Iesus: and that in such sort, that one should not dissent nor discorde from the other. What meaneth this, but that they should gouerne together, whom he would not to dissent together? Forthly where he writeth, that the Byshop of Yorke should not be subiect to the Bishop of London: what meaneth this, but that the Byshop of London should be equiualent with the Metropolitane of Yorke, or rather superiour vnto him?

And thus he expounded the meanyng of Gregory, to be in the foresayd letter. MarginaliaLancfrancus replyeth.To whom Lancfrancus, agayne aunswereth, that he was not the Byshop of London, and that the question perteyned not to Londō. Thomas replieth, hauyng on his part many fauters, that this priuilege was graunted, by Gregory, to Augustine alone, to haue all other Byshops subiect to him: but after his discease, there should be equalitie of honor, betwixt London, and Yorke, without all distinction of prioritie saue the only prioritie of tyme should make superioritie betwene them. And although Augustine translated the seate fromMarginaliaThomas argueth.London to Kent, yet Gregory, if his mynde had bene, to geue the same prerogatiue to the successors of Austen (which he gaue to hym) would expresly haue vttered it in the words of his Epistle, writyng thus to Austē. That which I geue to thee Austen, I geue also and graunt to all thy successors after thee. But in that, he maketh here no mention of his successors, it appeareth therby, that it was not hys mynde so to do.

MarginaliaLanfrancus replyeth.To this Lancfrancus argueth agayne. If this autoritie had bene geuen to Austē alone, & not to his successors, it had bene but a small gift, proceding from the Apostolike seate, to his speciall and familier frend: especially seyng also that Austen, in all his lyfe, did constitute no Byshop of Yorke, neither was there any such Byshop to be subiect to him. MarginaliaThe dignitie of Canterb. confirmed by priuileges.Agayne we haue priuileges from the Apostolike sea, which confirme this dignitie in the successors of Austen, in the same seate of Douer. Moreouer, all Englishmē thinke it both right and reason, to fetch the directiō of well liuyng, from that place, where first they tooke the sparkle of right beleuyng. Farther, where as you say, that Gregory might haue confirmed with playne wordes, the same thyng, to the successors of Austen, which he gaue vnto hym: all that I graunt: yet notwithstandyng, this is nothing preiudiciall to the seate of Cāterbury. For, if you know your Logike, that which is true in the whole, is also true in the part: And what is true in the more, is also true in the lesse. Now the Church of Rome is as the whole, to whō all other Churches be, as partes therof. MarginaliaWell replied of an ItaliāAnd as Homo. i. mankynd is Genus. i. the generall in a certaine respect to all his Indiuidua. 1. to all particular persōs, & yet in euery particular persō lyeth the property of þ^e generall: so in like maner, þ^e sea of Rome, in a certaine respect, is the generall & the whole, to other churches, & yet in euery particuler church, is contained the whole tuines of the whole Christian faith. That church of Rome is greater then all Churches, that which is wrought in it, ought to worke in the lesse Churches also: so that the authoritie of euery chief head of the Church, ought to stand also in them, that do succede: vnlesse there be any precise exception made by name. Wherfore, like as the Lord sayd, to all byshops of Rome, the same thyng, which he sayd to Peter: so Gregory in like maner sayd to all the successors of Austen, that which he sayd to Austen. MarginaliaIf this similitude were formed into a sillogisme, neither were the Maior true. And specially the minor were vtterly false.So thus I cōclude, likewise as the Bishop of Canterbury, is subiect to Rome, because he had his fayth from thence: so Yorke ought to be in subiection to Canterbury, which sent the first preachers thither. Now where as you alledge, that Gregory would Austen to be resident at Lōdon: that is vtterly vncertaine. For how is it to be thought that such a disciple would do contrary to the mynde of such a master? But graūt, as you say, that Austen remoued to London: what is that to me, which am not Byshop of London. Notwithstandyng, all this controuersie ceasing betwixt vs, if it shall please you, to come to some peaceable composition with me (all contention set a part) you shall finde me not out of the way, so farre as reason and equitie shall extend.

With these reasons of Lancfranke, Thomas gaue ouer, condescendyng that the first of his prouince should begyn at Humber.

MarginaliaOrder taken betwixt Lanfrancus B. of Canterbury and Thomas bishop of Yorke.Wherupon it was then decreed, that Yorke from that tyme, should be subiect to Caunterbury, in all matters apperteinyng to the rites & regiment of the catholike Church: So that wheresoeuer within Englād, Canterbury should or would hold his Councell, the Byshop of Yorke should resort thither, with his Byshops, and be obedient to hys decrees canonicall.

Prouided moreouer, that when the byshop of Canterbury should decease, Yorke should repayre to Douer, there to consecrate with other, the Byshop that should be elect. And if Yorke should decease, his successor should resort to Cāterbury, or els, where the Byshop of Cāterbury should appoint, there to receiue his consecration, makyng his professiō there with an othe of Canonicall obedience. Thomas being content withall, Lancfrancus the Italian triumpheth with no small ioy: and putteth the matter forthwith in writyng, that the memory therof might remayne to the posteritie of his successors. But yet that decree did not long stand. For shortly after, the same scarre so superficialy cured, brust out agayne. In somuch that in the reigne of kyng Hēry the first. An. Domini. 1121. Thurstinus Archbishop of Yorke could not be compelled to sweare to the Archbyshop of Cāterbury: and yet notwithstandyng, by the letters of Calixtus ii. was consecrate without any profession made to the sayd Byshop, with much more matter of contention: all whiche to recite it were to long. But this I thought to commit to history, to the intent men might see the lamentable decay of true Christianitie amongst Christen Byshops: who inflamed with glorious ambition, so contended for honor, that without mere forcement of law, no modesty could take place.

Of such like contentions among Prelates of the Clergy, for superioritie, we read of diuers in old Chronicles: as in the history intituled Chronicon. Hirsseldense, where is declared a bloudy conflict, which twise happened in the church of Goslaria, betwene Hecelon Byshop of Hildesheime, and Wederatus bishop of Fulda: and all for the superiour place, who should sit next to the Emperour, the Emperour hym selfe beyng there present, and lookyng on them, and yet not able to stay them.

Thus I haue described the troublous contention betwene Lanfrancus, & Thomas Metropolitane of Yorke in the dayes of Alexander, of which controuersie and of the whole discourse therof: Lanfrancus writeth to Pope Alexander begynnyng thus.

MarginaliaA letter of Lancfrancus sent to Pope Alexander.Domino totius Christianæ religionis summo speculatori Alex. papæ. Lancfrancus sanctæ Doroberriensis Ecclesiæ antistes debitam cum omni seruitute obedientiam. In cōcillio quod Angliæ per vestram autoritatem coactum est, vbi querelæ Thomæ Archiepiscopi prolatæ & ventilatæ sunt, allata est ecclesiastica gentis Anglorium historia, quam Eboracensis Ecclesiæ præsbyter & Anglorum Doctor Beda composuit: and so forth in a long proces of wordes which follow. Amōg which in the middle of the Epistle, speakyng of Douer & Canterbury, he hath these wordes. Vrbs namq quæ nunc Cantuarberia nominatur, antiquis tenporibus ab ipsius terræ incolis Dorobernia vocabatur. &c. with many other wordes in the said Epistle, which for breuitie here I ouerpasse.

MarginaliaByshops seates translated into England.In the story before of kyng Egelred, was declared, about the yeare of our Lord. M. xvi. how the Bishopricke of Lindaffarne otherwise named holy land, in the floude of Twede, was translated to Durham: so likewise in the dayes of this Lancfrancus Archbyshop of Cant. an. M. 219 lxxi. diuers Byshops seates were altered and remoued from towneshyps to greater Cities. As the Byshoprike of Selese was remoued to Chichester, out of Cornewall to Exeter, frō Welles to Bathe: from Shyreburne to Salesbury: frō Dorcester to Lincolne, from Lichefield to Chester: which Byshoprike of Chester Robert beyng then Byshop reduced from Chester to Couentry. Likewise after that in the raigne of William Rufus, an. 1095. Herbert Byshop of Thetford, from thence reduced the seat to Norwige. &c.

As concernyng Douer and Caunterbury, whether the sea was likewise translated frō the towne of Douer to the Citie of Cant. in the tyme of Theodorus: or whether Canterbury by old time had the name of Dorobernia (as the letter of Lancfrancus to Pope Alexander, aboue mentioned, doth pretend) I finde it not in histories expressely defined. Saue that I read by the wordes of Williā beyng yet duke of Normandy, chargyng then Harold to make a welle of water for the kyngs vse in the castell of Dorobernia: MarginaliaDorobernia and Canterburye taken both for one.that the sayd Dorobernia then was taken for that which now we call Douer: but whether Dorobernia and the Citie of Cant. be both one or diuers, the matter is not great. Notwithstanding this I read in the epistle of Pope Bonifacius to kyng Ethelbert, as also to Iustius Archbishop. Item in the Epistle of Pope Honorius, to bishop Honorius. Itē of Pope Vitalianus, to Theodorus: of Pope Sergius to kyng Ethelred, Alfred, and Adulfus, and to the Bishops of Englād: likewise of pope Gregory the 3. to the byshops of England. Item of Pope Leo to Atherlard Archbishop of Cant. Of Formosus to the byshops of England: and of Pope Iohn to Dunstan, that the name of Dorobernia and of Canterbury indifferently are taken for one matter.