Divinity or some of the short sighted Laity may think at this time of day a mighty Service to the King and the Church But whoever is conversant in Roman-Catholic Authors cannot but know that they frequently Nickname the Church of England and her truest Sons with that opprobrious Title I appeal to all the Learned moderate Divines of our established English Church if this be not true nay I my self at two hours warning could give more than 100 Instances of it But I shall be content at present only with one but 't is of a Pope who you know is Infallible in his Rogueries in a Bull against Blessed Q. Elizabeth we have these words Impia Mysteria Instituta ad Calvini praescriptum c. The wicked Mysteries and Institutes according to Calvin ' s prescription by her received and observed she hath commanded to be embrac'd by her Subjects In a word 't is evident this skulking Author's business is to scandalize all the Learned pious Instruments which God hath made use of for the first Reformation As not only Calvin Zwinglius and Beza p. 1 2. but Luther Melancton Bucer c. p. 5. Therefore with what Notion would a Cranmer or a Ridley or a Latimer those glorious Martyrs or even Patient Hooper himself or Reverend Jewel and such-like famous Lights of our Church some of them the very Compilers of the Venerable Liturgy have beheld such a virulent Pamphlet Or can any Man that has a value for the Protestant Religion but feel his Blood curdle to see it sold with Impunity at the Royal-Exchange and through the Streets of a Protestant City which by the very same devilish Hands was within these 16 years laid in Ashes Tory. Come come you are hot and peevish I doubt 't is only because it presses you too close for only those that know not how to answer Books would stifle and have them suppress'd Truem. Nay then let it go on for I am sure the matter of it has been answer'd 150 times There 's nothing in this Pamphlet but Parsons that Bastard of a Jesuit 't is the Complement his own Brother-Priests gave him printed long ago You may find it too in a Book Entituled The Image of both Churches written by one Musket a Jesuit and printed in King James's time or you may have the effect of it in a Pamphlet Entituled Philanax Anglicus scribbled soon after His Majesty's happy Restauration by a Popish Doctor of the Civil Law to which the Reverend Du Moulin one of the Prebends of Canterbury return'd an Answer But if no such Refutations were extant as 100 are yet all the World knows your Bolsec was a most prostituted Liar and the rest of your Authors forg'd and Counterfeit Nor will I hope any that are truly of the Church of England be bubbled with such stale Shams but rather take notice who they are that thus blow these Coals and keep such a noise against Calvinists such a stir against Ignoramus Juries and are so overjoy'd at the prosecution of Conscientious Dissenters and if they find them at bottom no other than either Papists or Atheists or Debauchees who are half one half tother they may then competently judge whose Interest is promoted by these Intrigues Tory. Well there 's no talk to you now but I 'le warrant you L'Estrange will Crow bravely this fortnight for the other days work in the City Truem. What! because his old friend John Starkey is made one of the Common-Council I tell you Sir I value Roger's Observatorisms no more than I do Eustace Commyne's Narrativisms they both pretend to serve the Royal Family and the Bishops and in truth they both perform it at the same Rate Nor will you find much more reason upon the whole matter to thank St. Thomas than you have to Sacrifice to Madam Address who 't is forty to one when you come to try her will prove as Errand a Jilt and as Insignificant as an Irish Evidence Printed for Langley Curtis 1681. The Weekly Pacquet OF Advice from Rome OR The History of POPERY The Fourth Volume FRIDAY Dec. 30. 1681. Potentes in Clero qui Religionem Christi dissipant sub pallio Sanctitatis vel punientur hîc per praepositos suos aut Laicos vel destruentur per vastationes Hostiles vel congregant facinora in ultionem Divini Judicii Wickliff de verit Script p. 432. Objections against Wickliff answer'd An Example or two of his writing in his own ancient Style His Troubles The Vniversity like to reject the Popes Bull c. THE Papists who are most exquisite and ready forgers of Lies and Scandals on all that oppose or go about to detect their Villanies have raised several Aspersions and Calumnies against honest Wickliff As first they affirm That his Preaching was not out of Conscience but spite and desire of Revenge because forsooth he was put by the Bishopprick of Worcester which he aim'd at Therefore he declaim'd so fiercely against the Church Answ This is only the malicious suggestion of Parsons and Brerely and such upstart Pettifoggers for the Church of Rome There is no ancient Author tho most of them as being Monks rail horribly against poor Wickliff that mentions any such matter Nay Parsons himself gives himself the Lie for in his three Conversions Part 3. Cap. 5. Numb 14. he saith Wickliff condemn'd all temporal Goods How then should he so greedily affect the Bishopprick of Worcester And elsewhere he confesses That Wickliff was in great favour with the Duke of Lancaster who bore chief sway during the time of King Edward the Third so that if Wickliff had been so fond of a Bishopprick sure that Duke's Interest might have got him one 2. They object that Wickliff taught That so long as a Man is in deadly Sin he is no Bishop or Prelate neither doth truly Consecrate or Baptize Answ If Wickliff did say so what more did he say than what St. Ambrose had said before him Vnless thou embrace and follow the good works of a Bishop a Bishop thou canst not be Ambr. de dignit Sacerd. cap. 4. Nay there is a Vote of a Council if that will help the matter in a Case almost to the same effect Quicunque sub Ordinatione Presbyterii vel Episcopatûs mortali Crimine se dixerint esse pollutos à supradictis Ordinationibus submovendos esse Censuimus Whoever coming under Ordination of the Presbytery or Eiscopacy shall be polluted with mortal Sin we think it fit That such be removed from those Orders saith the Synod of Valentia held under Damascus cap. 4. It must be remembred that Wickliff lived in a most corrupt Age when the Clergy were so seared in Impiety that it required sharp Launcings and good store of Vinegar to make them sensible It was only their abuses he inveigh'd against so tartly for elsewhere he reproves those that would not obey their lawful Prelates and in his Book of the verity of the Scripture he thus explains his
Brother Roger That he is a Protestant and never was at Mass in England you must understand him in his Life But the Devil cannot hide his Cloven Foot for p. 12. he puts us upon Petitioning His Majesty for Mercy to the Few Papists in England and to stop their Convictions upon their present prosecutions poor Lambs they are shrewdly hurt Yet some think more has been actually levyed on the Protestants at Bristol within a twelvemonth than on all the Papists in England these seven years and this he recommends as the only expedient to ease the poor French Protestants from the Persecution Now I should have thought that the Petition for a Cessation of Prosecution of Protestant Dissenters would be a more likely medium for that purpose for if we teaze our Protestant Brethren meerly on the Account of Non-conformity to our Ceremonies do we not justifie the French King in Harassing those that differ from his Establisht Church not only in Ceremonies but most material points of Doctrine too Tory. Well but he tells you that if we should be Bless'd with a Popish Successor yet 't is impossible he should establish Popery Truem. That 's the most errant sham in nature and some day or other when we meet I doubt not but to Demonstrate that in such a case which Heaven prevent the persecution on all forts of Protestants would be much more bloody and cruel than that in Queen Maries days and he that does not already apprehend why is only fit for Laâ—ine Prayers and drinking of Healths with an Huzza Printed for Langley Curtis 1682. The Weekly Pacquet OF Advice from Rome OR The History of POPERY The Fourth Volume FRIDAY June 23. 1682. Tu Portentorum locus es conformis eorum Cum Nilo portenta paris nutris Crocodilos Theodor. Ã Nyem L. 3. Ca. 41. ad Romam The Papal History after the Council of Constance prosecuted The loud complaints of Clemangis and other learned Godly men of the miserable corruptions of the Church in those Times The Life of Martin the V. His tricks to avoid a Reformation he dispenses with a man to Marry his own Sister THough we have made a long yet perhaps neither altogether useless nor unseasonable digression to give our Country-men a true Idea of the Church of Rome and what a necessity there is incumbent on all true Christians to abandon her Communion and not pollute their Souls by mixing with her damnable Idolatries and Superstitions We must remember to return and reassume the intermitted not neglected Thred of Papal History Which the Reader may remember we diverted from Numb the 8. concluding with the flagitious and detestable Life and justly deserv'd deposal of that most Holy Monster John the 23 d. â—lias the 24 th and that most scandalous tuâ—g for the uâ—erring Chair which for several years depended between him and Gregory and Benedict his two Competitors who being at last all three cashier'd by the Council of Constance In their stead was set up Otho Colonna by the name of Martin the 5 th The beginning of whose Popedome their best Chronologies assign to the Year of our Lord 1417. But before we proceed to the particular story of his Life it will be necessary for clearing some passages that we may meet with therein to take a brief review of the lamentable state and condition of the Church in general in and about those times which we find so sensibly described and bewail'd by several pious learned men of that Age that their complaints seem rather writ with Tears of Blood than Ink. Amongst these Clemangis Arch-Deacon of Bayeux in France for his courage and zeal to truth deserves to lead the Van His Book De Corrupto Ecclesiae Statu of the corrupt Estate of the Church as it was produced at the Council of Constance so it well deserves every studious Gentlemans Reading that would fully satisfy himself touching the horrid abominations of Rome I shall only select a few passages Having set forth by what steps and degrees the Church at one and the same time rose to her temporal height and spiritual declination and by what subtleties the Popes engrossed all Dominion and how greedily they and their Creatures the Cardinals hunted after gain he proceeds to their further Character thus They bear more patiently the loss of Ten thousand Souls than of Ten Groats nay they regard the ruin of Souls with no consideration or emotion of mind at all but for the least diminution of their own private pecuniary advantages they presently grow mad and furious The Study of Divinity and such as make Profession thereof are made a meer May-game and Laughing-stock even which is most monstrous to the Popes themselves who prefer their own Tradition far before the Commandments of God And now that worthy and excellent function of Preaching sometimes attributed to Pastors only is of that base account with them that they think it too mean a work for them to meddle with and that nothing is more unbecoming their dignity The same Author in his Epistle concerning the Study of Divinity tells us That in those days the Monasteries both of Monks and Nuns each Sex it seems was as bad as the other are become so many Brothel-Houses their Divinity meerly Scholastick and Chimerical the very same which St. Paul intended to describe by those words They dote about Questions and strife of words Their fruits are like those of the Lake of Sodom outwardly fair but inwardly smoak and filthy ashes Ecclesiastical Persons are generally the Successors rather of Simon Magus than Simon Peter No man hath Orders given him without silver or gold nor is any refus'd or debarr'd from the sacred function that brings mony be he never so wicked To such a prodigie of wantonness and debauchery are they grown that their people the better to defend their Wives chastity from the attempts of these Clergy-stallions will have no Priests except such as are known to keep Concubines The Legends of Saints are read instead of the holy Scriptures and the Saints brought into the place of God And in a Letter to a Student at Paris discoursing of the Council of Constance he assigns several reasons why no Reformation of the raigning abuses of the Church was to be expected thence For saith he these Carnal Sons of the Church do not only not regard spiritual things nor have any feeling of them themselves but they persecute those that are according to the Spirit as ever since the time of just Abel whom Carnal Cain murdered it hath been and will be to the worlds end These are they that for Temporal Commodities fly to the Church and yet living even worse than secular men they covet scrape and rob all they can desiring to bear Rule but not to serve glorying in their superiority oppressing their inferiours and rejoycing in their own pride and luxury They account gain godliness and are always ready to act or suffer any thing whatsoever for their temporalities how lewdly soever
THE HISTORY of POPERY OR PACQUET OF Advice from Rome The Fourth Volume CONTAINING The LIVES of Eighteen POPES AND The most remarkable Occurrences in the Church for near One hundred and fifty Years viz. From the beginning of Wickliff's Preaching to the first Appearance of Martin Luther Intermixt with several large Polemical Discourses as whether the present Church of Rome be to be accounted a Church of Christ whether any Protestant may be present at Mass and other Important Subjects Together with continued Courants or innocent Reflections weekly on the Distempers of the times Cujus aures clausae Veritati sunt ut ab Amico Verum audire nequeat hujus salus desperanda est Cicero Rhet. 1. LONDON Printed for and are to be sold by Langley Curtis at the Sign of Sir Edmundbury Godfry near Fleet-Bridge 1682. THE PREFACE PRefaces are many times more for fashion-sake than necessity and being esteem'd rather as Complements than serious matters are as slightly passed over by the Reader as superfluously added by the Author More especially we might seem excusable if we should not comply with the Tyranny of Custom herein before this Volume having preambled at large to the other Three and given not only an account of the reason and design of this work but answered most of the Objections and Scandals commonly cast upon it This 4 th Volume 't is true is not large in bulk yet contains the History of a very remarkable period viz. From Wickliff's dawning to the day-break of Luther and exhibits not a few choice Occurrences and most fit to be known as by the Table may appear Especially it demonstrates us to what a desperate degree of Corruption the Roman Church was degenerated and what a Chaos of Errors Superstition and Impiety she was become insomuch that complaints were daily put forth by all those that had any Sparks of Grace and Virtue in them though yet joining with her in communion and as these abuses shew'd the need and necessity of a Reformation so they both led people to desire it and also did justify the same when effected But still some envious Carpers will come with Judas's Objection Quorsum perditio haec what need so much wast of Paper What occasion have we for your paltry Sheets 〈…〉 all these matters better and more copiousâ—â—â—◠〈◊〉 by a multitude of diligent Historians 〈◊〉 accurately handled by many Learned Divine◠〈◊〉 â—â—nfess men of Letters and leisure are or may 〈◊〉 sufficiently accommodated with Books of that kind but many of them writ in Forreign Languages and either unintelligible to our common Country-men or too dear for their Pockets or too voluminous for their time to peruse 'T is to serve these that our Labours are design'd nor have they we hope been altogether unprofitable on that Account but have given the vulgar Englishman as much Insight into the Mystery of Iniquity perhap as any one single work whatsoever Besides though Nil dictum quod non dictum prius the matter be not new yet there may be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a handling of the same things in another manner and when diverse persons treat of the same subject something may be found in one which is not in another and in one Pacquet you have many times the substance and choicest notes of several Authors like a Posy made up of several Flowers Before the late Troubles in England or the date of forty one several Godly learned men have either expressed as Mr. Archer of Christs personal Reign on Earth p. 50. and 55. or Intimated as Mr. Mede on Rev. 11. 7. That in their opinion Popery shall yet again for a while universally or very generally prevail in many or most of these Countrys and Nations out of which it hath been expell'd With whom as to this particular the most profound and Reverend Archbishop Vsher did dot only concur in opinion but seems to be very much assured or to have had a kind of particular foresight of the sharp persecutions that shall attend this last effort of Antichrists if that Paper call'd his Prophesy may be credited which I never yet heard disprov'd to which we may add that dismal prospect of affairs which our eyes behold it being certain that the Protestant Interest throughout Europe was never lower since the beginning of Queen Elizabeths Reign than it is at this Instant And therefore certainly since the danger is so near and so great it concerns all Protestants to Arm themselves for the Encounter to study the points in Controversy between us and the Papists as far as their Leisure and Abilities will give them leave and both to establish themselves in the truth and be acquainted with the Sophisms specious pretences and inticing Fallaces of the Romanists that they may the better avoid and confute them More especially to warn people from Hypocrisy and sinful compliances in case Superstition should ever prevail to a publick Establishment which God forbid we have at large in this Tome evinc'd the present Synagogue of Rome not to be a Church of Christ and the extream hazard all those run of their Eternal Salvation who continue therein as also the Sin of frequenting their Idolatrous Mass though only in formality and outward Complaisance or Curiosity There are too many Errors of the Press which thou may'st meet with in this Volume which I desire thee to Correct and pardon being generally very obvious to a Considerate Reader by the sense and words foregoing and subsequent And if there happen any more material mistakes I beg the same exercise of thy Candour our Books are like our selves Vitio sine nemo nascitur optimus ille Qui minimis urgetur I shall detain thee no longer but praying unto the Lord to preserve his Church from Errors without and to purge it from Errors within I rest Thy Friend and Servant In what I may HEN. CARE Some of the principal Contents of this Fourth Volume A. ABhorrencies of the Association considered p. 26 Academy a new one for correcting Grammar and Logick 249 Addresses Mr. L'Estrange's sentiments of them 87 Advice from Geneva a Libel so call'd censured 7 Aeneas Sylvius how he got to be Pope 250 Notable Sentences of His. 254 Amurath the Turk appeals to Christ against the King of Hungary for breaking his faith with him by the Popes Instigation and obtains a great victory 76 242 B. BAstards Pope Innocent the eighth had sixteen 262 Bazil The Council held there decree that the Pope ought to obey a General Council 220 Bohemians the Pope consents they shall enjoy the use of the Cup in the Sacrament 229 Burning of Hereticks the first Law for it in England 84 C. CAlvinists the Papists call the Church of England so 7 Calvin vindicated from Rebellion 175 Care the Author of this work Burnt in Effigie by the Tories at Norwich 207 Captains of the Blew-Apron complemented 263 Cardinals will choose a Protestant Pope and the Divan a Christian Grand Seignior a very significant allusion
the truth is How much a Sot soever he were he prov'd too cunning for them for having smoakt their Consult and Design next time they came according to Custom to Complement him he seiz'd seven of the most busie of them and without any colour of Law presently confiscated all their Estates and thereby so terrified all the rest that no man of them durst think any more of the Curatorship These seven that he had snapt he with a Cruelty suitable to a Pope thrust into a miserable Dungeon and without any respect to their Age or Quality put them to the Rack and all manner of Tortures his gracious Nephew Pregnan standing by to see Execution done and upbraiding them whilst in Torments But King Charles soon after by reason of some Insolencies offer'd to him by the said Pregnan coming to besiege Vrban himself in the said Castle of Lucera his Impietyship was forc'd to fly over the Mountains and with much ado got to Salerno carrying his Captive-Cardinals under a Guard along with him and one of them broken with Tortures not being able to follow him farther he commanded his Hangman to knock out his Brains and left his Body in the Fields without Burial the other six he dragg'd with him all but Cardinal Adam a poor Monk whom he gave to King Richard the Second of England First to Sicily and then to Genua and at last that he might not be troubled with them any longer he caus'd them saith the Author all in one Night to be beheaded But Platina saith they were sown up in Sacks and so flung into the Sea after the manner of punishing Parricides of old which is probable since no doubt the Pope would call their Crime Rebellion against their Spiritual Father But which way soever he dispos'd of them all Authors agree That they were never seen afterwards Lewis King of Hungary dying the before-mentioned Charles his Son was forc'd to go home thither to settle Affairs where by the Treachery of the Queen he was beheaded but had left two Sons Ladislaus and John Children very young at Ferrara whereupon the Pope thirsting after Revenge and to wreck his Spleen on these two innocent Babes for the Injuries he pretended to have received from their Father thinking he had a fit opportunity departs from Genua to Lucca then to Sena and Perusium with a desire as he pretended to see Naples but in truth with a design to defeat the young Princes of their Inheritance but by the prudence and faithfulness of some Counsellors to whose Charge they were left their Lives and Estates were preserved from his malicious Fury Then he return'd to Rome and made in one day 29 Cardinals of whom 26 were Neopolitans In the last year of his Popedom calling to mind of the vast Gain that the Jubilee had brought to Clement the Sixth in the year 1350. He would needs tho against all Reason except only that of private Lucre abreviate the Term and have it kept every 30 years yet so as that it should begin at Christmas Anno Dom. 1388. and continue a year Inclusive But tho he had laid his Bait for Money yet he did not live to see the Fish caught for being bruis'd by a fall of his Mule as he was riding to Perusium he was carried to Rome where after few days he died Paucis admodùm utpote hominis Rustici inexorabilis flentibus Hujus autem Sepulchrum adhuc visitur cum Epitaphio satis Rustico inepto Very few says Platina lamenting his Death for he was a clownish Fellow and inexorable His Tomb is seen to this day with a very Rustical and foolish Epitaph And there 's an end of one of our Popes and if he were as Roman Historians bear us in the hand the Right and most Legitimate of the two we may very well say Bad was the best for amongst other of his meritorious Feats he caus'd a Book to be written by one John de Therano his Chamberlain the beginning whereof is Give unto Caesar the things that are Caesar ' s and to God the things that are God's wherein he affirms That these words of our Saviour have place only for a time namely until his Ascention but afterwards they were out of Date and of no force seeing that himself saith John 12. When I shall be taken up I will draw all Men after me that is Pray mark the Wit and Divinity of the Interpretation All Kings and Kingdoms shall be under the Empire of the Pope c. Likewise John the Ligni wrote a Book in favour of this Pope Vrban against his Rival Clement as on the other side the Abbot of St. Vast wrote one for Clement against Vrban wherein they call each Pope Heretic Schismatic Tyrant Thief wicked sower of Sedition Son of Belial and 't is believ'd they were not either of them much mistaken Pope Vrban you have heard left the hopeful Crop of his intended Jubilee to be reap'd by his Successor who was one Peter de Thomacellis a Neopolitan who was call'd Boniface the Ninth Ignorant he was saith our oft-quoted Author Theodoric a Nyem l. 2. c. 6. of writing and singing and so unfit for Administration of the Affairs of the Court of Rome that whilst he lived he hardly understood the Propositions made before him by the Advocates in Consistory in so much that in his time Inscitia ferè venalis fuit in ipsa Curiâ Ignorance was almost buyable as a main step to preferment in the Roman Court Yet in all kind of Simony so far he excell'd all his Predecessors that not one Cardinal or Bishop was promoted without extorting great Sums of Money from them And indeed such an unreasonable Griper had Vrban before found him who only for his Personage and goodly Stature had from a Vagabond Clerk preferr'd him to be a Cardinal That he for meer shame was about to degrade him if he had not been prevented by Death Of this godly Gentleman's Invention as some Authors report were the payments to the Pope call'd Annates concerning which it may not be wide of our mark to inform the vulgar Reader what by that word is understood Annates deriv'd from Annus a year are no other than Primitiae the first Fruits or profits of every Spiritual Living for one year to be paid by the Parson that is invested in it at his first entrance thereupon and near of Kin hereunto are Decimae Tenths take it in a strict sense viz. The Tenth part of the first Fruits or of one years value of all Spiritual Livings and these were anciently paid to the Popes not only in England but throughout the Western parts of Christendom for the Pope as Pastor pastorum claim'd Decimas decimarum and that Jure divino too tho never thought of 'till about or some small time before this year 1399. by Example forsooth of the Jewish High-Priest who Numb 18. 16. was to have Tenths from the Levites But tho Jure Divino as in many other
folks at Farringdon without yet survey'd the Books Truem. Don't mention that affair you 'l get no Credit by it if ever a Factious Spirit appear'd there he was visibly on your side Tory. Well well prattle what you please I 'le wager Cock-pit Law that we Nick many of the Common Council Truem. Why man I believe there is not one in the whole City but is Legally Qualified you know Heraclitus and Observator upbraided them with receiving the Sacrament Tory. No matter for that the Statute of 25 Car. 2 C. 2. requires we say not only the receiving of the Sacrament But the certifying the same on Record withing three Months after their being Chosen into the Courts at Westminster or the Quarter Sessions on pain of being disabled as therein is order'd and forfeiting 500 l. Now if they have receiv'd the Sacrament never so oft yet unless they do so certify on Record the Term ending and no Quarter Sessions happening after within the three Months limmited we will pretend they are Excluded so shall we neatly turn them out and get 500 l. a Man to boot Truem. I have neither read the Statute you mention nor pretend to be capable of judging of Law But however those concern'd may no doubt find a Church in London where the Sacrament is Administered next Lords-day or I think no Minister can deny it to a Competent number then may they lodge their Certificates on Monday in the Courts above and so defeat your Malicious expectations who I perceive do not so much desire your Neighbours Conformity to the Church and Obedience to the Laws as their Ruin Tory. Nay Pax don't talk so low'd if you do for ought I know the Ten Guinnies we gave for this very Stratagem may prove of no advantage to us Printed for Langley Curtis 1681-2 The Weekly Pacquet OF Advice from Rome OR The History of POPERY The Fourth Volume FRIDAY Feb. 17. 1681-2 Fragenti fidem Fides frangatur â—idem A brief Account of John Hus and Jerome of Prague The Burning of those two Martyrs The Council of Constance declares That Faith is not to be kept with Hereticks VVE have told you how the Synod of Constance order'd their Triplicity of Popes but it was not only that they sat four years about For they likewise Condemn'd and Burnt those two Noble Servants of the Lord John Hus and Jerome of Prague of whose excellent Lives and Honourable Deaths it will be necessary to inform briefly the vulgar Reader In our last Volume we acquainted you with the Preaching of John Wickliff here in England Almighty Providence honouring this Nation so far as not only to have the first Christian King in the World viz. Lucius and to give Birth to the first Christian Emperor in the World viz. Constantine But also to lead the van in the Reformation and 't was from our Torch many other Regions that sat in darkness borrow'd their Light these two Bohâ—mians had embrac'd several of those Truths which Wickliff had reviv'd in the World For King Richard the Second's first Wife being Ann the Daughter of the Emperour Charles the 4th and Sister to the Emperour Wenceslaus a Bohemian by Birth diverse of her Country-men follow'd her into England whom some becoming Students at Oxford where Wickliff then flourisht they were not only hearers of his Preaching but carried when they went away several of his Books home with them into their own Country as these de Realibus Vniversalibus de Civili Jure Divino de Ecclesiâ de questionibus variis contra clerum c. It chanc'd about the same time a Noble Man of the City of Prague in Bohemia had founded a great Church Dedicated to Matthias and Matthew but commonly call'd Bethlem Endowing it with large Revenues for two Preachers every day Holy day or Working day throughout the year Of these two Preachers John Hus was one a Person of great Learning in those times and of excellent Wit but especially reverenc'd by the People for his blameless life and holy Conversation He happening on some of these Books of Wickliffs was presently convinc'd of the Truth of them and began to defend the same not only in the Schools but likewise in his Sermons At this the Pope and Clergy were mightily nettled and wrot Letters to the King of Bohemia to punish him whereupon he was for some time Banisht the City of Prague but the People murmuring that he was unjustly dealt withall and the King himself not finding in him any Crime he was restor'd and this general Council coming on to purge his Teritories from the scandalous suspition of being infected with Haeresy the Emperour who then was Sigismund Son of Charles the 4th would needs have Mr. Hus appear there and in order thereunto granted him his safe Conduct both in the Latin and Dutch Language in these words Sigismund by the Grace of God King of the Romans of Hungary and Denmark Croatia c. To all Princes as well Ecclesiastical as Secular Dukes Marquesses and Earls Barons Captains Burgoermasters Judges and Governours Officers of Towns Boroughs and Villages and in General to all the Subjects of our Empire to whom these Presents shall come Grace and Goodness We Charge and Command you all That you have respect unto John Hus who is departed out of Behomia to come unto the General Council which is shortly to be held at the Town of Constance which said John Hus we have received under our Protection and into the safe Guard of the whole Empire desireing that you would cheerfully receive him when he shall come towards you and that you treat him friendly and shew him in all things favour and good will for the expedition ease and safety of his Journey as well by Land as by Water Further ordaining That he and all his Company with their carriage and necessaries shall pass through all Ports Bridges Lands Liberties Towns c. Without paying any Custome Toll Tribute c. We will also that you suffer him to Pass Rest Tarry and Sojourn at Liberty without doing him any manner of hindrance trouble or molestation and that if need require you provide a faithful Company to Conduct him for the honor and reverence which you owe unto our Imperial Majesty Given at Spire the 18th of Octob. in the year of our Lord 1414. On the 3d. of Nov. 1414. Hus came into Constance of which two Noble Men of his Countrey gave notice to Pope John desireing his Protection who promised the same very freely adding that if Hus had kill'd his Brother yet no outrage nor hurt should be done him in that place Yet for all this he had not been there a Month before they seized upon him and put him in a base and loathsom Prison and this too before his cause was heard in the Council The substance of the Articles at last exhibited against him was as follows 1. That he had taught Error and Herisy about the Sacraments of the Church and especially about the
meaning Nomen non facit Episcopum sed vita c. It is not the Name but the Life that makes a Bishop If a Man have the Name of a Prelate and does not answer the reason thereof in sincerity of Doctrine and integrity of Life but live scandalously in open Sin he is but a Nomine-tenus Sacerdos A Bishop or Priest in Name not in Truth Yet still Wickliff did not deny but that such an ones Ministerial Acts were valid for so in the same Treatise p. 138. he saith Unless the Christian Priest be united unto Christ by Grace Christ cannot be his Saviour Nec sine falsitate dicit verba Sacramentalia Nor can he pronounce the Sacramental words without Lying Licet prosint Capacibus The notwithstanding they are available so far that the worthy Receiver is thereby nothing hinder'd from partaking of the Grace signified Obj. 3. They pretend that Wickliff maintain'd That it was not lawful for any Ecclesiastical persons to have any Temporal Possessions or property in any thing Answ This is falsly imputed to him he only tax'd the Abuses of the Revenues given to so many Abbies Priories and Monasteries tending only to Superstition and the keeping so many Drones in idleness And therefore he was of opinion That our Kings might dispossess them thereof and give them Genti facienti Justitiam to good and godly Uses The Poverty he exhorted to was no other than that which St. Paul recommends viz. Having Food and Rayment therewith to be content He did not debar Ministers from actual having but from Covetous affecting the things of this World which are to be Renounc'd saith he Per Cogitationem Affectum in the Mind and the Affections Obj. 4. They charge him with asserting That God ought to obey the Devil Answ This is so senseless and improbable a Slander that no Man in his Wits can believe it And on the quite contrary Wickliff in his Commentary on Psal 112. Expresly affirms That the Devil can do nothing without God's permission Obj. 5. Well but if they cannot fix Blasphemy upon him they will charge him with Treason This is a frequent Stratagem of the Devils and his Instruments If thou suffer this Man thou art not Cesar ' s Friend said the Jews of old not that they cared for Cesar but only to gratifie their own Revenge Thus the Papists charge Wickliff as a Teacher of Sedition and an opposer of Magistrates and that if a Civil Magistrate be in a mortal Sin he is no longer to be obey'd Answ There is much craft and malice but very little truth and no reason for this Slander Wickliff indeed in several of his Works admonisheth the King and all other inferiour Officers and Magistrates that he beareth not the Sword in vain nor hath his Office for nought but to discharge well and truly the part and Office of a King by seeing wholsom Laws duly executed and Justice impartially administer'd And tells him That if he be defective in such his Duty by suffering the Sword of Justice to rust in its Scabard and his People to perish for want of good Governance then he is not properly and truly a King that is in effect and operation for so the words must necessarily be understood being spoken by way of Exhortation But otherwise so far was Wickliff from mutinying himself or persuading others to any act that was Rebellious that never any Man in those times did so stoutly assert the King's Supremacy in all Causes and over all Persons as well Ecclesiastical as Civil against all usurped foreign Jurisdiction for which amongst many others he gives this reason That otherwise our Soveraign should not be King over all England but Regulus parvae partis a petty Governour of some small parts of the Realm Nor does any thing tending to countenance Rebellion appear in any of his Works that are extant But the Friars and proud Clergy having an inveterate spleen against Wickliff and there happening to fall out about the same time a grievous Insurrection of the Commons under Wat Tyler occasioned chiefly upon a civil score about Taxes Commons and Servitude but much augmented by one John Ball a Priest and one of Baal's Priests too for ought I know for he does not at all appear to be any of Wickliff's Followers therefore in spight to Wickliff they cast the odium of that Frantic Tumult upon him and his Doctrine But indeed as Wickliff was a person of extraordinary Learning and Piety so that in substance he held and taught the very same Doctrines as are at this day maintained by the Church of England is demonstrated by the Learned Dr. James Oxford Library-keeper in his Book Intituled An Apology for John Wickliff shewing his Conformity with the now Church of England c. Printed Anno 1608. However to the end the vulgar Reader may better judge of this reverend man and his Works I shall here produce some few passages out of two of his Books Printed by the said James from the Original Manuscripts remaining one in Bennet Colledge Cambridge the other in the Publick Library at Oxford The English being excusable considering 't was wrote above 300 years agoe in his complaint to King Richard the Second and his Parliament Article 2. He hath these words Nothing ought to be damned as errour and false but if it favour errour or unrightewiseness against Gods Law And Article 4. He prays That Christ's teaching O beleave of the Sacrament of his own Body that is plainly tawght by Christ and his Apostles in Gospels and Pistles mayen be tawght openlie in Churches of Christen People and the contrary teaching and false beleave is brought up by cursed Hypocrits and worldlie Priests unkunning in Gods Law which say they are Apostles of Christ but are Fools And he concludes that Article with these words As Christ saved the wordle by writing and teaching of foure Evangelists so the Fiend casteth to Damme the wordle and Priests for letting to Preach the Gospel by these four by fayned Contemplation by Songs by Salisbury use and by worldly business of Priests And in his Treatise against the Orders of Friars Ca. 4. runs thus Friars sayen that if a man be once professed to their Religion he may never leave it and be saved though he be never so unable thereto for al time of his life and they wil nede him to live in such a state ever more to which God makes him ever unable and so nede him to be damned Alas out on such heresie that Mans Ordinance is holden stronger than is the Ordinance of God For if a man enter into the newe Religion against mans ordinance he maie lawfully forsake it but if he enter against Gods Ordinance when God makes him unable thereto he shall not be suffered by Antichrist's power to leave it And if this reason were wel declared sith no man wote which man is able to this new Religion by Gods dome and which is not able no man should be constrained to
pardon and as to the former shall endeavour now to satisfie him which is Touching the Troubles and Opposition that Wickliff met with If the strength or policy of Man could have stifled those Truths which he delivered his Doctrine had long since been extinct for the Pope was soon alarm'd therewith and bestir'd himself amain to get Wickliff silenc'd but such Esteem had he by his Vertues and Learning obtain'd that when Gregory the Eleventh in the year 1378. sent his Bull to the University of Oxford expostulating with them for suffering him there to spread his Tenets Walsingham the Historian tells us That the Heads of the Vniversity were long time in suspense whether they should receive such the Pope's Bull with Honour or reject it with Contempt Yet at last the Reverence they bore to his Un-holiness prevailed with them to entertain his Bull with Respect However we do not find that they did any thing effectually against Wickliff But the Archbishop of Canterbury was very violent against him twice he was actually convented before him and other Bishops and thrice summoned to appear The first time he escaped by the favour of the Duke of Lancaster who would needs have a Chair for him that he might sit which the Bishops would not admit in their presence and so a Quarrel arose and nothing then was done The second time he got off by means of a Messenger who just as they were about to pass Sentence upon him came in from the Queen charging them immediately to desist The third time he prudently absented himself and did not obey their Summons because he had intelligence that the Bishops had plotted his Death by the way devising the means and encouraging certain Russians thereunto However in his absence the Bishops with the Rabble of Friars to assist them took upon them to examine and censure his Writings meeting for that purpose at the Gray-Friars London where just as they were going about their business happen'd a most terrible Earthquake which much daunted them yet at last they proceeded to pick out 9 Articles or Propositions which they condemn'd as Heretical and 23 others as Erronious And then they got the King's Letters forbidding his Books and Doctrines to be publish't yet still he remain'd firm and constant and laboriously both by preaching and writing propagated the Gospel and God wonderfully preserv'd him out of the hands of his Enemies continuing Parson of Lutterworth in Leicestershire and so died in peace in a good old Age in the year 1387. Nor was his Doctrine confin'd only to England but shone and gave light into Regions far remote Some say that to avoid the fury of the Clergy he himself for some years withdrew into Germany and there preached the Gospel but I do not find sufficient Ground for that opinion but rather believe the Truth might be propagated there by some of his Followers and in particular Cochleus in his History of the Hussiâ—es l. 1. tells us Petrus Payne Anglus Discipulus Wiclephi Pragam cum Libris illius profugerat One Peter Payne an Englishâ—man one of Wickliff ' s Scholars who was sent with other Legates to the Council at Basil where he disputed for three days together touching the Civil Dominion of the Clergy fled into Bohemia and carried with him some of Wickliff ' s Books Some of which were Translated by John Huss into the Bohemian Language as the same Cochleus relates who also affirms That one of the Bishops of England wrote him word Esse sibi adhuc â—odie duo maxima Volumina Wiclephi quae mole suâ videantur aequare opera B. Augustini That he had then by him two Volumes of Wickliff ' s which were almost as large as St. Austin ' s Works Of which many it seems are since lost or destroy'd by the Papists but divers of them are yet extant What opinion the University of Oxford had of the Learning and Piety of this good Man appears by that Testimonial which they publickly gave of him under their Common Seal dated October 5. 1406. which you may read in Mr. Foxes Acts and Monuments fol. 112. And now being in his Grave one would have thought he had been beyond the Sphere of Activity of the most inveterate Malice but such is the nature of Papal Cruelty that its Rage extends almost to the other World and with a Barbarity more than Heathenish violates Sepulchers for 41 years after Wickliff's Death the Council at Constance the very same Conventicle that Decreed That Faith is not to be kept with Hereticks made an Order for taking up his Bones and burning them in these words For as much as by the Authority of the Sentence and Decree of the Council of Rome and by the Commandment of the Church and the Apostolical See after due Delays granted this Holy Synod hath proceeded unto the Condemnation of the said John Wickliff and his Memory having first made Proclamation and given Commandment to call forth whosoever would defend the said Wickliff or his Memory if any such there were but none did appear And likewise Witnesses being examined by Commissioners appointed by Pope John and his Council upon the Impenitency and final Obstinacy of the said John Wicliff reserving that which is to be reserved as in such Cases the Law requires and his Impenitency and Obstinacy even unto his end being sufficiently proved by evident Signs and Tokens and also by lawful Witnesses of Credit therefore the Sacred Synod declareth determineth and giveth Sentence That the said John Wickliff was a notorious obstinate Heretic and that he died in his Heresie Cursing and Damning both him and his Memory This Synod also Decrees and Ordains That the Body and Bones if they may be discerned and known from the Bodies of other faithful people be taken out of the Ground and thrown away far from the Burial place of any Church according to the Canon Laws and Decrees Pursuant to this worshipful Decree The Archdeacon and Official of the Diocess shortly after came with their Officers to Lutterworth Church where Wickliff lay buried and having disinterred his Bones they with much Formality burnt the same and turn'd his Dust into Ashes which Ashes they also took and threw into the River as if they would Interest all the Elements in their Inhumane Pageantry Touching which I find in a most Learned Treatise written by Dr. Hoyle Professor of Divinity in Dublin Colledge Entituled A Rejoinder to Mr. Malone ' s Reply concerning the Real Presence p. 654. this remarkable passage The Doctor having discours'd of the taking up the Bâ—nes of Bucer and Fagius adds these words I cannot upon so good an occasion but glance at the like more than Savage usage of Wickliff and signifie to the World a strange Accident not yet observed in Print by any and which my self learned of the most aged Inhabitants and they within a few hands from the very Eye-witnesses and is a common Tradition in all Lutterworth A Child finding one of Wickliff's Bones
which in hast was left or forgotten running with it to carry it to the rest in the Bonefire brake his Leg. Here was Lex Talionis Bone for Bone And to this day for a perpetual Monument in the very place where they burnt his Bones tho the Townsmen for their own profit have often essayed to bring the Water that way it never holds but still makes a Bank Thus far the Doctor I shall conclude this Weeks Task with a Copy of John Wickliff's Answer or Resolution to King Richard touching the Right and Title of the King and Pope which was as follows It being demanded whether the Kingdom of England may lawfully in case of necessity for its own defence detain and keep back the Treasure of the Kingdom that it be not carried away to foreign and strange Nations the Pope himself demanding and requiring the same under pain of Censure and by vertue of Obedience To which Wickliff return'd this Answer Setting apart the Minds of Learned Men what might be said in the matter either by the Canon Law or by the Law of England or the Civil Law It resteth saith he not only to persuade and prove the Affirmative part of this Doubt but the Principles of Christ's Law And first I prove it thus Every natural Body hath Power given it of God to resist against his Contrary and to preserve it self in due Estate as Philosophers know very well in so much that Bodies without Life are endu'd with such a kind of Power as it is evident unto whom hardness is given to resist those things that would break it and Coldness to withstand the Heat that dissolveth it For so much then as the Kingdom of England after the manner and phrase of the Scriptures ought to be one Body and the Clergy with the Commonalty the Members thereof it seemeth that the same Kingdom hath such Power given it of God and so much the more apparent but how much the same Body is more precious unto God adorned with Vertue and Knowledge For so much then as there is no Power given of God unto any Creature for any end or purpose but that he may lawfully use the same to that end and purpose it followeth that our Kingdom may lawfully keep back and detain their Treasure for the defence of it self in what case soever necessity do require the same Secondarily the same is proved by the Law of the Gospel for the Pope cannot challenge the Treasure of this Kingdom but under the Title of Alms and consequently under the pretence of the Works of Mercy according to the Rule of Charity But in the Case aforesaid the Titel of Alms ought utterly to cease Ergo the Right and Title of challenging the Treasure of our Realm shall cease also in the presupposed necessity For so much as all Charity hath his beginning of himself it were no work of Charity but of meer madness to send away the Treasures of the Realm unto Foreign Nations whereby the Realm it self may fall into Ruine under the pretence of such Charity It appeareth also by this that Christ the Head of the Church whom all Christian Priests ought to follow lived by the Alms of Devout Women Luke 7. 8. He hungred and thirsted he was a Stranger and many other Miseries he sustained not only in his Members but also in his own Body as the Apostle witnesseth 1 Cor. 8. He was made poor for your sakes that through his Poverty you might be made rich whereby in the first endowing of the Church whatsoever he were of the Clergy that had any Temporal Possessions he had the same by form of a perpetual Alms as both Writings and Chronicles do witness Whereupon St. Bernard in his second Book to Eugenius that he could not challenge any Secular Dominion by Right of Succession as being the Vicar of St. Peter writeth thus That if St. John should speak unto the Pope himself as Bernard doth unto Eugenius were it to be thought that he would take it patiently But let it be so that you do challenge it unto you by some other way or means but truly by any Right or Title Apostolical you cannot so do For how could he give unto you that which he had not himself That which he had he gave you that is to say Care over the Church but did he give you any Lordship or Rule Haâ—k what he saith Not bearing Rule saith he as the Lords in the Clergy but behaving your selves as Examples to the Flock And because thou shalt not think it to be spoken only in Humility and not in Verity mark the Word of the Lord himself in the Gospel The Kings of the Gentiles rule over them but thou shalt not do so Here Lordship and Dominion is plainly forbidden to the Apostles and darest thou then usurp the same If thou wilt be a Lord thou shalt lose thine Apostleship or if thou wilt be an Apostle thou shalt lose thy Lordship for truly thou shalt depart from the one of them If thou wilt have both thou shalt lose both or else think thy self to be of that number of whom God doth so greatly complain saying They have Reign'd but not through me they are become Princes and I have not known it Now if it do suffice to Rule with the Lord thou hast thy Glory but not with God but if we will keep that which is forbidden let us hear what is said He that is the Greatest among you saith Christ shall be made as the least and he which is Highest shall be as the Minister and for Example set a Child in the midst of them so this then is the true form and institution of the Apostle's Trade Lordship and Rule is forbidden Ministration and Services commanded Thus far St. Bernard as cited by Wickliff upon this occasion THE COURANT. Tory. NAY now all 's out I thought this 't would come to at last for D me if I did not always suspect as much I ever lookt upon Catholics as fine civil Gentlemen and for their Church I have a great Veneration because she is a true Church and a Mother Church and their Worship is very glorious and decent What an absurd thing 't is to imagine that ever such Holy Loyal Men as their Priests are should be guilty of Treason Yet I did but say a Twelve-month ago there was no Popish Plot and a Whiggish Son of a Whore gave me a slap i' th' Face and threaten'd me with Newgate for presuming to give the King and Three Parliaments the Lye But it should seem Tempora mutantur I hope e're long a Man may say and swear too That there never was any such Plot at all with Impunity and without Controul Truem. Prethee what makes you so merry about the Gills this Morning Hast thou been at Breakfast with the Painter at Aldersgate on his Whig-Pye whose Crust was made of Gammer Celier's Meal and baked in the red hot Oven of Dr. Tantivy's Skull Tory. No no but on a better
Sacrament of the Body of Christ saying that it ought to be Ministred in both kinds and that after the words of Consecration pronounc'd there still remaineth material Bread in the Sacrament 2. He doth Err as touching the Church for that he doth not allow and admit that the Church signifieth the Pope Cardinals Archbishops and Clergy but saith this signification was drawn from the Schoolmen 3. That he hath said That Tempral Princes and Lords may take away the Temporal possessions of the Church and Clergy without any offence 4. He teacheth that all Priests are of like power and therefore affirms That the reservations of the Popes Casualties the ordering of Bishops and the Consecration of the Priests were invented only for Covetousness 5. That he erreth concerning the Church forasmuch as through Contempt he doth not fear Excommunication 6. He erreth by holding That a Man being once Ordain'd a Priest or a Deacon cannot be forbidden from the Office of Preaching c. Upon these and other the like Articles the Council proceeded against him in his sickness and tho he often offer'd to defend his Cause yet they would neither allow him any Advocats nor permit him publickly to be heard And in their Ninth Session they declared Quod non obstantibus salvis Conductis Imperatoris Regum c. Possit per Judicem competentem de Haeretieâ pravitate inquiri That notwithstanding any safe Conduct granted by the Emperor or any Kings Inquisition many be made against any Man for Haeresy by a Competent Judge and process to be made according to Law To relate the whole proceedings would be too tedious how malicious and unjust his accusers were how stout and faithful to him were several Bohemian Noble Men representing his Innocence to the cruel Fathers but all in vain nothing but his Blood would satisfy and so they proceed to pass the following sentence upon him The most sacred General Council of Constance Congregated together and representing the Catholick Church for perpetual memory of the thing As truth doth witness that an evil Tree bringeth forth evil Fruit so it cometh to pass that the Man of most damnable memory John Wickliff through his pestiferous Doctrine not through Jesus Christ by the Gospel as the holy Fathers in times past have begotten faithful Children but contrary to the wholesome Faith as a venemous root hath begotten many wicked and pestilent Children whom he hath left behind him successors and followers of his perverse and accursed Doctrine against whom this Sacred Synod of Constance is forced to rise up as against Bastards and diligently with a Sharp-knife of Ecclesiastical Authority to cut up Errors out of the Lords field as most hurtful Brambles and Briars lest they should grow up to the destruction of others Forasmuch then as in the holy General Council lately celebrated at Rome it was decreed that the Doctrine of John Wickliff of most damnable memory should be Condemned and his Books burnt as Haeretical yet 〈◊〉 John Hus here personally present in this Sacred Council not the Diciple of Christ but of Wicliff an Arch Haeretick hath taught and affirmed the Articles of Wickliff which were Condenm'd by the Church of God Wherefore after diligent Deliberation and full Information this most Sacred Council declareth and determineth the Articles abovesaid which are sound in his Books wrot with his own hand and which he hath own'd not to be Catholick nor worthy to be taught but that many of them are erroneous some wicked other some to be offensive unto godly Ears many of them to be temerarious and seditious and the greater part of them to be Notoriously Haeretical and doth condemn all and every the Books which the said Hus hath wrot in what form or phrase soever they be or whether they be Translated by others and doth decree That they shall be publickly burnt in the presence of the Clergy and People c. And the said Synod doth pronounce the said John Hus an Haeretick and a Seducer and obstinate Person and such an one as doth not desire to return again to the Lapp of our holy Mother the Church neither to abjure the Errors and Heresies which he hath openly Preached and defended wherefore this most Sacred Council decreeth and declares That the said John Hus shall be deposed and degraded from his Priestly Orders and Dignity Since this sentence mentions Degrading it will not be amiss to consider the manner how that Ceremony is perform'd Which is thus The party to be degraded is attir'd in all his Priestly Vestments and holdeth in the one hand a Chalice filled with Wine mixed with Water and in the other a Guilt Paten with a Wafer Then kneeling down the Bishops Deputy taking from him these Trincats Charges him to say no more Mass for the Quick or the Dead Secondly scraping with a piece of Glass his fingers ends he Enjoyns him never to Hallow or Consecrate any thing and Thirdly rasing his shaven Crown and stripping 〈◊〉 of his Priestly Vestments he is Clothed in a Lay habit and delivered into the Power of the Secular Magistrate Thus was poor Hus serv'd and withal a Capp put on his head all painted over with Devils and this word Haerisiarcha or Ring leader of Hereticks inscribed thereon and so was burnt in the Month of July 1415. He behav'd himself at his Martyrdom with a wonderful Cheerfulness and seems to have had a Spirit of Prophecy for whereas Hus in the Bohemian Tongue signifies a Goose he told them You now roast a Goose but after a 100 years there shall a Swan rise up out of my Ashes which was fulfill'd in Luther who just 100 years after Hus's Death began to appear in opposition to the Pope Likewise during the time of this Council one Jerome a Learned Godly Man of the City of Prague hearing of the manyfold injuries done unto Hus voluntarily came to Constance with an intent to defend his Cause but not being able to procure any safe Conduct there was returning back again to his own Country but taken on the Road and brought bound into Constance and there by the Council Condemn'd and Burnt and his Ashes thrown into the River Rhyne as Hus's likewise had been so Industrious were the Romish Clergy to destroy all Memorials of these faithful Servants of God whose Names do yet survive all their impotent malice and remain Registred in the Book of Life in Heaven and pretious to all good Men on Earth What esteem the godly Nobles of that Age had of Mr. Hus may partly appear by a Letter of 54 Noble Men of Morauia under their Hands and Seals to the said Council THE COURANT. Tory. PRethee are Miracles ceas'd No no There 's a New Saint lately come over call'd Cess Process that does daily Wonders Dam Ignoramus is an Ass to her Tory. What kind of Feats does she Profess can she sham Godfryes Murder and Esquire Thin's and make the World believe That they both kill'd themselves or that it was done Justly
Baker in his Chronicle fo 177. says but Twenty eight were Executed for the pretended Treason And to push home the matter in a Parliament held the next Year They obtain an Act of Parliament 2 Hen. 5. Ca. 7. with this frightful Preamble For as much as great Rumours Congregations and Insurrections here in the Realm of England by divers of the Kings Liege-people as well by them which were of the Sect of Heresie commonly call'd 〈◊〉 as by other of their Confedracy Excitation and Abetment now of late were made to the Intent to Annul Destroy and Subvert the Christian Faith and the Lâ—w of God and Holy Church within this same Realm of Eâ—gland and also to destroy the same our Soveraign Lord the King and all other manner of Estates of the same Realm of England as well Spiritual as Temporal and also all manner of Policy and finally the Laws of the Land The same our Soveraign Lord the King to the Honour of God and in Conservation and Forâ—ification of the Christian Faith and also in Salvation of his Royal Estate and of the Estate of all his Realm wâ—â—ling against the Malice of such Hereticks and Lollâ—rds to provide a more open Remedy and Punishment c. hath Ordainâ—d That the Chancellour Treasurer Iustices of each â—ench Iustices of the Peace Sheriffs c. shall take an Oath to Root out and Destroy all manner of Heresies and Errours commonly called Lollardries And that all persons Convict of Hâ—â—esie by the Ordinary shall forfâ—it all their Lanâ—â—s and Tenements Goods and Chattels So that by this Law the poor People were in as bad ease for Heresie as if they had Committed Treason or Murder they must lose both 〈◊〉 and â—state only here was no Corruption of 〈◊〉 and 't is oâ—sâ—rvable that pursuant to this Act there waâ— even since the Reformation this Clause in the Sheriff Oath viz. Ye shall do all your pain and diligence to Destroy and make to Cease all manner of Heresies and Errours â—â—mmonly call'd Lollers within your Bayliffwick See Book of Oathes p. 27. And so it continued to the beginning of the Reign of King Charles the First and then viz. the Fourth of December 1625. it was by direction of the Kings Council Reformed and that Clause omitted But now 't is time to return to speak of Sir John Old-Castle he had now sheltred himself about Four years in Wales and though the King at the Prelates Instigation had set forth A Proclamation Promising a Thousand Marks to any that should bring him in yet says Baker so generally was his Doctrine favour'd that the Kings offer was not much regarded till at last he was taken by the Lord Powis and sent Prisoner up to London and being in the Interim Outlaw'd for the aforesaid pretended Treason he was drawn to the Place since call'd Tyburn and as his Crime was represented double so likewise was his Punishment being both Hang'd and Burnt the first as a Traytor and the last as an Heretick and 't is said several others in those times were serv'd in like manner insomuch That some have deduced the Etymology of Tyburn from those two Words Ty and burn the Necks of Persons being tyed thereunto whose Leggs and lower Parts were Consumed in the Flames Having given this Succinct Relation of this Affair of Sir John Old Castle I am not Ignorant what rubbs have been thrown in the way and Scandals raised upon his Memory by Parsons the Jesuit and others which are reducible unto Two sorts viz. 1 st That he was a Traitor to his Soveraign 2 ly That he was a Drunken Companion or Debâ—uchee As to the First being a very material and heinous Charge we shall refer the Confutation thereof to our next Pacquet But this last being as groundless as Trivial wee 'l dispatch it at present That Sir John Old-Castle was a Man of Valour all Authentick though prejudic'd Histories agree That he was a Gentleman both of goâ—d Sense sober Life and sound Christian Principles is no less apparent by his Confession of Faith delivered under his own hand Extant in Foxe and his Answers to the Prelates But being for his Opinions hated by the Clergy and suffering such an Ignominious Death Nothing was more obliging to the then Domineering Ecclesiastick Grandeeâ— than to have him represented as a Lewd Fellow in Compliance thereof to the Clergy the Wits such as they were in the succeeding Ages brought him in in their Interludes as a Royster Bully or Hector And the Painter borrowing the Fancy from their Cozen Poets have made his Head commonly an Ale house Sign with a Brimmer in his hand and so foolishly it has been Tradition'd to Posterity Nor is this our private Conceit but the Observation of that Learned and Ingenious Divine the Reverend Doctor Fuller who in his Church History of Britain Lib. 4. fol. 168. has these words Stage-Poets have themselves been very bold with and others very merry at the Memory of Sir John Old-Castle whom they have fancied a Boon Companion a Jovial Royster and yet a Coward to boot contrary to the Credit of all Chronicles owning him a Martial Man of Merit The best is Sir John Falstaffe hath relieved the Memory of Sir John Old Castle and of late is substituted Buffoon in his place but it matters as little what petulent Poets as what malicious Papists have Written against him The spightful Calumnies of the Latter we shall wipe off in our next The COURANT. Truman and Tory. Truman THe Business I was about to tell you was this After the Discovery of the late Popish Plot a Gentleman at the desire of an Eminent Bookseller in Fleet-street Wrote a Brief History of all the Papists Bloody Persecutions Plots and Massacres throughout Europe This Manuscript was carryed by the Bookseller to Mr. L' Estrange to License which being unwilling to do he Cavill'd at it after he had kept it some time in his hands that the Author had not Quoted the Authors or Books whence he had taken the Relations and unless that were done he would not License it The Gentleman at the Booksellers desire made all the Quotations punctually and set them in the Margent and the Copy was again carried to L'Estrange who nevertheless Resolving not to License it put off the Bookseller with many delays near Three Months and at last told him in plain termes It was not fit to make the Breach wider betwixt the Papists and Vs and there were too many of such kind of Books already Neither could he get the Copy out of his hand Tory. Perhaps L'Estrange kept it that he might prevent its being Licens'd by any body else Trum. This I 'm sure The Bookseller lost his Season Copy and Charge of Writing it for this Man 's Aâ—britary Pleasure Tory. But what then did the Author of the Book do Trum. The Gentleman followed the business so Close threatning to take his course at Law that at last he got the Copy and without any Alteration
carried it to one of my Lord the Bishop of Londons Chaplains who immediately Licensed it wondring Mr. L'Estrange should Refuse to License so useful a Book which was afterwards Printed with that License at the Authors own Charge under the Title of The Antichristian Principle fully Discovered in a Brief and true Account of all the Hellish Plots Bloody Persecutions c. Tory. Prethee let 's leave talking of L'Estrange you do so worry him with Pamphlets that the Gentleman swears and vows has not time to Write against the Papists but if you would but let him alone you should see how he would Swing them off Trum. Yes as he has done in his Preface to Proposals for Reunion But Pray have you seen a Sheet call'd Reasonâ— why all good Christians should observe the Holy Fast of Lenâ— Tory. Yes 't is Printed for What-dee-call-him in Cornâ—â—â— The Author is afraid Care will Calumniate him for a Papist in Masquerade Trum. No truly I heard Care say the other day at a Coffee-house That he does not take the Gentleman for a Masquerader but for a down-right Popish Priest and besides that if there were no Popery yet there is abundance of Felony in the Pamphlet for you must note in the Year 1677. There was a Book of Six Sheets and an half Intituled The Holy Fast of Lent defended against all its Prophaners without any Printer or Booksellers Name to it sold by Papists and owned by them Now comes this little Squirt of an Author and after a new Preamble of half a score Lines with a Relishing touch on Mr. Hickeringil and Care steals his whole Pamphlet out of That As for Example his Second page is page Nine of the Large one His Third page is page Eleven of that His Fourth is page Twelve and Thirteen of the other His Seventh page is to be found page Forty one of the other And so all the rest Tory. But have you seen my Lord of E's Book called The Paschal Fast Trum. Yes I have seen it and shall say nothing to That at present But as to this whissling Pamphlet the best Answer methinks will be that of the Statute 5 Eliz. Ca. 5. Be it Enacted That whoever shall by Preaching Teaching Writing or open Speech notifie that any Eating of Fish or forbearing of Flesh is of any Necessity for the saving the Soul of Man Or that it is the Service of God such Persons shall be Punisht as spreaders of False News Printed for Langley Curtis 1682 The Weekly Pacquet OF Advice from Rome OR The History of POPERY The Fourth Volume FRIDAY April 6. 1682. In Bonos licet plerumque cadit Viros ut Calumniis impetantur non diu tamèn durant tales Eclipses sed Sol veritatis illustrioribus apparebit Radiis Et Memoria Justi erit in Aeternum The Treason alleadg'd against Sir John Oldcastle inquired into Parsons the Jesuite answer'd Remarkable Circumstances Considered evincing as well Sir John's Innocency as Sham-practice in the Proceedings against him I proceed now to Vindicate the memory of that as I charitably believe Faithfull Servant and Blessed Martyr of Christ Sir John Oldcastle from the foul Guilt of Treason Mr. Foxe is very Elaborate on this subject in answer to Alanus Copus but as I shall sum up the most material of his Arguments so I shall add several others which to me seem of great weight Whereof some are General and previous considerations As 1. It appears that before Sir John Old castle was question'd by the Bishops he was so far from being a Malecontent or addicted to Sedition or Disloyal Conspiracies that on the contrary he was much in the Kings Grace and favour so that the Prelates durst not Convene him without first complaining to the King for fear of his Majesties displeasure and when they had acquainted him therewith his Majesty kindly sent for him and discoursed him perswading him to submit to the Bishops c. all which argueâ— that he was then of unquestion'd Loyalty else the King would never have Condescended to such a particular care and familiarity 2. There was no pretence then of any Charge of disloyalty or any Treason or Conspiracy brought or alleaged against him by his Adversaries but only for Heretical Opinions And presently after Sir John was sent to the Tower and there was kept close Prisoner and so could have no time before nor opportunity then to Contrive such a â—ormidable Insurrection as is laid to his Charge Nor could he do it after he made his escape for all Historians agree he fled into Wales and lived there several years so that he could not be present with the pretended Conspirators in St. Gileses Fields 3. It has in all Ages been the method of all Persecutors to blacken the Servants of God tho suffering purely for the Testimony of a good Conscience with the odious Titles of Traitors Rebels and disturbers of the Civil Goverment Of our Blessed Lord himself they reported that he was an Enemy to Caesar of his Holy and peaceable Apostles These are they that turn the World upside down So in the primitive and succeeding times Nemesion an Egyptian Martyr was first accused for a Thief and when that could not be proved was by the same Judicature Condemn'd for a Christian and yet was scourg'd twice as much as the other Felons and at last burn'd amongst the Thieves although he never was Thief or Felon Against Cyprian it was slanderously alleadged by no less man than Galenus Maximus the Proconsul Quod diu Sacrilegâ c. That he had long liv'd with a mind full of Sacrilege and had gather'd to him men of wicked Conspiracy 4. The only Historians of those times were Monks who were Sir John's most bitter Enemies and therefore no wonder if they draw him in an hideous and frightfull shape Some of their Lies you shall have particularly examined by and by But now let 's hear the Effect of the story as they themselves tho much disagreeing in Circumstances related it and as the Indictment against Sir Roger Acton and others imports viz. That after Sir John escaped out of the Tower which Parsonâ— 2. part of the 3. Conversions p. 247. says was about the Feast of St. Simon and Jude several of his friends and Favorers on the 10 of January 1413-14 Assembled in the Thickets in St. Gileses fields with an intent to destroy the King and his Brothers and set up Sir John as Regent and that the King keeping his Christmas at Eltham in Kent about 6 Miles from London having notice went PRIVATELY Parsons as aforesaid p. 197 at midnight and took several of them amongst whom were Sir Roger Acton John Brown Gentleman and John Beverly a Preacher who with about 30 more for they do not agree in the number being forthwith Tryed were Condemn'd of Treason and Hang'd and Sir Roger Drawn hang'd and Buried under the Gallows and Sir John Oldcastle being put into the same Indictment and not being found was outlaw'd for the said
loth to look so far my only care is and all good Subjects ought to be for our Queens Majesties Preservation What other Title soever be pretended be it good or bad if it shall once threaten danger to the Queen's Majesty whose Title and Governance we know to be true and have felt to be good I wish it destroyâ—d and put out of hope lest it hope too soon too much too high and join with too many Thus the very syllables of that Author Tory. Well! and what the Devil does all this signifie The idle Dream I 'le warrant ye of some seditious Puritanical Whig Truem. The Book Sir was printed by Authority and seems but to express the general fears and apprehensions Protestants were then in from the prospect of a Popish Successor But the truth is Mr. L'Estrange was a little too young to be Licenser in those days Tory. Why there 's the business Tempora mutantur Protestants dread a Popish Successor I must tell you Sir that whoever is cautious against such a Blessing is Ipso facto to be reputed stigmatiz'd and prosecuted as a Whig a damn'd Phanatick a Rascal a Traitor and infallibly an Enemy to the Church of England as by Law establish'd and all this if need be we will have proved as plain as the way to Dunstable in the next Observator Printed for Langley Curtis 1682. The Weekly Pacquet OF Advice from Rome OR The History of POPERY The Fourth Volume FRIDAY April 28. 1682. Papae tempus adest magnò cum optaverit empâ—um Intactam hanc Gentem cum spolia ista diemque Oderit Arguments proving the Church of Rome not to be the true Church of Christ IN our last we Explain'd the Notion of a Church in its several Acceptations as far as was necessary and offer'd one Reason then why the Roman Church was not to be esteemed a true Church We now proceed to Consider the same a little further And our Second Argument shall for the greater Authority be taken from the Profest Publick Doctrine of The Church of England if the Book of Articles and Homiles be allowed to Contain her Doctrine which some Mens Heterodoxies and bold Preachments of quite contrary Tenets whilst they yet vapour and boast themselves as the only true Churchmen has rendred a Quaere Argument 2. The true Visible Church of Christ is a Congregation of Faithful Men in which the pure Word of God is Preached and the Sacraments duly Administred according to Christ's Ordinance in all those things that of necessity are requisite to the same But the Church of Rome is not a Congregation of Faithful Men in which the pure Word of God is Preached and the Sacraments duly Administred according to Christ's Ordinance in all those things that of necessity are requisite to the same Therefore the Church of Rome is not a true visible Church of Christ The Major is the Express Words of the Nineteenth Article of the Church of England And least any should say That we may indeed from hence conclude Affirmatively not Negatively viz. That where these Marks are There is a Church but not that where they are not there is no Church be pleased to take notice That the Church of England delivers these Words by way of Definition of a Church describing it by the proper Marks Now a Definition all that understand the Art of Reasoning know is not only positive in it self but Exclusive and Negative in regard of that to which it is Oppos'd The Minâ—r is also declar'd and asserted by our Church in her Homilies As for Example in That for Whit-sunday part 2 d. We have these Passages First It speaking of the Church of Rome wants these true and proper Marks of a true Church having before mentioned these very Marks For neither are they Built upon the Foundation of the Apostles and Prophets retaining the sound and pure Doctrine of Christ Jesus neither do they Order the Sacraments or Ecclesiastical Keys in such sort as he did first Institute and Ordain them Again They want the Spirit of God if it be possible to be there where the true Church is not then it is at Rome Again He that is of God heareth Gods Word whereof it followeth That the Popes in not hearing Christs Voice do plainly argue to the World that they are not of Christ nor yet possest of his Spirit Thus the Homily whereby I think this Argument is sufficiently supported and will appear Cogent to all such as own themselves Soâ—â— of the Church of England and indeed 't is pity any such should now be to be Informed That the Church of Rome is no true Church Nor is this Argument less strong in it self against the Papists For the Proposition is St. Paul's Gal. 1. 8. That Man or Angel and by parity of Reason That Church which teacheth otherwise than the Apostles taught is accursed and whether such Church offend herein by adding to Christs Doctrine or by detracting or taking from it 't is all one the Crime is the sameâ— 'T is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 another thing another Gospel For as for taking away as the Apostle saith Whoever shall keep the whole Law and yeâ— offend in one point he is Guilty of all James 2. 10. So most truly too saith St. Ambrose in his Sixth Book upon Luke Negat Christum qui non omnia quae Christi sunt Confitetur He denyeth Christ who doth not confess and acknowledge all that Christ taught And for adding unto the same Father Writing upon those words Be not the Servants of Men 1 Cor. 7. 23. thus testifieth Servi hominum sunt qui Humanis se subjiciunt Superstitionibus They are the Servants of Men that submit themselves to Humane Traditions And if they are the Servants of Men they are not the Servants of Christ So St. Paul concludeth Gal. 1. 10. So that the Proposition as it is Asserted by the Church of England so is it likewise Justified by the Authority of the Holy Scripture and ancient Fathers Then as for the Assumption That in the Church of Rome neither the Word of God is truly Preached nor the Sacraments duly Administred is notorious for as to Doctrine they have added their own Figments as Transubstantiation Purgatory c. and do Preach contrary Doctrines to the Scripture and as touching the Sacraments they have not only Augmented the Number and made Five new ones of their own which Christ never Instituted viz. Confirmation Orders Pennance Matrimony and Extream Vnction But also they have utterly Corrupted those Two which our Lord Ordain'd For in Baptism besides Water they use Spettle Salt Oyl Chrism contrary to the Institution and they lay such a necessity upon this Institution That all that dye without it even Infants they say are Damn'd See Bellarm. de Baptism L. 1. Ca. 4. and Rhem. Annot. on John the 3 d. In the Lords Supper they have turned the Sacrament to a Sacrifice made an Idol of Bread changed the Communion into private Masses
is not again affixed but the Evidence of saving Faith and Testament of the Gospel being written in his heart is now added to the Seal and so it becomes compleatly authentick as not being bound necessarily to outward means Nor do we here exclude Gods free Agency in Baptism who in the Party Baptized in that Heretical Church may if it please him work Grace finding his own Water and his own Words finding I say his own Seal he can add his Covenant of Grace unto it yet no Child there Baptized coming to the years of Discretion unless he Renounce the wicked Faith and Relinquish the Idolatrous practices of that Romish Church can have benefit by his Baptism but to him it is Penal and Pernicious as Augustine speaks And now I proceed to another Argument That the Church of Rome is not a Church of Christ Argument 7. That Church which hath not a lawful Ministry is not a true visible Church of Christ But the Church of Rome hath not a Lawful Ministry Ergo. I know this to many will seem a Paradox but 't is a certain Truth for if the Church of Rome hath not a Lawful Ordination how can it have a Lawful Ministry But it has no Lawful Ordination 1. In regard of the Efficient Cause either Remote as the Pope as Head whence all their Ministerial Power is deriv'd or immediate as the Ordainer on whose Intention their Gratia gratis data dependeth So that here is a Nullity in the very Foundation of the Papal Priest-hood It is deriv'd from the Pope as Head of the Clergy and Church a Title Anti-christian and Usurp'd and so their Ministry is Anti-christian And if the Pope being Antichrist and an Usurper and Consecrating Bishops by vertue of his Papal Supremacy as Christ's sole Vicar and Peter's Successor cannot convey any power of Order upon his Bishops and Clergy what lawful Ministry can we expect in that Apostolical Synagogue So that Calvin an Author whom for Honour's sake I mention in a lewd Age when thousands decry him that either for Learning and Piety are no ways comparable to Him was in the Right in his Book called The Method of Reforming the Church Nego sub toto Papatu unum esse verè Episcopum I deny that under the whole Popedom there is one truly a Bishop and what then shall we say of their Priests neither have they any Ministerial Grace because it depends according to their Belief upon their Ordainers Intention and not upon Christs Ordinance Grace and Promise But 2 ly They fail too in the Formal and Fixal Cause of Ordination They have quite altered and Corrupted the Form and so the End thereof adding a New Form which overthroweth the Old and imposeth a New End viz. making the whole Essence and use of their Ministry to consist in Priesthood that is in Sacrificing of an Idol and so turning the Office of a Minister of the Gospel into an Idol-Sacrificing Priest For in the Form of their Ordination set down in their Tridentine Catechism Part the Second after Imposition of Hands with the sign of the Cross on the Party that is to be Ordain'd The Chalice with Wine and the Paten with the Host is delivered into his hands with these Words Accipe potestatem offerendi Sacrificium Deo Missásque Celebrandi tam pro vivis quam pro defunctis c. Receive thou Power to Offer Sacrifice to God and to celebrate Masses as well for the Living as the Dead c. And this praecipua Sacerdotis functio existimanda est is to be esteemed the principal Office or Function of a Priest Ad Extremum verò c. In fine Imposing hands again he says Receive then the Holy Ghost Whose sins soever ye Remit c. Eique Coelestem illam c. And thus the Bishop giveth unto the Priest that Heavenly Power of Retaining and Forgiving of Sins which the Lord gave to his Disciples Thus the very words of their Ordination Now we know that this power of Remitting and Retaining of Sins the Church of Rome placeth not in the Dispensing and Preaching of the Word of God but in their Sacrament of Pennance Thus they have wholly perverted their Ordination both for the formal and final End Nor do they less fail in the Material Cause ignorant unqualified Persons being ordinarily made Priests and such as only are able to Mumble over the Mass and Matins But it may be Objected That in Popish Ordination there is a Power Confer'd to Preach the Word of God 'T is true they do use these words of our Blessed Saviour which the Church of England useth viz. Receive the Holy Ghost whose sins ye Remit c. Which we do indeed understand of the dispensation of the Word and Sacraments But the Church of Rome otherwise meaning thereby the Priests power of Binding and Loosing in their Sacrament of Pennance And it is in vain for them to say That their Priests in their Ordination have any Power confer'd upon them to Preach the Word of God when their Practise is far otherwise Neither indeed is it lawful for them so to Preach the Word of God as it behoveth faithful Ministers of the Gospel viz. purely and soundly to the saving of Mens Souls For the pure and sound saving Doctrine of the Word of God is branded for Heresie in the Council of Trent Nor may their Bishops or Priests deliver the sense of it otherwise than according to those Canons and Decrees In a word See the Conc. Trid. Sess 14. Can. 3. Si quid dixerit c. If any one shall say That those words of our Lord and Saviour Receive the Holy Ghost whose sins ye Remit they are Remitted and whose sins you Retain they are Retained are not to be understood of the power of Remitting and Retaining sins in the Sacrament of Pennance but shall wrest them contrary to the Institution of the Sacrament to the authority of Preaching the Gospel Let him be Anathema Well therefore does the pious and judicious Calvin conclude Totum Sacordotium Papisticum non solum impia est vera Ministerii profanatio sed Execrabilis in Christum comumelia quisquis est sacerdos Papalis dâ—nec titulum illum abjecerit Christi Servus esse nequeat The whole Popish Priesthood is not only an impious Profanation of the true Ministry but an execrable Reproach against Christ So that whosoever is a Popish Priest until he renounce that Title he cannot be the Servant of Christ True Ordination is a sacred Institution of Christ whereby the Person Ordain'd is Invested with a Power to Preach the Word of God and to Administer the Holy Sacraments according to Christ's Ordinance But the Ordination used in the Church of Rome is not according to Christ's Institution to wit whereby the Person Ordained is Invested with a Power to Preach the Word of God and to Administer the Holy Sacraments according to Christ's Ordinance Therefore in the Church of Rome there is no true Ordination therefore no
be Leavened the Romanists that it must be unleavened 3. About Purgatory which the Greeks denyed and the last tho principally intended about the Popes Primacy and being supream head of the universal Church which they would not acknowledge These points were argued strongly on both sides in the said Council 〈◊〉 so they have been also in Books I my self have now by me a Catalogne of 19 Learned Greek Authors who have wrote against the Latine Church But the most prevalent reasons 't is supposed that sway'd with the Greeks were the necessity of the Empire and the hopes of the Forces to assist them together with the Popes Artifice in making Two of the most Learned of the Greek Bishops Cardinals viz Isidore Bishop of Russia and Bessarion Bishop of Nicea winning them to favour his pretensions in fine an Instrument of union is mutually concluded upon in the year 1439. beginning Laetentur Coeli Let the Heavens Rejoice c. Whereby the procession from both Father and Son was acknowledged and that the Sacrament may be indifferently Celebrated with Bread Leaven'd or Unleaven'd That the Souls of the Faithfull that have not fully satisfied for their Sins do go to Purgatory and that the Pope is head and Sovereign over the whole Church But Michael Bishop of Ephesus with others stoutly withstood the same especially the two last Articles And Joseph Patriarch of Constanâ—â—nople immediately after his Subscription died suddenly falling down with the Charter of Union in his hand Pope Eugenius would have had the Greeks proceed to chuse another Patriarch promissing to ordain him without Mony no small kindness I 'le promise you from a Pope But they perceiving what the Old Fox would be at viz. That as he had got his Supremacy acknowledged under their hands so he might enter into actual possession thereof and begin to Exercise it over their new Patriarch refused the same alledging by their Laws and Customes that their Patriarch could not be chosen any where else but at Constartinople for he must be Consecrated in his own Church c. Whereupon the Pope much against his Inclinations takes his leave of them and suffers them to depart But no sooner were these Prelates returned home and given an account of their proceedings but they were Rejected by their Churches and Brethren as having Betray'd them into unjust slavery to the Bishops of Rome which they would by no means submit to â—ay so offended they were that they Excommunicated all those that consented to the aforesaid Union and when they died cast them like dogs into ditches denying them the Honour of Christian Burial And so they and their posterity stand out in opposition to the Church of Rome to this day but by reason of the oppression they live under are very Ignorant and as the natural Consequent thereof superstitious admirers of their own Rites and Ceremonies I my self have convers'd with some of their Priests whose Beards and long hair for they are as stiff for that as Popish Priestâ— are for Shaven Crowns were the main Testimonies of Learning or Theology they could produce Latine few of them understand for they have not Schools for it nor are they Criticks in the true antient Greek for the Language is now no less degenerared than the people yet there are here and there some few Indifferently well Learned amongst them The Fathers they most adhere to and Reverence are Chrysostome Basil and the Two Gregories the one surnamed Nissene and the other Nazianzen Their Liturgy is ordinarily that of St. Chrysostome but on Festival days they use that of St. Basil which being both written in the antient or Learned Greek cannot much more edifie their vulgar than Latine Service doth our illiterate Papists Not long after this Congress at Ferrara viz. in the Raign of Constantine Son of the said Emperour John Paloeologus the City of Constantinople was subdued by the Turks Mahomet the Great Investing it by Sea and Land with an Army of Five Hundred Thousand and after 54 days Seige storm'd and masterd it on the 29 th of May 1453. Murdering young and old and Commâ—â—ting all kind of Cruelty and Barbarity and in the Turks hands it has ever since remain'd being now the Metropolis of the Ottoman Empire Some that are much at leasure have observ'd it as I know not what fatality that as this City was first made famous by a Constantine the Son of an Helena a Gregory being also Patriarch so it was lost by a Constantine as Augustus was the first that the Son of Helona Gregory being also Patriarch establisht the Roman Empire and Augustus the last But I think the base humour of the Citizens is much more to be taken notice of who when their Religion Lives Liberties Estates posterity and all were thus at stake and though they were exceeding Rich were yet such sordid Misers that they would not part with any money to pay the Soldiers that were to defend them but chuse rather to hide it in the Earth and so hastned their own Ruine by discouraging the Soldiers and deservedlâ— lost both their adored muck and their more useless Lives and their posterity remain the most miserable slaves in the Word to this day The COURANT. Tory. VVHat does this Pacquetting fool mean by this old known story of the City of Constantinoples sordid niggardly Couardise If they had a fancy to bury their Gold and their Consciences and save their pence in Coffers and dunghills for the enemy rather than expend them for their publique safety and so become both slaves and Beggars what 's that to us Truem. Nothing that I know of but Aliena pericula Cautos for there may have been folks in the World since 1453 or at least may be hereafter who when their Religion Lives just antient priviledges c. may be as much at hazard as those of the Constantinopolitans were and from a people altogether as Ill principled and no less savage than the Mahumetans may yet be so far from breaking a Bagg to prevent the impending ruine that they shall scarce stir a foot nor bestow a little Breath and Sweat not so much as hold up an hand nor speak a seasonable word in defence of undermined Religion and Invaded Liberty Tory. Well! I 'le say that for our folks we spare for no pains nor Cost To undoe our selves and our Neighbours How many Cabals Tavern Conventicles private Treats c. have we had of late There 's Loyal Nat scribles on at the old impudent rate as if he defy'd all Justice and Courted Preferment from the Pillory to the Gallows and then the Indefatigable Observator fills the Bog-houses in Town with Antipendiums flams shams and Forty ones that old wretch were he not well paid for 't would live a Dogs life amongst them for the Whigs have had a Company of plaguy Books out of late there 's the unanswerable Julian The Roguish History of Whiggism the Samaritan and I know not what all Truem. Yes and the third
they are gotten scorning and laughing at all those that are desirous to live justly holily chastly innocently and spiritually with such the Church at this day is so full that almost in every Chapter and College scarce any other can be found And can we imagine that such will endeavour the Reformation of the Church in manners and discipline and honesty of Life who count that Reformation their greatest Calamity and desire nothing so much as that it may be lawful for them to do whatsoever pleaseth them freely without controul or punishment Thus far Clemangis of the manners of the Dignified Clergy almost 300 years ago and I wish the Picture may not serve too well for some Ages since Nor was he the only complainant Cardinal Zabarella a famous Lawyer in his Treatise De Schismate written about the year 1406 talks much at the same rate and affirms That with the flattering Canonists there was nothing so unlawful which they thought not lawful for them to do insomuch that they extolled the Pope above God himself making him more than God so that saith he if God afford not his helping hand to the present state of the Church it is in danger of an utter overthrow Nor was John Gerson the Learned Chancellour of the Parisian University who was also one of the Assistants at the Council of Constance silent In his Book De Examine Doctrinarum It is not saith he in the power of the Pope or any Council to change what is prescribed by the Evangelists and St. Paul as some do Dote Yea we are to give more credit in a matter of Doctrine to the assertion of a simple unlearned man speaking according to the Scriptures than to the Declaration of the Pope or Council being contrary thereunto We have seen in what a maimed condition the Church was and that there were some able Physicians that both saw and might they have been suffered were able 't is probable to have cured her wounds Nay all the Empericks at Constance pretended at least the same design But they made use of but an ill expedient when they elected the before-mentioned Martin the Fifth For though in the Council he had carried himself very subtilly and under colour of moderation had not only avoided opposing either party but given each side grounds to hope him most inclinable to their particular Faction which much facilitated his choice the rather for that the Emperour was much taken with that stayedness of his temper and expected no small fruits of Reformation from so unbiass'd a Conduct yet no sooner were his Temples Impaled with the Triple-Crown but he appeared divested of that moderation which before he made shew of and wholly addicted to advance the secular interest Dominion and Treasure of his Chair Therefore when soon after his Election the Emperor Sigismund who had had so great an influence in his promotion press'd him earnestly to proceed on vigorously with the promised Reformation the crafty old Father wheadled it off That the Bishops c. continuing so long together at Constance was a great inconvenience to their respective Churches and charges that therefore it was now very necessary to give them a short recess that Reformation was a thing highly needful but withal being a matter of great importance it required mature deliberation Therefore he thought fit to dissolve the Council at present on condition that another should be call'd within 5 years and in the mean time he would endeavour to prepare matters and that afterwards in 7 years they should have another Council and thence forwards for ever a Decennial one that is to say a general Council every 10 years should be conven'd and sit to Redress the grievances of the Church Having Cajoled them with these fair stories to make them the rather believe that he was in honest earnest he presently ordains and appoints a place for the next general Synod viz. That it should be held within 5 years at Pavia in Italy And then in the 45 th Session they having done very little or indeed nothing towards Reforming the Root of all the Churches corruptions but only fiddle-fadled about number of Canons for ordering of Annates Collations Reserved Causes Appeals Commendums and the like Ecclesiastical Trumpery comes Cardinal Winbald like the Popes Chancellor and dissolves them by pronouncing these words Domini ite in pace My Lords you may be packing or get ye gone in peace Which was done saith Platina sublato omnium consensu maximè verò Imperatoris without any of their consents but especially against that of the Emperour Nor could the Emperour prevail with Martin to continue a while in Germany but he would away for Rome alledging that in the absence of the Popes the Saints Chappels were gone to decay and which was a more cogent reason by half Tyrants had seized a great part of St. Peter's Patrimony He was no sooner got into Italy but he engaged in several wars and reduced the Dutchy Spoletto Perusia Bononia and other places which had set up for themselves He likewise made Lewis of Anjou King of Naples though Joan the Queen thereof had before declared Alphonsus King of Aragon her Hâ—ir The time being come for holding the Council at Pavia the Pope for fashion sake sends thither one Arch-bishop a Bishop an Abbot and a Friar who met there only two Abbots of Burgundy and these six began forsooth a Council a Worshipful Representation of the whole Catholick Church on Earth But the Plague breaking out they adjourn'd from thence to Sena where things not fadging just as Pope Martin would have them he quickly gave that Assembly too a Writ of Ease without their effecting any thing But for a colour still promises to call frequent Councils and that next seventh year they should have one at Basil Having thus sham'd off the means of Redressing the Churches grievances and correcting abuses he settles at Rome and begins to reâ—edify several decay'd buildings which the Romish Historians gloriously Intitle Restoring the Church But his main business was to scrape money together For saith Antoninus He was generally blam'd as one that too greedily labour'd to heap up riches being in no wise able to say with the Apostle whose Successor he pretended to be silver and gold have I none But all his vast Treasure was lewdly consumed by his Kinsmen and especially by his Nephew the Prince of Salerno to whom it fell by his death he bestowing most of it on hired Soldiers and Enemies against the Church And now he had spun out the time till the Council at Basil was to Assemble how he would have shuffled it off or rendred it insignificant we know not since then God was pleased to cut him off dying of an Apoplexy the 20 of February 1431. in the 53 year of his Age and when he had held the Chair 13 years 3 months and 12 days This is that Pope whom many flattering Popish Authors extol for his vertues to the Skies when yet besides his
sordid covetousness and other pranks before-mentioned Angelus de Clavasio a Friar Minorite in his Book call'd Summa Angelica in the word Pope affirms that this very Martin after long consultation gave a man leave to marry with his own Sister dispensing with the Positive Law of God and Nature This Pope likewise was a very busie stirrer up of persecutions and bloody wars against the poor Bohemians as Hereticks they having sometime before embraced Wickliffs Doctrine But of this and the other troubles of those people for the sake of the Gospel we shall take another opportunity to discourse The COURANT. Truem. MEthinks you look Cloudily to day Monsieur Tory does Tuesdays Verdict stick in your Gizzard would not the Sham take Could not poor Nat get a Christian Jury as he call'd it that might believe the Sun was a Bottle of Ink and that Sir Edmondbuâ—y Godfrey Killed himself 4 days after he was Murthered Tory. Prethee why dâ—ee talk so you know I never justified that story I think 't was very ill done and the Contrivers of it deserve to be punisht Truem. Why this 't is for a man to be unfortunate and down the wind his friends streight abandon him as vermine run from falling Houses All the while bonny Nat was towring upon the wing alarming the world with his Regiments of Five-Hundreds and his Troops of Sixty's that should Swear Canon-pooof and drive the Nail home and Clench it then you and all your party appeared openly in favour of the welcome News I know not what to think on 't says one I was never satisfied in that business of Godfrey's Murder Nay quoth a second there are shrewd Circumstances in these two Letters to Prance they are ingeniously Pen'd and a great deal of weight in them Alas Sir adds a third 't is not to be doubted but he can make it all out and by such a number of Protestant Witnesses too not so much you see as a suspected Papist is concerned else you must think he would never write so confidently I fancy here will be a notable discovery and then what will become of Madam Plot when she has lost one of her main Crutches Damme concludes the fourth man that story of Godfrey's being Killed at Sommerset-house was all Bubble why the Divel should the Papists meddle with him the three poor fellows were meerly sworn out of their Lives and so were all the rest that noise of a Popish Plot was nothing in the world but an intrigue of the Whigs to destroy the Kings best Friends and the Devil fetch me to Hell in a Hand basket if I might have my will there should not be one Fanatical Dog left alive in the three Kingdoms This Gentlemen was wont e're while to be the stile of Discourse at Sam 's and Margarets and now when the Oracle Nathaniel's 600 and 60 witnesses are dwindled to half a dozen and they only serv'd to prove him and his associates impudent lying villains and that he is like to scour a Pillory do you desert the Cause and come sneaking like a Quaker and Cry Friends never own'd it Tory. A Pillory never fear it Nat I le promise you has friends in a Corner what he did was only to Print the Papers for money in the way of his Trade and he has discover'd his Authors what would you have more of the honest man Truem. I will not presume to prejudge his doom I doubt not but the Reverend Judges will do him and the Nation Right but for what you alleadge that he did it for others in way of his Trade will for him be but a vain excuse for he has made it his own Act he did not do it Ignorantly or by surprize not imposed upon by false Information or mistake but willfully and with a malicious design as appears 1. For that it was contrary to his own personal knowledge he himself view'd the Boâ—y at the White-house as is proved by Affidavit and from the Testimony of his own Eys he himself then Printed that there was no Blood that it was evident he was strangled c. 2 When he first publisht his pretended Sarum-Letter which was only to sound the waters there was presently a satisfactory answer return'd yet soon after he Printed his first Letter to Prance and that too being solidly refuted he flung out a second and has himself all along in his Intelligence and by word of mouth espoused the thing and boasted he would prove it sometimes by 500 sometimes by 60 witnesses Nay since the very last Term has vapored in Print at the same rate and endeavoured before hand to cast a scandal on any Jury that should try him Now if such a man in such a cause wherein the honor of the King and of the Justice of the Nation and the whole Protestant Interest is so highly concern'd and so impudently arraigned and aspersed shall escape without some exemplary mark from that Justice which he has so daringly affronted it might prove an unaccountable precedent Tory. But what should be his design in all this Truem. We need not go to Gaâ—bury to discover that 't is plain it was to sham off the belief of the Popish Plot that it may still proceed to excuse the Papists from that barbarous murder and fix the Odium of being guilty of innocent blood on the King and his Judges and all the Protestants in the Nation for putting Green Berry and Hill to death wrongfully And this alone methinks should open your eyes to see through the boasted Loyalty of Thompson all such fellows and their kindless forsooth to the Church of England and what interest it is that under that disguise they serve And to shew all the world that the Popish Plot is still working on for it can never be imagined that three such little inconsiderable fellows would ever have troubled their heads with such a business or dar'd to have broach'd it in that audacious manner had not men of wiâ—er heads and greater figure abetted them Though Pâ—in and Farwell own'd themselves Authors of the Letters yet if ever the matter can be throughly sifted Tâ—e wager that a Jesuitâ— or Priest was the Composer of them Printed for Langley Curtis 1682 The Weekly Pacquet OF Advice from Rome OR The History of POPERY The Fourth Volume FRIDAY June 30. 1682. Infanda Tellus quáque vix pejor stygem Vehit profundis apta suppliciis humus Quousque sae vos misera lassabis Deos Experta Fulmen An excellent discourse of Clemangis that we ought to depart out of Babylon The story of Pope Eugenius IV. who is deposed in the Council of Bazil IN our last we mentioned the Complaints of Clemangis the Reverend Arch-Deacon of Baior touching the lamentable corrupt state of the Church and shall now add another notable discourse of his in an Epistle to Gerrard Market a Doctor of Paris which though somewhat long we chuse to recite not only for the Excellency of the matter and to shew what