church of old Rome may glorifie the same Christ, the prince of peace, by the vnitie of fayth, to the restitution of sound and holsome doctrine, wherein many yeares agone they haue agreed and were vnited. God graūt vnto you brotherlike charitie, and the hand of the most mighty God gouerne you all (holy Cardinals) til that ioyfully ye arriue in the hauen of euerlastyng tranquillitie. The grace of God be with you all. Amen. Ex Math. Pariens. fol. 111.

MarginaliaThe Pope proclaymeth war agaynst the Greek Church.Shortly after the sendyng of these letters, Pope Gregory prepared to send men of warre signed with the Crosse to fight agaynst the Grecians. MarginaliaThe Archbysh. of Antioch & Constantinople excōmunicate the Pope.Wherupon the Archbyshop of Antioch, with the sayd Germanus solemnely excommunicated the Pope, after he first had excommunicated them. Par fol. 118. Marginalia5. Notes to considered.In the meane tyme by the tenour of these letters of the Patriarch sent to the Pope and to the Cardinals, it is euident to all men that haue eyes in their heades, to see: MarginaliaThe first Note.first how the whole vniuersall Church of Christ, from the East partes to the West, in auncient tymes were altogether vnited in one cōsent of doctrine, and linked together in brotherly charitie, one Church brotherly to helpe an other, both with temporall ayde and spiritual counsell, as case required. Neither was then any one mother Church aboue other Churches, but the whole vniuersall Church was the mother Churche and spouse of the Lorde, to euery faithfull beleuer. MarginaliaThe true Catholike Church, where it was, and when.Vnder which vniuersall Church in generall, were comprehended all other particular Churches in speciall, as sister Churches together, not one greater then an other, but all in like equalitie, as God gaue his giftes so seruyng one an other, euer holdyng together the vnitie of fayth and sisterly loue. Marginalia1. Vnitie.
2. Vniuersalette.
3. Consent.And so long was it and rightly might so be called the Catholicke Church, hauyng in it true vnitie, vniuersalitie, and; free consent. Vnitie in doctrine, vniuersalitie in communicating & ioyning together of voyces, consent in spirite and iudgemēt. For what soeuer was taught at Rome touchyng fayth and saluation, it was no other then was taught at Antioch, Syria. &c.

MarginaliaThe second Note.Secondly, how in processe of tyme, through occasion of the Byshop of Romes tyranny and violent oppression, thys ryng of equalitie beyng broken, all flew in peeces, the East Church from the West, the Greekes from the Latines, and that which was one before, now was made two: vnitie turned to diuision, vniuersalitie to singularitie, and free consent to dissension.

MarginaliaThe third Note.Thirdly, here is also to be noted, after this pitiful breach of equalitie, how many & what great nations departed from the communion of the Church of Rome, and especially about this tyme aboue specified of Pope Gregory 9. an. 1230. so that both before and after that tyme many Councels were holden, and many thynges concluded in the West Church, wherunto the one halfe of Christēdome lying in the East partes, did neuer agree: and contrary, many Councels holden with them, which in the Latine Church were not receaued. MarginaliaThe Church hath her name of Catholicke, wherby and when.So that the Church now as she lost the benefite of vniuersall consent, so also she lost the name of Catholicke. MarginaliaWhether the doctrine of transubstantiation, made without the free consent of the East Churches, be Catholicke or no.Wherupō this question is to be asked, that whē the Councell of Laterane vnder Pope Innocent 3. ordeined the doctrine of transubstantion & auricular confession here in the West Church, without the free consent of the East Church: whether the same doctrine is to be counted Catholicke or not?MarginaliaThe fourth Note.Fourthly, in the departyng of these Churches from the Byshop of Rome, here is also to be noted, that the same Churches of the Greekes, notwithstandyng they sequestred themselues and fell out with the Church of Rome, & that iustly: yet they kept their vnitie still with their God, & reteined still the true xxx that is, the true and sincere doctrine of fayth, ready to debate and try the truth of their Religiō by the Scriptures, as they here in their own writynges desire to haue the truth examined, accordyng as ye haue heard. Wherfore the Church of Rome hath done them open wrong, which beyng offered so gently to try and to be tryed by the truth of Gods word, not onely would stād to no triall, nor abyde conference, but also hath excommunicated them as heretickes, which appeare here to be more orthodoxasticall Christians, then they themselues.

MarginaliaThe fifth Note.Fiftly, these thynges thus standyng, then haue we to conclude that the church of Rome falsely pretendeth it selfe to be Catholicke. MarginaliaThe Church of Rome proued not to be Catholicke.For if the name of Catholicke must nedes importe an vniuersall consent of the whole, how can that be Catholicke where the consent of so many famous and true Christian Churches hath bene lackyng, and furthermore where the cōsent that hath bene amongest themselues, hath rather bene coacted, then any true or free consent? Which is easie to be proued. MarginaliaThe procedings of Rome stand vpon no free cōsent, but are coueted.For let these fiers and fagottes cease, let Kynges and Princes leaue to presse their subiectes with the Popes obedience, but let the Scripture, and the Byshops alone euery one in his owne Dioces to gouerne their flocke after the rule of Gods word, and how few be there in this West end of the world (trow you) that would not do the same that these Grecians, Ethiopians, and Syrians haue done before vs? And thus much by the occasiō of this Patriarches letters sent to Pope Gregory, concernyng the Grecians.

Whose doinges when I consider, as I can not but commend their wisedome and iudge their state happy and blessed, in shakyng of from their neckes the miserable yoke of the popes tyrāny: MarginaliaThe miserable state of the West partes of Christendome vnder the Pope.so on þ^e other side cōsideryng with my self the wretched thraldome of these our Churches here in the West part of the world, vnder the Byshop of Rome, I can not tell, whether more to maruell or to lament their pitifull state, who were brought into such oppressiō and slauery vnder him, that neither they could abyde him, nor yet durst cast him of. MarginaliaThe Popes excommunications like to a fooles dagger.So vntollerable were his exactions, so terrible was his tyranny, his suspensions and excommunications, much like to a mad mans dagger, drawen at euery trifle, that no Christen pacience could suffer it, nor natiō abide it. MarginaliaThe false persuasiō of the Popes supremacie, cause of much wretchednes.Agayn, so deepe did he sit in their consciences, falsely beleuyng him to haue the authoritie of S. Peter, that for conscience sake neither Kyng nor Cæsar durst withstand him, much lesse durst poore subiectes once mute against him. And although his takynges & spoylynges, namely in this realme of England were such, that neither the layty nor spiritually could beare them: yet was there no remedy, beare them they must, or els the Popes sentence was vpon them, to curse them as blacke as pitch.

In readyng the histories of these tymes, any good hart woulde lament and rue, to see the miserable captiuitie of the people, what they suffered vnder this thraldome of the Byshop of Rome, wherof part hath bene shewed before, more (God willyng) shall follow hereafter, and some part here presently I mynde to expresse.  

Commentary     Close

Papal exactions from England

The Foxe Project was not able to complete the commentary on this section of text by the date by which this online edition was compiled (23 September 2008). This commentary will become available in due course from the 'Late Additions and Corrections' page of the edition.

MarginaliaA briefe table of the Popes spoilyng and getting of English money in the dayes of k. Henry 3.ANd first to begin with the elections of the bishops, Abbots, Deanes and Priors within this realme, it cannot be told what masse of money grew to þ^e popes coffers therby, especially in this kings dayes: for so much as in his tyme lightly no election happened either of Archbishop, bishop, Abbot, or any rowme of dignitie, but when the Couent or Chapter had chosen one to their mynde, the king who had maried a stranger, and sought therfore to preferre strangers, would set vp another. By reason whereof, when the other part was fayne to appeale to Rome and there to plead þ^e case, no smal riuers of english mony, besides expēses & trauaile by the way, went flowyng to the Popes sea. And though the election went neuer so cleare, yet the new elect must needes respect the holy father with some gentle reward, and further by hys othe was bound euery 3. yeares, eyther in his owne person or by another to visit Limina Apostolorum.

MarginaliaMoney cōmyng to the Pope by the election of Iohn Herford, Abbot of S. Albans.So in the house of S. Albones, when Iohn Herford was elected Abbot, their publike election was not enough, but for the confirmation of the same the Monkes were fayne to send Reynold the Phisician, & Nicolas a monke, to Rome with a sufficient bag of money, through the mediation wherof the election myght stand, and the new Abbot sworne euery third yere, by himselfe or another to visite the doresels of the Apostles.

MarginaliaEight thousand markes geuen out of the Byshoprike of Wint. to the pope, about the electiō of Williā Rale. an. 1243.An other such like contention happened betwene the Kyng and Monkes of Winchester about the election of W. Rale: whom the Monkes had chosen, but the kyng refused, willyng to place a stranger, and therfore sent to Rome his messengers, Theobald a Monke of Westminster, and M. Alexander a Lawyer with no small somme of mony, to euacuate the election of the the foresayd W. Rale: Commaundyng moreouer, that the gates of Winchester should be shut agaynst hym, and no man so hardy there to receaue hym in hys house. Wherupon the sayd W. beyng excluded, after he had layd his curse vppon the whole Citie of Winchester, made his repayre to Rome, where for 8000. Markes beyng promised to the Pope, his bishoprike, spite of the kings hart, was confirmed and he receyued. Ex Mat. Parisiens. fol. 164. &. 240.

MarginaliaRead before. pag. 277.After the death of Steuen Langhton Archb. of Canterbury, ye heard before, how the monkes had elected Walter a Monke of Caunterbury. But the kyng to stop that election sent vp his Proctours, M. Alexander Stanes, and M. Henry Sandford bishop of Rochester to the Pope, to