wherein it is written Aske of me and I will giue thee the Heathen for thine inheritance and the ends of the world for thy possession This place proues the Church to be Catholicke Also whereas they saide that Baptisme was not auaileable except some of their sect had beene present at the administration thereof he answereth That when God first created the Element of water the presence of the Trinitie was powerfull in operation to create water albeit none of the Donatists were then present Euen so the Trinitie can worke effectually in Baptisme albeit none of the Donatists be present Yea and that it was God the author of Baptisme and not the Minister that did sanctifie according as it is written Wash me and I shall be whiter then the snow c. Bishops and Doctours of Europe ACHOLIVS Bishop of Thessalonica baptized the Emperour Theodosius after he returned from the slaughter of Maximus The Emperour fell sicke by the way before he came to Constantinople and was desirous to be baptized Neverthelesse he would not suffer Acholius to baptize him vntill he was assured that Acholius was not spotted with the Arrian Heresie After Baptisme the Emperour recouered his health againe Acholius was brought vp in Monasteries like as Epiphanius and many other worthie men were brought vp Hilarius Bishop of Poitiers in France liued vnder the raigne of Constantius a man in Religion constant in manners meeke and courteous He was banished immediately after the Councell of Millane to Phrygia as some suppose Theodoretus writeth that he was banished to Thebaida and relieued againe from banishment vnder Iulian. But it is more apparent that he remained in Phrygia vntill the Councell of Seleucia vnto which Councell he was brought from banishment not by any speciall commandement from the Emperour but by a generall commandement giuen to his Deputie Leonas to assemble together the Bishops of the East Vnder pretence of obeying this commandement Hilarius being banished in the East was brought to the Councell of Seleucia from Seleucia he went to Constantinople The Emperour refused to heare him reason with the Arrians in the matters of Faith but gaue him libertie to returne to his owne countrey againe He tooke great paines to purge the countrey of France from the poyson of Arrian heresie and he preuailed so farre that Ierom compares him to Deucalion who both sawe the flood of waters ouer-flowing Thessalia and the abating of them also Euen so Hilarius saw both the growth and decay of Arrianisme in France He liued sixe yeeres after his returning from banishment and concluded his life vnder the reigne of Valentinian Ambrose the sonne of Symmachus was a man of noble parentage vnder the Emperour Valentinian he was gouernour of Liguria At this time Auxentius Bishop of Millane an Arrian died Great sedition was in the Towne for the election of a new Bishop euery man contending to haue a Bishop chosen of that faith which he himselfe best liked Ambrose fearing the vndoing of the Towne by this intestine contention exhorted them to vnitie and concord with words and reasons to perswasâ—â—e that the people with one consent cried out they would be all of one minde if that Ambrose were appointed to be their Bishop The Emperour thought this inexpected consent of the people came from GOD and he consented to the desire of the people So was Ambrose ordained Bishop of Millaine After the death of Valentinian he was grieuously troubled by Iustina the mother of Valentinian the second for shee was infected with Arrianisine Ambrose was fauoured by the people and would not betray the sheepe-folde of GOD to Wolues The particular description of the broile of Iustina may be read at length in the Epistle that Ambrose writes to his sister Marcellina The miracle wrought at the sepulchres of Protasius and Gervasius mittigated somewhat the furie of Iustina But the dolorous tydings of the slaughter of Gratianus compelled Iustina to flie from Italie to Illyricum for safetie of her owne life and her sonnes life He sustained also great trouble vnder the two Tyrants Maximus and Eugenius so that he was compelled in the time of Maximus to flie to Aquileia and in the time of Eugenius to flie to Hetruria He liued also vnder the raigne of Theodosius whom hee sharpely reprooued for the slaughter of the innocent people of Thessalonica and died in the third yeere of the raigne of Honorius after he had gouerned the Church of Millane twentie-two yeeres Prudentius a man of Spaine a Lawyer at some times and a Warriour at other times in his young yeeres In his old age he writ of diuine matters He liued vnder the reigne of Valentinian the second of Theodosius and his sonnes He set forth his knowledge in Bookes of Latine Poesie albeit Greeke inscriptions be prefixed vnto them such as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which intreateth of the fight betwixt the spirit and the flesh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which intreateth of the workes to be done in the day time 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 intreateth of Divinitie and divine things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 intreateth of Originall sinne against Cerdon and Marcion the Authors of two beginnings 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a booke conteining the prayses of victorious Martyrs In this Booke is frequent invocation of Saints expresse against holy Scripture 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 conteining Histories both of the olde and new Testament The verses wherein he argueth the Heresie of the Manicheans who attributed vnto Christ not a true but a phantasticall bodie made of aire are very judiciously conceiued Restat vt aëriam pingas ab origine gentemâ— Aërios proceres Leuim Iudam Simeonem Aerium DAVID magnorum corpora Regum Aeria at que ipsam foecundae virginis alvum Acre fallaci nebulisque nube tumentem The Ecclesiasticall Writers whom I haue chiefly followed in this Compend make no mention of him Osius Bishop of Corduba was a Confessor in the Persecution of Dioclesian and Maximianus He was regarded by the Emperour Constantine for the markes of the rebuke of Christ. The Emperour employed him in the schisme in Aegypt betwixt Alexander and Arrius Likewise he sent him to the Bishops of the East who differed in opinion from the Bishops of the West concerning the keeping of Easter day He was present at the Councell of Nice where he damned the heresie of Arrius And at the councell of Sardica he absolued Athanasius Paulus c. Neither was he terrified with the menacing Letters of Constantius but answered couragiously that Athanasius was an innocent man and that the Emperour did not well to hearken to the calumnies of Versatous and Valens men who had by writ confessed to Iulius Bishop of Rome that the accusations intended against Athanasius were but forged calumnies And this they did of their owne accord freely and not compelled In his decrepit yeeres for hee liued an hundreth yeeres some
weaknesse was found in him At the councell of Syrmium he was compelled to be present in that assembly of Arrian Bishops to whose wicked constitutions fearing torture and banishment from which he was lately reduced he subscribed Ierom was borne in a towne of Dalmatia called Stridon and was instructed in the Rudiments of Learning at Rome From Rome he went to France of purpose to increase his knowledge and to diuerse other places and he returned againe to Rome where he acquainted himselfe with honourable women such as Marcella Sophronia Principia Paula and Eustochium to whom he expounded places of holy Scripture for he was admitted presbyter He was counted worthie to succeed Damasus B. of Rome his gifts were enuied at Rome therefore he left Rome and tooke his voiage toward Palestina By the way he acquainted himselfe with Epiphanius B. of Cyprus with Nazianzenus B. in Constantinople with Didymus Doctor in the Schoole of Alexandria and sundry other men of Note and Marke In the end he came to Iudea and made choise of the place of the Lords Natiuitie to be the place of his death At Bethlehem Paula a Noble woman who accompanied Ierom and his brother Paulinianus from Rome vpon her owne charges builded foure Monasteries Ierom guided one Monasterie wherein were a number of Monkes The other three wherein there were companies of holy Virgines she guided her selfe Ierom was a man of sterne disposition and more inclinable to a solitary and Monkish life then to fellowship and societie Neither Heliodorus in the Wildernesse nor Ruffinus out of the Wildernesse could keepe inuiolable friendship with him The Letters that passed betwixt August and Ierom declare that Ierom knew not how great a victory it was in loue in humilitie and friendship to ouer-come them who seemed to contend against him Ierom wanted not his owne grosse errours Concerning the creation hee thought that Angels Thrones Dominations were existent before the world was created In his Bookes written against Iouinian he writeth not reuerently of Mariage and he seemeth to condemne the second Mariage He ended his life about the twelfth yeere of the raigne of Honorius in the yeere of his age 91. Ecclesiasticall Writers haue filled their Bookes with excessiue commendations of Heremites and Monks of whom God willing I shall write in a particular Treatise of Monasticall life CENTVRIE V. Patriarches of Rome AFter Stricius succeeded Anastatius and gouerned the Church of Rome three yeeres About the yeere of our Lord 401. hee entred into his office vnder the raigne of Honorius Hee made a constitution that men should not sit but stand when the Gospell was read After him succeeded Innocentius and continued in his office fifteene yeeres hee was an aduersarie to the Novatians and Pelagians and was friendly to Iohn Chrysostome whose deposition Eudoxia the Emperours wife had procured Innocentius sent to Honorius and Arcadius fiue Bishops and two Presbiters to procure the appointment of a Councell wherein the cause of Chrysostome might be examined for hee counted the gathering of an Ae cumenicke Councell the only remedy whereby the vehement tempest of so great commotions as followed the deposition and banishment of Chrysostome could be settled but the aduersaries of Chrysostome procured the messengers of Innocentius to be ignominiously entreated and sent backe againe Heere let the iudicious Reader marke that the power of conuocating generall Councells appertained to the Emperour and not vnto the Bishop of Rome In this mans time according to mine opinion the Roman Church began to swell in pride and to vsurpe iurisdiction ouer other Churches hauing no better ground than a personall and temporall act of the councel of Sardica Zosimus the successor of Innocentius continued not aboue the space of a yeere and 5. months in office or 2. yeeres as Socrates writeth To him Platina ascribeth this constitution that no seruant should be assumed into the clergie but he lamenteth that not onely seruants but also the sons of strange women and flagitious persons were admitted to spirituall offices to great detriment of the Church He sent Faustinus a Bishop to the Councell of Carthage with 2. Presbyters of the Romane Church to craue that no matter of moment and importance should be done without aduise of the Roman Bishop He pretended an act of the councell of Nice allotting this dignitie to the Romane chaire but after diligent search of the principall register no such act was found I expected that Onuphrius now should haue compeared in so maine a point said something to the cause which with tooth naile he defendeth but in his annotations I see nothing except a diuersity of couÌ„ting of yeres for in his reckoning Zosimus continued 3. yeeres 4-months To Zosimus succeeded Bonifacius 1. and gouerned 3. yeeres At his election there was a schisme in Rome Some elected Bonifacius others Eulalius to be their bishop The Emperour Honorius baÌ„ished them both from Rome but after 7 months Bonifacius was restored and was Bishop of Rome at this time they were bishops of Rome to whom the Emperour gaue allowance but they were not Emperours to whom the Bishop of Rome gaue allowance After Bonifacius Coelestinus gouerned the Church of Rome eight yeeres ten months and seuenteene dayes He was an aduersary to the Novatians Pelagians and to Nestorius and his adherents Socrates taketh him vp right that hee was bitter against the Novatians for desire of preheminence In Constantinople they who professed the true faith had libertie to meete together â—albeit in matters of discipline their opinion was not found but Coelestinus silenced Rusticola the Bishop of the Novatians For desire to haue all Bishoppes stouping vnder his soueraignitie Marke the words of Socrates in the Latine translation bearing these words Romano Episcopatus iam â—dim periâ—de atque Alexandrinâ— ultra sacredâ—â—â— luâ—â—tes aâ—d exterum dominatum progrâ—ssâ— that is the bishoprick of Rome euen of old hauing stepped beyond the limites of Priesthood to an externall domination as the Bishopricke of Alexandria had done before Pelagius had propagated his heresie in the Isle of Britaine But Coelestinus hindred the propagation of a wicked heresie by sending Germanus to the Brittaines and Palladius to the Scots Coelestinus more impudently than his predecessours Innocentius Zosimus and Bonifacius vrged a submission of the Churches of Carthage vnto the Romane chaire and that they should accept in fauour Appiarius whom they excommunicated for his appellation from his owne Bishop to the Bishop of Rome but the fathers of the sixt Councell of Carthage would neither absolue Appiarius before his repentance were knowne neither would they stoup vnder the iurisdiction of the Roman Church To Coelestinus succeeded Sixtus the third and continued in office eight yeeres ninteene dayes Hee was accused of the crime of Adultery by Bassus but Sixtus was found innocent and Bassus was found a calumniator and a false accuser
protection of his sonne Fredericke the second But Innocentius followed the footesteps of Iudas but not of Saint Peter made Otto Duke of Saxon Emperour in preiudice of Fredericke who was committed to his protection But thorow the prouidence of God the spirit of dissention fell betweene the Emperour Otto and the Pope so that hee was excommunicated by the Pope and the Empire was giuen to Fredericke Also hee gathered a generall Councel at Rome called Lateranense whereof hereafter After him succeeded Honorius 3. and ruled ten yeeres 7. months 13. daies he excommunicated the good Emperour Fredericke 2. and in this age it is to be noted that almost no Pope can be found who set not out his thunderbolts of cursings against kings and Emperours Next to him succeeded Gregorius the ninth and ruled one yeere three months he caused the booke of the Popes decretalls to be compiled and had cruell warres against the Emperour Fredericke whom hee excomunicated diuers times as hath at length beene declared in the life of Fredericke Caelestinus 4. followed after him who liued not in the Popedome aboue the space of 18. dayes To him succeeded Innocentius 4. and ruled 11. yeeres 12. months 12. dayes he helde a Councell at Lyons wherein he excommunicated the Emperour Fredericke of new againe and deposed him from his Emperiall dignitie and gaue the same to William Count of Holland Hee died miserably for hee invaded the kingdome of Sicilie with an armie hoping to bring it vnder his subiection after the death of Fredericke but was disapointed and repulsed by Manfred king of Sicilie And as hee was in Naples a voyce was heard in the Popes Court saying Surge miser ad iudicium that is rise O wretched person and appeare to iudgement and the day following he was found lying dead in his bed To him succeeded Alexander the fourth who did fight against Manfred king of Sicilie vnprosperously but being ouercome in battell hee had refuge to his old armour of cursing and excommunicated Manfred He damned the Booke of William de Sancto amore which hee writ against the order of begging Friers and died in the seuenth yeere of his Popedome After him followed Vrbanus the fourth and ruled three yeeres and one month Hee stirred vp Charles Duke of Angeow against Manfred and gaue vnto him the kingdome of Sicilie and Calabria with the Dukedome of Apulia to be holden of the Pope as superior for yeerely paiment of a certaine duety to the Church of Rome which was the occasion of great troubles which after followed To him succeeded Clemens 4. and ruled 3. yeeres 9. months 21. daies He finished the worke which Vrbanus begun for hee gaue to Charles Count of Angeow not onely the Dukedome of Sicilie but also the stile of the kingdome of Ierusalem prouiding alwayes hee should pay yeerely in few-farme to the church of Rome fortie thousand crownes This Charles by instigation of the Roman Bishop first slew Manfred king of Sicilie and afterward slew Conradinus sonne to Conrad who came to Italie to possesse the kingdomes duely appertaining to him So was the kingdome of Sicilie taken from the posteritie of Fredericke and put in the hands of Frenchmen After him Gregorius the tenth ruled foure yeeres two months ten dayes He held a generall councell at Lyons whereat Michael Palcologus Emperour of Constantinople was present as will be hereafter delared God willing He made peace beweene the Venetians and the Genuans who not onely at home but also in Asia had bloodie warres one against another to the great encouragment of the Infidels Also hee interdyted the Florentines from all holy seruice because they eiected the Gibelius out of their towne whom the Pope being in France had receiued in favour and brought backe from banishment Hee was so highly displeased with them that passing by the towne of Florence vpon a time being required of his fatherly clemencie to lose them from the foresaid interditment hee vtterly refused to doe it Next after him Innocentius the fift died after hee had ruled sixe months ad two daies After him Hadrianus the fift died hauing ruled fortie dayes Ioannes 22. who succeeded to Adrian died after he had ruled 8. months Hee was smothered by the sudden fall of a chamber newly built in the place of Viturbium for his solace and pleasure and this iudgement fell vpon him immediatlie after he had foolishly promised to himselfe long life and said to his friends that he knew by the position of the starres that he would liue a long time in this world After him followed Nicolaus the third and ruled three yeeres three months fifteene daies He was a mortall enemie to Charles king of Sicilie whom his predecessours Vrbanus and Clemens advanced He tooke from him the lieutenanrie of Hetruria the dignitie of a Roman Senator Likewise hee stirred vp Peter King of Arragon to claime the kingdome of Sicilie as iustly pertaining to him by right of Constantia his wife Daughter to Manfred king of Sicilie And finally by his craft and wickednesse the countries of Flaminea and Bononia with the exarcht of Rauenna which had remained a long time vnder the Emperours iurisdiction were brought vnder the dominion of the Pope of Rome In Religion he was verie superstitious and caused cases of siluer to be made wherein he put the skulls of Peter Paul Next vnto him followed Martinus the fourth and ruled foure yeeres and one month Hee receiued Charles king of Sicilie in fauour and restored vnto him the dignitie of a Roman Senator which Nicolas his predecessour had taken from him and was so contrarious in all his doings to Nicolaus that whereas Nicolaus stirred vp Peter king of Arragon to claime the kingdome of Sicilie as belonging to him by right Martinus by the contrarie excōmunicated the king of Arragon as a spoiler of the Church-goods because hee invaded the kingdome of Sicilie Notwithstanding in this Popes time the Frenchmen who were in Sicilie being hated of the people were pitifullie destroied For they had agreed among themselues that vpon a certaine day at euening time when a signe was giuen by ringing of a bell that they should cut off in one houre all the French blood that was found in Sicilie which thing also they performed with such crueltie that they ript vp their owne countrie-women that were with child by the Frenchmen to the end there should no remnant of French blood remaine among them and from this excessiue crueltie the Prouerb yet remaineth Vesperae Siculae This Pope also tooke the Concubine of his Predessour Nicolaus and caused to abolish all the pictures of Vrses and Beares that were found in his palace fearing left his harlot by a deepe imagination and impression of these Pictures should bring forth children rough like Beares as shee had done before Honorius 4. followed and ruled 2. yeeres one month he ratified the sentence
seditious Monkes On the other part a great number of Syria Caua came to support the troubled estate of Flauianus For these things as if he had beene a contentious man he was banished and Senerus a notable Eutychian heretique was placed in his roome this is he of whom I haue mentioned diuers times that Alamundarus prince of Saraceus deluded his messengers and sent them backe ashamed and confounded The next attempt was against Helias Bishop of Ierusalem against whom this quarrell was forged that hee would not subscribe the Synodicke letter of Seuerus and damne the councel of Chalcedon and by the Emperours commandement Olympius the captaine came to Ierusalem expelled Helias and placed Iohn a familiar friend of Seuerus in his roome This Iohn by the perswasion of Sabas a Monke of Palestina forsooke the fellowship of Seuerus and was cast into prison by Anastatius the Emperours captaine but when he was brought foorth out of prison againe he disappointed the expectation of Anastatius the captaine for he openly auouched the foure generall councels and anathematifed the followers of Arrius Macedonius Nestorius and Eutyches In doing whereof he was mightily assisted both by the people and the Monks so that Anastatius the Emperours captaine fearing popular commotion fled and returned againe to the Emperour but Seuerus Bishop of Antiochia moued with wrath against the Monks of Syria set vpon them and slew 300. of them and gaue their carcases to the foules of the heauen and the beastes of the earth such mercie was and is to bee found in headstrong heretiques In all this desolation the courage of Cosmas Bishop of Epiphania and Severianus bishop of Arethusa is to be admired who wrote a booke conteining a sentence of deposition of Severus Bishop of Antiochia which booke Aurelianus a deacon of Epiphania clad in a womans apparrell deliuered vnto him in Antiochia and afterward conueyed himselfe away secretly The Emperour was highly offended against Cosmas and Severianus and he wrote to Asiaticus gouernour of Phoenicia that hee should eiect them out of their places but when answere was returned to the Emperour that it could not be done without blood the Emperour left off further pursuing of them Many counted Anastatius a peaceable Emperour because he would haue setled controuersies in the Church as eiuil controversies at sometimes are settled namely by a law of oblivion but there is no capitulation betwixt darknesse and light but darknesse must yeeld vnto the light of God In Africke moe then 900. were crowned with martyrdome vnder the raigne of Anastatius as Magd history recordeth out of the first booke of Regino de Anastatio Platina writeth that he was slaine with thunder Iustinus the elder AFter Anastatius succeeded Iustinus a godly Emperour and governed nine yeeres and three dayes Hee restored the Bshops whom Anastatius had banished Hee banished also Arrian Bishops who were found within his Dominions Severus Bishop of Antiochia a vile Eutychian Heretique and a bloody Foxe hee displaced and caused him to be punished by cutting out of his tongue as some affirme Theodoricus King of the Gothes obtaining domion in Italy persecuted true Christians with great hostility and sent Ambassadors to the Emperour Iustinus to restore the Arrian Bishops whom hee had banished else he would pursue the Bishops who were in Italy with all kinde of rigour And because the Ambassadors returned not backe againe with such expedition as he expected hee put hand to worke and slew two noble Senators Symmachus and Boetius Likewise when the Ambassadors were returned hee cast in prison Iohannes Tuscus Bishoppe of Rome and his companions whom hee had before imployed to goe on message to the Emperour Iustinus The Bishop of Rome died in prison for lacke of sustentation but the Lord suffered not this barbarous cruelty of Theodoricus to be long vnpunished for the Lord strake him with madnesse of minde so when he was sitting at table and the head of a great fish was set before him hee imagined it was the head of Symmachus whom he had slaine and was so stupified with feare that anon after hee died In the dayes of this Emperour Iustinus was a terrible earthquake the like whereof hath not beene heard at any time before wherewith the towne of Antiochia was shaken and vtterly ruined With the earthquake fire was mixed consuming and resolving into ashes the remnant of the towne which the earthquake had not cast down In this calamity Euphrasius Bishop of Antiochia perished The good Emperour mourned for the desolation of Antiochia and put on sackcloth on his body and was in great heavinesse whereof it is supposed that hee contracted that disease whereof hee dyed When he found his disease daily encreasing he made choyce of Iustinian his sisters sonne to be his colleague who governed foure moneths in equall authority with his vncle and then Iustinus ended his course Iustinianus A After the death of Iustinus Iustinianus his sisters sonne governed 38. yeares Hee would suffer no faith to be openly professed except the faith allowed in the foure generall Councells Notwithstanding the Empresse Theodora his wife was a favourer of Eutyches heresie This Emperour was bent to recover all that was lost by his predecessors in Asia Africke and Europe and hee had good successe through the vertue and valour of his Captaines especially Belisarius and Narses Belisarius first fought against the Persians who had overcome not onely Mesopotamia but also many parts of Syria Antrochena and Cava Hee overcame them in battell and compelled them to goe back beyond Euphrates Next he was employed to fight against the Vandales in Africke who possessed great bounds of the Romane dominions ever since the dayes of Gensericus King of the Vandales And it is to be marked that the time was now come wherein the Lord wil declare that the blood of his Saints is precious in his eyes For since the dayes of Dioclesian that bloody persecuting Emperour no race of people persecuted Gods Saints with so barbarous cruelty as the Vandales did for zeale they had to the Arrian heresie wherewith they were infected After Gensericus Hunericus and Amalaricus and Trasimundus who closed the doores of the Temples of Christians and banished their Bishoppes to Sardinia Childericus would haue shewed some favour to Christians and reduced their Bishoppes from banishment for this cause the Vandales did slay him and gaue his kingdome to Gillimer Now the Lord remembred the grones of his owne prisoners and would not suffer the rod of the wicked perpetually to lie vpon the lot of the righteous Belisarius fought against the Vandales prosperously recovered Carthage and all the boūds pertaining to the Roman Empire possessed by the Vandales Also he tooke Gillimer their King and carried him captiue to Constantinople It is worthy of remembrance that Iustinian would not receiue into his treasure the vessels of gold which the Emperour Titus when hee burnt the Temple of Ierusalem
brought vp amongst the Monkes of Palestina and Egypt In the ende he was ordained Bishop of Salamina the Metropolitane towne of the Isle of Cyprus He refuted the Heresies preceding his time in his booke called Panarium and set downe a summe of the true faith in his booke called Anchoratus He had a great regard to the poore in so much that he was called Oeconomus pauperum And like as Cyprus was naturally situated in a place neere approaching to Asia the lesse and to Syria and to Egypt and Pentapolis and not farre distant from Europe so it fell out that Christians who were disposed to support their indigent brethren they sent their collections to Epiphanius and he distributed them to the poore With all these commendable vertues there was mixed a reproueable simplicitie in him he was circumveened by Theophilus Bishop of Alexandria and tooke a dealing against Iohn Chrysostome Bishop of Constantinople because he would not be suddaine in damning the Books of Origen Also he taught in Constantinople with indeuour to alienate the hearts of the people from their owne Pastour and celebrated the communion and ordained a Deacon in Constantinople without the foreknowledge and consent of Chrysostome and contrary to the Church order Chrysostome on the other part sent him aduertisement that in case he receiued any disgrace or harme in the fury of popular commotions he should blame himselfe who by his own inordinate doings was procuring the same After this Epiphanius ceased from such doings and entered into a ship of purpose to returne backe againe to Cyprus but he died by the way It is reported of him that when he entered into the ship he said he left three great things behinde him to wit a great towne a great pallace and great hypocrisie It were a matter of infinite labour and not agreeing with the nature of a Compend to write of all the worthie men of God in the Easterne parts who did fight a good fight runne a good race and kept the Faith Asclepas in Gaza Luciâ—â— in Adrianopolis Basilius presbyter in Ancyra a mightie adversarie to the Arrians vnder the raigne of Constantius and to the Pagans vnder the raigne of Iulian in whose time he was martyred Philogonius Bishop of Antiochia Hellanicus Bishop of Tripolis and Spyridion who of a keeper of cattell became Bishop of Trimythus Hermogenes Bishop of Caesarea in Cappadocia who was present at the Councell of Nice Iames Bishop of Nisibis in Mesopotamia in the dayes of Constantius by whose prayers the armie of Sapores King of Persia was miraculously disappointed Paulus Bishop of Neocaesarea this towne is situated vpon the bankes of Euprates and Paphnutius Bishop in Thebaida two notable Confessors who were both present at the Councell of Nice Eusebius Samosatenus to whom many of Basilius Epistles are directed and who refused to redeliuer vnto the Emperour Constantius the subscriptioÌ„s of the Arrian Bishops who consented to the admission of Meletius to be Bishop of Antiochia which subscriptions were put in his custodie And albeit the messenger sent from the Emperour threatned to cut off his right hand in case he deliuered not the subscriptions aforesaid yet he constantly refused to deliuer them and the Emperour both admired and commended his constancie Barses Bishop of Edessa in Mesopotamia Eulogius and Protogenes presbyters there vnder the raigne of Valens were banished to Antinoe in Thebaida whose travailes God wonderfully blessed to the conversion of many soules to the kingdome of God Theodulus Bishop of Trianopolis Amphilochius Bishop of Iconium in Lycaonia Pelagius Laodicenus whose name is the more famous for his insolent fact for he married a young woman and the first night after her marriage he perswaded her to preferre Virginall chastitie to matrimoniall copulation Antiochus the brother sonne of Eusebius Samosatenus could not abide the imposiâ—on of the hands of an Arrian Bishop Letoius Bishop of Meletina in Armenia who burnt the Monasteries or rather as Theodoretus writes the dennes of theeues wherein the Heretiques called Massaliani had their abiding Ephem Syrus a man borne in Nisibis brought vp in the wildernesse was counted a famous Writer in the Syrian Language The bookes shrowded vnder his name are thought for the most part to be supposititious Aeas who liued in company with Zenon Bishop of Maioma neere vnto Gaza is much reported of because he married a young woman procreated three children with her and in the end left her and entered into a Monasterie forgetting his matrimoniall couenant Zebeâ—nius Bishop of Eleutheropolis in Phaenicia to whom Sozomenus affirmeth that by diuine revelation the places were manifested wherein the bodies of the Prophets Habacuk and Micheas were buried So superstitious are Ecclesiasticall Writers alreadie become that the searching out of things nothing appertaining to eternall life are ascribed to divine revelations The judicious Reader will pardon me that I write not in particular of the liues of all the fore mentioned Bishops and Pastors because the nature of a short Compend cannot permit it to be done Bishops and Doctors in Africke IN Africke ouer and besides the Bishops of Alexandria was Didymus a Doctor of the schoole of Alexandria who through occasion of a dolour that fell into his eyes became blind from his very youth Yet by continuall exercise of his minde he became excellently learned in all Sciences But aboue all things the exact knowledge of divine Scriptures made him a terrour to the Arrians Many doe write that the very last period of time wherein Iulian the Apostate concluded his wretched life was revealed to Didymus in a dreame and that he againe tolde it to Athanasius who lurked secretly in Alexandria during the time of the raigne of Iulian. Arnobius was an Oratour in Africke afterward he became a Christian and craued to be baptized Christian Bishops lingered to conferre the holy Sacrament to a man who had beene a hater of Christian Religion of a long time Yet Arnob. freed himself from all suspition of Paganisme by writing Bookes wherein he confuted the Idolatrie of the Pagans and was baptized about the yeere of our Lord 330. About the suffering of our Lord he writes very judiciously That like as the beames of the Sunne that shine vpon a tree when the tree is cutted the Sunne-beames cannot be cutted Euen so in the suffering of Christ the diuine Nature suffered no paine Lactantius Fâ—rmianus was the Disciple of Arnobius In eloquence he was nothing inferior to his Master yet it is thought that he impugned errours with greater dexteritie then he confirmed the Doctrine of the Truth Optatus Bishop of Meleuitanum in Africke in the dayes of Valentinian and Valens set his Pen against the Donatistes especially against Parmenianus whose absurd assertion he clearely refutes First Whereas the Donatists affirmed that the Church of Christ was onely to be found in a corner of Africke He refutes it by Scripture
Saint Peter himselfe were aliue and did rebuke the lewdnesse of their conversation they would not spare to take Saint Peters life also Moreouer hee sayd they were full of vncleannesse and were blinde guides leading the people headlong to Hell but the Lord would haue in remembrance their iniquities and call their wickednesse to account Thus the hatefull indignation of the Clergie being kindled against him for preaching the truth they layed waite for him secretlie and tooke him and drowned him Platina alledgeth that this fact displeased the Pope alwayes there was no inquisition to know the authors of this fact not punishment of malefactours who shed innocent blood in secret that manifested vnto the world the Popes indignation About this time was a booke written called Opus Tripartitum the author whereof was vnknowne but it is supposed to haue beene compiled by Arnulphus It contained great complaints of the manifold abuses of Church-men After Honorius succeeded Innocentius the second and ruled fourteene yeeres seuen months eight dayes Hee was a man of a militarie spirit albeit not fortunate in warfare For he made warre against Rogerius Duke of Sicilie whom hee besieged also in a certaine Castle But William Duke of Calabria Rogerius his sonne not onely relieued his father but also laid hands on the Pope and his Cardinals and made them Captiues and prisoners Rogerius delt friendly with the Pope and his Cardâ—nals and set them at libertie and obtained at the Popes hand whatsoeuer hee pleased except the name and title of a king At this time when the Pope was busied in warrefare the Romans advanced one called Peter the sonne of Leo a man of noble birth in Rome to be Pope And when Innocentius adressed himselfe to Rome hee did finde the faction of his Competitor to be strong and mighty therefore he sayled to Pisca and from thence to Geneua and from thence to France where hee assembled Councels at Clermont and at Rhemes and deliuered his Competitor to Sathan In the end hee was restored to his chaire againe by the Emperour Lotharius the second In his time the Towne of Rome being wearied with the tirâ—nnie of the Popes tooke resolution to be gouerned by Consuls The Pope to obviat this conceite of the people made an ordinance that whosoeuer did violently put hands on any person of the Clergie hee should be excommunicate and no man should haue power to absolue him but onely the Pope After Innocentius succeeded Coelestinus the second Hee was chosen Pope without the consent of the people as witnesseth Onuphrius he ended his course in the fift month of his Popedome To him succeeded Lucius the second and gouerned the Pestilentius chaire as the Magdeburg historie recordeth in a time when the Pestilence had great vpperhand in Rome Hee concluded his course in the eleuenth month of his Popedome After Lucius succeeded Eugenius the third sometime disciple to Bernard and ruled eight yeeres foure months and twentie dayes He so bestirred himselfe against the Senators of Rome that partlie by cursings and partly by force hee brought them in subiection and compelled them to receiue such Senators as the Pope by his authoritie pleased to assigne vnto them But it came to passe that hee who was desirous to be terrible and awfull to the Romans hee feared them in like manner that they were conspiring secretlie against his estate Therefore hee fled to Tybur and from thence to Fraunce to leade an armie to the East for the support of distressed Christians But this voiage had no good successe notwithstanding that the Popes blessing and Bernards Councell who was Abbot of Clarauall and much regarded at that time were both interposed to advance this often reiterated warrefare against the Turks When the Pope returned from France to Rome accompanied with great forces the people of Rome were affraid but the Pope soone after concluded his course at Tybur Anastatius the fourth succeeded Eugenius who continued in his Popedome one yeere foure months and twentie foure dayes To Anastatius succeeded Pope Adrian the fourth a Monke of the English nation employed by Pope Eugenius to goe to the people of Noroway whom hee brought vnder the Roman superstition and therefore was advanced by Pope Eugenius to the dignitie of a Cardinall and after the death of Anastatius the fourth he was promoted to the Popedome Hee would not goe to the Church of Lateran to be consecrated vntill Arnoldus Bishop of Brixia was driuen from the Towne of Rome because hee had counceled the Romans to claime to the auncient gouernment of their Towne to be guided by consuls and Senators But the proud Pope insisted so seriouslie against Arnoldus and the Romanes that hee compelled them by the force of his multiplied curses not onely to expell Arnoldus out of the Towne of Rome but also to submit themselues absolutely to the gouernment of the Pope The proud cariage of this Pope towards the noble Emperour Fredericke the first his bad successe in warrefare against the Duke of Sicilie and his miserable death in the Towne of Anagnia hath all beene touched in the historie of the life of Fredericke He ended his course after hee had ruled foure yeeres and ten months After Adrian the fourth succeeded Pope Alexander the third who had great debate against his competitor Victor the fourth called before Octavianus in respect the Emperour and the Princes of Germanie and a great number of the Clergie of Rome adhered to Pope Victor And on the other part to Pope Alexander adhered the kings of England France and Sicilie And this scisme indured a long time for remouing whereof the Emperour Fredericke appointed one councell at Papia and another at Diuion To the first hee would not appeare because hee thought the Pope should be iudged of no man To the Second he should not appeare because the councell of Diuion was not assembled by his owne authoritie but by the commandement of the Emperour This Litigious decertation tooke this effect that the Emperour and Bishoppes conuened at the foresaid Councels decreed Victor who appeared and was ready to submit hâ—s cause to the iudgement of a lawfull assemblie him I say they decreed to be Pope lawfully elected Pope Alexander fled to France and in the councell of Clermont hee excomunicated both the Emperour and his Competitor Victor these were the weapons of their warrefare against the Emperours and all others whom they supposed to be their aduersaries After the death of his Competitor Victor Pope Alexander being at Rome the Emperour Fredericke came with a strong armie thereto and Pope Alexander fled to the Venetians What Tragedie fell out in Venice forcing the noble Emperour to stoupe vnder the feete of the Pope for excessiue loue that hee caried towards his sonne hath beene declared in the Historie of the Emperour Frederickes life In this Popes dayes was Thomas Becket Bishop of Canterburie slaine Henry king of England purged himselfe to the Pope that
perceiving that Iohn Hus was denyed to be heard and that watch was layed for him on every side hee departed to Iberling a Citie of the Empire a mile distant from Constance and from thence caused a letter to be directed to the Councell and to bee affixed vpon the doores of the chiefe Churches Cloysters and Cardinalls houses in Constance bearing in effect that hee was ready to come to the Councell and to answer vnto any of his accusers who would stand vp to accuse him of erroneous and hereticall doctrine providing alwayes that hee might haue sure and safe accesse But when hee saw that through such intimations being set vp as is before sayd hee could haue no safe conduct hee thought meete to returne backe againe to Bohemia taking with him the letters patents of the Lords of Bohemia that were at Constanâ—e for a testimonie and witnesse of the premises As hee was in his iourney by treason and conspiracie of his enemies hee was taken in Hirsaw by the officers of Duke Iohn and sent backe to the Councell bound with chaines where hee was cast into prison and so hardly vsed that hee fell sore sicke almost to the death But after he was recovered and Iohn Hus was already put to death they brought forth Master Ierome whom they had long kept in chaines in the Church of Saint Paul and threatning him with death being instant vpon him they forced him to abiure and recant and consent vnto the death of Master Iohn Hus that hee was iustly condemned and put to death by them Neverthelesse his enemies perceiving that this abiuration was not made sincerely from his heart but onely for feare to escape their hands they gaue in new accusations against him And in the yeere of our Lord 1416. the 25. day of May the sayd Master Iereme was brought forth vnto open audience before the whole generall Councell vnto the great cathedrall Church of Constance Where many things were layd to his charge that day as likewise the third day after which was another Diet assigned to him for answering where hee refuted his adversaries with such eloquence and wisdome that the hearts of all the Fathers of the councell were marvelously bent and mooved to mercy toward him But in the end hee entered to the praise of Iohn Hus and affirmed that whatsoever Iohn Hus and Wickliffe had holden and written specially against the pompe and pride of the Clergie hee would affirme even to the death And likewise hee added that of all the sinnes that ever hee had committed the sinne of his recantation did most grievously gnaw and trouble his conscience especially in consenting to the wicked condemnation of that good and holy man Iohn Hus which fault as hee did it through weakenesse of faith and feare of death so did hee vtterly deny and revoke that wicked recantation After this hee was led away againe to prison and the Saturday before the ascention day hee was brought to the Cathedral Church before the Congregation where the sentence of his condemnation was given out against him and a paper with pictures of red divels was brought to bee put vpon his head which hee himselfe receiving put it thereupon saying Our Lord Iesus Christ when hee suffered death for me most wretched sinner did weare a crowne of thornes vpon his head and I for his sake will willingly weare this miter and cap. Afterward hee was layd hold on by the secular power and carried to the place of execution where his body was burnt with fire which paine he suffered with a lowd voyce praising God in the midst of the fire and commending his soule to the gracious custodie of the Lord Iesus And finally his ashes were diligently collected and throwne into the river of Rhene In this age also was Hieronimus Savonarola a man no lesse godly in heart then constant in profession who being a Monke in Italy and very learned preached against the evill life of the Spiritualty and specially of his owne order Which thing the Pope perceiving and fearing that the said Hierom who was already in great reputation amongst all men should diminish and overthrow his authority he ordained his Vicar or Provinciall to see reformation in those matters who with great superstition began to reforme them But the sayd Hierom did alwaies withstand him whereupon hee was complained of to the Pope and cursed by him Notwithstanding hee continued preaching in the towne of Florence And albeit hee was cited to appeare before the Pope he made his excuse and came not Then was hee againe forbidden to preach and his doctrine pronounced and condemned as pernicious false and seditious Thus Hieronimus forseeing the perils dangers that might come for feare left off preaching But when the people which sore hungred for the word of God were instant vpon him that hee would preach againe hee began againe to preach in the yeere 1496. and albeit many counselled him that he should not so doe without the Popes commandement yet did he not regard them but constantly went forward of his owne good will When the Pope and his shavelings heard newes of this they were grievously inflamed and incensed against him and now againe cursed him as an obstinate and stifnecked heretique Notwithstanding all this Hierom proceeded in preaching and instructing the people saying men ought not to regard such curses as are against the true and common profit of the people In all his teaching he desired to teach none other thing but the onely pure and simple word of God making often protestation that all men should certifie him if they had heard him teach or preach any thing contrary thereunto For in his owne conscience he knew that he had not taught any thing but the pure Word of God What his doctrine was all men may iudge by his bookes which hee hath written After this in the yeere of our Lord 1498. hee was taken and brought to Saint Markes Cloyster and and two other Fryers with him named Dominicke and Sylvester who favoured his learning and were carryed to prison and from thence were brought forth by the chiefe Councellors of Florence and the Popes Commissioners who had gathered out certain articles against them whereupon they should be condemned to death which were these 1. The first article was as touching our free iustification through faith in Christ. 2. That the Communion ought to bee ministred vnder both kinds 3. That the Indulgences and Pardons of the Pope were of none effect 4. For preaching against the filthy and wicked living of the Cardinals and Spiritualty 5. For denying the Popes supremacy 6. And that hee had affirmed that the Keyes were not given to Peter alone but vnto the vniversall Church 7. That the Pope did neither follow the life nor the doctrine of Christ for that hee did attribute more to his owne pardons and traditions then to Christs merits and therfore he was Antichrist 8. That the
death beginning of the life of Melchisedecke this was done of purpose to bring in Melchssedeck as a type and figure of the true king of peace Christ Iesus as the Apostle declareth Heb. 7. but among ecclesiasticall writers I finde a preterition of the names of these worthy Pastors who were martyred for the cause of Christ in the sixt persecution and this ouerpassing with silence so weightie a matter is a secret confession of ignorance in this part of the historie together with a doubting whether Vrbanus the first Valerianus Tiburtius Cecilia and Martina suffered vnder Alexander or vnder Maximinus or vnder Decius Yea Platina writeth it was the opinion of some men that Vrbanus 1. was martyred in the persecution of Dioclesian I haue insisted at greater length in this purpose to the end that euery man may giue vnto sacred scripture that reuerence that is due vnto it but other writings let vs reade them with judgement for assuredly there is palpable weaknes in them In the ende this wicked persecuter Maximinus and his sonne were slaine by his owne souldiers at the siege of Aquileia Gordianus THe tyrannie of Maximinus enforced both the Senate of Rome and likewise their oppressed confederates in Africke to aduise by what meanes the distressed estate of the Commonweale might be supported And first Gordianus a man of noble birth in Rome and at that time Praconsul in Africke with his sonne bearing the name of Gordianus with his father these two were declared to be Emperours to resist the tyrannie of Maximinus but they were both cut off by Capellianus Captaine of the Mauritanians Within a short time the senate of Rome chused Maximus Pupienus and Balbinus to be Emperours and to resist the tyrannie of Maximinus But this election displeased the people of Rome therefore they were compelled to associat Gordianus a yong man of 13. yeeres olde in conjunct authoritie with them This Gordianus was the nephew of him who was Proconsull in Africke and the souldiers made out of the way Max. Pupienus and Balbinus So Gordianus raigned himselfe alone without associats sixe yeeres Philippus PHilippus a man borne in Arabia and his sonne raigned fiue yeeres Eusebius saith 7. yeeres He was the first Emperour who became a Christian and was baptized by Fabianus B. of Rome He was content to stand among the number of the penitents who made confession of their sinnes for his life was reprooueable in somethings before his conuersion especially in slaying of Gordianus an Emperour inclined to peace Decius one of the Captaines of his armie conspired against him and slew him and his sonne raigned in his stead Decius DEcius and his sonne obteined the Empire 2. yeeres Whether for hatred of Philip his master whom he had slaine or for detestation of Christians or for couetous desire of the treasures of Philip left in the custodie of Fabian B. of Rome or for some other cause it is not certaine Alwayes he mooued a terrible persecution against the Christians The martyrs who suffered death in the time of this persecution were innumerable Some few of the principall martyres I shall rehearse Alexander Bishop of Ierusalem died in prison at Caesarea Babylas Bishop of Antiochia died likewise in prison Fabian Bishop of Rome suffered martyrdome Dionisius Alexandrinus by a wonderfull prouidence of God escaped the handes of persecuting enemies Ciprian Bishop of Carthage was banished and reserued to the honour of martyrdome vntill the dayes of Valerian the eight persecuter Origen who from his childhood was desirous of the honour of martyrdome in this persecution of Decius he fainted and his heart was so ouerset with feare to haue his chaste body defiled with an vgly Ethiopian that he choosed rather to offer incense to the Idol then to be so filthily abused For this cause he was excommunicated by the Church of Alexandria and for very shame fled to Iudea where he was not only gladly receiued but also requested publickly to preach at Ierusalem Neuerthelesse in stead of teaching he watred his face with teares when he reade these words of scripture To the wicked man saith God What hast thou to doe to declare mine ordinances that thou shouldest take my couenant in thy mouth Ps. 50. ver 16. These words so deepely wounded his heart with griefe that he closed the booke and fate downe and wept and all the congregation wept with him No pitie nor compassion was had neither of sexe or age In this persecution Apollonia a virgine of good yeeres after they had dashed her face with battons till all her teeth were stricken out of her jawes they burned her quicke at the port of Alexandria This is that holy martyr whose teeth the Romane Church in our dayes say that they haue them as holy monuments kept in the treasures of their reliques vntill this time But the tryall that was taken of late dayes by Henry the eight king of England seeking for the teeth of Apollonia as a remedy of the toothach clearly prooueth that many teeth are supposed to be the t eeth of Apollonia that were neuer fastened in her jaw bones The death of Quinia Ammonarion Mercuria Dionisia clearely declareth what pitie was had of the weakenesses of women Iulianus an olde and gowtie man burned with fire testifieth what regard was had to the gray haires of ancient men Dioscorus a yong man not exceeding 15. yeeres of age albeit they were ashamed to condemne him to death yet he escaped not many painfull torments and was a glorious Confessor with patient expectation awaiting vntill the Lord should call him to the honour of martyrdome Nemesion was accused in Alexandria as a companion of brigants and was punished with stripes and fire vnto the death with greater seueritie then any brigant albeit his innocencie was sufficiently knowne Ammon Zenon Ptolemeus Ingenuus Theophilus warri ours and knights standing by the tribunall seate beckened with their hands to a certaine weake Christian who for feare was readie to incline and fall that he should continue constant and stepped to the bench and professed themselues to be Christians This dayly increasing courage of Christians who were emboldened by the multitude of sufferings astonished terrified the Iudges Ischirion was slaine by his owne master The number of martyres in Alexandria and Egypt of whom Dionysius in this Epistle written to Fabius Bishop of Antiochia maketh mention clearely testifieth that if the names of all those who suffered martyrdome in the townes of Rome Carthage Antiochia Ephesus and Babilon were particularly set downe together with the names of others who suffered in other townes of Asia Africke and Europe subject to the dominiof the Roman Emperour it were not possible in the volume of a litle booke to comprehend them all For mine owne part I presume not to doe it but I reuerence the painfull trauelles of learned men who haue dipped deepely into such a fruitfull subject specially the writer
of the booke of martyres Onely I find somethings in this seuenth persecution which the principall purpose wherefore I haue collected this compend will not permit me to passe ouer with silence Namely these first let no ma n thinke that the veritie is weake and hath neede to be strengthened by a lie as Nicephorus is accustomed to doe The seuen martyres of Ephesus whose names were Maximianus Malchus Martinianus Dionysius Ioannes Serapion and Constantinus were lurking in a caue the entrie whereof Decius commanded to be closed with great heapes of stones to the end that the forenamed Christians might be killed with famine which came to passe indeede Yet famine could not separate these holy Martyres from Christ. But Nicephorus the father of many other fables also saith that they fell on sleepe which they continued till the time of Theodosius that is from the 250. vntill the 379. yeere of our Lord and then they did awake out of their sleepe saith Nicephorus But he who will giue hastie credite to Nicephorus fables writing of the 7. martyres who lurked in a caue of mount Caelius and to Euagrius description of Barsanuphius an Egyptian monke who enclosed himselfe in a cottage beside Gaza for the space of 50. yeares and vsed no kinde of bodily refreshment to sustaine his earthly tabernacle he may be easily led to all kinde of errour The second thing worthy to be marked is that many persecuted preachers had wiues and children as the historie recordeth Cheremon Bishop of a citie in Egypt called Nilus fled to the mountaines of Arabia accompanied with his wife and returned not againe to Egypt neither was he seene of those who sought him in the wildernesse Dionysius Bishop of Alexandria who miraculously escaped the crueltie of persecuters maketh expresse mention of his children Deo mihi vt migrarem praecipiente viámque mirabiliter aperiente ego liberi multi fratres egressisumus that is after that God had commanded me to remooue and had miraculously opened a passage vnto me I and my children and brethren went forth If antiquitie be regarded Bishops who doe marrie are not Nicolatian Heretiques but rather such as forbid to marrie teach a doctrine of deuils Thirdly it is to be marked that in time of this vehement persecution many fainted and fell backe from the open profession of Christian faith Others to prouide timous remedie against such defections gaue out a rigorous sentence against such as had fallen of infirmitie that they should not be receiued againe into the fellowship of the church In this opinion was Nouatus and his complices And by their example we should learne to beware of such men as vnder pretence of zeale perturbe the vnitie of the Church and inuent remedies to cure the maladies of the diseased Church which are worse then the sicknes it selfe as the Novatians did Weakenes at some time is to be pitied but deuilish rigour pitying no man who falleth of infirmitie is a lesson that hath no allowance in the booke of God This cruell tyrant after he had raigned two yeeres made warre against the Scythians some call them the Gothes by whom hee was vanquished in battell and fearing to be ouertaken and to come vnder the tyrannie of barbarous people he cast himselfe into a deepe pit where he ended his life and his body could not be found The great desolations that were made in the world about this time by the plague of pestilence the Ethnickes imputed the cause of them to the Christians But Cyprian whose pen the Lord guided better declared that the cause of all these calamities was the worshipping of Idols the contempt of Gods true seruice and the persecuting of innocent Christians Gallus and Volusian AFter Decius Gallus and Volusian his sonne raigned two yeeres Hee walked in the footsteps of Decius Hee was slaine by Emilian who presumed to raigne but he was so hastily made out of the way that Eusebius and many other Historians misknow his name in the Catalogue oâ— Emperours Valerianus and Gallienus VAlerianus and Gallienus his sonne raigned 15. yeeres viz. Gallienus with his father in coniunct authoritie 7. yeeres after his fathers captivity and death hee raigned alone eight yeeres In the first three or foure yeeres of the Empire of Valerian hee was favourable and friendly to Christians and great numbers of them were found in the Emperours Court But afterward hee was seduced by an Egyptian Sorcerer who hated Christians because that by them he was hindred from practicing his magicall charms So the eight persecution began vnder Valerian In this persecution suffered three Bishops of Rome Lucius Stephanus and Sixtus and a Deacon Laurence who was layd vpon an hot broyling iron and patiently endured the torment of fire This is that Deacon who called the poore the treasure of the Church for then is the Church rich when it is rich in good workes and feedeth clotheth and visiteth Christ in his hungry naked and diseased members Dionysius Bishop of Alexandria was banished to Cephro a place in the wildernesse of Libya Priscus Malâ—bus and Alexander were devoured by beasts in Caesarea Palestina Cyprian Bishop of Carthage was beheaded Marinus a Roman Captaine in Caesarea was envied for the dignity and honour he was advanced vnto and hee was accused to bee a Christian and consequently to bee vncapable of great preferments and dignities he was encouraged by Theotecnus Bishop of Caesarea patiently to suffer death for the cause of Christ by taking him into a secret chamber and laying before him a drawne sword and the booke of the Gospell and bidding him take his choice of one of these two which he liked best Marinus liked better the booke of the Gospell then of the sword and was martyred for the faith contained in that sacred booke of holy Scripture Astyrius a noble Senatour caryed the body of this holy Martyr Marinus vpon his own shoulders and buried it hounourably In the end the Lord delivered this persecuting Tyrant into the hand of Sapor King of Persia who not onely detained him in strait captivity but also abused him most filthily and made his bodie a footstoole and trampled vpon his necke at such times as he was about to mount on horsebacke This fearfull captivity of Valerian had vnto it a notable testimony of the wrath of God against persecuters For like as hee trampled vnder his feet the Church of Christ so in like manner the Lord gaue his necke and backe to be trampled vpon by the feet of his enemies This example of Gods heavie indignation somewhat terrified Galâ—ienus his sonne and he gaue out an edict for the safe returning of such as were banished to their own dwelling places and for staying the rage of persecution Dionysius Bishop of Alexandria having liberty granted by the Emperors edict to returne from banishment came back againe to Alexandria wherein hee found such terrible desolation by famine
transported to Rome These same vessels Gensericus King of Vandales when he spoyled Rome transported to Carthage and Belisarius after hee had conquered Carthage hee brought them to Constantinople againe but Iustinian sent them to Ierusalem to bee disposed vpon according to the wisdome of the Christian Bishops in those bounds The third warfare against the Goths for recovering Italy out of their hands was the greatest of all the rest and endured longest time to wit eighteene yeeres wherein Belisarius and Mundus and after them Narses all valiant Captaines were imployed It was brought on vpon this occasion as Evagrius following Procopius in whose time this warfare was intended doth record Aâ—alasunta the daughter of Theodoricus had the government of Italy Astalarichus her sonne before hee came to perfect age died Theodatus a kinsman of Theodoricus had the government by the mariage of Aâ—alasunta but he rendered vnto her evill for good and thrust her into prison and slew her In Theodatus time came Belisarius to Italy to fight against the Gothes but seeing Theodatus was more meet for Philosophy then for warfare he gaue place to Vitiges to haue the governmeÌ„t Belisarius recovered the Isle of Sicile he came to Rome and the ports were opened to him and hee was gladly received he tooke Vitiges King of the Gothes and carried him captive to Constantinople Mundus another Captain overcame the Goths in Dalmatia recovered the Countrey to the Romanes but in the mids of this victory hee was slaine through too hasty and furious pursuing of his enemies who had slaine his sonne In the absence of Belisarius for the Emperour had sent for him to fight against the Persians the Gothes chose Theudebaldus and after him Attaricus who continued but short time Finally Totilas was chosen to bee their King who recovered againe the towne of Rome and the most part of all the principall townes of Italy Belisarius albeit hee was sent backe againe to Italy and recovered Rome the second time yet the Persian warre continually was the cause of reducing him backe againe from Italy In the end Narses a valiant man was sent to Italy who overcame the Gothes draue them out of Italy and brought it againe vnder the soveraignty of the Romans What good recompence for so great service was rendered to Belisarius and Narses many writers haue recorded I passe it over with silence Narses mooved with indignation against the Empresse Sophia the wife of Iustinus the younger the successor of Iustinian he sent for the Longobards who came out of Pannonia and possessed themselues in that part of Italy which is vnto this day called Lombardy It is one of Iustinians chief praises that he caused the great Ocean Sea of the Romane lawes to bee abriged into short compend and to be comprised within the compasse of fifty bookes vulgarly called Pandectis or Digestis having short titles prefixed vnto them rather then prolix and tedious coÌ„mentaries subioyned vnto them Also he gathered a generall Councell in Constantinople about the 14. yeere of his raigne to pacifie if it were possible the contentious disputations that were mooved about the writings of Origen Theodorus and Ibas but this I referre to its owne place Iustinus the younger IVstinus was nephew to Iustinian Hee governed sixteene yeeres Hee governed alone twelue yeeres and with Tiberius whom hee associated three yeeres and eleven months All things succeeded vnprosperously in his time Alboinus King of the Longobards possessed himselfe and his people in Italy Cosroes King of Persia with his Captaine Adaarmanes tooke the towne of Apamia and burnt it with fire and the towne of Circesium and put garrisons into it and miserably wasted the bounds of the Romane dominions When these things were reported to Iustinus who would credite no true information before now is stricken with madnes and astonishment of minde being grieved for this that the state of the Romane Empire should haue decayed in his time and through his default For remedy whereof Tiberius a wise and valiant man by the advice of Sophia was associate to Iustinus to governe the affaires of the kingdome Evagrius describeth at length the Oration of Iustinus to Tiberius when he clothed him with all Emperiall ornaments and how hee exhorted him not to be bewitched with the splendor of those garments as he had beene but with vigilancy and wisedome to governe the estate of the kingdome This he spake after he was recovered of his disease and in presence of all the noblemen of his Court so that they were compelled to shead abundance of teares when they heard at one time so cleere a confession of his owne miscariage and so prudent counsell given to his associate Tiberius TIberius raigned three yeeres and eleven months in coniunct authority with Iustinus and after his death hee raigned foure yeeres himselfe alone so all the time of his government was seven yeeres and eleven moneths In his time Cosroes King of Persia was puft vp with such insolencie in regard of his former victories that hee would not admit the Ambassadours of Tiberius to his presence but commanded them to follow him to Caesarea of Cappadocia there to receiue their answer for hee had taken Daras a towne of Mesopotamia in the borders of the Romane Empire builded by the Emperour Anastatius and called Daras because about this place Darius had his last overthrow by Alexander of Macedonia After the taking of Daras hee marched toward Armenia in the Summer time and from thence entended to addresse toward Caesarea Cappadocia expecting none encounter or resistance of the Roman army But Tiberius had prepared a well appointed army consisting of mo then an 100. and fifty thousand men to resist Cosroes whose forces when Cosroes could not match he fled and for very heart-griefe hee died and gaue advice to the Persians not to make warre against the Roman Empire in any time to come The estate of the Church was the more peaceable vnder his raigne because the Vandales in Africke and the Gothes in Italy were already vtterly subdued The Longobards whom Narses brought out of Pannonia to Italy were the more insolent to afflict Christians because Tiberius was occupied in the Persian warfare against Cosroes The Nation of the Gothes had as yet full sway in Spaine and they were miserably addicted to the Arrian heresie insomuch that Lemugildus King of the Gothes caused his owne naturall son Elmingildus to be slaine because he forsook the Arrian faith Also their number was augmented by returning of many Vandales to Spaine who had escaped the hands of Belisarius Mauritius MAuritius was Captaine of the Army of Tiberius to whom Tiberius gaue his daughter in marriage with his kingdome for he found himselfe sicke vnto the death He raigned 20. yeeres hee fought against the Persians and prospered in that warfare and after that peace was bound vp amongst them Chaianus King of Avares Hunnes and Slavonians fought against
father Ludouicus Pius Hee augmented the liturgie of the Masse with the addition of Agnus Dei and ordained that the Hostia should be diuided in three parts To Sergius the second succeeded Leo the fourth and ruled 8. yeares 3. months He was a man of many trades a builder a warriour and a Bishop He compassed the Vatican with a wall and made it in the similitude of a Towne and builded bull-warkes in the passages of Tyber as it issued from the towne He was a warriour fought against the Saracenes against whom also he preuailed And finally at some time he was a Bishop and he gathered a Councell of 47. Bishops in the which Athanasius a Cardinall Presbyter was damned for negligence in the worke of his calling This is the first time in the which mention is made of a Cardinall in the Historie for the Decretall Epistles as I haue alreadie declared are but fabulous lying writings In this Popes dayes Edelwulphus King of England came to Rome for performance of a vowe that hee had made He was courteously accepted by Pope Leo for which cause hee ordained a tribute yeerely to be paide to the bishop of Rome to wit a pennie Sterling out of euery house in England that kindled fire It is well remarked by Philip Morney that Leo the fourth in a certaine Epistle written to the Bishops of Britannie derogateth credit to all the Decretall Epistles assigned to the bishops of Rome preceding the dayes of Pope Siricius except onely to the Decretall Epistles of Pope Syluester So all the authorities that are alleadged by the Romane Church out of the Decretall Epistles for the space of 384 yeeres are of none effect by the confession of Pope Leo the fourth After Leo the fourth succeeded Pope Ioane the eight an English woman borne in the towne of Mentz She went to Athens cloathed with the apparell of a man accompanied with a Learned man and she profited in learning beyond her fellowes When shee came to Rome shee was regarded for her learning and was promoted to the dignitie of the Popedome and ruled two yeeres fiue months and foure dayes About the yeere of our Lord 854 being Pope she played the Harlot and by the prouidence of God this villanie of the Roman church which cannot erre was manifested to the whole world For in the time of a solemne Procession as she was going to the church of Laterā she trauelled in birth died and was buried without honour Onuphrius the Aduocate of all euill causes cannot ouer-passe this matter with silence but he bringeth an argument from the authority of Anastatius a writer of Chronologie to infringe the credit of this historie in this manner Anastatius saith hee liued about this time knew best who succeeded to Leo the fourth he maketh no mētion of Ioane the eight but of Benedictus the third as successor of Leo the fourth To this Philip Morney answereth That an argument taken from authoritie negatiuely hath no force Anastatius maketh no mention thereof ergo it was not done It followeth not for he bringeth in the testimonie of Ranulphus declaring the cause wherefore Anastatius omitted the name of the foeminine Pope to wit Propter deformitatem facti that is For the deformitie of the fact The nature of a short Compend permitteth me not to insist but let them who are desirous accurately to trie out the veritie of this matter reade that worthie Booke of Philip Morney called Misterium iniquitatis Then followed Benedictus the third and ruled two yeeres six months and nine dayes A man in honouring the Funeralles of the Clergie with his presence ready at all times and desirous likewise that the Funerall of the Bishop should bee honoured with the presence of the whole Clergie To Benedict the third succeeded Nicolas the first and gouerned seuen yeeres nine months and thirteene dayes He subdued the Bishop of Rauenna to his obediēce He suffered the Emperour Ludouicke the second to light from his horse to leade his bridle vntil he came to the Campo which was the space of a mile He permitted diuorcement betwixt married persons for Religions cause without consent of parties And that persons in spirituall offices should not be subject to the justice seates of ciuill Magistrates Hee ordained also that no man should receiue the holy Sacrament from a married Priest And that the Emperour should not be present at Ecclesiasticall Conuentions except when questions concerning Faith should bee intreated Likewise hee ordained That the seruice of God in all countries should be celebrated in Latine dispensing in the meane time with the Solauonians and the Polonians to haue the seruice of God in their owne Vulgar Language He added vnto the Liturgie of the Masse Gloria in Excelsis Hadrianus the second succeeded to Nicolas the first and ruled 5. yeeres nine months and twelue dayes He vsed Antichristian authoritie not onely against Hincmarus Bishop of Rhemes but also against Carolus Caluus king of France whom hee commanded imperiously to present one Hincmarus Bishop of Laudunum and nephewe to Hincmarus Bishop of Rhemes to the ende that his cause might bee judged by the Apostolike seate The King tooke these letters in a very euill part and writ vnto the Pope That the Kings of France had euer beene Soueraigne Lordes in their owne countrie and not vice-gerentes vassales to Bishops and That hee would not permit any man who had beene damned in a lawfull Councell in his owne country to wit in the Councell of Acciniacum to make appellation to Rome In this Popes time the eight generall councell was assembled whereof I shal speake in its owne time God willing Ioannes the ninth succeeded to Adrianus the second and gouerned ten yeeres and two dayes This is he who for rewardes crowned Carolus Caluus to be Emperour and was cast into prison because hee was more affectionated to Ludouicus Balbus sonne to Carolus Caluus and king of France than to Carolus Crassus king of Germanie Neuerthelesse hee escaped out of prison and fled to Ludouicke king of France whom also hee crowned to be Emperour But Balbus after his coronation incontinent died and Pope Iohn the ninth must seeke new acquaintance because his olde friends were gone therfore he crowned Carolus Crassus to bee Emperour This was the first Pope who in time of his Popedome crowned three Emperours Martinus the second ruled one yeere and fiue months Hadrianus the third succeeded to Martinus the time of his gouernment was also short for he continued not aboue one yeere and two months yet neuerthelesse men who are busie may make much stirre in short time He perfected that worke which his predecessours had beene busied in bringing to passe many yeeres preceding namely That the Clergie and people of Rome should not attend vpon the allowance of the Emperour but they should freely choose whom they thought meetest to bee Pope Hee tooke
againe after the issue of that Councell seuen yeeres after an other generall Councel should be kept and after that third Councell an ordinarie forme should be obserued of assembling generall Councells euery tenth yeere whereby reformation of abuses in the Church might bee more easilie obtained This Pope Martine after hee had gouerned 14. yeeres and 3. months died at Rome After him succeeded Eugenius the fourth gouerned sixteene yeeres In his time was the Councell of Basile kept which the Pope with aduice of his Cardinalls was minded to translate to Bononia But the Emperour Sigismund and other Princes and Prelats assembled at Basile were so highly offended against the Pope that they warned himselfe and his Cardinalls to appeare before the generall councill otherwise they would proceed against them as persons contumacious and disobedient to the voyce of the Church This warning so terrified Eugenius that hee gaue out his Apostolike letters to ratifie and approue the Councell of Basile neuerthelesse after the Emperours death the authoritie of the Councell being greatly empaired hee tooke vpon him greater boldnesse to transferre the Councell to Ferraria and from thence also to Florence pretending that the Emp. of CoÌ„stantinople Paleologus the rest of the Grecians who were now to be present at the generall councell would not trauell beyond the Alpes but would abide in some neerer place The Councell of Basile on the other part proceeded to the deposition of Eugenius 4. For his contumacie and placed Amecdeus Duke of Sauoy in his roome whom they called Foelix 5. Thus was the peace of the Roman church troubled of new againe some following Eugenius and others followed Foelix and the third sort being Neutralls neither following the one nor the other because they were so tossed with the contrarie decrees of the councell of Basile and Florence that they knew not what to follow This Pope as Platina writeth was bent to warres not being seemely in a Bishop for besides those which hee made in Italie hee stirred vp the Dolphin of France to invade the towne of Basile with an armie of horsmen of purpose to dissolue the Councell there and finallie hee stirred vp Vladislaus King of Poloma to fight against Amurathes King of Turkes contrary to his promise and truce taken betweene them to the great shame and hurt of Christianitie as hath beene declared After his death Nicolaus the fift was chosen to be Pope and ruled eight yeeres To him Foelix quintus who was elected Pope in the Councell of Basile was content to submit himselfe prouiding alwayes that hee might haue the dignitie of a Cardinall and that hee should bee appointed the Popes Legat in Germanie and in his owne countrey of Sauoy The Cardinalls also whom hee had made in his time should keepe their dignities and honours This hee did at the earnest desire of Frederike the Emperour in the yeere of our Lord 1449. In the which yeere also Nicolaus the fift set forth a decree of approbation of the Councell of Basile howbeit neither this Pope nor any other following him will bee subiect to the authâ—â—itie of generall Councells yet did hee approue the Councell of Basile wherein it was ordained that the Bishop of Rome should bee subiect to the Councell as a child is subiect to the voyce of his mother After Nicolaus succeeded Calixtus the third and gouerned three yeeres three months sixteene dayes hee was verie bent to fight against the Turkes and sent Messengers to all Christian Princes in Europe to stirre vp their hearts to make warre against the Turke with one consent of minde and to stay his further progresse and conquest in Europe but all his trauailles were spent in vaine for the Princes harkened not to his Councell Likewise hee sent messengers to Vsumcassanus king of Armenia and Persia whom with supplications and gifts hee stirred vp to make cruell warres against the Turke which warres also haue since that time continued vntill our dayes to the great disturbance of the crueltie of the Turke intended against Europe After him succeeded Pius the second who before his Popedome was called Aenâ—as Syluius a man of great witt learning and eloquence and gouerned six yeeres Hee was no lesse bent to make warre against the Turkes then was his Predecessour before him but his enterprise was staied by the dissention which was amongst Christian Princes for then and long after was great warre betweene Ferdinand of Naples and the Duke of Angeow and in diuers other parts of Italie Likewise These wise and worthie sentences vttered by him declared that he had a great gift of vnderstaÌ„ding knowledge Hee said that popular men should esteeme learning as siluer and noble men should count it like gold and Princes should count it in steade of pearles and precious stones Also that like as all riuers haue their courses to the sea and poure in their waters into the Ocean euen so great Courts are the maine Ocean receiuing the floudes of all kind of vices Likewise that if there seemed of old great reason to inhibit the marriage of Priests there was now greater reason to permit it Also that hee who giueth too great libertie to his child fostereth a domestike enemie within his owne bosome That lust dishonoureth in euery age but vndoth him vtterlie in his old age He died in the towne of Ancona where he was minded to haue blessed the armie which was to haue gone against the Turkes After Pius succeeded Paulus the second and gouerned six yeeres ten months Likeas he was not very learned in his own person so was hee also an aduersarie to learning and counted all men that were learned in humanitie to bee heretikes as Platina who writeth this of the Pope had good proofe in his owne person for hee was cast in prison and cruelly tormented by the Pope without a cause and in the ende lest his crueltie against many learned men should make him to bee hated of the people hee accused them of heresie hauing no better ground for it then this that they accounted much of the old Academique Philosophers For he laied this as an vnfallible ground that who soeuer would once make mentioÌ„ of Academia either in earnest or iesting words he was to be reputed an heretike Of other Doctors IN this age sprung vp Iohn Husse in the couÌ„try of Bohemia who by reading of the bookes written by Wickliff attained to knowledge and deprehended many grosse errours of the Roman church in so much that Pope Alexander 5. hearing thereof begun at last to direct his bull to the Archbishop of Suinto requiring him to see to the matter in due time to prouide that no man in churches schooles or other places should maintaine any such doctrine citing also Iohn Husse to appeare before him After whose death Pope Iohn 23. in like maner sought by all meanes to suppresse Iohn Husse because he seemed more willing to teach the Gospell of Christ
of Nestorius as Platina recordeth in the life of Donus the first The heresies of Severitae Apartodotitae Momphysitae Acephali Theopafcitae Iacobitae Armenij all were Eutichian Heretiques differing one from another in some ceremonies in absurditie of speeches in authors whom they principally admitted and followed in places where the heresie chiefly increased and in their carriage Likewise Staurolatrae were Eutychian Heretiques but the worshipping of the Crosse was a note distinguishing them from other Heretiques of their owne opinion Priscillianistae were Heretiques who borrowed absurd opinions from Samosatenus and Photinus from Cerdon and Marcion and from the Manicheans but all these ancient errours were sufficiently refuted in ancient times The heresie of the Monothelites was a branch of the heresie of Eutyches by a secret and crafty conuoy insinuating it selfe into credite againe after it was condemned in the Councell of Chalcedon The authors of this heresie were Sergius Pyrrhus and Paulus Patriarches of Constantinople and Macarius Patriarch of Antiochia Cyrus Patriarch of Alexandria Petrus Bishop of Nicomedia with many others They denyed not directly the two natures of Christ personally vnited but onely affirmed that after the vnion of the natures there was onely one will and one operation in Christ whereas the holy Scriptures attribute vnto Christ as hee is man the action of sleeping and to Christ in respect of his divine nature the action of compescing and calming the rage and stormy tempest of blowing windes and swelling Seas This heresie was damned in the sixt generall Councell as wee shall heare God willing in its owne place CENTVRIE VIII MAny were accounted heretikes in this age because they worshipped God sincerely according to the rule of his owne blessed word and would not giue consent to the fond errours of the Roman Church But some were counted heretikes iustly and without all controuersie as namelie they who call Christ in his human nature the adoptiue son of God This wicked heresie repungeth vnto the celestiall Oracle which the three Apostles heard in the holy mountaine This is my wellbeloued sonne in whom I am well pleased we are adopted in Christ to be the sons of God But Christ euen in his manly nature is the son of God by the excellent prerogatiue of personall vnion with the diuine nature It is not certainlie knowne whether Elipandus Bishop of Hispalis or another named Foelix with whom some affirme that Elipandus consulted about this damnable opinion was the author of this damnable heresie CENTVRY IX THey who of old were accustomed to condemne Heresies now they are become the chiefe patrons and maintainers of adoration of Images a notable heresie whose Pusillanimitre argueth the weakenesse of their cause For vnder the raigne of Lodouicus Pius Claudius Taurinensis wrote bookes against the adoration of Images and the Emperour by a publike edict commaunded them who were disposed to answere to his bookes to answere whilst Claudius was aliue But Ionas Bishop of Orleans concealed and obscured his bookes during Claudius lifetime but after his death with impotencie of railing words rather then with power of solide arguments hee indeuored to refute Claudius Taurinensis Let the iudicious reader without partialitie peruse the bookes of Ionas Bishop of Orleans and the verie stinking breath of the aduersarie of the truth shall giue great allowance to the truth of God Godescalcus a man of the low Countries is reckoned in the number of Heretikes of this age about the yeere of our Lord 849. Because hee spake of Predestination perilouslie to witt that these who were Predestinated to life by the decree of Gods Predestination were forced to doe well and those who were Predestinated to condemnation were forced by the decree of God to doe euill Concerning old extinguished heresies as the Manicheans Arrians Donatists and such like who preased to build vp the walls of Iericho which God had destroyed there is no necessitie to speake because these were vaine attempts wiihout any successe CENTVRIE X. IN this age darkenes had gotten such vpper hand that the eye it selfe was darkened as our Lord speaketh The Spirit of errour so possessed the verie teachers that the most part of them worshipped Images yea the verie elements in the holy Sacraments of the Supper Churches were replenished with the bones of dead men whereunto the people kneeled worshipping dead bones in place of the liuing God And the small sparke of knowledge which remained not extinguished seemeth to be in the people rather then in the Pastours for the people saw that the Preachers entered not at the right doore but rather like vnto thiefes robbers they entered by bribes and gifts into spirituall offices and therefore the Historie recordeth that Henricus Auceps when hee did fight against the Hungarians made his vowe to God that if the Lord would giue him victorie against his enemies hee would purge his countrie from Simonie which was an euident token that the vilde heresie of Simon Magus in buying and selling spirituall things did at this time mightily abound CENTVRIE XI IN this Centurie the Pope had such vpper-hand both ouer Princes and Pastors that they accounted euery thing that displeased them to be heresie The inuestment of Bishops by secular men was called Simonie and marriage of Priests was called the Heresie of the Nicolaitans Likewise betweene the Latine and Greeke Church fell out such contention for a matter of small importance that they accounted one another to be heretikes The Greeke Church called the Latines Azymitae because they celebrated the Lords supper with vnleauened bread and the Latine Church on the other part called the Greeke Church Fermentarij because they vsed leauened breade yea and the Roman Church in this age so obstinately maintained the errour of Transubstantiation that they accounted all them heretikes who dissented from their opinion CENTVRIE XII IN this Centurie is found a French man Petrus Abelardus an accurat Philosopher who vttered vncouth things concerning the blessed Trinitie That the holie spirit was the soule of the world and that hee was not of the substāce of the father whose opinions were dāned by the Theolgues of Paris by Bernard of Clarauall in the Councells of Seison and Senon as also by Pope Innocentius the second after he had receiued this foyle hee entered into the Monasterie of Cluniacke where he concluded his life CENTVRYE XIII AMongst Heretikes in this age were reckoned Albigenses so called from the name of the part in France where they dwelt They were fauoured and assisted in many parts of France but namelie in Tolosa not only by the inferiour sort but also by the Count himself It is to be lamēted that the heads of their doctrine are not acuratly set downe by the writers of this age For it is verie likely that they haue taught otherwise then their aduersaries doe report of them who attribute vnto them the errours of the Manicheās who supposed that there
of Munster assisted with the Princes of Germany besieged the town very strictly and in the end prevailed and tooke this new made King Cniperdolingus his false Prophet aliue and adiudged them not onely to be hanged in chaines of iron but before their hanging to haue their flesh seared with hot iron pincers Thus came the authors of this most vnhappy sect vnto a most miserable and shamefull destruction Of this Sect of Anabaptists sprang vp in Holland an impudent fellow David Georgius who affirmed that hee was Christ the Messias and Saviour of the world yet for feare of punishment hee fled out of the Low Countries and came to Basile where he remained vntill the day of his death all which time hee not only obscured his blasphemous errors but also behaved himselfe in outward show so humbly and modestly that hee was in good account and became wealthy also Yet after his death it was knowne that he had seduced many with his blasphemous errours Therefore the Councell of Basile commanded that his body should bee raised out of the graue and burnt with fire in token of their detestation of his abhominable errors About the same time also sprang vp Michael Servetus a Spaniard who renewed the blasphemous doctrine of Arrius affirming that God the Father is onely the true God and that neither the Sonne nor the holy Spirit is eternall God but that the Sonne is a creature and had the beginning of existence when God created the world He was taken in the towne of Geneva cast in prison but he would not be reclaimed from his blasphemous errors Therefore the Councell of the towne thought meet with flames of fire to stoppe the breath of this blasphemous man who durst set his mouth against the heauen to blaspheme the Sonne of God After his death many were found who maintained his errors as namely Valentinus Gentilis Gregorius Blandrata a Physitian in Italy Matheus Gribaldus a Lawyer and Paulus Alciatus with many others Amongst whom Valentinus Gentilis was bold to put in print his blasphemies and he called the summe of faith set forth by Athanasius Symbolum Satanasi calling Athanasius himselfe Satanasius but after hee had blasphemed the Sonne of God a while both by word and writ in the end hee was taken in the towne of Berne where hee suffered the iust deserved punishment of death Many other sprang vp in this age who were teachers of false and hereticall doctrine but because they had few followers so that the errour died with the author thereof wee haue no great need to enroll their names and errors in this booke at large but shortly to poynt them out Gasper Suenkefeldius a man borne in Silesia maintained this errour that the outward ministerie of the Word and Sacraments was not necessarie to eternall life because that by the illumination of Gods holy spirit without the ministerie of the Word men might be saved Andreas Osiander thought that Christ was our Mediatour onely in respect of his divine nature and on the other part Stantcarus refuting Osiander fell into the contrarie extremitie that Christ was Mediatour onely in respect of his humane nature Flaccius Illiricus supposed originall sin was a substance Huberus beleeved that all men were elected vnto eternall life and Franciscus Puccius defended this opinion that all men of whatsoever religion they were should bee saved if they led not a very impious life and evill conversation Finally in this age was cleerly discovered that hee who sate in the chaire of Christ as Christs Vicar was the very Antichrist and they who depend vpon the Pope as generall Bishop of all Christs sheepe were notable Heretiques giving the glorie of Christ to Antichrist denying the sufficiencie of the written Word bowing and kneeling to Images praying to creatures and accounting them mediators of their intercession sacrilegiously imitating the holy Sacrament of the Supper and taking from the people the vse of the Cup offering dayly a new propitiatorie sacrifice for sinne as though Christs sacrifice once offered vp vpon the Altar of the Crosse were imperfect damning marriage in some persons and forbidding meates which God hath allowed to bee eaten with thanksgiving with many other errors which the Lord hath cleerly detected to haue beene a long time by-past in the Romane Church Here endeth the third Booke THE FOVRTH BOOK OF THE HISTORY of the Church containing a short Compend of all the Councels together with their severall Canons since Christs dayes to this present CENTVRIE IV. COuncels may bee divided in Generall Nationall or Provinciall and Particular Councels Generall were called Oecomenicke Councels 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the greek language signifieth the world because from all quarters of the world wherein Christ was preached Commissioners were sent to these Councels and they were gathered by the authoritie of the Emperour Nationall or Provinciall Councels were such as were gathered by the authoritie of the Emperor in one Nation with the assistance of other neere approaching Nations for suppressing of heresies deciding of questions pacifying of â—chismes and appointing Canons and Constitutions for decent order to be kept in the Church The third sort of Councels were particular Councâ—ls by Bullenger called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Such as the Councels of Gangra Neocaesaria and many others gathered vsually by Patriarchs and Bishops in a corner of a Countrie but for the like causes that nationall Councels were assembled Let no man expect a recitall of particular Councels except at such times as some matter of great moment enforceth me to speake of them ANcyra is a towne of Galatia in this towne were assembled Bishops of diverse Provinces about the yeere of of our Lord 308. as is supposed The principall cause of their meeting was to constitute a forme of Ecclesiasticall discipline according to which they who either willingly or vnwillingly had sacrificed to Idols in time of persecution should bee received into the bosome of the Church againe when they were found penitent There were many rancks of persons who had defiled themselues with Heathenicke Idolatrie such as Libellatici Thurificati Sacrificati and Proditores The Councell of Ancyra took order chiefly with those who were called Thurificati and Sacrificati that is with them who either had cast vp incense vpon idolatrous Altars or else had eaten of meates sacrificed to Idols to whom it was inioyned to testifie their repentance a long time before they were received to the communion of Gods people some one yeere some two yeeres others three or foure yeeres some fiue or six yeeres and aboue according to the heauinesse of their transgression In this Councell it was ordained that Deacons who in time of their ordination did protest that they had not the gift of continency but were disposed to marrie if they married they should remaine in their Ministerie but they who in time of imposition of hands by
of Christ. And the bookes of holy Canonicke Scripture which are to be read in time of holy Conuocations of people are particularly reckoned out both of olde new Testament And in this Catalogue of canonicke bookes no mention is made of the bookes of the Machabees of Ecclesiasticus and other Apocreeph bookes VNder the raigne of the Emperours Valentinian and Valens and about the yeere of our Lord 370. With aduice of both the Emperours a Councell was gathered in Illyricum wherein the Nicene Faith had confirmation and allowance The Emperour Valens was not as yet infected with the poison of the Arrian heresie LAmpsacum is a towne situated about the narrow passages of Hellespontus The Macedoniā heretikes sought liberty from the Emp. Valens to meete in this towne who granted their petition the more willingly because he supposed that they had accorded in opinion with Acacius Eudoxius but they ratified the Coūcel set foorth at Seleucia damned the Councel holden at Constantinople by the Acacians The Emp. Valens being deceiued of his expectation commanded them to be banished and their Churches to be giuen to the fauourers of the opinion of Eudoxius This dash constrained the Macedonians to take a new course and to aggree with Laberius Bishop of Rome But these Camelions when they had changed many colours they could neuer be white that is sincere and vpright in Religion VNder the Emperour Valentinian in the West Damasus bishop of Rome gathered a Councel in Rome wherein he confirmed the Nicene Faith and damned Auxentius Bishop of Millan with Vrsatius Valens and Caius Likewise hee damned Apollinaris and his disciple Timotheus IN the yeere of our Lord 38.3 or as Bullinger reckoneth 385 in the third yeere of the raigne of Theodosius a Generall Councell was gathered at Constantinople consisting of 150. Bishops of whom 36. were entangled with the heresie of Macedonius who called the Holy Spirit a creature a minister seruant but not consubstantiall with the Father and the Son In this Councel the Macedoniā heretikes were louingly admonished to forsake their errour to embrace the true faith and that so much the more because they had once already sent messengers to Liberius and professed the true Faith But they continued obstinately in their errour departed from the Councell The heresie of Macedonius was dāned the Nicen faith confirmed with amplification of that part of the Symbole which concerned the holy Spirit in this manner I beleeue in the holy Spirit our Lord giuer of life who proceedeth from the Father with the Father and the Son is to be worshipped glorified They ordained Nectarius B. of Cōstantinople that Constātinople shuld haue the prerogatiue of honour next to Rome Great care was had of Prouinces that they should not of new againe be infected with Heresies For this cause the name of Patriarches in the Councell of Nice appropriated to a few in this Generall Councell is communicated to manie To Nectarius Megapolis and Thracia was allotted Pontus to Hellodius Cappadocia to Gregorius Nyssenus Meletina and Armenia to Otreius Amphilochius attended vpon Iconium and Lycaonia Optimus vpon Antiochia and Pisidia Timotheus vpon the Churches of Aegypt Laodicea was recommended to Pelagius Tarsus to Diodorus and Antiochia to Meletius who was present at the Councell and ended his life in Constantinople To other Bishops a care and sollicitude of their owne boundes was committed with this caueat that no man should inuade the bounds belonging to another but if necessitie so required Synods should be assembled and euery one being desired should mutuallie assist his neighbour THe great affaires of the Church the care of their brethren in the West compelled them to meete againe in Constantinople where they wrote a Synodicke letter to Damasus B. of Rome to Ambrose Britto Valeriāus Acholius Anemius Basilius to the rest of the Bishops cōueened at Rome Wherin they declare the māifold troubles they had sustained by heretikes now albeit in the mercie of God they were ejected out of the sheepe-folds yet like vnto rauening wolues they were lurking in woods seeking oportūity to deuour the sheepe of Christ. They excuse their absence because the infirmitie of their Churches newly recouered from the hands of heretikes could not permit many of their number to journey to Rome Alwayes they sent their beloued brethren Cyriacus Eusebius Priscianus to countenance the assembly at Rome In matters of Discipline they recommended vnto them the Canons of the Councell of Nice namely that Ecclesiasticall honours should be conferred to persons worthy that with the speciall aduice and consent of the Bishops of that same Prouince with assistance of their confining neighbours if neede required After this manner was Nectarius B. of Constantinople Flauianus B. of Antiochia Cyrillus B. of Ierusalem ordained Heere marke that the consent of the Bishop of Rome was not necessarie to the ordination of the Bishops of the East And the vsurped authoritie of the Bishop of Rome smelleth of Noueltie and not of Antiquitie This Synodicke letter sent from Constantinople would seeme to import that the Councell which Damasus gathered at Rome was assembled in the dayes of Theodosius or els that hee had gathered two assemblies in Rome at diuers times and yet for owne purpose GOdly Emperours and Kings such as Constantine Theodosius and Dauid were very carefull of the vnitie of the Church that it might be like vnto a compact Citie as Ierusalem was when the tower of Iebus was conquised then the people worshipped one God were obedient to one Law and subject onely to one Soueraigne Theodosius in the fifth yeere of his raigne caring for the peace of the Church conueened a great Nationáll Councell at Constantinople not onely of Homousians but also of Arrians Eunomians and Macedonians hoping that by mutuall conference possibly they might in end accord The good Emperour consulted with Nectarius Bishop of Constantinople Nectarius with Agelius a Bishop of the Novatians Agelius with Sisinius an eloquent man and a mightie Teacher and a Reader in his Church This man considering that by contentious disputations Schismes were increased but not quenched gaue this aduice to Nectarius that hee should counsell the Emperour to demande of Heretikes in what account they had the holy Fathers who preceeded their time The Heretikes at the first spake reuerently of the Fathers but when they were demaunded if in matters of Faith they would giue credit to the testimonie of the Fathers the Heretikes were diuided amongst themselues Therefore the Emperour rent in pieces the summes of the Arrian Eunomian and Macedonian faith and ordained the Homousian Faith onely to haue place THe second Councell of Carthage was assēbled vnder the raigne of Theodosius neere vnto the time of the Generall Councell holden in Constantinople In it first the summe of the Nicene Faith is confirmed The continencie of
Bishops Elders and Deacons is recommended with abstinence euen from matrimoniall societie so earlie began men to bee wiser then God But in the twelfth Canon of the third Councell of Carthage it may bee perceiued that this constitution as disagreeable from Gods word was not regarded because Bishops in Africa married and had sonnes and daughters and these are inhibite to marrie with Infidels and Heretikes in the Canons a fore-saide The making of Chrisme and consecrating of holie Virgins is ordained onely to belong to Bishops The Canons of this Councell for the most part tend to this to aduance the authoritie of their Bishops fore-smelling as appeares the vsurpation of preheminence in the Bishops beyond sea THe third Councell of Carthage was assembled in the yeere of the Lord 399. Aurelius Bishop of Carthage seemeth to haue bin Moderatour of the Councell Augustine Bishop of Hippo was present Many good constitutions were accorded vpon in this Councell as namely that the Sacramentes should not bee ministred to the dead That the sonnes and daughters of Bishops and others in spirituall offices should not be giuen in marriage to Pagans Heretikes or Schismatikes The men in spirituall offices should not be intangled with secular businesse according to the precept of the Apostle 2. Tim. 2. verse 4. That men of the Cleargy should practise no kind of vsury That no man shall be ordained Bishop Elder or Deacon before hee haue brought all persons of his owne familie to the profession of Christian Religion That Readers who are come to perfect yeeres shall either marrie or els professe continencie That in the ministration of the Sacrament or Sacrifice to wit Eucharistike nothing should bee offered except bread and wine mixed with water of the fruites of the Cornes and Grapes That the Bishop of Rome should bee called the Bishop of the first seate but not the high Priest nor the Prince of Priestes That nothing except holy Canonicke Scripture should be read in the Churches vnder the name of holy bookes ABout the yeere of our Lord 401. vnder the raigne of Honorius was assembled againe a great nationall Councell in Carthage of 214. Bishops Augustine Bishop of Hippo was also present at this Councell Manie Canons were set downe in this Councell almost equall with the number of conueened Bishops That persons married for reuerence of the blessing pronounced to the marriage should not companie together the first night after their marriage That the Bishop should haue his dwelling place neere vnto the Church his house-holde-stuffe should be vncostly his fare should be course and vndelicate and that hee should conquiese authoritie vnto himselfe by fidelitie and vprightnesse of an holy conuersation That a Bishop should not spend time in reading the bookes of Pagans the bookes of Heretikes if necessitie required he might reade That a Bishop entangle not himselfe deepely with houshold businesse to the end hee may attend vpon reading Prayer and Preaching That a Bishop admit no man vnto a spirituall office without aduice of the Clergie and consent of the people That a Bishop without aduice of his Cleargie pronounce no sentence els it shall haue no force except they confirme it That a Bishop sitting shall not suffer a presbyter to stand That an assembly of Heretikes conueened together shall not be called Concilium but Conciliabulum That hee who communicateth with an Heretike shall be excommunicate whether he be of the number of the Laikes or of the Cleargie That such as refuse to giue vnto the Church the oblations of defunct persons shall bee excommunicate as murtherers of the poore Heere marke what is meaned by Oblationes Defunctorum not soul-masses said for the defunct but the charitie which they haue in testamentall legacy to the poore That no woman shal presume to baptize CENTVRIE V. COncerning Councels gathered in the daies of Arcadius and Honorius by Epiphanius in Cyprus and Theophilus in Alexandria vnder pretence of damning the bookes of Origen and in Constantinople first and last by the malice of Eudoxia the Emperour Arcadius wife to the deposition of Iohn Chrysostome Bishop of Constantinople I hope I haue not need to make a new declaration of things which are amply declared in the preceding history ABout the yeere of our Lord 419. a great number of Bishops were assembled in the Towne of Carthage whose names are particularly expressed in their Synodicke letters sent to Innocentius the first Bishop of Rome In this assemblie they damned the opinions of Pelagius and Coelestius which hath been aboue rehearsed as hereticall The answer that Innocentius returned to the Councell is intermixed with words of swelling pride as if no Decree could be firme vntill it had allowance of the Romane chaire yet the fift Councell of Carthage had pronounced Anathema against the opinions of Pelagius and Coelestius before they sent their letter to Innocentius Amongst the canons of this Councell the two last are to be remarked namely the fourteenth and fifteenth canon The one declareth that no Church was consecrated without the reliques of the Martyrs the other declareth that adoration of reliques at this time was the custome of Ethnickes supplication is appointed to be made to the Emperors that reliques which are found in Images groues or trees or such other places should bee abolished THe first Councell of Toledo in Spaine was assembled vnder the raignes of Arcadius and Honorius The yeere of our Lord wherein this Councell was gathered is much contraverted therefore I overpasse it contenting my selfe with some notice of the time of the Emperour in whose time the Councell was gathered It seemeth to haue beene assembled for confirmation of the Nicene Councell and refutation of some errours The canons concerning prohibibition of marriage to some persons are foolish and the admitting of a man to the communion who wanteth a wife and contenteth himselfe with one concubine onely is foolisher so perilous a thing it is in a iot to depart from the certaine rule of the written Word of God MIlevitum is a towne of Numidia in it many Bishops were assembled vnder the raigne of Arcadius whose names are particularly expressed in the letter sent from the Councell to Innocentius Bishop of Rome which letter is inserted in the Epistles of Augustine together with the answer of Innocentius the first Two principall causes mooved them to assemble together First to finish the work they had begun in the fift Councell of Carthage in condemning the heresies of Pelagius and Coelestius by whom as yet many were deceiued and perverted from the true faith Augustine Bishop of Hippo was not onely present but also President The opinions of Pelagius and Coelestius concerning the power of mans nature not supported by the grace of God and free-will of man to doe good of it selfe is so solidly refuted and that by arguments taken out
of incest but Gregorius was declared to be innocent his accuser was scourged with roddes and was banished In this Councell the name of Oecumenick Bishop was attributed to Iohn Patriarch of Constantinople TThe first Councel of Matiscon was assembled about the time of Pelagius 2 as the second Tome of CouÌ„cels recordeth In it commandement was giuen that no man of the Clergie should cite another man hauing a spirituall office before a secular iudge And that a Bishop or Presbyter should not intangle himselfe with carnall lust after hee is promoted to so high dignitie but the woman who before was his wife now let her be his sister and let the husband be changed into a brother Marke how subtilly Sathan vnder pretence of lothing matrimoniall chastitie is bringing in all kinde of vncleannesse into the Church THe second Councell of Matiscon was conueened in the twentie foure yeere of the raigne of Gunthranus king of France In it complaint was made that Baptisme was ministred vsually vpon euery holy day insomuch that vpon Easter day scarce were two or three found to be presented to Baptisme This they ordained to be amended and that no man except vpon occasion of infirmitie presume to present his child to Baptisme but to attend vpon the festiuall dayes prescribed of olde that is Easter and Whitsonday Also it was appointed and ordained that the Sacrament of the altar should be ministred before any communicant person had tasted of meat or drinke That no person who fleeth to the Church as to a citie of refuge be drawne backe againe by violence from the bosom of the Church or be harmed in that holy place That a bishop must not be attached before a secular iudge That the houses of Bishops shall be kept holy with exercises of prayers and singing of Psalmes and shall not be defiled with the barking of dogges and muting of haukes That secular men shall doe reuerence to those who are of the Clergie euen vnto the lowest degree of theÌ„ in such sort that if the secular man doe meere any of the Clergie walking on foot he shall honour him by vncouering his head but if the secular man be riding on horsebacke and the Clergie man on foote then the secular man shall light downe from his horse and shall doe reuerence to the Church-man this age smelleth of Antichristian pride In the third Councell at Matiscon there is nothing to be read but a contentious disputation betwixt two Bishops Palladius and Bertramus foolish questions scarse worthy to be disputed in Grammer schooles Whether or no a woman may be called Homâ— IN the yeere of our Lord 595. and in the thirteene yeere of the raigne of the Emperour Mauritius Gregorius first Bishop of Rome assembled a Councell at Rome of twentie foure bishops thirty foure Presbyters wherein first of all he confirmed the first foure generall Councels He ordained that at the celebration of the Sacrament there should be lesse singing and more reading of Psalmes and Gospel because weake people transported with the delight of a sweet and delicate voyce marked not how men of a lewd life drew neere vnto the Altar of God He ordained also that laicke boyes should not be cubiculars to the bishops or Rome but that Presbyters Deacons or Monkes should be witnesses of the honestie of their conuersation And that the Beare wherein the body of the Bishop of Rome is brought forth to be buried shall not be ouerspred with any couering aboue the Beare That for ordination of men in spirituall offices no reward shall be craued For like as the Bishop should not sell the imposition of his hands euen so the minister or notare should not sell his voyce and pen. If hee who is ordained voluntarily giueth any thing as a testimonie of his thankfulnesse this is not forbidden to be receiued Gregorius standing before the place where the body of Saint Peter is buried pronounced many Anathems wherevnto the rest of the assemblie with vniforme consent said Amen Amongst the rest the Presbyter or Deacon who marrieth a wife is deliuered to the deuill and a man who marrieth his owne spirituall sister whom in our language we call his gossope hee is likewise deliuered to an euill Heard to be kept Albeit Gregorius be not counted the worst amongst the bishops of Rome yet when hee followeth not the certaine rule of the written word of God hee is wandering in the mist as boldly as others did before him THe Councels which I haue ouerpassed with silence such as Gradense Braccarense Lateranense Lugdunense Pictaviense Merense lest I should ouercharge a litle booke with an vnnecessarie burthen or trouble the reader of superstitious rites damning of old 〈◊〉 and of euery contentious disputation more 〈◊〉 belonging to ciuill iudges than to spirituall conuentions I referre mine excuse in this to the wisdome of the iudicious Reader CENTVRIE VII IN the yeere of our Lord 607. and vnder the raigne of the Emperour Phocas a Councell was assembled at Rome of 72. Bishops 30. Presbiters and 3. Deacons In this councell the priuiledge of supremacie giuen by Phocas to the Roman Church was published Likewise it was ordained vnder paine of cursing that during the life-time of a Bishop no man should talke of the election of another That no man by largition of money should purchase vnto himselfe a spirituall office and that no man should consult concerning the election of another Bishop or Pope before three dayes were expired after the death of the defunct and that the Bishop should be elected by the Clergie people and their electioÌ„ should be ratified by the Magistrate of the Citie and the Pope by these words Volumus et iubemus that is we will and we command otherwise the election shall be voyde and of none effect Bonifacius the fourth gathered another assemblie in the eight that is in the last yeere of the raigne of Phocas wherein he gaue power to Monkes to preach to minister the Sacraments to heare Confessions to bind and loose and associated them in equall authoritie with the Clergie BRacara or Braecara vulgarly called Braga is a towne in Portugall In the yeere of our Lord 610. and vnder the raigne of Gundemarus king of Gothes raigning at that time in the countrey of Spaine assembled some Bishops of Gallicia Lusitania and of the Prouince called Lucensis of olde It was ordained That euâ—rie Bishop should visit the Churches of his diosie and see that baptisme was duly ministred and that Catechumeni twenty dayes before their baptisme should resort to the purifications of Exorcismes and should bee instructed in the knowledge of the Apostolick Symbol and that the people should bee exhorted to beware of Idolatry adultery murther periury and all other deadly sins That Bishops should not lift vp the third part of the oblations of the people but that it should remaine in the parish Church for furnishing light and for repairing
the fabrick of the Church and that the Bishop should compell noue of the Clergy to attend vpon him in servile workes That Bishops for ordination of the Clergy should receiue no rewards That neither a little balme nor yet the price thereof should be exacted from the people for their baptisme in any time to come lest they should seeme with Simon Magus to sell the gift of God for money That Bishops before the dedication of Churches shall see a charter containing a sufficient maintenance for them who shall serue in the Church and for a substantiall furniture of lights thereunto A Church builded for gaine and contribution of the people redounding to the vantage of the builder shall not be consecrated Parents who are poore and present their children to baptisme if they offer any thing voluntarily it shal be accepted but they shall not be compelled to pay any thing neither shall a pledge be required from them left poore people fearing this with-hold their children from baptisme If any of the Clergie bee accused of fornication let the accuser proue his accusation by two or three witnesses according to the precept of the Apostle else let the accuser be excommunicate That Metrapolitane Bishops shall signifie to others of the Clergie the time of the observation of Easter or Pasch day and the Clergie after the reading of the Gospell in like manner intimate the day vnto the people That whosoever tasteth meat or drink before he consecrate the oblation of the Altar shall be deposed from his office IN the yeere of our Lord 613. assembled in a towne of France called Altissidorum otherwise Antissidorum vulgarly Auxerre a number of Abbots and Presbyters with one Bishop and three Deacons In this Councell they damned Sorcerie and the seeking of consultation at Sorcerers in the first third fourth and fift Canons wherby it appeareth that Sorcery hath been in frequent vse in France Many superstitious constitutions were set down in this Synod concerning the number of Masses prohibition of tasting meate before Masse concerning buriall prohibition of Baptisme before the festivity of Easter-day except vpon necessity and feare of approaching death prohibition of Matrimoniall copulation with their owne wiues to Presbyters and Deacons after their blessing and consecration with prohibition of marriage also to the widowes of the defunct Presbyters Deacons or Sub-deacons this was a yoke of Antichristian subiection indeed Brothers and sisters children are forbidden to marrie It is not lawfull for a Presbyter to sit in iudgement when any man is condemned to death It is not lawfull for a Clergie-man to cite another of the Clergie before a secular Iudge It is not lawfull for a woman with a naked hand to touch the holy Eucharist It is not lawfull to take refreshment of meate with an excommunicate person If any of the Clergie receiue an excōmmunicate man without the knowledge of him who did excommunicate him he shall receiue the like sentence that is he shall likewise be excommunicated It is not lawfull for a Presbyter in banqueting time to sing or dance Many Canons to the number of 45. were concluded in this Councell but I haue determined not to over-lade a little booke with commemoration of an heape of vnprofitable vnnecessary and superstitious Canons IN the yeere of our Lord 364. and in the 24. yeere of the raigne of the Emp. Heraclius a Councel was gathered in Hispalis a towne of Spaine vulgarly called Civill la grand It was gathered by Isidorus Bishop of Hispalis at the command of King Sisebutus who was both present President in this Councell For two principall causes was this Synod convened namely for suppressing the heresie of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which was a branch of the heresie of Eutyches secondly for decision of questions which arose amongst Bishops concerning the marches bounds of their dioceses with some other Ecclesiasticall causes They had 13. Sessions or meetings as is declared 2. Tom. Council In the first action Theodulphus Bishop of Malaca complained that by iniury of warres an ancient parish Church was separated from his towne and possessed by others It was concluded that he should be repossessed againe into his ancient priviledges and that prescription of time should haue no place if it were knowne that hostility and war-fare had hurt a man in his rights In the 2. Session the controversie betwixt Fulgentius B. of Astigita and Honorius B. of Corduba concerning the marches of their dioceses was debated and men were chosen to visite the bounds and to decide the controuersie In the 3. Session compeared Cambra B. of Italica a towne of the province of Spain of old called Baetica he cōplained against one of his Clergie named Passandus that hee being brought vp frō his infancy in the Church of Italica yet had fled without any iust cause to Corduba It was ordained that whosoever fled from his owne Church vnto another should be sent back againe and be put into a Monastery should be devested of his honor for a time to the end that the sharpnesse of discipline might correct the licentious liberty of vagring and wandering In the 4. Session it was complained that some were consecrated to bee Levites in the Church of Astigita who had maried widowes This ordination was annulled and it was ordained that none of these Leuites should be promoted to the honor of a Deacon In the 5. Session a Deacon of the Church of Agabra complained of the ordination of three persons in that Church one was ordained to bee Presbyter and two to bee Levites The Bishop being blind laid his hands vpon them but one of the Presbyters pronounced the blessing Now the Presbyter who had pronounced the blessing was dead before the Councell of Hispalis therefore they remitted him to his owne Iudge but the three persons afore-said admitted to Church-offices they deposed them from their offices as persons vnlawfully admitted In the 6. Session it was found that Fragitanus a Presbyter of the Church of Corduba was most vniustly both deposed and banished by his Bishop For remedy that the like mis-order should haue no place in time to come it was statuted ordained that a Bishop without advice of his Synode should not presume to depose a Presbyter In the 7. Session Chore-episcopi Presbyters are debarred frō the high priviledges of the Episcopal office namely from the consecration of Presbyters of holy Virgins Churches Altars from laying hand vpon men converted from heresie conferring vnto them the holy Spirit frō making of Chrisme signating with it the fore-heads of them who are baptized from absolving publickly in time of Masse any penitent person and sending testimonials to forraine parts called Formatae epistola and finally from baptizing consecrating the Sacrament blessing the people and teaching them receiving penitents when the Bishop was present The 8. Session intreated concerning Heliseus a servant whom
taken from him 3. That no man should reuenge the wrongs done to his blood and kindred 4. That men should be compelled to pardon them who smote them 5. That euery Friday a fasting shall bee kept with bread and water 6. That on Saturday there should be an abstinence from flesh and fat things 7. That men should content themselues with this kinde of fasting for remission of all their sinnes so that they neede none other kind of repentance That all men should be bound by an oath to obserue these new lawes they who refused to sweare obedience to these ordinances should be separated from the Church and they should neither be visited when they were sicke nor buried when they were dead These new lawes which came not from heauen but from the instinct of an euill spirit many were content to receaue Others who were of more sound iudgement specially the B. of Cambry reiected them as repugnaÌ„t most part to the word of God to the coÌ„stitutions of the Church to the peace of wel-ordered common-wealths to charitie Alwayes consider that this was a time of horrible darknesse and ignorance wherein any durst affirme in face of a Councell that such lawes came from heauen as were flatlie repugnant to the written word of God IN the yeere of our Lord 1046. and vnder the raigne of the Emperour Henry the third an assemblie was gathered by the Emperour at Sutrium a towne of Italie for pacefying an horrible schisme in the Roman Church for three Popes contended for the Popedome to wit Benedict the ninth Silvester the third and Gregorie the sixt when the fathers had conueened at Sutrium and the Emperour had considered the causes of the scisme and the ambition of Prelats striuing for superioritie they thought expedient to remoue all these three monsters and to choose one Sindigerus Bishop of Bamberg to be Pope whom they called Clemens the second Moreouer the Emperour did bind the Romans with an oath that they shuld in time to come abstaine from the electioÌ„ of the Pope ABout the yeere of our Lord 1050. Leo the ninth assembled a Councell at Rome against Berengarius Deacon at Angiers vpon this occasion was the Councell gathered Berengarius saw that the opinion of Transubstantiation was ouerspred in his time to wit that after the words of coÌ„secration the substance of bread evanished and the substance of the body and blood of Christ was in the Sacrament vnder the accidents of bread and wine which opinion he disaproued and followed rather the opinion of Augustine Ioannes Scotus about the Sacrament of the supper He writ also letters to Lanfrancus B. of Canterbury about this question The Messenger who carried the letters did not find Lanfrancus in Normandie whether he was directed Therefore he deliuethe letters to some of the Clergie who opened the letters of Berengarius and sent them to Pope Leo the ninth After the sight whereof he assembled a Councell at Rome and read the letters of Berengarius and condemned him though absent as an heretike LEo the ninth assembled another Councell at Vercellis against Berengarius in the moneth of September of the yeere of our Lord 1050 so that both these Councels were holden in one yeere against Berengarius Berengarius was warned to bee present at the Councell Lanfrancus Bishop of Canterbury was also present In Berengarius name compeared two of the Clergie who were taken and cast into prison The issue of the Councell was this The Bookes of Ioannes Melrosius Scotus de eucharistia were read in the Councell and condemned Leo likewise appointed in many Prouinces Synods to be assembled against Berengarius notwithstanding he persisted constantly in his opinion vntill the dayes of Pope Nicolaus the second IN the yeere of our Lord 1055. Pope Victor the second assembled a Councell at Towrs against Berengarius The Popes Ambassadours were present at the Councel and Berengarius answered that hee adhered to no particular opinion of his owne but he followed the Common doctrine of the vniversall Church and that hee would not be contentious This gentle answere mitigated the kindled affections of his Adversaries yet he persisted in his own opinion for this cause Lanfrancus obiected against him that he deluded the Councel of Towrs with general doubtsome words IN the yeere of our Lord 1059. Pope Nicolaus 2. assembled a great Councel at Rome of 100. 13. B. Berengarius was present at the Councel Berengarius through infirmitie submitted himselfe to be corrected by Pope Nicolaus 2. and the Councel They prescribed to him a forme of renounciatioÌ„ of his error as they called it which Berengarius accepted recaÌ„ted Notwithstanding afterward he published in writing a refutatioÌ„ of the doctrine of Transubstantiation damned his owne recantation Manie other constitutions were made in this Councel such as that the election of the Pope should belong to the Colledge of Cardinals that no man should heare a Masse sayd by a married Priest that no Laick person should be iudge to a man in a spirituall office that no person should marrie any of his owne consanguinitie vntill the seventh generation with many other foolish constitutions IN the yeere of our Lord 1060. as appeareth Pope Nicholaus the second sent Petrus Damianus to hold a Councell in his name at Millan The questions disputed in the Councell were two chiefly to wit about Simonie and the errour of the Nicolaitans It was accounted Simonie to receiue investment by staffe and ringe from a secular man It was counted the errour of the Nicolaitans when Priests married wiues And Damianus to bring such mariages vnder the Compasse of Heresie hee said that faults in manners if they were obstinatlie deâ—â—nded they became Heresies But suppose this was true as it is a false definition how can it bee called the heresie of the Nicolaitans seeing that Nicolaitans were not called Heretikes in respect they had wiues but in respect they made their wiues common as I haue declared in the first Centurie The issue of this Councell was that the whole Towne of Millan both Clergie and people was in an vprore complaining that the Towne wherein Ambrose was Bishop should be brought in subiection to the Ordinances of any other Church Damianus was in great feare to bee rent in pieces albeit the Archbishop of Millan was sitting at his one side and the Bishoppe of Luca at his other After that the tumult was pacified Damianus did speake vnto the Clergie and people manie things concerning the prerogatiue of the Chaire of Rome and the Bishop of Millan standing before the Altar did sweare that hee should bee obedient to the ordinances of the Roman Church in extirping the heresie of Simonie and of the Nicolaitans and many of the Clergie following his example did the like and were content like inconstant fooles to receaue penance for cohabitation with their owne lawfull wifes IN the yeere of our Lord 1066.