Page images
PDF
EPUB

Declension of l Papal Supremacy.

8. The first checks were given to the power of the Church of Rome in this kingdom in the early part of the reign of Edward I. In 1275 a statute was passed at Westminster, which provided that all clerks charged with felony should be tried by the civil power before they were delivered over to their ordinary: and four years after this, in 1279, in 'consequence of the impoverishment of the king's exchequer by the accumulation of landed property in the hands of ecclesiastical bodies, whereby it became exempt from certain taxes, the statute of Mortmain* made the king's consent necessary for the ratification of the transfer of such property to the Church. The number of English benefices held by foreigners induced Edward III., in 1351 to pass the statute of Provisors, by

by the pope of the temporary punishment due to sin, which a sinner would otherwise be obliged to undergo, either in this world or in purgatory. Indulgences were commenced in the eleventh century, by Urban II., as a recompense to those who went in person upon the Crusades, or expedition for the recovery of the Holy Land. They were afterwards granted to those who hired a soldier for that purpose, or sent a sum of money, instead of fulfilling the vow they had taken of going on that service themselves. Hence originated the sale of them. The progress of evil is rapid, and it was not long be

fore every sin had its price. The popes undertook to dispense with the penalties imposed by the Church, upon the grounds that the Saviour's sufferings were more than sufficient to atone for human iniquity, that the Saints had done more than work out their own salvation, and that the superfluous merit accruing from these sources was placed at the disposal of the Roman bishops.

From mortua manus, because lands alienated to the use of ecclesiastical bodies fell, as it were, into dead hands. This law gave another direction to pious bounty, which displayed itself in the erection of seats of learning.

8. What evidence is there of opposition on the part of the English Church to papal encroachments prior to the Reformation? When was the first check given to papal supremacy in this country? What was the statute of Mortmain? In what did it originate? [Note.] Derive the word "Mortmain." When

which it was enacted that the Bishop of Rome should not present to any benefice in England, but the patrons; and that fine and imprisonment should be imposed upon those who disturbed a patron in the presentation of a living by virtue of a papal provision. In the following year, 1352, parties suing in or appealing to the courts of the pope, and in 1392 (Richard II.) parties procuring at Rome or elsewhere translations of prelates, processes, excommunications, bulls,† or instruments which effect the king, his crown and realm, were made liable to the penalties of the statutes Præmunire,‡ (the first of which was passed in the reign of Edward I.) namely, loss of the king's protection, forfeiture of goods and lands, and imprisonment during the king's will.

Papal Claims to Authority.

}

9. Dr. Corrie, in the supplemental matter to his edition of Burnet's History of the Reformation, recites the following as the principal claims to authority which the pope asserted with respect to England :

[ocr errors]

(1) A legislative power in ecclesiastical or spiritual causes.

(2) A dispensing power above and against the laws of Church or

state.

*This was an invention where- | by the right of patronage was arbitrarily suspended by the pope, that he might present his own creatures, and make provision in the Church of England for foreign ecclesiastics.

An ordinance of the pope,

equivalent to the proclamations, edicts, letters patent, or ukases of secular princes: so called from the seal (bulla) of lead affixed to the parchment on which the ordinance is written.

In law, a name given to a species of offence, in the nature of

a papal bull?

was the statute of Provisors passed, and for what purpose? [Note.] What is [Note.] What do you mean by Præmunire, and whence is the What were the penalties of the statutes of Præmunire? principal claims which the pope asserted with respect to

name derived?
9 Recite the
England.

(3) The exemption of criminous clerks from civil jnrisdiction. (4) A right to send legates and hold legantine courts.

(5) The right to receive appeals from the English courts.

(6) The patronage of the English Church; and the investiture of the bishops of England, with power to require oaths from them contrary to the oath of allegiance to the sovereign.

(7) The right to the first-fruits and tenths of ecclesiastical benefices.

(8) The right to depose the sovereign of England, and release subjects from their oath of allegiance.

Monks and Friars.

}

10. The monks and begging friars were the most vehement supporters of the papal authority. The pope relieved them from the inspection of their bishops, and made them immediately subject to the papal see, which was in effect leaving them almost without controul. For this reason they were advocates for the papal power in every diocese. Monastic life, as we have seen, [p. 124] originated in the Decian persecution; but it was not until the succeeding century that societies of monks, or monasteries, were formed. Originally, all monks were laymen: but in course of time one or more inmates of a monastery were ordained for the performance of divine service in the institution, and others were chosen by the bishops for the service of the Church. They were distinguished by the name of regulares,

a contempt, against the king and his government. The name is derived from the words "promoneri," or "pramuniri facias," which are used in the beginning of the writ preparatory to the

prosecution of the offence

"Cause A. B. to be forewarned that he appear before us," &c. In this act there is an express assertion of the Royal Supremacy.

10. Account for the monks and begging friars being devoted adherents of the pope. When were monasteries formed? What was the original condition of monks? Distinguish between secular and regular clergy. Derive

as living according to rules, regula; and such of them as were ordained to the priesthood were called clerici regulares, in contradistinction to the clerici seculares, or parish priests, so called as living according to the manners of the time, seculum. Friars (from fratres, brothers,) were monks not ordained to the priesthood. In the twelfth century, when the popular mind was growing a little jealous of the increase and wealth of the monasteries, which had acquired much property and innumerable benefices,* small bodies of religious persons began to arrive in this country. These were the mendicant friars, consisting of the four orders of Dominicans, Franciscans, Augustinians, and Carmelites, who exhibited for a time an ardent zeal, and a spirit of poverty and self-denial. They soon, however, intrenched upon the duties of the priesthood, and created much commotion in the country. They preached out of doors, railed at the resident pastor and gave absolution to the black sheep of his flock, attacked the cathedral clergy, and so poisoned the minds of the people that Pentecostals+ began to be

* Vicarages originated in the possession of benefices by religious houses. The great tithes were reserved for the abbey-fund, and the small tithes left as a miserable stipend to the minister who was appointed to fulfil the duties of the Church, taking the monk's labouring oar nnder the title of vicarius. Town livings are, for this reason, generally the poorest, less then the usual endowment having been left to them by the monks, who reckoned that a pro

vision for the vicar would be made up by fees on masses.

The cathedrals were generally built and endowed by the piety of the Saxon kings; and every household was accustomed to testify its love for them by the payment of

an

annual composition, called Pentecostals, or Easter offerings, because paid at Pentecost, and by benefactions, oblations, and obits, for the purpose of keeping them in goodly order.

Friar." [Note.] In what did vicarages originate? Mention the principal mendicant orders, the time of their arrival in England, and their conduct towards the monks and the secular clergy. What was the peculiar character of the mendicants? [Note.] What were Pentecostals? What effect had the conduct of the monks and friars upon papal authority in England?

evaded, and it became a hard matter to keep the walls of God's temples in decent repair. They cast their stone, too, at the monks, contrasting their own affected poverty with the gallant bearing and ample retinues of the former. It were useless to endeavour here to give an account of all the villanies practised by the friars, until at length they became as rottenness to the bones of the Roman Church. The pope, however, continued his favour to them throughout, for they were the men of his right hand, and maintained his cause against every antagonist. The dissensions between the seculars and regulars; the luxury, immorality, and ignorance of the monastic orders; and the malpractices of the friars, tended in no slight degree to the downfall of papal authority in England.

CHAPTER II.

EARLY REFORMERS-PRELIMINARIES TO THE REFORMATION.

Early Opponents of Romanism.

11. From very early times there were numbers of Christians, no doubt, who did not submit to the discipline

of Rome, and whose creed was free from many Roman errors, and agreed in many respects with the pure and

11. Give an account of some of the early opponents of Popery, prior to the

« PreviousContinue »