_Of the Authority, of the Assembly of the States
concerning the most important Affairs of Religion._
We have hitherto demonstrated, that the Assembly of the States had a
very great Power in all Matters of Importance relating to our Kingdom of
_France_. Let us now consider, what its Authority has been, in Things
that concern Religion. Of this our Annals will inform us under the Year
MCCC. when Pope _Boniface_ the Eighth sent Ambassadors to King _Philip
the Fair_, demanding of him, whether he did not hold and repute himself
to be subject to the Pope in all Things temporal as well as spiritual;
and whether the Pope was not Lord over all the Kingdoms and States of
_Christendom_? In Consequence of these Principles, he required of
_Philip_ to acknowledge him for his Sovereign Lord and Prince, and to
confess that he held his Kingdom of _France_ from the Pope's Liberality;
or that if he refused to do this, he should be forthwith excommunicated,
and declar'd a Heretick. After the King had given Audience to these
Ambassadors, he summon'd the States to meet at _Paris_, and in that
Assembly the Pope's Letters were read, to the Purport following.
_Boniface, universal Bishop, the Servant of the Servants of God, to_
Philip _King of_ France. _Fear God and keep his Commandments. It is our
Pleasure thou shouldst know, that thou art our Subject, as well in
things temporal as Spiritual, and that it belongs not to thee to bestow
Prebends or collate Benefices, in any Manner whatever. If thou hast the
Custody of any such that may be now vacant, thou must reserve the
Profits of them for the Use of such as shall succeed therein: and if
thou hast already collated any of them, we decree by these Presents such
Collation to be_ ipso facto _void, and do revoke whatever may have been
transacted relating thereunto; esteeming all those to be Fools and
Madmen, who believe the contrary. From our Palace of the_ Lateran _in
the Month of December, and in the Sixth Year of our Pontificate_. These
Letters being read, and the Deputies of the States having severally
deliver'd their Opinions about them, after the Affair was maturely
deliberated, it was ordain'd; first, that the Pope's Letters should be
burnt in the Presence of his Ambassador, in the great Yard of the
Palace: Then, that these Ambassadors with Mitres upon their Heads, and
their Faces bedaub'd with Dirt, should be drawn in a Tumbrel by the
common Hangman into the said Yard, and there be exposed to the Mockery
and Maledictions of the People: finally, that Letters in the King's Name
should be dispatched to the Pope, according to the Tenor following.
Philip _by the Grace of God, King of_ France, _to_ Boniface, _who stiles
himself universal Bishop, little or no greeting. Be it known to thy
great Folly and extravagant Temerity, that in things temporal we have no
Superior but God; and that the Disposal of the Vacancies of certain
Churches and Prebends belong to us of Regal Right; that it is our due to
receive the profits of them, and our Intention to defend our selves by
the Edge of the Sword, against all such, as would any way go about to
disturb us in the Possession of the same; esteeming those to be Fools
and Brainless, who think otherwise_. For Witnesses of this History, we
have the Author of the _Chronicle of Bretayne_, lib. 4. chap. 14. and
_Nicholas Gilles_ in the _Annals of France_, to whom ought to be join'd
_Papon._ in the first Book of his Arrests tit. 5. art. 27.
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