no small hinderance, both to his succession, and this his realm, eminent danger. Thirdly, Where it is a natural defence that the subject ought and may defend his natural sovereign or master, both in word and deed, and ought thereto to be admitted, this foresaid Bishop of Rome, contrary to this equity in nature, hath rejected our Sovereign's excusator, contrary both to his own laws, (which he most setteth by,) and also God's law, which he ought to prefer. Upon which cause, and other great injuries, our Sovereign did appeal to the General Council; notwithstanding the which, he hath, contrary to all justice, proceeded ad ulteriora, wherein by a General Council he is damned as an heretic; yet thus injuriously from the beginning hitherto, he hath handled our Prince's cause and matter there. Fourthly, The said Bishop of Rome, since our Prince's appeal, hearing of the laws and Acts of Parliament which we then went about, and that our King having just ground (the premises considered) would provide according to his bounden duty, both for the surety of his succession and realm, gave out a sentence in manner of excommunication and interdiction of him and his realm, in which when he was spoken to for the iniquity and unjustness thereof by our Prince's agents, he and his Council could nor did otherwise excuse them, (the fact being so contrary to all laws and right,) but that the fault was in a new officer late come to the court, which for his lewd doing should grievously be punished, and the process to cease. This they promised our Prince's agents; which notwithstanding was set up in Flanders to the great injury of our Prince, and for partiality to the other part, as it may well appear by the foresaid sentence. Fifthly, The said Bishop of Rome sought all the ways possible with fair words and promises both by his ambassadors and our Sovereign's own, which by any means could be invented, to have abused our Prince and Sovereign; which when he saw that by none of his crafts our Prince would be no longer abused with them, then sued he to the French King, to be a mediator between our Sovereign and him: declaring to him and his Council that he would gladly do for our Sovereign, allowing the justness of his cause; so that they would find the means that our Sovereign would not proceed in his acts and laws till that were proved. And that he would meet with him at Marcelles for Wilkins, vol. iii. p. 797. the finishing thereof, for at Rome he durst not do it for fear of the Emperor. The good French King admonished our Prince hereof, offering to him to do all pleasure and kindness that lay in him in this cause, trusting that if the Bishop of Rome came once to Marcelles, he should give sentence for our Sovereign in his just cause, and therefore prayed our Prince to be content with that meeting, in which he would labour for it effectuously, and so he did to the which our Prince answered, that touching the meeting he was content, but touching the forbearing of making laws, he prayed his good brother to hold him excused, for he knew well enough both the craft and delays of the Bishop of Rome; by which from thenceforth he would never be abused: and that likewise he feared that he would abuse his good brother, which so indeed after followed; for after he had gotten the marriage of the Duke of Orleance, he then promised the French King to give judgment for our master, so he would send a proxy, which the said Bishop of Rome knew well before, that he neither would, nor was bound to do; yet notwithstanding his subtle imaginations, his promise was to the French King, that our Prince sending a proctor, should there, before his departure, have judgment for him in the principal cause; for he openly confessed further, that our master had the right but because our Prince and master would not prejudicate princes' jurisdiction, and uphold his usurped power by sending a proctor, ye may evidently here see that this was only the cause why the judgment of the Bishop of Rome was not given in his favour; whereby it may appear that there lacked not any justness in our Prince's cause, but that ambition, vainglory, and too much mundanity, were the letts thereof: wherefore, good people, I exhort you to stick to the truth and our Prince according to our bounden duties, and despise these naughty doings of this Bishop of Rome; and charitably pray that he and all others, abusers of Christ's word and works, may have grace to amend. IV. Inhibitio pro Visitatione Regia. THOMAS, permissione divina Cant' archiepiscopus, &c. venerab' confratri nostro Domino Johanni, London' episcopo, sa lutem et fraternam in Domino charitatem. Cum nuper receperimus serenissimi domini nostri Regis Henrici octavi, Dei gratia Angliæ et Franciæ Regis, Fidei Defensoris, Dominique Hiberniæ, ac in terris Supremi Ecclesiæ Anglicanæ sub Christo Capitis, literas inhibitorias sub verborum tenore sequent'-Henricus octavus Dei gratia Angliæ et Franciæ Rex, Fidei Defensor, Dominus Hiberniæ, ac in terris Supremum Ecclesiæ Anglicanæ sub Christo Caput, dilecto nobis reverendissimo in Christo patri, Thomæ, miseratione divina Cant. Archiepiscopo, ac totius Angliæ Primati, salutem. Cum nos auctoritate nostra suprema ecclesiastica, omnia ac singula monasteria, domos, prioratus, et loca alia ecclesiastica quæcunque, totumque clerum infra et per totum nostrum Angliæ regnum constituta propediem visitare statuerimus ; vobis tenore præsentium stricte inhibemus atque mandamus, et per vos suffraganeis vestris confratribus episcopis, ac per illos suis archidiaconis infra vestram provinciam Cant' ubilibet constitutis, sic inhiberi volumus atque præcipimus, quatenus pendente visitatione nostra hujusmodi, nullus vestrum monasteria, ecclesias, ac loca alia prædicta, clerumve visitare, aut ea quæ sunt jurisdictionis exercere, seu quicquam aliud in præjudicium dictæ nostræ visitationis generalis quovis modo attemptare præsumat, sub pœna contemptus. In cujus rei testimonium has præsentes literas inde fieri, et sigilli nostri, quo ad causas ecclesiasticas utimur, appensione communiri curavimus. Dat' 18. die mensis Septembris, A. D. MDXXXV. Quocirca fraternitati vestræ committimus et mandamus, quatenus omnibus et singulis episcopis et suffraganeis nostris, in nostra provincia Cant' constitutis, ac eorum archidiaconis, commissariis, officialibus, et ministris quibuscunque, secundum tenorem et effectum literarum domini nostri Regis inhibentis, quibus nos etiam tenore præsentium ex mandato Regiæ Majestatis prædict' inhibemus, quatenus pendente visitatione regia hujusmodi, nullus eorum monasteria, ecclesias, ac alia loca ecclesiastica, clerumve visitare, aut ea quæ sunt jurisdictionis exercere, seu quicquam aliud in præjudicium regiæ visitationis quovis modo attemptare præsumat, vobis insuper mandantes, quatenus præfatos coepiscopos et suffraganeos nostros moneatis peremptorie, quos nos etiam tenore præsentium sic monemus, quatenus ipsi modum et formam concionand' ac preces inter prædicand' a juxta [See the preceding article.] a tenorem articulorum alias ad annum et dimidium ultimo elaps' eis transmiss' observent; literas quoque jurisdictionis a Romano Pontifice et ejus prædecessoribus usurpatæ expulsionem concernentes, eis etiam jam nuper missas, secundum formam in eis traditam, publice apud populum declarare non omittant. Et quid in præmissis feceritis, nos, cum ad hoc fueritis requisiti, debite certificare curetis per literas vestras patentes, harum seriem in se continentes, auctentice sigillat. Dat' in manerio nostro de Lamehith, secundo die mensis Octobris, A. D. MDXXXV. et nostræ consecrat' anno tertio. Lord Her bert, Life of Hen. No. 5. vol. ii. App. No. 37. V. The judgment of the Convocation concerning General Councils. As concerning General Councils, like as we, taught by long experience, do perfectly know, that there never was, nor is, any thing devised, invented, or instituted by our forefathers, more (ed. 1649.) expedient or more necessary for the establishment of our faith, Burnet, for the extirpation of heresies, and the abolishing of sects and Ref. vol. i. schisms; and finally, for the reducing of Christ's people unto App. B. iii. one perfect unity and concord in his religion, than by the havCollier, Ec- ing of General Councils; so that the same be lawfully had and cles. Hist. congregated in Spiritu Sancto, and be also conform and agreeable, as well concerning the surety and indifferency of the places, as all other points requisite and necessary for the same, unto that wholesome and godly institution and usage, for the which they were at first devised and used in the primitive Church even so on the other side, taught by like experience, we esteem, repute, and judge, that there is, ne can be any thing in the world more pestilent and pernicious to the common-weal of Christendom, or whereby the truth of God's word hath in times past, or hereafter may be sooner defaced or subverted, or whereof hath and may ensue more contention, more discord, and other devilish effects, than when such General Councils have or shall be assembled, not Christianly nor charitably, but for and upon private malice and ambition, or other worldly and carnal respects and considerations, according to the saying of Gregory Nazianzenus, in his Epistle to one Procopius, wherein he writeth this sentence following; "Sic sentio, si verum scribendum est, omnes conventus episcoporum fugiendos esse, quia nullius Sy 66 66 66 66 66 "nodi finem vidi bonum, neque habentem magis solutionem ma❝lorum, quam incrementum: nam cupiditates contentionum, et gloria (sed ne putes me odiosum ista scribentem) vincunt ra"tionem." That is to say; I think this, if I should write truly, "that all General Councils be to be eschewed, for I never saw that they produced any good end or effect, nor that any provision or remedy, but rather increase of mischiefs proceeded of them. "For the desire of maintenance of men's opinions, and ambi"tion of glory (but reckon not that I write this of malice) hath always in them overcomed reason." Wherefore we think, that Christian princes, especially and above all things, ought and must, with all their wills, power, and diligence, foresee and provide, "Ne sanctissima hac in parte majorum instituta, ad im"probissimos ambitionis aut malitiæ effectus explendos, diversis"simo suo fine et sceleratissimo pervertantur: neve ad alium prætextum possint valere, et longe diversum effectum orbi producere quam sanctissima rei facies præ se ferat." That is to say, "Lest "the most noble wholesome institutions of our elders in this "behalf, be perverted to a most contrary and most wicked end "and effect: that is to say, to fulfil and satisfy the wicked af"fections of men's ambition and malice; or, lest they might "prevail for any other colour, or bring forth any other effect, "than their most virtuous and laudable countenance doth outwardly to the world show or pretend." And first of all, we think they ought principally to consider who hath the authority to call together a General Council. Secondly, whether the causes alleged be so weighty and so urgent, that necessarily they require a General Council, nor can otherwise be remedied. Thirdly, who ought to be judges in the General Council. Fourthly, what order of proceeding is to be observed in the same; and how the opinions or judgments of the Fathers are to be consulted or asked. Fifthly, what doctrines are to be allowed or defended, with divers other things which in General Councils ought of reason and equity to be observed. And as unto the first point, we think that neither the Bishop of Rome, nor any one prince, of what estate, degree, or preeminence soever he be, may, by his own authority, call, indict, or summon any General Council, without the express consent, assent, and agreement of the residue of Christian princes, and especially such as have within their own realms and seignories imperium merum, that 66 |