A BLOWE FOR THE POPE Touching the POPES prerogatiues Extracted word for word out of the Booke of MARTYRES EDINBVRGH Printed by Iohn Wreittoune 1631 The proud primacie of Popes painted out in Tables in order of their rysing vp by little and little from faithfull Bishops and Martyres to become Lords and Governours over Kings and Kingdomes exalting themselues in the Temple of GOD aboue all that is called God 2. Thess. chap. 2. IN the Table of the primitiue Church hath beene gentle Reader set foorth and exhibited before thine eyes the grievous aflictions and sorrowfull torments which through GODS secreet sufferance fell vpon the true Saincts and members of CHRISTS Church in that time especially vpon the good Bishops Ministers and teachers of the flocke of whom some were scourged some beheaded some crucified some burnt some had their eyes put out some one way and some another miserably consumed which dayes of woefull calamitie continued neare the space of three hundreth yeares During which time the deare spouse and Elect Church of GOD being sharply assaulted on everie side had small rest no joy nor outward safety in this present world but in much bitternesse of heart continuall teares and mourning vnder the crosse passed over their dayes beeing spoyled imprisoned contemned revyled famished tormented and martyrde everie where who neither durst well tarrie at home for feare and dread much lesse durst come abroade for the enemies but onely by night when they assembled as they might sometimes to sing Psalmes and hymnes together In all which their dreadfull dangers and sorrowfull afflictions notwithstanding the goodnesse of the LORD left them not desolate but the more their outward tribulations did increase the more their inward consolations did abound and the further off they seemed from the joyes of this life the more present was the LORD with them with grace and fortitude to confirme and rejoyce their soules and though their possessions and riches in this world were lost and spoyled yet were they inriched with Heavenly gifts and treasures from aboue an hundreth fold then was true Religion truely felt in heart Then was Christianitie not in outward appearance shewed but in inward affection receaved and the true image of the Church not in outward show presented but in her perfect state effectuall Then was the name and feare of GOD true in heart not in lippes alone dwelling faith then was fervent zeale ardent prayer not swimming in the lips but groaned out to GOD from the bottome of the spirit Then was no pryde in the Church nor lasoure to seeke riches nor time to keepe them Contentions for triffiles was not then so farre from Christians that well were they when they could meete to pray together against the Devill author of all dissention Briefly the wholeChurch of CHRIST IESUS with all the members thereof the further it was from the type and shape of this world the nearer it was to the blessed respect of GODS favour and supportation The first rysing of the Bishops of Rome AFter this long tyme of trouble it pleased the LORD at length mercifully to looke vpon the Saincts and servants of his Sonne to release their captivity to release their miserie and to binde vp the old dragon the Devill which so long vexed them whereby the Church began to aspyre to some more libertie And the Bishops which before were as abjects vtterly contemned of Emperors through the providence of GOD which disposeth all things in his time after his owne will beganne now of Emperours to bee esteemed and had in pryce Furthermore as Emperours grew more in devotion so the Bishops more and more were exalted not onely in favour but also preferred vnto honour in so much that in short space they became not quarter masters but rather halfe Emperours with Emperours After this in processe of time as riches and worldly wealth crept into the Clergie and that the Devill had poured his venome into the Church as the voyce was heard the same time over Constantinople so true humilitie began to decay and pryde to set in his foote till at last they plaide as the Ivy with the Oake tree which first beginning with a goodly greene show imbraceth him so long till at the length it overgroweth him and so sucketh all his moysture from him setting his roote fast in his barke till at last it both stiffleth the stocke and killeth the branches and so commeth to bee a nest of Owles and all vncleane birds Not vntruely therefore it was said of Augustine Religio peperit divitias filia devoravit matrem religion begateriches and the daughter hath devored the mother The verity whereof notoriously may appeare aboue all other in the Church of Rome and the Bishops of the same for after that the Church of Rome through favour of Emperours was indued with lands donations possessions and patrimonies so that the Bishops thereof feeling the smacke of wealth ease and prosperitie beganne to swell in pompe and pryde the more they floorished in this world the more GODS holy spirit forsooke them till at last the said Bishops who at the first were poore creeping low vpon the ground and were persecuted long time everie man treading vpon them in this world now of persecuted people began to be persecuters of others and to tread vpon the neckes even of Emperours and to bring the heads of Kings and Princes vnder their girdle And not that onely that but furthermore through pryde and riches they were so farre gone from all religion that in the verie end they became the adversarie of God whom wee call Antichrist prophecied of so long before by the Spirit of GOD to come sitting in the Temple of GOD. c. Of whom we reade thus in the Epistle of Paul 2. Thess. 2. where he saith Wee beseech you brethren by the comming of our LORD IESVS CHRIST and by our fellowship together in him That yee bee not suddenly mooued in your minde nor troubled neither by spirite nor by word nor by letter as it were from vs as though the day of CHRIST were at hand Let no man in any wayes deceiue you for that day shall not come except there come a departing first and that that man of sinne bee revealed even the sonne of perdition that adversarie which exalteth himselfe aboue all that is called God or that is worshipped so that hee shall sit in the Temple of GOD as God and set foorth himselfe as hee were GOD BY which words of St. Paul wee haue diverse things to vnderstand First that the day of the LORDS comming was not then neare at hand Secondly The Apostle giving vs a token before to know when that day shall approach biddeth vs looke for an adversarie first to bee revealed Thirdly to show what adversarie this shall bee hee expresseth him not to bee as a common adversarie such as were then in his time For although Herod Annas and Cajaphas the hie Priests and Pharisies Tertullus Alexander the Copper-smith Elymas and
and set vp Otho Duke of Saxon. But when the said Otho began to bee so saucie to dispossesse the Bishops of their cities and lands which they had incrotched into their bands they could not beare that but incontinent they put him besides the cusheon The like also fell vpon Otho the 4. that followed after Philip who was suffered no longer then foure yeares to reigne about the yeare of the LORD 1209. At this time Fredericus 2. the sonne of Fredericus Barbarossa was but young whom the Bishops of Rome supposing to finde more mortified and tamed to their hand advanced to bee Emperour after his father But that fell out much contrarie to their expectation for hee perceiving the immoderate pompe and pryde of the Romane Bishops which hee could in no case abyde so netled them and cut their combs and waxed so stout against them intending to extirpe their tyranie and to reduce their pompous riches to the state and condition of the primitiue Church againe putting some of them to flight and prisoning some of their Cardinals that of three Popes one after another hee was accursed circumvented by tieason at last deposed and after that poysoned and last forsaken and died After this Frederick followed his sonne Conradus whom the foresaid Bishops for his disobedience soone dispatched exciting against him in mortall warre the Lantgraue of Thuring whereby at length hee was driven into his Kingdome of Naples and there deceast This Conradus had a sonne called Conradinus Duke and Prince of Swevill where this Conradinus after the decease of his father came to enjoy the Kingdome of Naples The Bishops stirred vp against him Charles the French Kings brother in such sort that through craftie conveyance both Conradinus which descended of the blood of so many Emperours and also Frederik Duke of Austria were both taken and after much wretched handling in their miserable indurance vnseeming to their state at length were both brought vnder the axe by the Popes procurement and so both beheaded and thus ended the imperiall stocke of Frederik the first surnamed Barbarossa The like also happened to Frederik the Emperour had almost fallen vpon Philip the French King by Pope Boniface 8. who because hee could not haue his commodities and revenewes out of France after his will sent out his bils and letters patents to displace King Philip aforesaid and to possesse Albertus King of Romans in his rowme And this hitherto of forraine stories Now touching our countrie Princes heere in England so speake somewhat likewayes of them did not Pope Alexander the third presumptuously taking vpon him where hee had nothing to doe to intermeddle with the Kings subjects For the death of Becket the rebell albeit the King fusficiently cleared himselfe thereof yet notwithstanding did he not wrongfully bring the said King Henry 2. to such pennance as it pleased him to enjoyne and also violently constrained him to sweare obedience to the Sea of Rome The like also was shewed before in this storie to happen to King Iohn his sonne for when the said King like a valiant Prince had held out the tyrranie of those Bishops eleven yeares together was not all the Churches of England barred vp and his inheritance with all his dominions given away by Pope Innocent the 3. to Lodovicus the French King and he afterward compelled to submit both himselfe and to make his whole Realme fedetary to the Bishops of Rome and moreover the King himselfe driven also to surrander his Crowne to Pandulphus the Popes Legate and so continued a privat person 5 dayes standing at the Popes courtesie whether to receive it againe or not And when the Nobles of the Realme rose afterward against the King for the same was not hee then glad to seeke and sue to the foresaid Pope for succour as by his owne letter taken out of the publicke rolles may appeare King Iohns supplication to Pope Innocent the third REverendiss domino suo patri sanctiss Innocentio dei gratia Ioanni eadem gratia R. Angliae c. Cum comites Barones Angliae nobis devoti essent antequam nos nostram terram dominio vestro subjacere curassemus ex tunc in nos specialiter ob hoc sicut publicè dicunt violenter insurgunt Nos vero preter Deum vos specialem dominum patronum habentes defensionem nostram totius regni quod vestrum esse credimus vestrae paternitati commissam nos quantum in nobis est curam solicitudinem istam vestrae resignamus dominationi devotius supplicantes quatenus in negotijs nostris que vestra sunt consilium auxilium efficax apponatis prout melius videritis expedire latores praesentium c. Teste meipso apud Dour 18. Septemb. 6. And yet notwithstanding that the said King Iohn did so yeeld to the Pope he was both persewed by his Nobles and also in the end w as poysoned by asubject of the Popes ownereligion a Monke of Swinsted as I haue sufficiently to proue not onely by William Caxton but also haue testimonie of the most part of Chronicles for the same a few onely excepted as of Thomas Gray in his French Chronicle also of another French Chronicle in meeter of Ranulphus Cestrenses Thomas Rudburne also doth witnesse the same So doth Richard Rid in novo Chronico ad tempora Hen. 6. the like also doth the Chronicle called Eulogium Monachi Cant. The words of Walter Gisborne an ancient Historiographer bee plaine No lesse is to be found in Ioan. Major de gestis Scotorum lib. 4. cap. 3. fol. 56. where hee not onely maketh mention of the Monke and of the poyson but also of the Abbot of his absolution and of the 3. Monks everie day singing for the said Monks soule To these I could also annex dyvers other wrytters both English and Latin without name which witnesse that King Iohn was poysoned one beginning thus Heere beginneth a booke in the English tongue called Bruce Another beginneth Because this booke is made to tell what tyme any thing notable The thrid in English beginneth the reigne of Britaine that now is called England c. Of Latin bookes which haue no name one beginneth thus Britannia quae Anglia dicitur ae Bruto nomen est sortita Another hath this beginning Adam pater gener is humani Besides this King Henry 2 and King Iohn his sonne what Kings haue heere reigned in England since their time vntill the reigne of King Henry the 8 who althogh they were prudent Princes and did what they could against the proud dominion of those Bishops were forced at length sore against their wils for feare to subject themselues together with their subjects vnder their vsurped authoritie in so much as some of them as M att Paris wryteth by King Henry the third were faine to stoup and kisse their Legats knee The image of Antichrist exalting himselfe in the Temple of GOD aboue all that is named God out of his owne decrees
concoct and digested with such patience and rypnesse and delivered out with such gravitie of delebiration that nothing is thought in it necessary to be altered or detracted 122. Wherefore it is manifest and testified by the voice of holie Bishops that the dignitie of this my seat is to be reverenced through the whole world in that all the faith full submit themselues to it as to the head of the whole bodie 123. Whereof it is spoken to mee by the Prophet speaking of the Arke if this bee humbled whether shall yee runne for succour and where shall your glory become seing then this is so that so holie Bishops and Scriptures doe witnesse with mee what shall we say then to such as will take vpon them to judge of my doings to reprehend my proceedings or to require homage and tribute of mee to whom all other are subject 124. Against the first sort the Scripture speaketh Deuternomie Thou oughtest not to put thy syth in another mans Corne. Which thing to attempt against mee what is it but plaine sacriledge 125. According to my Canonists which thus defyne sacriledge to consist in three things either when a man judgeth of his Princes judgement or when the holie day is prophained or whē reverence is not given to Lawes and Canons 126. Against the second sort maketh the place of the booke of Kings where wee reade the Arke of GOD was brought from Gaba to Ierusalem and in the way the Arke inclining by reason of the vnruely oxen Ozias the Levit put to his hand to helpe and therefore was stricken of the LORD By this Arke is signified the Prelats by the inclination thereof the fall of Prelats 127. Which also bee signified by the Angels that Iacob did see going vp and downe the ladder 128. Also by the Prophet where hee sayeth hee bowed downe the Heavens and came downe By Ozias and the vnruelie oxen are meaned our subjects 129. Then like as Ozias was striken for putting his hand to the Arke inclyning no more must subjects rebuke their Prelats going away 130. Albeit heere may be answered againe that all bee not Prelats which bee so called for it is not the name that maketh a Bishop but the life 131. Against the third sort of such as would bring vs vnder the tribute and exactions of secular men making the New Testament where Peter was bid to giue the groate in the fishes mouth but not the head nor bodie of the fish No more is the head or bodie of the Church subdued to Kings but onely that which is in the mouth that is the extern things of the Church and yet not they neither 132. For so wee read in the booke of Genesis that Pharaoh in the time of derth subdued all the land of the Egyptians but yet hee ministred to the Preists so that hee neither tooke their possessions from them nor their libertie If then the Prelats of the Church must bee neither judged nor reprehended nor exacted how much more ought I to bee free from the same 133 Which am the Bishop of Bishops and head of Prelats 134. For it is not to bee thought that the case betwixt mee and other Prelats betwixt my Sea and other Churches bee like 135. Although the whole Catholick Apostolicke Church make a brydechamber of Christ yet the Catholick and Apostolick Church of Rome had the preheminence given over all other by the mouth of the LORD himselfe saying to Peter Thou art Peter 136. Thus a discretion and difference must bee had in the Church as it was betwixt Aaron and his children 137. Betwixt the threescore and twelue Disciples and the twelue Apostles betwixt the other Apostles and Peter 138. Wherefore it is to bee concluded an order difference of degrees in the Church betwixt powers rior and inferior without which order the vniversitie of the whole cannot consist 139. For as amongst the Angelicall creatures aboue in Heaven there is set a difference and inequalities of powers and orders some to bee Angels some Archangels some Cherubins some Seraphims 140. So in the Ecclesiasticall hierarchie of the Church militant heere on earth Priests must not bee equall with Bishops Bishops must not bee like in order with Arch-Bishops with Patriarchs or Primats 141. Who containe vnder them three Arch-Bishops as a King containeth three Dukes vnder him in the which number of Patriarchs cōmeth in the stare also of an hundreth fourty two Cardinals or principals fo called Because as the doore turneth by his hinges so the vniversall Church ought to be ruled by them 142. The next hiest order aboue these is mine who am Pope differing in power majoritie and honour reverentiall from these all other decrees of men 144. For the better declaration on whereof my Canonists make three kynds of power in the earth Immediato which is mine immediatly from GOD Derivato which belongeth to other inferior Prelats from me 145. Ministralis belonging to Emperors and Princes to minister for mee for the which cause the anoynting of Princes and my consecration doth differ for they are anoynted onely in the armes or shoulders and I in the head to signifie the difference of power betwixt Princes and mee 146. This order therefore of Priests Bishops and Arch-Bishops Patriarchs and others as a thing most convenient my Church of Rome hath set and instituted through all Churches following therein not onely the example of the angelicall armie in Heaven but also the Apostles 147. For amongst them also there was not an vniforme equalitie or institution of a degree 148. But a diversitie or distinction of authoritie and power albeit they were all Apostles together yet it was granted notwithstanding to Peter themselues also agreeing to the same that he should beare dominion and superioritie over all other Apostles 149. And therefore had his name given him Cephas that is head or beginning of the Apostlehood 150. Wherevpon the order of the Priesthood first in the New Testament began in Peter to whom it was said Thou art Peter and vpon thee will I build my Church 151. And I will give thee the keyes of Heaven and thou being converted confirme thy brethren 152. I haue prayed for thee that thy faith shall not faile wherefore seeing such power is given to Peter 153. And to mee in Peter beeing his successor 154. Who is hee then in all the world that ought not to bee subject to my decrees which hath such power in Heaven in Hell in Earth with the quicke and also the dead 155. Commanding and granting in my Bull sent to Vienna vnto all such as dyed in their peregrination to Rome that the paine of Hell shuld not touch them And also that all such as tooke the holie crosse vpon them should everie one at his request not onely bee delivered himselfe but also deliver three or foure soules whomso ever hee would haue out of Purgatorie 156. Againe having such promises and assurance that my faith shall not faile who then will