THE PRE-EMINENCE, POWER, AND AUTHORITY OF THE KING OF ENGLAND.
1532.
"Where by divers sundry old authentic histories and chronicles it
is manifestly declared and expressed that this realm of England is
an Empire, and so hath been accepted in the world, governed by one
supreme head and King having the dignity and royal estate of the
imperial crown of the same, unto whom a body politic compact of
all sorts and degrees of people, divided in terms and by names of
spiritualty and temporalty being bounden and owen to bear next to
God a natural and humble obedience; he being also institute and
furnished by the goodness and sufferance of Almighty God with
plenary whole and entire power pre-eminence authority prerogative
and jurisdiction to render and yield justice and final
determination to all manner of folk residents or subjects within
this his realm, in all causes matters debates contentions
happening to occur insurge or begin within the limits thereof
without restraint or provocation to any foreign princes or
potentates of the world ... all causes testamentary, causes of
matrimony and divorces, rights of tithes, oblations and obventions
... shall be from hence-forth heard examined licenced clearly
finally and definitely adjudged and determined within the King's
jurisdiction and authority and not elsewhere."
The words "Empire" and "Imperial" are in the present day degraded
from their ancient high estate by an appropriation of them to advertise
soap or cigarettes or what not; and we even are confronted with the
"Imperial" Cancer Research Fund, the money of which has been
employed in artificially inflicting cancer on hundreds of thousands of
living animals--a performance utterly repugnant to a great many of the
inhabitants in the "Empire"!
But people indifferent to the dictates of mercy are not likely to have
much reverence for words, however august.
Henry VIII., we may be sure, would never have allowed these solemn
words to be used by people with something to sell, or by scientific
disease-mongers.
They were great people who could draw up their statutes in splendid
passages of sustained nobility.
Let us, Antony, salute them across the centuries.
Your loving old
G.P.
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