montfort, earl of Leicester, with other noble- men, not forgetting what great grievances and distresses the realm was brought into by the Romans, thought to work some way how to bridle and restrain the insatiable ravening of" these greedy wolves. WTierefore they devised their letter, giving strait commandment to the religious men, and to such as had their churches to farm, that henceforth they should not answer the Romans on account of such farms and rents any more, but should pay the said farms or rents unto their own proctors appointed for the same purpose ; as by their writings sent abroad to bishops or chapters, and other ecclesiastical houses, may appear, in this form and effect as followeth.
A Complaint of the Nobles of England against the intolerable Covetousness of the Pope and Prelates of Rome.^
To such and such a bishop, and such a chapter, all the university and A.D. 1229. company of them, that had rather die than be confounded of the Romans, wisheth health. How the Romans and their legates have hitherto behaved themselves toward you and other ecclesiastical persons of this realm of England, it is not unknown to your discretions, in disposing and giving away the
(1) The Latin copy of this complaint of the nobles of England is at p. 72, in the Edition of l5fiS. -Ed.
364.
INSOI.KN'T CLAIMS MADK BY THE I'OI'K.
j{e„rs benefices of tlic realm after tlicir own lust, to the intolerable prejudice and
///. grievance both of you and all other Englishmen. For whereas, the collation of
~T~jT benefices should and doth properly belong to you and other your fellow-bishops
j ■ ■ (ecclesiastical persons), they, thundering against you the sentence of cxconi-
!_ munication, ordain that you should not bestow them upon any person of this
realm, until in every diocese and cathedral-church within the realm, five Romans (such as the pope shall name) be provided for, to the value of, every man, an hundred ])ounds a year. Besides these, many other grievances the said itonianists do inflict and infer, both to the laity and nobles of the realm, for the patronages and alms bestowed by them and their ancestors, for the susten- tation of the poor of the realm, and also to the clergy and ecclesiastical persons of the realm, touching their livings and benefices. And yet the said Romanists, not contented with the premises, do also take from the clergy of this realm the benefices which they have, to bestow them on men of their own country, &c.
Wherefore, we, considering the rigorous austerity of these aforesaid Roman- jots, who, once coming in but as strangers hither, now take upon them not only to judge, but also to condemn us, laying upon us importable burdens, whereunto they will not put one of their own fingers to move ; and laying our heads together upon a general and full advice had among ourselves concern- ing the same ; have thought good (although very late) to resist or withstand them, rather than to be subject to their intolerable oppressions, and to the still greater slavery hereafter to be looked for. For which cause we straitly charge and command you, as your friends going about to deliver you, the church, the king, and the kingdom, from that miserable yoke of servitude, that you do not intermeddle or take any part concerning such exactions or rents to be required or given to the said Romans. Letting you to understand for truth, that in case you shall (which God forbid) be found culpable herein, not only your goods and possessions shall be in danger of burning, but you, also, in your persons shall incur the same peril and punishment as shall the said Romish oppressors themselves. Thus fare ye well.
Example TliiLS much I thought here to insert and notify concerning this ukepart matter, not only that the foul and avaricious greediness of the ?K*'i"f,L Romish church mi
the king o / o
with fo- appear ; but that they may learn by this example how Avorthy they power, be so to bc served and plagued with their owTi rod, who, before, would
take no part with their natural king against foreign power, by which
now they are scourged.
To make the story more plain ; in the reign of this Henry III.
(who succeeding, as is said. King John his father, reigned fifty-six ooi'ole^- y^^^'s)? came divers legates from Rome to England. First, Cardinal gate. Otho, sent from the pope with letters to the king, like as other
letters also were sent to other places for exactions of money.
The king opening the letters, and perceiving the contents, answered,
that he alone could say nothing in the matter, which concerned all
the clergy and commons of the whole realm. Not long after a
council was called at Westminster, where the letters being opened, a*d'. ' the form was this : ' " We require to be given unto us, first, of all '^'-'"'•^ cathedral churches two prebends, one for the bishops'' part, the other Kqun^?h f<>r the chapter : and likewise of monasteries, where be divers portions, twopre- one f„j. t)j(. abbot, another for the covcnt : of the covent, so much as ships in appcrtainctli to one monk, the portion of the goods being proportion- thedra?^ ally divided ; of the abbot likewise as much." The cause why he church, required these prebends was this: " It hath been," saith he, " an old
(I)" Petimusimpriinis ah omnibus ecclesiis cathedralibus duas nobis prsebendas exhiberi.unam fe portione cpiscoiji, ct alteram dt capitulo : et similiter de ccenobiis ubi diversae sunt pnrtiones ahltatiset conventus; aronventibus quantum pertinct ad unum monachum, sequali facta distri- butioue bonorum suorum, ct ab abbatc tantumiem."
A COUNCIL HELD AT LONDON. §65
slander, and a great complaint against the churcli of Rome, that it iienry hath been charged with insatiable covetousness, which, as ye know, is '^'' . the root of all mischief, and all by reason that causes be wont com- A.D. monly not to be handled, nor to proceed in the church of Rome, ^^^"' without great gifts and expense of money. Whereof seeing the Note the poverty of the church is the cause, and the only reason why it is so the p'ope^ slandered and evil spoken of, it is therefore convenient that you, as ',^[1"?: natural children, should succour your mother. For unless Ave should crave receive of you and of other good men as you are, we should tlien ^IT/ ° lack necessaries for our life, which were a great dishonour to our ^■""""■"•'*- dignity," &c.
When those petitions and causes of the legate were propounded in the aforesaid assembly at Westminster on the pope's behalf (the bishops and prelates of the realm being present), answer was made by the mouth of Master John Houghton, archdeacon of Bedford, on this wise : ' that the matter there proponed by the lord legate in especial concerned the king of England, but in general it touched all the archbishops, with their suffragans the bishops, and all the prelates of the realm. Wherefore, seeing both the king by reason of his sickness was absent, and the archbishop of Canterbury with divers other bishops also were not there, therefore in the absence of them they had nothing to say in the matter, neither could they so do without prejudice of them which were lacking.' — And so the assembly for that time brake up.
Eleven years after, the said Otho, Cardinal of St. Nicholas de car- a counci) cereTuUiano, coming again from Rome with full authority and power, ca»edf"" indicted another council at London, and caused all prelates, arch- [Nov. bishops, bishops, abbots, priors, and other of the clergy to be warned ad.' unto the same council, to be held in the church of St. PauFs at London ''^^■■' the morrow after the octaves of St. Martin. The pretence of which council was for redress of matters concerning benefices and religion ; but the chief and principal intent was to hunt for money : for putting them in fear and in hope, some to lose some to obtain spiritual promo- tions at his hand, he thought gain would rise thereby, and so it did, for in the mean time (as Matthew Paris, in his life of Henry HL, writeth) divers precious rewards were offered him in palfreys, in rich plate and jewels, in costly and sumptuous garments richly furred, in coin, in victuals, * 'and such like things of value well w^orthy of acceptation ; "wherein one endeavoured to go beyond another in munificence, not considering, by means of the servility wherewith they were oppressed of those popish shavelings and shameless shifters, that all was mere pillage and extortion.* Insomuch that the bishop of Winchester, (as the story reporteth), on only hearing that he would winter in London, sent him fifty fat oxen, a hundred coombs of pure wheat, Great and eight tun of chosen wine, toward his housekeeping. Likewise "^"'■''' other bishops also for their part offered unto the cardinal's box after ^ their ability.
The time of the council drawing nigh, the cardinal commanded, at the west end of PauFs church, an high and solemn throne to be prepared, rising up with a glorious scaffold upon mighty and sub- stantial stages strongly builded, and of great height. Thus, against
(1) These words are not in the editions of Fo.\e previous to 1596.— Ed.
given to the cardi-
^OG THE SERMON OK OTIIO THE CARDINAL.
//'"iry the (iay assifrned, came the said arclibishops, bisliops, abbots, and
'. otlier ot" the ])rclacv, both far and near throuirliout all England,
wearied and vexed with the winter's journey, bringing their letters procuratory ; who being together assembled, the cardinal beginneth his sermon. But before wc come to the sermon, there happened a great discord between the two archbishops of Canterbury and York, about sitting at the right hand and the left hand of the glorious cardinal, for the which the one appealed against the other. The cardinal, to pacify the strife between them both, so that he woidd not derogate from either of them, brought forth a certain v2u\ ^'' ^^'^ °^ ^^^^ l-^^P^ • ^^ ^^^ midst of which bull was pictured the sundcth figure of the cross. On the right side of the cross stood the riKht^ image of St. Paul, and on the left side that of St. Peter : " Lo," tife poL's ^'"^^^ ^^^^ cardinal (holding open the bull with the cross), " here you cross. see St. Peter on the left hand of the cross, and St. Paul on the
Why the ...
archbi- right sidc, and yet is there between these two no contention, for
cantcT- ^oth are of equal glory. And yet St. Peter, for the prerogative of
t'he^ri'' ht^ his keys, and for the pre-eminence of his apostleship and cathedral
hand, and dignity, scemetli most worthy to be placed on the right side. But yet
bis^bopV because St. Paul believed on Christ when he saw him not, therefore
i^ft ^ ^^^ ^^^^^ 1^^ the right hand of the cross : for blessed be they (saith Christ)
w-ho believe and see not," &c. From that time forth the archbishop
of Canterbury enjoyed the right hand, and the archbishop of York
the left ; wherein, however, this cardinal is more to be commended
than the other Cardinal Hugo mentioned a little before, who, in a
like contention between these archbishops, ran away.
Thus, the controversy having ceased and been composed between these two, Otho the cardinal, sitting aloft between these two arch- bishops, beginneth his sermon, taking this theme of the prophet ; Note the " I^ the midst of the seat, and in the circuit about the seat, were fhe"ro°^ four beasts full of eyes before and behind," &c. Upon this theme phctap- the cardinal proceeded in his sermon, sitting like a god in the G^,' how midst. He compared those about him to the four beasts about na! appli"- ^^^^ ^^^^i declaring how they ought to have eyes both before and ethitto behind; that is, that they must be provident in disposintj ofsccu-
himself. 1.1. 1 . •' ■ •^- 1 ^ . ° . .
lar tnmgs, and circumspect m spiritual matters, continuing and Scripture joining wiscly things past with things to come ; and this was the applied, greatest effect of this clerkly sermon. That done, he giveth forth certain statutes for ordering of churches, as for the dedication of temples, for the seven sacraments, for the giving of orders, for the flvrming of benefices, for collations and resignations of bene- fices and vicarages, priests' apparel, and single life, for eating of flesh in religious houses, and for archdeacons, bishops, proctors, and other like matters. But the chief intent of all his proceed- ing was this, that they should be vigilant, provident, and circum- spect, with all their eyes (both before and behind), to fill the pope's pouch, as appeared not only by this, but all their other travails besides ; insomuch that the king, dreading the displeasure of his commons for the doings of the legate, willed him to repair home to Rome again, but yet could not so be rid of him, for he, receiving new commandments from the ])ope, a]i])lied his harvest, still gleaning and raking whatsoever he might scrape ; writing and
ROMISH PKKLATKS I'llOWLlNO FOR MONKV. SGI
sending to bishops and archdeacons in the form and tenor hereunder /w^, expressed.'
And moreover, note again the wicked and cursed trains of these A^- !>• Romish rakehells, who, to pick simple men's purses, first send out _i"'^^- . their friars and preachers to stir up, in- all places and countries, men Note^f'^ to go fight against the Turks : whom when they have once bound with J'^'"^a«H'^of a vow, and signed them with the cross, then send they their bulls to preiausto release them both of their labour and their vow, for money, as by their ^Znly°' own style of writing is hereunder to be seen.^
The cause Avhy the pope was so greedy and needy of money, was this : because he had mortal hatred and waged continual battle the same time against the good emperor, Frederic II., who had to wife King John's daughter, sister to King Henry III., whose name was Isabella. And therefore, because the pope's war could not be sus- tained without charges, that made the pope the more importunate to take money in all places, but especially in England ; insomuch that he shamed not to require the fifth part of every ecclesiastical man's living, pifih p^rt as Matthew Paris writeth. And not only that, but also the said Pope ll^^\^^l^ Gregory, conventing with the citizens of Rome, so agreed with them, man's liv- that, if they would join with him in vanquishing the aforesaid Frederic, to the ' ' he would (and so did) grant unto them, that all the benefices in Eng ''"P'"- land which were or should be vacant (namely, pertaining to religious houses), should be bestowed at their own will and commandment on their children and kinsfolks. Whereupon it followeth in the afore- Three named history,^ that " the pope sent in commandment to the arch- ^I'^^H'li bishop of Canterbury, and four other bishops, that provision should be P^^'^,';^^j." made for three hundred Romans in the chiefest and best benefices in benefices all England at the next voidance, so that the aforesaid archbishop and il^^' bishops should be suspended in the mean time from all collation or gift of benefices, until the aforesaid three hundred were provided for;" whereupon, the archbishop the same time, seeing the unreasonable op- pression of the church of England, left the realm and went into France.
Again, mark another as much or more easy sleight of the pope in a Romish procuring money. He sent one Petrus Rubens the same time with ,t""pope*^ a new device, which was this : not to work any thing openly, but privily ^^^fj^^^^^ to go betwixt bishop and bishop, abbot and abbot, &c., telling in their money, ears, such a bishop, such an abbot, hath given so much and so much unto the pope's holiness, " trusting that you also will not be behind
applied. — "Otto miseratione diviiia, &c. Discreto viro itf^. episcopo vel iV. arcliidiacono salutem. Cum necesse habeamus de mandato summi pontificis moram trahere in Anglia longiorem, nee possimus piopriis stipendiis militate, discretionem vestram qua fungimur autoritate rogamus, ut procurationes vobis debitas in episeopatu, vel archidiaconatu vestro colligi facialis nostro nomine diligenter, eas quam citius poteritis nobis transmissuri, contradictores per censuram ecclesiasticam compescendo. Proviso, quod quaelibet procuratio summam 4. marcarum aliquatenus non excedat, et ubi una ecclesia non sufliciet ad procurationem hujusmodi habendam, duas pariterunara solvant."
(2) "N. episcopus dilectis in Christo filiis omnibus arcbdiaconis per diocesira suam constitutis, saiutem. Literas domini legati suscepimus in haec verba ; Otto miseratione divina, &c. Cum sicut intellexiraus noiinulli cruce signati regni Anglis, qui sunt inhabiles ad pugnandum, ad sedem apostolicam accedant, ut ibidem a voto crucis absolvi valeant, et nos nuper recepimus a suramo pontifice in mandatis, ut tales non solum absolvere, verum etiam ad redimenda vota sua [note the style of Rome] compellere debeamus, volentes eorum parcere laboribus et expensis, fra- ternitatem vestram qua fungimur autoritate monemus, quatenus potestatem pradictam a sumnio pontitice nobis concessam facialis in nostris diocesibus sine mora qualibet publicari, ut prefati cruce-signati ad nos accedere valeant, beneficium [immo maleficium et naufragium pecunite,] super his juxta formam nobis traditam accepturi." [This and the preceding letter are in M. Paris, Ed. Lond. 1640, p. 524 ; both dated "Londini l.i Kal. Mart, anno Ponf. D. (Jregorii Papas 13." — Ed.]
(3) " Unde infra paucos dies misit Doni. Papa sacra prscepta sua domino Cant. Archiep. Eliensi et Lined, et Salisb. episcopis, ut trecentis Romanis in primis beneficiis vacantibus providerent, scientes se suspensos a beneliciorum collatione donee tot conipetentcr provideretur." [M. Paris, p. 532, with the omission of " Eliensi et" : see infra, p. 427.— Eo]
SS'i THF. PRELATES DEMUR AT THE POPe's EXACTIONS.
Nenry oil vour part,'" &c. By the means whereof it is incredible to think what a inass of money was made out of the realm unto the pope.
A. D. At len^'th' the abbots, feeling their own smart, came to the king, ^'-^^- whose father before they did resist, with their humble suit, lamentably complaining of the immeasurable exactions of the pope, and espe- cially against Petrus Kubeus and his fellow, Otto the legate ; desiring the king to prohibit such extortion : who, notwithstanding, received them with frowns, and even offered the legate one of his castles to imprison them. The bishops, warned by the ill success of the abbots, assembled at Northampton, and answered the legate, that, seeing the matter touched not themselves alone, but the whole ehureh, and seeing the valuation of churches was known better to their archdeacons than to themselves, therefore they desired a general calling and talk to be liad in the matter. The octaves of St. John the Baptist were assigned IS the time when they should deliver their final answer ; on which day .he prelates of England, conventing together, durst not give any lirect denial of that contribution, but after a modest sort did insinuate jcrtain exceptions against the same.
Excep- I. Theysay, that foisomuch as the contribution is demanded to war against him,
leccd1"or ^^^^" ^^ '^^ joined in matrimony with their prince, tliey were not bound to comply, not con- 11. Tiiat the said contribution tended to the shedding of christian blood ; for triimting t]ie form of the pope's bill stated it to be, " ad impcratorcm debellandum." p(,pi._ III. They refuse, because it was against the liberty of the cluirch ; for so it is
in the pope's bill, that they who would not contribute, should be excommunicated.