which time it is manifest to all the world that Rome had the soueraignitye and Empyre of all the world and that it was then the great Cittie and none but it of whom this might be said neither is it knowen that anye other Cittye is or hath bene built vppon seuen hilles And that Rome is so it appeareth by diuers writers Romaines and other that report it as they haue seene it Amonge other Munster in his Topographie doth not only in the descriptioÌ„ of Rome testifie that there are seuen hilles but also sheweth the names of them euerye one which are these Auentinus Capitolinus Palatinus Caelâ—us Exquilinus Viminalis and Quirinalis hill Properâ—ius the Poet confirmeth it briefely in a verse saying thus of Rome Septem vrbs alta iugis toti quae presidet orbi the like hath Virgil in hys Georgicks Septem quae vno sibi muro circundedit arces speakinge it of Rome Mantuan in his Fast. li. 2. doth in like maner describe Rome calling it RomuleaÌ„ septem cuÌ„ Collibus vrbem So of the Grekes it is called Heptalophos wherin Hepâ—a signifieth 7. and lophoâ— an hil head or top This Vitellianus commaunded shauings and annointings of the clergye to be vsed geuing vnder these markes liceâ—s to buy and sell pardons in the Churche as was prophesyed of Antichrist after he had choaked the Church with much palcry he dyed At this time at the fulnesse of Antichrist moÌ„kery grew into superstitious estimation At this time also these two straunge thinges were wrought Abbeis were first founded for monkes kinges were shaued and made monkes 12. Theodatus the second THeodatus the second a Romaine borne was made Pope beinge but a monke He bestowed great cost to make a sumptuous abbey of that from whence he came He gaue licence to moÌ„kes to transport Benedict Nursin patriarcke of his own order with a scholesister of theirs from Cassim mount into Fraunce At this time were manye straunge thinges as a blasinge starre appearing 3. monethes continually with great raine often thonders with a strauÌ„ge Rainbowe and earthquakes suche as the like were neuer heard of And some say that the corne being beaten downe with these strauÌ„ge tempests of raine did spring vp againe and grew to ripenesse For these thinges Theodatus caused prayers often to be said and dyed Anno 675. 13. Donus the first DOnus the firste was made Pope in a miserable tyme when the fieldes and the corne were burnt vp with thoÌ„der lightninges and showers He as Popes vse beautified S. Peters porche with pillers And after he had punished certaine Nestoria heretikes he scattered theÌ„ in diuers abbeis in Italy He restored certayne olde churches he deuided the Clergie into diuers orders and aduaunced them with seuerall kindes of honour and dignitie After muche controuersie he made subiect to Rome Rauennas churche Theodorus the Archebishop therof agreing to it through the Popes flattery whiche churche before was called Alliocephalis After he had done many â—uche dedes he died Anno. 679. 14. Agathon the first AGathon the first as Gratian writeth Distinct. 19. being a Monke of Sicill coÌ„maunded that the Popes decrees should be taken for as canonicall and authenticall as the Apostles wrytings So he gaue as great auctoritie to the masse whiche was clouted together by sondry Popes But wickedly he coÌ„demned the mariage of ministers of the Latine churche He sent one Iohn a Monke and Archedeacon of Rome into Englande Anno 679. to teache them here the manner of their reading singing ceremonies in their churches And the better to vtter his knackes of celebrations and sacrifices as Beda wryteth in his fourth booke 18. chapter de Gestis Anglorum He â—ent his Oratours Iohn bishop of Portua and Iohn Deacon of the Romaine churche to the sixt Sinode of Constantinople and against the Monothelites he sent one Agathus In the whiche Sinode the Clergie of the Greke churche were allowed mariage and the Latin churche forbidden it Also among other thinges then done the eight daye after Easter Anno 681. the said Iohn of Portua did first of al say the Latin masse openly before the Prince and the Patriarke and people of Constantinople all men allowing it for nouelties sake as a newe founde thing whiche taking roote hereupon was receiued in all churches whiche helde vpon the Pope In this Popes time after straunge Eclipses both of Sunne and Moone was a Pestilence so contagious in Rome that the Pope him selfe died thereof The seate then was vâ—yde a yeare and a halfe 15. Leo the second LEo the seconde was a Monke very learned as well in Greke as in Latin and so skilfull in Musick that hee brought the notes of the Psalmes and Hymnes to better harmonie He coÌ„firmed the sixt Synode partly to establishe the masse partly because by it also the Clergie of the West churche were forbidden mariage He translated into Latin the ordinaunce of mariage He appointed that the Pax shoulde be borne aboute and be kissed of the people while masse was saying Also that if neede did require there shoulde be Christening euery daye He would haue for their sake of Rauenna no election of any bishop to stande in force vnlesse hee were first confirmed by the bishop of Rome But sayth VVicelius without payinge for his pall or anye other money which saith Platina I would it were kept still in Rome for out of this bribing at this day many mischieues aryse For as yet they durst not enterprise wholly such polling as they did afterwarde aboute 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yeares after Christe for in time past the vi Princes of Italye did confirme the bishops of Italy yea and the Pope him selfe Afterwarde the Emperour Constantine the fourth agreing thereunto the election was againe ratified in the handes of the Clergie and the Laitie But the Prelates of Rauenna being emboldened because that the court of the sixe states was among theÌ„ would not obey the churche of Rome but auouched that they were egall in dignitie And thus Foelix being their bishop after Theodorus went about to shake of the Popes yoke and to recouer their lost libertie But the Emperour that was then Iustinian sonne of the sayde Constantinus being set on by Leo with standeth the purpose of Foelix and after he had by assaulte wonne the towne he boared out the byshops eyes with a whot burning iron Leo before the ende of his tenne monethes died Anno. 685. in which time the moone was in a moÌ„sterous and straunge Eclipse appearing as redde as bloud all the night long diuers nightes together 16 Benedictus the second BEnedict the second whose holinesse they said moued the Emperour Constantine the fourth if they father not a falsehode on him after his death to decree that henceforth the Pope of Rome should haue authoritie ouer the people without the licence of the Emperoure or the sixe states of Italy whiche lasted not long He reedified diuers temples enriching them with vessels of golde syluer and guilt with coapes of
doughter choaked the mother and engendred the mōster ambition who also like the cursed impe of the bastard her morher did in the ende deuoure her grandmother Religion THE PRELATES or Archebishops of Rome 1. Marcus MArcus a Romaine bestowed a pall vpon the bishop of Hostia who had consecrate the bishop of Rome before other He also cōmaunded that the people and the clergie should on Sondayes after the Gospell were redde singe the Nicean Crede He builded churches and gaue many giftes vnto them died a confessour in the yere 335. 2. Iulius the first IVlius the first a Romaine appointed that a priest shoulde as they forge of him not aunswer his cause any where but before an ecclesiasticall iudge and he reprehended the bishops of the east onlesse they slaunder him because they had helde counsels without his authoritie but they scorned him for his pride he caused churcheyardes to be made and at the lenghth died a confessour in peace Anno. 351. Platina sayth that this Pope appointed certaine notaries to wryte the actes of other men the whiche office sayth he is yet about the Pope remaining But these notaries of our time saith he are such doultes for the moste parte that for wante of learning they can not wryte their owne name in Latin of their maners I will not speake because these offices are bestowed on bawdes and flatterers vnmete to wryte the actes of other men 3. Liberius LIberius a Romaine for ambition as Hierome witnesseth falling into the Arrian heresie forsooke the trew faith and subscribed to Arrius articles And yet this man died a confessour also Anno. 366. though in dede taynted with damnable heresie 4. Foelix the seconde Foelix the seconde a Romaine was preferred by the Arrians who thrust out Liberius and aduaunced him because they hoped he agreed with them in opinion But in the seconde yeare after he was driuen from his seate and Liberius restored And in the yeare of our Lorde 359. He with other spirituall persones was slayne in a tumulte This man sayth Isidorus made lawes for the defense of the Clergie Also Sozomenus lib. 4. ca. 10. Eccle. histor saith that he being bishop did both admitte Arrian heretikes to the ministery and also vsed their communiō though els he yelded to the counsell of Nice 5. Damasus DAmasus a Spanyarde being made Pope in a certaine faction and vehemently accused of adultery did condemne Liberius his dedes he builded temples and beawtified them with iewels he gaue landes and bathes to the Clergie he encreased strange seruice in the churche he added Confiteor to the seruice he appointed the singing of the Psalmes and allowed Hieroms translation of the Bible For then the myndes of the Prelates began to bee more puft vp with ambition Afterward ▪ Damasus as they saye being a diligent gatherer of thinges doone in times past wrote the lyues and decrees of his predecessours the byshops of Rome enterlacing them with many open and manifest vntruthes And in the yere 384. died a confessour Socrates in the eight booke of his ecclesiasticall history and the 24. chapter sayth that when this Damasus was chosen bishop one Vrsinus a Deacon of the same churche did stande in suite against Damasus but whē he sawe that Damasus was preferred for anger he began by all endeuour to gather congregations to him selfe seuered from the churche Also he perswaded certaine obscure and abiect byshops to chose him bishop secretly in a corner And so he was created not in the churche but in a close place of the pallaice called Sicona Whiche being done the people began to wrangle And hereof arose a bitter contention and deadly sedicion not touching religion ▪ but whether of these two Prelates should be bishop Of this grewe so many assemblies and so often brawlinges that in the end the tumulte was so great that many were slayne about it And therfore Maximinus then liuetenant of the citie did punishe sharpely a great numbre both the Clergie and layetie so suppressed Vrsinus and his faction Thus it appeareth that bloudy ambition is not a newe thing in Rome 6. Siricius SIricius a Romaine medling and making decrees in many matters remoued those from saying seruice that had bene twyse maried was the firste that admitted monkes into orders for pretence of single life who before were neuer reckened to be as clarkes He mingled y Antiphones with the Psalmes and appointed that orders should be geuen some at one time some at an other he died a confessour Anno 399. 7. Anastasius ANastasius a Romaine appointed that whyle the Gospel was reading they should stand not sitte He exempted from the ministery those that were lame impotēt or diseased persons and slept with his forefathers in peace being a confessour Anno. 404. 8. Innocentius INnocentius borne in Albania aduaūced the sea of Rome aboue all other and would haue it to be iudged by none He commaunded the faithfull to faste on the Saturday to bewayle with Mary Magdalene our sauiour Christe that was buried ▪ euen as on that daye He deuised that at masse time the Pax should be geuen about in the church and cōmaunded that the church a wayghty matter being ones consecrate should neuer be consecrate any more He made certayne decrees concerning Iewes Pagans Monkes and made the anoyling of the sick to be a sacrament And is counted among the dead confessours Anno. 416. The yeare before being the yeare 415. Alaricus king of Gothes ouerranne Italy wan Rome wasted spoyled and burnt it miserably And sone after him his cosen Athoulfus came thether againe and spoyled all that he had left 9. Sozymus SOzymus a Greke appointed that tapers should be blessed on the holydaye and that the Deacons in saying seruice should haue their lefthandes couered He forbad that clarkes should vse tipling in opē place or haunte tauernes and that no bondmen should be admitted to be of the Clergie And died a confessour Anno. 420. Also this Sozymus suppressed the Nouacian heretikes whiche in time past had borne great swaye in Rome But nowe they were kept vnder for sayth Isocrates the byshop of Rome as well as the byshop of Alexandria had stretched his power beyond the limittes of priesthood stepping into temporall authoritie Socrat. histor eccle lib. 7. cap. 11. 10. Bonifacius BOnifacius a Romaine the sonne of one Iucundus a priest was chosen Pope at suche time as there was great sedition among the Clergie He made decrees that were very necessary God graunte they proue so as that a woman yet though she were a hoodded noonne should not openly touche the altar cloth nor the holy vessels nor smell to the incense And that none should be made priest till he were thirty yeres olde After he had decreed that sainctes eueninges should be kept he died a confessour Anno. 426. 11. Coelestinus Caelestinus borne in Campania patched the Popishe masse vp with these thinges Introitum Graduale Responsorium Tractum Offertorium as his owne deuices And gaue
the Brytaines had receiued more sincerely of Ioseph the churches of Asia But to thrust vpon them the Romain religion patched vp with mans diuices and tradicions The Britaynes had always the preaching of the truthe syncere doctrine and the liuely faith and such seruice as was deliuered to the Apostles by Gods commaundement They had Christian churches whereof Godfrey of Munmuthe in the eight booke and fourth chapiter of the actes of the Britaines sayth thus In the contrey of the Britaines Christianitie florished hetherto which neuer failed among them since the Apostles time But when Augustine came hee founde in their prouince seuen bishoprikes and one Archebishoprike maintained by godly Prelates and many Abbots liuing by their handy labour among whome the Lordes stocke kept true waye It appeareth also that there were shepeherdes among theÌ„ that were diligent to preserue the puritie of doctrine as was Dionotus Anonius and his fellowes who in conteÌ„pt of the Romaines ceremonies stacke stoutly to it euen to the death Augustine entred the lande not with the Gospell of Christian peace but with the banner of his Aposticship with his syluer crosse his Letanie his procession images painted puppettes reliques canticles and bookes of ceremonies But when by the authoritie of the king in the west part of England he sommoned the byshops and doctours that they accepting and communicating the Romaine customes should submitte them selues to him Anno. 602. They going to the synode did firste demaunde of a certaine wise man that liued solitarely whether it was laweful to followe his commaundement and forsake those tradiâ—ions whiche they had receiued of their fathers to whome hee aunswered If he be a maÌ„ of God followe him They further asked howe they should proue that Ye knowe quoth he that the Lord commaunded saying Take my yoke vpoÌ„ you and learne of me because I am gentle and lowlye of harte Therefore if this Augustine be suche an one it is credible that he also beareth Christes burtheÌ„ and offereth it to you to beare but if he be proude and cruell it is euideÌ„t tha he is not of God and ye ought not to regarde his talke And howe shall we knowe that quoth they Let Augustine quoth he and his company goe firste to the Synode And if when ye come he ryse vp to salute you knowe ye that he is Christe his seruaunt and obey ye him But if he disdayne you or make smale accompt of you and shewe no token of curtesie in his countenaunce seing ye are the greater number doe ye likewyse contemne him Therfore when they came to Augustine sitting ambiciously on his stalle and sawe that he gaue them no token of frendship they by and by conceiuing displeasure noting him to be a proude persone did forthwith ouerthwart euery thing that he put forth For he charged them that they did many thinges coÌ„trary to the custome of the catholicke churche especially in keping their Easter in ministring of baptisme and in their preaching and that they regarded not mans tradicioÌ„s and he commaunded that in these and other thinges they should followe the vse of the church of Rome But they aunswered that they would do none of these neither take him for their Archebishop Whereupon he promised them warre should ensewe and threatned them fiercely to reuenge it by death whiche immediatly ensued Reade Beda in his ecclesiasticall history of Englande the seconde booke and the second chapter and likewyse the sayde Godfrey But I wonder muche of this crueltie of Augustine For Gregorie before had so discussed it and wrote vnto him that it was not nedefull in all churches to haue the same order of ceremonies but that euery churche might ordaine the beste for it selfe But suche was wonte to be the tyranny of hypocrites whereof Mantuan saythe The fathers of the Latin churche to taxe they enterprise And make them fondly force the Britains bend vnto the guise Of Romish church against al right with foolish hardines They rashly cause the auncient league of amitie to cease â–ª As touching peace they saye that Rome should rather make then marre To kepemans lawe so that Christes lawe therby do neuer larre And faith with doctrine whiche allowed by the firste Synode was As it from Christe the light of life to all mankinde did passe And to speake in fewe wordes the Romaine bishops were starres euen hetherto yet but falling from Christes right hande to the grounde from whome the heauen departed Apocal. 6. and they are prefigured by the redde horse vnto whose ryder power was geuen to take awaye peace from the earth and to murther to and fro whereupon as in the firste order the Romaine Prelates called bishops by their true ministring the worde of God and constant faith were starres abiding in Christe his right hande so in this second sort vnder the name of Archebishops and Patriarkes by the neglecting of the same woorde and their earthly affections they were starres falling to the earth Apocal. 6. But in the thirde ranke whiche shall followe vnder the name of Popes and Antichristes for their absolute reuolting from Christe and open idolatries they shal be the starres falling from heauen to the earthe Apoc. 9. THE THIRDE Booke ¶ Nowe ensueth the thirde sorte of Romaine bishops coming from euill to worse For as the former company in the seconde booke shewed declining from pure Christianitie and enclining to Antichriste so now appeareth in these that the seede sowed by the forainer is groweÌ„ vp Antichrist as it were appearing aboue the grounde who grewe still forwarde froÌ„ grenenesse to ripenesse as shall appeare by these that followe and so from ripenesse to rottennesse which is to be hoped for in that already he is wexed so mellowe that if he be not plucked from the tree if it please God to sende a smale blaste of winde he will fall of him selfe Note therfore diligently gentil Reader what fruite ensueth and springeth of the former grayne Reade conferre and then iudge whether these men shewe them selues to be the vicars of Christe or deceitful and mischeuous Antechristes for bye their fruites ye shall knowe them whether they are suche as they would be accompted Abadon or the Latin Antichriste IN the yeare of our Lorde sixe hundreth and foure Phocas the tyrant murthered his soueraigne lord Mauricius the Emperoure with his wife his brother his children and many nobles From this yere adding to it two yeres to the beginning of the Popedome established by Phocas are sixe hundred sixty sixe yeares from the coÌ„sulship of M. T. Cicero and Antonius as Bibliander Funccius and other do euidently recken it at whiche time the Iewes while their bishops iarred for supremacie lost their libertie For Christe as Bibliander gathers in his reuelation whiche by his dearely beloued Apostle Iohn he deliuered to the church foare tolde that a certaine tyrannicall Empier should afflicte the true church as Nero and Domician with others did And calleth the beaste hauing two hornes like a lambe
Romaynes that he coulde do nothinge worthy remembraunce for hee was so shamefullye wounded and foulye mangled and defaced amid the broyles that for shame of his foule disfigurings he durst neuer shewe his face abroade So litle reuerence had the Popes at that time for their litle holinesse Steuen dyed Anno 944. 66. Martin the third MArtin the thirde being Pope gaue himselfe onelye to repayre the Church not in Religion but in building not in reforminge ceremonyes but encreasinge the dignitye and pompe of the Church He was very beneficial to the poore bestowed plentifully on their bellyes He was diligent in reformation of outward manners In the first yeare of this Pope a great blasing starre was seene in Italye after which saith Vspergensis followed an extreame famine and againe saith Masseus the Sunne appeared verye terrible threatninge the sequeale of Gods vengeance Martin dyed Anno 947. 67. Agapetus the second AGapetus the seconde being Pope ruled Popelike in the time of one Berengarius a Marques of Italy who was the last of that name that had that dignitye after Hughe This Berengarius is reported to haue dryuen many Monkes oute of their cloysters whiche liued idellye and gaue them selues to the pleasures of the worlde The Pope perceiuing howe he could not rule Berengarius in these and such other spiritual matters that he would not restraine his soueraignitie according to the wil of him and his Hee sent for Otho the first king of the Germaines to come into Italy promising him the kingdome of the Romaines to fight with Berengarius and so saith Sabellicus troubled the estate of that countrey And except it were the settinge of these princes together by the eares he did nothing worthy memory till his death being Anno. 954. In his time was a counsell holden at Ingelhaim but suche was the negligence of the time that no man can tell what was done there or wherefore it was 68 Iohn the thirtene IOhn the thirtene being the sonne of the foresayde Albericus sonne to Marozia obtained to be Pope partly by the bribery partly by the threatning of his father Albericus being Prince He being Pope liued not like a bishop but altogether like a ranke ruffianly roister geuing him selfe wholly to all kinde of pleasure as to whoredome adultery incest masking momming hunting maygames playes robberies fyring of houses periury dyce cardes blaâ—ing robbing of churches and other villanies euen froÌ„ his youth he misused his cardinalles in cropping their noses thrusting out their eyes chopping of their fingers and handes cutting out their tongues gelding them and vsing diuers diuersly For before the Emperour Otho in an opeÌ„ Sinode it was layde to his charge as Luthprandus wryteth in his sixt booke that he neuer sayde Mattins that in celebrating the masse he him selfe had not communicated that he made Deacons in his stable among his horses that he had committed incest with two harlots being his owne sisters That hee played at dice prayed to the diuell to sende him good lucke that for money he admitted boyes to be bishops He had rauished virgines and straunge womeÌ„ He had made the holy pallaice of Lateran a stewes brothell house That he had defloured Stephana his fathers concubine and one Rainera a wydowe besyde one Anna an other wydowe and her niece that he had put out the eyes of Benedict his ghostly father vsed common hunts that he woare armour and set houses on fyre brast open dores and wyndowes by night that he tooke a cup of wyne dranke to the diuell and neuer blessed him selfe with the signe of the crosse these and many more odious articles were layde to his charge Whereupon the Emperour by the consent of the Prelates deposed him And Leo the eight was set vp in his steade But as sone as the Emperour was gone those harlottes that had bene his companioÌ„s inueigled the nobles of Rome promising theÌ„ the treasures of the church to depose Leo and place Iohn againe whiche they did out of hande and so Leo whom the Emperour appointed was deposed and Iohn established againe Who in his Popeship decreed that the Emperour should euer be crowned at Rome by the Pope But as he was solacing him self with out Rome on a certaine night with the wyfe of one that was a valiaunt man he was taken by him euen in his adultery and so sore and depely wouÌ„ded with a dagger that he died thereof within eight dayes in the tenth yeare of his Popedome as Mantuan witnesseth Of this Pope Iohn S. Dunstane a Nicromancier and a coniuring MoÌ„ke archbishop of Caunterbury in Englande receiued at Rome coÌ„firmation and pall to be metropolitan Anno. 960. This Dunstane did shamefully snaffle king Edgar For the king had deflowred a certaine Noonne for the which cause DuÌ„stane did so taunte and rate him that the king fell downe flatte before him offering to submitte him selfe to any satisfaction and obayed this that was commaunded him by Dunstane first because he was yet vncrowned he charged him that he should not take the crowne vpon him for seuen yeares and that during this time he should fast twyse in the weke distribute his treasure to the nedy builde a Noonnery at Shaftesbury and last of al that he should driue out all maried ministers calling them adulterous priestes Cronicon SaxonicuÌ„ ecclesiae VVigorniensis But as other stories testifie they were shortly after restored againe the moÌ„ks who had encroched their places were depriued Also he purchased of him for a great somme of money a coÌ„mission to disanulle and coÌ„demne the mariage of the Clergie and to constrayne them to single life or els to depriue them of ecclesiasticall benefites So writeth Iohn Capgraue and Polidor Virgil. in his sixt booke of the history of Englande Hereupon he being emboldened by the auctoritie of king Edgar ioyning to him selfe in the same commission Oswalde bishop of Yorke Ethelwalde bishop of Winchester and Monkes of the like disposition did violently thrust out of the cathedrall churches the Curates and Ministers whiche would not forsake their wiues and planted in them Monkes with their counterfaited chastitie whiche they kept vntill the time of the moste renowmed Prince kyng Henry the eight But many there were that stoutly stoode in defiance of this wicked doing especially a certayne Scot did bitterly speake against it Of this Pope Iohn came this prouerbe As mery as Pope Iohn 69 Benedict the fift BEnedict the fift after the departure of Otho the Emperour with his armye and depriuing of Leo being but a Deacon and Cardinall was made Pope by Iohns frends in a tumultuous time But Otho would not suffer Leo whome he had appointed to take this iniurye and therefore returning to Rome with his armie hee plonged the Romaines diuers wayes to make them yelde this Benedict into his handes and to restore Leo. Therefore after they had kept the gates lockt twoo monethes they yelded Benedict vnto the Emperour and receiued Leo and established him solemly in the
FINIS 118. Honorius the thirde HOnorius the thirde a Romaine borne was made Pope at Prusium at what time the Cardinals distressed for want of foode did there dispatch the election of him Who byinge to Rome as fast as he coulde toke order about the warre in Asia to maintaine it stil knowiÌ„g how auaylable it was to their matters wroughte heare at home in Christendome forth with Iohn Columna a Cardinal of Rome was appointed to proceede as ambassadour with that armye which Innocentius had prouided for that purpose He crowned Frederick the seconde sonne of Constance the Nonne Emperour against Otho the fourth whom notwithstanding afterward for vsinge his owne right in the coastes of Sicil Apulia the Pope excommunicated Yea this Honorius sayth Marius was so enflamed against this Emperour Frederick that hee did trayterouslye maintaine Thomas and Mathewe Earles of Thuscia with other rebels that put themselues in armoure against the Emperours maiestye whereby the Emperour coulde not punishe them as they deserued which sayth Vspergensis caused him much to complaine that the Sea of Rome did euer maintaine traytours and rebels which presumed vpon that refuge Also he discharged his barons of their fealty to their Lorde which mischiefe was yet for a while stayed by the meanes of Hermannus maister of the flemings of Zeland He coÌ„firmed the orders of Dominican Franciscan friers deuised in the time of Innocentius He maintayned the white fryers and Augustinian fryers that they should vphould transubstantiation against the Valdenses who then began to defye the Church of Rome in many matters for the Dominicans forged that Pope Innocentius a little before his death had a vision wherin was reuealed vnto him that Lateran Church should fall vnlesse their patron Dominicus shoulde bolster it vppon his shoulders whereof Mantuan deluded with such fansyes maketh mention Al. so he wryteth of another dreame for the Franciscan fryers of which though they dreamed as necessarye yet I omitte as vaine and fonde In this Popes time while these thinges were doing there were seene in the ayre strauÌ„g sights testifying the horror of Antichrist encreasing in his members as shall appeare by the Popes following While the ChristiaÌ„ estates were turmoyled abrode fighting for Hierusalem the Pope in pompe and ease at home was at leasure to build sondrye sumptuous Pallaces and gorgeous Temples dedicating them to diuers Saincts He published Epistles decretall and decreed that vnlearned parsons should not be made priestes He commaunded that when the singinge cake was heaued and lifted vp the people should fal downe on their knees and that it should be caryed in comlye order to the sicke with a burning Taper before it He grauÌ„ted Archbishops power to giue pardons faculties dispensations dualities pluralities wtin their diocesse Anno 1223 one Adam CathaneÌ„sis a bishop in Scotlande as Boethius wryteth was burned of his own neighbours in his owne kitchin because he had excoÌ„municated certaine of them for with holding theyr tythes the Pope knowing of this murther neuer ceased till to reuenge the same foure hundred of these men were hanged and their children gelded by king Alexander A sufficient reueÌ„ge for the death of one man Furthermore this Pope warred vppon the Emperour in Apulia and condemned the Earle of Tholos for an hereticke geuinge his landes to the French kinge and finallye would not suffer his bodye to be buryed like a Christian. At length the Pope died Anno 1227. of whom Mattheus Parisius in the 8. booke of his Chronicle wryteth thus Pope Honorius sent his Legate Otho to require to haue Prebendes giuen vnto him throughe all England For sayth the Pope the naturall children must assist their mother in pouertye Therefore he required ij prebends of euery Cathedrall Church one of the bishops stipende and the other from the charter And so he â—raued diuers porcioÌ„s out of the religious houses At this time the Pope was sicke of the spiritual dropsye so that by his Legat he drancke vp the treasures of the clergye and cloystermongers and vsed straunge tyrannye amonge them for Hugh VVells bishop of Lincolne to recouer his bishopricke paide an hundred markes to the Popes Legat and a thousande markes to the Pope At this time it rayned bloude for the space of three dayes in Rome whereuppon one wrote these two Verses O pater Honori multorum nate dolori Est tibi dedecori viuere vade mori O Pope Honorius borne thou werst to mischiefe many men Thou liuest with shame conuaie with speede thy boones to deadly den 119. Gregorie the ninth GRegorie the ninth borne in Campania was nephew to Innocentius the thirde He maintayned the quarell of his predecessour Honorius against the Emperour This Gregorie as Marius wryteth was more maliciouslye disposed toward the sayd Frederick for he accused him because he woulde not fulfill that vaine promise to the needelesse sheddinge of Christian bloud which he made to Honorius for the vnprofitable recoueringe of Hierusalem And therefore this Gregorie did excommunicate him before the Emperour coulde be hearde to speake or were conuicted by reason neither woulde hee suffer the Emperours Embassadours to come to his presence nor heare them in the councell which came to alleadge good and reasonable excuses in the Emperours behalfe as his owne sickenes at his settinge forward caused him to staye besides the death of the Lautgraue Therfore sayth Vspergensis this Pope like a proude man began in his first yeare to excoÌ„municat and curse the Emperour for certaine foolish and false causes neglectinge all order of iudgement as the Emperour sheweth in excusinge himselfe in his epistle to the Princes of Almanye openinge to them because the Pope refused to heare it his innocencye and vpright dealing And therfore certaine noblemen in Rome namely of the house called Frangentes panem when the Pope did the second time excommunicate Frederick they caused the Pope to be driuen oute of the Citye with foule shame so that he ranne awaye byding at Peruse al that yeare the yeare folowing Yet no meanes could asswage his furye but he prouoked Iohn kinge of Hierusalem the foresaid Earles of Thuscia rebels to the Emperour and manye other Princes to trouble him The Emperour appointed a day of assembly for diuers Christian Princes at Rauenna and the Princes were making speede thether to obeye him but by the Popes commauÌ„dement they went backe againe and certaine souldiours wearing the Crosse by the Emperours appointment for the voyage to Hierusalem were robbed and spoiled of all their prouisioÌ„ The Emperour seing this sought to appease the Popes furye and to get his goodwil prepared his iourney according to his promise to Hierusalem he tooke shippe and sayled into Cyprus and afterward to Acon and striued much against the Soldan for the Christian fayth with great paine and trauell In the meane time the Pope seing the Emperours absence seruinge his turne gat Apulia to be vnder his obeisance and forbad that the souldiours wearing
sommoned a councell into his Pallaice in Viciana sylua where the whole assemblye subscribed against the Popes heresye and therefore the kinge sent to Pope Iohn willinge him both to reforme his heresye and also to deliuer the prysoner so the said Thomas was set at libertye This Pope reformed and transposed the orders decrees of the Church at his owne pleasure made Colledges of Scribes according to the nomber of the Apostles who receyuing their fee should write such letters as he should appoint He cōdemned Iohn Poliacus a deuine because he taught that mē should not trust the begging fryers He cōpelled certaine Nonnes called Biginae to marrye and detested pictures He helde it for a grounded article that Christ gaue none other rule of godlinesse to his Apostles then to other Christians and that the Apostles neuer vowed pouertye Iohn Mandeuil in his first booke and seuenth Chapter sheweth that this Pope wrote at large to the Greekes that there is but onely one Christian Church and that he was head thereof and vicar of Christ to whō the Greekes aunswered briefely VVee do assuredlye acknowledge your highe power ouer your subiectes but wee cannot abide your high pride wee cannot stanch your greedye couetousnes the deuill is with you but God is with vs. Thus briefely in a worde they reuealed the Popes estate This Pope condemned Lewis Bauare a noble Emperour to be a rebell to the Church a scismaticke and hereticke because he toke vpon him by the Electours choyse the gouernment of the Empyre not vowing anye fealtye to the Pope Thus wryteth Iohn Marius of this Emperour Lewis Pope Iohn sayth he hated vnto death Lewis Bauare partly because he beinge chosen by the estates of Germanye kinge of the Romaynes did disdaine to receyue at the Popes hand according to the Canon of Pope Clement the fifte the name and title Emperiall partly againe because he defended from the Popes power certaine monkes whom he had condemned for heretickes therefore Pope Iohn auouched Lewis to be an hereticke Lewis comminge into Italye appointed his deputies in euery Cittye and came to Millen and because he desired to qualifye the Popes displeasure he sent Embassadours to him kepinge his courte then at Auenio in Fraunce to require of him the ornamentes belonging to the estate imperiall with freindlye affection as his auncestours had done the Pope did not onelye denye the sute but sent awaye the Embassadours with great reproche and cited the Emperour him selfe peremptory wyse as they terme it to come to Auenio submit himselfe to the Canons of the Church The Emperour knowinge the Popes tyrannye vsed in his Church vnderstanding that he had his estate giuen him from God desired to keepe and defende the same holye and vndefiled and therefore woulde not submit himselfe like a slaue vnto Popes and so denyed to come to Auenio And yet being desirous of peace he besought the Pope by Embassadours once againe to bestowe on him with curtesye the ornamentes of the Empyre the Pope stoode peuishlye in his wilfulnes vaunting and boasting in his wrytings that he had power to playe make marre w t Princes and that at his pleasure he might set vp and depose whom he listed and that the Empyre being voyde the Pope is ful Emperour And for malice against Lewis he excōmunicated the Uicounts whom the Emperour had appointed to gouerne Millen The Emperour perceyuinge the Popes obstinate minde taking with him many Princes of Italye came to Rome and was honourablye receyued of al the people and required according to the custome to receiue the solemnityes of the Empyre The Romaine peeres and all the people sent Embassadours to Pope Iohn in Fraunce and humbly besought him to come to visit his City Rome to bestowe vpon the king of the Romaynes the imperiall rites which if he would not do they said plainly that they them selues would keepe the ould law priuiledge of the Romaynes Iohn hauing heard the Embassadours vsing great threates and terrours draue them away with foule rebuke frō him The Romaynes seing this decreed to yeld to the noble Lewis his lawfull request and so by the commaundement of the clergy and people both he and his wyfe together were crowned by Steuē Nicolas being Senatours in the meane time the nobilitye shouted oute saying God saue Lewis Augustus Emperour of the Romaynes The Pope hearing this though the Emperour did nothing but that was lawful and godly did accuse him for a traytour and an heretick he published sore processe against him put him frō his estate imperial depriued him of his kingdome condemned him by vile and cruel curse of excōmunication as a rebell and Captaine heretick againste the Church of Rome by meanes whereof he enflamed all Christendome with such discord deadly warres as could not afterward be quenched in thirty yeres Thus farre wryteth Marius Thus the Pope had nothing to defende his forged supremacye and auctoritye but the dreadfull boultes of his excommunication But there were certaine at this time as well deuines as lawyers which preached that Christe and his Apostles did possesse nothinge properlye and that the Emperour in temporall cases was not subiect to the Pope Amonge these men were Michael Coesenus VVilliam Occam minorites Marsilius of Padua Iohn of Iandane lawyers with diuers other Lewis the Emperour was so comforted by these that he did stoutly withstand the Popes ententes and published this his appellation about the coastes of his Empyre ¶ The Emperours letters WE Lewis kinge of the Romaynes doe pronounce against Iohn who saith that hee is Pope that he doth naughtelye execute the testament and will of Christe cōcerning peace troubling the cōmon tranquility of Christendome neither is he mindfull that what honour soeuer he nowe doth enioye was first giuen by the holye Emperour Constantine to Syluester euen when he forfeare lurked in forrestes Thus doth he shewe himselfe vnthankful to the Romaine Empire from whence hee reaped all the roialty which now he abuseth c. Thus when Lewis and the peeres of Rome perceyued well the iniquitye of Pope Iohn and the people of Rome from the hyest to the lowest did take it in euill part that the Embassadours whō they had sent were so mocked of him they all agreed together that the ould custome of chosing the Pope should be brought into the Church that is that he being chosen by the people of Rome should be admitted and allowed by the Emperour Therefore one Peter of Corbaria a minorite was made Pope and was called Nicolas the fifte and as for Iohn they cōcluded of him that he was an heretick and a tyrant of the Church not a pastour but a breaker of the common peace of Christians In the meane time Pope Iohn Anno 1335. in the fourscore x. yeres of his age dyed at Auenio About the yeare of our Lord 1326. in the time of this Pope Iohn the prelats of Englād played a stout prancke for the bishop of Hertford
Gyrenfalck Iohn Ibelhard Sebastian Lepusculus Seuerinus Erimontanus Iohn Maeder Iohn Brandmiller and other ministers of Gods word whose beneuolēce is daily seene I omitte the griefes which you moste willingly suffered not without great paines and trauayle But this onely I will saye that although the good will of the people and magistrate was sufficiently inflamed of them selues toward yet it did seeme to arise and spring for the moste part through your sermons so that whatsoeuer beneuolence happened vnto vs at that tyme was through your request and impulsion But here as I sayde before I desire breuitie bicause I am one of them which haue experience of you I will speake more of Tigur and Geneua For Tigur alwayes being a safegard to such as flye frō their countreyes and a moste excellent vniuersitie of learned diuines and a moste renoumed schole doth open vnto me a large fielde in which this my oration may walke and haue his full course Whether I haue respect vnto the common profite of al nations or that that is only proper to England for what a notable oracle there is as it were for all Christendome what a notable quire of most learned men For that I may say nothing of thee O Bullinger whō so many notable bookes compiled with such singular pietie and manifold learning with suche varietie of all thinges and sentences of aunciēt writers decked as it were with starres doth praise enough to the Catholike church although I holde my peace But that I may omitte al the other which were borne and bread at Tygur As Bibliander and Hippius whiche knewe all thinges Radulph Gualther the eloquent preacher and politik writer Cōradus Gesnerus a notable library as it were of all disciplines and my singuler friend Iosias Simler and Iohn Vuolphius most learned men also my very friends with many other notable professors of other artes Good Lorde what notable olde men were those learned straungers M. Peter Martyr and Barnardine Ochinus whiche you receiued into your citie One of the whiche if some other congregatiō should haue they should seeme to be blessed and enriched with a great treasure and ornamēt Happy was Englande when she possessed them miserable whē she lost them of this congregation sithe thou art president most learned Bullinger I haue iustly chosen thee to be my patrone with whose authoritie the Romaine court may be weakened and my discription be established Who if thou wouldest call into the fielde these noble captaines stoute souldious with their furnished bandes with a reasonable power thou shalt ouercome at the first one onset the whole troupes and bondes of the Papistes But I will omitte these thinges as common and knowen to all men what he hath done to our Englishe men at Tigur seeing that is proper to my purpose and not the other I will here leue that and touch this but briefly For when I was with you and had tasted thy hospitalitie O Bullīger the humanitie of others I vnderstode the great good will you did beare to our coūtremen which were with you That worthy man Iohn Parckhurst and worthy of a better fortune did declare to me howe much bounde he was to thee to M. Gualter and to the whole citie It was tolde me also of thē which were at Basill with me of thy care and fatherly affection toward them whyle they liued with you together in one house euen vnder the shadowe of your citie being defended from all persecution with the great cōsent and loue of your citizēs Also the incredible liberalitie of your magistrates the which frely gaue vnto them corne and wine sufficient to susteine .xiii. or .xiiii. men and when they refused to take it they were sory that they hadde not oportunitie to pleasure them But nowe I haste to Geneua of which if I should make any long oratiō when I had saide all I should seeme scarce to haue declared halfe that whiche might be saide In the which I greatly marueile at the notable prouidence of our God which so stirred vp the mindes of the citizens and magistrates that they were not afrayde to receiue so many thousand straungers into the suburbes of one citie Againe did so turne the heartes of the straungers that although they were more in nūber the superiours yet woulde submitte them selues vnder their power as though they were the inferiours in so muche that they did not acknowledge them selues to be Lordes and citizens but priuate men and straungers Let other men fayne other miracles but Geneua seemeth to me to be the wonderfull miracle of the whole worlde so many from all countries come thether as it were vnto a sanctuary not to gather riches but to liue in pouertie not to be satisfied but to be hungry not to liue pleasauntly but to liue miserably not to saue their goodes but to leese them Many marchantes do rushe thether for gaynes souldiours for spoyles all for their owne profitte But it seemeth to be a monsterous and a wonderfull miracle that men should flye to scarcenes from plenteousnes to trauaile frō ease from plenteousnes of ryches to miserable pouertie Lutetia London Franckfort are newe markets for marchandize vnto the which men come not for gaine not for marchandise not for tauerning to chaūge heauenly thinges w t earthly things that in steede of humane treasures they may gather heauenly treasures in heauen We haue read that consuls haue bin taken from the plough to beare rule but from florishinge fortune from great riches and dignities to the plough to great labours and trauayle frō an horse to an asse weeting and knowing it is it not a great marueile Is it not wonderfull that Spanyardes Italians Scottes Englishemen Frenchemen Germaines disagreeing in manners speache and apparell sheepe and wolues bulles and beares being coupled with the onely yoke of Christe should liue so louingly and friendly and that Monkes Laymen and Nunnes disagreeing both in life and secte should dwell together like a spirituall and Christian congregation vsing one order one cloyster and like ceremonies Is it not wonderfull that so many stoute enemies hanging ouer them and looking still to deuoure them as Sathan and the Pope their moste bitter enemies they should not onely be safe but also liue so long time in quietnes Thankes be therfore vnto God because he hath appointed the pastour of his scattered and dispersed flocke the captaine of the vanished to be the chiefe of the miserable people with whose counsell gouernment wisdome so great a congregation of people being not only diuerse but contrary one to another hath bene nourished together vnder one bande of loue so that nowe nothing is more louing thē those enemies nothing more like then their vnlikenes no body more happy then these miserable men I thanke thee in this my writing in the name of them all because when they would purely honoure God in their owne countrey can not it may be lawefull for them to come to the churche and celebrate the
a good pastour and painfull labourer in the Lordes haruest and at length was put to death cruelly Anno. 144. It is reported that he wrote out of a caue where he hid him selfe an Epistle touching God and the incarnation of the sonne of God 9. Pius of Aquilia PIus borne in Aquilia is reported to haue done many godly dedes in the church vnder Antonius Verus And in the end watered the churche of Christe with his bloud in martyrdome Anno. 159. 10. Anicetus ANicetus a Sirian was a diligent pastour of the churche of Rome till he was martyred Anno. 169. 11. Sother SOther borne in Campania as the valiaunt souldiour of Christe Iesus serued vnder his spirituall banner in the time of Antonius Cōmodus He employed him self moste diligently to bring the soules of the baptized to saluation in Christe both by doctrine and example of life And in the ende confirmed the Gospell whiche he had faithfully preached with his bloud in martyrdome Anno. 177. 12. Eleutherius ELeutherius a Grecian was also a carefull and vigilant pastour in his time the persecution of the tyrants did somewhat decreace many godly writers bestowed great paynes to wryte sondry learned bookes against diuerse heresies and heretikes whiche then enfected the churche And among other this Eleutherius did also defende against Titianus that no vsuall trade of life is to be reiected But not withstanding that the stormes of persecution were somewhat calmed in his time because many of the Romayne nobilitie beleued on Christe yet Masseus saythe he was beheaded Anno. 191. 13. Victor VIctor borne in Aphrica did succeade Eleutherius This man was the first that when the storme of persecution was calmed vsurping authoritie vpon straungers sought to haue an oar in an other mans boate In the former byshops saith Vincelius the spirite abounded but in these that folowe the temptacion of fleshe and bloud preuayled Policrates bishop of Ephesus and Iraeneus bishop of Lions did bouldly reproue this Victor for exempting his bretheren in Asia from the communiō because in keping Easter day they folowed not the vse of the churche of Rome So that the churche was then rent in twayne by meanes of his obstinacy He died Anno. 203. 14. Zepherinus ZEpherinus was a Romaine borne a man as writers do testifie more addicted with all endeuour to the seruice of God then to the cure of any worldly affayres Where as before his time the wine in the celebrating the cōmuniō was ministred in a cup of woode he first did alter that and in steade thereof brought in cuppes or chalices of glasse And yet he did not this vpon any supersticion as thinking woode to be vnlawefull or glasse to be more holy for that vse but because the one is more comly and semely as by experience it appeareth then the other And yet some wooden doultes do dreame that the wooden cuppes were chaunged by him because that part of the wine or as they thought the royall bloud of Christe did soake into the woode and so it can not be in glasse Surely soner may wine soake into any woode then any witte into those winie heads that thus both deceiue them selues and slaunder this Godly martyr Who in the yeare of our lorde 220. suffered martyrdome vnder Aurelius In the time of this Zepherinus the Artemonites were a secte of vaine Philosophicall diuines who as our late scholemen did corrupt the scripture with Aristotle and Theophrastus turning all into curious and subtile questions 15. Calixtus the first CAlixtus borne at Rauenna when persecution began to wexe hotte againe did like a constant Christian hide him selfe with many moe in a certaine place on the farther side of Tiber. In these daies saith Platina al thinges were kept close and hidden because the persecution was so great euery where yea their churches and places of assembly were in corners and caues for the moste parte But Anno 226. this Calixtus was apprehended by the commaundement of Alexander Seuerus and was beaten with coodgiels pent in prison afterwarde hurled headlong out of a wyndowe and then his bodie was drowned in a depe pitte 16. Vrbanus VRbanus a Romaine liued vnder that moste lasciuious wreatche Heliogabalus the Emperoure and with his sinceritie of life and excellencie in learning he drewe many men on all sides to the Gospell He was oftentimes banished the citie for the Christian faithe but being secretlye brought in againe by the faithfull he was martyred by cōmaundement of Seuerus Anno. 233. 17. Pontianus POntianus a Romaine in the time of the sayde Emperour Seuerus being one of Christes ministers and a distributer of Gods misteries suffered both banishement punishement for the Gospell and the churche sake For when they ran thicke to him to heare him preache the worde by the princes commaundement being set on by the Idolatrous priestes he is caried frō Rome to the Isle Sardinia where after many miseries and sore tormētes he was put to death Anno. 239. 18. Antheros ANtheros was borne in Grece a man of God if any wer He preached Christe stoutely euen vnder the tyranny of Maximinus the Emperour This byshop prouided first of all that the actes of martyrs should be diligently writtē by notaries least the remembraunce of Gods hardie souldiours should be lost with their liues This Antheros in the yeare 243. did with his bloude beutifie the churche whiche with his woorde he had fed before 19. Fabian AFter him came Fabius a Romain borne who as Eusebius witnesseth as he was returning home out of the fielde and with his contrimen present to electe a newe byshop there was a pygeon sene standing on his head and sodenly he was created pastour of the churche whiche he loked not for While he liued he him selfe sawe that the recordes of martyrs should be written and that burying places should be prepared for them who afterwarde vnder Decius that afterwarde dealt cruelly with his owne brethren ended his life with most glorious death Anno. 150. 20. Cornelius COrnelius a Romaine being in the time of Decius accounted the seuēth persecutour of Christe his church had a Godly care ouer the safetie of his neighbours He entertayned curteously and restored to the churche as many as hauing denied Christe in tormentes did yet repent thē of their deede afterward O the aboōdant spirite of Christ that was in this byshop O worthy minister of the Gospel for although this mā of God Cornelius was caried away into banishemēt yet he neuer fayled the churche of Christ. But as a valiant champiō in the maintenaūce of the truth did yelde his necke vnto the sworde of Decius 21. Lucius LVcius a Romain being a faithful seruant in the lordes house and driuen into banishment by Gallus Hostilianus the persecutour of Christianitie was comforted of S. Ciprian by his letters And at the lengthe after Gallus death euen by Gods wil retourned to Rome enriched the churche with healthful doctrine and afterward being purified in the lambes bloud he pearced the heauenly paradise
and doting dreames and listeneth not to lyes c. This Syluester died a confessour Anno domini 334. Mantuan in his thirde booke of the life of S. Blase bringeth in an Angell talking with the sayde Blase among other martyrs of the Empyre of the foresayde Constantine and of the estate of the churche for the time folowyng of the wickednes that should raigne both among the Clergie and the people and finally of the vengeance that should ensue His wordes are these ¶ The woordes of the Angell to Blase concerning Constantine THe tyraÌ„tes being daunted now a gracious prince shal raigne In Romain empier vnder whoÌ„ the world shal peace obtaine And worship Idols olde no more the mighty Constantine Shall kepe his court in Thracia and to the Lorde diuine Christe Iesus Italy he leaues and Rome with mountaines seueÌ„ Then shal the crosse despised earst aduaunced be to heauen And far excel the Romain mace the â—cepter the crown c. ¶ Of the euels to come vpon the churche But euen vpon this gentle calme there shal alas ensewe Destruction such as wel thou mayst with woful wepings rewe And poyson ranke shall surely from the hony swete pâ—ocede The sound of ease the name of peace are plesant words in dede But out alas more wretchednes more villany and vice More greuous wouÌ„ds more shame wo shal to the church arise Euen of this peace then did of all the bloudy broiles and warre For auncient vertue shal decline and pleasure vaine shal marre â–ª And spoile the bodies chast of meÌ„ through waÌ„tonesse welth The lazy mide shal quayle droupe neglecting heaueÌ„ly helth O leude delightes O wicked guise O cursed time I se The people of their Lord and Christ forgetful quite to be I se their vnbeleuing hartes doth treade down and defie The faith hedlong into sinne by thousandes thick they flie I se how men are beastes become and Rome is now transport Into a stable c. ¶ Of the plagues that folowe Then shal we heaueÌ„ly gostes at length most wrathfully be bent And God shal frowne against those laÌ„des wheÌ„ vp to him is sent The shew of this their wicked age heaueÌ„ shal shut vp his grace And al reliefe froÌ„ earth whom hell with horrour doth deface At wrath of God the noysome starres shal altogether conspire And fling down fearcely froÌ„ aboue most fearful flakes of fire And heaueÌ„ shal make his wrath away to daunt driue to dust This saluage kinde of faithlesse folke and people most vniust And meÌ„ with grim grisely lookes with stern gastly mind To rise vp from the Northren poale shal be by God assind The Hunnes the Gothes the Vandals Turkes rude creatures lacking lawe Of God and maÌ„ to guide and kepe their saluage hartes in awe The ChristiaÌ„s eke amoÌ„g theÌ„selues shal wrangle braule iarre And as mad dogges one eate anothers hart through ciuil warre The Romaynes shal destroy the Greekes the Almaynes waste the Frenche VVith more then deadly hate that one the others power may quenche They shall forbeare the Saracens and Turkes And thus muche concerning this matter Nowe let the reader consider that whiche foloweth whether it agree not to this that Mantuan hath written If it be true as Mantuan saithe that Blase had this reuelacioÌ„ then the estate of Rome folowing this time was condemned as detestable by the Angell But if it be but fayned by Mantuan and other then we se howe they noting howe farre this latter churche of Rome in her pompe and royaltie swarued from the former in persecution iudged of it and yet was Mantuan an Italian Carmelite or whyte Fryar Thus hath it pleased God that some of the braunches shoulde both discerne and bewray the loathsomnesse of this wicked tree But it shall not be amisse here to adde the saying of Sleidan talking of this time of Syluester in his seconde booke of the iiii Monarches Then sayth he the byshops of Rome began first to be in safetie for hetherto they were almoste all put to death From Peter whom they will haue to be the first to this time they accompt xxxiii Their decrees are set downe among the generall counsels but the moste of them are suche trifles suche toyes and so diuers from the scripture that it is credible that they were deuised by other that came long after But if it were true that they came from these former prelates saint Paules wordes may be well applied hereunto being veryfied saying in prophecy That lost childe and maÌ„ of sinne did euen then beginne to worke the mystery of iniquitie Coloss. 2. Anacletus as some saye the fourth froÌ„ Peter hath this decree extant in his name That the Churche of Rome should by the commaundemeÌ„t and institution of Christ be the head of other Churches Also to Alexander is attributed that he commaunded that water should be hallowed with salte to purge the people of sinne and to dryue awaye the snares of the deuill But howe muche do these banities differ from the maiestie of the Apostles doctrine from the wryting of Iohn the EuaÌ„gelist who liued almost till the time of these bishops These two decrees may suffise for wyse men to iudge of the reste being euen of the self same mould for the moste part bearing with them an open shewe of ambition But to returne to the purpose this CoÌ„stantine for the loue and zeeale whiche he bare vnto the Churche did endewe the pastors thereof with many large benefites ryches and possessions that they might with better oportunitie addicte them selues to preache the Gospel But where as he gaue them an inche some haue since stollen an elle fathering vpon him the forged donacion for their supremacy But of his liberalitie toward the church Eusebius wryteth at large He sommoned the first generall counsell at Nicea wherein the detestable heresie of Arrius was condemned though it could not be with all so vtterly quenched but that it did yet afterward enflame again so that some of the sparcles therof did alight euen in the pontificall seate of Rome sone after as shall appeare by some of these that follow Finis libri primi THE SECONDE SORTE OF ROMAINE BIshops from Syluester to Boniface the thirde ¶ These bishops persecution being ceased began to take estate more vpon them then the former for Constantine and other Christian princes began of deuocioÌ„ and zeale to aduaunce the prelates to wealth and therupon they liuing in wealth and ease began also to aduaunce theÌ„selues in dignitie aboue the former estate putting riche mytâ—rs on their heades taking vpon them the name of Archebishops Also they began by litle and litle to adde their own deuices to Gods seruice to alter chop and chauÌ„ge and make Canons as liked euery ones fantasie and so pecemeale began to plante and sowe in Rome the seade of Antichriste which afterwarde grewe vp to so great pride and abhomination Thus at the firste in the churche deuotion bredde wealth but the
misordred all And stately tables combred are with fishe of larger sort So Gregories laws â—r kept wher nede doth bear a siÌ„ple port That in the shallowe brookes and floodes to find his fare As for the great grown fulsom fishe in depth of seas they are But holy peers that do with Peters line and gredy hooke Down to the bottom angle can eche sort of fishes brooke Gregorie gaue tapers to the churche and furnished it with quier Psalmodis Canticles Oades Hymnus and other Heathen ceremonies He buylded sixe Monasteries of his owne coste in Sicilia and dedicated Agathas churche He forbad that women should resorte to abbeyes or that Monkes should resorte to Nonneries Also he woulde not haue MoÌ„kes baptize neither Nonnes to be Godmothers He forbad him that had bene twise married to bee made priests And that priestes should geue testimony of honest life by taking an oathe He was an vphoulder of pardons but not a seller of them He was the first that gaue pardons vpon certayne dayes to suche as frequented the churche He entertained straungers at his table He ayded the MoÌ„kes of Hierusalem with necessaries and gaue stipendes to three thousande maydes He allowed by decree the first fiue counsels He forbad that sainctes Images should be brokeÌ„ or that one of the Clergie should at the Emperours commaundement serue in the warres or that there should bee twoo Metropolitanes in one Prouince He would haue a bishop to be consecrate but ones and would haue the laste will and testament of euery man to be ratified He made foure bookes of Dialogues to boulster vp Purgatorie He allowed hallowing of ashes washing of feete worshipping of the crosse and massâ—s to be saide for the dead and wherin the Papistes horribly belie him he deliuered Traian the Emperours soule from hell He coÌ„temning the Britaines sent Augustine a Monke to reclaime the English Saxons to the churche of Rome He reft from London the right of the Archebishoprike and translated it by the same Augustines meanes to Caunterburie Al these thinges did Gregorie as Patriarke of Rome and died a confessour Anno. 604. But although he doted in many supersticions yet more is falsely fathered on him theÌ„ euer he did or thought 33. Sabinianus SAbinianus borne in Thusca was a Prelate of no value who for the hate he bare to his predecessour Gregorie after he had published certaine flaunders against him coÌ„maunded that his bookes should be burned This man being the last of the Romaine Patriarkes commauÌ„ded that the howers of the daye shoulde bee deuided by ringing of belles for the ecclesiasticall offices that they should haue continuall burning lampes in the churche At lengthe he died an infamous death through feare that he conceiued of a terrible vision which he sawe in the night time An. 606. The Christian deedes of Gregorie NOwe to say somewhat touching the ChristiaÌ„ sayinges and doinges of the foresaid Gregorie he fought stoutly against the supremacie of the Popishe kingdome in the very entraunce of the Popedome and hewde in pieces with sharpe tauntes the title of vniuersal Patriarkeship saying that suche an one was the foreronner of Antichriste an hipocrite a tyrauÌ„t and Lucifer the vsurper of Gods power He commaunded certaine Images that were of wonderfull excellent workemanship to be throwen into the Riuer Tiber least religion should be corrupted by them He commaunded prayer and fasting for the asswaging of the pestilence He reclaymed the Gothes from the Arrians to the vnitie of the church He wrote Homilies in a pleasaunt stile following S. Augustine Hee xpounded the moste part of the holy bookes of the Bible He by common consent defaced the name of vniuersall byshop And professed him selfe in his wrytinges Seruus seruorum Dei seruaunt to Gods seruauntes whereby he might shewe howe farre he was from all ambicion and desire of soueraintie This title his posteritie hath continued bearing the name but forbearing the humilitie that belongeth therunto At the length Gregorie did greatly lamente to se that howling and chauÌ„ting in the church had so taken place that preaching of the Gospell was neglected Beholde quoth he among other sayinges the worlde is full of priestes yet in the lordes haruest are founde fewe labourers We haue taken vpon vs the office but wce do not discharge the office Brethren I thinke that God suffereth dishonour of none more then of priestes for the moste parte If they se any liue in lowly estate or liue continently they scorne them Consider therfore what becoÌ„meth of the flocke when Wolues are made shepeheardes These take charge of the sheepe who are not afrayde to endaunger the liues of the Lordes foulde but they chaunge the office of their blessed function to the encrease of their ambicion We leaue Gods cause ronne to worldly affaires we enioye the place of holines and are entangled with earthly matters so that Baptist Mantuan saith of him in the thirde booke of his Fastor In speache he was ful eloquent his workes are yet in store He speaketh still and by his workes he shall do euermore He taught the quyristers to sing in soÌ„gs was his delight Huldricus bishop of Aâ—gusta sheweth a wonderful story of this bishop in his Epistle to Nicolas the first the effect whereof is that this Gregorie did firste coÌ„maunde priestes to liue single life but afterwarde when he perceiued that they were geuen secretly to fleshly pleasure and that hereupon many children were murthered hee disanulled that commaundement and sayde that it was better to mary theÌ„ geue occasion of murther For wheÌ„ on a time he sent a certaine woman vnto a fishepoole to take fishe there were founde in the same poole sixe thousande heades of infantes that had bene drowned therein whiche he perceauing to procede of forced single life with sighing and sorrowing he reuoked that Canon For as that Huldericus sheweth they accompanied not onely with virgins and wyues but also euen with their owne kindred with mankind yea and that whiche is horrible to be sayde with brute beastes After the tyme of this Gregorie ensued more blindnes theÌ„ was before The puritie of doctrine decayed the churche was darkened maruelously with mans tradicions For Monkery with his manifolde supersticions waxed great Herewithall sprang vp sale of masses and praying to the dead and the Lordes supper began to be an offering for the dead Bishops also being deluded with visions of spirites or rather of diuels began to reuolte from the doctrine of faithe to put affiance in good workes and mans satisfactioÌ„ as appeareth of Gregorie As it is euident of Gregorie who in his Dialogues to Theodolinda a very superstitious woman telleth of dead men that appeared and craued to haue prayers and suffrages This while Christianitie began to fall to ceremonies forthwith blinde supersticion by meanes of Monkery began to crepe in â–ª Gregorie as is mentioned before sent Augustine a Romaine Monke and other his compaignions to the Englishemen Anno. 596. not to preache Christe vnto them whose doctrine
addition to Vspergensis sayth After the Pope had depriued and excommunicated both Frederick his sonne Cōradus Frederick did so shake and worrye the Pope and the Church of Rome that some marked w t crosses set themselues in battaile againste him when hee came to batter downe the gates and walles of Rome where he encountred with a mightye armye of these crossed fellowes But ouer comminge them and takinge them prisoners some of them he hewed a fonder w t foure square woundes in forme of a Crosse of some he cleft their sculs a crosse in 4. parts some he marked on the forhed with a crosse cut and as for the clergye hee caused their shaued crownes to be pared a crosse When the said Henry Landsgraue of Thuringe was chosen kinge of the Romaynes and Frederick deposed by this fourth excommunication then the bishoppe of Strosborough like a peaceable prelate of that time to gratifye the Pope tooke part with the Landsgraue and assisted him with such power strength as he coulde both against the father and Conradus the sonne for he assaulted wan diuers townes some he sacked and razed to the grounde some he burnt with fier which townes and Cityes themperour had recouered to the Empyre in Alsatia On the other syde Conradus the sonne of Frederick gathered an armye against Henry but was easely ouerthrowne and manye of his armye being slaine diuers of his nobilitye were taken prisoners But soone after this Henry beinge thus foysted into the Empire by the clergy grew into cōtempt with them that liked not his election whereupon he was in mockadge termed King of clarkes Prince of priestes but the Pope did straitly charge by his Legates al the Almaine Princes to obeye Henry as their soueraigne and to defye Frederick his sonne In the meane time this Hēry dyed and yet the Pope ceased not but sent a Legate into Germanye one Peter Caputius a Cardinall who summoninge the Princes at Collen caused them to electe one VVilliam Earle of Holland a readye man to maintaine any quarell by the sworde In the ende the Emperour beinge in Apulia one hired by the Pope gaue him poyson by meanes whereof he was daungerouslye sicke but seemed to recouer it but was smothered to death with a pillowe by Manfredus his bastard sonne who as some thinke was allured by bryberye and fayre promises of the Pope to do it The truth hereof is written in sixe bookes of Epistles written by Peter of the Uine Anno 1250. Frederick dyed and as some write in his last will and testamente he gaue a summe of moneye for satisfaction to the Church of Rome and bequeathed his estate and the order of all thinges to his sonne Conradus This Will was brought to the Pope to be approued but the Pope did whollye disanull and frustrate the Will sayinge that the Prince whom he had deposed could make no Wil and so it was voide Within a while after a yonge Prince to whom the Emperour by his sonne Kinge Henry was graūdfather was murthered but by whō no mā could tell About this time before the death of Frederick there were certaine preachers in Sweueland who stoutlye and openly preached against the Pope and his Cardinals iustifyed the doinge of Frederick and his sonne Conradus sayinge bouldly that the Pope his bishops and Cardinals had no auctoritye because they were al stayned with that one blot of simony and that their power depended not vppon Christ that a priest committing deadly sinne coulde neither binde nor loose nor consecrate that no man in the world might forbid a Christian to execute diuine functions that they should be hearde celebrated without any difference And in the ende of their Sermons this pardon quoth they which we do pronounce vnto you wee do not declare it to you as forged by the Pope and his prelates but procedinge from Almightye God These preachers were maintayned by Conradus and therfore he incurred almost danger of his life In the former councell helde at Lions it was decreed that the Cardinals should ryde on their trapped Gennets throughe the streates and weare red hattes and crimsen roabes to signifye sayth Parisius that they are readye to spend their bloud for the Catholicke fayth and the safetye of the people but as Platina sayth for the honour of their estate Also in that councell Innocentius decreed amonge manye matters that the Pope mighte depose the Emperour He did greatly fauoure the order of begging fryers and bestowed on them manye priuiledges and benefittes He preferred the Dominicans to dignityes Ecclesiastical and aduaūced the Franciscās to be the Popes confessours He adopted the White fryers and Augustine friers to be his sonnes wher as they liued before in deserts he brought them into Cityes teachinge them to begge their breade w t idlenes By the helpe of the Dominicans he reformed the rule of the Whitefryers mitigated it and finallye with his blessinge confirmed it that as the sayd rule sheweth they should hope to be saued not onlye by Christ He graūted these the begging fryers lycence to preach to dispute and to shriue people Also he exempted them from all power iurisdiction of kinges and bishops whereupon they crammed the worlde ful and chaoked it with their gloses vpon Sentences decretals cannons wich their commentaries vpon Aristotle their Sophisms Repertories Sūmaries Tables Trinies Quatrinies Conclusions Questions Distinctions Quidities Quodlibets Myracles of the dead Legendaryes Saincts liues Martyrdoms Uisions Dreames Reuelatiōs Exorsisms Concordances Discordāces Marials perspectiues Aphorismes wyth a thousande vaine and combrous pamphlets full of grosse deceitful heresyes and then nothing was counted deuinitye nor lawe but their fansyes and canons And in these dayes the world was fallen into such grosse blindnesse ignorance and barbarousnesse that not onelye knowledge in diuinity but also other learning was almost decayed the knowledge of the tongues as Greeke and Hebrew buried in ignoraunce though some rubbishe of the latine tongue were left yet it was rustye corrupte and broken stuffe as appeareth yet by theyr wrytings that the like barbarousnesse is not in any tongue But to returne to Pope Innocent he canonized diuers makinge them saincts that for his aduauncemente had played the traytours and rebels against theyr owne Princes as one Edmond Archbishop of Canterbury and other of sondrye places Till the time of this Innocentius the 4. sayth Bibliander it was not an article of fayth nor a law of the Church that men should worship the breade and the wyne in the Sacrament therefore sayth he the Pope as a creator brought forth a newe God Mauzis by transubstantiation This Pope offred to sell to king Henry the third of England the kingdome of both Sicils to the vse of his sonne Prince Edmond and yet Conradus kinge thereof was lyuinge He vexed and polled the Churches of England with myserable exactions for money he maintayned and licensed anye wickednes amonge the clergye suffering worser matters in his bastards
decreed by Octo and Octogonus the Popes Legates in England at that time An Epistle of Peter Cassiodorus to the Englishmen reprouinge the extreame robbery filching and slauerye vvhereby the Popes spoyled this lande about the yeare of our Lord 1302. to moue them to shake of the bondage of the Popes tyrannye taken out of an ould booke in S. Albons Church TO the noble Church of Englande seruing in claye and bricke as the Ievves did in times past vnder the tyrannie of the EgiptiaÌ„s Peter the sonne of Cassiodore a catholike Souldiour and deuoute champion of Christe sendeth greeting and vvishinge to caste of the yoke of bondage and to receiue the revvard of libertie To whom shall I compare thee or to whom shal I liken thee O daughter Hierusalem to whom shall I matche thee O daughter of Sion Great is thy perturbation like vnto the Sea Thou sittest alone without comfort all the daye long thou art confounded and coÌ„â—umed with heauines Thou art giuen vp into the handes of him from whence thou canst not ryse without helpe of one to lift thee vp for the Scribes and Pharisies sittting vpon the chayre of Moyses thy enemyes the Romaynes are as thy heades and rulers enlarging their garded philacteries seeking to be enryched wyth the marowe of thy bones laying heauie burdens and not able to be borne vpon thy shoulders and of thy mynisters and they set thee vnder tribute which of old time hast beene free beyonde all honestye or measure But maruell not therat for thy mother which is the ladie of people lyke a wydowe hauinge maryed and coupled her selfe to her subiect hath appointed him to be thy father that is to saye the byshoppe of Rome who sheweth no point of any fatherlye loue towards thee He magnifyeth and extendeth to the vttermost his authoritye ouer thee And by experience declareth himselfe to be the husband of thy mother He remembreth oft wyth himselfe the prophetical saying of the Prophet and well disgesteth the same in the inward parte of his breste Take to thee a great booke and write therein quicklye with the pen of a man take the spoyle robbe quickly But is this it which the Apostles sayth that he was appointed for where he wryteth thus Euerye bishop taken from amonge men is appointed for men in those thinges that belonge to the Lorde not to spoyle not to laye on them yearelye taxes not to kill men but to offer giftes sacrifices for sinnes and to sorowe wyth them that be ignoraunt and do erre And so we read of Peter the fisher whose successor he boasteth himselfe to be that after the resurrection of Christ he turned with other Apostles to the office of fishinge who when he could take nothing of the left syde of the ship at the bidding of Christ turned to the right side and drewe to the lande a net full of fishes Wherefore the profitable mynisterye of the Church is to be exercised on the right syde by the which the deuill is ouercome and plentye of soules be lucrifyed and wonne to Christe But certainlye the labourer on the left side of the ship is farre otherwyse for in it the fayth stumbleth heauines beareth rule whan that thing that is desired by seekinge is not founde For who is so foolishe to thinke that hee can both at one time serue God and man and to satisfye his owne will or to sticke to the reuelations of flesh and bloud and to offer worthy giftes to Christ And doubtles that shepeheard that watcheth not for the edifyinge of the flocke prepareth an other way to the roringe Lyon and seeking whoÌ„ he maye deuoure And nowe behold I say O daughter the deedes of him that is called thy father such as haue not beene hearde of before he dryueth away the good shepeheard from the sheepefold and placeth in their steade bishops to rule but not to profyte his nephewes cosins and parentes some that knewe no letters and other some domme and deafe which vnderstand not the plaine voyce of the sheepe nor curing their wounds that be hurt of the wolues but like hyrelinges pluckinge of the fleeses a pase and reaping that which other men haue sowen whose handes moreouer be alwayes readye in theyr baskets and pouches but theyr backes are turned from theyr burdens By which thinge it is manifest that the priesthoode is cleane chaunged at these dayes the seruice of God decayed almes diminished and broughte to noughte the whole deuotion of princes and kinges is banished Maye not this be thought wonderful in the eyes of all men that where as Christ commauÌ„ded tribute to be payd to kinges for him for Peter he nowe goeth about dominion of his stile to subdue to him both realmes and princes of realmes against his will whose Uicar he sayth he is and who refused the realmes iudgements of this world which this bishop contrarywyse chalengeth clayming al that which he in his stile wryteth to be his Alacke O daughter what doth he yet more against thee marke he draweth from thee what so euer pleaseth him and yet he thinketh not himselfe content to haue the tenth part onely of thy goodes from thee except he haue also the first fruites of the benefices of the Ministers wherby he may get a newe patrimony aswell for himselfe as for his kynred contrary to the godly wyls of the first founders Ouer and besides all this he inferreth other execrable taxes and stipends for his Legates and messengers whom he sendeth into England which not onely take awaye the feeding and clothing of thee and thine but also teare in peeces like dogges your fleshe and skinnes Maye not this prince be compared to kinge Nabugodonoser which destroyed the temple of the Lorde and robbed awaye the siluer and goldeÌ„ vessels thereof The very same doth this man also he robbed the mynisters of Gods house and left destitute of due helpe In like maner doth he Truly they be better that are killed wyth the sword then they which be pined with hunger for they are dead straight but these are wasted with the barrennes of the earth O daughter all they that passe by the waye let them haue pitye and compassion on thee for there is no sorrowe like thy sorrowe For nowe thy face is blacker then coales through much sorrow and weepinge and thou art no more knowen in the streates thy foresayd ruler hath placed thee in darcknes and hath giuen thee wormewood and gall to drincke O Lord heare the sorrowe and sighinges of thy people behold Lord and descende for the hart of this foresaid man is more indurate then the hart of Pharao For hee wil not suffer thy people to departe excepte in the fortitude onelye of thy hande For he scourgeth them not onely myserablye vppon the earth but also after theyr death he intendeth to incroche the goodes of Christians vnder the name and title to dye intestate or making no will Therefore let the chiualrye of Englande well remember howe the
dominicans he left to the Church great store of treasure he kept diuers concubines he dyed of an ague while he was hyring one Zotus a conning painter to porâ—rature the storyes of martyrs in his newe buildinges Anno 1342. Of whom these Uerses were made Iste fuit vero laicis mors vipera clero Deuius a vero turba repleta mero About this time Iohn Stratford beinge bishop of Canterbury did greatly abuse king Edward the thirde both in defraudinge him of his treasure when he needed it most in his warres in Fraunce and refusing obstinatly afterward to come at the kinges commaundement to aunsweare vntill time place serued according to his owne pleasure Benedicts coÌ„mon sayings were these to be noted Be thou such a sonne as thou desirest to haue cosens The euil maâ— dreadeth death but the good man feareth him more Those thinges that thou hast learned keepe by reading and get by learning those thinges that thou wantest It is as great shame to haue no freindes as to chaunge them oft It is more dishonour to a Prince to be ouercome with benefits then by force of armes 139. Clement the sixt CLement the sixt borne in Lemonia by professioÌ„ a Benedictine called before Peter Rogers being abbot of Phisca succeded Benedict at Auenio This maÌ„ with his faction troubled the Romaine Empire aboue measure for he excommunicated sayth Naucler all the Princes lordes and bishops that consented to the doings of Lewis To deface the Emperour he created Uicountes and made them Uicares of the Empyre Lewis on the other side appointed other Uicares to gouerne the Church Ierom Marius in his booke called Eusebius Captiuus doth thus set out the rigour of Pope Clement Clement the sixt sayth he much giuen to women honour and auctoritye prouoked with diuelishe furye set vp bills in wrytinge vpon Church doares wherein he threatned the Emperour to be punished w t more cruell tormentes vnlesse he woulde obey the Popes minde and that within three dayes and would giue vp his right of the estate imperiall Great was the cruelty of this Clement voyde of clemency The Emperour commeth to Frankeforde and preparing with all diligence to do all that was commaunded besought the Pope by his Embassadours to pardon him and to receiue him to fauour But the Pope aunswered the Embassadours that he would neuer pardon Lewis vnlesse he would first confesse all his errours and heresyes and yelde vp the Empire and put into the Popes hand both himselfe his children goodes possessions to dispose them at his pleasure would promise that he would neuer more enioy any part thereof without the fauour of the Pope deliuered a certaine fourme of of these articles in wryting to the Embassadours coÌ„mauÌ„ding them to carye the same to Lewis The good Emperour least if he did not thus submit himselfe it mighte bee cause of slaughter and sedition receiued the order taken by the Pope and looking vpon it was content in such wyfe to saue Christian bloud and therefore he did not onely set his seale to it but gaue his oath to performe all Which when the Pope heard he waxed angrye But note whether hee toke the Emperour to fauoure and whether he shewed anye token of good will by that which followeth Lewis shewed that order to the Princes electours and oratours The Princes detested and abhorred certaine of the articles because they were deuised by the Pope to the confusion of the Empyre and therfore they promised sufficient ayde to the Emperour if as he did before he would maintaine the libertye and honour of the Empyre They sence Embassadours desiringe the Pope not to exact those articles that tended to the vtter subuersion of the Empyre and the oratours crauinge and doing nothing els came awaye againe But Clement blaming Lewis onelye for all did purpose the destruction of him and his children he cursed him cruelly euen at consecrating the Sacrament He renued all the extreame processes which Pope Iohn had giuen out against him he pronounced him to be an heretick and scismatick He charged the Princes electours to choose another Emperour He deposed the Archbishop of Mens both of his bishoprick and auctoritye of electorship because he knowing the Emperours innocencye and vngiltiues woulde not abuse his maiestye But the other electours being brybed with money by Iohn king of Bohemia as the bishop of Colen who toke viii Thousande markes the duke of Saxonye two Thousande markes did appoint his sonne Charles to be king of the Romaynes whoÌ„ this vncurteous Clement did allowe afterward in open consistorye But who is able to report the horrible bloudshed and warre that arose in the Empire by meanes of this mischiefe wroughte by Clement for kinge Edward the thirde of England slue xx Thousande Frenchmen and Iohn king of Bohemia father to Charles was slaine with many nobles But Lewis yet takinge thought because of the Popes processes not medling with the gouernment of the Empyre was by the Popes procurement poysoned in a cuppe whereof he dyed Thus wryteth Marius Lo by these kinde of treacheryes haue the prelates of Rome brought the Empyre to the low ebbe and poore estate that it is at this daye for the sayde Charles whom they against all lawe created to make his sonne to succede him did so corrupt the electours wyth bribes and fayre promises that he morgaged to them the coÌ„mon reuenues of the Empyre which they enioye to this daye and therefore the Romaine Empyre cannot aduauÌ„ce it selfe againe For then the Electours coÌ„pelled Charles to take an oath that these pledges should neuer be reclaymed whereby at length it came to passe that the Empyre being thus decayed the Turke inuaded the Church of Christ destroyed it wonderfullye and it is by the especial grace of God that Mahomets blasphemye doth not wyth fyre and sworde rage ouer all Christendome c. This Pope Clement now at the fiftye yeare renued the Iubelie beinge absent caused it to be celebrated at Rome Anno 1350. for his aduauntage and sayth PremonstrateÌ„sis there were fiue Thousande straungers comming in going out at Rome as might wel be counted dailye within the said yeare He made at seuerall times xii Cardinals whereof some were monkes some his nephewes and kinsemen beside he promoted diuers other to dignityes bestowed cost on diuers buildinges He gaue licence to the bishop of Bamberge to absolue those that toke parte wyth Lewis but vppon these conditions first that they shoulde sweare fealty to him as to the Uicar of Christe secondly that they should beleue that the Emperour hath no power neither to make nor marre the Pope thirdlye that they should acknowledge none to be Emperour whoÌ„ the Pope had not confirmed While his companioÌ„s and seruaunts went to dinner leauing onely his chamberlayne with him he fel downe sodeinly dyed of an impostume Anno 1352. This Clement sayth Marius toke vpoÌ„ him so prodigally in his Popedome that he gaue to his Cardinals in
Paule created him Cardinal when he was absent sone after sending for him to Rome againe he ordered all thinges by his aduise He gaue him the title of the holye Crosse in Hierusalem also he made him generall Inquisitour of heresye and commissioner w t Cardinal Burgensis whereby much crueltye and vntollerable dealing was vsed When an Embassage shoulde be sent to the Tridentine Councell Pope Paule ioyned to Cardinall de Monte and to Cardinall Poole this Ceruinus as third in Commission The first of these was sent as a man cunning in the Law Poole was sent as one that did desire to haue reformation in the Church although it appeared afterward that he neuer wished it in his harte Thirdlye Ceruinus was sente as one in whom the Pope reposed all his trust Therfore he charged him especiallye that he should suffer nothing to be spoken in the Church that should tend any waye against the maiestye of the Church of Rome And therefore when one Iames Nachiantes bishop of Clodia Possa saide that he could not allow the decree wherein it was written that Tradicions ought to be receiued and kept with as holy affection and reuerence as the Scripture and Gospell Ceruinus procured that he was driuen from the CouÌ„cell Furthermore because one of S. Dominicks order called Don VVilliam of Venice said in the councel that the councell of Constance was aboue the Pope Ceruinus called him to him and taunted him verye bitterlye But when the monke aunswered that the thinge it selfe woulde testifye it to be so that the councell was aboue the Pope because the couÌ„cell deposed him Ceruinus aunswered that it was not so but that the Pope gaue ouer of his owne accord for proofe wherof he could shewe a â—eaden bull and so he charged him to be packinge forthwith out of the councell Aboute that time Paulus Vergerius bishop of Iustinople who had serued the sea of Rome in sondrye Embassages in Germanye came froÌ„ Mantua to this Tridentine councell But because he was vehementlye suspected that he fauoured the Lutheranes in some pointes yet the two other Cardinals Poole and de Monte with them Tridentinus Paciecus were contente to allow him to sit with them least they should bewray that the councell was not free for euery maÌ„ if they should exempt this Vergerius being so wel knowen in Germanye Yet Ceruinus would not be quiet vntill he sawe him put out Manye of the bishops when they sawe how it was purposed to driue Vergerius out of the councell did determine to write to the Pope thereof to admonish him not to suffer it to be done because manye would saye it was not a free councell from whence bishops were forced to depart Hierom Vida bishop of Alba an eloqueÌ„t man had penned the letters in his owne name and the rest of the bishops When Marcellus heard thereof he charged Vida with sore woordes that he shoulde not in anye wise sende those letters to the Pope â–ª Sayinge it was an euill example that bishops summoned in councell should write such letters to the Pope as though they woulde appointe him what he should do which was a matter so haynous that the suspicion therof were to be auoyded Vida and the other bishops being terrifyed herewith suppressed their letters and sent them not Vergerius when he shoulde departe out of the sinode came to Ceruinus and demauÌ„ded of him for what articles especiallye he would haue him cast out from the companye of the other bishops Ceruinus aunsweared him saying because I haue hard that thou deniest that the Legendes of S. Gregory and S. Christopher are true So it is quoth Vergerius I haue denyed them do still denye them to be true emboldning my selfe herein by the auctoritye of Pope Paule the thirde for when he commaunded both these Legendes to be taken out of the Breuiary he sheweth in that preface that he commaunded that onelye such Legendes should be razed as were not true Ceruinus being thus entangled made aunswere that they were not to be counted good meÌ„ which would agree with the Lutheranes in any one point therefore auaunt out of our councell Such was the rancour of this Ceruinus against the Gospell and yet he was one voyde of all knowledge in diuinitye but peuishe in retayning superstitioÌ„ But otherwyse he was a man of good discretion of verye honest life and of great wysedome and therfore he was had in great estimation and reuerence so that if he might haue raigned Pope it was to be hoped that he would haue reformed many thinges in the Court of Rome especially that he would haue eschewed all royotousnes And so it came to passe for Pope Iulye the third being dead Ceruinus was chosen Pope But wheras he was long before sicke of the yelowe iaundise then the disease began to woorke so sore vpon him that he died the twentye daye after the election The report was that he was poysoned but there was no such thing A litle before he would haue bin crowned but with moderate coste Cardinall Farnesius wyth his freinds in election gaue his voyce to this man although he had long before had a brawle with him because he hoped that no man would more diligently aduauÌ„ce him as Paule the thirde did determine But especiallye he hoped that he would maintaine the house of Farnesia that they should not be depriued of the dukedome of Parma and Placentia For Cardinal Farnesius debated it wyth Iulye the thirde to make promise thereof before he would assist him to obtaine the Papacye Some said that many Cardinals did therfore chose Ceruinus Pope because they saw him so decayed by sicknes that there was no hope of longe life in him For that is their practise of old 169. Paule the fourth PAule the fourth borne in Neaples called first Iohn Peter Carapha the same yeere Anno. 1555. was chosen Pope the xxiii daye of Maye with one agremente of the Cardinalles and exalted with all ceremonies This man founded a new sect of Religious men in Venice called by an holy name Iesuites of the name of Iesus but this he did before he was Pope but after this deede he beinge made Cardinall applied his minde to other matters namely to scrapinge richesse together Before his Papacie he publyshed a booke concerninge reformation of the Churche but in his raigne he regarded it not All his mynde was on warres delightyng rather in battell then in peace and so he played rather Saule the persecutour then Paule the preacher of the Gospell Caelius Secundus and Vergerius do thus report of him Paule the fourthe a Neapolitan called Iohn Peter Carapha was chosen in May to succede Marcellus by the consent of the Cardinalles desirous therein to gratifie Henry kinge of Fraunce This Pope saith Caelius dyd found a sect of priestes at Venice called Iesuites but afterwarde hauinge obteyned his purpose which by this meanes he aymed at he gaue them ouer For he so cast his net that forsaking
a byshoprike he fisshed for a Caldinalship caught it Therevpon when he shoulde departe from Venice the Iesuites demaunded of him whither he went to whom he aunswered sayinge Whither I go ye cannot come meaninge thereby that he wente to the Pompe and dignitie of Rome as to an other heauen and that he shoulde leaue them in wretchednes and beggerye Thus it pleased hym to dally sport him selfe with the phrase of the holy ghost Many thinges are reported of him as that he was a stoute Champion for Purgatory and that he knewe the secretes of some mindes and that he dyd many wonders Vergerius sayth he dedicated a booke of reforminge the Churche to Paule the thirde and yet hee made no reformation in his owne time But saith hee who so euer readeth that â—ooke shall see that he confirmeth al those poyntes almost whiche we reproue in the papistes that is to say that the Churche is so decayed amonge them as it is rather the Churche of Sathan then of Christ. For he saithe that the Popes do for their owne luste store them selues with maysters hauing itching eares that the name of Christ is blasphemed amonge the Gentiles throughe Cardinalles and Bishops that the power of the keyes is wiped away with money that lewde persons are made priestes that Simonie is vsed as it were in open fayres that the prelates doe swell with Ambicion and Couetousnes that horrible villanies are practised in monasteries that Rome swarmeth w t shamelesse harlots and struÌ„pets beside many lyke matters onely towching theyr detestable maners but of their manifold superstitions of theyr butcherly slaughters and cruell tyranny raging at that time in Italy England France Spayne and other countries he speaketh not a woorde And yet saith Vergerius who made faithful searche therof wtin lesse then thirty yeares theyr inquisition of heresye hath deuoured and destroyed by diuers kinde of torments an hundred and fiftie thousande Christians This acompt Vergerius made aboue twenty yeares ago And since that time sauynge onely God be thanked for it in England in al the former countries this bloudy persecution for Religion hath not onely continued but mightely encreased Italy dayly tasteth the bytter gall of it as occasion serueth Spaine findeth that the heate therof burneth more feruently in the middest of winter then the scorching Sonne in the middest of sommer at noone daye the flame of the one turneth and tanneth theyr skynnes to black the coales of the other burneth theyr bodies to graye asshes And as towching Fraunce al Europe knoweth that as yet the worme in the grounde hath scant taynted the karkases of thousandes whiche within these fewe dayes haue ben martyred Thus we see howe that prowde Prynce of Babilon hath made all Christendome as it were his burning furnace to destroye those that wyll not fal downe to worshyp his golden image and yet howe that this littell Ilande walketh as it were in the myddest of this vniuersall flame and not so muche as our garmentes are once cinged therewith And yet it is well knowne howe carefull and busie the byshoppe of Rome with his accomplices hath bene to sturre coales amonge vs and to enkendle that fier in Englande the smoke wherof were sufficient to destroy vs who knoweth not howe that if his hotte thunderboltes of excommunication could any thing harme vs we had therewith ben beaten to pouder longe since If the rancke breath of his blacke curses might haue preuayled we had bin blowne to hell bequeathed aliue both bodye and soule to the deuil dampnation longe since If holye leagues as they terme them and conspyring vowes of sondrye estates by his procurement could haue bin stronger against vs then the hand of God with vs how many are we that should haue tasted miserye but how fewe should haue bin left to be waile it at this day When forren inuasions haue bin to weake hath not that Romaine prelate â—ought to procure treason amoÌ„g vs heare at home to delude the simple with bulles pardons entising them to renounce their alleageaunce to reuolt from their naturall Prince to rayse rebellioÌ„s against their owne countrey Hath not his bulls roared at Paules Church gate discharginge subiectes of their dutye And howe they haue wroughte in huggur mugger to steale awaye the hartes of Englishe subiectes manye poore widdowes and wretched orphanes at this daye in the North part of England with heauye harts ran testifye who haue lost their parentes and husbandes throughe detestable rebellion and sedition the roote whereof is the Romishe religion But because that these tumultes treasons and broyles wroughte since the raigne of oure most Gracious Queene against her maiestye and royall estate haue bin practised not in the time of this Pope Paule the fourth but by those that haue succeded him as Pius the fourth Pius the fift the gentle Reader is to be desired not to looke for the perfite discourse hereof as yet neyther the historye of their liues treachery and hurlye burlyes sturred in Christendome for so much as yet they are not to be sufficiently gathered by those Chronicles that haue bin latelye set forth or augmented As for Onuphrius who hath writteÌ„ their liues added to the historye of Platina because he is one hyred by the Pope to put his pen in vre for the cracked credit of their estate at this daye there is iust cause to thincke his wryting to be parciall as one that turneth the best side of his Popes face outward and that which is blemished eyther he hideth it or paynteth it with a fayre coloure to couer the foule blots thereof And therefore seing maister Bales trauaile doth staye heare in Paule the fourth this maye suffice till it shall please God to giue occasion of proceeding in the liues of those that haue succeeded during the raigne of the Queenes maiestye In the meanetime good Christian Reader coÌ„sider those treacheryes which by thy owne experience thou maiest knowe since her highnes came to the Crowne of the Popes dealinge against her Maiestye and her Realme weigh whereunto they tende by the example of these former historyes set forth in this woorke then I doubt not but euerye one shall finde that he hath iust cause to saye Blessed be Almightye God that hath thus preserued vs from the mouth of the Lion and from the wolfe in a Lambes skin I doubte not but they that haue ben false hartâ—d againste our most gracious Queene wyll consider theyr own folly theyr owne iniquitie madnes in enuyinge the good estate of so noble merciful godly most lawful a prince whom it hath pleased Iehoua to make oure Debora a most blessed and worthy instrument to the aduauÌ„cing of his glory the comfort of his Churche the preseruation of the happy and quiet estate of all trewe Englishe hartes the whiche greate treasures of Gods mercye so plentifullye powred vpon vs the Lord geue vs grace to vse them more thankfully then heretofore to glorifie his name with greatter zeale