I that am Pope But although it displeased the others which were there present yet they must needs dissemble it so furious terrible and enuironed with souldiers was hee After his election he remained a certaine time at Bolongne then went he to Rome it beeing the chiefe of his enterprise There he assembled a Sinode to the end to giue the Imperiall Crowne to Sigismond In the first Session of this Sinode as the aforesaid Iohn was sitting on an high seate after the Masse of the holy Ghost was sung there came an Owle who placing her self vpon one of the balkes of the Temple and looking directly vpon the Pope saluted him in a straunge maner with his fearefull song Such as were there present began to wonder looking one at an other and also casting their view vpon the Pope they could scant keepe themselues from laughing As for Iohn hee began to bee much ashamed to sweate and to bee sore anguished and tormented in himselfe Finally finding no other meane whereby hee might remedie his so great confusion after hee had giuen leaue to such as were there assembled he rose vp and retired There was an other Session after this wherein came the like For this Owle could not bee chased away neyther for any cryes no nor yet for stones and staues which were cast at him There were then many which by this spectacle were induced to beleeue that such spirituall pillers haue long time gouerned the Church of Rome Nicholas Clemengis Archdeacon of Baieux reciteth this Historie in his Epistles A Councell assembled at Constance To put end to the aforesaid discords and slaunders they were forced to assemble a general Councel for which the place was assigned at Constance This was against the Pope Iohns wil who desired it might be held in such a place wherein hee had more powre then the Emperour See Naucler Leonard Aretin who were in this time In the said Councell finally appeared Pope Iohn the 24. of that name and arriued at Constance vpon S. Simon and Iudes euen Anno. 1414. Likewise the Emperour Sigismond came thither on Christmas euen after midnight with the Empresse his wife and many other Princes Counts Barons and Nobles which were in number about 30940. persons Courtiers saith the Sea of Histories With the Pope Iohn arriued foure Patriarkes twentie and nine Cardinalls 47. Archbishops and 160. Bishops See Naucler On Christmas day the Pope sung three Masses one at midnight one in the morning and one at noone and Sigismond attired Deacon like sung the Gospell Exijt edictum a Cesare c. Naucler This Councell endured three yeares and seuen weekes after some or about foure yeares after Naucler and there was 46. Sessions See the 2. volume of Councells The yeare 1414. the king of France laid siege before Champaine and it was taken by composition Hee tooke Soissons and after laid siege before Arras but a peace was made by the Duchesse of Holland sister of the Duke of Burgongne The Sea of Hist The Friday after Candlemas day as they call it there arriued at the Councell sixe Cardinalls of Pope Gregories the 12. which approoued the Councell by the authoritie of the said Gregorie Naucler The yeare 1415. was the battaile of Blangy betwixt the English and French wherein the chiefe bloud of Fraunce was shead and it was commonly called La male Iournee The Sea of Histo. In this time Wencelaus king of Boheme was required by the Councell to send Iohn Hus who went thither with the Emperours safe conduct There went with him also Ierome of Prage with one onely Clarke They were admonished and greatly sollicited to desist from their opinions but they were constant They maintained that they were true in their propositions and reasons being founded on the truth of the holy Gospell And contrary that the Romane Church had withdrawne it selfe from the truth and the Apostles doctrine c. See a more ample declaration of this Historie in the first part of the booke of Martyrs They were both condemned to be burned Iohn Hus was first executed about the fourth day of the moneth of Iuly the yeare 1415. and a good while after Ierome of Prage was also burnt in the moneth of September They endured death constantly and merily went to the fire glorifying the Lord euen in the middest of the flame Their Ashes were cast into the Lake of Constance The Bohemians vnderstanding what was done at Constance against their Doctors sacked and spoiled all the Couents and Monasteries of the Countrey and fired them and from that time withdrew themselues from the subiection of the Romane Pope as is said In the said Councell Iohn Wickliffe an English man was condemned an heretike and although dead yet his bones were condemned to be vnburied Also Lay-people were inhibited to communicate the Sacrament vnder both kindes There was also a Decree that the Councell was aboue the Pope and not contrarie That the Councell hath full power to correct iudge and depose the Pope yea to ordaine of all things and not the Pope to Iudge correct or chaunge Decrees and Statutes of the Councell Iohn 24. Pope seeing that in the said Councell many crimes were obiected against him fled away in a disguised habit by the helpe of the Duke of Austrich Frederic and by the Councell of the Archbishop of Magunce although the Emperour did all he could to hinder it Naucler He fledde first to Shaffufe and from thence to Lusemberge and after to Fribourge to take his way towards the Duke of Bourgongne if hee could get thither Naucler The Duke Frederic was cyted in full Councell by the Emperour and that many times And for that hee appeared not the Emperour absolued his subiects of the oath of disobedience which they ought vnto the Duke Also hee depriued him of all his riches and goods and gaue his goods to such as could take and occupie them This gaue many occasion to assaile his person and his goods whereof yet at this day the Cantons and the Valesans hold many places as Bade Melingen Prenigarten Wallestat Diossenhosen which they got by force of Armes Others occupied other Townes and places See Naucler Iohn was taken and brought to Constance and there deteined prisoner at Richman After they prooued against him 40. criminall Articles He was deposed by all the Councell the Wednesday of Trinitie 14. and 15. and hee himselfe approoued his deposition In the second Volume of Councels there is mention made that more then 54. Articles were proposed and proued against him to euery of which he answering cryed Ah I haue yet committed a greater crime namely I haue passed the Alpes and am come into Almaine After his condemnation hee was giuen vnto the Count Palatin who kept him three yeares in Menhen he was not suffered to haue any Italian with him no not his Chamberlaine his Gard were all Almaines and he spake vnto them by signes onely Naucler After the deposition of Pope
one seditious guiltie of treason was giuen in charge to 10. souldiers or rather tormenters to be led to Rome and be put to Lions wherof Ignacius himselfe saith I haue had to fight with beasts from Siria to Rome by sea by land night and day amongst 10. Leopards c. Ireneus in his fift booke speaking of Ignacius beeing condemned to beasts he said saith he I am the wheat of Iesus Christ and shal be grinded with the teeth of beasts to the end I may be made the bread of God Alexander the 7. Bishop of Rome was a Romane and gouerned 10. yeares namely from the 12. yeare of Traian til the third of Adrian Many things are spoken of the integritie of his life wherby many of the Romane Senators were drawne to the Christian faith seeing in him vertues truly Episcopall yet it is attributed vnto him that he should first bring in new ceremonies of the Church as the holy water so keepe in houses and Churches against the diuell and for remission of sinnes Also to mingle wine and water together at the Lords supper Also the Asperges vpon the people Also that Bread should be without Leauen and not commō bread as before They make him the first which by decree excommunicated them who resisted Apostolicke messengers He ordeined that no Clarke should be accused and drawne before a secular Iudge he is said to be the first which added to the Lords supper Caena pridie quà m pateretur made that ouerture to his successors to adde thervnto which haue not since ceased vntill the whole Supper of the Lord was corrupted and chaunged Also he ordeined to celebrate but once a day Note heere generally for the Bishops which were first at Rome that many Epistles haue bene attributed vnto them which mention greater number of Ceremonies then there is in other Churches and such as were vnknowne to them which writ in that time which made them then suspected For the Popes which came after haue made those first Bishops their buckler for authors of their lyes and dreames Alexander receiued the Crowne of Martirdome vnder the Emperour Adrian by the commaund of his Gouernour Aurelian who demaunded of Alexander why hee held his peace when the fire was lightned about him to burne him He answered that he was speaking to God signifying that he prayed and therefore it was not lawfull for him to speake vnto men Honorius and Nauclerus Dion rehearseth of the Emperour Traian that before he died his members were retracted and al his body senslesse His sences also were dulled and after that he became to be full of the dropsie and greatly swelled He finally died in Selinion a Towne of Cicile Some say his body was brought to Rome and deified by the Senate after his death after the maner of the Romanes Although this Prince had great politicke vertues yet is he to be placed in the third ranke of the cruel enemies and persecutors of the Church of God Adrian the 16. Emperour raigned 22. yeares gentle and cunning in all knowledges He persecuted the Christians But when he knew the truth of their life he caused the persecution to cease Quadratus Bishop of Athens the Apostles Disciple presented an Apologeticke booke to the said Adrian in defence of the Christian Faith Aristides a Philosopher of Athens a faithfull man made a like Booke wherevpon Adrian sent to Minutius Fundanus Proconsul of Asia that he should no more persecute the Christians But if they did any thing against lawes he would that he should therein deale according to the qualitie of the crime And if any slaunderoufly accused them he commaunded such should be chastised for their malice Nicomedia and Nice were ruinated by an Earthquake and afterward restored by the liberalitie of Adrian Euseb Chro. All euils which came to men were laide vpon the Christians saying they came all for their cause whether they were Earthquakes warre or other calamities Sixtus or Xistus a Romane 8. Bishop of Rome ruled about 10. yeares He decreed that none should touch the consecrated ornaments Vessels Challices c. vnlesse they were Church-men He added to the Communion of the Eucharist Sanctus Sanctus Sanctus Dominus Deus Sabaoth He graunted this priuiledge to Clarkes that they might appeale from their Bishop to the Apostolicke Sea In his Decretalls he is called Arch-bishop of the Romane Church Item vniuersall Bishop of the Apostolicke Church About this time those words Arch-bishop Metropolitane and Clergie beganne to be vsed in Epistles He appointed certaine punishments for Priests or Ministers that were negligent in baptizing Children before their deaths At this time the Supper of the Lord was called Eucharist The words Sacrifice or Masse were not yet brought in And although Ireneus sometimes called the Eucharist Oblation hee declares his meaning therein in his 4. Booke and 34. Chapter We make vnto him an Oblation saith he not as to him which stands in need thereof but as giuing him thankes for the good he hath done vnto vs. And againe he willes also that we giue offerings at the Aultar and often and without ceasing But the Aultar is in heauen saith he and thither must we addresse our prayers and Oblations It may well be that then this word Oblation was in common vse because the custome then was to offer Loaues of bread in great abundance for the vse of the Supper wherewith the Ministers liued and the poore were nourished The Iewes surprised with a new rage beganne againe to take armes against the Romanes Dion saith the occasion thereof was for that Adrian had builded there a Temple to Iupiter and placed there Idols of the Gentiles The Iewes chose for their Captaine Barrochabas who named himselfe the sonne of the Starre This man exercised great crueltie against Christians because they woulde not ioyne with the Iewes But Adrian repressed those seditious people and famished them and tooke away their waters and finally discomfited them nigh to Bethera a little Towne by Ierusalem and in one onely battaile hee slew fiftie eight thousand men After Nicephorus Ancelme speaketh of fiftie thousand Iewes slaine fiftie holdes taken and nine hundred eightie fiue Villages destroyed as well by famine as by fire and bloud and all the rest of the Iewes miserably driuen from Ierusalem into far Countries and sold ouer all the world The Emperour Adrian would not that the Citie of Ierusalem should any more retaine his auncient name but hauing againe made it he called it by his owne name Aelia Capitolina Honorius and Eusebius say that hee made Edicts be published whereby it was not lawfull for the Iewes no not so much as to regard a farre off their Country of Iudea The first so terrible a destruction might haue sufficiently taught them that the kingdome was taken from them as the Prophets had foretold But God would that a second time they should feele a punishment almost as horrible
Yet notwithstanding the Churches were redressed and encreased in diuers places maugre the rage deuices of Sathan whilest the king called the Estates to Blois where he made his entry the 18. day of Nouember and all the remainder of the yeare after was imployed vpon diuers conferences amongst the Deputies The affaires of the lowe Country bore themselues as followeth In the moneth of February 1576. the Prince of Orange obtained a Fortresse of great importance called Crimpen in Holland whereby hee warranted Suindree and all other places thereabouts During the siege of Ziriczee the Commander died of the pestilence at Bruxelles the 5. day of March Then the gouernment of the lowe Countries was by the king remitted into the hands of the Councell of the Estate In the moneth of May following Ziriczee being not able to hold out any lōger was yeelded to the Spaniards who straight after began to mutenie vnder colour of paiments due vnto them and determined to haue surprised Bruxelles so to pay themselues The Inhabitants hereof aduertised prouided so well for theyr assurance that the Spaniards found the gates shut wherat they were so despited that without any resistance about the ende of Iuly entring Alost a Towne situate betwixt Gaunt Malines and Bruxelles they vsed there the inhabitants as in a place takē by assault And bicause they continued their disorders by the winking of certaine of the Councell of estate In the beginning of September the Captaine of Bruxelles well accompanied entred into the Pallace and in the name of the Estates of Brabant cōstituted prisoners amongst others the Counties of Mansfield and de Barlaiment Assonuile Councellor Barti Scharemberg Secretaries Soone after the Spaniards were declared Rebels enemies to the King his country by an Edict of the Councell of Estate published the 22. of September For all this the Spaniards left not running hither and thither putting to flight all such as in the field made head against them and by the intelligence they had with the Lansquenets they entered into the towne of Mastricht which they pilled This done they ioyned themselues together marched towards Antwerpe arriuing there they got in at the Citadel or Castle the 4. of Nouember and sodenly assailed the companies of souldiers and all the inhabitants of the Towne with a maruellous fiercenes resolution during many daies pilling sacking spoyling the towne one of richest fullest of marchandise in all Europe they massacred slew many thousands of persons of all ages sexes Estates and of diuers Countries burnt one of the richest quarters of the Towne with the magnificall and most sumptuous house thereof briefly they committed there all maner of wickednes The Estates of the fifteene Prouinces which till then had bene Spanish hauing learned to their cost that they which thus handled them looked for nothing so much as wholly to ruinat and destroy them made a peace with the Princes the States of Holland Zeland the 8. day of Nouember in the Towne of Gaunt During all those tempests God conserued the reformed Church of Antwerpe and certaine others also as sometimes in Babilon he conserued the companions of Daniel in the middest of the burning Fornace and Daniel himselfe in the Lyons den Incontinently after the spoyling of Antwerpe the Almaines would needs remooue their goods to Valenciennes but they were preuented by the Inhabitants and driuen away out of the Towne the 10. day of Nouember They of Groninghe in Friseland maintained themselues in the like sort and arrested prisoner their Gouernour who meant to haue spoyled theyr Towne And at this time all the lowe countries were in armes readie to runne vpon the Spaniards extreamly hated of them all Iosias Sinder an execellent Theologian professor of holy letters at Zurich dyed the second day of Iuly in his age of 45. yeares He left some bookes which were full of solide doctrine and especially exceellently refuting the Antitrinitaries and Vbiquitaries Stephen Bathori Vaiuoda of Transiluania hauing beene crowned King of Polonia the first day of May tooke order for the affaires of his kingdome and prepared himselfe for the war against the Moscouite He left the churches of Poland in peaceable estate The Emperour Maximilian hauing held his last Imperiall Iourney at Ratisbone dyed the 12. day of October beeing about the age of 55. yeares Rodolphus his eldest sonne King of the Romanes of Hungarie and of Boheme succeeded his Father Maximilian in the Imperiall dignitie being the second of that name Assoone as he was proclaimed Emperor he caused the Embassadors of Poland to be released and sent to Amurath to demaund truce which was without any difficultie graunted because that the Turke hauing had aduertisement of the warre which the king of Persia prepared against him could not any way assure himself to make resistance in so many places his Empire elsewhere being sorely weakened by the iust punishment of God with plague and famine Ieronimo Conestagio Frederic Elector Palatine of Rhene a Prince fearing God greatly affectionating true Religion the ornament true Iosias of all Almaine died the 22. of October being 26. years of age His eldest sonne Lewes succeeded him in the dignity of princely Electorship who chaunged the doctrine discipline which his father had happily established in the Countie Palatine In the moneth of Ianuary February and March the Estates of France were at Blois where the last Edict of pacification on was reuoked after infinit practises and the Duke Alenson forsooke the part of Polititians and of them of Religion From thence followed in sommer next a new warre against them of the Religion which lost the Townes de la Charite vpon Loire Issoire in Auuerne Melle and Brouage in Guien with great desolations especially at Issoire The Marshall also Danuile forsooke his confederates and did the worst he could vnto the Churches of Languedoc finally a sixt Edict of pacification was treated of at Bergerac and agreed on at Poitiers in the moneth of September by the meanes whereof the former was abolished and the Churches more troubled then euer they were insomuch that after that they had nothing assured yet notwithstanding God maintained them in many places against the opinion of great and title In old Saxonie which we now call Westphalia Salentinus Bishop of Padeborne and Archbishop of Coloine being the last of the honourable house of Eisenberge voluntarily resigned both his Bishopprickes and tooke to wife Antouia Witelma the daughter of Iohn Counte of Arenberge and sister to Charles Arenberge Whom in the Diocesse of Padeborne Henry Duke of Saxonie Archbishop of Breme succeeded and in the Electoriship Gebardus Truchesses the sonne of William Lord of Walnogh Dauid Chytreus Iohn de Austrich the bastard sonne of the Emperor Charles the fift was sent as Gouernor into the lowe Countries He before hee entered into Brabant confirmed the pacification of Gaunt and made an accord with
haue bin to conserue and keepe the puritie of the Euangelicall doctrine but suffering to take roote I know not how that which tasted of carnall wisedome in so much that in the place of the true end marke which the Gospell proposeth vnto vs men began to establish vnto vs all the perfection of Christianitie in sufferings and afflictions for the Gospell and in arresting abiding a litle too subtilly vpon the stay of certaine fantastike persons springing from the schoole of Philosophers so fell by litle and litle to that vnhappinesse as to transforme the holy scripture into allegorike interpretations a maruellous baite for the curiositie of humane vnderstanding and a fountaine of infinite mischiefes in the Church True it is that the first inuentors of such things thought nothing lesse then that which came after So much then did the Lord humble his people But about the end of this periode euil was seene to aduance and ceremonies encrease in such sort that men enclined vnto Indaisme and Paganisme the loue of solitude and Munkery the abstinence from marriage and from certaine viands and meates on particular dayes many Feasts and other seeds of superstition after succeeding tooke a maruellous roote So the commencement of praiers for the dead and of the sacrifice of the Masse did then discouer themselues not that the intent of such as made mention of the dead to encourage the liuing constantly to serue God and which brought of their goods into the company of the faithfull for the comfort of the poore after the celebration of the Supper was to bring in the execrable Idolatrie which long time after sprung vp There were also introducted and brought into Baptisme certaine ceremonies yet not such as the ridiculous superstitions which since haue bin forged Finally the good intent began to shewe it selfe and from thenceforth to lift vp the head vntill at the last vpon the ende of the second time of the Church it rose vp aboue the word of God As for the third periode of the first time heerein it was happie in that God during that time raised vp diuers learned persons Greekes and Latines to oppose themselues with liuely voyce at Sinodes as also by their bookes whereof wee haue some number at this day against the impietie of infinite heretikes Amongst other S. Augustine was an excellent Doctor of the Church who notwithstanding is not alwaies so cleare as is to be desired Amongst the Latines this time also brought forth other great persons yet men also which yet is more seene in the Greeke Doctors lesse pure then the Latines especially in the right knowledge of the merite of Iesus Christ and all was the want of a pure and natiue intelligence of the Lords language in the Prophetike and Apostolike bookes Their allegorike interpretations had as it were gotten the vpper hand ceremonies maruellously encreased Monkeries began to take footing the true meanes to diuide the Church and to forge a new seruice of God afterward the veneration of the Martyrs Sepulchres paintings and after Images glistered in Churches The pure doctrine of the Lords Supper began to bee falsified for want of right vnderstanding the manner of Sacramentall speeches and the vertue of the alone sacrifice of Iesus Christ Bishops especially that of Rome thrust into the world and the misterie of iniquitie formed it selfe as it afterward should come into the light For Arrianisme hauing serued for a seed to Mahumatisme and the dispising of the celestall veritie with corruption of manners maintaining the audacitie and boldnesse of the Bishops of Rome this periode finishing gaue entry vnto straunge euils wherewith the Church was ouerthrowne a litle space after Let vs now say something of the second time of the Church which we diuide into two periodes The first from Phocas about the yeare 600. vntill Charlamaine by the space of 300. yeares The second from Charlamaine vnto Charles the fift of that name Emperour about 700. yeares In the first periode of this second time of the Church as the Antichrist of the East thrust himselfe well forward that of the West established his Throne and then was the doore open to all errours which notwithstanding entred not at once but came by litle and litle into the Church Aboue all the opinion of purgatorie fire and of the sacrifice for the dead were the foundation of the Papaltie and of all that vermine of their Cleargie and infinite Sects of Monkes which like Grashoppers from the deepe pit came to spread themselues through Europe But it was in the second periode of the second time that Idolatrie and superstitions obtained the vpper hand Insomuch that the poore Church as it were buried had no more any spring neither appeared there any token wherevpon to cast her eye but onely the inuocation of the Father of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost in Baptisme And although from time to time the Lord made shine some flames and torches in the bowells of that darkenesse to redargue and weaken such as rotted in so heauie and palpable ignorance yet was their blindness so lamentable and their sleepe so deepe that for one which lifted vp the head and to whom Antichrist gaue no release nor leaue to approach witnesse all such as during this periode opposed themselues neuer so litle against his tyrannie an infinite remained liuelesse and altogether dead The Lord making himselfe admirable in the mercie which he shewed vpon some and renowned in horrible and iust punishment of their ingratitude which loued better lyes then truth Who can heere recyte the superstitions Idolatries of Antichrist his crafts and subtilties to establish his kingdome and tirannie vpon bodies and soule He had his seruants and instruments of all sorts to leane fasten encrease and multiply his Throne in the Temple of GOD carrying in his browe the name of miserie sitting in the Temple of God calling himselfe God yet vnknown of such as called themselues Christians which he put off vntill the end of the world and to I know not what fancie and dreame of an Antichrist which should be borne but a litle before the second comming of the sonne of God Briefly the great spiritual Babilon the murdresse of soules had her kingdome during this period tyrannizing the Israell of God hid and dispearced in a litle number and by her impostures blasphemies and impieties mocked the true God Father of Iesus Christ whose name auowed with the mouth shee trode vnder her feet by her abhominable errour But the Lord willing to make his worke admirable which was to ruinate Babilon to destroy the man of sin by the breath of his mouth and by the brightnesse of his comming presented himselfe in the third time and by the ministerie of people feeble and of small appearance yet driuen and drawne on with the zeale of his glory first brought in y e knowledge of tongues then the celestial truth maugre all the strengthes of the world and in
which they chose from among the people hauing charge of things which belonged to the Temple to Iustice and the gouernment of the Church When Iesus had chased from the Temple the buyers and sellers the next morning the high Priests and Elders of the people came to him asking by what authoritie he did those things Math. 21. About the 20. yeare of Christ and the fift of Tiberius as Eusebius saith in his Chronicle thirteene Townes of Asia were ouerthrowne by an Earthquake namely Ephesus Sardis Mesthenes Megechiere Cesarea Magnesia Philadelphia Hincel Tenus Cume Mirthina Apollonia Diahyrcania Such iudgements of God ought to serue for aduertisements and instructions vnto vs. Our Lord Iesus Christ exercised his Ministerie and office the space of three yeares three moneths and tenne dayes and the beginning is taken from his thirtieth yeare because in S. Luke it is said that Iesus began to be about thirtie yeares of age He suffered death and passion the yeare 34. according to the supputation of many authors Caius Caligula was an horrible Monster who by his wicked life despited heauen and earth vttering his furie through all the iurisdictions of the Romane Empire and by his Edicts would needs make himselfe a God But finally he was taken with a straunge death Iosephus maketh a singular recitall thereof in the 1. Chapter of the 20. booke of Antiquities Chareas Sabinus Aquila and others which of long time had conspired his death slew him cruelly after he had raigned three yeares tenne monethes and eight dayes His body as Suetonius rehearseth was secretly carried to the Gardens of Lamius and being halfe burnt was couered with a litle earth He was of the age of 24. yeares Such a Tirant who had prouoked both God and men against him could no otherwise end his daies Caligula banished Herod the Tetrarch who went to Rome at the perswasion of Herodias the yeare 40. into the Towne of Lions in Gaul where he died in pouertie with the said Herodias his harlot The same yeare the Iewes endured great afflictions One was at Alexandria vpon this occasion Caligula had ordained that through all the Iurisdiction of the Romanes there should be builded vnto him Temples and Aultars where they should worship him as God The Iewes alone resisted his impietie Then were there many Grecians in Alexandria who wished death vnto the Iewes therefore then they tooke occasion to make them odious vnto the Emperour except they obeyed his ordinance When it came to proofe the Iewes resisted it strongly and the sedition about it was such that many were slaine on both sides The cause was finally debated at Rome and Caligula a peruerse man made chase away Philo the Iewe who pleaded the Iewes cause Who then said It behooueth vs whom the Emperour hateth to take courage For it is necessarie that God should helpe when humane succours faileth Caligula vsed to say Would to God the Romane people had but one Head The Iewes also were greatly afflicted in Babilon of the Chaldeans and in Seleucia of Siria There were two brethren Iewes of base condition the one named Asniens and the other Anileus the which being Robbers and Theeues they gathered together a great number of Rake-hells and disordered persons Artanabus seeing this euill encrease thought good to remedie it But it was too late And finally mooued with the prowesse of these two yoong men receiued them into amitie and gaue them the gouernment of the Kingdome of Babilon See Ioseph in the 18. Booke and last Chapter Iesus Christ ascended visibly into Heauen to confirme his Resurrection the better and the glorie of his Kingdome 40. dayes after his Resurrection His Disciples yet dreamed of an earthly kingdome of Messias asked of him if he would not begin it But Iesus Christ after he had spoken of the eternall Kingdome and had blessed them was lifted vp aloft and a bright Cloude receiued him into Heauen where he sitteth at the right hand and power of God Now then we must consider what aduancements and encrease the Primitiue Church made by the Apostles and their Disciples that all the faithfull may know that Iesus Christ the King of glory remaineth not Idle in Heauen but by an admirable manner maintained gouerneth and aydeth his that his Gospell may be sowne through the world But as God shewed that honour to the Land of Canaan as to giue it the promises touching the Redeemer so there also by his death he obtained saluation vnto mankinde Aboue all Countries Asia the lesse had at that time the most flourishing Churches After the Ascention of Christ there was an excellent Church in Ierusalem In the first of the Acts it is recited that there were about sixe score persons at the beginning The holy scripture calleth Churches the publicke assemblies of many faithfull Tenne dayes after the Ascension was the Feast of Pentecost The Lord Iesus then raigning in Heauen at the right hand of his Father powred visibly and sensibly the holy Ghost vpon the Apostles which then were assembled at Ierusalem The word of the Lord tooke his course and the number of the faithfull by litle and litle encreased in Ierusalem by the preaching and miracles of the Apostles Behold the booke of the Acts for the first preachings and the persecutions which came after the death of our Lord. The 34. yeare after the Natiuitie of Christ and the 19. of the Kingdome of Tiberius after the death of S. Steuen the high Priests of Ierusalem stirred more and more grieuous persecutions against the Church Saul which is also Paul was chosen to persecute the faithfull for before his conuersion he burnt with false zeale espying into each house and drawing into prison all he could catch S. Ierome reciteth that S. Paul his parents dwelt in Sischal a Towne of Iuda but when the Romanes tooke the Countrie they went into Tharsis which is in Cilicia where Paul was borne His father was a Iewe of the Tribe of Beniamin and a Burgesse of Rome Act. Chap. 22. Many then were Martired others were constrained to retire themselues into Countries adiacent which occasioned the Gospell to be further spread abroad About the yeare fortie and fiue after the Natiuitie of our Lord Iesus Christ and twelue yeares after his Resurrection the third yeare of Caligula a great persecution was stirred by Herode Agrippa against the Christians wherein Iames the brother of Iohn was beheaded Peter put in prison but the Angell of the Lorde drewe them out most miraculously Soone after the Lord reuenged the death of his For it happened that this Herode went to Cesarea The cause was for that hee hadde enterprised a warre against the Tyrrians and Sidonians which they preuented by gaining the Chamberlaine Blastus and demaunding of a peace One day Herode sumptuously adorned sate downe in Throne and spake to them and the people made an acclamation as if GOD himselfe hadde spoken vnto them But Herode was incontinently strooken by the Angell
vailable 8. q. 3. c. Salus in omnibus Galen the Phisitian flourished at this time Valentine the hereticke a Platonician denied the resurrection of the flesh Hee affirmed that Christ tooke no humane flesh off the Virgines wombe but that hee passed through it as through a conduit Cerdon the Stoike said at Rome that the holy Ghost descended not vpon the Apostles but vpon himselfe Note here the saying of Tertullian namely that the Philosophers are Patriarkes of heretickes Martian the Stoike a follower of Menander made two contrary principles This Pope seeing hee named himselfe so was a learned man and made a booke intituled De Trinitate vnitate Dei. Pius first of that name 11. Pope of Rome an Italian of Aquilia ruled at Rome a 11. yeares Some say hee ordeined that Easter should be celebrated vpon the Sunday by the perswasion of Hermes who said it had bene reuealed vnto him by an Angell in likenes of a shepheard And this ordinance was after confirmed by many Pope That hee decreed punishments for Ecclesiasticall persons which administred the Sacraments of the body and bloud of Christ negligently That is to say that he that by imprudency negligently let fal vpō the earth any of the blood of Christ so speakes he should do penance 40. dayes If it fell vpon the Aultar 3. dayes If vpon the Chalice cloth 4. dayes If on any other cloth 9. dayes And that the said bloud so falne should be licked scraped or washed and after all burnt and kept for the Sacristeres By litle and litle then the Romane seate beganne to forge ordinances Also that Virgins or Nunnes should not take vpon them the vaile before the age of 25. yeares Item that if any Ecclesiasticall person did sweare or blaspheme he should be deposed and euery Laie person excommunicated Anicetus 12. Pope a Sirian ruled 10. or a 11. yeares wise and of good life Some attribute vnto him that hee ordained the Crowne for Priests He was martyred vnder Marcus Aurelius In his time Egesippus an Hebrew came to Rome dwelt there vntill Eleutherius Iustinus a Christian Phylosopher writ a booke in defence of Faith and Religion to the Emperour Antonius Pius who also was much enclined to maintaine it He writ against Martian Policarpus Bishop of Smyrna in Ionia which is in Asia the lesse aboue Ephesus came to great age Ireneus saith that he was ordeined Bishop by the Apostles and it is likely that he began his ministery the 2. or 3. of Traian S. Ierome in his Catalogue saith he was placed there by S. Iohn the Euangelist who dyed the yeare 68. after the passion of Iesus Christ as most say Ireneus reciteth of him that one day as Marcian encountred him and said vnto him Take knowledge with vs. Policarp answered him I know thee for the first sonne of Satan And Ireneus saith further There are some haue heard him say that Iohn the Disciple of Iesus went into Bathes to wash himselfe and seeing Cerinthus the hereticke there he went out and washing himselfe saying Let vs flie from hence least this house fall vpon vs where Cerinthus enemy of the truth washeth Note how the Disciples of the Apostles had this rule not to communicate with them which falsifie the truth of the Gospell Whilest Policarpus was at Rome he withdrew many from their heresies Marcus Aurelius Antoninus Verus the brother of Antonius Pius obtained the Empire 18. yeares Lucius Verus his sonne in lawe gaue himselfe to dice and to haunt the Stewes Therfore was he sent into Siria by Marcus Aurelius and at last as some say poisoned After some he dyed of an Apoplexe So Marcus Aurelius Antoninus raigned alone The fourth persecution after Nero was stirred against the Christians by Marcus Aurelius And as Eusebius saith many euils happened in Italie great pestilence warre earthquakes Invndations of waters and a multitude of Grashoppers In the meane while by the persecutions as it were continuall the Christians affaires encreased from day to day by the doctrine of the Apostles Disciples Wherof yet many then did liue that the Christian Religion tooke strong roote being thus bedeawed with the bloud of Martyrs We must not here forget the sentence of Iustine spoken in a colloquie with Trypheus Hee saith thus Men may each day perceiue that we which beleeue in Christ cannot be astonished nor turned backe Let them cut off our heads Let them crucifie vs Let them expose vs to beasts to fires or other torments and so much more as men torment vs so much more do the number of Christians encrease Euen as when a Vine is cut it is but to make it more fertile So the Vine which God hath planted and the Sauiour Iesus that is his people cannot but multiply by torments c. Melito Bishop of Sardis writ to the Emperour for the Faith and Christian Religion Apollinaris Bishop of Hierapolis was at this time Theophilus Bishoppe of Antioche writ against Martian Denis Bishop of Corinthe Iustus Bishoppe of Vienne a Martyre for the Faith Attalus Blandina Photin Bishop of Lions a Martyr also for the Faith Persecution in Asia The end of the life of Policarpus was at this time Marcus Antonius Verus and the chiefe Gouernours of the Empire caused such a persecution that it came euen to the Christians which dwelt in the Towne of Smyrna whereof Policarpus was Bishoppe and had beene a long time and was there burnt hauing serued the Church of God about three score and tenne yeares which was the seuenth of this Emperour Some say hee was of the age of foure score and sixe yeares The Prayer of Policarpus before his death is in the Eccleciast History Booke 4. His bones taken out of the fire were laide in a Sepulchre Pionius Martyre Soter an Italian 13. Pope helde the seate about tenne yeares He endured many aduersities and in the ende was Martyred He ordained that none should celebrate without two men present That Nunnes should carry Vailes on their heads That they might not touch sacred Ornaments as Chalices Corporalles and that they should not Incense in the Temple nor about Aultars In his second Decretall he calleth himselfe Pope Hee instituted that each Priest doing his Office should haue with him an other Priest If there chaunced some suddaine necessitie to happen Hee saide that an oath made imprudenly which redounded to an euill ende ought not to be kept For it were better saith he to periure himselfe then for keeping his oath to fall into a greater crime At this time Peregrine a Philosopher did publickely at Pise cast himselfe into the fire vpon vaine-glorie At this time beganne the Cataphryges heretikes by Montanus with Priscilla and Maximilla They vsed in their Sacrifices a Childes blood which they mingled with Flowre or with Breade If the Childe whose blood was drawne out dyed they held him for a Martyr If
reproach Hist Eccle. Lib. 7. Chap. 17. Note how the Sonne succeeded the Father in their Bishopricks And so in Victors time Polictates a Bishop of Asia said that he himselfe was the 8. Bishop of his Auncestors Some say that Galien seeing the long horrible seruitude of his Father vnder Sapor King of Persia as is said caused to cease the persecution by publicke Edicts permitting euery one to liue after his owne lawe Hee was so giuen to his pleasures that when it was tolde him that many Countries were reuolted from him hee did but laugh In so much that his souldiers slew him at Millaine at the age of 50. yeares hauing raigned 15. yeares that is to say seuen with his Father and eight alone Thirtie Tyrants rose vp which sore afflicted the Romane Common-wealth Ignatius saith it Claudus the Emperour raigned almost two yeares Trebellius saith that in his kingdome the Gothes and diuers other people of Scythia pilled the Romaine Prouinces and that there were three hundreth thousande men of barbarous Nations which by force entred into the Romaine Territories against which people as well by sea as by land the Emperour Claudus obteined victorie the first yeare of his kingdome and finally chased them away After him Quintilius his brother was chosen of the Romane Senators and raigned but seuenteene dayes and was slaine or as some say he caused his owne foote to bleed in water hauing vnderstood that Aurelian was chosen Emperour Aurelian the Emperour is rather to be numbred amongst necessary Princes then good for so much praise as his militarie Art deserueth so much his domesticke crueltie takes from him which he exercised euen against his sisters sonne Vopiscus witnesseth that the Emperour Aurelian the first yeare of his kingdome recouered Gaule after hee had vanquished Tetrike who before occupied it this was in the yeare of Christ 274. after Eusebius He also deliuered from the Barbarians the Inhabitants of Auspourge which were besieged by the said Barbarians After this he tryumphed ouer Zenobia and the Persians hauing vanquished them Some say hee founded Orleans and Geneua renowned Townes Eusebius saith of him that he was towards Christians very peaceable at the beginning but soone after he chaunged his good opinion at the perswasion of wicked people Insomuch that he determined to persecute the Churches and letters of his Edict were written and wanted but his signet and hand for to send them vnto the Prouinces but God by his diuine clemencie hindered it For hee dyed suddenly before he could execute his will Some say a Thunderboult light nigh vnto Aurelian and such as followed him euen when he began to persecute the Christians and that soone after he was flaine by one of his houshold and familiars as hee was going the second time to warre vpon the Therikes Herein would God giue his to know that his chosen are not executed at the pleasure of men but when it pleaseth him This was the ninth persecution against the Christians which endured not long for the death of the said Tyrant It should also be noted that euen whilest Aurelian the Emperour raigned foure Tyrants inuaded the Empire namely Firmian Saturnin Bonosus and Proculus As Vopiscus saith After the death of Aurelian the Empire was voyd seuen moneths And after him Tacitus was chosen Emperour a wise and graue man but he was slaine the sixt moneth of his Empire Florian his brother tooke from him his Empire not by the Senates authoritie but of his owne will thinking it belonged vnto him by hereditary right yet notwithstanding a while after he was slain nigh Tharsus hauing raigned 60. daies Some say he caused his owne veines to be opened Probus issued from Dalmatia was declared Emperour a man excellent both in peace and warre hee raigned 6. yeares and foure moneths The first yeare of his raigne he recouered Gaul which the Barbarians and Almaines had againe occupied and brought them vnder the first obedience of the Romanes He reduced all Germanie into a Prouince He tooke away olde Tyrants and brought peace into the world So that he said there should be no more any need of souldiers which caused them so to malice him that they conspired to sley him Manes the hereticke at this time composed many bookes and almongst others one hee Intituled The Misteries of Maniche He was a Persian by Nation And seeing many abhorred his lyes and blasphemies sought all meanes to giue authoritie to his doctrine He made the King of Persia beleeue that he would heale his sonne who was greeuously sicke But after the Kings sonne was taken from the Phisitians and put into the hands of Manes he died The King of Persia caused him to be apprehended and made him to be broyled aliue vpon an hot Iron Suidas and Epipha recite it Hee was a great Magician and S. Augustine saith that the bookes of the Maniches are full of fables of Astronomie S. Ierom in the preface of the Dialogues against the Pelagians saith that the Manicheans affirmed that when they are come to the highest degree of perfection they can no more sinne no not in thought nor by ignorance Felix borne at Rome was ordeined Bishop after Denis the yeare of Christ 280. after Eusebius and the first yeare of the raigne of Probus The last Authors attribute vnto him two Epistles Decretals without authoritie of the Elders The first is written to Paternus Bishop The 2. to all the Bishops of France wherein he declareth that he had determined in a Councell that Messes should be celebrated vpō the memory of Martyrs least it might be quenched The word Messe doth manifestly enough shew the deceit and forging of those decretals For it was not yet vsed neither are there found any Authors of that time which haue written thereof Felix finally suffred martirdom after he had bin bishop of Rome 5. yeares after Euse But after Dama 4. yeres 3. months 5. daies Eutichian a Tuscā of the towne of Lunes succeeded him the year of Christ 284. the 1. yeare of y e raign of the Emp. Probus Two decretal Epistles are attributed vnto him the 1. to them of Boetia cōtaining certain doctrines of y e Incarnatiō of Christ of his body of his Crosse of his death of hell of our saluatiō Damasus attributeth vnto him a ceremony touching the oblation of Gummes fruites as Beanes Pease Raisons and such like The same Damasus saith of him if we must needs beleeue him that with his owne hands he buried 342. Martyrs and that he ordained that none should bury any Martyr without a Damaltike or a Sacerdoll coate and without fire Whosoeuer vnderstands the horror of the persecutions of this time way easily coniecture the lyes of such ceremonies Gratian the great Forger reciteth that Eutichian made many constitutions That Abbesses and Nunnes should not put vailes vpon widowes or maydens which should be Nunnes Item that such as came to Councells about
the Metropolitans dignitie That the Cathares heretikes called Nouatians if they would repent themselues come again to the Church confesse the faith according to the beliefe of the church should be receiued into the order thereof And if their Bishop come with ours let thē sit with our Priests And let the name of a Bishop remaine only to thē which haue alwaies held the catholike faith to no others That in one Citie there be but one Bishop That if any of them which indiscreetly haue bene ordained Bishops being accused of crime do confesse it or be by others conuicted let them be deposed and likewise such as haue erred in the faith and by errour haue bin promoted if after they be knowne That such as in time of persecution haue receiued the faith and with a good hart repent themselues do 5. yeares make their penance with the Catechumenes that is to say such as learn the faith to cōmunicate with thē in praiers only after which terme they may be receiued to y e Sacraments of y e Church That such as for the Faith haue renounced the Campe and after returne thither againe doo there penance 13. yeare and after to be receiued to the Sacraments if a true repentance might be seene in them And notwithstanding that it should be in the faculty power of the Bishop to abridge the terme if he see their penance to be fruitfull and hartie That if that foresaid penitents come to peril of death before their penance be ended that then the Sacraments should be administred vnto them yet if they escaped they should be bound to ende their penance That the Catechumenes which had likewise erred should be three yeares seperated from others and do their penance apart and after be receiued with them That no Bishop nor Clarke presume to clime vp from a little Church to a greater That the Clarke which shall leaue his Church without lawfull cause going vagarant and running heere and there be not receiued to other Churches to the Communion That no Bishop ordaine any who is not of his owne Dioces without leaue of his Diocesan That none take any vsury nor gaine or aduantage vpon Wine or Corne as customably men do giuing new for old or taking the sixt part of the gaine or the tenth halfe and if hee doo it let him be driuen away as one that taketh vnlawfull gaine That Deacons be not preferred before Priests nor sit in their ranke nor in their presence do distribute the Sacraments but only minister vnto them and assist whē they do distribute but when there are no Priests there in that case they may depart them That the Diaconesses because they are not consecrated be accounted amongst Laie-people There were many Canons made and discerned in that Councell and formes of confessions of Faith touching the diuine essence really distinguished truly and eternally into three persons the Father the sonne and the holy Ghost which are one onely God alone eternall infinite and all perfect in himselfe Which persons are coessentiall and coeternall without confusion of properties and relation and without any inequalitie c. But heere it should be too long to recite the said confessions which many good Bishops presented in this Councel And for the most part they are found in the bookes they haue left vnto their posteritie The Fathers then vnited in the true doctrine touching the person of the sonne of God concluded this Article as is aboue said The Emperour Constantine also gaue out a decree and ordinance thereof And euen as Porphirius an enemie to Christian religion in times past receiued the salarie and reward of confusion for his impietie So Arrius and his complices true Porphirians were to all an horrour and abhomination He added further and denounced the paine of death to all such as hid the writings of Arrius without discrying them and burning them in the fire As for the other occasion and cause for which this Sinode was assembled namely touching the celebration of Easter the Emperour being grieued that the inequalitie of the obseruation thereof troubled so many Churches proposed to the Fathers that the decision thereof was made that all men should celebrate it on one same day It seemed vnto him vnfit that so sacred a feast as that should be celebrated after the immitation of the Iewish nation the enemies of Iesus Christ So hauing made these remōstrāces vnto the Councell he asked of Acesius Bishop what he thought thereof but Acesius durst not say cōtrary to him This question then was decided after they had ordained of things Ecclesiasticall and it was agreed therevpon that the celebration of Easter should be obserued on one same day throughout all the world The difference also which was betwixt Miletius Bishop of Licia a Towne in Thebaide and Peter Bishop of Alexandria was agreed Epipha saith Lib. 2. Tom. 2. Heres 68. that the aforesaide Peter helde that they which in time of persecution were fallen into renouncement returning to the Church and confessing their fault if they demaunded pardon that they ought not to be suspended from the communion Miletius maintained that we may not receiue them vntil the persecutiō cease least others by too great facilitie of pardoning offenders should be offended or elfe thereby might be prouoked or induced to fall into like infirmitie Socrates saith that for many other causes Meletius had bin deposed by Peter of Alexandria and that for this ignominy he alwaies after bare euill will vnto Peter and his successors Achilles and Alexander which Theodorus also reciteth Lib. 1. Chap. 8. This is briefly that which may be said in this history of the Councell of Nice which although it was as a thunder-bolt to confound that wicked Arrian heresie yet was it not so destroyed but after it lifted vp the head againe And that more is it was neuer more pernitious to all the Church thē after the death of Constantine when especially it had gotten for the defence some of the Emperours which lifted vp her head notwithstanding that which Athanasius in his Epistle to Epictetus Bishop of Corinth saith is true The faith which the Fathers haue expounded by the holy scripture in that Sinode is sufficient to confound all impietie c. Eusebius in his chap. 27. lib. 3. reciteth that the machinations ambushes laid by the sectaries of Arrius and Eusebius against Athanasius gaue occasion to the Emperor to conuocate in his time many Councells and assemblies of Sinodes There was a Priest who got fauour of Constantia widow of the Tyrant Licinius and the sister of Constantine whom this Priest made beleeue that great wrong was done vnto Arrius at the Councell of Nice and that his faith was not repugnant from that of the said Councell A litle after the said Constantia taken with a mortall disease sent for her brother Constantine and gaue witnesse of the innocencie of Arrius whereby this Priest hauing gotten accesse to the Emperour by
same ceremonies which were at the burial of bodies were also in this age obserued in the translation and eleuation of holy bodies The Priests of Apollo heretofore made that Apostate Emperor Iulian as he sacrificed in Antioche nie the fountaine Daphne beleeue that the sepulchre of Babyla Martyr nigh vnto the said place was the cause that Apollo gaue no answere Iulian then cōmaunded the Christians which he called Gallileans to take away the said sepulchre then all the Church came thither young and olde virgins and mothers and with great ioy drew out and conducted the Coffer of the bones of Babila singing as high as they could Ruff. lib. 1. chap. 35. And Toch lib. 3. cap. 18. Ambrose in his 85. Epistle to his sister sheweth how this manner of taking vp and translating of the Martyrs bodies was obserued in the west Churches The Reliques saith he of a Saint beeing found either aduisedly or by chance first they are shewed the people and declared it is by some of what Martyr those reliques are after hauing laid them in order they are carried into some Temple and there vigils watches are made all night then the next day a Sermon is made of the life of that Martir See what Ambrose saith who also witnesseth if we must giue faith vnto him that miracles were done there Behold how a new deuotion transporteth not onely the common people but also the Pastors and Bishops The doings of many Painims of this time As for the Gentiles of this time and their superstitions we will heere touch one word as we passe by Certaine it is that Idolatry drew after it all kinde of wickednesse From the Gods they haue drawne out all that infection of Iupiter adulterers rauishments and stuprations of children of Venus the art of whoordome of Rhea all filthinesse of Mars murders and so of the other bodies It is then no maruell if their manner of dooings bee so straunge In Phenicia women were prostituted before Idolls Athanasius reciteth it the women before marriage being deliuered of proofe to their husbands Sozo li. 1. chap. 8. They also accustomed to chastice adultry with an other whoordome and publike constupration Socrat. lib. 5. chap. 18. The Indians had many wiues Hierom. lib. 1. contra Iouinianum The schooles of Magitians had certaine prayers for the dead whervnto they attributed so great efficacy that the powers of the ayre by them appeased let soules flye so into Heauen Arnobius Lib. 2. From hence hath Antichrist drawne the hunting of his indulgences to set vp his seate and inrich it Some Grecians on the dayes they call Pandemi that is to say Populary carried viands and wine to the Sepulchres of their dead They burnt the meate and presented the wine calling the dead by their names Rise vp cried they and eate and drinke and be merry Epipha in Ancorato And what other thing is this then the offertorie of the Masse for the quicke and the dead Many Nations had no marriage nor lawfull coniunction but rather brutall and common And what is that single life which Antichrist would bring in but a burning fire breaking into all abhominable whoordomes In those dayes men superstitiously obserued the dayes of the Moone and enterprised nothing the first day thereof Ambrose Lib. 10. Epist 83. When there was a question to know who should raigne after Valens Ianulicus and Libanius Sophisters and true supporters of Sathan writ in dust the 24. letters of the Greeke Alphabet and laid vpon euery one of them a graine of wheate and barley After they caused a Cocke to come and after the recitall of certaine charmes they let him goe to know by the Letters whereon he tooke the graines the name of the successor The Cocke tooke the graines vpon the Letters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Emperour Valens after hee knew this made many to be slaine whose names began with these Letters Zonaras reciteth it They vsed violence against Christians with calumniations and slaunders The first defence of their superstition was that it had bene of long time and that their Elders had alwaies maintained it Arnol. lib. 8. against the Gentiles and so did Simmachus argue against Prudentius The second that it had alwaies bene profitable to the Romane Common-wealth and that thereby the Empire of the world had bene conquered and therefore it worshipped all the Gods which were adored in the world yea the vnknowne Gods Arnob. Lib. 8. And so argueth Maximinus in Eusebi Lib. 9. Chap. 7. The third was of the discommodities that came by leauing the Religion of the Idolls Maximinus the tyrant in his Edicts impureth all publike calamities to the chaunging of sacrifices Euseb Lib. 9. Chap. 7. 1. And contrary they calumniated the Christian Religion that it was new and that their predecessors were ignorant thereof Sozom. Lib. 1. Chap. 18. 2. That the Authors thereof were seditious and desperate persons Arnob. lib. 1. 3. That the Christians were but heapes of poore Idiots and women that vsed to slie the light and onely loued night assemblies 4. That by secret and hidde markes they loued before they knew one an other and that to couer their whoordomes they commonly called one an other brothers and sisters 5. That they are without Aultars without Temples and without Sepulchres In the said booke 8. The Papists at this day which shame not to change the truth with the same slaunders what other thing doo they else but either borrow or renew the olde Ethnikes arguments The Ethnickes also say of the Christian doctrine that which our mockers and Epicures say at this day that it is contrary to all reason For to say that God seeth and makes enquirie not onty of out affaires but also of our most secret cogitations and that he is present euery where this is not onely impertinent and euill becomming God but also it is to grieue and trouble him and to say he is curious and without rest The same Author That to say God loueth not them who willingly come vnto him but his Elect onely This say they is to doo iniurie to God and to accuse him of iniustice That Christians agree not in their doctrine This same did the Philosophers obiect in the Councell of Nice against the Fathers That the scripture is full of contradiction and therefore vncertaine Porphirius and Iulian the Apostate vsed this slaunder Socrat. 3. chap. 23. That all sorts of calamities came vpon them and that God punished them because they beleeued that man is God and after he was crucified to say hee liueth and raigneth Arnob. Lib. 1. Many Princes and Magistrates of this time opposed themselues against these Ethnike impieties And after Constantine the great and his sonne Iouinian caused to shut the Idoll Temples which Iulian had set open and forbad sacrifices Socrat. lib. 3. chap. 24. Valentinian in Europe tooke away the seruice of Idolls Theodoret. lib. 5. cap. 20. He forbad that none should
thing worthy of remembrance the great constancie of a woman called Denise and the exhortation she made to her sonne called Maioricus Remember said she my sonne that we were baptised in the name of the Trinitie wherefore let vs not loose the garments of our saluation Also an other called Victoria who neither by the solicitation of her husband nor the teares of her children could be perswaded c. Naucler Epiphanius Bishop of Pauie a very graue man brought into peace and concord the people of Liguria and brought from Burgonie many Captiues as well by his Siluer as his holie life whereby he entreated the redemption of 6000. Captiues Paul Diaconus and Naucler after him Seuerin an Abbot in Noric was now of great renowne Odoacer King of the Gothes as he passed by Noric into Italie went vnto him for his blessing Odoacer occupied Italie and was made King thereof and the Gothes raigned there by the space of 70. yeares The West Empire takes here an end after Augustulus had deposed himselfe the yeare of Christ 472. Sidonius Bishop of Auuerne a famous Poet in this time Clouis the fift King of France and the first Christian King raigned 30 yeares That is fifteene a Painim and fifteene a Christian Hee reuenged himselfe of them which cast out his Father Childerike out of his kingdome Going to Soisons hee tooke it by force and draue away Siagre the sonne of Giles the Romaine who occupied the kingdome against Childeric as hath bene said And at his returne tooke Melum and chased away the Romanes He amplified the kingdome of France hauing subiected to it all the Cities and Townes which the Romanes held betwixt the Riuers Rhene and Seine also all such as were betwixt Seine and Loire The histories of France say that in a certaine battel against the Almaines being at a strait he remembred the admonitions which Clotilde his wife had often giuen him to imbrace the Christian faith and religion In such sort that being pressed he lifted vp his eies to heauen and said Lord God deliuer me from this perill wherein I am thus enuironed with mine enemies and I will beleeue in thy name I all my people It came to passe not only that he was deliuered from perill but also that he had victorie vpon his enemies wherefore he was baptized by Remy Bishop of Rhemes his two sisters and more then 3000. of the noblest of his people besides women and children The inuention and fable of the holy Ampoule as they call it wherwith the kings of France are annointed is reported of this time Clouis for recompence gaue to the Church of Rhemes many great gifts lands signories and rents S. Remy afterward had great authoritie and was principall Councellour of king Clouis Some say he builded the Church of Laon and that hauing erected it a Bishops place gaue vnto it the land of Laon. Patricius the brother of S. Remy Earle of Soissons was after Bishop of Soissons and also gaue to the said Church the Earledome which the Bishop there holds at this day For you must vnderstand that S. Remy and his brother were children of the Duke of Laon and of Soissons of a noble and auncient race The Annales of France make mention that Alaric King of Visigots then occupied a great part of Gaul namely all the country along the Riuer of Loire from Orleans euen to mount Pirenes which do seperate France and Spaine Item the countries of Berry Auuerne Limosin Quercy Perignex Angolmois Agenois Languedoc Prouence and other nigh places against which Clouis willing to make warre as he passed nie Tours he sent to make his offerings to S. Martin to haue his succours against the said Visegoths and that after the victory he himselfe came to Tours and offered great gifts to the Temple of S. Martin If this be so for a first Christian king he was partly instructed in the Christian faith and felt yet his Paganisme because in the place of his old Gods he reclaimed called now vpon Saints The fault may be imputed to the Bishops Pastors which then were more superstitious then religious and more foolishly deuout then well and diuinely instructed in the word of God As S. Brice Patrice Fourcy Medard Gildard Vaast Remy Severin Germanie Loupe Nicaisius Aguien and other Saints of like branne were canonized after their deaths Vnder Zenon there happened such a fire in Constantinople that the greatest part of the Towne was brought into ashes and more then sixe score thousand volumes were lost and consumed Clouis had in marriage Clotilde the daughter of Chilperic King of Burgonie who was slaine by his owne brother called Gondobaldus and his wife mother of the said Clotilde was drowned Felix the third of that name borne at Rome gouerned the Church of Rome 8. or 9. yeares his Father was a Priest called Felix The consecrations of Temples and their dedications yearly are attributed vnto him Germain Bishop of Capua in this time Vaast Bishop of Arras Vedastus in Latin Fulgence Bishop of Rupe in Affrike Auitus Bishop Vienne Solemus Bishop of Chartres preached Christ and Fourcy that came new from Ireland The Councell of Orleans the third at this time after Iohn le Maire In the first Melanius was President In the saide Councell which was vnder Clouis it was agreed that the goods of the Cleargie should be imployed for the mainteining of Priests for the reliefe of the poore for the deliuerance of prisoners and for the repairing of Churches In the Councell of Tarrascon in Spaine Church-men were enioyned not to buye good cheape with intent to sell the same thing dearer for then they should be deposed Meane cares occupied the assemblies of Bishoppes Anastatius the Emperour called Dicorus for the chaunge of colours which appeared in his eye-browes succeeded Zeno and raigned 27. yeares he commaunded straightly to worship a quaternitie that is to say foure persons in the Diuinitie which pernitious heresie was by him maintained Gelatius of Affricke gouerned the Romaine Church fiue yeares his Father was a Bishop named Valericus Naucler The distinction of Autentike and Apocrypha bookes of the scripture are attributed vnto him Hee declared many bookes Apocryphaes as the booke called the Assumption of the Virgine Mary Item the Canons of the Apostles such like In the 1 volume of the Councels The Manicheans againe are condemned and exiled and their bookes burnt He shewed how Anastatius the Emperor might be excommunicated Hee is numbred amongst them which chiefly ordained the Canon Te igitur clementissime c. Some attribute to him the ordinance of Bigamies that is of such as haue bin twise married that they should not be promoted to orders vnles it were by ordinance of the Apostolike sea That orders should be made foure times a yeare and on the Saterday only He made Hymnes Collects Responds Graduels Prefaces of the Masse and brought all into order He
Imperiall gouernment and caused all Images to be cast downe in Temples and raigned aboue 7. yeares At this time a Sinode was held in Spaine in a Towne cal Eliboris or Granado where were congregated nineteene Bishops and thirtie sixe Priests Felix Bishop of Aquitaine was President there Amongst other points there was principally concluded that there should be no Images nor paintings in Churches The yeare 793. an other Sinode was held at Francford by the Bishops of Almaigne Franconia The Pope Adrian knowing this sent two Bishops Stephen and Theophilacte to vrge the Decree made for Images at the Councell of Niece by the meanes of Hirene In so much that the Sinode held at Eliboris in Spaine was at the said Francford condemned Abb. Vrsp Seeing now Iesus Christ was left to be portraied by the preaching of his pure word Images were admitted into the Temples of Christ therefore no maruell if so many contentious follow Hirene greeued to be depriued of the Empire by presents sollicited certaine Captaines to kill her sonne They watched him and put out his eyes vpon such a day as he had put out the eyes of his Vncle after Nicephorus fiue yeares before then put him in prison where he deceased fewe dayes after Hirene then his mother gouerned alone by the space of three yeares Shee also caused to be taken out of his graue the bodie of Constantine the fifth Father of her dead husband and made it publikely to be burnt and the Ashes thereof to be cast into the Sea because in his life time he had broken Images This did she at the Instigation of Theodorus Bishop who fauoured the Pope touching Images Henry Bullenger Alcuin or otherwise Albin Disciple of Beda the Venerable Monke and after Abbot of S. Martin of Tours Charlemaignes maister made three bookes of the Trinitie and many other bookes Also the life of S. Vaast Bishop of Arras Abb. Trit Charlemaine during his raigne caused 6. or 7. Councels and Sinodes to be held whereof fiue that is to say at Magunce Wormes Rhenes Tours Arles were assembled against the abuses of Ecclesiasticall persons which then were very great and did much displease the Emperour Charlemaigne Ansegisus Abbot of this time made foure bookes of the Decrees of Charlemaigne and of his sonne Lewis Amongst other things and aboue all he wold that Bishops should preach to the people the true doctrine drawne out of the holy Scriptures and not otherwise Therevpon alleadging the saying of Gregorie That the Priest which goeth without the care of preaching lightly lighteth against himselfe the wrath of the hid Iudge He also ordeined that no man should make profession of Monachisme without demaunding the Kings licence to shun many fraudes He would fewe Feasts should be ordeined He repressed the superfluitie of Priests and ordeined that they should be norished of the Ecclesiastical reuenews with y e poore He one day sharply reprehended the Archbishop of Magunce called Boniface because he had vsurped a Crosse all couered with gold and enriched with precious stones as an Imperiall Scepter For occasion thereof being offered in a publike assembly he said to him in choller Is it thus you make profession of the Crosse of Christ Do you thus feed the flock being rather in order of an Emperour then a shepheard An other which on S. Martins euen was made Bishop and for ioy therof forgetting to come the next day to the Temple was dismissed by Charlemaigne saying What wil he do hereafter when at first he is so forgetful of his office Also one other hauing receiued a great benefice for ioy being vpon horseback cast himself downe with great agilitie before the Emperour To whom the Emperour said So farre as I see you are an able man and a good horseman I haue need of you Leaue hardly this benefice to some weaker man Auentinus the Historiographer in his bookes of the Annales of Bauaria We may see by the recitall hereof that Popes had not that soueraigne power which afterward their successours vsurped The Emperours called Sinodes and proposed statutes and decrees and conferred and bestowed benefices At Francfort whilest Charlemain wintered there a Councell was held wherin the decree of the Councell of Niece held by Hirene touching Images as is saide was declared false and altogether condemned And although the Popes Factors as Vrspergensis and others do passe and dissemble it yet so is the truth And that the Pope Adrian sent thither his Embassadors Stephen and Theophilacte Bishop There also was condemned the heresie of Felix and Eliphandus which acknowledged their fault and asking pardon were restored to their dignities Charlemaigne caused a booke to be published in his name which agrreed with the Articles of the said Councell Yea and moreouer he answered two bookes which were found written by Adrian to Therasius Patriarke and to the Emperour of Constantinople By this writing Charlemaigne taxeth and couertly condemneth Adrian without naming him Idolater There was also a Councel held at Cauaillon vnder Charlemaigne wherein amongst other superstitions which were there condemned that of Pilgrimages in respect of Religion was sharply repressed in the 45. Canon Alledging that saying of S. Hierome Men should not be praised because they haue seene Ierusalem but because they haue liued well Leo the third of that name borne at Rome after he had receiued the Papall dignitie Incontinently sent to Charlemaigne the Keyes of S. Peter the Ensigne or Gonfanon as they call it of the Towne of Rome with other presents requiring him that he would doo so much that the people of Rome might yeeld themselues subiect to the Pope in deliuering him their oath of fidelitie For he feared the people one day would not stoope vnder his tyrannie But Charlemaigne willing to do a thing pleasing Leo sent a certaine Abbot called Agilbert who by the Emperours commandement constrained the Romane people to sweare fidelitie to the Pope For this cause the people conceiued such an hatred against the Pope that hauing found some which stirred them more to execute their fury and to serue them for guides Captaines as one day he went a procession hauing cast him from his horse they spoiled him of his pontificiall apparell and beat him well In which tumult none put out his eyes nor cut out his tongue as the Papists affirme teaching that straightway he was diuinely healed by so manifest lies to amplifie his authoritie but indeed hee was only put in prison in the Monasterie of Saint Erasmus as Mantuan saith in his fourth booke des Fastes Finally as Charlemaigne came to Rome the people knowing how hee was affectioned towards the Pope for the feare they had of him changed the anger they had cōceiued against Leo into fauour and durst not enterprise to proue the crimes whereof they accused him After then they had bene examined touching his life they cryed all with one voice That the Apostolike seate ought not to be iudged by a
sunne-setting as Masseus witnesseth which endured a long time and shewed what a great fire should after come Moreouer there was great numbers of Grashoppers which after they had destroyed the corne euen all trees were burned As the said Pope was preparing an Armie by sea against the Turkes because the Romanes were in troubles and seditions he was so vexed in his minde that he died with griefe the yeare 1362. and was buried in the said Monasterie of Chartreux without the Towne of Auignon Vrbain fift of Limosin called before Grinnald Grisant the sonne of an English Phisitian called William Monke of S. Benet first Abbot of Auxerre and after of S. Victor nigh to Marseillis being absent in a certaine Embassage was created Pope He was a great Doctor of the Canon Lawe and an exceeding arrogant Maister He straight applied himselfe to defend the libertie of the Papall Church by couetousnesse dissolutions and pompes and chiefly serued himselfe therein with such as affectioned him most in such affaires But aboue all he sent one called Gilles a Spaniard Cardinall of S. Sabin as a Legate into Italie with full power Who as a true Executor of all his bloudie commaundements rode through all Italie and so repressed the Vicounts and other gouernours of Townes bringing vppon them great losses and hurts if they would not submit themselues vnder the obedience of the Romane Church Yues a Brittaine Priest solde his goods and gaue them to the poore and was Canonized after his death Sabell Armacan some call him Richard and qualifie him an Archbishop a learned man published conclusions against Friars teaching that it was a villainous thing for a Christian to begge without constraint Volater Baldus a Lawyer of Peruse was renowned in this time The Monasticke order of Iesuites began by Iohn Colomban and Francis Vincent of Bourgongne Volat. and Sabell They were afterward by the Popes priuiledge called the Apostolike Clarkes Brigide Princesse of Sauabe had foure sonnes and foure daughters a litle before Pope Vrbain died she went to Rome to erect the order which after she instituted Valat lib. 21. She then to accomplish her vow procured that the order of Monkes named with her name as well men as women might be confirmed The Emperour Charles merited great praise by the Bull of gold wherein he gathered many things very necessarie to maintaine publike peace Iohn king of France went into England for the deliuerance of his brother Duke of Orleance and of his sonne Iohn Duke of Berry and of many others which he left in hostage and being there died in London after was carried to S. Denis in France See Emili. lib. 8. 9. Charles fift of that name 51. king of France was surnamed le Sage Hee caused many Latin bookes to be translated into French yea bookes of holy scripture Amurathes the third Emperour of the Turkes raigned 23. yeares and was the first that entred into Europe For hee aided the Emperour of Constantinople and sent him 12. thousand men which passed into Greece This was after cause of the taking of the Couuntrey of Asia the yeare of Christ 1363. Wickliffe beganne as a breake of day the preaching of the Gospell Iohn Wickliffe an English man a man of great spirit flourished in this time and began as from a deepe night to draw out the truth of the doctrine of the sonne of God He studied in the Vniuersitie of Oxford and came to such degree of erudition that hee was thought the most excellenrest amongst the Theologians In his readings with the puritie of the doctrine which hee taught hee also liuely touched the abuses of the Popedome In so much that the Locusts that is to say the begging Monkes lifted themselues vp against him But the Lord gaue him for a Protector the King Edward during whose raigne he had great libertie in his profession Richard the said Edwards successour persecuted and banished him but as a true Champion of the Lord he remained alwaies constant euen to his death His conclusions his bookes and his doctrine shew sufficiently the gifts and graces which God had bestowed vpon him Whosoeuer will more largely know those things let him looke in the booke of Martyrs brought by vs into light since the said Wickliffe Vrbane went to Rome to pacifie Italie where hee builded many things at Viterbe and at Montlacon minding to returne into Italie And as he returned into France in hope to bring againe the Court to Rome he deceased at Marcellis not without great suspition of poysoning Sabel An Vniuersitie founded at Vienna in Austriche by Albert Duke of Austriche Planudes a Greeke Monke liued in this time hee translated Cato and other bookes out of Greeke into Latin Charles King of France often held his seate of Iustice and was altogether a man of peace neither was euer Armed Only walking nigh Paris he made his warres and other his affaires of importance by his brothers and other Committees by whom he recouered as it were all that which the English men had taken from his Father To helpe the charges of the warre he laid a Taxe vpon Salt Wine that men sold He had fiue Armies at once against the English men Gregorie Pope 11. of that name of Limosin ruled in Auignon 7. yeares 5. moneths before he was called Rogier sonne of the Earle of Benfort and Nephew of Pope Clement the sixt hee was the Disciple of Baldus the Legist who then read at Peruse Returne of the Papaltie to Rome Most of the Townes of Italie withdrawing themselues from his obedience as Volateranus saith at the perswasion of Caterine de Siene a Nunne of the order of Iacobins of Baldus his late maister parting frō France with 12. Gallies with 3. ranks of Ores returned to Rome the yeare of the Lord 1376. He pronounced sentence of Interdict against the Florentines which were the first authors of the reuolt and had seized all the Popes Townes which were about them Vpon whom finally he made strong and sharpe warre because they made no account of the thunder of his excommunications which the Legists said were of no validitie because they proceeded of hatred and enmitie Naucler Some set downe certaine causes of his returne into Italie A woman called Brigide saith Masseus returning from Ierusalem writ to Gregorie that the Lord would that the Romane Court should be turned into her house Cranzius addeth that as he reprehended a Bishop that he left his Church and followed the Court he answered him And thou saith he which art Pope of Rome and which ought to giue example to others why goest not thou to thy Bishoppricke Then transported he his seate to Rome at the perswasion of two women and of a Bishop the seuenth yeare after he was departed This Pope demaunded a tenth of all Church goods in Almaigne to gather it sent his Legate But many resisted formed appellations against the Pope saying that they could not pay it
at large in the booke of Martyrs which I haue set forth At the Iourney of Carignan in Piemont nigh Cirisolles the Emperialists vnder the conduction of Alphonsus Dauall are discomfited by the Prince d' Anguien The Emperour taketh againe Luxembourge by composition he taketh Ligni and the Castle after S. Dedier where Rene Prince of Aurange was stricken with a bullet and died to the great griefe of the Emperour Anthonie Duke of Lorraine died not so much of age as of griefe to see the warre so nigh him yea euen as it were in his Countrey Francis his sonne succeeded him who married the Emperours Neece The King of England laid siege before Bologne and in the end tooke it by composition The Emperor being incamped vpon the Riuer of Marne the Count Guillam de Furstemberge was taken by certaine French horsmen as he sounded the Watch. The Emperor being at Soisson made peace with the king of France the 24. of September In the moneth of March Lewis Palatin Elector deceased and had Frederic his brother his successor Henry de Brunswic a sworne enemie of all vertue making no account of Marie the sister of Vlrich Prince of Wittemberge his wife but giuing himselfe to an whore one of his wiues Damzells by whome hee had seuen children was accused by the Protestants in a full Audience of Estates the fift of Aprill and to the end the thing should be more secret they caused to be made an Image like to an whore by certane Apostate women when this was done they caused her to bee buried with great pompe and magnificences after they had made all the Priests thereabouts say Masses Vigills and all the Seruice accustomed to be done by the Papists at the buriall of their dead To this he had nothing to answere but remained confounded The King of France caused a Fort to be built vpon the sea banke nigh Bullen to hinder the victualling of the Towne holding his Armie thereabouts Charles Duke of Orleance the king of France his sonne who should haue bene sonne in lawe or in other alliance of the Emperour the ninth day of September beeing of the age of 23. yeares was taken away by a malladie which held him but fewe dayes Guillam de Fustemberge prisoner at Paris after he had payed 30000. Skutes for his raunsome was set at libertie in the lowe Countrie with the Emperour who honourably and amiably receiued him The Sorbonists of Paris were assembled at Mèlun by the Kings commaundement to determine of Articles to propose at the Councell After long disputation they thought it best wholy to followe them which they had lately caused to be disputed on at Paris The Theologians at Louaine writ 32. Articles of the same subiect that they of Paris Peter Bridly minister in the Church of the Straungers at Strasbourge was secretly called vnto Tornay by such as were there desirous of the Gospell after hee had some litle while caught there the 19. of Februarie he was cruelly burnt with a litle fire See the booke of Martyrs Francis Duke of Lorraine died leauing a sonne a litle child The Bishop of Mets his Vncle and his mother were appointed his Tutors The daughter of Ferdinand married to the sonne of the king of Poland dyeth also This Pope Paul had assigned the Councell of Trent as is said not to remedie the euills of Christianitie for the tranquilitie of consciences or to place Religion in a good seate and estate to the honor and glory of God but to tread vnder feet his truth and to oppresse the Ministers of his word In which place seeing that he did not all he would the yeare 1546. vnder colour that the ayre was there corrupted he transported himself vnto Boulongne to the end by that meane hee might the better take away all libertie from Christians to say their opinions and to hinder the reformation of the Church This Antichrist raised horrible and straunge warres against the seruants of God pursuing them by fire sword imprisonments and all other sorts of punishments Yea he spared not his Cardinalls namely Fulger and Contarien after they had tasted the sauour of the word of God nor the Bishop of Pontus Iohn Baptist nor his brother Paulus Vergerius Bishop of Iustinopoli The chiefe amongst the tormentors were his Nephewes the Cardinall Farnese and Octaua Duke of Parma his brother which beyond all measure glorying therein the yeare of our Lord Iesus Christ 1546. as they were vpon their departure frō Italie into Almaine to make warre vpon the Protestants they vaunted brauely and fiercely that they would make such an effusion of the Lutherans bloud that their horses should swim therin And the meane while that good holy Father Paul tooke his pleasure with his daughter Constance after the old maner They say also that that old man stinking as a Goate sollicited to whoredome an other his Niece who was a very honest maide and no lesse laudable for her honestie and chastitie then for her excellent beautie This Pope as Baleus saith had in his Tables the number of 45000. whores whereof he exacted euery moneth tribute to the end they might haue libertie to exercise their whoredome and as saith the booke intituled Eusebius Captiue they are greatly esteemed they kisse the Popes feete they talke very familiarly with him they frequent day and night with him But such as trust onely in Iesus Christ and embrace the true doctrine are held by the Pope for heretickes and of him are banished set in prisons and stockes and punished by fire sword and Gallies The Elector Palatin reformed in his Countrey the doctrine and Popish ceremonies and receiued the Gospell The Conference of Reiusbourge is held See Sleidan The 7. of Ianuary the Councell began at Trent Alliance betwixt the Pope and the Emperour concluded the 26. of Iune to reduce the Almaines vnto the obedience of the Pantople The Pope binding himselfe to deliuer 200000. Ducats into the hands of the Venetians Moreouer to furnish ten thousand footemen Italians and fiue hundreth light-horsemen waged for sixe moneths Moreouer permitting the Emperour to sell of the reuenew of the Monasteries of Spaine to the valew of 100000. Crownes and to take the moitie of all Ecclesiasticall liuings In the end a peace was made betwixt the kings of France and England vpon conditiō that Bologne should remaine English vntil the king had payed the siluer by him promised On Satterday the 7. of August of this yeare 1546. the Towne of Maligues was in such sort handled with Thunder and Lightning that of long time there had not bene seene the like The Thunderbolt fell vpon a Tower called Saderpoort that is to say the gate of Canon powder where there was more then 800. Barels of Gunpowder which being on a flame augmented the tempest and first laid on the earth that which was about it after it so embraced the Towne that without abundance of raine mingled with the thunder it was thought
first day of Aprill They of Magdebourge opposed themselues with might and maine against them of Wirtemberge and Leipsic and taxed and reprooued them greatly for that concerning indifferent things they had made a way and entry for the Popes doctrine The 10. of Iune the Queene of France was crowned at Saint Dennis In the said moneth of Iune Henry king of France made his entry into Paris commaunded a generall procession and dedicated it with the blood of certaine poore Christians which hee made to be burned for Religion See the booke of Martyrs Le sieur de Veruin for yeelding Bullen to the English men was beheaded at Paris and le sieur de Biex his Father in lawe was condemned to perpetuall prison The Cantons of Basil Schaffuse in Swissia made alliance with the King of France whereof euery one greatly maruelled because he persecuted their Religion with fire and blood Zurie and Berne refused that alliance Sedition in England partly for the chaunge of Religion and partly for common grounds occupied by Gentlemen for their priuate vse there was great bloodshead In the meane time the King of Fraunce tooke certaine holdes about Bologne whereby he put the English in great distresse The fault of all this was laid vpon the Duke of Somerset and therefore he was imprisoned at London This Pope Paul of the age of 82. yeares dyed the 10. of Nouember On all sides Cardinalls ranne to Rome to elect a new Pope Iulius the third of that name borne at Aretio called before Iohn Maria de Monte who was President in the Councell of Trent and Bolongne was chosen Pope the 10. of February after that the Cardinalls which were in great number had long time debated in the cōclaue Some say that this Pope promised by oath vnto the Ferneses to leaue Parme to Octauius Bernese Whilest the Cardinalls were in the Conclaue to chuse the Pope Iulius certaine Letters came into the handes of some of them which were written the 26. of Ianuary by an houshold seruant of the Cardinall of Mantoue called Cornelius Oliue to a friend of his called Hanniball Contin and with them certaine verses made in the vulgar Italian language wherein speaking of his good affection towards him the desire he had to see him he vseth so infamous and dishonest words that hardly can any recite them without shame blushing Hereof came the taunt of such as said it signified that some infamous dishonest Pope should come out of that Conclaue from whence such proceeded They which read these Letters saide as well in Italie as in Almaine they neuer read any more villanous detestable Hereby Reader maist thou iudge what the spirit is which the Papists vaunt so much to haue in their Masses in the election of their Popes The 22. of Frebury Iulius is crowned Pope by the Cardinall Cibo two daies after he had opened the gilded gate with a golden key and celebrated the yeare of Iubile which his predecessor Paul the third had so much desire to see And because of an auncient custome the new Pope might giue his red hat to whom he thought good he made Cardinall a young boy called Innocent whom he had sometimes abused whē he was Legate at Bologne notwithstanding the other Cardinalls approoued it not yea resisted it Moreouer hee receiued him into his house into the number of his Domestickes and familiars A brute went through the towne of Rome yea it was divulged by certaine diffamitorie Libells that Ganymedes was entertained by Iupiter although he was not faire This Pope himselfe dissembled it not but customably in a maner of pastime would account his follies therein Paulus Vergerius hath left in writing this Historie Pope Iulius saith hee determined to make a young youth called Innocent a Cardinal who not only came frō a father and mother of base condition but that was of a most wicked and dishonest conuersation Wherfore as on a certain day he had made this motiō in the presence of the Cardinalls that there was no man which resisted it not but that more is as certaine Cardinalls said freely I pray you what finde you in this young man who deserueth that we should doo him that honour Iulius answered And I pray you what found you in mee to doo mee that honour as to make mee Pope without any desert aduance this young man and hee will merit it The Masse which had bin banished Strasbourge the space of 21. yeares was set vp againe in three Churches the first of February A great number of children ran thither to see so straunge and new a thing The Priests were affraied at it and complained vnto the Emperour The Emperor and the King of France one after the other made publish each in their Countries very cruel Edicts against the Lutherans as they called them About the ende of May the Emperour with Phillip his sonne departed from Bruxelles to come to the Iourney at Auspourge and brought with them the Duke of Baxe captiue leauing the Lantgraue in prison at Malignes In the time of this Pope was Iohn de Case a Florentine Archbishop of Beneuent and Legate of the seate in the territorie of Venice This man who made so magnificall a profession of Popish singlenesse was not ashamed to make a Booke in Italian Rime wherein he praiseth and exalteth that horrible and detestable sinne of Sodomitry yea euen to name it a diuine worke and affirmeth that he tooke great pleasure therein and that he knew no other kind of palidiarzing or whoredome The booke was Imprinted at Venice by one Traian Naun Behold notable Archbishops of the Papall seate with such Iudges doo the Pope and his maister the diuel serue themselues in their Consistories to condemne as heretikes such as teach and write the truth with puritie In a Catalogue of bookes prohibited which he made whilest he was Legate he comprehendeth no other therein but such as make profession of the pure Euangelike doctrine Francis Spiera as is abouesaid fearing the tyrannie of tormentors renied the veritie of Iesus Christ and dyed in extreame dispaire Sleidan also makes mention of the Sodomitike booke aboue spoken of It would be here too long to rehearse the gests and deeds of Iulius the third concerning the Iubile which was in his time the Councell of Trent the confirmation of that Idol de Laureto the debate which he had with the Bishop of Aremin his Steward for a Peacock and many such like things Amongst other viands hee greatly delighted to eate the flesh of Swine Peacocks But his Phisitian had aduertised him that hee should take heed that he eate no swines flesh because it was contrary vnto the Gowt wherewith hee was often tormented but yet hee would not abstaine therefrom The Phisitian secretly aduertised the Clarke of his kitchin that no porke flesh should be serued As then there was none serued the Pope perceiuing it demaunded of his Steward where his dish of
the consent of all the Cardinalls This man being in Venice in his hypocrisie inuented a new Sect of Monkes called Iesuites as if our Sauiour Iesus had ingendred such Popish Idolaters After this beeing made Cardinall as he departed from Venice to Rome he said vnto his Monkes which asked him whither he went Whither I go you cannot come now Abusing the scripture and prophaning the Lords words hee meant hereby that he left them shut vp in a Cloister in pouertie and miserie that he went vnto Rome to come vnto an high and mightie estate and dignitie wherevnto they could not come He writ a booke sometimes vnto Paul the third touching reformation of the Church but being become Pope he cared neither for Iesus Christ nor his Church In that booke he confirmeth almost all the poynts that we vse to reprehend in the Papists namely that the Church is so ruinated in Poperie that it is no more the Church of Iesus Christ but of the diuell For saith he Popes heape vp Doctors after their owne fancies and desires That Cardinalls and Bishops are cause that the name of Christ is blasphemed amongst people which vnder the colour of keyes gather great summes of money That wicked people are prouided for That Symoniacke Marchandices are greatly practised That Prelates burne with ambition and couetousnesse That horrible sinnes and iniquities are committed in Monasteries That the Towne of Rome is full of whoredomes and many such like More enormious and wicked things are committed at Rome then that which Theatin rehearseth in that booke for hee there only toucheth the vices abuses that are found in their common maner of liuing without making any mention of the contempt of the doctrine there vsed On Thursday the 16. day of May of this yeare there hapned a tumult at Geneua about 10. of the clocke in the night by the conspiracie of some which had for their stirrers Captaines certaine of the petit Councell of the Towne which not being able to beare so happie a prosperitie of the Gospell determined to chase away such as into that Towne had come from France to shun persecutions And as in the night time they ranne too and fro they cryed as for a false ensigne and token that the French were in Armes and the Towne betrayed but the French men stirred not out of their houses The commotion was bridled and stayed by certaine Lords of the Towne As for the seditious people some amongst them were executed others saued themselues by flight But the cause wherefore they would haue driuen away the French amongst others was because lately there were many of them receiued for Burgesses by meanes whereof their faction was weakened and the other part strengthned by the number of the new Burgesses which had bene added therevnto The French at this time raced many Castles by the Count Montferrat that they might haue victuals in greater assurance For if the enemie had occupied them Casal had bene brought into great necessitie In these parts was there a Towne called Vlpian which is of great importance The Spaniards held it then and it was revictualled at the comming of the Duke of Albe who had gathered together a great number of people Mariembourge also which the yeare before had beene taken in the lowe Countries from the Emperour was at the same time againe victualled by the French In the Countrie of Grisons there is a Towne nigh Italie called Lucarne which appertaineth vnto the whole communaltie of the Swisses The Citizens thereof required that they might be permitted to liue according vnto the reformation of the Gospell But because their Superiours and they were not of one Religion there was vpon deliberation diuers opinions Some agreed vnto their demaund others sought to hinder it So that there appeared towards some intestine and ciuill dissention yet in the end they of the Towne preuailed which wished that they should remaine in the Religion of their Auncestors and that they amongst them which accorded not therevnto might goe dwell otherwhere So were there found a great number which forsooke their naturall Countrey and withdrew vnto Zurich where they were receiued ioyfully and much relieued in their pouertie A great number of Vessels laden with all kindes of Marchandize came by Sea from Spaine towards Flaunders but vpon the coast of Normandie they were assailed with all force by the French which had espied them The combat amongst them was horrible many ships both of the one part and of the other were burnt and many sunke many a valiant man died there as wel by the sword as by burning and drowning The French in the end carried away some number of ships which they tooke into Diepe Hauen from whence they departed This happened in the moneth of August in the end of which moneth Phillip of Austrich repassed from England into Flaunders accompanied with a great number of English Gentlemen to finde the Emperour his father at Bruxels In September George Count de Montbellard the Duke of Wittemberge his Vncle tooke to wife Barbe the Lantgraues daughter The dissention of the Lords Supper and the presence of Christs body which had continued the space of thirtie whole yeares amongst the learned renewed againe in this time and there were published by certaine Ministers of Hambourge and Breme certaine litle bookes namely against Caluin and Iohn Alasco Caluin after answered them in earnest so did also Bullinger and Alasco who dedicating his booke to the King of Polongne greatly complained that without knowledge of the cause that without any disputation or amiable talke but onely vpon a certaine preiudice their doctrine was condemned after the maner of the Papists who in lieu of arguments from holy scripture proceed not but by force and commaundement The Marquesse of Marignan dying at Millaine the Cardinall of Trent was sent into Lombardie by the Emperour and King Phillip to bee there Gouernour At Naples the Duke of Albe was constituted About Christmas day the Pope according to his custome created new Cardinalls and amongst others Iohn Gropper the Archbishop of Cologne his Councellor Then also the Cardinall Poole being made Deacon Cardinall prest as they say began to say Masse For by the Popes lawe Deacons haue not yet that power In the beginning of Ianuarie happened great stormes and tempests in Saxonie Misne and Boheme Thunders and Lightnings which endaungered many places especially Churches In the same moneth at Vitodur in Suetia a litle Towne within two leagues of Zurich appeared in the night in one of the towers of the Church there a sparkling fire making such a noise as the Burgesses on all sides ran to put it out being come thither they found no flame yet it twise appeared that is to say the 4. 14. of the said moneth After this certaine of the Cantons of Suetia sollicited by the Pope got them to Rome whereas many maruelled King Phillip after he had receiued of his father the gouernment
vnto the people The 18. day of May Charles the ninth of that name sonne of Henry de Valois and of Catherine de Medicis was sacred king at Reimes in Campagne and soone after crowned at S. Denis in France The Churches of his kingdome to the eye-sight flourished to the preiudice whereof was made an Edict called of Iuly notwithstanding which they maintained themselues with great testimonies of the blessings of God In the meane while the king of Nauarre the first Prince of the bloud next vnto the kings brethren sent for Peter Martyr and Theodore de Beza to be at the disputation of Poissy which were sent thither by the Lords of Zurich and Geneua The 24. of August the Prince of Conde was recōciled by the King and his Councell with the Duke of Guise who vpon the Princes words which he spake on high I hold him and them for villaines which haue caused my imprisonment answered I beleeue so it nothing toucheth me Soone after the gouernmēt of the kingdome during the kings minoritie who was then but ten yeares old an halfe was cōfirmed to the queene mother In the meane while the deputies of the Churches and certaine other Ministries with safe conduit arriued at Poissy presented vnto the king a request for the order of the disputation and also the confession of their faith who with good countenance receiued thē promising to communicate their requests vnto his Councell make them an answere by his Chancelor In the beginning of September many requests were presented to set forward that which was begun and finally the 9. of the said moneth in the presence of the King Prince Lords and notable persons of the kingdome of France as wel of y e one as the other religion Theodore de Beza in the name of all the French Churches after publike inuocatiō of the name of God made long oration cōprehending a summary of all the Christian doctrine held preached by the Ministers of the reformed Churches and his oration finished he presented their cōfession of faith which was receiued deliuered into the hands of the prelates to prepare themselues to answer it But they opposed themselues only against two Articles of that oratiō The one of the Supper and the other of the Church and pronounced their answere by Charles Cardinal of Lorraine who had for his maister Claude Despence a Doctor of Sorbone who once shewed some seed of religion This answere hauing bene made certain daies after the oration the Ministers prayed that they might reply straight way but it was deferred to an other day and audience was giuen them but not so notable as the first thē fel there out a sharp disputation which began an other time after a third oration Then entred into conference fiue of the Romane Churches side with fiue of the reformed Churches who after a long disputation vpon the matter of the Supper retired without according any thing assuredly Frō the end of this moneth vntil the end of this yeare diuers leagues factions were made against the Churches seditiōs were stirred at Paris and in other places against the Christians assembling to heare the word of God the kings councel being occupied to prouide by some Edict against the mischief to come to procure rest for the kingdome About this yeare died Shuvenckfeld a very pernitious heretike who by his wicked doctrine greatly endamaged the Churches of Almaine The summe of his principall errours was to reuiue and renew againe the heresie of Eutiches For hee maintained that the humaine nature of Iesus Christ ought no more to be called a creature but we must think that it is at this day swallowed vp by the diuine nature by that meanes cōfounding the two natures Vpon this foundation so badly placed he established other mōstrous opinions the fault was in not wel cōsidering the vniō of the two natures in Christ and the communicatiō of the properties But these opinions are not dead with him but contrary haue bene renued promoted by such who will needes at this day haue the the humaine nature of Christ infinit In the moneth of Ianuary which was then 1591. because they then began the yeare at Easter and at this present we begin it the first of Ianuary an assembly was made of the most notable persons of all the Parliaments and other renowmed people besides the priuie Councellors which decreed and set foorth that notable Edict named of Ianuary which permitted free exercise to them of the Religō through all the kingdome of France prouiding good securitie for all people and rest for the Common-wealth Many thought that hereby the Churches should haue rest when soone after newes arriued of the massacre of Vassi committed by Francis the Duke of Guise who in his owne presence caused 42. persons of the Religion to be slaine and a great number others to be wounded being all assembled to heare the word of God This was the beginning of the ciuil warres of France For the Duke of Guise and his partakers tooke Armes on the one side The Prince of Conde the Admirall and others meaning to maintaine the Royall authoauthoritie the Edict of Ianuary and the Churches that were vnder the protection and defence thereof opposed themselues against them by Armes also and the war began through all the kingdome where infinit cruelties were exercised in diuers places against them of the Religion as the history of our time maketh mention Many Townes Fortresses were besieged carried away by assaults sacked spoiled more cruelly thē by the most barbarous people in the world diuers encounters bloodie battailes namely that of Dreux wherein the two chiefe Captaines of both partes remained prisoners many of the Nobilitie and souldiers as well Straungers as French were slaine Churches dissipated and dispersed in most part of the Prouinces and a maruellous desolation in infinite Families Maximilian the Emperour Ferdinands sonne was declared king of the Romanes the 14. day of Nouember and sixe daies after he was crowned two moneths before he was crowned king of Boheme Peter Martyr borne at Florence an excellent Theologian and professor of Theologie at Zurich where he writ bookes full of great and sound doctrine died the 12. day of Nouember being then of the age of 63. yeares The ciuill warre continued in France notwithstanding the taking of the Prince of Conde and the Constable The Duke of Guise hauing laid siege before the Towne of Orleance being kept by them of the Religion was wounded in the shoulder with a Pistoll shot the 18. day of February and died certaine dayes after in great torments By this meanes Orleance was deliuered a peace concluded the moneth following the Edict of Ianuary abolished in the most part of the Articles to the great disaduantage of them of the Religion which notwithstanding tooke hart and in the quarters maintained themselues in their accustomed order In the moneth of Iuly