The Antipathy of the English Lordly Prelacy

CHAP. II. OF THE SEVERALL Treasons, Conspiracies, Rebellions, Seditions, State-schisms, Contempts, and Disloyalties of the Arch-Bishops of YORKE, against their Sovereigns, and of the Wars, Tumults, and Civil Dissensions caused by them

I Have thus as briefly as I could with convenience, given you an Epitome of the Arch-Bishops of Canterburtes Arch-Treasons, Rebellions, Trecheries, Seditions, Disloyalties, State-Schisms, Disturbances and oppositions to our Laws, more at large related in our Historians; I shall now proceed in order, to those of the Arch-Bishops of York, which will almost equal them, as well in heinousness, as in number; both of them being Primates and Metropolitans in all these prodigious villainies and crimes, as well as in Episcopal Jurisdiction.

Wilfrid the third Arch-Bishop of York, about the year of our Lord 678. went about to p • rswade King Egfr • dus Queen to forsake her husband, and betake her self to a Monastery, without the Kings privity or consent; the King much displeased with him for it (by the advice of Theodore Arch-Bishop of Canterbury, who maligned the greatness of his Diocese) first sought to diminish his Authority by dividing his Diocese into 3. Bishoprics • and then exhibited divers complaints against him to the Pope to have him deprived, causing him to be condemned in two several Councils; and thereupon thrust him from his Bishopric, which Theodore divided into four Dioceses. After ten years exile, Egfrid dying, Alfrid his Successor restored Wilfrid ; but five years after, this King likewise fell out with him, and forced him to Rome, where though the Pope restored him, yet the King would never admit him to his See during his life: What the true cause of these displeasures was, the Historians of those times (who favored Wilfrid ) are sparing to relate: belike it was some notorious offenses against these Kings, else they would not be so unjust, as without cause to keep him from his Bishopric, and to imprison him in chains, as one of them did. Some record, that it was because he favored and aided the Rebellious Danes, which is most probable. Malmesbury, and others out of him, say, it was only the malice of Queen Ermenburga, who envied him, for that he had many Abbots and Abbeys under him, was served with Gold and Silver plate, had a great train of followers, and was very gorgeous in his Pontifical Robes, and because he would never yield to have his Diocese divided into three mote Bishoprics, though it were sufficient to maintain four Bishops beside himself, of which there was need. And some impute it to the envy and malice of Theodore Arch-Bishop of Canterbury. The first of these could not be the sole cause for that ended upon Wilfrids exile and the Kings death. The second is as unlikely, since Wilf • id himself, with all the Bishops of that time, and the Council of Hertford, Can. 9. Anno 677. decreed, that the number of • eleevers increasing, more Bishops and Bishoprics should be made and erected. Whereupon Acca and Bo • win were made Bishops instead of Bosa, and his Bishopric divided into four parts, to which partition Wilf • id had good reason to consent, it being the Kings express pleasure, and the Councils decree, to which himself subscribed. The envy of Theodore was in likelihood a partial, but not principal cause of his first Troubles only. He was therefore, in all likelihood, an aider and assister of the Rebellious Danes, and a great opposite and Rebell against these two Kings; yea, and against Edulfus their successor, who all three successively refused to restore him, notwithstanding the Popes Letters and Command; which then it seems were of little force. Many Councils were assembled about this Wilfrid, and the whole Church and Kingdom much disquietted and vexed with the many Schisms and contentions concerning him, too tedious to relate.

Anno 872. Vlferus, Arch-Bishop of York, was by his Diocesans driven out of the Country: for what cause is not expressed, and therefore likely for some notorious offense, because the Monks conceal it out of favor to him.

Anno 952. Wolstan Arch-Bishop of York, was convict of an heinous crime, who forgetting that dutiful affection he ought to bear unto Edred his King, if for no other cause, yet for Athelstane his Brothers sake, who preferred him; forgetting his Oath and Allegeance unto the same King being his natural Prince, yea forgetting that he was either an English man or a Christian, was not ashamed to revolt from King Edred, and cleave to the Danes and favor them, an Heathen people, and such as sought not only to destroy his Country, but also to root out Christian Religion. For which Treason, and for setting up E • ric • us King in Edreds stead, though he deserved a thousand deaths he was only deprived, committed to Prison and one year after enlarged again, because he was a Bishop; whereas for this cause as his Treason was the more heinous and execrable, so h • s punishment should have been the greater: But he being released upon his repentance, grew so angry with himself that he was thus pardoned against right and justice • that v • t • m e • ve • tigio exuit, he presently made away himself, being his own executioner. Some say, that he was thus imprisoned, for killing divers Citizens of Thetford in revenge of the death of one Anselm an Abbot, whom they had slain without cause; belike he was guilty of both those crimes, and punished for both in this mild manner, after divers complaints.

Anno 975. Oswald Arch-Bishop of York assisted Dunstan of Canterb • ry, and the other Bishops, to put Egelred the right Heir from the Crown, and to set up Edward an Usurper, whom they crowned as more fit for their behoove and ends.

Elfricke Arch-Bishop of York, surnamed Puttoc, was reputed detestable for two barbarous Acts: He caused Harde • nute the King • to command the dead body of his Brother King Harold to be digged up out of his Grave, after that to be beheaded and cast into the Thames, as an infamous example to men. And not content with this cruelty towards the dead he persuaded the same King by way of revenge on Worcester men (because they would not suffer him to hold that See in commendam with York, as three of his predecessors had done before him) to fire that goodly City, and seize on all the Citizens goods, pretending that they had stubbornly resisted those who collected the Kings tributes: And as if this were not sufficient revenge to kill all the men and waste the whole Country, which was most • cruelly executed • he likewise caused this King to thrust the living Bishop of Worcester out of his See and to bestow it on himself; and incensed this King so far against Earl Godwin, that he was enforced to buy his peace of the King with the gift of the richest and costliest Ship that we read of in that Age.

Aldredus his Successor, (who gat that See by Symonie, and held Worcester in commendam with it, and was one of the first who distinguished the Clergy from the Laity in their external habits) crowned Harold, invading the Dignity Royal, no way due unto him. After which, though he purposed • o Crown Edgar the right Heir King, to whom he and the Nobility had first adhered, yet like a wily Bishop siding with the strongest, he altered his purpose and crowned William the Conqueror King, requiring first an Oath of him to d • fend the Church, to minister justice, and te use Englishmen as favorable as Normans. This Oath it seemed to Aldred, that the King had broken by laying heavy taxes on the people, of which he admonished the King, who was very angry at it. He therefore (like a courageous Prelate but like a disloyal Subject) thundered out an Excommunication against him, saying • That now worthily he had cursed, whom once unworthily he had blessed. This bold pranke being reported to the King, incensed him very much at first, but thinking better of it, he determined to give him good words a while, and so sent some to entreat for his absolution. The Messengers came too late, for the Bishop being troubled much in mind after the performance of that Action, and either amazed with fear of what might happen after it, or overcome with grief and repentance for what he had done, never could be merry after, but died of grief before they came. In his time Vrsus Earl of Worcester had built a Castle at Worcester to some prejudice of the Monks, the Ditch of which Castle trenched somewhat upon the Church-yard, and adjoined too near to the Monastery. Aldred went unto the Earl, and having demanded of him whether it were done by his appointment, which h • e could not deny, looking steadfastly on him, used these insolent and uncharitable words, Hightest thou Vrse? Have thou God's curse, adding, yea and mine too, and the curse of all hollowed heads, unless thou take away this Castle, and know thou assuredly that thy posterity shall not inherit the Lands of Saint Mary: which curse the Monks say was shortly after accomplished, Vrsus dying soon after, and Roger his son flying the Realm.

Thurstan Arch-Bishop of • orke, about the year of our Lord, 1100. contrary to the Kings express command, and his own faithful Oath and promise to Henry the first, received his Consecration from the Pope at the Council of Rheemes ; whereupon the King banished him the Realm, neither could he in five years space be entreated to restore him. At last the Pope, by his procurement, writ a very sharp Letter to the King, signifying, that he would Excommunicate both him, and the Arch-Bishop of Canterbury also, if Thurstan were any longer kept from his See, and some say, he actually Excommunicated them both, and interdicted as well the Province of York, as of Canterbury from the use of all manner of Sacraments, and from the Baptism of Infants. Upon which the King, to be out of trouble, contrary to his solemn vow, yielded that he should be called home, and soon after he was reconciled unto the King. This Arch-Bishop, Anno 1148. when as David, King of Scots, entered our borders, and spoiled the Country as far as the River of Teyse, gathered together such a power as he was able to raise on a sudden, met them at Alverton, slew 1200. of them; after which he cast off his Rochet, and turned Monk at Pontfrast, where he died,

Henry Murdac Arch-Bishop of York, thrust into that See by the Pope, against King Stephens good liking, who commended his Kinsman, William thereto; refused to swear fealty to the King; who thereupon was so displeased with him, that the Townsmen of • ork, by his good liking, shut Murdac out of the City, and refused to receive him. Murdac suspended them for this affront, Eustace the Kings Son commanded Divine Service to be said notwithstanding, as at other times; hereupon divers tumults and seditions were raised in the City, wherein an Arch-Deacon, a great Friend of the Arch-Bishops, was slain: two or three years these stirs continued, till at last the Arch-Bishop submitted and reconciled himself to the King.

Geoffrey Plantagenet, Henry the second his base Son, after the Arch-Bishopric of York had been ten years void, and kept so long in the Kings hands, was commended to that See by Richard the first, and consecrated by the Arch-Bishop of Towers. He took an oath to king Richard his Brother, then going to the Holy Land, not to set foot in England within 3. years space; yet presently after he hied him over into England ; but upon his arrival, he was there arrested and imprisoned in a barbarous manner by William Bishop of Eli, Lord Chancellor of England, being drawn by the heels from the very Altar of Saint Martins Church in Dover. All the time of king Richard he had many contests with the Commons of York, who oft complained of him both to the king and Pope. Richard dying, king John and this Bishop had many contentions one with the other. Anno 1194. by the kings permission, many grievous complaints were exhibited in Parliament against this Arch-Bishop, for extortion and unjust vexations he had practiced, but he passed so little thereof, that he made no answer to their Bills. Moreover, in the second year of his reign, he commanded the Sheriff of Yorkshire to seize upon all th • Arch-Bishops goods and Lands, and to return them into the Exchequer, for hindering the kings Officers in gathering a kind of tax throughout his Diocese, and refusing to sails into No • mandy with him, to make a marriage for his Niece, and to conclude a league with the French king; which command the Sheriff executing, the Arch-Bishop thereupon excommunicated, not only the Sheriff that had done him this violence, but all those in general, who were the Authors of the same, and that had been any means to stir up the kings indignation against him. The King hereupon suspends him from his Bishopric, to whom at last he was glad to pay 1000. pound for his restitution. Holinsh •• writes that whereas this Arch-Bishop of York had offended king Richard, he pardoned and received him again into favor: Whereupon the Arch-Bishop waxed so proud, that using the king reproachfully, he lost his Arch-Bishopric, the rule of Yorkshire, which he had in government as Sheriff, the favor of his Sovereign, and which was the greatest loss of all, the love of God. Anno 1207. this fire of contention raked up in ashes, brake out again. King John being at Winchester required such of the Nobility and Clergy as were there present, that payment should be made unto him of the third part of all the moveable goods in England ; this motion no man gain-sa • d but Geoffrey the Arch-Bishop, who openly contradicted it. After this, whether it were, he were guilty of some greater attempt, or that he understood his Brother was grievously offended with him, secretly he avoided the Realm • excommunicating before his departure, such of his Jurisdiction, as either had already paid, or should hereafter presume to pay the said tax; whereupon he was banished the Realm, and lived five years in exile till his death.

Godfrey de Kinton his Successor, though he had no bickerings with the king, that I read of, yet he fell out with the whole City of York, interdicting it in the beginning of Lent, and not restoring it till the third of May following.

John Roman Arch-Bishop of York, Anno 1294. excommunicated Anthony Beake Bishop of Durham (or rather two of the Bishops servants) being one of the kings Council, and at that time beyond the Seas in the kings Service. Whereat the king being highly displeased, the Arch-Bishop thought it best to put himself to his Mercy, he did so, and was fain to redeem the kings favor with 4000. Markes (being fined so much by the whole Parliament for this his offense;) the grief whereof struck him into an incurable disease, whereof he died.

Thomas de Corbridge, his Successor, Anno 1299. upon the Popes Commendatory Letters, bestowed his Canons place of York and Custoseship of the Parish of Saint Sepulcher on one Gilbert Segrave, notwithstanding the King had formerly written earnestly to him in the behalf of one John Bush his Secretary; which affront in preferring the Popes Clerke before him and his Secretary, the King took so heinously, that he seized on three Manors or Barronies belonging to his See, and retained them during the Arch-Bishops life, which was not long, he either out of grief, or God's just J • dgement, being soon taken away. It falling out for the most part (as Bishop Godwin observes in his life) that those Bishops which have presumed most in opposing themselves against their Princes, have least time endured, and ever quickly been taken away.

Anno Dom. 1329. William de Melton Arch-Bishop of York (successively Treasurer and Chancellor of England ) upon the Examination of Edmund, Earl of Ken • , (whom this Prelate and the Bishop of London had drawn into a conspiracy and rebellion against King Edward the third) was accused of High Treason, for reporting that King Edward the second was still alive after his death, (and that upon the credit of a preaching Friar of London, who had raised up a Devil, which certainly informed him thereof as a truth:) For writing a Letter of Fidelitie to this Earl • which he sent by his own Chaplain Acyn, for sending him 500. men in Arms, and ptomising to send him as many more as he could possibly raise; and sending Richard de Pomfret to him both to Reusington and Arundle, to further the said Rebellion. The Poor Earl was found guilty of high Treason, and beheaded: The Bishop of London, and Arch-Bishop, the chief plotters of this Treason and Conspirac • e, were suffered to go at liberty under fureties, taken of them for their good demeanour and forth-coming; and the Friar who had raised the Spirit, to know whether the Kings Father were living or not, was only committed to prison, where he died. An. 1319. this William Melton Arch-Bishop of York and the Bishop of Eli, with the Citizens of York, not making them of the Country once privy to their designs, having in their company a great company of Priests and men of Religion, gave battle unto the Scots near Melton upon Swale. But for as much as most of the English were unexpert in the feats of War (the Bishops being their Captains) and came not in any orderly way of Battle, they were easily put to flight by the Scots, who slew about 4000. of them, sparing neither Religious person nor other. So ill is it for Prelates to turn Warriers, and that rashly without taking good advice.

Alexander Nevell Arch-Bishop of York, in great favor with King Richard the second, was amongst others convicted by Parliament, for abusing the Kings youth by flattery and exciting and stirring him against the Nobility and Lord's, whom he falsely accused of Treason to the King (to the great prejudice of the King and Realm) by whispering tales day and night against them, and for anulling Acts of Parliament: for which causes he was condemned in Parliament of high Treason, and then adjudged to perpetual imprisonment in the Castle of Roches • er. He foreseeing the Temp • st that grew toward him, fled out of the Realm. Urbane the Fifth for his security translated him (being both a Traitor and whisperer, writes Walsingham ) from York to Saint Andrew's in Scotland, which Kingdom at that time refused to acknowledge Urbane for Pope, yielding obedience to the Antipope, by mean • s whereof, Vrbanes gift was insufficient to invest him in Saint Andrew's ; yet good to void him quite from York ; whereby he being stripped of both Arch-Bishoprics, and enjoying the benefit of neither, for very want was forced to become a Parish Priest at Lovaine, and so lived three years till his death.

Thomas Arundel his Successor, to prejudice the Londoners and benefit those of York, removed all the Kings Courts from Westminster to York, to the great prejudice and grievance of the Lond • ners and Subjects in the West and South parts of England, and the no little disturbance of the Realm. His pretence was, that he did it only to punish the pride and presumption of the Londoners, who were then in great disgrace with the King • by reason of a fray made upon the Bishop of Salisburyes Man • who abused a Baker, and brake his head with a Dagger, without any just cause; for which the Citizens assaulted the Bishops House to have Justice done upon his Man, who had done the wrong; but the Bishops bolstering him out • no Justice could be had, and instead thereof, their Liberties were seized on, and the Terme removed to York, to vex them the more: The Arch-Bishop not long after, was attainted of Treason in Parliament immediately upon his Translati • n from York to Canterbury. And good reason: for he conspired with the Duke of Gloucester, the Abbot of Saint Albanes, and the Prior of Westminster (both which Religious persons declared to the Duke, that they had several Visions, That the Kingdom should be destroyed through the misgovernment of Richard the second ; by which they animated the Duke to conspire with them and others, against their Sovereign; who meeting together at drundel Castle, about the 20. year of King Richards Rain, they sware each to other • to be assistant one to another in all such matters as they should determine, and therewith received the Sacrament from this Arch-Bishop, who celebrated Mass before them the morrow after; which done, they withdrew themselves into a chamber, and concluded, to take King Richard, the Dukes of Lancaster and York, and to commit them to Prison; and to hang and draw all the other Lord's of the Kings Council; all which they intended to accomplish in August following, had not their plot been discovered and prevented by Earl Marshall. This Prelate after his attainder for this Treason, was the chief Actor in effecting King Richards involuntary Resignation, in the instrument whereof he is first named. I shall say no more of this Arundel, but what William Harrison hath recorded of him in his Description of England, l. 2. • c. 1. p. 134. And even no less unquietness had another of our Princes with Thomas Arundel (than King Stephen had with his Predecessors, and Robert de S • gillo Bishop of London ) who fled to Rome for fear of his head, and caused the Pope to write an ambitious and contumelious Letter unto his Sovereign about his restitution. But when by the Kings Letters yet extant and beginning thus, Thomas PRODITIONIS non expers, nostrae Regiae Majestati insidias fabricavit ; the Pope understood the bottom of the matter, he was contented that Thomas should be deprived, and another Arch-Bishop chosen in his stead. But of this and him you may read more before, pag. 75, 76, &c.

Richard Scroope Arch-Bishop of • orke, Brother to William Scroope Earl of Will • shire, Ann. 1403. and 1405. joined with the Earl of Northumberland, the Earl Marshall, the Lord Bardolp • and others, in a Conspiracie and Rebellion against King Henry the fourth, gathering what forces he could against him. The Percies to make their part seem good, devised certain Articles by the devise of this Arch-Bishop, which they shown to divers Noble-men and other States of the Realm, and moved them so far to promote their purpose by this means, that they did not only promise them aid and succor by words, but also by their writings and seals confirmed the same. After this, Anno 1405. This Arch-Bishop conspiring with the Earl of Northumberland and others aforesaid, devised like Articles as before, of such matters as was supposed not only the Commonaltie of the Realm, but the Nobility found themselves grieved with; which Articles he and his Confederates first shown to such of their adherents as were near about them, and after sent them abroad to their friends further off; assuring them, that for redress of such oppressions they would shed the last drop of blood in their bodies, if need were: Whereupon great multitudes flocking to the Arch-Bishop to York, to take his part in this quarrel, he not meaning to stay, after he saw himself so well accompanied with so great number of men, forthwith discovered his enterprise, causing the Articles aforsaid to be set up in the public streets of the City of York, and upon the gates of the Monasteries, that each man might understand the causes that moved him to rise in Arms against the King, the reforcing whereof did not yet appertain unto him. Hereupon the Knights, Esqui • es, Gentlemen, Yeomen, and others of the the Commons as well of the City, as of the Towns and Countries about, being allured for desire to see a Reformation of the things mentioned in the Articles, assembled in great number, and the Arch-Bishop coming forth amongst them clad in armor, encouraged • exhorted, and (by all means he could) pricked them forth to take the enterprise in hand, and manfully to continue in their begun purpose; promising forgiveness of sins to all them whose hap it was to die in the quarrel. And indeed the respect men had of the Arch-Bishop caused them to like better of the cause, since the gravity of his age, integrity of his life • incomparable learning • and reverent aspect of his personage, moved all men to have him in no small estimation. The Earl of Westmorland and Duke of Lan • aster, the Kings son, being in those parts with the Kings Forces, inquired of them in a peaceable manner, What their intent should be in taking Arms? The Arch-Bishop answered, That he meant nothing but the good of the Realm, as he would gladly certify them if he might have secure and safe conduct to them, and thereupon shown a writing containing certain Articles which he had devised; wherein he charged King Henry with treason against his Sovereign King Richard ; oppression of the Church and Common-weal, whose Liberties he had sworn to defend, Tyrannie and cruelty, in putting to death th • said King, many of the Nobility, and great numbers of the Commons: with impiety and sacrilege, in defrauding the Church of Rome of her Rights; and lastly, with • vill government, perfidiousness, perjury, and divers other like heinous crimes, for which he pronounced the King excommunicate, requiring all men to join with that company, whose endeavor should be, but to reform what was amiss, to seat and settle in the kingdom • the right Heir, to establish peace in Wales and Ireland, and to free the whole Realm from the great and intolerable burden of exactions, no longer to be endured. The Earl of Westmorland having read this writing (containing sundry treasons and conlumelies with a witness, and fit for an Arch-Bishop to publish) professed to allow of the Enterprise, and praised it for honest and reasonable; insomuch as meeting with the traiterous Arch-Bishop at a parley, after a very few speeches they seemed to become friends, shaking hands together, and drinking to each other in the sight of both their Armies. The Arch-Bishop now doubting of nothing, suffered his men to disperse them for a time: But the Earl contrary-wise waxing stronger and stronger, and seeing him self able to deal with the Bishop, came upon him suddenly and arrested him, little thinking of any such matter. The King by this time was come North, and as far as Pomfret : Thither the Arch-Bishop with other prisoners, arrested with him, were brought, and carried with the King to York ; or as some say, to Thorpe ; where Sir William Fulford, a Knight learned in the Law, and another Justice called Gascoine sitting on an high Stage in the Hall, condemned the Arch-Bishop to be beheaded, without being judged by his Peers; Bishops being (as some say) properly no Peers of the Realm, and so not to be judged by their Peers ; who certainly would have acquitted, or saved his life had they been Bishops, they ever using to bolster out their fellow Bishops, in their treasons, and to save them from the Gibbet. Presently after this judgment given, the Arch-Bishop was set upon an ill favored Jade, his face toward the Horse tail, and carried with great scorn and shame to a Field hard by, where his head at last was chopped off by a fellow that did his office very ill, not being able to dispatch him with less then five strokes. Grafton writes, that Thomas Arundel Arch-Bishop of Canterbury (as great a Traitor as he) came to the King and said, Sir if the Bishop of York have offended you so greatly as it is said, yet I pray you consider, that I am your Ghostly Father, and the second Peer in your Realm, and that you ought not to hearken to any man's voice before me, wherefore I counsel to reserve the pain and punishment of the said Bishop to the Popes judgment, and he will take such order as ye shall be pleased. And if ye will not so do, yet let him be ref • rred to the Parliament, and keep your hands defiled from his blood ; (a sweet Counselor.) Then the King answered, I may not stay him, for the rumour of the people ; whereupon the Arch-Bishop called for a Notary, to make an instrument of the Kings answer, that if need were it might be shown to the Pope • but the King would not stay, but caused execution to be done. Though many of our Arch-Bishops and Bishops before him, had been desperate Traitors, yet he is the first Bishop (the more the pity, for that made them so presumptuous in their Treasons) that was put to death by order of Law. This just execution on such a Traytorly Rebell, so unwontedly and extraordinarily performed on an Arch-Prelate, in this contumelious (though deserved) manner, without any preceding degradation, was so distasteful to his fellow Prelates (none of the best Subjects,) and so dangerous a president for the future, that they accounted this Arch-Traitor, no less then a Martyr, ascribing many miracles to have been done by vertu • of his holiness both at his Tomb, and at the place where he was beheaded : (pity that more of them had not been so served, that we might have had more such Holy Saints and wondrous Miracles of this kind.) They reported abroad, That the Bishop at the time of his Execution, desired the Executioner to have five strokes, in remembrance of the five wounds of Christ, that the King at the same time, sitting at dinner, had five stroke • s in his neck by a person invisible, and that the King himself, presently after his death, was stricken with a Leprosy, a manifest lie. They likewise reported, That a strange judgment happened upon the Judges who gave sentence against him : Which fabulous lying Legends, must not only be generally bruited abroad (to cheat the people, justify the Traitor, disparage this honorable Act of Justice slander the King and Judges, and all to secure the Bishops in their Treasons and Rebellions, that this Act might never be made a president to punish them capitally for such like offenses in future times;) but likewise chronicled, to delude posterity, and animate all succeeding Prelates, under hopes of impunity to attempt any Treasons, Trecheries or insurrections against their Sovereigns without fear. And to make the thing more odious, and the Prelates more presumptuous in this kind, the Pope himself excommunicates the Authors of his death, and those that had any hand in his condemnation or execution, who must all earnestly entreat for absolution before it would be granted. Loe here the quintessence of all Traiterous, Rebellious spirits, and disloyal practices combined, and infused into our Prelates, in canonizing this Arch-Traitor, scandalizing the very sentence of Justice pronounced and executed upon him, with the King and Judges that were the Authors of it, and making it a matter worthy an Anathema, to condemn and execute a Traitor, a Rebell too in the Suparlative degree. What confidence can any Princes repose, or what fidelity can they expect from such a desperate generation of Vipers as these, who cannot be content to plot, to execute Treasons and Conspiracies, but thus boldly to justify them and the Traitors to, when they are committed? I shall therefore close this story with the words of Edward Hall, our Chronicler: What shall a man say of such foolish and fantastical persons, who have written, of such erroneous Hypocrites and seditious Asses who have indicted, of such superstitious Friars and malicious Monks, who have declared and divulged both contrary to God's Doctrine, the honor of their Prince and common known verity • such manifest lies as the fore-cited miracles and reports concerning this Arch-Bishops death? What shall men think of such beastly persons which regarding not their bounden d • tie and • be • sance to their Prince and Sovereign Lord env • ed the punishment of Traitors and torment of offenders? But what shall all men conjecture of such which favoring their own worldly Dignity, their own private authority, and their own peculiar profit, will thus juggle, rail, and imagine fantasies against their Sovereign Lord and Prince, and put them in memory as a miracle to his dishonor and perpetual infamy • well, let just men judge what I have said. So • all.

John Kemp Arch-Bishop of York, was a great opposer of the good Duke of Gloucester, a Traitor and evil instrument to King Henry the Sixth and the Kingdom, and the means of the Duke of Gloucesters murder, whose death was a most incomparable loss to the Realm; of which more at large in Henry Beaufort, Bishop of Winchester, with whom he confederated against the Duke.

George Nevill Arch-Bishop of York conspired with his Brother Henry Nevill Earl of Warwick, against King Edward the Fourth, after he had reigned almost nine years • to pull him from his Throne; and being his hap to take King Edward Prisoner at Ownely in Northamptonshire, he carried the King with him Prisoner, first to Warwick Castle, then to Midleham Castle in Yorkshire ; from whence the King at last, having liberty to ride abroad an hunting escaped, being rescued by his Friends: and within half a year after so handled the matter, as coming to London suddenly, and entering this Arch-Bishops Palace by a Posterne Gate, he surprised at once King H • nry and the Arch-Bishop, that had not long before taken him. Holinshed and some others relate, that the Arch-Bishop being l • ft by his Brother the Earl of Warwick to keep the City of London for King Henry against Edward the Fourth; he perceiving the affections of the people to incline to King Edward, and how the most part of the City were much addicted to him, sent forth secretly a Messenger to him, beseeching King Edward to receive him again into his former favor, promising to be to him in time to come, and to acquit this good turn • hereafter with some singular benefit and service. That the King upon good considerations was hereupon content to receive him again into his favor; of which the Arch-Bishop being assured • greatly rejoiced, and well and truly acquitting him of his promise in that behalf made • admitted him into the City; where the king coming to the Arch-Bishops Palace, he • pr • scented himself unto him, and having king He • ry by the hand, delivered him treacherously to king Edw • rd • custody; who being seized of his pe • s • n, we • t to Paul's from Westminster, where he gave God hearty thanks for his safe return and good success. Thereupon they were both sent to the Tower • where king Henry was pitifully murdered • but the Arch-Bishop the fourth of June • ollowing • was set at Liberty. About a year after his Enlargement, he chanced to be hunting at ••••• ore with the king, and upon occasion of some spo • t th •• • ad seen there, he made relation to •• e king of some extraordinary kind of G • me, wherewith he was wont to solace himse ••• at 〈◊〉 house • he had built and furnished very sumptuously, called the Moore, in Hartfordshire : The King seeming desirous to be partaker of this sport, appointed a day, when he would come thither to hunt and make merry with him: Hereupon the Arch-Bishop taking his leave, got him home; and thinking to entertain the King in the best manner it was possible, sent for much Plate that he had hid during the Wars between his Brethren and the King, and borrowed also much of his Friends. The Dea • e which the King hunted being thus brought into the toil, the day before his appointed time, he sent for the Arch-Bishop, commanding him, all excuses set apart, to repair presently to him, being at Windsore. As soon as he came he was arrested of High-Treason, all his Plate, money and other moveable goods (to the value of 20000. l.) were seized on for the King, and himself a long space after kept prisoner at Calis and Guisues ; during which time the King took to himself the profits and temporalties of his Bishopric. Amongst other things that were taken from him, was a Miter of inestimable value, by reason of many rich stones wherewith it was adorned: that, the King brake and made thereof a Crown for himself: This calamity happened to him, Anno 1472. Four years after, with much entreaty, he obtained his Liberty, but died of grief shortly after. This proud Pontifician made so great a feast at his installment, that neither our age, nor any other before it ever heard or saw the like; the particulars whereof you may read in Godwin, too tedious here to recite.

Thomas Rotheram Arch-Bishop of York being Lord Chancellor in Edward the fourth his Rain, upon his death resigned his place, and delivered up his Seal to the Queen without the Councils consent, from whom he received it not, she having no right to require it: For which cause he was committed to the Tower by the Lord Protectour, Richard Duke of York ; who afterwards usurping the Crown, released the Arch-Bishop out of prison; who thereupon sided and was ve • y inward with this Usurper, and at last died of the Plague, May 29. 1500.

I read nothing of Thomas Savage • his next successor, but this, That he was not preferred to this See for any extraordinary great learning: that he spent his time in a manner altogether (as our Prelates do now) either in Temporal affairs • being a great Courtier, or else in hunting; wherewith he was unreasonably delighted, keeping a great number of tall Fellowes about him to attend his person: But of his preaching, or maintaining Ministers to instruct the people, I read not one word. It is likely his tall fellows occasioned many a quarrel, and sometimes would take a purse for a need.

Christopher Bambridge his Successor, being Ambassador from King Henry the 8. to the Pope and Lewis the 12. of France, persuaded King Henry to take the Popes part, and proclaim War against Lewis, ingageing his Sovereign in a needless War, only to pleasure his Lord and Master the Pope: who for this good service, made him a Cardinal; he was at last poisoned by Raynaldo de Modena an Italian Priest, his Steward, upon malice and displeasure conceived for a blow this Bishop gave him (when as a Bishop should be no striker, 1 Tim. 3.3.) as Goodwin relates out of Paulus Iovius.

Thomas Wolsie (or Wolfesie, as Mr. Tyndale oft times stiles him) an Arch-Traitor, and most insolent domineering Prelate, succeeded him in that See, holding likewise the Bishopric of Bath and Wells first, and after that of Eli, Winchester, Worcester and Hereford, together with the Abbey of Saint Albanes, and divers other Ecclesiastical Livings besides his Temporal Offices, in Commenda • with it. This proud imperious Prelate, when he was once Arch-Bishop, studied day and night how to be a Cardinal, and caused King Henry the Eighth and the French King to write to Rome for him, and at their request he obtained his purpose: He grew so into exceeding pride, that he thought himself equal with the King; and when he said Mass (which he did oftener to show his pride then devotion) he made Dukes and Earls to serve him with Wine, with assay taken, and to hold to him the Bason and the Lavatory. His pride and excess in diet, apparel, furniture and attendance • and his pomp in going to Westminster Hall were intolerable, and more then Royal or Papal: He was much offended with the Arch-Bishop of Canterbury, because he styled him Brother, in a Letter, as though he had done him great injury by that Title. He quite altered the state of the Kings house, putting out and in what Officers he pleased. He oppressed and vexed the Citizens of London, causing divers of them to be executed; siding with strangers (both Merchants and Artificers) against them. Confederating with the French King, he procured King Henry to permit him to redeem Tornaye, on his own Termes: He procured a meeting of the King of England and France to their infinite expense, only that he might be seen in his own vain pomp, and show of Dignity, himself drawing up the instrument and terms of their meeting in his own name, which began thus: Thomas Arch-Bispop of York, &c. He committed the Earl of Northumberland, and wrought the Duke of Buckingham out of the Kings favor, and at last cut off the Dukes head, for opposing his pride and unjust proceedings. He began his Letters to foreign Princes and the Pope, for the most part, in this manner • • go & Rex meus, I, and my King, putting himself before his Sovereign, making him but his underling and Pupil, swaying him like a School-boy at his pleasure. He set his Arms likewise above the Kings over Christ-Church College-gate in Oxford, which he founded: He stamped his Cardinals Cap on the kings Coyne (as our Bishops do now their Arms and Miters on their Proces • instead of the Kings Seal and Arms:) He set up a Legan •• ne Court here in England by Commission from the Pope, to which he drew the Conusans of all Ecclesiastical Causes; and when the king had summoned a Convocation at Paul's in London by virtue of his Writ, he came most insolently into the Convocation House, and by his power Legantine, dissolved the Convocation, summoning them all to appear before him at Saint Peter • in Westminster the Monday following, there to celebrate the Synod under him; which power Legantine brought him and all the Clergi • into a Premunire, to his overthrow and their cost, they being enforced to grant the king an hundred thousand pounds, to acknowledge him on earth supreme Head of the Church of England, and to renounce the Popes Supremacy, to buy their peace. He dissolved 40. Monasteries of good worth, converting all their goods and moveables into his own Coffers, which were so stuffed with Treasure, that 12. Barrels • full o • Gold and Silver, were laid aside to serve the Pope in his Wars, emptying the Land also of twelve score thousand pounds which he forced from the king; all which he sent to relieve and ransom the Pope then in prison, to the great impoverishing of his Majesty's Coffers and the Realm: His revenues one way or other • were equal to the kings; he had no less then 1200. Hor • e for his retinue, 80. waggons for his carriage, and 60. Mules for sumpter horses when he went into France. He carried the Great Seal of England with him in his Embassy without the kings consent, so that no Writs nor Patents could be sealed, nor business of the kingdom dispatched in the interim. He proclaimed wars against the Emperor without the kings consent, stirred up the French king to war against him, aiding him with Monies without the Kings privity, and contrary to his liking, he demanded • he 5. part of the true value of every man's goods, by way of loan, toward the maintenance of the Warrs in France, putting men to confess upon their Oaths, the true estimate of their Estates, without the Kings privity, which caused many insurrections and mutinies in the Kingdom, the people rising up and denying to pay it: at which the King being very angry, released the loan as an intolerable oppression, sore against this Prelates will • yet the Cardinal, the sole cause and urger thereof, would needs lay the odium of it on the King, to alienate the hearts of his Subjects from him • and take the sole praise of the release of it to himself, as if he with much suite and danger had obtained it. He falsely prosecuted and imprisoned the Earl of Kildare, accusing him before the Counsel to take away his life, where he pressed him so deeply with disloyalty, that the presumption (as the Cardinal did force it) being vehement, the Treason odious, the King suspicious, the enemies eager, the friends saint (which were sufficient grounds to overthrow an innocent person) the Earl was reprived to the Tower, whither on a night suddenly came a Mandate to the Lieutenant from the Cardinal, to execute Kildare on the morrow, before any judgment given, and without the kings privity: who being acquainted by the Lieutenant therewith at midnight, the king controlling the sauciness of the Priest, delivered the Lieutenant his Signet in token of countermand; which when the Cardinal had seen, he began to breath out unseasonable Language, which the Lieutenant was loath to hear, and so left him pattering and chanting the Devils Pater noster. He oppressed and and disquietted the whole Realm and Christian world all his time, endeavored to set up the Popes power, all he might, with prejudice to the kings, aspiring to the Papacie himself, and sending much money to Rome to bribe the Cardinals to elect him, though he failed in that project: He was so proud, that he had divers Lord's, Earls and Knights attending on him • and was served on the knee when he went Ambassador into Germany : He was exceeding treacherous, false, and perfidious to the King, who trusted him with the government of the Realm, seeking only his own ends and advancements: He caused him to break off his firm League with the Emperor, and to make w • rre upon him and side with France ; stirring up likewise the French King against the Emperor, only to wreck his private spleen upon him, denouncing wars against him by an Herald without the Kings knowledge; He set England, France, Germany, Flanders and Italy together by the ears; He bare such a hand upon the controversies which ran between the King, the Emperor, the King of France, and other Princes, as all the world might acknowledge the resolution and expectation of all affairs to depend on him and his authority: He exceedingly abused and deluded the King about the matter of his Divorce, which himself first put him upon to spite the Emperor, delaying him from time to time, to his no small cost and vexation, and writing likewise secret Letters to Pope Clement to hinder the Divorce all he might, which Letters an English Gentleman then at Rome got into his hands, by means of one of the Popes Concubines. The Queen most grievously accused Cardinal Wolsie in the presence of the whole Court of untruth, deceit, wickedness, and malice, which had sown dissention betwixt her and her husband the King; and therefore openly protested, that she did utterly abhor, refuse, and forsake such a Judge, as was not only a most malicious enemy to her, but also a manifest adversary to all Right and Justice. He did many things when he was Ambassador without the Kings privity, and held correspondency with his enemies. Mr. Tyndale (who notably descries and lays open his treacheries) writes That he calculated the Kings Nativitie (which is a common Practice of Prelates in all Lands) whereby he saw whereunto the Kings Grace should be inclined all his Life, and what should be like to chance him at all times; and (as he then heard • t spoken of divers) he made by craft of Necromancie graven imagery to bear upon him, wherewith he bewitched the Kings mind, and the King to doat upon him • more then ever he did on any Lady or Gentlewoman (a trick of the Devils suggestion usual among Court Prelates and Priests) so that now the Kings Grace followed him as he followed the King. And then what he said, that was wisdom, what he praised, that was honorable only. Moreover, in the mean time he spied out the natures and dispositions of the Kings play-fellows, and of all that were great, and whom he spied meet for his purpose, him he flattered, and him he made faithful with great promises, and to him he sware, and of him he took an oath again, that the one should help the other, for without a secret Oath he admitted no man unto any part of his privities. And ever as he grew in promotions and dignity, so gathered he unto him of the most subtle witted, and of them that were drunk in the de • ire of honor, most like unto himself. And after they were sworn he promoted them • and with great promises made them in falsehood faithful, and of them ever presented unto the kings Grace and put them into his service; saying • this is a man meet for your Grace. And by these spies, if anything were spoken or done in Court against the Cardinal, of that he had word within an hour or two. And then came the Cardinal to Court with all his Magicke to plead to the con • rary. If any in the Court had spoken against the Cardinal, and the same not great in the kings favor, the Cardinal bade him walk a Villaine, and thrust him out of the Court head-long: If he were in conceit with the kings Grace, then he flattered, and persuaded, and corrupted some with gifts, and sent some Ambassadors, and some he made Captain at Calais, Hammes, Gynes, Iarnsie and Gernsie, or sent them to Ireland, or into the North, and so occupied them till the king had forgot them, or other were in their rooms, or he sped what he intended. And in like manner plaid h • e with the Ladies and Gentlewoman, whosoever of them was great, with her was he familiar, and to her gave he gifts. Yea, and where Saint Thomas of Canterbury was wont to come after, Thomas Cardinal went oft before preventing his Prince, and perverted the order of that holy man. If any were subtle witted and meet for his purpose, her made he sworn (O treachery) to betray the Queen likewise, and to tell what she said or did. I knew one that departed the Court for no other cause, then that she would no longer betray her Mistress. And after the same example he furnished the Court with Chaplains of his own sworn Disciples and Children of his own bringing up, to be always present, and to dispute of vanities, and to water whatsoever the Cardinal had planted. If among those Cormorants any yet began to be much in favor with the King, and to be somewhat busy in the Court, and to draw any other way then as my Lord Cardinal had appointed, that the Plough should go, anon he was sent to Italy or to Spain, or some quarrel was picked against him, and so was thrust out of the Court as Stokesley was. He promoted the Bishop of Lincoln that now is, his most faithful • Friend and Old Companion, and made him Confessor: to whom of whatsoever the Kings Grace shrove himself, think ye not that he spake so loud that the Cardinal heard it? and not unright, for as God's Creatures ought to obey God and serve his honor, so ought the Popes creatures to obey the Pope and serve his Majesty. Finally, Thomas Wolsie became what he would, even partner of Heaven, so that no man could enter into promotion but through him. Being thus advanced he begins to act his part like a sworn Vassall to the Pope, and a Traitor to his Prince, which Mr. Tyndale, who lived at that time, thus relates. About the beginning of the Kings Grace that now in France was mighty, so that I suppose it was not mightier this five hundred years. King Lewis of France had won Naples and had taken Bonony from Saint Peters See • wherefore Pope July was wroth, and cast how to bring the French men down; yet soberly, lest while he brought him lower, he should give an occasion to lift up the Emperor higher. Our first Voyage into Spain was to bring the French men lower; for our meynye were set in the Fore-front and borders of Spain toward Gascoine ; partly to keep those parties, and partly to fear the Gascoynes, and to keep them at home, while in the mean time the Spaniards wan Naverne. When Naverns was wan, our men came to lose as many as died not there, and brought all their money with them home again, save that they spent there. Howbeit, for all the loss of Naverne, the French men were yet able enough to match Spain, the Venetians, and the Pope, with all the Souchenars that he could make; so that there was yet no remedy but we must set on the French men also, if they should be brought out of Italy. Then Pope July wrote unto his dear Son Thomas Wolsie, that he would be as good, as loving, and as helping to Holy Church, as ever any Thomas was, seeing he was as able; then the new Thomas as glorious as the old, took the matter in hand, and persuaded the Kings Grace. And then the Kings Grace took a Dispensation for his Oath made upon the appointment of peace between him and the French King, and promised to help the Holy Seat, wherein Pope Peter never • ate. But the Emperor Maximilian might in no wi • e stand still, le • t the French men should money him, and get aide of him, since the Almaines refuse not money whensoever it be proffered; then quoth Thomas Wolsie, O ho, and like your Grace, what an honor should it be unto your Grace, if the Emperor were your Soldier; so great honor never chanced any King christened; it should be spoken of while the World stood; the glory and honor shall hide and darken the cost that it shall never be seen, though it should cost your Realm. Dixit, & factum est. It was even so. And then a Parliament, and then pay, and then upon the French Dogs, with clean remission of all his sins, that slew one of them; or if he be slain (for the pardons have no strength to save in this life, but in the life to come only) then to Heaven straight, without feeling of the pains of Purgatory. Then came our King with all his might by Sea and by Land, and the Emperor with a strong, Army, and the Spaniards, and the Pope, and the Venetians all at once against King Lewis of France. As soon as the Pope had that he desired in Italy, then peace immediately; and French men were christen men • and pity, yea and great sin also were it to shed their blood, and the French king was the most Christian king again. And thus was peace concluded, our Englishmen, or rather Sheep, came home against Winter, and left their Fleeces behind them: wherefore no • mall number of them while they sought them better raiment at home, were hanged for their labor. When this peace was made, our holy Cardinals • and Bishops (as their old guise is to calke and cast 40. yea an hundred year before, what is like to chance unto their kingdom) considered how the Emperor that now is, was most like to be chosen Emperor after his Grandfather Maximilian ; for Maximilian had already obtained of divers of the Electors that it should so be. They considered also how mighty he should be: First, King of Spain, with all that pertaineth thereto, which was wont to be 6. or 7. Kingdoms • then Duke of Burgaine, Earl of Flanders, of Holland, Zealand, and Braband, with all that pertain thereto, then Emperor, and his Brother Duke of Austria, and his sister Queen of Hungary ; wherefore thought our Prelates, if we take not heed betimes, our Kingdom is like to be troubled, and we to be brought under the feet; for this man shall be so mighty, that he shall with power take out of the French Kings hands, out of the hands of the Venetians, and from the Pope also, whatsoever pertaineth unto the Empire, and whatsoever belongeth unto his other kingdoms and Dominions thereto, and then will he come to Rome, and be crowned there; and so shall he overlook our Holy Father, and see what he doth, and then shall the old Heretics rise up again and say, that the Pope is Antichrist, and stir up again and bring to light that we have hid and brought asleep with much cost, pain, and blood-shedding more than this hundred years long. Considered also that his Aunt is Queen of England, and his wife the King of England's Si • ter; considered the old amity between the House of Burgaine, and the old Kings of England, so that they could never do ought in France without their help; and last of all, considered the course of Marchandize that England hath in those parts, and also the natural hate that Englishmen bear to Frenchmen: wherefore if we will use our old practice, and set the French King against him; then he shall lightly obtain the favor of the King of England, by the means of his Ant and his wife, and aid-with men and money: wherefore we must take heed betimes and break this amity: which thing we may by this our old cra •• easily bring to pass: Let us take a Dispensation, and break this Marriage, and turn the Kings Sister unto the French King: If the French King get a Male of her, then we shall lightly make our King protector of France ; and so shall England and France be coupled together: and as for the Queen of England, we shall trim her well enough, and occupy the king with strange love, and keep her that she shall bear no rule. And as the God's had spoken so it came to pass. Our fair young Daughter was sent to the old pockie king of France • that year before our mortal enemy, and a Miscreant worse then a Turk, and disobedient unto our Holy Father, and no more obedient then he was compelled to be against his will. In short space thereafter Thomas Wolsie now Cardinal and Legate a latere, and greatly desirous to be Pope also, thought it exceeding expedient for his many secret purposes to bring our king, and the king of France that now is, together; both to make a perpetual peace and amity between them, and that while the two kings and their Lord's dalied together, the great Cardinals and Bishops of both parties might betray them both, and the Emperor and all Christian kings thereto. Then he made a journey of Gentlemen arrayed altogether in silk, so much as their very shoes, and lining of their Bootes, more like their Mothers then men of war; yea, I am sure that many of their Mothers would have been ashamed of so nice and wanton array. Howbeit they went not to make wars, but peace forever and a day longer. But to speak of the pompous apparells of my Lord himself, and of his Chaplains, it passeth the Twelve Apostles. I dare swear that if Peter and Paul had seen them suddenly and at a blush, they would have been harder in belief that they or any such should be their successors, then Thomas Didimus was to believe that Christ was risen again from death. When all was concluded between the king of France and ours, that Thomas Wolsie had devised, and when the Prelates of both parties had cast their penny-worths against all chances, and devised remedies for all mischiefs; then the right Reverend Father in God Thomas Cardinal and Legate, would go see the young Emperor newly chosen to the room, and have a certain secret communication with some of his Prelates also: And gat him to Bridges in Flanders, where he was received with great solemnity as might belong to so great a pillar of Christ's Church, and was saluted at the entering into the Town of a merry Fellow, which said, Salve Rex Regis tuì, atque Regni sui; Hayle both King of thy King, and of his Realm. And though there were never so great strife between the Emperor and the French king, yet my Lord Cardinal jugled him favor of them both, and finally brought the Emperor to Cales to the kings Grace, where was great triumph and great love and amity shown on both parties; insomuch, that a certain man marvelling at it, asked the old Bishop of Durham, How it might be that we were so great with the Emperor so shortly, upon so strong and everlasting a peace made between us and the French men, the Emperor and the king of France being so mortal enemies? My Lord answered, That it might be well enough if he wist all; but there was a certain secret (said he) whereof all men knew not: yea verily, they have had secrets this 800. years, which though all the Laymen have felt them, yet few have spied them, save a few Judases, which for lucre have been confederate with them to betray their own kings and all other. Then were we indifferent, and stood still, and the Emperor and the French king wrestled together; and Ferdinandus the Emperors Brother wan Millaine of the Frenchmen; and the Emperor Turnay our great Conquest, which yet after so great cost in buil •••• a Castle we delivered up again unto the Frenchmen, in earnest and hope o a marriage between the Dolphine and our Princesse. After that •• e Emperor would into Spain, and came through England, where he was received with great honor, and with all that pertaineth to love and amity. The Kings Grace lent him Monie, and promised him more; and the Emperor should tarry a certain time and marry our Princesse; not that the Card • nall intended; that, thou mayest be sure; for it was not profitable for their Kingdom; but his mind was to dally with the Emperor, and to keep him without a wife (insomuch as he was young and lusty) he might have been nozeled and entangled with Whores, (which is their nurturing of Kings) and made so effeminate and beastly, that he should never have been able to lift up his heart to any goodness or virtue; that Cardinals and Bishops might have administered his Dominions in the mean time, unto our Holy Fathers profit. The King of France hearing the favor that was shown unto the Emperor sent immediately a Defiance unto our King, not without our Cardinals and Bishops counsel thou mayst well wit. For Frenchmen are not so foolish to have done it so unadvisedly and so rashly, seeing they had too many in their tops already. Then our King spake many great words, that he would drive the French King out of his Realm, or else the French King should drive him out of his: But had he added as the Legate Pandulph taught King Io • n, with the Popes License, his words had sounded much better: For there can no vow stand in effect, except the Holy Father confirmed it. We sent out our Soldiers two Summers against the French men, unto whose chief Captains the Cardinal had appointed how far they should go, and what they should do; and therefore the French king was nothing a • raid, but brought all his power against the Emperor in other places; and so he was ever betrayed: And thus the Cardinal was the Empero • rs Friend openly and the French Kings secretly. For at the meeting with the French King beside Ca • es he utterly betrayed the Emperor, yet for no love that h • e had to France, but to help the Pope, and to have been Pope happily, and to save their Kingdom; which treason, though all the World smelled it, y ••• brake not out openly to the eye, till the ••• ge of 〈◊〉 . And the Cardinal lent the Emperor much money openly, and gave the French King more secretly. He plaid with both hands to serve their secret that all men know not as the Bish. of Durham said. But whatsoever the Frenchmen did they had ever the worse notwithstanding the secret working of our holy Prelates on their side. Finally, unto the siege of Pavia, came the French king personally with 60. thousand men of war, of which 12. thousand were horse-men, and with monie enough. And the Emperors host was under 20. thousand, of which were but 3. thousand Horse-men, with no money at all: For he trusted unto the Pope for aide of men, and unto our Cardinal for Money. But the Pope kept back his men till the French-men had given them a field; and our Cardinal kept back his money for the same purpose. And thus was the silly Emperor betrayed, as all his predecessors have been this 8. hundred years. Howbeit there be that say, that the Emperors Soldiers so threatened Stace the kings Graces Ambassador, that he was fain to make chevisance with Merchants for money in the kings name, to pay the Soldiers withal; Wherefore the Cardinal took from him all his promotions, and played the Tormentor with him, when he came home, because he presumed to do one jot more then was in his Commission. But howsoever it was, the Emperors men in tarrying for help had spent all their Victualls: Whereupon Bourbon the chief Captain of the Emperor, said unto his under Captains; Ye see, help cometh not, and that our victuals are spent: wherefore there is no remedy but to fight, though we be unequally matched. If we win, we shall find meat enough; if we lose, we shall lose no more then we must lose with hunger, though we fight not. And so they concluded to set upon the French-men by night. The King of France and his Lord's supposing that the Moon would sooner have fallen out of the sky, then that the Emperors host durst have fought with them, were somewhat negligent, and went the same night a mumming that Bourbon set upon them. The Emperors Hoste therefore, with their sudden coming upon them, amazed the Frenchmen, and drave them upon heaps together, one on another, so that they never could come in array again, and took the King, and divers of his Lord's, and slew many, and wan the field. And there came out all the Cardinals privy treason. For in the French-Kings Tent (say men) were Letters found, and beside that in the French-kings Treasure, and in all the Hoast among the Soldiers were English Shippes found innumerable, which had come sailing a thousand miles by Land. But what wonder? Shippes be made to sail over the Sea, and wings to fly into far Countries, and to mount to the top of High hills. When the French King was taken, we sang, Te Deum. But for all that singing, we made peace with French-men. And the Pope, the Venetians, France and England were knit together, least the Emperors Army should do any hurt in France: whereby you may conjecture of what mind the Pope and the Cardinal were toward the Emperor, and with what heart our spiritualty with their invisible secrets, sang Te Deum. And from that time hitherto, the Emperor and our Cardinal have been twain, After that, when the King of France was delivered home again, and his Sons left in pledge, many ways were sought to bring home the sons also; but in vain except the French King would make good that which he had promised the Emperor. For the bringing home of these children no man more busied his wits then the Cardinal: He would in any wise the Emperor should have sent them home, and it had been but for our Kings pleasure for the great kindness that he shown him in times past. He would have married the Kings Daughter our Princesse unto the Dolphine again, or as the voice went among many, unto the second Brother, and he should have been Prince in England, and King in time to come; so that he sought always to pluck us from the Emperor, and join us unto France, to make France strong enough to match the Emperor, and to keep him down that the Pope might reign a God alone and do what pleaseth him, without controlling of any over-seer. And for the same purpose he left nothing unprovided to bring the Mart from Anwerpe to Cales. But at that time, the Pope taking part with the French King had war with the Emperor: And at the last the Pope was taken, which when the Cardinal heard, he wrote unto the Emperor, that he should make him Pope: And when he had gotten an answer that pleased him not, but according unto his deservings toward the Emperor, then he waxed furious mad, and sough all means to displease the Emperor, and imagined the divorcement between the King and the Queen, and wrote sharply unto the Emperor with manacing Letters, that if he would not make him Pope, he would make such ruffling between Christian Princes as was not this hundred years, to make the Emperor repent; yea, though it should cost the whole Realm of England, The Lord Jesus be our shield, what a fierce wrath of God is this upon us, that a misshapen Monster should spring out of a Dunghill into such an height, that the dread of God and man laid apart, he should be so malepert not only to defy utterly the Majesty of so mighty an Emperor, whose Authority both Christ and all his Apostles obeyed • and taught all other to obey, threatening damnation to them that would not: But should also set so little by the whole Realm of England which hath bestowed so great cost and shed so much blood to exalt and maintain such proud, churlish, and unthankful Hypocrites that he should not care to destroy it utterly, for satisfying of his villanous lusts. Godly Master Tyndale was so far affected with the treacherous practices of this Cardinal, that he laid them open in two several Discourses; the one entitled, The Ohedience of a Christian man ; the other, The Practice of Popish Prelates. In the last whereof after the recital of these his perfidious actions, he breaks out into this Patheticke Supplication: I beseech the Kings most Noble Grace therefore, to consider all the ways by which the Cardinal and our holy Bishops have led him, since he was first King, and to see whereunto all the pride, pomp, and vain boast of the Cardinal is come, and how God hath resisted him and our Prelates in all their wiles; we who have nothing to do at all have meddled yet in all matters, and have spent for our Prelates causes more then all Christendom, even unto the utter beggering of ourselves, and have gotten nothing but rebuke, and shame, and hate among all Nations, and a mock and a scorn thereto, of them whom we have most holpen. For the French men (as the saying is) of late days made a play or a disguising at Paris, in which the Emperor danced with the Pope and the French king, and wearied them, the king of England sitting on a high bench and looking on. And when it was asked, why he danced not, it was answered, that he • ate there, but to pay the Minstrels their wages only. As who shoald say, we paid for all men's dancing, we monyed the Emperor only, and gave the Frenchmen double, and treble secretly, and to the Pope also. Yea and though Fardinandu • had money sent him openly to blind the world withal, yet the saying is throughout all Duchland, that we sent money to the King of Pole, and to the Turk also, and that by help of our money Fardinandus was driven out of Hungary : which thing, though it were not true, yet it will breed us a scab at the last, and get us with our meddling more hate than we shall be able to bear, if a chance come, unl • sse that we wax wiser betime. And I beseech his Grace also to have mercy of his own soul, and not to suffer Christ and his holy Testament to be persecuted under his name any longer, that the sword of the wrath of God may be put up again, which for that cause no doubt is most chiefly drawn. And I beseech his Grace to have compassion on his poor subjects, which have ever b • ene unto his Grace, both obedient, loving and kind, that the Realm utterly perish not with the wicked Counsel of our pestilent Prelates. So Tyndale. After this the Cardinal was attainted in a praemunire, whereupon the King seised on all his goods, took away the great Seal of England from him, thrust him from the Court, yet left him the Arch-Bishopric of York and the Bishopric of Winchester. The Parliament exhibited sundry Articles of High-Treason against him. As, that he had exercised a Legantine power here in England, derived from the Pope without the Kings License, contrary to the Laws of the Realm, that in all his Letters to the Pope and other • orragne Princes he put himself before the King in these words, I, and my King : that he carried the Great Seal of England over into the Low-countries with him, when he went Ambassador to the Emperor: That he proclaimed open war by an Herald against the Emperor without the Kings privity; that he had sent Gregory of Cassido a Knight, into Italy, to make a new League between the King and the Duke of Farrar without the kings knowledge; That being almost rotten with the French Pox he pre • umed to breathe with his stinking and rotten mouth in the kings face; That he set his Cardinals Hat on the kings Coyne; and that he exported an infinite Mass of Money out of the kingdom into Italy, that he might most impudently compass the Papacie, with other particulars fore-cited.. All which, together with the Cardinals attainder in the Praemunire (Mr. Tyndale ) saith, were done only in policy by the Cardinal, to blear the eyes of the World withal, because naught worthy a Traitor was done unto him, it being seldom heard or read, that so great a Traitor was so easily put to death or punished; because Sir Thomas Moore his chiefest Secretary, one nothing inferior to his Master in lying, feigning, and bearing two faces in one hood, and the chiefest stale wherewith the Cardinal caught the kings Grace, whom he called to the confirmation of all that he intended to persuade, was made Chancellor in his place; because his Bishopric of Durham was bestowed on one of his old Chaplains and chief Secretaries his fast friends; and because as soon as the Parliament brake up, the Cardinal had his Charter of pardon and got him home, and all Bishops got them every Fox to his hole, leaving their Attorneys yet behind them, thinking to come again themselves as soon as the constellation was some what over-run, whereof they were afraid. But however it were either in policy only or earnest, it turned to reality at last: For the Cardinal thus put from the Court, and his Chancellorship, nothing abating his pride or spirit to beard the king & flater the people, appointed to be installed at York in great pomp, inviting all the lords and Gentlemen in the country, to accompany him from Cawood to York ; complaining likewise by degrees to many of the great injuries the king had done him to stir up the people to sedition; inveighing likewise very bitterly in his Letters to the Pope and other Foreigners against the king; which railing Letters and reproaches of his, coming to the kings Ambassadors ears they acquainted the king therewith: The king acquaint • d with these his Seditious and disloyal practices, and understanding of his intended pompous installment at York, commanded the Earl of Northumberland to arrest him at Cawood of High-Treason, which he did about the beginning of November, 1536. The Cardinal wondering at this sudden arrest, stood first upon his terms of contest with the Earl, telling him that he was a Cardinal, a Member of the Court of Rome, and the Popes Legate, not subject to any man's or Princes arrest, on whom to lay violent hands was a great wickedness; but at last, fearing the success and the Earls power, submitted himself against his will. The Earl hereupon removed his followers • seized on all his plate and goods, brought him to Sheffield Castle, where he delivered him to the High Sheriff of Shropshire to be conveyed to London. Thither the Captain of the Guard, and Lieutenant of the Tower with certain Yeomen of the Guard, were sent to fetch him to the Tower, at which the Cardinal was sore astonied, and fearing the worst grew sick upon it, whereupon he willingly took so much quantity of a strong purgation that his nature was not able to bear it, and thereof died at Leicester Abbey the 27. day of November, his body lying dead was black as pitch, and so heavy that six could scarce bear it; Furthermore, it did so stink above the ground, that they were constrained to hasten the burial of it in the night season, before it was day. At the which burial, such a tempest, with such a stink there arose, that all the Torches went out, and so he was thrown into the Tomb, and there left. By the ambitious pride and excessive worldly wealth of this one Cardinal (writes Master Fox ) all men may easily understand and judge what the state and condition of all the rest of the same Order (whom we call Spiritual men) was in those days, as well in all other places of Christendom as specially here in England ; whereas the Princely possessions and great pride of the Clergy, did not only far surpass and exceed the common measure and order of Subjects, but also surmounted over kings and Princes, and all other Estates, as may well appear by h • s doings and order of his Story above described, In which I have been the more prolix, because it notably paints out unto us the ambitious, treacherous, • lie practices and designs of our Prelates, with the ordinary ways whereby they creep into Princes favors; as likewise their insolent behavior and strange perfidiousness when they are grown great; and is a lively pattern of the Bishops practices in our age, who tread in these his foot-steps, and follow them to an hairs breadth: I would therefore advise them to remember his last words (as well as imitate his Actions) with which I shall close up his Story, If I had served God as diligently as I have done the King, he would not have given me over in my gray hairs. But this is the just reward that I must receive for the pains and study that I have had, to do him service, not regarding my service to God, so much as the satisfying of his pleasure.

Edward Lee, who succeeded him in his Arch Bishopric, in the great Rebellion of the North, An. 1535. and 1536. joined with the Rebels against his Prince; some say, it was against his will, but certain it is, that the Abbots, priests, and Clergi-men were the chief cause & ring-leaders in this Rebellion, the principal pretence whereof, was the reformation of religion, the abolishing of the heresies of Luther, Zwingli, Wicklif, and other Protestant Writers the removing of Cranmer & other heretical Bishops and Privy Counselors, the restoring of and Priori • s • and all points of Popery formerly maintained • with the confirmation of the privileges of this in special, that Priests might not suffer for any treason or felony, unless they were first degraded. Now the Abbots, Priests, Monks and Clergy, being the stirrers up and chief Captains of this Rebellion upon these points of Religion and privilege of the Church, which mainly concerned the Clergy, it is likely the Arch-Bishop was as forward as any of the rest in this Insurrection, and that he accompanied and encouraged the Rebels not out of 〈◊〉 or constraint, as he afterwards pretended, but willingly, though • he King pardoned him, as he did all the other willful Rebels. Some of them making a new insurrection, were af • erwards taken and executed as Traitors to the Crown; among which number, Pa • law Abbot of Whaley in Lincolnshire, John Castlegate and William Haydocke Monks of the same house, Robert Hobs Abbot of Woborne in Bedfordshire, Adam Sudbury Abbot of Germany with Astbeed a Monk of that House, the Abbot of Sawly in Lan • ash • re, and the Prior of the same, William W • ld Prior of Birlingto • , the Parson of Padington, 5. priests of Lincolnshire, Doctor Markerell, who styled himself Captain Cobbler, and John Allen Priests (the chief fire-brands in this Rebellion) were hanged for Rebellion, as they well deserved, though they named their enterprise an holy blessed Pilgrimage, and had certain Banners in the field, wherein was planted Christ hanging on the Cross on the one side, and a Chalice with a painted Cake in it, on the other side.

For other Arch-Bishops since, I find not much concerning them; only I read, that Robert Holgate his next Successor, was committed prisoner to the Tower in the first year of Queen Mary, where he lay an year and half; and that Edwin Sands another of his Successors, was long impri • oned by Queen Mary : he being Vice-chancellor of Cambridge when the Lady Jane was proclaimed Queen • preached a Sermon upon that oc •• sion, which was like to cost him his life.

Samuel Harsnet the last Archbish. but one being made a Privy Counselor by our present Sover • igne King Charles, was such a furious Hildebrand, that like Davus in the Comedy, he perturbed all things where ever he came; insomuch, that the Lord's and Court growing weary of him and his domineering outrage, caused him to be sent from Court to his Arch-Bishopric, and there to keep residence till he should be sent for: Where having no other employment, he falls by the ears with Doctor Howson Bishop of Durham, whom he excommunicated, for refusing to admit him to visit in his Diocese as his Metropolitan, he being a Count Palatine in his Bishopric; and withal falling to persecute the godly Ministers of his Diocese, he was smitten mortally with a dangerous disease, whereof he died the very night before he resolved to suspend and silence some good men summoned to appear before him the next morning. This furious Arch-Prelate was such an enemy to the Laws and Liberties of the subject, that in the case of Mr. Walter Long, censured in Star-chamber about 4. Caroli, for coming up to the Parliament House, whereof he was a member, while • s he was Sheriff of Wiltshire, contrary to his Oath, (as was pretended) when as his Counsel produced divers ancient Records and Presidents touching the Privileges of Parliaments and the members of it, to exempt him from the Jurisdiction and sentence of that Court; this Arch-Bishop checked his counsel for troubling them with Moth-Eaten Records, saying, That they sat there not to be guided by Presidents, but to make Presidents ; and so proceeded to censure in the cause. In a word, I may conclude of him • as Saint Bernard long before, did of one of his predecessors: Nonne Eboracensis ipse est cui te praes • nte, fratres tui restiterunt in faciem, eo quod reprehensibilis erat? sed speravit in multitudine divitiarum suarum, & praevalu • t in vanitate sua: Cert • m est tamen quod non intravit per ostium in ouile ovium, sed ascendit aliunde. Si Paston fui • set, diligendus erat; si mercenarius, tolerandus; Nunc autem cavendus et repellendus utpote fur & latro.

Richard Neal the last Arch-bishop of York, before his coming to that See, about the 13 year of King James not long after he was created a Bishop, was highly questioned in Parliment for seditious speeches against the Commons House, for which he had suffered condign punishment, had he not been an active instrument to dissolve that Parliament, to avoid the censure of it. Since that he had a hand in dissolving other Parliaments, to the prejudice of the King and Kingdom. In the Remonstrance of the Commons House of Parliament, presented to King Charles our Sovereign in the 3. year of his Rain; he was by name complained against as one of the chief heads of the popish and Arminian Factions, which disquietted both our Church and State; and as a persecutor of good Ministers, and suppressour of Lectures. How many godly Ministers he prosecuted, silenced, suspended, deprived, both in the High Commission, and all the Diocese under his Jurisdiction, whiles he continued in favor at the Court, is so well known to all, that I need not relate it: And his disfavour at Court (as most conjecture) was the cause of his unexpected Clemency to the Ministers of the province of York some few years before his death. He was the first advancer of William Laud Arch-bishop of Canterbury, of Doctor Cousins, with sundry other Incendiaries and Innovators both in Church and State, who were entertained by him for his Chaplains • and then promoted by his means • to the ruin almost of our Religion and Kingdom. He was a great enemy to Parliaments. Prohibitions, the Liberties of the Subject, and Laws of the Land: He seldom or never preached himself, and therefore could not endure frequent preaching in others: He was a great furtherer of the Book for sports on the Lord's day, and an enemy to purity, Puritans, and the sincere practice of piety. He had a hand in ratifying the late Canons and Oath, in affront of his Majesty's Prerogative, the Parliament, Laws, and Liberties of the Subject; And no doubt he had a finger in the late Scottish Wars and Combustions; whereupon he burnt all his Letters concerning Church and State-affairs, as soon as he heard the Scots had entered into England, for fear they should have been surprised and his fellow-Prelates machinations against the Scots by their surprisal discovered. He had a chief hand and influence in the unjust and bloody sentences against Dr. Layton and Mr. Prynne in the Star-chamber; against Mr. Smart • Dr. Bastwicke, Mr. Huntly, and sundry others in the High Comission; in the vexatious and most exorbitant proceedings against Calvin Bruen, Peter Lee, Mr. Inch, and sundry others of Chester, for visiting M. Prynne in his passage through that City towards Carnarvan Castle • and by 2. Orders under the high Commission Seal of York, signed with his own and other Commissioners hands, bearing date the 10. Novem. and 4. Decem. 1637. commanded 5. Pictures of the Portraiture of M. Prynne to be defaced, and then burnt at the high Cross in Chester, before the Major, Alderman, and Citizens • out of an hatred to Mr. Prynne's person (which no doubt he would have burned to, as well as his picture, had it been in his power.) This Arch-Prelate by the aide of his quondam Chaplain Canterbury, encroached much on the liberties of the Lord Major and Citizens of York, with whom he had many contests; and procured a Mandate to the Lord Major, not to carry his sword before him within the Close and Cathedral at York, though his Predecessors had ever used to do it from K. Richard the 2. his days, who gave them this privilege by a Charter, and yet the Dean and Prebends of York in the mean have intruded themselves (contrary to divers Charters) into the civil Government of the City of York, which no ways appertain unto them. The Major of York is the Kings Lieutenant there, and his Sword of Justice the Kings, not his own. Therefore the Arch-Bishops putting down of his Sword within the Precincts of the Close, is a direct encroachment upon his Majesty's Prerogative Royal, and a denying of his Supremacy and Jurisdiction over him, or his Cathedral at York. This Prelate being scarce Parliament proof, to prevent all questioning; at the approach of this present Parliamentary Assembly fell sick and died, being now gone to answer all his Episcopal extravagancies before a greater Tribunal. For my part, I meddle not with him as he was a man • but only as he was a Prelate; not to defame his person, or posterity, but to discover the evil effects of his Prelacie: His See continueth yet void since his death • And forever may it so remain, unless his Successors prove more loyal to their Sovereigns, more profitable to our Church and State, then he and his fore-mentioned Predecessors have been.

CHAP. III. Comprising the several Treasons, Conspiracies, Rebellions, Contumacies, Disloyalties, Wars, Dissensions, and State-Schisms of the Bishops of London, Winchester, Durham, Salisbury, and Lincoln.

HAving thus presented you with the History of the Treasons, Conspiracies, &c. of the Arch-Bishops of Canterbury and York, I shall now proceed to those of our inferior Prelates of London, Winchester, Durham, Salisbury and Lincoln ; who, as the old Cockes of Canterbury and York did crow in this behalf, so the young Cockrels of these and other Sees did imitate their demeanour, (as William Harrison well observeth) which may appear by these ensuing Examples and Histories of their lives.