and power of the church? A doctrine that in all ages will never fail being cenfured by most of them, as highly heretical. But the house of commons were so fenfible of this heinous encroachment upon the rights of the people, that the ordinance was repealed by the king next parliament; and the declaration of the commons on this occafion had fo much becoming refolution and spirit in it, that it may not be amifs to set down their own words, "that it was never their meaning to be jus“tified, and bind themselves and fucceffors "to the prelates, no more than their an"cestors had done before them." A refolution ever worthy to be remembered and followed by all succeeding parliaments. I took notice in the laft reign, that the continued oppreffions of the pope, notwithftanding the repeated refolutions of the king and parliament against them, muft have been owing to the connivance of the clergy: the following inftance under Richard, is a further and full confirmation of their backwardness to retrench any of the pretended prerogatives of the fee of Rome. "The archbishops " of Canterbury and York for themselves, Parl Roll. 6 Rich. II. CS es and and the whole clergy of their province, make their folemn proteftation in open par"liament, that they in no wife meant or would affent to any ftatute or law made in restraint of the pope's authority, but utterly withstood the fame." The following proftitution of the clergy, (an expreffion aptly made ufe of) and their fuperior talents in doing with a better grace the very fame profligate and flavish jobs, in which the laity have at any time equally concurred, is worth obferving from a paffage in an hiftorian that treats of that reign. When Richard II. had at laft by corruption, or putting out fuch returning officers, whofe complaifance for his defigns he fufpected, got a parliament chiefly packed up of such persons, as he knew would be at his devotion, (the firft, if I mistake not, that was openly procured in that manner;) after the feffion was opened by a time- ferving fpeech of the bishop of Exeter, it was propofed by the king's minifters, that the acts of grace passed nine years before in favour of certain lords, who had oppofed the king in his attempts upon the public liberty, fhould be repealed. The prelates without any hesitation not only gave Walfing. P: 354. their affent, but, by the expreffion of the hiftorian, feemed to have used arguments to fhew thofe acts to be revocable: upon which, fays he, the temporal lords feeing the clergy approved of it, gave alfo their affent, more induced to it through fear of the king, than any conviction of their minds. Now though their concurrence is abfolutely inexcufable; yet the reader, I believe, will agree with me in obferving a manifeft difference in their behaviour. For the clergy, no reason is affigned by the hiftorian, but their forwardness in the affair feems abandoned like that of men hackney'd in prostitution; the other have the example of the clergy, and the fear of the king mentioned as determining them. And that I may not be thought to have exaggerated this matter, I will give the reader Walfingham's own words. "Hi importunis clamoribus petierunt ut charte perdonationum in primis revocarentur & annullarentur, fuper quibus requifiti prælati de facile indicarunt tales chartas fore revocabiles, nn attendentes quod bu"jus gratiæ revocatio perfonæ regis maxime repugnabat; cum miferecordia fit folii re"galis confirmatio, & qui tollit mifericordi6 am, tollit folii regalis firmamentum. Confequenter domini temporales videntes affen C 6 "fum cleri, cenfuerunt & ipfi hujus chartas "annullandas, magis timere regis dicti, quam "mentium ratione." Glorious pre-eminence of the clergy, even in a parliament compofed of men culled out from amongst the whole people for fervility and corruption! Henry IV. a haughty designing prince, who though he owed his crown purely to a parliamentary right, yet ever affected to build his claim on other foundations, not only weak, but abfolutely falfe, was fenfible, that he had against him a powerful faction in the kingdom, and that his conduct was fuch, as could not fail adding to the number of his enemies. His policy in taking all methods, and being moft vigilant to fecure the poffeffion of his crown, was the most diftinguishing qualification of his genius: and he had too much difcernment not to fee, how neceffary it was for carrying on his ends to have the clergy firmly in his intereft. That body was now become more than ever wealthy, powerful, and infolent. Accordingly, Henry made it a maxim, to do nothing, which might difoblige them, but to take every opportunity of tefti fying a regard for their intereft. He knew by that means, however ill he used his other fabjects, he should still preferve the reputation of a pious prince, zealous for the cause and honour of God, which could not but greatly contribute to baffle any oppofition to his measures. The clergy had all along fo connived at the pretenfions of the court of Rome, that the endeavours of former parliaments to put a stop to that abuse, proved ineffectual. The people groaned for a reformation; therefore, though the king was obliged at first in compliance with his parliament to revive the ftatutes of præmunire, yet never was the breach of them more winked at, than in this reign. To give the ecclefiafticks a more public instance of his zeal, Henry at their petition procured the bloody act to pafs in parliament for the burning fuch as they should declare heretics. Immediately the poor Lollards, who had incurred their unrelenting displeasure for broaching doctrines repugnant to their temporal grandeur, are without mercy delivered to the flames; and the churches found with the encomiums of a king, who had given fuch unquestionable proof of his piety and zeal. But a parliament, that met fome time after, had not the fame complaifance for the clergy. |