Page:The Church of England, its catholicity and continuity.djvu/66

 years. The Pope had so many men in England obedient to his will that it was very fully observed, except in the dioceses of Winchester, Durham, and Norwich. What harm could this interdict do to England? It is best to relate the consequence of it in Mr. Southey's words. During the whole of the time just mentioned, "No bell was heard, no taper lighted, no service performed, no Church open; only baptism was permitted, and confession and the sacrament for the dying; the dead were either interred in unhallowed ground, without the presence of a priest or any religious ceremony, &hellip; or they were kept unburied till the infliction, which affected every family in its tenderest and holiest feelings, should be removed. Some little mitigation was allowed, lest human nature should have rebelled against so intolerable a tyranny. The people, therefore, were called to prayers and sermon on the Sunday, in the churchyards, and marriages were performed at the Church doors."

In addition to sending the interdict, the Pope also excommunicated John, and threatened him with deposition from his throne. And he was strong enough to do this too, which John knew, and this increased John's fear. When John saw that the legate Pandulf had set foot in England to carry out the Popes threat, he was forced to submit to his will. It was simply a matter of the superior will of the strong Pope conquering the feeble will of the feeble John. The king was urged to resign his crown by placing it at the legate's feet. Then it was given back to him from the hands of Rome as a present; this act signifying that John held his kingdom as a gift from Rome; and that, therefore, all his subjects were also vassals of the Pope.