in person, and making a speech on the occasion; but they very wisely refused to comply; and RAPIN then observes: "POPE "MARTIN's letter, and his extraordinary endeavours to get "Statute of Premunire repealed, shew to a demonstration, "that the main of Religion was made then to consist in the "Pope's prerogatives, and the Clergy's immunities. Hence "it appears farther, how averse MARTIN was to consent to "the least diminution of his pretended rights, and conse"quently to a reformation in the head and members of the "Church, demanded with so much earnestness at the Council " of Constance, where he was present in person. Before I "leave the Statute of Premunire, it will not be improper to "observe, that this Act had two principal clauses. The first, "which contained the Statute of Provisors made in the reign "of Edward I. prohibited the soliciting and procuring of "Benefices from the Court of Rome, by way of provision, ❝contrary to the rights of the Crown and the Patrons. The "second prohibited the carrying to the Court of Rome, or "elsewhere, causes which belong to the King's Courts.

66

"Besides the contests which the Statute of Premunire "caused between England and the Court of Rome, there were "some others which I shall but just touch upon. In 1403, "in the reign of HENRY IV, the Parliament passed an Act, "forbidding all persons that should have provision of any be"nefice, to pay into the Apostolic Chamber more than was paid in old time. The penalty for those that did the contrary 66 was, that they should forfeit to the King the same sum "they paid the Pope. The occasion of this Statute was a "grievance introduced some time since by the Court of Rome, "which was, that no person should have provision of any "Benefice that was void, till he had compounded with the Apostolic Chamber, as well for the first fruits, as for other "lesser services in that Court, and had paid beforehand the "sum agreed upon.

66

"But the greatest dispute between England and the "Popes was upon the score of the collation of the Bishoprics.

66

"Though the Popes, when the first Anglo-Saxons were con"verted, had sent Italian or other foreign Bishops into England, it is certain that towards the latter end of the Saxon "monarchy, the Bishops were chosen by the Chapters. The same privilege was continued to them after the Norman << conquest, and confirmed by King John's Charter. Mean"while the Popes, having gradually enlarged their authority, "assumed the power of bestowing Archbishoprics and Bi"shoprics, by way of provision, sometimes on one, sometimes "on another pretence. This is what I have had frequent “occasion to remark in this History. They would fain have "established this rule at once, that the disposal of all the

66

Bishoprics belonged to them by divine right, but as they "found it something difficult, they bethought themselves of "another expedient; and that was, to get possession by degrees, that they might in time found a right upon prece"dent. Thus, being content at first with maintaining that, upon certain occasions, they had a power to fill the vacant sees, they afterwards framed these occasions when they "pleased. In short, they multiplied them so very fast, that "hardly was there a vacant Bishopric which they did not fill "by way of provision. Time and lucky junctures having "confirmed them in this prerogative, there was no longer any "possibility to wrench it out of their clutches. Thus the "privilege of the Chapters was entirely destroyed.

"MARTIN V. was no sooner seated in the Papal chair, but "he boldly disposed of all the Sees which became void, with"out any regard to the privilege of the Chapters. In two years only, he filled by way of provision thirteen Bishoprics "in the province of Canterbury. It was not only with respect to Sees that England had cause to complain of the "Pope; he disposed, likewise, of all the other benefices of "the kingdom, without giving himself any trouble, either "about the right of the patrons, or the instruction of the "people. The best preferments were for the most part con"ferred upon foreigners, who understood not a word of

"English, or resided not in England, and sometimes upon "Children themselves. For instance, he made PROSPER CO"LONNA, his nephew, then not above fourteen years old, Arch"deacon of Canterbury. HENRY V. who was a Prince of a very "high spirit, sent Ambassadors to Rome to complain as well "of these as other grievances. But MARTIN V. delayed "giving an answer so long, that the Ambassadors told him, "the King their master had chose to send them to Rome, "purely out of a deference to the Holy See, to which he was "not obliged; but that for the future he would use his

prerogative: that in the mean time they had instructions to "make a solemn protestation before himself and the Con"clave, if his Holiness would not comply immediately. I "know not what answer the Pope returned. But not long “after, MARTIN having translated the Bishop of Lincoln to "the See of York, by way of provision, the Chapter refused "to admit him, and the Pope was forced to revoke his « Bull.

In 1438 the University of Oxford complained that "Church Preferments were bestowed without any regard to learning or merit; that therefore the Colleges were become empty, because there was no need of study or learning "to qualify a man for a Benefice. Whereupon the Convoca❝tion, to whom this complaint was addressed, passed a canon, "that none but Graduates in the University should be capable "of benefices. But this was a weak fence against the Papal "power.

"Meanwhile, though the Court of Rome made the Apo"stolic authority sound very high, yet the Popes now and "then met with some mortifications. For example, in the "reign of HENRY IV. the Parliament ordered that the Peter<< pence should be deposited in the King's hands till the schism was closed.

"In the reign of HENRY V. the Alien Priories were sup"pressed, without asking the Pope's consent.

"Under HENRY VI. Pope NICHOLAS V. having demanded"

"an extraordinary subsidy of the Clergy of England, for the "occasions of the Holy See, the King forbad the Clergy to ❝ grant it,

"The like demand, made some years after by one VICENTINI "a Nuncio, was bluntly denied by the Clergy. They began "to stand less in fear of the Papal power, formerly so dreadful to the whole Church, and particularly to England.

"During the whole fifteenth century we do not find that any National Councils were held in England, but only con❝ vocations of the Clergy in the two Ecclesiastical Provinces "of Canterbury and York. THE CONDEMNATION OF THE"LOLLARDS (or Protestants) WAS ALMOST THE WHOLE BUSI"NESS OF THESE CONVOCATIONS. As for National Synods, they were become useless, since the Popes had engrossed the "cognizance of all Ecclesiastical matters. Besides, the least "appeal to the Pope was enough to make void all the "Canons of a Council. On the other hand, the Popes had "managed it so that no National Synods could be held without

66

their license. Now, as in these Synods there was but too "frequent occasion to examine into the bounds of the Papal "authority, they were grown so odious to the Court of Rome, "that the use of them was laid aside by degrees. At this "very day, in the States which have not admitted of a Reform ❝ation, we hear no more of National Councils, or at least ❝ so very rarely, that it is plain the Popes do not allow them " but with regret and much difficulty. Of this we have seen "of late years a remarkable instance in France, in what "passed about the famous Constitution UNIGENITUS of CLE66 MENT XI.; Lewis XIV. as powerful and formidable as he "was, could never obtain the Pope's leave to call a National "Council, but upon such terms as rendered the thing im "practicable, though that Monarch's sole aim in it was to get "the Constitution approved."

The above able summary of RAPIN affords a proper introduction to the History of the Reformation in England, by BURNET, a work of the first authority and the highest value; and

one which it were well that certain English Protestants would make themselves acquainted with, before they begin to defend the REVIVAL OF THE ORDER OF JESUITS, or to contend for the granting of what is absurdly termed CATHOLIC EMANCIPATION. They might then perhaps come to know something more of the Religion which they profess, and to entertain more correct notions of the Religion which they would arm with temporal power, and clothe with the functions of legislation in a Protestant State.

BURNET'S Abridgment of his History by himself will be found an invaluable compendium; and the following passages in it will give an accurate idea of the want of a Reformation here and elsewhere i

1st, His account of POPE CLEMENT VII.'s creation of Fourteen Cardinals for money in 1527, which, however, he says may perhaps be excused from SIMONY, because they "took no care of Souls."-Burnet's Abridgment, p. 6.

66

2d, His account of the ambition and profligacy of CARDINAL WOLSEY, who was first made Bishop of Tournay, then of Lincoln, afterwards of York, and had both the Abbey of St. Alban's, and the Bishopric of Bath and Wells in commendam; the last of which, he exchanged for Durham, and then quitted Durham for Winchester. "Besides all this" (says BURNET), "the King by a special grant gave him power to ** dispose of all the Ecclesiastical preferments in England, so that "in effect he was the Pope of this other world, and he copied skilfully enough after those patterns which were set him at "Rome. He had, in one word, all the qualities necessary for “a great minister, and all the vices ordinary in a great fa"vourite."-Burnet further informs us, that when 800,0007. was wanted from Parliament, this legitimate representative of the Papacy went to the House of Commons, and desired to hear the reasons of those who were against the supply; but he was told by the Speaker that it was against their orders to speak to a debate before one who was not of the House(see Burnet's Abridgment, p. 10); in which discharge of his