After these aforesayd and other writinges passing to and fro, betwene the French kyng and the pope: within a yeare and a half after, the kyng sommoneth a Parliament, sendyng downe his letters to his Shriefes & other officers, to summon the Prelates & Barōs of the Realme, vnto the sayd Court of Parliament, accordyng to the tenour of the kynges letters here followyng.
[Back to Top]MarginaliaA parliament sumoned by K. Phillip at Paris.PHilip by the grace of God kyng of Fraunce, &c. Wheras we would take counsaile with the Prelates, Barons and other our faythfull, about weighty matters and hard, and such as belong greatly to our right touchyng our honour, state, liberties and lawes of this our Realme, Churches, and Ecclesiastical persons, and would also go forward and procede in the foresayd matters accordyng to their counsayle: We commaunde you, that ye diligently in our behalfe require and straitly charge all the Prelates in your balywicke, and also all and singulare Abbotes and Priors of the same your foresayd balywicke, (to certaine of the which, we haue directed downe our speciall letters for the same cause) that as they fauour our honour, the good state both of the realme, of themselues, and of the church: they repayre to vs in theyr owne persons, all lets & delayes set aside, & all other busines left of. Shewyng to them moreouer, that we can iudge none of them to be either to vs faithful subiects, or frends to the Realme, which shal fayle herein, or withdraw himselfe in the foresayd busines, counsailes, and helpes in tyme. Wherin if peraduenture any shall slacke or refuse to resort and come toward vs within 8. dayes from the time of this charge geuen by you, or your commaundement: That then, you to seise all his temporall goodes into our hand, and so seised to hold them vntill you receaue other commaundement from vs. Geuen at Paris, the Monday before the Natiuitie of S. Iohn Baptist, in the yeare of our Lord. 1303.
[Back to Top]There haue bene false Prophetes among the people: as there haue been also among you false teachers. &c. S. Peter the glorious prince of the Apostles, speakyng to vs by the spirite, told vs thinges to come: that likewise as there wer false Prophetes afore tyme, so there should come amōg you false teachers, bringyng in sectes of destructiō: by the which the way of truth shall be defaced, and couetuously they shall make marchaundise, of you with fayned wordes: and further addeth, that such masters did follow the way of Balaam, of Bosor, whiche loued the reward of wickednes, and had his brideled Asse to correct his madnes, which speakyng in a mās voyce did stop the foolishnes of the Prophet. All which thynges as they be shewed to vs by the greatest Patriarch himselfe: Your eyes see them fulfilled this day accordyng to the letter. For there sitteth in S. Peters chaire the maister of lyes, causing himselfe to be called Boniface. I. a well doer, where he is notable in all kynde of euill doyng: And so both he hath taken to himselfe a false name, and where he is not a true ruler and maister, he calleth himselfe the Lord, iudge, and maister of all men. And comming in contrary to the common order appointed by the ho-ly fathers, and also cōtrary to the rules of reason, and so not entryng in at the doore into the Lordes shepefold, is not a shepheard nor hyrelyng, but rather a theef and robber. For he (the true husband of the Romishe Church yet lyuing) deceiued hym that was delighted in simplicitie, and entised hym wyth fayned flatterynges MarginaliaAn inuection agaynst the placing of Boniface 8. in the papal sea.and giftes to let hym haue hys spouse to be hys wife, agaynst truth, which cryeth, those whom God hath coupled let no man separate: and at length laying violent handes vpon him, persuading hym falsly that thyng which the deceiuer sayd to come from the holy spirite: was not ashamed to ioyne to himselfe wyth wicked practise that holy Church, which is maisteries of all Churches, calling hymselfe to her husband, where as he can not be: For Celestinus the true Romishe Byshop, agreed not to the sayd deuorce being deceiued by so great subtiltie, nothing is so contrary to agreeing as errour and deceite, as mans lawes beare witnes, that I neede not to speake of his violence. But because the spirite inspireth where he will, and he that is led with the spirit, is not vnder the law, the holy vniuersall Church of God, not knowing the craftes of that deceiuour, stumbling and doubtyng whether it came frō the holy Ghost, that Celestinus should leaue of his gouernement, and the sinnes of the people deseruing it, for feare of a schisme suffred the foresaid deceiuour: although according to the doctrine of our Lord by his fruites he might be knowen, whether he came to the sayd regiment by the holy ghost or otherwise: his fruites (as it is playnely here written beneath) are now manifest to all men, by which it is apparaunt to the worlde, that he came not in by God but otherwayes: and so came not in by the shepefolde. His fruites are most wicked, and his ende is death, and therfore it is necessary that so euill a tree (according to the Lordes saying) should be cut downe and cast into the fire. This cannot auaile to his excuse, which is sayd of some men, that is: that the Cardinals did agree vpon hym againe after the death of the sayd Celestinus the pope, seeing he could not be her husband, whom it is manifest that he defiled by adultery, her first husband yet liuyng, and she being worthy to haue the promise of mariage kept vnto her. Therfore, because that which is done agaynst þe Lord, turneth to the wrong of all men: and specially in so great a mischiefe, by reason of the consequence by which she is iudged of the people both a woman adultres or defamed: I like a bridled Asse by the power of the lord, and not by þe voyce of a perfect man, being able to beare so great a burden, take in hand to rebuke the madnes of the sayd false prophet Balaam, which at the instance of king Balac. 1. of the prince of deuils, whom he serueth, and ready to curse the people blessed of the Lord: I beseche you most excellent Prince, and Lord Philip by the grace of God kyng of Fraunce: MarginaliaThe pope well compared to Balaam which was wont to curse Gods people for reward of money.that lyke as the Aungell of God in tyme past mett in the way wyth a drawen sworde, the Prophet Balaam goyng to curse Gods people: so you (which are vnwillyng to execute iustice, and therfore lyke the Aungell of the Lord, and minister of power and office) woulde meete with a naked sword this sayde wicked man: whiche is farre worse then Balaam, that he performe not that euill, which he intendeth to the people.
[Back to Top]MarginaliaArticles propoūded against pope Boniface.1. First, I propound that the foresayd man, that nameth himselfe Boniface is no Pope but wrongfully keepeth the seat which he hath in deede to the great damage of all the soules of Gods holy Church. I say also, that his entryng was many wayes faulty, and he entred not in at the doore, but otherwayes, and therfore is to be iudged a theefe and a robber.
[Back to Top]2. I propound also, that the sayd Boniface is a manifest hereticke, and vtterly cut of from the body of þe holy church, because of many kindes of heresies, whiche are to be declared in conuenient time and place.
3. I propound also, that the sayd Boniface is an horrible simoniacal, and such a one as hath not beene sithens the beginning of the world? and the mischiefe of thys sinne in hym is so notorious in him to all the worlde (which thing is manifest to all that wyll plainely vnderstand) in so much that he beyng openly slaundered, said openly that he coulde not commit simonie.
[Back to Top]4. I propound also, that the sayd Boniface being wrapt in infinite manifest hainous sinnes, is so hardened in them, that he is vtterly not possible to be corrected: and lying in doungeon of mischiefe so deepe, that he may not be suffered any longer without the ouerthrow of the state of þe church. MarginaliaThe nature of this pope and all popes by hys Image painted outHys mouth is full of cursing, his feete and steps are swift to shed bloud. He vtterly teareth in peeces the Churches, which he ought to cherishe, wasting wickedly the goodes of the poore, and making much of wicked mē that geue him rewardes: persecuting the righteous, and among the peo-
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