yoong cockerels of other sées did imitate his demeanor, as may be
séene by this one example also in king Stephans time, worthie to be
remembred; vnto whome the bishop of London would not so much as sweare
to be true subiect: wherein also he was mainteined by the pope, as
appeareth by these letters.
"Eugenius episcopus seruus seruorum Dei, dilecto in Christo filio
Stephano illustri regi Anglor[=u] salut[=e], & apostolic[=a]
benediction[=e]. Ad hæc superna prouid[=e]tia in ecclesia pontifices
ordinauit, vt Christianus populus ab eis pascua vitæ reciperet, & tam
principes seculares, quàm inferioris conditionis homines, ipsis
pontificibus tanquam Christi vicarijs reuerentiam exhiberent.
Venerabilis siquidem frater noster Robertus London episcopus, tanquam
vir sapiens & honestus, & relligionis amator, à nobilitate tua benignè
tractandus est, & pro collata à Deo prudentia propensiùs honorandus.
Quia ergò, sicut in veritate comperimus cum animæ suæ salute, ac suæ
ordinis periculo, fidelitate quæ ab eo requiritur astringi non potest:
volumus, & ex paterno tibi affectu consulimus, quatenus prædictum
fratrem nostrum super hoc nullatenus inquietes, immò pro beati Petri &
nostra reuerentia, eum in amorem & gratiam tuam recipias. Cùm autem
illud iuramentum præstare non possit, sufficiat discretioni tuæ, vt
simplici & veraci verbo promittat, quòd læsionem tibi vel terræ tuæ
non inferat: Vale. Dat. Meldis 6. cal. Iulij."
Thus we sée, that kings were to rule no further than it pleased the
pope to like of; neither to chalenge more obedience of their subiects
than stood also with their good will and pleasure. He wrote in like
sort vnto quéene Mawd about the same matter, making hir Samsons calfe
(the better to bring his purpose to passe) as appeareth by the same
letter here insuing.
"Solomone attestante, didicimus quòd mulier sapiens ædificat domum;
insipiens autem constructam destruet manibus. Gaudemus pro te, &
deuotionis studium in Domino collaudamus; quoniam sicut relligiosorum
relatione accepimus, timorem Dei præ oculis habens, operibus pietatis
int[=e]dis, & personas ecclesiasticas & diligis & honoras. Vt ergo de
bono in melius (inspirante Domino) proficere valeas, nobilitat[=e]
tuam in Domino rogamus, & rogando monemus, & exhortamur in Domino,
quatenus bonis initijs exitus meliores iniungas, & venerabilem fratrem
nostrum Robertum London episcop[=u], pro illius reuerentia, qui cùm
olim diues esset, pro nobis pauper fieri voluit, attentiùs diligas, &
honores. Apud virum tuum & dilectum filium nostrum Stephanum, insignem
regem Anglorum efficere studeas, vt monitis, hortatu, & c[=o]silio
tuo, ipsum in benignitatem & dilectionem suam suscipiat, & pro beati
Petri, & nostra reuerentia propensiùs habeat commendatum. Et quia
sicut (veritate teste) attendimus eum sine salute, & sui ordinis
periculo, præfato filio nostro astringi non posse; volumus, & paterno
sibi & tibi affectu consulimus, vt vobis sufficiat, veraci & simplici
verbo promission[=e] ab eo suscipere, quòd læsionem vel detrimentum
ei, vel terræ suæ n[=o] inferat. Dat. vt supra."
Is it not strange, that a peeuish order of religion (deuised by man)
should breake the expresse law of God, who commandeth all men to
honour and obeie their kings and princes, in whome some part of the
power of God is manifest and laid open vnto vs? And euen vnto this end
the cardinall of Hostia also wrote to the canons of Paules, after this
maner; couertlie incoraging them to stand to their election of the
said Robert, who was no more willing to giue ouer his new bishoprike,
than they carefull to offend the king; but rather imagined which waie
to kéepe it still maugre his displeasure: & yet not to sweare
obedience vnto him, for all that he should be able to do or performe
vnto the contrarie.
"Humilis Dei gratia Hostiensis episcopus, Londinensis ecclesiæ
canonicis spirit[=u] consilij in Domino. Sicut rationi contraria
prorsus est abjicienda petitio, ita in hijs, quæ iustè desyderantur,
effectum negare omninò non conuenit. Sanè nuper accepimus, quòd
[Sidenote: Forsitan naturalem.]
Londinensis ecclesia, diu proprio destituta pastore, communi voto, &
pari assensu cleri & populi, venerabilem filium nostrum Robertum,
eiusdem ecclesiæ archidiaconum, in pastorem & episcopum animarum
suarum susceperit & elegerit. Nouimus quidem eum esse personam, quam
sapientia desuper ei attributa, & honestas conuersationis, & morum
reuerentia plurimùm commedabilem reddidit. Inde est quòd fraternitati
vestræ mandando consulimus, vt proposito vestro bono (quod vt credimus
ex Deo est) & vt ex literis domini papæ cognoscetis, non tepidè, non
lentè debitum finem imponatis: ne tam nobilis ecclesia, sub occasione
huiusmodi, spiritualium, quod absit, & temporalium detrimentum
patiatur. Ipsius námque industria credimus, quòd antiqua relligio, &
forma disciplinæ, & grauitas habitus, in ecclesia vestra reparari: &
si quæ fuerint ipsius contentiones, ex pastoris absentia, Dei gratia
cooperante, & eodem præsente, poterint reformari. Dat. &c."
Hereby you sée how king Stephan was dealt withall. And albeit the
archbishop of Canturburie is not openlie to be touched herewith, yet
it is not to be doubted, but he was a dooer in it, so far as might
tend to the maintenance of the right and prerogatiue of holie church.
And euen no lesse vnquietnesse had another of our princes with Iohn of
Arundell, who fled to Rome for feare of his head, and caused the pope
to write an ambitious and contumelious letter vnto his souereigne
about his restitution. But when (by the kings letters yet extant) &
beginning thus; "Thomas proditionis non expers nostræ regiæ maiestati
insidias fabricauit," the pope vnderstood the botom of the matter, he
was contented that Thomas should be depriued, and another archbishop
chosen in his sted.
Neither did this pride staie at archbishops and bishops, but descended
lower, euen to the rake-helles of the clergie and puddels of all
vngodlinesse. For beside the iniurie receiued of their superiors, how
was K. Iohn dealt withall by the vile Cistertians at Lincolne in the
second of his reigne? Certes, when he had (vpon iust occasion)
conceiued some grudge against them for their ambitious demeanor; and
vpon deniall to paie such summes of moneie as were allotted vnto them,
he had caused seizure to be made of such horsses, swine, neate, and
other things of theirs, as were mainteined in his forrests. They
denounced him as fast amongst themselues with bell, booke and candle,
to be accurssed and excommunicated. Therevnto they so handled the
matter with the pope and their friends, that the king was faine to
yéeld to their good graces: insomuch that a meeting for pacification
was appointed betwéene them at Lincolne, by meanes of the present
archbishop of Canturburie, who went oft betweene him and the
Cistertian commissioners before the matter could be finished. In the
end, the king himselfe came also vnto the said commissioners as they
sat in their chapiter house, and there with teares fell downe at their
feet, crauing pardon for his trespasses against them, and heartilie
requiring that they would (from thencefoorth) commend him and his
realme in their praiers vnto the protection of the almightie, and
receiue him into their fraternitie: promising moreouer full
satisfaction of their damages susteined; and to build an house of
their order in whatsoeuer place of England it should please them to
assigne. And this he confirmed by charter, bearing date the seauen and
twentith of Nouember, after the Scotish king was returned into
Scotland, & departed from the king. Whereby (and by other the like, as
betweene Iohn Stratford and Edward the third, &c:) a man may easilie
conceiue how proud the cleargie-men haue beene in former times, as
wholie presuming vpon the primassie of their pope. More matter could I
alledge of these and the like broiles, not to be found among our
common historiographers: howbeit reseruing the same vnto places more
conuenient, I will ceasse to speake of them at this time, and go
forward with such other things as my purpose is to speake of. At the
first therefore there was like and equall authoritie in both our
archbishops: but as he of Canturburie hath long since obteined the
prerogatiue aboue Yorke (although I saie not without great trouble,
sute, some bloudshed & contention) so the archbishop of Yorke is
neuerthelesse written primate of England, as one contenting himselfe
with a péece of a title at the least, when (all) could not be gotten.
And as he of Canturburie crowneth the king, so this of Yorke dooth the
like to the quéene, whose perpetuall chapleine he is, & hath beene
from time to time, since the determination of this controuersie, as
writers doo report. The first also hath vnder his iurisdiction to the
[Sidenote: Twentie one bishoprikes vnder the sée of Canturburie.
Onelie foure sées vnder the archbishop of Yorke.]
number of one and twentie inferiour bishops, the other hath onlie
foure, by reason that the churches of Scotland are now remooued from
his obedience vnto an archbishop of their owne, whereby the greatnesse
and circuit of the iurisdiction of Yorke is not a little diminished.
In like sort each of these seauen and twentie sées haue their
[Sidenote: Deanes.]
cathedrall churches, wherein the deanes (a calling not knowne in
England before the conquest) doo beare the chéefe rule, being men
especiallie chosen to that vocation, both for their learning and
godlinesse so néere as can be possible. These cathedrall churches haue
[Sidenote: Canonries.]
in like maner other dignities and canonries still remaining vnto them,
as héeretofore vnder the popish regiment. Howbeit those that are
chosen to the same are no idle and vnprofitable persons (as in times
past they haue béene when most of these liuings were either furnished
with strangers, especiallie out of Italie, boies, or such idiots as
had least skill of all in discharging of those functions, wherevnto
they were called by vertue of these stipends) but such as by preaching
and teaching can and doo learnedlie set foorth the glorie of God, and
further the ouerthrow of antichrist to the vttermost of their powers.
These churches are called cathedrall, bicause the bishops dwell or lie
néere vnto the same, as bound to keepe continuall residence within
their iurisdictions, for the better ouersight and gouernance of the
same: the word being deriued à cathedra, that is to saie a chaire or
seat where he resteth, and for the most part abideth. At the first
there was but one church in euerie iurisdiction, wherinto no man
entred to praie, but with some oblation or other toward the
maintenance of the pastor. For as it was reputed an infamie to passe
by anie of them without visitation: so it was a no lesse reproch to
appeare emptie before the Lord. And for this occasion also they were
builded verie huge and great, for otherwise they were not capable of
such multitudes as came dailie vnto them, to heare the word and
receive the sacraments.
But as the number of christians increased, so first monasteries, then
finallie parish churches were builded in euerie iurisdiction: from
whence I take our deanerie churches to haue their originall, now
called mother churches, and their incumbents archpréests; the rest
being added since the conquest, either by the lords of euerie towne,
or zealous men, loth to trauell farre, and willing to haue some ease
by building them neere hand. Vnto these deanerie churches also the
cleargie in old time of the same deanrie were appointed to repaire at
sundrie seasons, there to receiue wholesome ordinances, and to consult
vpon the necessarie affaires of the whole iurisdiction; if necessitie
so required: and some image hereof is yet to be seene in the north
parts. But as the number of churches increased, so the repaire of the
faithfull vnto the cathedrals did diminish: whereby they now become
especiallie in their nether parts rather markets and shops for
merchandize, than solemn places of praier, wherevnto they were first
erected. Moreouer in the said cathedrall churches vpon sundaies and
[Sidenote: Ordinarie sermons.]
festiuall daies, the canons doo make certeine ordinarie sermons by
course, wherevnto great numbers of all estates doo orderlie resort:
and vpon the working daies thrise in the wéeke, one of the said
canons, or some other in his stéed, dooth read and expound some péece
[Sidenote: Ordinarie expositions of the scriptures.]
of holie scripture, wherevnto the people doo verie reuerentlie
repaire. The bishops themselues in like sort are not idle in their
callings, for being now exempt from court and councell, which is one
(and a no small) péece of their felicitie (although Richard archbishop
of Canturburie thought otherwise, as yet appeareth by his letters to
pope Alexander, Epistola 44. Petri Blesensis, where he saith; Bicause
the cleargie of his time were somewhat narrowlie looked vnto, "Supra
[Sidenote: The bishops preach diligentlie, whose predecessors
heretofore haue béene occupied in temporall affairs.]
dorsum ecclesiæ fabricant peccatores, &c:") they so applie their minds
to the setting foorth of the word, that there are verie few of them,
which doo not euerie sundaie or oftener resort to some place or other,
within their iurisdictions, where they expound the scriptures with
much grauitie and skill; and yet not without the great misliking and
contempt of such as hate the word. Of their manifold translations from
one sée to another I will saie nothing, which is not now doone for the
benefit of the flocke, as the preferment of the partie fauoured, and
aduantage vnto the prince, a matter in time past much doubted of, to
wit, whether a bishop or pastor might be translated from one sée to
another; & left vndecided, till prescription by roiall authoritie made
it good. For among princes a thing once doone, is well doone, and to
be doone oftentimes, though no warrant be to be found therefore.
[Sidenote: Archdecons.]
They haue vnder them also their archdeacons, some one, diuerse two,
and manie foure or mo, as their circuits are in quantitie, which
archdeacons are termed in law the bishops eies: and these (beside
their ordinarie courts, which are holden within so manie or more of
their seuerall deanries by themselues or their officials once in a
moneth at the least) doo kéepe yearelie two visitations or synods (as
the bishop dooth in euerie third yeare, wherein he confirmeth some
children, though most care but a little for that ceremonie) in which
they make diligent inquisition and search, as well for the doctrine
and behauiour of the ministers, as the orderlie dealing of the
parishioners in resorting to their parish churches and conformitie
vnto religion. They punish also with great seueritie all such
trespassers, either in person or by the pursse (where permutation of
penance is thought more gréeuous to the offender) as are presented
vnto them: or if the cause be of the more weight, as in cases of
heresie, pertinacie, contempt, and such like, they referre them either
to the bishop of the diocesse, or his chancellor, or else to sundrie
[Sidenote: High commissioners.]
graue persons set in authoritie, by vertue of an high commission
directed vnto them from the prince to that end, who in verie courteous
maner doo sée the offendors gently reformed, or else seuerlie
punished, if necessitie so inforce.
[Sidenote: A prophesie or conference.]
Beside this, in manie of our archdeaconries we haue an exercise
latelie begun, which for the most part is called a prophesie or
conference, and erected onelie for the examination or triall of the
diligence of the cleargie in their studie of holie scriptures.
Howbeit, such is the thirstie desire of the people in these daies to
heare the word of God, that they also haue as it were with zealous
violence intruded themselues among them (but as hearers onelie) to
come by more knowledge through their presence at the same. Herein also
(for the most part) two of the yoonger sort of ministers doo expound
ech after other some péece of the scriptures ordinarilie appointed
vnto them in their courses (wherein they orderlie go through with some
one of the euangelists, or of the epistles, as it pleaseth the whole
assemblie to choose at the first in euerie of these conferences) and
when they haue spent an houre or a little more betwéene them, then
commeth one of the better learned sort, who being a graduat for the
most part, or knowne to be a preacher sufficientlie authorised, & of a
sound iudgement, supplieth the roome of a moderator, making first a
breefe rehearsall of their discourses, and then adding what him
thinketh good of his owne knowledge, wherby two houres are thus
commonlie spent at this most profitable méeting. When all is doone, if
the first speakers haue shewed anie peece of diligence, they are
commended for their trauell, and incouraged to go forward. If they
haue béene found to be slacke, or not sound in deliuerie of their
doctrine, their negligence and error is openlie reprooued before all
their brethren, who go aside of purpose from the laitie, after the
exercise ended, to iudge of these matters, and consult of the next
speakers and quantitie of the text to be handled in that place. The
laitie neuer speake of course (except some vaine and busie head will
now and then intrude themselues with offense) but are onelie hearers;
and as it is vsed in some places wéekelie, in other once in foureteene
daies, in diuerse monethlie, and elsewhere twise in a yeare, so is it
a notable spurre vnto all the ministers, thereby to applie their
bookes, which otherwise (as in times past) would giue themselues to
hawking, hunting, tables, cards, dice, tipling at the alehouse,
shooting of matches, and other like vanities, nothing commendable in
such as should be godlie and zealous stewards of the good gifts of
God, faithfull distributors of his word vnto the people, and diligent
pastors according to their calling.
But alas! as sathan the author of all mischéefe hath in sundrie
manners heretofore hindered the erection and maintenance of manie good
things: so in this he hath stirred vp aduersaries of late vnto this
most profitable exercise, who not regarding the commoditie that riseth
thereby so well to the hearers as spekers; but either stumbling (I
cannot tell how) at words and termes, or at the least wise not liking
to here of the reprehension of vice, or peraduenture taking a
misliking at the slender demeanours of such negligent ministers, as
now and then in their courses doo occupie the roomes, haue either by
their owne practise, their sinister information, or suggestions made
vpon surmises vnto other procured the suppression of these
conferences, condemning them as hurtfull, pernicious, and dailie
bréeders of no small hurt & inconuenience. But hereof let God be
iudge, vnto whome the cause belongeth.
[Sidenote: Ministers & deacons.]
Our elders or ministers and deacons (for subdeacons and the other
inferiour orders, sometime vsed in popish church we haue not) are made
according to a certeine forme of consecration concluded vpon in the
time of king Edward the sixt, by the cleargie of England, and soone
after confirmed by the thrée estates of the realme, in the high court
of parlement. And out of the first sort, that is to saie, of such as
are called to the ministerie (without respect whether they be married
or not) are bishops, deanes, archdeacons, & such as haue the higher
places in the hierarchie of the church elected; and these also as all
the rest, at the first comming vnto anie spirituall promotion, doo
yéeld vnto the prince the entire taxe of that their liuing for one
whole yeare, if it amount in value vnto ten pounds and vpwards, and
this vnder the name and title of first fruits.
With vs also it is permitted, that a sufficient man may (by
dispensation from the prince) hold two liuings, not distant either
from other aboue thirtie miles; whereby it commeth to passe, that as
hir maiestie dooth reape some commoditie by the facultie, so the
vnition of two in one man dooth bring oftentimes more benefit to one
of them in a moneth (I meane for doctrine) than they haue had before
peraduenture in manie yeares.
Manie exclame against such faculties, as if there were mo good
preachers that want maintenance, than liuings to mainteine them. In
déed when a liuing is void, there are so manie sutors for it, that a
man would thinke the report to be true and most certeine: but when it
commeth to the triall, who are sufficient, and who not, who are staied
men in conuersation, iudgement, and learning; of that great number you
shall hardlie find one or two, such as they ought to be: and yet none
more earnest to make sure, to promise largelie, beare a better shew,
or find fault with the state of things than they. Neuerthelesse, I doo
not thinke that their exclamations if they were wiselie handled, are
altogither grounded vpon rumours or ambitious minds, if you respect
the state of the thing it selfe, and not the necessitie growing
through want of able men, to furnish out all the cures in England,
which both our vniuersities are neuer able to performe. For if you
obserue what numbers of preachers Cambridge and Oxford doo yearelie
send foorth; and how manie new compositions are made in the court of
first fruits, by the deaths of the last incumbents: you shall soone
sée a difference. Wherefore, if in countrie townes & cities, yea euen
in London it selfe, foure or fiue of the litle churches were brought
into one, the inconuenience would in great part be redressed.
And to saie truth, one most commonlie of these small liuings is of so
little value, that it is not able to mainteine a meane scholar; much
lesse a learned man, as not being aboue ten, twelue, sixteene,
seuentéene, twentie, or thirtie pounds at the most, toward their
charges, which now (more than before time) doo go out of the same. I
saie more than before, bicause euerie small trifle, noble mans
request, or courtesie craued by the bishop, dooth impose and command a
twentith part, a three score part, or two pence in the pound, &c: out
of our liuings, which hitherto hath not béene vsuallie granted, but by
consent of a synod, wherein things were decided according to equitie,
and the poorer sort considered of, which now are equallie burdened.
We paie also the tenths of our liuings to the prince yearelie,
according to such valuation of ech of them, as hath beene latelie
made: which neuerthelesse in time past were not annuall but
voluntarie, & paid at request of king or pope. Herevpon also hangeth a
pleasant storie though doone of late yeares, to wit 1452, at which
time the cleargie séeing the continuall losses that the king of
England susteined in France, vpon some motion of reléefe made, granted
in an open conuocation to giue him two tenths toward the recouerie of
Burdeaux, which his grace verie thankefullie receiued. It fortuned
also at the same time that Vincentius Clemens the popes factor was
here in England, who hearing what the clergie had doone, came into the
conuocation house also in great hast and lesse spéed, where, in a
solemne oration he earnestlie required them to be no lesse fauourable
to their spirituall father the pope, and mother the sée of Rome, than
they had shewed themselues vnto his vassall and inferiour, meaning
their souereigne lord in temporall iurisdiction, &c. In deliuering
also the cause of his sute, he shewed how gréeuouslie the pope was
disturbed by cutthrotes, varlots, and harlots, which doo now so abound
in Rome, that his holinesse is in dailie danger to be made awaie
amongst them. To be short when this fine tale was told, one of the
companie stood vp and said vnto him; My lord we haue heard your
request, and as we thinke, it deserueth litle consideration and lesse
eare, for how would you haue vs to contribute to his aid in
suppression of such, as he and such as you are doo continuall vphold,
it is not vnknowen in this house what rule is kept in Rome.