they might prove of great use to others as well as to himself who was exceedingly pleased with them but that there was one thing that he would have him admonished of and that was That more might be done by a civil Modesty than by Transports and Heat that he ought rather to thunder against those who abused the Authority of Popes than against the Popes themselves that about inveterate things which cannot be suddenly pluck'd out it is better to dispute with pithy and close Arguments than to assert positively and that in this Case the Passions and Affections must be laid aside That he gave him this Admonition not that he might learn what he was to do but that he should proceed as he had begun Luther's Doctrine having in this manner caused much Strife and Contention and raised him many Enemies there was a Disputation appointed to be at Leipsick a Town in Misnia belonging to George Duke of Saxony Cousin-german to the Elector Frederick thither came Luther and with him Philip Melanchthon who the Year before came to Wittemberg being sent for by Duke Frederick to be Professour of the Greek Language there thither came also John Eckius a bold and confident Divine On the Day appointed which was July 4 the Disputation was begun by Eckius who having proposed some Positions to be debated made this his last That they who affirmed that before the time of Pope Silvester the Church of Rome was not the first of all Churches did err for that he who attained to the See and Faith of S. Peter the Prince of the Apostles was always acknowledged for the Successor of S. Peter and the Vicar of Christ upon Earth The contrary Position to this was published by Luther to wit That they who attributed Primacy to the Church of Rome had no other Ground for it but the bare and insipid Decretals of the Popes made about four hundred Years ago but that these Decretals were repugnant not only to all Histories written a thousand Years since but also to Holy Scripture and the Council of Nice the most Famous of all Councils Eckius then entring upon the Dispute laid hold of that last Position and would begin the Debate about the Authority and Primacy of the Pope of Rome but Luther having made a short Preface said That he had rather that that Argument as being very Odious and not at all Necessary might have been waved and that for the sake of the Pope that he was sorry he should have been drawn into it by Eckius and that he wished now his Adversaries were present who having grievously accused him and now shunn'd the Light and a fair Tryal of their Cause did not do well Eckius also having made a Preamble declared That he had not raised this Bustle and Stir but that it was Luther who in his first Explication of his Theses had denyed That before Silvester's time the Pope of Rome preceded the rest in Order and Dignity and had averred before Cajetane That Pope Pelagius had wrested many Places of Scripture according to his own Pleasure which being so that all the Fault lay at his Door The first Debate then was about the Supremacy of the Pope of Rome which Eckius said was instituted by Divine Right and called Luther who denyed it a Bohemian because Huss had been heretofore of the same Opinion Luther to justifie himself from this Accusation proved That the Church of Christ had been spread and propagated far and near twenty Years before S. Peter constituted a Church at Rome that this then was not the First and Chief Church by Divine Right Afterwards Eckius impugned Luther's other Positions of Purgatory Indulgences Penance the Pardon of the Guilt and Remission of the Punishment of Sin and of the Power of Priest At length on the fourteenth Day ended the Dispute which had been appointed not upon the account of Luther but of Andrew Carolstad though Luther came to it in company of Carolstad only to hear but being drawn in by Eckius who had procured a Safe-Conduct for him from Duke George he entred the Lists of Disputation for Eckius was brisk and confident because of the Nature of the Subject wherein he promised himself certain Victory Luther afterwards published the whole Conference and Debate and by an ingenious Animadversion upon the Writings and Sayings of his Adversaries gathered several Heads of Doctrine downright Heretical as he said That so he might make it appear That whilst they spoke and wrote any thing in Favour of the Pope and were transported with the Zeal of defending their Cause they interspersed many things which being narrowly inspected contained a great deal of Errour and Impiety Vlrick Zuinglius taught at that time at Zurich in Suitzerland whither he came upon a call in the beginning of this Year having before preached at Claris and in the Desert of our Lady as they call it Not long after Fryer Samson a Franciscean of Milan came thither also being sent by the Pope to preach up Indulgences and squeeze Money from the People Zuinglius stoutly opposed him and publickly called him an Imposter CAROLVS V. AVSTRIACVS D.G. ROMAN IMP SEMPER AVG REX HISPAN Natus Gandavi Ao. MD. Die. XXIV Febr Electus Ao. MDXIX XXVIII Iunij Ferdinando Frat Imp Commisit VII o Sept. MDLVI Obijt XXI Sept MDLVIII THE HISTORY OF THE Reformation of the Church BOOK II. The CONTENTS Luther by the advice of Charles Miltitz writes to the Pope and presents him with his Book of Christian Liberty The Emperor departs from Spain and passes through England into the Low-Countries Luther writes a Book which he calls Tessaradecas and another about the Manner of Confession a third about Vows His Opinion concerning the Communion in Both Kinds To this his Adversaries object a Decree of the Council of Lateran under Julius II of whose Actions you have a large Account In the mean time the Divines of Lovain and Cologn condemn Luther's Books In his Defence the Opinions of Picus Mirandula the Questions of Ockam and the Controversie of Reuchlin with the same Divines are recited Seeing himself attack'd by so many Enemies he writes to the Emperor soon after to the Archbishop of Mentz and Bishop of Mersburg The Elector Frederick finding that he had lost his Credit at Rome upon Luther's account endeavours to clear himself by Letter Luther likewise does the same The Pope Excommunicates him and he appeals again from the Decree of the Council of Mantua and puts out his Book of the Babylonish Captivity The Emperor is Crown'd at Aix la Chapelle The Pope again sollicites Frederick but not prevailing causes Luther's Books to be burnt Which when Luther understood he burnt the Popes Bull and the Canon Law and gives his Reasons for it He Answers Ambrose Catarino who had written against him IN the former Book an Account has been given of what relates to Charles Miltitz and his Negotiation at the Court of the Elector
grievous and scandalous Crimes That they nevertheless who were satisfied with the Punishment enjoyned by the Canon Law were much to be recommended for that Moderation but that they who clapt up in Prison and in Chains Rack'd Tormented and put Priests to Death for contracting Marriage or forsaking their Order were greatly to be detested Wherefore he besought the Princes that seeing their Adversaries did not obey the Decree they had made but boldly and licentiously opposed it they would also pardon those who through frailty of Nature that they might not wound their own Consciences or run into manifest Sin should not exactly observe that last Clause of the same for that it was very unreasonable that their potent Adversaries should have liberty to violate those things which they ought and might most easily observe and that other poor Men should be punished for transgressing a Law which it was not in their power to observe since all had not the Gift of Continence and that Vows of Chastity were not only foolish but contrary also to good Manners and honest living Afterwards he published a Book at the desire of some about the Ordaining of Ministers and dedicated it to the Magistrates of Prague to which he annexed a Treatise wherein he proved that the Church had the Right and Power of judging all Doctrins and of appointing Ministers In the first place he defined the Church to be where-ever the purity of the Gospel was taught but that Bishops and such other Prelates were Images and Heads without Brains that none of them did their duty in any Nation or among any People and especially in Germany Not long after he wrote about avoiding the Doctrins of Men affirming nevertheless in the Preface to his Book that he did not at all justifie those who boldly despised all Human Laws and Traditions and in the mean time did nothing that belonged to the duty of a true Christian Afterwards he prescribed a Form how Mass and the Communion should be celebrated in the Church of Wittemberg saying That hitherto he had proceeded leisurely because of the infirmity of many and being satisfied only with Doctrin had made it his aim to root out Errours and pernicious Opinions of Mens minds But that now when many were confirmed it was time not to suffer ungodly Rites and Ceremonies any longer in the Church but that the purity of Doctrin should be accompanied with sincerity of Worship without Hypocrisie or Superstition To this Piece he subjoyned another Treatise concerning decent and pious Ceremonies to be observed in the Church and another of the Abomination of Private Mass which they call the Canon in the Preface to which he mentions how that in his Books and Sermons having often exhorted Men to the Abrogation of the Popish Mass he had been therefore called Seditious but that it was an injury done unto him for that he had never taught the People publickly to abolish false Worship by their own authority nor had he indeed allowed that to the Magistrate unless the Rulers of the Church should obstinately maintain Errours and because that was a horrid Profanation of the Lord's Supper as the more learned now acknowledged he had therefore been at the pains to write that Piece that the People might also understand and that they might avoid those usual Sacrifices of the Mass as they would the Devil himself and to confirm what he said he set down the whole Canon of the Mass and shewed it to be full of Blasphemies against God. Among the other learmed Men of Germany that favoured Luther Vlrick Hutton a Nobleman of Franconia was one who about the latter end of August this year died in the Territory of Zurich There are some Pieces of his extant which shew him to have been a Man of an excellent and sharp Wit. In the former Book we mentioned how Luther answered Henry King of England which when the King had read he wrote to the Princes of the House of Saxony Duke Frederick his Brother John and to his Cousin George and having made a heavy complaint of Luther he represented to them the great dangers that his Doctrin was like to bring upon them and all Germany and that they were not to be slighted and neglected for that the prodigious success of the Turks whose Cruelty spread now so far owed its Rise to one or two profligate Wretches and that the neighbouring Bohemia was a warning unto them how much it concerned them to prevent an Evil in the beginning He also admonished them not to suffer Luther to publish the New Testament in the Vulgar Tongue for that his Artifices were now so well known that there was no doubt to be made but that by a bad Translation he would corrupt and pervert the purest Orignals To that Letter Duke George wrote a very kind Answer bitterly inveighing against Luther also whose Books he said as the most pernicious of Enemies he had prohibited in all his Territories for that ever since he had allowed him to Dispute at Leipsick he well perceived what he would come to at last That it heartily grieved him also that he had writ so bitterly against his Majesty which Libel he had prohibited to be Sold or Read within his Dominion having punished the Bookseller who first brought the Copy of it into his Country In the former Diet of Norimberg besides Matters of Religion the Princes took also into deliberation how they might settle Peace and establish Judicatures what Punishments were to be inflicted on those who obeyed not the Laws of the Empire and how they might raise present and constant Aids against the Turk But as to these two last Points nothing could be concluded wherefore they were put off to another time and Diet And because some things were enacted in that Diet which the Cities of the Empire perceived would redound to their prejudice they all sent Embassadors upon that account to the Emperor in Spain These arriving at Valladolid August the Sixth and having Audience three days after the Emperor gave them a very Gracious and Princely Answer within a few days but withal told them That the Pope had complained to him by Letters of Strasburg Norimber and Ausburg as if they favoured the Doctrin of Luther That he expected better things of them but that however he could not pass it by in silence that they might have a care to obey his and the Pope's Edicts which he was consident they would do They justified themselves assuring his Majesty that their Cities were no ways wanting in readiness to fulfil his Will and Pleasure In the mean time September the Thirteenth Pope Adrian dies to whom succeeded Clement VII of the Family of Medices Of all the Switzers none but the People of Zurich followed the Doctrin of Zuinglius most of the other Cantons vexed and murmured at it And therefore in a Convention of States held for that purpose at Berne there were some who grievously accused Zuinglius and to
concluded any private Treaty with any Person about this matter excepting at Nuremburgh besides he thought it proper that those who assign'd this reason in excuse of what they had done should prove their Plea to be matter of Fact which proof he would take care to convey to the Emperor and possibly carry it himself And since the Emperor's Inclinations are so apparently dispos'd for Peace and for the setling a good understanding amongst the States he cannot but renew his former Request to them that they would contribute their Assistance towards the carrying on the Turkish-War and defray the Expence of the Imperial-Chamber both which Provisions had a very considerable Influence upon the welfare of Germany And if it so happens that the Turk does not come into the Field that then they would send his Majesty the same Supply for some months against the French King If they gratifie his Majesty in this they will never have any reason to repent of their Compliance therefore he desires they would let him know their Resolution in this Point that he may give the Emperor an account of it forthwith Touching the Council they very well knew what care and pains the Emperor had taken to procure its Intimation designing by this means to give the fairest opportunity to adjust the differences in Religion in a peaceable way and to promote the Glory of God and the Salvation of Men by the Reformation of Christendom And now when the undertaking is so well advanc'd and the time for the opening the Council almost at hand his Majesty little suspected that they would have put in their Exceptions against it which Resolution if they persist in it will be very unacceptable to him Now this being an Affair of the greatest concern he is order'd in his Commission to dispatch it fully with them therefore he earnestly beseecheth them that they would oblige the Emperor and not make a separation from the rest of the States for it never was the Emperor's intention to defend any Doctrin or Practice in the Council which was lewd wicked and contrary to the Word of God nor to excuse any thing which was scandalous and immoral but would take particular care that Debates should not be swayed by favour and partiality And since it 's agreeable to reason that the holy Scriptures and the approved Interpretations of them should have the greatest Authority the Emperor cannot imagine what should hinder them from coming to the Council either themselves or sending their Embassadors For when fraud and indirect Practices are once barr'd which the Emperor will undertake to effect there can be no manner of ground to suspect the Council Those Reasons therefore which they assign'd for their refusal had not weight enough in them and were apt to create jealousies and apprehensions not only in the Emperor but in other Nations also Concerning that which they objected about the Inclinations and Intentions of the Pope though their Expressions were somewhat too smart yet if what they said was true no Man can commend his Holiness upon this account But the Emperor was so far from knowing any thing of this nature that he did not so much as suspect it nay his Majesty did not question but that the Pope would behave himself like a Christian in his Office and as it became one who was the chief Head of the Clergy However if they had any thing to say against his Holiness or any others of his Order they might prefer their Complaints against them in the Council and argue the matter out provided they did it modestly and without any signs of hatred and ill will. There also they may propose what their Opinion is concerning the proper form and modelling of the Council and whatever else they have a mind to in any other Circumstance But for them to prescribe the methods of Management and Debate to all Christendom was neither fair nor commendable This was more than the Emperor and all the rest of the States could do for the determination of those Points did not belong to a small Party but were to be setled by the whole Assembly where they would find a great many Persons eminent for their Learning and Probity for they must not suppose that their Divines are the only knowing and inspired Men for there are other places in which neither the abilities nor vertuous Conversation of the Church-men can be question'd Now as to what they object against Mantua its being made the Seat of the Council he grants that the Princes of Germany and more particularly themselves did earnestly desire that some place in Germany might be pitched upon for this purpose neither was the Emperor against it but then we should consider what is suitable and convenient for other Nations Now the reason why the Pope chose this Town before any other was in his opinion because it lay near to Germany was a plentiful place of it self and so situated that Provisions might be conveyed to it at an easie Charge besides it was remarkable for a healthy Climate and under the Jurisdiction of the Empire so that the Pope could have no advantage of them there For the Duke of that Town was a Homager and Vassal of the Empire however if they are still suspicious and apprehensive of danger the Emperor out of the great desire he hath for the calling of a Council will take care that they shall have sufficient Security therefore if they think it requisite they may address to him about this Point and he does not question but that they will receive a very fair Answer from his Majesty Therefore he desires they would debate this matter over again return him a clear and positive answer and comply with the Emperor which would be very honourable and advantageous to themselves and most acceptable to God Almighty When he had done his Speech he desir'd the Names of those might be deliver'd to him in writing who came in after the Pacification at Nuremburgh In this List there was George Duke of Brandenburgh Nuremburgh Weissemburgh Hailbrun Wintzeim and Hall mention'd to be of the same Religion but not engag'd in the League Then he desir'd them in the Emperor's Name to explain their League to him and upon what conditions it was made The same day that this was done the Bishop of Aix the Pope's Legate came thither charg'd with Letters to the Elector of Saxony in which his Holiness invited him to the Council For the last year when Vergerius gave an account of his German Embassy which I mention'd in the former Book the Pope was not at all pleas'd with it and therefore orders the Bishop to go thither under the same Character to try if he could gain any advantage by sending a new Embassador But he lost his labour as well as the other neither was there much notice taken of him One day when he desir'd to be admitted to Audience by the Lantgrave he sent him word that he was not at leizure and
to deal more severely with him than either his custom nature or inclination led him to do But that he would by no means let it be thought that he had neglected his duty having always before his eyes that instance of divine severity against Eli the High-Priest That hitherto he had indeed used the clemency of a Father but that if he obtained nothing now by that means he must needs take another course That he would therefore consider what it became him to do and whether it would conduce more to his own honour and interest to assist his old age in recovering the peace of the Church or to favour those rather who aimed at nothing else but the rending of her into pieces It was thought that the Pope was put upon it by the French King on whom he relyed to write in this manner to the Emperour for it is credible that that King had put odious interpretations and constructions upon the English League that he might whet the edge of the Pope Hence that insinuation in the Letter mentioned before of contracting friendship with ill men for both of them are wont by Letters and Embassadours sollicitously to court the friendship of the King of England especially in time of War and severally strive which can make himself most acceptable unto him About this time Stephen Bishop of Winchester published a very reproachful and bitter Book against Bucer wherein amongst other things he defended the single life This year the Pope created Cardinals Christopher Madruce Bishop of Trent Otho Truchses Bishop of Ausburg Germans George d'Armagnac James Annebaud Kinsman to the Admiral of France French-men Francis Mendoza Bartholomew de la Cueva Spaniards and that to gratifie the Emperour Ferdinand and King of France About the same time also he again summons the Council which had been hindered by the Wars to meet on the 15th of March of the following year and because the Emperour and French King were now at peace he makes a great shew of gladness beginning his Bull of Indiction of the Council with that place of Scripture Rejoyce O Jerusalem At this time also Luther's Book about the Lords Supper came abroad wherein he renews the old Controversie and falls foul upon Zuinglius and his Adherents but it was afterwards answered by those of Zurich and that smartly too We mentioned before how vigorously the Clergy and Colledge of Cologne had resisted the Archbishop in his intended Reformation But he still persisting in the same by Deputies and Letters again sent to him they repeat their former sute telling him That they had earnestly desired two things of him some time ago First that he would desist from his purpose and expect the Decree of the Council and then that he would discharge all new Preachers but that he proceeded and would not condescend to their Supplications which must needs prove very prejudicial to the whole Province That therefore they again besought him by all that was sacred that being mindful of his own Duty and the obligation that lay upon him to the Church of Cologne the Pope of Rome and the Emperour he would remove those Preachers and defer the whole matter until it should come to a publick hearing That unless he did do so they must implore the protection of higher Powers and take such courses as might discharge their Consciences and avert the anger of God. That they were unwilling to proceed so far but that if he persisted they must of necessity do so When by this means they could not prevail neither October the ninth they meet in the chief Church of Cologne and there read over a Writing containing amongst other things what was acted at Wormes three and twenty years before when Luther with consent of all the Princes was condemned by the Emperour what had been done at Ausbourg Ratisbonne and what was lately decreed at Spire That since Archbishop Hermon had taken a new course and setting light by all these things had sent for Bucer an Apostate Monk twice polluted by incestuous Marriages and an Assertor of the Sacramentarian Doctrine whom he employed in the Ministry as he every-where also appointed lewd and profligate Wretches to be new Teachers of the people That by the same hands a new Model of Reformation had been drawn up and published by command of the Prince That they had indeed vigorously protested against all these Innovations and often but in vain besought the Archbishop that he would expect the meeting of the Council or at least delay till the Diet of the Empire That now the Province being in a deplorable condition and all things tending to confusion without any hopes of condescension on his part they were necessitated to betake themselves to the last Remedy and to appeal to the Pope and to the Emperour the chief Advocate and Protector of the Church of God and to commit themselves and all their concerns to their protection George of Brunswick the Brother of Duke Henry and Provost of the Colledge presided in that Assembly When this came to the knowledge of the Archbishop by a publick Writing he denied that they had any cause for an Appeal that he had done nothing but what was his duty and therefore that he rejected the Appeal hoping that they would let it fall of themselves but if not that he would proceed in those things that concerned the glory of God and the Reformation of the Church In another writing afterwards he refutes their Accusations alledging That he had no private Engagement neither with Luther nor Bucer but that he looked upon their Doctrine as being consonant to Scripture to be truly Apostolical and worthy to be embraced by all That Luther was indeed condemned by the Church of Rome but in a violent tyrannical manner without being heard That he knew nothing of that Edict of Wormes whereby they affirm that Luther was condemned before it was printed and published That whereas then they affirm it to be made with consent of the Princes that did not at all concern him to whom nothing of the matter was ever communicated That he never liked that Decree of Ausbourg concerning Religion And that when some Princes promised the Emperour great matters at that time and offered their lives and fortunes for maintenance of the Popish Religion he sent Orders to his Deputies that they should promise no such thing nay that in express terms they should declare the contrary But that they acted not according to their Orders and that the cause of their silence was known to some who now held the chief Rank amongst his Adversaries Which being so he was no ways obliged by that Edict and that though he might have been sometimes obliged yet upon discovery of the truth he was no longer bound seeing no Covenant or Oath that derogates from the honour of God can have any force or obligation That the Decree of Ratisbonne not only permitted but also enjoyned him and some other
Elector of Saxony The University of Wittemberg interceeds with Duke Frederick for Luther Pope Leo's Bull for the Indulgences Luther's Appeal from the Pope to a Council 1519. Luther's Letter to Pope Leo. The Emperour Maximilian dies Competitours for the Empire Charles King of Spain and Francis King of France The Speech of the Elector of Mentz about the Election of the Emperour The Speech of the Archbishop of Treves The Vote of Frederick Elector of Saxony Charles of Austria chosen Emperour The Elector's Letter to the Emperour His Answer The French King vexed that Charles should be preferred before him The Genealogy of Charles the Emperour The way of chusing the Emperour The Heads of the Golden Bull. * Or Charter because it was sealed with a Seal of Gold instead of Wax The Conditions prescribed to the Emperour Charles V. Erasmus his Judgment of Luther to the Elector of Saxony He writes also to the Archbishop of Mentz and Cardinal Campegio As also to Luther A Disputation at Leipsick betwixt Luther and Eckius Zuinglius preaches at Zurich 1520. Miltitz treatâ— with Luther Luther writes to the Pope A Description of the Court of Rome Bernard in his Books of Consideration to Eugenius What Eckius gained by his Dispute Luther makes some overtures for a Peace The mischief of Flatterers Luther's Book of Christian Liberty The Emperor's Voyage out of Spain into Germany Luther's Book to Frederick intitled Tessaradecas His Book concerning Confession Another concerning Vows His Opinion concerning the Communion in Both kinds That the Bohemians always receive it so The Dignity of the Lateran Council The Pisane Council It was called by the Cardinals The Reasons why they did it The Pope's Answer to the Cardinals He prohibits all Persons to come to the Council called by the Cardinals and summons another himself An old trick of the Popes He Excommunicates the Cardinals The Cardinals Proceedings against the Pope The Council remov'd from Pisa to Milan Decius writes in Defence of the Cardinals Maximilian leagues with Julius Matthew Langus created a Cardinal in the Lateran Council Pope Julius dies and Leo X succeeds him The End of the Lateran Council The Immortality of the Soul called in Question at Rome Luther's Book condemn'd at Lovain and Cologn His Answer Ockam condemned at Paris A Comparison between the Jews and Roman Clergy The Authority of Aristotle with the Divines of Loâ—vain and Cologn Phefercorne's Judgment concerning the suppressing the Jewish Writings The Opinion of Reuchline His Book burnt Approved of by the Bishop of Spire Condemned at Paris The Censure of the Louvain Divines upon Luther's Writings His Letter to the Emperour To the States of the Empire To the Archbishop of Mentz The Archbishop's Answer Luther's Letter to the Bishop of Mersburgh The Bishop's Answer The Pope's Answer to the Elector The Pope's Bull. The Pope and Cardinals condemn Luther's Doctrin and command his Books to be burnt The Decrees of Pius and Julius concerning Appeals Luther is Excommunicated Luther opposes the Pope's Bull. The Electors come to Aix la Chapelle The Emperour enters the Town iâ— great state The Ceremonies of the Coronation The Emperour's Oath The manner of making Knights A Dyet summoned to meet at Wormes The Popes anciently subject to the Emperours The Emperours swear Allegiance to the Popes Luther's Works burnt He burns the Canon-Law 1521. Duke Frederick obtains from the Emperor that Luther should have a publick Hearing in the Diet of Wormes Luther's Letter to Duke Frederick The Emperour 's safe Conduct to Martin Luther The Bull De coena Domini The Pope Excommunicates the Lutherans Luther goes to Wormes Luther pleads his own Cause before the Emperor and whole Empire But asked time to deliberate first Eckius Interrogates Luther Luther's Harangne to the Emperor and States of the Empire Eckius to Luther Luther's answer to his Demands Eckius's â—eply to Luther Luther's Answer The Emperour's Letter to the Princes And the Princes Disagreement about it A Committee of the States for treating with Luther Vey's Speech to Luther before the Committee Luther's Answer to the Commissioners Luther submits his Works to a General Council Luther returns Home accompanied by a Herald Luther's Letters to the Emperour and States The History of the Council of Constancâ—e Huss condemned for an Hâ—retick first by the Pope And then by the Council He and Jerome of Prague burnt Wickliff's Doctrine condemned and his Body taken up and burnt The Parisian Divines condemn Luther's Books Melanchton and Luther answer the Sâ—rbonists The Switzers make Leagues with the Pope and French King But the Canton of Zurick refused the League The Emperour by a publick Decree Proscribes Luther Luther conveyed out of the way The Augustines of Wittemberg forbear saying of Mass And give Duke Frederick their Reasons for so doing Duke Frederick's Answer about abolishing the Mass The Marriage of the Archduke Frederick King Henry of England writes against Luther The Emperor's War with the French King. Pope Leo dies Adrian succeeds Leo. The Emperor returns to Spain to appease Seditions there 1522. A Diet at Norimberg A League betwixt the Emperor and King of England Mary the King of England's Daughter betrothed to the Emperor The Letter of the Bishop of Constance to the Canons of Zurich Zuinglius writes to the Bishop of Constance And to the Switzers The Custom of some Cantons about Priests Concubines Luther returns to Wittemberg And by Letters aquaints Duke Frederick with the Reasons of it Carolostadius casts Images out of the Churches of Wittemberg The Sect of Muncer and other Enthusiasts Luther's Letter to the Bohemians Three Sects in Bohemia Luther's Book against false Bishops Pope Adrian's Brief to the Elector of Saxony Pope Adrian's Letter to the States of Germany A War betwixt the Archbishop of Treves and Francis Sicking Adrian writes to the Senate of Strasburg A short History of Pope Adrian Adrian being declared Pope writes to the Colledge of Cardinals Adrian goes to Rome The Turk taketh Rhodes 1523. The Assembly of Zurich The Reformation received at Zurich Pope Adrian's Instructions about the restraining of Luther Luther's Interpretation of the Pope's Instructions The Princes Answer to Pope Adrian's Legate Troubles in Denmark Christiern King of Denmark banish'd Frederick Duke of Holstein made King of Denmark King Christiern in a publick Declaration answers the Accusations of the Danes and Swedes The Ministers of Norimberg accused by the Pope's Legate The Grievances of Germany presented to the Legate The Acts of the Dyet of Norimberg published Two Augustine Friers burnt at Brussels Luther's Interpretation of the Decree of Norimberg Vlrick Hutton dies Henry King of England's Letters of Admonition to the Dukes of Saxony George Duke Saxony Answers the King of England Pope Adrian dies Priests Marry at Strasburg 1524. An Assembly of the Switzers at Lucern Cardinal Campegius's Letter to Frederick Duke of Saxony Campegius's Speech to the Princes of the Empire The Princes Answer to the Pope's Legate The Legates Reply The Cantons of Switzerland expostulate
Maximilian Barbarossa's Incursions Anthony Duke of Lorrain dying his Son Francis succeeds to him The English make an Expedition into France Boloigne besieged Sandizier taken upon Surrender Renate Prince of Orange killed The Consternation of the Parisians Boloigne taken by the English The Peace betwixt the Emperor and French King at Soissons and the Conditions of it The Pope's Letters to the Emperour written at the instigation and upon the confidence of the French King. The Bishop of Winchester's Book against Bucer Cardinals created to gratifie Princes The Council is again called The Controversie about the Lords Supper is renewed The Plea of the Clergy of Cologne with the Archbish The Clergy of Cologne appeal to the Pope and Emperour George of Brunswick President The writing of the Archb against the Conspiracy of his Clergy The Clergy of Cologne subscribe the Appeal The Emperour's Embassie to the King of England The Netherlanders loveâ— of the Reformed Religion Peter Bruley burnt The Intercession of Strasbourg and the Protestants for Bruley The Emperour 's severe Edicts against the Lutherans Bruiey's Answer to the Monks Interrogatories Of the Body and Bloud of Christ Of the Mass Of the Adoration of the Bread. Of Purgatory Of Masses and Prayers for the Dead How the Saints are truly worshipp'd Of Free-will Of Faith. Of Traditions that enslave Minds Of Images Of Baptism Of Vows Of Confession Of the Virginity of the Blessed Mary The Assembly of the Divines of Paris at Melun Luther's Positions contrary to those of the Divines of Louvaine An Imperial Diet at Wormes The first Session The Protestants make answer to Ferdinand The deliberation of the Popish States King Ferdinand and the Emperor's Deputies Answer to the Protestants The Protestants Petition Grignian the the French Embassador to the States The Persecution of the Waldenses at Merindole A cruel Sentence of the Parliament of Aix against the Waldenses Meinier President of the Parliament of Aix Philip Cortine Forces raised by Meinier against the Waldenses A Soldier gives the Fugitives forewarning Merindole is burnt Cabriere surprised by craft Is demolished A honourable piece of Cruelty of Meinier The number of the slain Coste is taken and the Inhabitants most barbarously used The Intercession of the Swizers for the Merindâ—lanes The King's Answer to the Swiss The Heads of the Waldensian Doctrine The Spaniards marched through Germany into Austria The Death of Louis Duke of Bavaria The Emperour and Cardinal Farnese come to Wormes The Emperour's Embassie to the King of Poland The King of Poland's Answer to the Emperour The Pope very greedy of Lutheran blood A bloody Sermon of a Franciscan Fryer Cardinal Farnese parts from Wormes for Rome Luther's Book against the Papacy of Rome A Picture set before the Book Luther's Theses of the three Hierarchies The Emperour's Treaty with the Protestants The Plea of Grignian the French Embassadour Francis Duke of Lorrain dies King Ferdinand's Daughter dies The Birth of Charles the Son of Philip King of Spain The Emperour's Daughter-in-law dies Piscara comes to Wormes The Duke of Brunswick chouses the French King of Money The Emperour makes a Truce with the Turk The Senate of Metz inquire after Protestants The Archbishop of Cologne is cited by the Emperour and Pope The Emperour takes the Clergy and Colledge of Cologne into his protection The Archbishop of Cologne is cited The Pope's prejudice against the Archbishop An Assembly and Conference appointed at Ratisbonne Conferours are appointed for the pacification of Religion The Papists refuse the Conference The Dutchy of Brunswick adjudged to the Emperour The stubbornness of the Duke of Brunswick The Elector of Cologne sends a Proctor to the Emperour War betwixt the French and English at Bologne The Death of the Duke of Orleans The Duke of Brunswick takes the field He takes Stembruck The Landgrave's Expedition against the Duke of Brunswick Maurice interceeds for Peace The Conditions of Peace proposed A Truce granted Duke Henry breaks the Truce A Fight betwixt Brunswick and the Landgrave The Duke of Brunswick surrenders himself with his Son to the Landgrave The Death of Albert of Mentz Maurice purges himself of the suspicion of betrying Brunswick Luther's Book against the setting the Duke of Brunswick at liberty William of Furstenberg is set at liberty The Duke of Saxony and Landgrave's Letters to the Emperour about the taking of the D. of Branswick The Landgrave's Letter to the Emperour The Emperour's Answer to the Landgrave by an Embassadour The Landgrave's Answer A Treaty of Peace betwixt the Kings of France and England 1546. The King of England forewarns the Protestants of their danger A Meeting of the Protestants at Franckfurt The Elector Palatine appoints Preachers of the Gospel A Meeting of the Electors of the Rhine for the Archbishop of Cologne A Report of a War against the Protestants The Landgrave's Letter to Granvell Granvell answers the Landgrave A Meeting of some Princes at Franckfurt Sebastian Scherteline Deputies from the Protestants are sent to the Emperour and Clergy of Cologne The Protestants accused of a Conspiracy The Conference of Naves and Renard Count of Solmes The Landgrave's Letters to Naves The Conference of learned Men at Ratisbonne Presidents Colloqutors and Witnesses of the Conference The Conference begins The Heads of Doctrine to be chiefly handled The Conditions of the Conference Malvenda treats of the Point of Justification Bucer answers Malvenda as to the Article of Justification Billick the Carmelite Malvenda answers Bucer The Emperour's Letter to the Doctors Pflugg admitted amongst the Presidents The Conference is broken up The Protestant Embassadours with the Emperour in favour of the Elector of Cologne The Emperour's Answer to them The Pope's Legates sent to Trent Mendoza's Speech to the Fathers in Name of the Emperour The Cardinals answer Mendoza Preaching Monks acted the first part in the Council A Bull of Indulgences The commencement of the Council The first Session The Decree of the first Session The second Session of the Council of Trent Luther chosen Umpire betwixt the Counts of Mansfield Whether we shall know one another in the life to come Luther's Prayer before his death Luther's death His dead Body is carried to Wittemberg The Birth and Life of Luther He was sent to Rome Luther's Eloquence in the German Language His Constancy and Courage The Authors of the Decree of Ausbourg John Diazi went to the Conference at Ratisbonne John Diazi's Conference with Malvenda Malvenda's Letter to the Emperour's Confessour Diazi goes to Newbourg Alfonso Diazi's Brother comes into Germany The Cain-like and traitorous Mind of Alfonso John Diazi is killed by his Brother's means What was done with the Ruffians at Inspruck The Emperour comes to Spire on his Journey to Ratisbonne He visits the D. of Deuxpont's Lady Daughter to the Landgrave The Landgrave comes to the Emperour The Landgrave's Speech to the Emperour The Emperour's Answer to the Landgrave The Landgrave's words to the Emperour Monks the disturbers of the Peace The Emperour's Answer to the
brought to him in Spain An account of the Bulla Aurea the Golden Bull and Laws of the Empire Erasmus his Testimony of Luther Whilest they were Disputing at Leipsick Ulrick Zuinglius began to teach at Zurich and manfully opposed one that preached up Indulgences POPE Leo X a Florentine of the Family of Medices making use of that Power which his Predecessors the Popes of Rome had Usurped and he himself thought he had over all Christian Churches sent abroad into all Kingdoms his Letters and Bulls with ample Promises of the full Pardon of Sins and of Eternal Salvation to such as would purchase the same with Money and the Collectors and those who were sent out to Preach up the Value of this so great a Favour not only defended their Doctrins in Books they published particularly in Germany but also setled publick Offices in all Provinces for the Receipt of the Money that was raised this way and by the Licences which they likewise sold for eating Eggs Milk Cheese and Flesh on Fasting Days Now this Remission and Pardon of Sins they named an Indulgence a Word of their own coyning which had been of a long time in use among them There lived at that time in Wittemberg upon the Elbe a City of Saxony one Martin Luther a Doctor of Divinity and an Augustine Fryer who being excited by the Sermons and Books of these Collectors and perceiving that their Doctrin was believed and past current among the People began to advise Men to be Wise and not to purchase such Commodities at so dear a Rate Because what they laid out that way might be far better employed And this happened in the Year of our Lord one thousand five hundred and seventeen That he might therefore proceed in his Design with better Success on the last of October he wrote to Albert of Brandenburg Archbishop of Mentz acquainting him with what they Taught and Complaining that the People were so persuaded as that having purchased these Indulgences by Money they needed no more doubt of Salvation as if no Crime could be committed which was not by that means Pardoned and as if the Souls which were Tormented in the Fire of Purgatory so soon as the Money was cast into the Box were presently discharged of their Pains and took their Flight streight up to Heaven He tells him That Christ commanded the Gospel to be Preached and that it was the proper Office of Bishops to instruct the People in the Right Way Wherefore he puts him in Mind of his Duty and prays him that he would use his Authority in suppressing those Books and enjoyning the Preachers to teach better Doctrin lest it might give Occasion to some more grievous Dissension which would undoubtedly happen if they were not restrained The Reason why he wrote to him was Because he being also Bishop of Magdeburg it belonged to him to take care of these things With this Letter he also sent the Theses which for Disputation sake he had lately published at Wittemberg to the number of ninety five wherein he fully handled the Doctrin of Purgatory true Penance and the Office of Charity and censured the extravagant Preachings of the Collectors but only for discovering the Truth as has been said For he invited all Men not only to come to the Disputation and object what they had to say but begged also That such as would not be present might send their Opinions in Writing protesting that he affirmed nothing positively but referred all to the Judgment of the Holy Church nevertheless that he admitted not of the Doctrins of Thomas Aquinas and such like Writers unless they were found to agree with the Holy Scriptures and the Decrees of the Ancient Fathers The Archbishop of Mentz made no answer to these things but not long after John Tetzel a Dominican Frier at Frankford upon the Oder a Town within the Territories of Brandenburg published some Positions quite contrary to those of Luther wherein he mightily extolled the Authority of the Pope the Benefit of Indulgences and that Wooden Cross which then by the Command of the Pope was set up in all Churches insomuch that he compared Leo X to the Apostle St. Peter and that Popish Cross with the true Cross whereon Christ suffered for us But when no Man of the contrary Part came to the Disputation proposed at Wittemberg and that the Theses we mentioned were read by many with great Applause Luther wrote a very large Explication of them and sent it first to Jerome Bishop of Brandenburg to whose Jurisdiction he belonged and then to John Stupitz Provincial of the Augustine Friers praying him to have it transmitted to the Pope Nay in the Month of June he wrote to Pope Leo himself informing him That these Collectors relying upon or abusing his Authority taught very rashly and behaved themselves covetously That he made no doubt but heavy Accusations were brought against him but that therein he was wronged since he had been forced by the Sermons and idle Books of the Collectors to publish some things only for Disputation sake which now he more fully explained that therefore he prayed his Holiness Not to give Credit to those Accusations because Frederick Elector of Saxony was so Religious a Prince and of so great Prudence and Integrity that if those things were true which his Adversaries reported of him he would not suffer his Province to be in such a manner Profaned neither would the University of Wittemberg connive at it That in short he submitted all his Writings nay his Life and Safety to his Authority and Disposal that he would look upon what proceeded from his Holiness as if it flowed from Christ and were delivered by an Oracle nor did he refuse to lay down his Life if so it seemed good to him Besides others who oppugned his Theses and the Explication annexed to the same John Eckius a Divine wrote also against him whom Luther answered affirming That he alledged nothing from Scripture nor the Authority of the Fathers but only some Dreams of his own such as by bad Custom had now long prevailed in the Schools After Eckius Silvester Prierias a Dominican Master of the Sacred Palace as they call it wrote against him also and set out a Dialogue with a Preface to Pope Leo and that in a very Huffing and Confident Stile boasting That he would make a Tryal if Luther were so Strong and Invincible as that there was no Worsting nor overcoming of him and that if he answered that first Essay he would then ply him with far Stronger and more Elaborate Arguments He also addressed himself to Luther telling him That though he was now stricken in Years and had not of a long Time entred into any such Lists yet he would do all that was in his Power for the Roman Papacy praying him withal to return into the right Way Before he enters into Disputation he lays down some
were sailing in the midst of dangerous Rocks who attribute to him no less than a sort of Divinity and cry him up for the Monarch of the Universe and make him Superior to all Councils He assures him that nothing can be more pernicious to any one than to hearken to this sort of Parasites That therefore he should rather give credit to such Persons who put him in mind that he is Mortal as well as other Men and who exhort him to the faithful discharge of his Duty That because he was placed in such a state of Life in which as in the middle of a tempestuous Sea he was continually exposed to very great dangers that therefore he had written to him thus freely and without any the least admixture of Flattery and in this he thought himself to have performed the part of a true Friend In the last place he presents him with his Book which he had lately composed concerning Christian Liberty giving it only this short Recommendation That it was a full and compleat Summary of true Doctrin In the beginning of Spring the Emperor sets sail from Spain and arriving in England was very magnificently entertained by King Henry who married his Aunt Catherine After which he passed into the Low-Countries where he was received with the general Shouts and Acclamations of all the People Much about this time the Elector Frederick fell very dangerously sick upon which Luther by the advice of some Friends compiled a little Book to afford him some comfort at this season to which he gave the Title of Tessaradecas and in his Letters to him he tells him it was the Command of Christ that among other mutual charitable Offices which we are to perform one to another the administring to the Sick ought never to be forgotten That for this cause he who was in a peculiar manner upon several accounts obliged to his Highness had for his sake made this short Collection not being in a capacity of evidencing to the World and Him any other way how much he is devoted to his Service He tells him that the Constitution of Human Bodies was such that if any the least Distemper invaded the Head all the other Members sympathised with it and each particular part felt the pain as sensibly as if it self were immediately afflicted therewith So now this Indisposition of his could not but affect all his Subjects with a very deep sorrow for that a considerable part of Germany look'd upon him as their greatest Ornament as well as strongest Bulwark After this he publish'd a Book treating of Confession the chief Heads of which are these That Men ought not to rely on Confession as of it self Meritorious of Pardon but upon the gracious Promise of God to forgive Sins That in the first place they should make their Confession to God and that he that Confesses ought at the same time to have a perfect hatred and abhorrence of his Sin and to desire sincerely to amend his Life That a particular enumeration of every Sin was not necessary nay that by reason of the innumerable slips of a Man's Life and the general depravity and almost lethargick security of most Mens Consciences it was even impossible to be performed That a great difference ought to be made between Sins committed against the Command of God and such as are only breaches of some Human Ordinance In the last place he adds a word or two about Vows and bewails that barbarous cruelty which under colour of them is exercised by covetous and illiterate Persons upon the Souls of Men But of this he speaks more at large in a separate Tract afterwards published by it self In another Piece of his he had said That it appeared to him as a thing which would be of great advantage to the Church if the Authority of a Council first interposing all Persons were admitted to participate of the Lord's Supper in Both Kinds This Saying of his because it was contrary to a Decree of the late Lateran Council many resented highly and among these was John Bishop of Meissen who commanded all the Clergy of his Diocese to suppress the Book and teach all under their Charge that the whole compleat Sacrament was exhibited under each distinct Species Luther being inform'd of this presently replies and lays all the blame of this Injunction not upon the Bishop but upon some few unlearned and turbulent Fellows and to them he turns his Discourse and shews that this which he was thus desirous of having established by a Council did not deserve so severe a Censure no more than if he had said he could wish a Council would decree it lawful for Priests to have Wives That this very thing Pope Pius II. publickly declared himself for and that herefore he was not to be blamed who concurred with him in the same Opinion He granted there was such a Canon of the Lateran Council as they spoke of but he thought it absurd to go about to Confirm any Doctrin by an Ordinance of a later Council which was repugnant to all the more ancient Councils as well as the constant usage in all the first Ages of the Church He minds them that among the Bohemians the Laity were admitted to partake of the Cup and that for this reason we brand them with the name of Hereticks who deny it to all those who hold Communion with us That they in their defence urged Christ's own Institution and the Practice of the Apostles and of all Christians down almost to these times and all that we have to say in our own Justification or to convince them of their being in an Errour is only this Lateran Decree which is but a trifling Argument and such as carries no great weight in it for that every Body was sensible now what a sort of Council that was since the Papists themselves whose Interest it was to uphold it were not grown so expert in the Art of Dissimulation as at all times to counterfeit an esteem for it But supposing this Council to have been Oecumenical yet it was not for the Credit of a Church which pretends so much to Antiquity to be beholding to an Authority of so late a date for the Ratification of any of its Doctrins But to lay open the whole Intrigue of this Lateran Council thus it was Julius II. at his coming to the Poâ—pedom obliged himself by an Oath to call a Council within two years This was in the Year of our Lord 1503. But the Affairs of Italy being very much embâ—oiled the Pope engaging himself in a continual War either with the Venetians or King of France or Duke of Ferrara or else with the Family of the Bentivolio's Prinas of Bononia nine Cardinals withdrew themselves and when they were come to Milan they summoned a Council to meet at Pisa The Chief of these Cardinals were Bernardine de la Croix William Bishop of Praeneste and Francis Bishop of Bazas and
those of Cologne taking no notice of this proceed to Censure Capnion's Book with a Salvo as they pretend to the Credit of the Author and in February 1514 they publickly burnt it this the Bishop of Spire took as an Affront put upon him and because the Prosecutor having been legally Cited had never appeared at the Day but made Default he gave Judgment for Capnion with an Approbation of his Book and condemned Hogostrate to pay the Costs of the Suit. He that he might avoid this Sentence hastens to Rome In the mean time the Divines of his Party make their Applications to the University of Paris and by the Help of Erand Marchian Bishop of Liege who was then in the French Interests they cajoled Lewis XII so as to make him inclinable to favour their Cause Therefore after a long Consultation those of Paris also Condemn the Book as deserving to be Burnt and whose Author ought to be compelled to make a Recantation and their Judgment was That the Jewish Talmuds were justly censured by former Popes and deservedly burnt by their Predecessors This was in the same Year on August 2. To prevent this the Duke of Wirtemberg had interceeded with them by his Letters and Reuchline also himself had written very courteously as having been formerly a Scholar of that University and he sent inclosed the Judgment given by the Bishop of Spire but all to no purpose Hogostrate being come to Rome managed his Business with very great Address but there were some Cardinals who favoured Reuchline upon the account of his eminent Learning among these was Adrian who has a Piece extant concerning the Latin Tongue Leo at last appoints certain Delegates to inspect the matter and they seeming to lean towards Capnion's side Hogostrate having met with nothing but Disappointments after above three Years stay in Rome sneaked away Home into his own Country But it is not to be thought what a Scandal the Divines of Cologn brought upon themselves by this Imprudent Act of theirs for there was not a Man who pretended to any thing of Ingenuity or Scholarship in all Germany who had not a Fling at them in some smart Lampoon or Satyr applauding Reuchline and ridiculing them as Blockheads and Dunces and sworn Enemies to that Laborious but useful Study of Languages and to all other more polite Learning And Erasmus of Roterdam was not wanting to use his interest with the Cardinals in Capnion's behalf concerning which he has several Epistles yet extant which he then sent to Rome The Divines of Louvain before they would declare what was their Opinion in Luther's Case consulted first with the Cardinal Adrian Bishop of Tortona who had been a Member of their College and Order and who was at that time in Spain and being backed with the Authority of his Judgment they published their Censure Luther finding himself so hard beset on all Sides addressed himself in an Epistle to the late elected Emperour Charles V and having made his Apology That a Man of his mean Quality should presume to write to so great a Potentate he tells him That the Reasons were very weighty which had emboldned him to do this and that the Glory of Christ himself was concerned in his Cause That he had published some few small Books which had procured him the Displeasure of a great many Persons but that the Fault ought not to lye at his Door for that it was with great Reluctancy that his Adversaries had drawn him to enter the Lists That a Private Retired Life was much more agreeable to his Inclinations but that his chief Care and Study was to make known the pure and uncorrupt Doctrin of the Gospel in opposition to the false Glosses and even contradictory Ordinances of Men That there were a great number of Persons eminent both for Learning and Piety who could attest the Truth of what he said And that this alone was the Cause of all that Odium and Infamy of those Dangers Contumelies and Losses to which almost for three Years he had been continually exposed That he had omitted nothing which might contribute to an Accommodation but that the oftner he made any Proposals tending that way the more resolved his Adversaries seemed to continue the Breach That he had frequently and earnestly requested them to convince him of his Errours and to give him such Rules by the which he might the better guide himself for the Time to come but that he could never obtain any other Answer from them but barbarous Injuries and railing Buffoonery their Design being to rid the World both of him and the Gospel together That by these Means he was driven to have recourse to the last Remedy and forced according to the Example of Athanasius to fly to him as to the inviolable Sanctuary and Protection of the Law And to beseech him to take upon him the Patronage of the Christian Religion and vouchsafe to shelter him from all Violence and Injury until he should be more fully informed in the Matter If it should appear that he had been ingaged in the Maintenance of any thing that was Unjustifiable he then desired no Favour His humble Petition was only to have a fair Hearing and that every one would t'ill then suspend his Judgment That this was a part of his Duty and that therefore God had intrusted him with this Supreme Power that he might maintain and distribute impartial Justice and defend the Cause of the Poor and Weak against all the Insults of their powerful Oppressors After this he writes much to the same purpose to all the States of the Empire telling them how unwilling he was to have ingaged in this Controversie and with what bitter Malice he was prosecuted by his Enemies when his Aim was purely this by propagating the true Doctrin of the Gospel to convince Men how Inconsistent it was with those false Opinions of which they had been so long but too Tenacious Then he recites in short all that had been done by him in order to a Reconciliation how he had several times promised by a voluntary Silence to let the Cause fall upon condition his Adversaries would cease their impertinent Babling desiring nothing more than to be better informed if he was in the wrong and being willing to submit freely to the Judgment and Censure of all good Men But that these Requests of his had not as yet had their desired Effect his Adversaries continually loading him with all manner of Injuries and Reproaches That since it was so he desired them not to give Credit to any disadvantagious Reports which they might hear of him If he had at any time been guilty of any Sharpness or Petulancy in his Writings it was no more than what he had been forced to by their paultry sawcy Pamphlets which they were almost daily spawning against him In the last place he makes now the same Profers for the composing the Difference which he had so often formerly done
and of this he prays them to bear him witness Some few Days after he wrote to the Cardinal Albertus Archbishop of Mentz in a very submissive Stile The Substance of his Letter was this That his being impeached before him therefore touched him the more nearly because he supposed it to be done by those who had formerly commended his Works and been the most forward Sticklers for them but whether the Accusation were true or false take it either way they had not dealt very handsomely in it for if it were False they then put the grossest Abuse upon him without any respect to his Character and that sublime Station that he has in the Church He bids him call to mind how David himself was deceived by the Flattery of Siba and that there was scarce any Prince who could at all times stand so well upon his Guard as not to be in danger of being imposed upon by such fawning Courtiers But supposing he was really guilty of the Crimes laid to his Charge yet it had been a much fairer way of proceeding to have shewed him his Error and to have endeavoured to rectifie his Understanding wheresoever they perceived him to labour under any Mistakes that this he had several times beg'd of his Adversaries who still continued Deaf to all his Requests He tells him there were two sorts of Men who generally condemned his Writings one was those never read them and the other such as indeed vouchsafed them the reading but their Minds were prepossess'd with an ill Opinion of him and then whatsoever he said though never so conformable to the Precepts of Christianity must of necessity be misinterpreted by them But if that his more important Affairs could but afford him so much Leisure as to peruse his Books he did not in the least doubt but that he would be of a very different Judgment from his Accusers He intreats him therefore not to believe Calumnies or to entertain any suspicious Thoughts of him but to take a full and exact Examination of the whole Matter since not only his alone but the eternal welfare of all his Followers was nearly concerned in it For because his Desire was to be heard speak for himself and to be instructed by those who were more learned if he could not obtain this Favour the Truth it self would suffer very much by it Confiding therefore in his Candor and Humanity and being also born and bred in that Country which is properly under his Episcopal Care and Government he thought himself in some measure obliged to give him this short Account of his Case The Archbishop answers That he was very well pleased with his Promise Not to be obstinate in the Defence of his Tenets but to be willing to yield to any who should better inform him As for his part though he had a great regard for the concerns of Religion yet he had not hitherto been able to steal so much Time as would serve to read over his Treatises That therefore he could not give any Judgment upon them but referr'd it wholly to those whose proper Province it was and who had already ingaged themselves in that Disquisition That his hearty Wishes were That he and all other Divines would handle Points of Religion reverently modestly and conscientiously without uttering any reproachful Words or harbouring any secret Malice in their Breasts That he heard with great regret with what Heat and Passion some Men of Note and Fame disputed about the Supremacy of the Pope and Free-Will and other such trifling insignificant Questions which are far from being any of the Essentials of Religion That those things began now to be controverted which had been so long received and which were confirmed by the common Consent and Approbation of the whole Church as well as by the Authority of General Councils such is that which relates to the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper and the manner of communicating therein And because this is done openly and the Ears of the common People begin to be tickled with the Novelty he should not but have very dreadful Apprehensions of what would be the dangerous Consequences of them That he could not see how he or any other Person could raise any useful pious Instructions out of these Points But if Scholars had a mind to debate them friendly and privately among themselves he could not be against it Nor did he blame him for saying That what he taught was no other than the true Doctrin of the Gospel provided there was nothing of Bitterness or Spite in the Assertion and that it was not spoke in contempt of the Authority of the Church For if this publick Declaration of the Truth flowed purely from the gentle impulse of the Divine Spirit it then would baffle all Attempts whatsoever that should be made against it but if that either Haughtiness of Mind or a private Grudge against any one were the Motives in it it then could have no firm Foundation but that and its Author would soon fall together For whosoever abuses the Gifts and Favours of God on him will he assuredly pour out the full Vials of his Wrath. To the same effect on the same day Luther writes to the Bishop of Mersburgh that as to his Doctrin his Conscience bore him witness that it was the same that Christ and his Apostles had taught But because his Life and manners were not in all things answerable to the Purity of his Profession he could even wish that he were silenc'd from Preaching as being unworthy to exercise that Sacred Function That he was not moved either by the hopes of Gain or Vain-glory but that the End to which all his Endeavours were directed was to imprint a-fresh in the minds of Men those eternal Truths which were now almost utterly defaced or else obscured by a gross and wilful stupidity That those who condemn his Writings were hurried on by the violence of their Passions and promoted their own ambitious designs under the specious pretence of upholding the Authority of the Bishop of Rome That a great many Foreigners famous both for Parts and Learning had by their Letters approved of his Works and thanked him for his obliging the Publick with them That this confirm'd him in his Opinion that his Doctrin was Orthodox He beseeches him therefore to shew some Fatherly tenderness towards him and if he had hitherto erred to guide him now into the right way That he could not as yet get his Cause to be heard although he had been importunate in requesting it That he should think it a great happiness to be convinced of any of his Errours and they should find he had been misrepresented by those who had possessed the World with a belief of his Obstinacy The Bishop returns to this That he had been often under a very great concern for him and that he was heartily sorry for his having publish'd a Book concerning the Lord's Supper which had given offence to many That
condemned all those who presumed to act contrary to this Decree and declared their Appeals invalid And not long after he Excommunicated Sigismund Duke of Austria for taking Cardinal Nicholas Cusanus Prisoner Sigismund Appeals from him to the Council and the Pope Excommunicates George Heinburg a Lawyer that drew up the Appeal as a Traytor and Heretick and writes to the Senate of Nuremberg to Banish him and Confiscate his Estate This Decree of his Julius II confirmed that he might defend himself against those Cardinals who had revolted from him against Kings and Princes and the Divines of Paris who often made use of such Appeals Pope Pius who was before called Aeneas Silvius was present at the Council of Basil and wrote the History of it wherein he highly commends the Decrees that were made there but at last being advanced to the Papacy he changed his Opinion and declared that the Council ought to be subject to the Pope Luther when he found himself condemned at Rome renews his former Appeal from the Pope to General Council And now since the Pope continues in his Tyranny and Impiety and proceeds so far as to condemn him neither called nor heard nor convict of Heresie he says he Appeals again from him to a General Council for these four Reasons Because he condemns him at pleasure without hearing the Controversie because he forbids him to hold Faith to be necessary in the Sacraments because he prefers his own Opinions and Fancies to the Holy Scriptures and for rendring all Councils useless Therefore he calls him rash and obstinate a Tyrant a proud Despiser of the Church and Antichrist himself and says he will prove all this whensoever it shall please his Superiors and for that reason desires the Emperour and other Magistrates that for the Glory of God and in defence of the Liberties of a General Council they would admit his Appeal that they would bridle the Tyranny of the Pope take no notice of his Bull nor do any thing in the business till the Cause be fairly heard and decided Before he appealed after this manner which was upon the Eighteenth day of November he had put out a Book concerning the Babylonish Captivity and in the Preface he says that he advances every day more and more in the Knowledge of the Scripture that formerly he had published a small Treatise concerning the Pope's Indulgences and that then he writ very modestly having a very great Veneration for the Roman Tyranny But that now he was of another Opinion and that being stirred up by the provocation of his Adversaries he had discovered that the See of Rome was nothing else but the Kingdom of Babylon and the Power of Nimrod the mighty Hunter Afterwards he disputes concerning the Sacraments of the Church and holds there are but Three Baptism Penance and the Lord's Supper And having discoursed concerning these he proceeds to consider the others also Confirmation Orders Matrimony and Extreme Vnction but he allows them not the Name or Title of a Sacrament and says that they are properly Sacraments which are Promises with Visible Signs annexed to them the others which have no Signs are bare Promises and therefore he thinks that Penance ought not to be reckoned in the number of Sacraments if we would speak properly because it wants a Visible Sign of Divine Institution Luther after he had heard of the Pope's Bull besides the Appeal we have been speaking of publishes a Book wherein he confirms and maintains all those opinions which Leo had condemned In the mean time the Emperour having setled all things in the Low-Countries appoints the Electors to meet him at Aix la Chapelle on the Sixth of October in order to his Coronation But at that time the Plague raged there very much therefore the Electors when they were arrived at Cologn about ten Miles from Aix la Chapelle and the report of the Plague encreased daily they writ to the Emperour being then at Louvain to desire him to chuse some other place for the Coronation But the Townsmen who had laid out a great deal of Money in trimming up their Houses and furnishing themselves with Provisions did by a proper Messenger assure him that there was no Danger The Emperour therefore persisted in his Resolution and declares That he cannot well alter the Order of Charles IV which appoints the Coronation to be there Therefore upon the 21 of October the Archbishops of Mentz Cologn and Triers with the Ambassadours of the Duke of Saxony and Marquess of Brandenburg arrive there for the Duke of Saxony himself by reason of his Ilness was forced to stay at Cologn The next Day they go out to meet the Emperour and when they came near him they alighted off their Horses and the Archbishop of Mentz made a Speech to him which he answered graciously by the Cardinal of Saltzburg And so joyning their Company together they marched towards the Town Before the Gate the Count Palatine meets him The Horse that accompanied the Electors were about a thousand six hundred some Archers and some with Lances those that attended upon the Emperour were about two thousand all bravely clothed John Duke of Cleve being a Neighbour had brought thither four hundred Horse very well armed who contended so long with those of Saxony about the Precedency that Night came on them before the whole Cavalcade which was the finest that ever was seen in Germany could enter the Town On each side the Emperour rode the Archbishops of Cologn and Mentz being followed by the Ambassadour of the King of Bohemia the Cardinals of Sedune Saltzburg and Croye and the Ambassadours of other Kings and Princes the Pope's only and the King 's of England were absent and that designedly lest by giving place to the Princes of Germany they might seem to diminish the Honour of their Masters The Emperour was brought into our Lady's Church where after he had made his Prayers he talked with the Electors apart and so went to his Lodging The next Day they met again at the Church but there was such a Croud of People that the Guard had much ado to keep them back In the middle of the Church there hangs a large Crown the Floor underneath was covered with rich Carpets where the Emperour for some time lay prostrate while the Archbishop of Cologn says certain Prayers over him After that is done he Archbishop of Mentz and Triers take him up and lead him to the High Altar Here he falls down again and having said his Prayers is lead to his Throne that was richly overlaid with Gold the Archbishop of Cologn begins Mass and having proceeded a little way he demands of him in Latin Whether he will keep the Catholick Faith defend the Church administer Justice and maintain the Dignity of the Empire protect the Widows and the Fatherless and such other distressed Persons and whether he will give due Honour to the Bishop of Rome When he has assented
then present Peter Bonomus Bishop of Trieste and Bernard Bishop of Trent Alexander declared That the Emperour and other Princes were required to see the Bull of the Pope performed and that the hearing of the Cause was committed to himself and Eckius Duke Frederick because it was a matter of great importance desired time to consider of it and on November 4 not being at leisure himself he gave in this Answer by some of his Council in the presence of the Bishop of Trent That he wondred very much why the Pope should desire this of him who had always taken care to do nothing unworthy of the Virtue and Glory of his Ancestors and to do his Duty both to the Empire and the Church That he understood that Eckius in his absence had given trouble not only to Luther but to several other Learned Men of his Dominions contrary to the Mind and Tenor of his Holiness's Bull which as became him he declared he very much resented That a private Person should take upon him to meddle so much in another's Jurisdiction What Luther or others have done in his Absence since the bringing of the Pope's Bull thither he knows not That it is possible several Persons may have approved of his Appeal That as for himself he never concern'd himself in it But that he should be very sorry if his Doctrin were not Orthodox That two Years ago he procured a Conference between him and Cajetane at Ausburg but they coming to no Agreement Cajetane writ a Letter to complain of him That he then answered it so as he imagined he had given him Satisfaction and for taking away all suspicion he was then willing to have dismissed Luther had not Miltitz opposed it But Richard Archbishop of Triers had been delegated by the Pope for hearing this Cause and that Luther was ready to appear in any Place provided he might have a Safe-Conduct And that he makes as fair and large Proffers as can be desired That several Good and Learned Men imagine that he has proceeded thus far not so much of his own Accord as by the Instigation of his Adversaries That it appears not yet to the Emperour nor to any other Magistrate that his Writings are convicted of Heresie or Impiety for if they had he himself should have been ready to have done the Duty of a good Prince He desires therefore That they would not proceed after this manner but rather procure that the Matter may be lovingly and quietly debated by some Godly and Learned Men that Luther may have a Safe-Conduct and that his Books may not be burnt before he has made his Defence If he should happen to be convinced by Scripture and solid Arguments that then he would by no means countenance him But though he and his Cause should be quite baffled yet he hoped his Holiness would require nothing of him but what might stand with his Honour In all other things he should always behave himself as became a Prince of the Empire and an obedient Son of the Church When the Elector had given in this Answer the Legates after some Consultation began to recite how many things the Pope had done and suffered in order to reclaim Luther but that he had not performed any part of his Promises That it was not now in the Power of the Bishop of Triers to determine in this Cause since the Pope had recalled that Hearing of it before himself to whom only it belonged to judge in matters of this Nature The conclusion of their Speech was That they could not but act conformable to his Holiness's Decree and so not long after they burn all Luther's Works This Aleander was an Italian born at Motola in the Kingdom of Naples very skilful in the Hebrew Tongue He was for some time a Reader in the University of Paris being come to Rome he rose by degrees till he was at last made Archbishop of Brindin and after that created a Cardinal And Caracciolus was also promoted to the same Dignity As soon as Luther heard of this he called together all the Students that were in Wittemberg and in the Presence of a great number of Learned Men he publickly burns the Canon-Law and the Pope's late published Decree on the tenth Day of December And in his next days Lecture he earnestly admonishes all Persons who have any regard to their own Salvation to shake off the Dominion of the Bishop of Rome In a Treatise which he soon after published he declares what it was had moved him to do this acknowledging That it was with his Consent and by his Advice and Means that these Books of the Canon-Law were burnt and that for these Reasons First It has been an Ancient Custom observed in all Ages in this manner to suppress all pernicious Books of which there is an Example in the Acts of the Apostles moreover it was his Duty who is baptized into the Faith of Christ and who is a Professor and publick Preacher of the Gospel to oppose whatever contradicts the Precepts therein contained and to instruct Men in all Sound and Wholesome Doctrins and to purge their Minds from all false and erroneous Opinions That a great many others lay under the same Obligations but if they out of Ignorance or by Cowardise neglected to do as they ought yet that he was not thereby excused unless he endeavoured faithfully to discharge what he thought in Conscience was his Duty That the Pope and those whose Interest it is to uphold his Power were become so desperately Wicked and Obstinate that they not only stopt their Ears against all good admonitions but also condemned the Doctrin of Christ and his Apostles and forced Men to the commission of the grossest Impieties Besides this he supposed those Book-Burners had no Command to act after that manner As for the Divines of Cologn and Louvain who pretended to be authorized by the Emperour to burn his Books he was now very certain that that was a meer sham In the last place because this burning of his Works and the Report of it which would be spread all over the Country might perhaps stagger some and cause great Doubts in the Minds of many more who would judge that such a thing would not be done rashly and without some very weighty Cause Therefore seeing his Adversaries were now grown past cure he had been forced to burn their Books thereby to raise up and confirm and strengthen the Minds of his Followers And he entreats all Men not to suffer themselves to be dazled by the lofty and proud Titles of his Adversaries but to take a nearer View of the Matter by which they would perceive what Impious and Pernicious Tenets are contained in the Canons and Decretals of the Popes And that he might make this the more plain to every Man's Understanding he recites some Passages out of the Canon-Law which tend manifestly to the Reproach of God the Injury of the Civil Magistrate and serve only
to uphold and establish their own Tyranny He quoted about thirty of these places by which he shewed That he had just and sufficient Reasons to burn their Books Then he challenges them to produce but one good Reason to justifie their burning his Works But that so few or none had for some Ages past opposed the Power of Antichrist he says Therefore came to pass because the Scripture had foretold That he should vanquish all his Adversaries and be strengthened by the Alliance of Kings Since then the Prophets and Apostles have predicted such dreadful things one cannot but form to himself a very frightful Idea of his Cruelty That the Constitution of Sublunary things was such that out of the best Beginnings sometimes did arise the greatest Corruptions when he had proved this by some Examples he applies it to the City of Rome which being loaded with all the greatest Blessings of Heaven had wholly degenerated from what it was formerly and with its Poysonous Contagion infected a great part of the World That this Ordinance of the Popes was contrary to Law and all received Customs nor were the Usurpations of that Bishop any longer to be endured since he declined a fair Tryal and would not be bound up by any Decree or Judgment whatsoever In the former Book we told you how Silvester Prierias had wrote against Luther When this had been answered by him very sharply Ambrose Catarine an Italian took up the Cudgels and published a Book in Defence of the Pope's Supremacy To this Luther answers very fully and having expounded some places in Daniel he teaches That the Papal Tyranny was there painted out and that what he has foretold of the Kingdom of Antichrist was only truly applicable to the See of Rome This Catarine was afterwards made Archbishop of Cosenza THE HISTORY OF THE Reformation of the Church BOOK III. The CONTENTS The Emperour is prevailed with by Duke Frederick to write to Luther who relying upon his Majesty's Letter as upon a safe Conduct comes to Wormes there he undauntedly justified what he had written or taught in presence of the Emperour and a great Assembly of the Princes and constantly persevered therein though he was Curs'd and Excommunicated by the Pope in his Bull de Coena Domini threatned with Banishment by the Emperour and tamper'd with by the Princes severally to make him recant his Opinions The Council of Constance is proposed unto him from whence taking occasion he speaks of Wickliff John Huss and John Zischa a Bohemian The Divines of Paris condemn Luther's Books While a League is making betwixt the French King and the Swisse Zuinglius dissuades them from taking Pay or Pensions from any Prince to serve them in their Wars Luther being Outlawed by the Emperour's Proclamation retreats into a more private place The King of England also writes against him Pope Leo X dies and Adrian succeeds him Solyman the Magnificent is prosperous in Hungary The Emperour endeavours to suppress Seditions in Spain and makes a League with the King of England The Bishop of Constance Presecutes Zuinglius Troubles at Wittemberg The Anabaptists rise which gave occasion to the Diet of Norimberg Thither Pope Adrian sent his Brief and Legate Solyman takes Rhodes Zuinglius having set forth the Heads of his Doctrin is attack'd by the Papists but at length the Reformed Religion is received at Zurich WHile Duke Frederick waited upon the Emperour to the Diet of Wormes he procured a Promise of him that he would send for Luther and give him a publick Hearing Luther being informed of this by Letters from Duke Frederick towards the latter end of January wrote back an Answer expressing the great Satisfaction he had that the Emperour would be pleased to take the Cognizance of that Cause which was indeed a publick concern to himself and that for his part he would do all that he could with a safe Conscience and without prejudice to the Reformed Religion Wherefore he entreated the Prince that he would endeavour to obtain a safe Conduct for him that his Person might not be in danger That good and learned Men might be chosen with whom he should Dispute That he might not be condemned before he were convicted of Errour and Impiety That in the mean time his Adversaries might desist from that rage of theirs and not burn his Writings And that if for the future he should attempt any thing else for the glory of God and the discovery of Truth he might have the Emperour's leave to do it That so soon as the Emperour gave him a safe Conduct he would nt fail to come to Wormes and there so maintain his Cause before impartial Judges that all Men should be convinced that he had done nothing frowardly but all for the good of Christendom and chiefly that for the welfare of Germany he had been at this labour and pains in endeavouring to reclaim his Countrymen from many and most gross Errours to the purity of the Gospel and true Religion He moreover prayed that the Emperour and he would seriously reflect upon that dreadful bondage and miserable condition wherewith Christendom was oppressed by the Roman Papacy Wherefore the Emperour being sollicited by Duke Frederick wrote to Luther March the Sixth That since some Books had been published by him he had consulted with the Princes and was resolved to hear from himself Personally what he had to say That therefore he granted him free liberty to come and appear before him and afterwards to return home which that he might safely do he had engaged the Publick Faith as more fully appeared in the safe Conduct sent with his Letter He therefore commanded him forthwith to set out upon his Journey and not fail to be present in the space of One and twenty days That he should not fear any violence or injury for that he would take care that he should not suffer the least prejudice It hath been an old Custom with the Popes of Rome solemnly to Curse and Excommunicate some sorts of Men on Thursday in the Passion Week As first Hereticks next Pyrates then those who impose new Toll and Customs or exact such as are prohibited those who Falsifie or Counterfeit the Bulls and publick Instruments of the Court of Rome who supply the Turks and Saracens with Arms and other Counterband Goods who hinder the Importation of Corn to Rome who offer violence to any that follow and attend the Court of Rome who invade or damnifie the Possessions of the Church of Rome or Places thereunto adjoyning as namely the City of Rome Sicily Naples Sardinia Corsica Tuscany Spoleto Sabina Aucona Flaminia Campania Bolonia Ferrara Benevento Perugia and Avignon Some former Popes among Hereticks named the Garasians Pateronians the Poor Men of Lyons the Arnoldists Speronists Wicliffites Hussites and Fratricelli But Leo X this year clapt Luther and his Followers in with the rest and solemnly Curs'd them on Holy-Thursday This Bull is commonly called
celebrate and commend the Doctrin of Huss to all Posterity That therefore he prayed and exhorted them to persevere in that way which they had hitherto defended with the loss of much Blood and with highest Resolution and not cast a Reproach upon the flourishing Gospel by their Defection That although all things were not established among them as they ought to be yet God would not be wanting in time to raise up some Faithful Servant of his who would reform what was amiss provided they continued constant and utterly rejected the Uncleanness and Impiety of the Romish Papacy Now as to the Bohemians the case standeth thus after the death of John Huss whom we mentioned before the people were divided into three Sects the first of those who own the Pope of Rome to be Head of the Church and the Vicar of Christ The second those who receive the Sacrament in both kinds and in celebrating Mass read some things in the vulgar tongue but in all other matters differ not from the Papists The third are those who are called Picards or Beghardi these call the Pope of Rome and all his Party Antichrist and that Whore that is described in the Revelations They admit of nothing but the Bible they chuse their own Priests and Bishops deny no man marriage perform no Offices for the Dead and have but very few Holy Daies and Ceremonies Luther afterwards published a Book against the Order of Bishops falsly so called and in the Preface taking to himself the name of Minister or Preacher at Wittemberg he saith That it was no wonder to him nor indeed contrary to expectation if for that title he should be scoffed and laughed at by them from whom he had met with violence in far more weighty concerns That they had nothing but Tyranny and Oppression to stop his mouth with and that when he was ready to justifie his Doctrin by Argument and Reason they did but slight and reject him But that on the other hand when they themselves were put to it to prove the truth of their Doctrin they stopt their ears That it was a great shame and reproach that so many of them who besides many other splendid and magnificent Titles they bore professed themselves Masters of the whole Scripture being so often challenged by him alone durst not joyn issue and come to a fair tryal with him about the matter that therefore since they behaved themselves haughtily towards him he was resolved to yield to them in nothing and had taken to himself that name of Minister or Preacher as not doubting but that he might with far better conscience arrogate to himself that Title than they could the Name of Bishops That the Doctrin which he professed was not his but Christs so that they needed not to put any trust in violence or oppression thinking thereby to daunt him for that the more hatred and rage they vented against him the more resolutely was he resolv'd to proceed in spight of all their fury and madness That though they should even cut his Throat yet his Doctrin would prove immortal That Christ lived and reigned for ever who would in his own due time put a stop to their outragios and bloody Desings That by the Emperors Edict and the Bull of the Pope his name was lately taken from him and that charactar of the Great Beast wholly blotted out Which he was so far from taking ill that he heartily thanked God for delivering him out of the dark dungeon of so many filthy Errors and false Doctrins and enlightning him with the true Knowledge of his Word That since it was so then and that God had committed to him the Office of Preaching the Gospel it was but reasonable that he should take to himself a Title when false Teachers gloried so much in such gawdy Names That therefore he would not for the future submit his Writings to their Censure that he had condescended too much at Wormes But that now he was so certain of his Doctrin that he would not submit it to the Judgment no not of an Angel but by the Evidence thereof would judge not only himself and them all but even Angels also That they who rejected this Doctrin could not attain to Salvation nor Life Eternal because it proceeded not from Man but from the Eternal God That if it pleased God to bless him with longer Life he would use his utmost Diligence that the Gospel should be preached to all people That they indeed sought after their own Ease and Quietness and to lead an Idle and Voluptuous Life being mightily troubled at the Disturbance of the State but that he would make it his Business that they should not enjoy that Peace which they so earnestly coveted and that though he might be killed by them yet that would not ease them of Troubles and Disquiet and that what way soever they might deal with him yet God would never cease to prosecute them 'till he either utterly destroyed them or made them humbly to confess their Fault and beg pardon of the invincible Lord of Hosts That he heartily wished they might repent and submit to sound Counsel in time but if that could not be obtained he bad them everlasting Defiance and was resolved never to be reconciled with them That whereas some also made his freedom of Speech a Crime as if by libelling and scribling he designed to raise Stirs and Commotions they did him a great deal of Wrong since that he could make it out by several Texts of Scripture and many Instances that it was necessary to take this Course when the Governours of the Church were unlearned impious and obstinate and would neither do their Duty themselves nor suffer others to do it for them who were both able and willing to set about it Mention hath been made before of the Dyet of Norimberg Hither Lewis King of Hungary and the Peers of that Kingdom sent also Ambassadours who made sad Complaint of the Cruelty of the Turk and begged strong and lasting Aids against him Pope Adrian sent thither a Legate also but before he came into Germany October 5 one of the Popes Bed-Chamber-Men delivered a Brief from his Holiness to Duke Frederick wherein he tells him That it had been acceptable News to him to hear of the Dyet of Norimberg but that he had been overjoyed to understand that he was resolved to be there in Person for that there was great Hopes that some things might be enacted there that would tend to the Honour and Welfare both of Church and State That for that Reason also he had with the Advice and Consent of the College of Cardinals resolved to send a Legate into Germany but that whilst his Legate was preparing for his Journey he had thought fit to send before the Bearer whom he had charged to wait upon his Highness for whom he had always had a very great esteem and acquaint him with the Care and sincere Intentions he had
we mentioned came to Norimberg and January 1 sent from thence the Pope's Letters we spoke of to the Senate of Strasburg offering his Service if they pleased to write him an Answer Zuinglius began now to give great Offence and whilst many both within and without the City preached against his Doctrin as Impious and Erroneous but especially the Dominican Fryers and that he justified the same offering to prove it to be consonant to the Holy Scriptures the Senate of Zurich called a Convocation of all the Clergy within their Jurisdiction to meet at Zurich January 29 about the Difference in Religion where all men should be heard as much as was Requisite They invited also the Bishop of Constance by Letters either to come himself or send one in his Place So then a numerous Assembly met at the Day appointed and among others John Faber whom the Bishop sent to represent him to whom the Burgomaster of the Town made a Speech to this Effect That because there was a great Dissension arisen about Religion the present Assembly had been called That if any man had ought to say against the Doctrin of Zuinlius he might freely propound the same Now Zuinlius had before comprized his Doctrin into certain Heads and common places to the number of sixty seven Articles and had published them to the end that all might come prepared to Argue and Dispute the Matter openly in the Assembly Wherefore when now the Burgomaster had done speaking he again propounded them and invited them to fall to the Dispute With that Faber having declared the Cause of his being sent endeavoured to persuade them That that was a Debate not proper for such a Place and that it belonged to a General Council which was shortly to be called But Zuinglius urging him to Dispute and if he had any thing to say not to dissemble it He made answer That he would refute his Doctrin in Writing Thus they two having exchanged many Words and no Body else appearing to take up the Cudgels the Senate dissolved the Assembly and proclaimed throughout their Territories That the Traditions of Men being laid aside the Gospel should be purely taught from the Books of the Old and New Testament THE HISTORY OF THE Reformation of the Church BOOK IV. The CONTENTS Pope Adrian by his Legate propounded several things confessing that now for many Years there had been various and grievous Corruptions in the Court of Rome The Princes of Germany answer him and declare upon what Conditions they would have a Council An alteration of Affairs in Denmark King Christiern flyeth The Imposts of Germany First-Fruits and Vacances are treated of Mention is made of the Pall of Archbishops Two Augustine Fryers are burnt at Brussels Luther interprets the Decree made at Norimberg He publishes some Books The King of England makes a heavy complaint of Luther Pope Adrian dies to whom Clement succeeds Troubles arise in Switzerland about the Doctrin of Zuinglius and at Strasburg about the Marriage of Priests Campegius is sent by Pope Clement Legate to the Dyet of Norimberg where he writes to Duke Frederick and then exhorts the Princes in a Speech he made to them To which they answer and he again replies thereunto The Switzers expostulate with those of Zurich who answer the Ambassadours of the other Cantons The Bishop of Constance's Book in defence of Images Which nevertheless are thrown down and burnt throughout all the Canton of Zurich The Emperour sends an Ambassadour to the Dyet of Norimberg The Senate and Bishop of Strasburg bring their Controversie before Cardinal Campegius After the Dyet is over Ferdinand and others make a League against the Reformation BEsides the Letters we mentioned Pope Adrian gave his Legates Instructions in Writing that he should signifie to the Princes How much he was grieved at the Troubles and Seditions which were occasioned by Luther not only because of the Damage that thereby accrued to mens Souls and the Ruine and Dissipation of the Flock which Christ had committed to his keeping but also because such a mischievous thing should have happened among that Nation and People from whom he derived his Birth and Being and who had always been a People free from the very least Suspicion of Heresie That therefore it was his most earnest Desire That some speedy Remedy might forthwith be applyed to the Evil lest by longer Delay the same thing might happen to the Germans which heretofore befel the Bohemians That for his own part he would spare neither Pains nor Charges in that Affair That therefore he besought them that according to their several Abilities they would do the same there being many and weighty Reasons for their so doing as the Glory and Honour of God which was chiefly violated by that Heresie all the Ceremonies and Rites of the Church being thereby not only impaired but in a manner quite abolished Charity and Brotherly Love since he that directed not him into the right way who was gone astray must be accountable to God for his Omission The Shame and Disgrace of the Nation since Germany which was wont to be chiefly praised for Religion was now by reason of that Defection fallen into Contempt and Ignominy Their own Fame and Reputation for since they might easily make an End both of Luther and of his Heresies if they did it not they would seem to be very sickle and inconstant and to degenerate from their Ancestors who left behind them at Constance a noble Instance of their Virtue and was it not a most heinous Injury that he did both to themselves and their Fore-fathers for since these followed the Religion of the Roman Catholick Church they were in his Judgment who condemned that Religion all debarred from Salvation That they should consider and weigh with themselves what the Purpose of these Men was and what their Doctrin drove at Which was nothing else than under a Colour of Christian Liberty to endeavour the Subversion of all Laws and all Respect and Obedience to Magistrates and that though Luther seemed at first only to impugn the Ecclesiastical Power as Impious and Tyrannical yet it was his Drift that having once persuaded People That Christians were by no Laws obliged to obey the Magistrate he might open a way for all Men to break out into what extravagant Courses they pleased And that therefore they themselves lay thereby exposed to great Dangers That as yet indeed they cunningly and craftily disguised their Purpose flattering the Magistrate That with impunity they might be suffered to wreak their Spleen and Malice upon the Church-men But that these being once oppressed without doubt they would try their Fortune also with the rest That they themselves now plainly saw and felt by Experience the Animosities Hatred Quarrels and Troubles which that Heresie had already occasioned in the State and it was to be feared That if these Evils were not timely repressed God who had given them the Power of the Sword
them during Life that no Man might have cause to complain That the Ornaments of Churches belonged not to the true Worship of God but that God was exceeding well pleased when the Necessities of the Poor were relieved That Christ commanded the Rich Young Man in the Gospel Not to hang up his Wealth in Churches for a shew but to sell all his Goods and give unto the Poor That they did not despise but highly esteemed the Order of Priesthood when Priests did their Duty and taught the People aright but for the rest of the Rabble that did no publick Good but rather Harm if by little and little they were diminished without giving Scandal and their Possessions converted to pious Uses they made no doubt but that it would be very acceptable Service to God That it was to be questioned Whether their Singing and Prayers were pleasing to God or not for that most of them understood not what they said and besides were hired to do it That what tacit and Auricular Confession which muttered over Sins was good for they would not undertake to determine but that they reckoned the other whereby true Penitents confessed their Sins to Christ their Mediator to be not only profitable but necessary also to Consciences troubled and born down under the Pressure of Sin That that usual way of Satisfaction which was very gainful to the Priests was both Erroneous and Impious that this was truly to Repent and make Satisfaction when men reformed their Lives That the Orders of Monks was a Human Invention and no Ordinance of Gods That they highly Reverenced and Honoured the Sacraments which had God for their Author and would not suffer any Man to despise them but that they were to be used according to the Word of God and Divine Institution and the Lord's Supper not so to be applyed as if it were an Oblation or Sacrifice That if the Clergy who lately sent Deputies to complain could prove that they had molested them or that they were guilty of any Errour they did not refuse to make them Satisfaction But if otherwise that it seemed reasonable to them that they should be enjoyned to do their Duty that 's to say Teach the Truth and to abstain from standering of others that they had been extreamly glad to hear from them that they were desirous to be delivered from the Rapine Extortions and immoderate Power of the Pope and his Dependents but that there was no better way of accomplishing that than to follow in all things the Word of God for that so long as their Laws and Decrees should be in force there was no Deliverance to be expected but that the preaching of the Word of God was the only means to shake all their Power and Dignity That they were sensible enough of the great Force and Efficacy of the Gospel and of the Truth and because they distrusted their own Strength therefore they had recourse to Kings and Princes for Aid That if in this Particular the Assistance of Scripture was to be made use of the thing it self required That the same should be also done in other matters and that all things whereby God was offended should be abolished that for the Reformation of all these Abuses they would freely bestow not only their Labour and Counsils but their Estates and Fortunes also for that it was a thing which ought to have been done long since That therefore they prayed them to take in good part what they had said and seriously reflect upon the same that for their parts they desired nothing more earnestly than that all might live in Peace That in like manmer they would do nothing contrary to the Articles and Conditions of the League but that in this Cause which concerned their Eternal Salvation they could not do otherwise than they did unless they were convinced of their Errour That therefore as they had lately so again they earnestly desired them if they thought their Doctrin to be repugnant to Holy Scripture that they would make it so appear to them within a certain time to wit before the End of May for till then they would expect an Answer from them and from the Bishops and from the University of Basil In the mean time the Bishop of Constance having held a Synod made Answer to those of Zurick in a little Book composed for that purpose wherein he treats of Idols and graven Images what they were of old how the Jews and Gentiles worshipped them why the Church received Images and Pictures what time they were first introduced wherein the Idols of the Jews and Gentiles differed from the Images of Christians and concludes that when the Scripture speaks of putting away graven Images it was only to be understood of the Idols of the Jews and Genttiles and that therefore the Images received by the Christian Church were still to be retained In the next place he handled the Mass and alledging many testimonies of Popes and Councils endeavours to prove it to be an Oblation and Sacrifice This Book which was pretty long he sent to the Senate about the beginning of June and seriously exhorted them not to suffer Images to be removed the Mass abolished nor the people to be any otherwise taught He caused the Book to be afterwards Printed and sent it about and among others to the Canons of Zurick giving for his Reasons that though it had been written for the private use of the Senate who craved it of him yet because he had heard that questions and animosities did arise in other places also upon the same account he was willing to make but one business of it and to consult the interest of the rest also that therefore he advised them to follow the received custom of the Church and not to be persuaded by any mans Reasons to the contrary The Senate replied to this August the eighteenth that they had carefully read the Book over and over again and were extremely glad that he had published it for that so it would appear which of the two maintained the better Cause Then they tell what was the opinion of their Doctors and Learned men and confute his Arguments by Scripture But before they wrote back unto him the Senate had already commanded that all Images both within the City and in all other places also within their Jurisdiction should be pulled down and burnt but all without tumult This was done on the fifteenth of June and some months after the Canons treated and came to a composition with the Senate who both together agreed upon a way how the goods and revenues of the College should be disposed of The Emperor sent John Haunart to the Diet of Norimberg before mentioned to complain that the Decree of Wormes which was made with their unanimous advice and consent had been to the great prejudice of Germany infringed and to command that it should be carefully observed for the future To which the Princes Answered That they would observe
both in his Letters and by his Embassadors to call a Council as soon as was possible in a safe and convenient place Therefore he would have them be of good chear and not despair of an Accommodation in Religion for he was resolv'd not to spare any pains and desired only to know what they would have him do for them with the Pope Afterwards he proceeds to take off the other Objection where he owneth that contrary to his custom and temper he had been forc'd upon rigorous Methods by some bold and flagitious Persons who under a colour of Religion endeavour'd the ruine of the Kingdom Therefore to stop this Plague of disloyalty from spreading he had punish'd them severely as his Ancestors had also had done in the like cases And if any Germans had been taken among them they should have been served all alike For if any of his own Subjects had committed the like Crimes in their Dominions he should not have been against their punishing of them with the utmost severity But to his great satisfaction there was never a German engaged with this wicked Cabal and therefore that Nation should be as welcome to his Kingdom and to his Court too as the French-men themselves But he is sensible what the Authors of these Calumnies drive at they misrepresent him on purpose that they may break off the Correspondence there is between France and Germany which is a very politick design without question for by creating such Misunderstandings they have a better opportunity to compass their own Ends and make themselves Masters of both In the beginning of the Spring the Lantgrave went to King Ferdinand to compleat the Reconciliation according to agreement the last year Peter Paul Vergerius was then lately return'd from the Pope to Ferdinand and took this occasion to acquaint the Lantgrave with his Instructions concerning the Council in the manner above mention'd To which he received no other answer than that his Proposals should be consider'd within such a time After this Vergerius went as he was order'd to the rest of the Princes and negotiated with them Now some few months after the Lantgrave had been with King Ferdinand Duke Vlrick made his appearance before him too And because they were not both of them there at the same time Ferdinand excused them the condition by which they were oblig'd to ask his Pardon in a petitioning way But Vlrick stomach'd that Article extremely which made him a Homager to the House of Austria and was very angry with the Lantgrave and with the Elector of Saxony who interceded for complying with it insomuch that he was in suspence a great while whether he should ratifie the Peace or not At last being perswaded by his Friends he took a Journey to King Ferdinand as the Treaty oblig'd him In April the Emperor set Sail from Barcelona and landed an Army in Africk where after he had taken Tunis and the Fort of Gouletta he restor'd Muley Hazem a Mahumetan who was King of that Country and had been dispossess'd by Barbarossa the Turkish Admiral And having put this Prince under Contribution and fortify'd Gouletta with a strong Garrison he sailed back into Sicily Pope Paul fitted out several Gallies for the Emperor towards this War under the Command of Virginius Vrsinus and likewise gave him the liberty to demand the Tenths of all the Clergy in Spain Barbarossa by the negligence and ill Conduct of the Christians stole away to Bone and from thence to Argiers where he rigg'd out his Fleet and sailed for Constantinople There was at this time in England two very eminent and learned Men John Fisher Bishop of Rochester and Sir Thomas More The Bishop has several Books now Extant against Luther And More when he was Lord Chancellor which is the highest Office in that Kindom was very severe upon those whom he suspected to be Lutheans These Persons did not approve the King's Divorce and much less that Act of Parliament in which he threw off the Pope's Supremacy and delcared himself Head of the Church of England Being committed therefore and persisting in their opinion they were beheaded this year in July The Pope made Rochester a Cardinal when he was in the Tower which it's thought did but provoke the King the more against him About the end of October Francis Sforza Duke of Milan died leaving no Issue behind him This accident was the occasion of a new War as will appear afterwards In the mean time the Emperor left Sicily and arriv'd at Naples and from thence wrote to the Protestants upon the last of November acquainting them that he was resolv'd to stand to the Pacification at Nuremburg but he was inform'd that they had seiz'd upon the Fortunes of the Roman Catholicks and when they were sued upon this account they pleaded the Nuremburg Treaty in their excuse and refus'd to return the right Owners their Estates again Now this he thought was unreasonable and could not choose but take it ill at their hands Much about this time the Elector of Saxony went into Austria to King Ferdinand and after he had dispatch'd his business he came to Prague the Capital of Bohemia in his return home where he was accosted by Peter Paul Vergerius whom the Pope sent Nuncio into Germany to settle the Affairs about the Council as hath been mention'd already Vergerius relates his Commission to the Duke and tells him That now the time was come for the celebrating a Council which had so often been wished for in regard his present Holiness the Emperor and King Ferdinand made it their principal Concern to consider how the Glory of our Saviour and the Salvation of Men might be most effectually promoted and the same pious disposition was apparent in other Princes The Pope likewise had sent his Embassadors into all parts not for a colour but in good earnest For it was not his way to make large Promises as some had done and then act quite contrary to what was pretended but he was solicitous about nothing so much as that they might come to the Point as soon as was possible that a religious Council might be held and free for all People to come to As to the place the Pope for very good reasons thinks none proper but Mantua concerning the Form and Method of proceeding that may be better adjudg'd when they are conven'd than now The Protestant Princes have always hitherto desir'd a lawful Council and had lately publish'd some Papers about it which he was glad to see And now the Pope comes up to their Proposals and offers them what they would have and the Emperor and King Ferdinand will omit nothing which may expedite the Affair Now if his Electoral Highness should be the only Person who refuses to comply most people would conclude that no sort of Method could please him Clement the Seventh charg'd his Offer with some Conditions which his present Holiness hath not done and therefore there is
satisfaction and at the same time hiring Forces from several places passeth over the Alpes and invades the Duke of Savoy a Prince of the Empire that so by conquering that Province he might make his way for farther Victory which proceedings forc'd the Emperor to raise an Army for the defence of that Country And though he was very desirous of Peace not only at first but after he had been at great Charges in fortifying and defending his own Dominions not refusing to deliver up the Dutchy to the other upon certain Conditions as appears by his late Declaration made at Rome before the Pope and Conclave of Cardinals and several Ambassadors of Princes yet the French King rejecting all these Proposals persisted in his former Resolution And now I understand he is perpetually soliciting you for Supplies pretending you ought to assist him by vertue of a League made between you in regard the Emperor sets upon him in his own Country and pursues him in his retreat But the case in clearly misrepresented for it is He not the Emperor who began this War and forc'd his Imperial Majesty to take up Arms against his Will. And though now he chooses rather to fall back than stand the Charge of the Emperors Army though the Emperor presseth upon him as he retreats yet the Emperor cannot be said to begin the War upon this account for by pursuing the Enemy he does nothing but what is justifiable and prudent that he may receive satisfaction for the damage he hath sustain'd and restore a general Peace to Christendom And therefore the reason drawn from the Alliance with which the French King flourishes so much ought not to be insisted on Now this being the true state of the matter and since he has broken his Faith and begun the War again himself I desire you would not suffer any Forces to be sent to him which will be very acceptable to the Emperor and my self and will very much import the Peace and Security of your State. In the mean time the Protestants sent Embassadors into Italy to the Emperor who complain'd of the Mal-administration of Justice in the Chamber of Spire and excus'd their seising upon the Goods of the Ecclesiasticks which the Emperor had before expostulated with them in a Letter But before the Embassadors came thither the Emperor had dispatch'd Letters to the Protestants from Savigliano upon the seventh of July viz. Notwithstanding he had often told them both by Writing and by his Embassadors that his Inclinations were wholly bent to settle the Peace of Germany that all Differences especially those of Religion might be amicably accommodated and that no Man might have any disturbance upon that account notwithstanding he had hitherto actually perform'd what he had written yet because the French King whose unjust Designs he was forc'd to oppose with an Army had falsely suggested to them as if he would break the Peace at the first convenient opportunity Therefore he was willing to write to them and to caution them again not to give any credit to such a Report but to assure themselves that he would always stand to his Articles and not make War upon any Persons upon the score of Religion nor raise any Commotions in Germany As for this present preparation for War it is only design'd for the maintaining his just Right and Authority therefore he desires them that they would rest satisfi'd and not grow apprehensive and suspicious upon any Disturbance that may happen Such management as this will both be very acceptable to him and beneficial to themselves And now the Emperor having gather'd his Forces passeth through the midst of Italy and Invades Provence with a powerful Army The King encamped at Avignion between the Rivers Rhone and la Durance and by wasting that part of the Country which he saw the Emperor would make his descent into and afterwards declining a battle he reduc'd him to great streights For a scarcity of all sorts of Provisions happening in the Emperor's Camp after he had lost Antonio Leva and a great many thousands of his Souldiers were destroy'd by Famine and contagious Diseases he was oblig'd to dismiss the remainder of his Forces and return to Genoa Another Army of his was employ'd the same Summer in the Country of Vermandois and besieg'd Perone Henry Nassaw being the General but he was forc'd to retire without Success much about the same time that the Emperor left Provence the News of both which accidents being brought to Paris the same day occasion'd great rejoycing in that City For they were in a great Consternation and the People were harangued with bitter Invectives against the Emperor The King's Lieutenants in the mean time giving order to fortifie the Town with Ramparts and Ditches and to Garrison all the Gates William of Furstenburgh a German served the French King in this War about the beginning of which Francis the French King's eldest Son died being eighteen years of Age The report was that he was poison'd and one Sebastian Montecuculi an Italian being suspected and put to the question was quarter'd with Horses at Lyons And the King writing afterwards to the Princes of Germany among other things complain'd severely of this matter laying all the Scandal and Infamy of the Fact upon Antonio Leva and Ferrand Gonzaga the Emperor's Servants At this time Herman Archbishop of Cologne who had long since projected a Reformation of the Church held a Provincial Council at the desire of his People and according to custom summon'd all the Bishops belonging to his Jurisdiction thither viz. The Bishops of Leige Vtretch Munster Osnaburgh and Minden This Council made several Canons concerning Doctrin and Ceremonies which were afterwards compil'd into a Book by John Gropper Professor of the Canon-Law in which almost all the Popish Tenents are palliated and coloured with new Interpretations But this Book when it was publish'd did not give satisfaction and some few years after the Archbishop himself was not pleas'd with it as I shall shew hereafter This year in July Erasmus of Rotterdam died being about seventy years of age he was buried at Basil whither he return'd from Friburgh How great a Person he was what a Master of Stile and how much all learned Men are oblig'd to him his Works sufficiently testifie About this time there was a great Insurrection in England occasion'd by the rejecting the Popes Supremacy declaring the Lady Mary who was generally belov'd illegitimate and punishing some Persons for not obeying the King's Injunctions Now this Rebellion encreas'd so fast in a short time that the King thought it proper to draw his Forces together and March against them And when they were encamp'd near each other they came to a Parley where after some of the Rebels were mollified and had satisfaction given them the rest of the Rabble laid down their Arms and went off Most of the Authors of this Disturbance were executed after the heat of
he would also convert his Brethren He said that St. John was always obedient to St. Peter after the death of Christ and when they both ran to the Sepulcher he would not go in first but gave the precedency to the other To him Christ gave the Charge of feeding his Sheep in a more especial manner besides when the Net was full of Fishes and a great many of them could not stir it Peter alone drew it a shore Then he proceeds to the business of the Divorce where he tells the King That it was not the terrors of Conscience and the dread of the Divine Displeasure as he pretended but Lust and an ungovernable Appetite which made him part with his Wife Catherine whom his Brother Arthur an infirm Youth of fourteen years of age had left a Virgin That it was not lawful for him to marry Anne Bullein whose Sister he had kept as his Miss before That Catherine was a Maid himself had confess'd to several Persons particularly to the Emperor But he falls violently upon him for writing to so many Universities for their Opinion concerning his first Marriage and for being pleas'd with the sense of his former uncleanness when some told him That Match was Incestuous That it was a most scandalous thing for him to prefer the Daughter of a Strumpet before a most excellent young Lady lawfully begotten Then he goes on to the Execution of the Bishop of Rochester and Sir Thomas Moore where he enlargeth himself and declaims very tragically against the cruelty of it From whence he proceeds to tell the King how he had oppress'd and impoverish'd all degrees of Men and made a most flourishing Kingdom miserable and what danger he was in from the Emperor for divorcing his Aunt and subverting Religion and what little reason he had to expect any Foreign or Domestick Assistance who had behav'd himself so ill towards the Commonwealth Then he applies himself to the Emperor and makes use of a great many words to provoke him to revenge such a notorious Affront put upon his Family and saith That the Seeds of Turcism are scatter'd about England and Germany meaning the Antipapal Doctrin At last after he had charg'd his Prince with a great many Crimes and almost call'd him all to naught he exhorts him to repent and tells him There was no other remedy to be had but by returning to the bosom of the Church which he had formerly defended in print and therein given a most admirable example This Book was publish'd without any date at Rome and lay conceal'd a long time at last a great many years after one or two in Germany got it The occasion of his writing he saith was because the King formerly desir'd it And though a great many learned Men in England who had done the same thing had lost ther Lives yet he was so much oblig'd by his Highness that he could not perswade himself to dissemble his thoughts for both his temper and way of living had made him very averse to that Vice and therefore what he had said ought not to be attributed to passion or ill will on the contrary since he endeavour'd to bring him into his way again and to rescue him from those Flatterers who had run him upon such gross Mistakes he thought he did him very great service Now King Henry had taken care to breed this Gentleman to Learning and had been kind to him in many respects But when that alteration which I mention'd happen'd in England and was disapprov'd by Pool Paul the Third by the advice and recommendation of Contareni makes him a Cardinal and invited him to Rome Those who were intimately acquainted with him say That he understood the reformed Religion very well and imagine that the reason of his writing against King Henry was to avoid the suspicion of Lutheranism They say he printed his Book at Rome at his own Charge and ordering all the Copies to be brought to him gave them out only to the Pope and Cardinals and to his special Friends for he was willing to stand fair in their Opinion and was likewise afraid it 's probable of falling under the Censure of those who had several times heard him discourse very differently upon that Subject THE HISTORY OF THE Reformation of the Church BOOK XI The CONTENTS The Protestants send their Embassadors to the Emperor with whom they were principally to insist upon three things Eldo the Emperor's Embassador gives them a large Answer at Smalcalde To which all the Confederates reply and particularly they reflect smartly upon the Council they were invited to Eldo rejoyns upon them ex tempore In the mean time the Pope dispatcheth away the Bishop of Aix into Germany The Prosestants give their Reasons why they refuse the Council and write to the French King about it The Queen of Scotland dies The King of England and his Nobility publish a Manifesto against the Council which the Pope had call'd The Town and Castle of St. Paul in Artois is taken Terouenna is besisg'd by the Imperialists but without Success IN the Ninth Book I had occasion to mention the Ausburghers Now when these Men had made an Alteration in Religion and the Ecclesiasticks most of which were descended of good Families leaving the Town in a disgust upon this account The Senate address'd themselves to the Emperor to King Ferdinand and to all the States of the Empire and acquaint them with the Reasons of their proceedings in writing in which they let them understand how kindly they had us'd these Gentlemen how many things they had born from them and on the contrary how provokingly they had behav'd themselves attempting several times to raise an Insurrection in the Town Not long after Christopher their Bishop publisheth an Answer to this Book in the name of himself and his Party and after a great many Complaints he desires the Emperor and the Princes in regard the danger toucheth them no less than himself to make some Provision for the common Safety In the last Book I mention'd the Protestants Embassy to the Emperor in Italy The Persons sent were Joachim Papenheim Lewis Bambach and Claudius Peutinger a Lawyer They had three things in their Commission in which they were more especially to concern themselves To confute the Report which was spread as if they were entring into an Alliance with the Kings of England and France That the Emperor would Check the Proceedings of the Chamber of Spire And that those who were admitted into the League after the Pacification at Nuremburgh might enjoy the benefit of that Treaty The Emperor admitted them to Audience but being busied in Military affairs he told them he would send an Embassador into Germany with his Answer Therefore when he was about to return into Spain by the way of Genoa he sent Mathias Eldo his Vice-Chancellor into Germany When the Protestants understood this by their Embassadors at their return they appoint the Seventh of February
the Arguments and Reasons with the Explanations of the same should be taken in Writing Affirming it to be an unreasonable thing in this most holy Cause to follow the Opinion of any Party and not rather the Rule of God's Word or to force any Man to think or speak contrary to it Whilst Time was in this manner spun out the Protestants often complained of it craving that the Augustane Confession of Faith being laid before them they might according to the Decree of Haguenaw fall presently to Business especially since it was to be a friendly no captious and ensnaring Conference to clear only the Way to Concord and Agreement The Divines also urged the same who were there in great Number as Melancthon Capito Bucer Osiander Brentius Calvin Alese a Scot sent from the Elector of Brandenburg and many others to whom were added Simon Griney and John Sturmey At length about the Thirteenth of January the Catholicks chose John Eckius and the others Philip Melancthon to begin the Conference And in the first place that they might proceed in order Original Sin was the first Subject of which they spake by Turns in the publick Assembly But when all were intent on this came Letters from the Emperor on the Third Day of the Conference directed to Granvell and the other Deputies whereby he put off all further Proceedings till the Diet of Ratisbone whither he ordered the Protestants chiefly to repair and recalled Granvell with all speed These Letters being read in the Session which was January the Eighteenth Granvell exhorted them to obey the Emperor and come to Ratisbone For that his Majesty was most desirous of Peace and that if any rough Word had perhaps escaped him in the heat of Conference he prayed them not to take it ill from him who was ready to do all Services to the Publick Hereunto the Protestants made Answer That they were very sorry that the Conference had not begun much sooner and that they could not now proceed any further therein But that since the Emperor so commanded it behooved them to obey So that now they would return home that they might make Report of all that had pass'd and doubted not but their Principals would be ready to gratify the Emperor That nevertheless if perhaps they should come or send their Deputies somewhat too late it must be excused because of the shortness of Time. At this Assembly was also Petro Paulo Vergerio Bishop of Cabo d'Istria in outward Appearance as for the French King but in reality sent from the Pope who thought he might do him better Service there if he went by the Character of another He made a Speech here of the Unity and Peace of the Church which he printed and gave about and therein insisted chiefly to shew that there was no Thoughts to be had of a National Council for that Assembly looked somewhat like such a thing and seemed to make way for it Now of all things the Pope could not endure that and Vergerio was fully acquainted with his Thoughts By the Means of this Man then and other such Instruments the Conference was impeded and at length dissolved for by drilling on the time and raising Delays they sought to themselves Starting-Holes and Evasions In the beginning of January the Emperor left Flanders and came to Metz the chief City of Lorrain from thence he took his Journey by Spire to Ratisbone and wrote the Letter to Granvell we mentioned upon the Rode He then took his Way by Nurimberg a City he had not seen before and was there magnificently received February the Eleventh Philip de Chabot-Brion Admiral of France a Man of great Honour being brought into Suspicion with the King of Miscarriages in the War of Savoy which we mentioned before was after a long and brisk Trial found Guilty of Bribery and Treason and being deprived of all his great Honours and Dignities without any Hope of Restitution he was committed to Prison in the Castle of Vincennes not far from Paris William Poiet Chancellor of France pronounced this Sentence against him at Melun all the chief Men Judges and Lawyers of France being called to this Trial. And though Sentences so passed were usually most firm and inviolable yet not long after he was absolved by the King's Authority as shall be related hereafter At this time also Maurice son of Henry Duke of Saxony married Agnes Daughter to the Lantgrave In the Month of March most of the Princes and States came to Ratisbone where the Emperor had sometime expected them The Lantgrave came also towards the latter End of the Month with a great Train and the next Day went with his Guards to wait on the Emperor who received him very graciously The Duke of Saxony sent thither a splendid Ambassy and Divines amongst whom was Melancthon From the Pope came also Casparo Contarini a Cardinal of great Reputation There were present also the Elector of Brandenburg Frederick and Otho Henry Princes Palatine William and Lowis Dukes of Bavaria Henry Duke of Brunswick Charles Duke of Savoy George Marquess of Brandeburg Philip Duke of Pomerania the Bishops of Mentz Saltzburg Bremen Bamberg Spire Ausburg Aichstadt Constance Heildesseim Brixen and Passaw About this time was published and brought to Ratisbone Martin Luther's very invective Book written in High Dutch against Henry Duke of Brunswick In the former Book we took notice of Duke Henry's railing Papers against the Elector of Saxony and the Lantgrave And seeing in a Libel lately published he called the Duke of Saxony Heretick Seditious Cain Monster Aesop endued with no Vertue neither of Body nor Mind whom Luther himself though he was his Idol and in a manner Second God did but laugh at and despise Luther who thought his Reputation herein concern'd wrote a most bitter Answer and affirmed it to be a Calumnie And because the Adversaries challenged to themselves the Title of the Church he proved by many Arguments that they had made Defection from the true Church and having stated a Comparison maintained that the Roman Papacy which had corrupted and defiled the true Doctrine of Christ was the Antichrist foretold by Daniel and the Apostles so many Ages before Which being so that the Revenues of the Church belonged not to them and that it was a wicked thing in them to demand the Restitution of the same Then he objected to them That they shunned the Light. And why saith he do you now desire now promise now put off and now refuse a Council If your Church be so holy why is it so much afraid of a Council What need it be reformed But if it need it How came ye to call it Holy Would you even reform your own Holiness For our Parts never demanded a Council for reforming our Churches for God hath already sanctified them by his Word purged out of them all Popish Uncleanness and restored to us his pure Doctrine Our Lives it 's true come not up
they began to treat of a Marriage and though the Parents at that time were not altogether for it and that the Young Lady was more averse not so much of her own Judgment or that she slighted the Person of the Man as through the Whispers and Tattles of some who despised Germany as a wild and rude Country in respect of the Pleasantness and Deliciousness of France yet being over-ruled by the King's Authority who look'd on that affinity as very advantageous to him they yielded Wherefore on the Fifteenth of June the Marriage was solemnized the King leading the Bride his Neece to Church The Cardinal of Tournon said Mass and the King gave a most magnificent Wedding Feast whereat were present the Pope's Nuncio the Ambassadors of England Portugal Venice and Saxony for the Emperor's Ambassador had excused himself Some Days after the Duke of Cleve returned home leaving his Young Wife in France whom her Mother would have to be with her until she were grown up to maturity Before the Duke of Cleve came into France the King ordered the Admiral whom we mentioned before to be set at Liberty to go Home and then in the Month of May to come to his Majesty who most graciously received him and restored him to his former Honour and Dignity raised him as it were from Death to Life and by a new and unprecedented Example annulled the Sentence pass'd against him by the Select and Chief Judges of the Kingdom partly in spight of the Constable as it was believed and partly at the intercession of Madam d'Estampes who had contracted a new Relation by Affinity with the Admiral Wherefore the Constable Montmorency who loved not the Admiral his equal and was fallen much in the King's Favour because of the Emperor's Passage through France as hath been said being besides altogether slighted and despised at Court went Home and in an uncertain Condition led a private Life whereas before he had had the King wholly to himself The End of the Thirteenth Book THE HISTORY OF THE Reformation of the Church BOOK XIV The CONTENTS In the Conference of Ratisbone they treat of reforming the Ecclesiastical State and Means are proposed for accomplishing of that Diverse Opinions and Answers are here related Eckius loathing the Book offered by the Protestants accuses his Collegues Vpon the Report of the Approach of the Turk the Emperor commands the Conference to be put off till the meeting of the Council Fregoso and Rink the Ambassadors sent from the French King to the Turk are taken and slain and therefore the Bastard Son of Maximilian is arrested at Lyons and committed to Prison The Turk makes his Entry into Buda The Emperor comes to Algiers The Plague rages in Germany Austria sorely afflicted The Peers of Austria desire Leave to profess and exercise the Protestant Religion and are eluded by King Ferdinand The Christians being worsted in Hungary the Emperor calls a Diet of the States of the Empire to meet at Spire where Oliver the French King's Ambassador made a long Speech The King of England cuts off his Queens Head and marries a Sixth Wife Morono the Pope's Legate being sent to Spire declares the calling of a Council at Trent Luther publishes a little Book a Military or Camp-Sermon wherein he compares the Papacy with the Turks War breaking out again betwixt the Emperor and French King. Longueville and Martin van Rossem invade Brabant Perpignon is besieged Edicts against the Lutherans are published at Paris Farel preacheth at Metz. Locusts overspread Germany and Italy An Imperial Diet held at Nurimberg Poiet apprehended in the Night time and committed to Prison Otho Prince Palatine embraces the Protestant Religion THE Conference commenced about the end of April as we said before But Eckius grew impatient and morose for he was sick of the Book disliked his Collegues and not long after fell into a Fever so that he could not be present However his Associates went and consulted him about all Matters Some Places of the Book indeed were by common Consent corrected in the Conference and some others they could not agree upon as about the Church and the Power thereof the Sacrament of the Body and Blood of Christ the Confession of Sins Satisfaction the Unity and Order of the Ministers of the Church Saints the Mass the Sacrament to be received in both Kinds and the single Life of the Clergy So the Book as it was corrected was delivered to the Emperor and therewith the Sentiments of the Protestant Divines in Writing concerning the controverted Points of Doctrine now mentioned this was on the last Day of May. The Emperor commended their Zeal and took it kindly entreating them to shew the like Diligence and good Inclination if at any time after the Case did so require On the Eighth of June after he made a Report of what was done and how far they had proceeded in the Session of the Princes and States That the Conferrers had carefully handled the Matter and reconciled many weighty Points of Doctrine and that the Protestant Divines had declared their Thoughts touching the rest which were not as yet accommodated Then he shewed them both the Writings desiring they would take them speedily into Consideration give their Judgment of the same and think of a way how both Church and State might be reformed That for his part he would not omit anything that might contribute thereunto and doubted not but that the Pope's Legate inclined that way too The Senate of Princes consists for most part of Bishops and therefore they who were for rejecting the Book offered by the Emperor and all proceeding by Conference carried it by majority of Voices and gave their Resolution accordingly in Writing though in Terms somewhat too harsh But seeing the Electors and some other Princes who tendered the Wellfare of the Publick did not consent to it there was another Writing drawn up and on the Second of July presented to the Emperor whom therein they advised that as Advocate and Defender of the Church he would communicate the whole Affair to the Pope's Legate according to the Decree of Haguenaw but particularly those Heads which the Conferrers had agreed upon that they might be carefully weighed if there were any thing to be found in them in Sense or Words inconsistent either with the Doctrine of Holy Interpreters or the Custom and Practice of the Church That in the next place what was said more obscurely might be explained and that he himself would be pleased afterwards to acquaint the States with his Thoughts and Resolution as to the whole and to deal with the Protestants that they would suffer themselves to be instructed in the remaining Points in Controversie or if that could not be obtained that then a General or National Council of Germany should be called to determine all Matters in debate Among the States there were some who made it their Business to obstruct the Reformation of Religion
Christ which nevertheless suits neither with the Doctrine nor Name of Christ Not with his Doctrine because he forbids us to resist Evil or to revenge a Wrong nor with his Name neither because in so great Armies there is hardly perhaps Five true Christians to be found most of them being worse than the Turks themselves whilst in the mean time all take to themselves that Name which indeed is an Affront and Injury done to Christ when his Name is in this manner defamed and vilified and would be far more if the Pope and Bishops carried Arms also and marched out into the Field with the rest For since it is their peculiar Office to resist the Devil by the Word of God and Prayer it is very undecent that they should leave that Station and make use of Sword and Pistol that ought to be the Care of the civil Magistrate and the Offices are distinct But it is now long since the Popes invented those things though they be forbid to do it by the Laws and Canons of our Ancestors How unsuccessful have Wars hitherto been for wrongfully arrogating the Name of Christ the thing it self makes it manifest since Rhodes and the best part of Hungary being now lost we have the Turk at our very Doors And how unlucky it is to have the Confederacy of Papists in a War may be seen by the Battle of Varna and the Overthrow of King Ladislaus who was perswaded by Cardinal Julian to engage the Enemy It may be seen also by the late Overthrow received Two Years since when King Lowis miserably perished Having made this Preface he came to the Matter it self saying That God was in the first to be reconciled and enjoining the Ministers of the Church to exhort Men to Repentance Afterwards he lays open the Religion and Impiety of the Turks and says That it properly belongs to the Emperor to make War against them not for Revenge Vain-glory or Profit but out of Duty that he may defend his Subjects from Injury That the Emperor was not to be excited to this War neither as being the Head of Christendom Protector of the Church and Defender of the Faith since these were false and vain-glorious Titles and injurious to Christ who alone defends his own Church And that the Injury was the greater in that most part of Kings and Princes were sworn Enemies to the true Religion That therefore the Turk was to be fought against and resisted not because he is of different Religion but because he Robs and Spoils carries on a most unjust War and brings along with him the Examples of a most foul and shameful Life Then comparing both together he affirms that the Roman Papacy is no better than Turcism and that as the Turk by his Alcoran so the Pope by his Decretals hath extinguished the Light of the Gospel That what he does by open Force the Pope does the same by his Curse and Excommunication That both lay a Reproach upon Marriage and are punished saith he for the Contempt of the Law of God which institutes Matrimony when being wholly rejected of God they burn in filthy Lusts and most flagitiously invert the Order of Nature Lastly speaking of the Power of the Turks he advises them not to be secure but war circumspectly as knowing that they had to do with the cruelest of Enemies These and the like Points of Doctrine were the Subject of that Book we mentioned But now when at the Perswasion of the Emperor and King Ferdinand the States of the Empire had decreed a War against the Turk he published another Treatise a Military-Sermon as I said that the Ministers of the Church who followed the Camp as is common might have some Form set before them of Teaching and Exhorting The first thing then saith he is that Men understand what they are to think of the Turk For the Scripture prophesieth of Two cruel Tyrants who are to lay wast and plague the Christian World before the last Day of Judgment the one by false Doctrine of whom Daniel and after him St. Paul speaks and this is the Pope of Rome And the other by Force and Arms to wit the Turk of whom Daniel speaks in his Seventh Chapter Let those therefore who will be Christians put on Resolution and expect no Peace no quiet Life for the future for that time of Trouble and Misery which he foretold is now come But let us comfort our selves with the Hopes of Christ's coming and our future Deliverance which will appear presently after these Afflictions and let us know for a certain that all the Rage and Malice of the Devil is fully poured out upon us by the Turk for no Tyrant hitherto ever raged as he doth Then he expounds the Seventh Chapter of Daniel about the Four Beasts coming out of the Sea and proves the Turkish Empire to be signified thereby For this is that little Horn says he which sprang up amongst those Ten Horns of the Fourth Beast And though it be grown to a great bigness yet it can never reach to the Power of the Roman Empire for the Prophet there describes only Four Empires which were to succeed in order that the last of them was the Roman Monarchy Therefore there shall never be another that can compare with the Roman in greatness And because Daniel assigns it only Three Horns which it is to pluck out from among those Ten its Force and Power will not proceed much farther For those Three Horns are long since pluck'd off being Greece Asia and Aegypt which three vast Provinces of the Empire the Turk now possesses and is by the Prophet confined within those Limits so that it is to be hoped that he 'll not hereafter make himself Master of any other Province of the Empire But now that he makes a Bustle in Hungary and is ready to invade Germany it is the last Act of the Tragedy He may possibly indeed get some Footing in those Provinces but it is not to be thought that he can peaceably enjoy them as he doth Asia Greece and Aegypt for the Prophecy is manifest and plain After this he handleth all the other parts inviteth all chiefly to Repentance and readily to obey the Magistrate who calls for their Service in this War against the Turk exhorting them not only to venture their Fortunes but even their Lives and Persons upon that account he uses also many Arguments to comfort the Slaves who were already under the Power of the Turks or might be taken by them thereafter and admonishes them to have a special Care they be not allured by that specious and painted Religion of the Turks For that he was told many Christians of their own accord made Defection to that Religion because it had a kind of shew of Probity and Holiness That they should patiently bear their Bondage and faithfully serve their Masters though Wicked and Profane not running away from them nor putting Hand on themselves through Impatience for the
Ratisbonne the first of February past as he had intended but that now the Troubles being over and the Authors of the Commotions in his power he would no longer delay but use means to heal the corrupt Members of the Commonwealth and that the same Matters were to be brought into deliberation which should have been treated of at Wormes and a year before at Ratisbonne This Diet was to have been held at Ulm but by reason of the Plague the Place was changed as we intimated before From Bamberg he goes next to Norimberg Being there he received some Towns of Saxony into Favour and July the sixteenth by Proclamation he declares upon what Terms he had transacted with the Landgrave and pardoned him and that seeing he was concerned lest some out of ignorance might use Force upon his Lands and Subjects he therefore at his Request charged all Men to desist and that those who had any Action or Suit against him should try it fairly by Law. At the very same time Duke Maurice sent for Melanchthon Pomerane and Couriger Divines of Wittemberg to Leipsick treated them very civilly there and having made a large Profession of his Zeal for Religion committed to them the Care and Administration both of the Church and University exhorted them to proceed in their wonted manner settled Salaries upon them and as they themselves write dismissed them with Presents For in a Book afterwards published Pomerane highly commends his Goodness and Liberality The King of France who succeeded to his Father July the twenty fifth in the afternoon came to Reims to be Crowned and being received at the Door of the Cathedral Church by three Cardinals he was by them conducted to the High Altar where having kissed the Relicks of the Saints in Golden Shrines and assisted at Vespers he went to Supper After Supper he came back again and having said his Prayers and confessed his Sins to a Priest went home to Bed. Next day he sent some Nobles to entreat the Abbot of St. Remy that he would bring the Viol of Holy Oyl which they say came down from Heaven Afterwards they who are called the Peers of France met in the Church to the number of twelve the Bishops of Reims Laon Langres Beauvais Noyon and Chaalons then the King of Navarr the Dukes of Vendosme Guise Niverne Mompensier and Aumale who represented the Dukes of Burgundy Normandy and Aquitaine the Earls of Tolouse Flanders and Champaigne The Bishops of Langres and Beauvais with two Cardinals were chosen to go and wait upon the King to the Church When these were come into the Bed-chamber and said some Prayers they lifted up the King who as the Ceremony requires was lying upon the Bed and attended by a multitude of Priests lead him to the Church the Constable carrying before him the Sword drawn The King having said his Prayers at the High Altar was by the Bishops led to his Seat and in the mean time whilst the Sacred Viol is a coming the Archbishop of Rheims having made an end of the Prayers that are contained in the Book of Ceremonies sprinkled the King and all the rest with Holy-water And when word was brought that the Sacred Viol was now coming which in absence of the Abbot the Prior of the Monks brought riding on a White Steed and accompanied by all his Monks and those Noblemen who were sent by the King as we said before The Archbishop with some other Bishops went to meet him as far as the Porch of the Church with the Cross carried before him and there received the Viol from him upon Security given that he should restore it again and as he came back to the High Altar the King rising out of his Seat made him a Bow. Afterwards the Archbishop went into the Vestry and from thence coming out in his Pontificals he took the Oath of Fidelity of him wherein by ancient Custom as they say Kings are bound to the Church Then the King was led by two Bishops to the High Altar where putting on other Apparel he kneeled and was girt with a Sword which the Archbishop had consecrated as they call it by many Prayers This Ceremony being over the Archbishop fitted and prepared the Oyl and whilst the rest of the Priests sang aloud their Service he prayed softly with the King both prostrate on the Ground Then he anointed the King's Head and Breast both his Shoulders and the Joynts of his two Arms at the bending of the Elbow saying the usual Prayers in the mean time This being done the King was clothed in new Garments as if he had been a Minister of the Church and anointed in the Palms of his Hands then he laid his two Hands on his Breast and put on Consecrated Gloves as they call them The Archbishop also put a Ring upon his Finger and the Scepter into his Hand and at the same time the Chancellor calls forth those who are named the Peers They being present the Archbishop took from the Altar the Crown of Charlemaigne and after the Peers had touched it put it upon the King's Head leading his Majesty to a Throne erected in a higher place and all the Nobles following after where having said some Prayers he kissed him The Nobles did the same and then with loud Acclamations and the Sound of Trumpets all cried God save the King. After that Gold and Silver Medals were thrown promiscuously amongst the People Then the Archbishop began Mass and when the Gospel was read the King offered at the Altar some pieces of Gold Silver Bread and Wine and after Mass received the Sacrament with the rest And then all went to Dinner The King would have had it thought that he raised those German Foot under the Conduct of Vogelsberg as has been mentioned for this purpose only that none might dare to disturb the Ceremony of his Coronation In the mean time the Emperour demands Money of the rest of the Orders of the Empire for defraying the Charges of the War which he said was undertaken chiefly for their sakes and for the preservation of Germany All the Nobility also and they who had served the Confederates are fined all over Germany And the Money which at that time the Emperour raised from the Princes and Free Towns both Catholick and Lutheran was thought to amount to the Sum of above Sixteen hundred thousand Florins as appeared by the Publick Accounts Some also the Emperour wholly excluded from his Grace as being more notorious Rebels and amongst these were Duke George of Wirtemberg Albert Count Mansfield John Count Heideck and the Counts of Oetinghen Father and Son For this last he punished so severely that he gave all his Lands and Possessions to his other Sons Frederick and Wolffgang who had been true and faithful unto him so that he being banished and stripp'd of all came with his Wife and Children to Strasbourg and went wandring about from place to place many years
it pleased him then But when our Saviour Christ Jesus that Sun of Righteousness shone forth dispelling the Mists and Shadows of Legal Ceremonies he would be Adored in all places You introduce then a new Bondage when you insist so much upon one place But seeing Germany is to be healed it is necessary that the Council be kept there What then if the Danes Goths and Britans were sick of the same Diseases Must every one of them have a General Council held within their own Countries No not so and in calling of Councils regard is had not so much to those for whom Laws are made as to them who make and prescribe them which are the Bishops and other Fathers whose convenience is most minded It may be made out by many instances that Councils have been often held without those Provinces where Heresies were broached Would it not be a very unjust thing that the Germans should take upon them to appoint a place for a publick Council wherever they pleased and rob all other Nations of the right and priviledge of election And this is enough to shew and convince you that there was no need of that pert Protestation of yours But now I proceed to the rest The Answer you say which we gave to the Emperour was unlawful full of Lies and grounded neither upon Right nor Reason Modester words would not have been so injurious but because you give no Reasons to back what you say I cannot distinctly answer you Nevertheless it troubles you I doubt that we demand that the Decrees may be ratified that fit security may be given to those who come to the Council that the same order and method of proceeding be observed which from the Age of the Apostles downwards to this very time has been always retained in the Church And lastly that nothing may be wanting in the safe Conduct Now there is nothing new or unreasonable in these Demands and they are matters commonly provided for not only in the Canon but Civil Law. But what you further say That whatsoever damage or inconvenience ensue hereafter the Emperour will impute it to me and at the same time whil'st I am negligent take the care of the Church upon himself Really so far as I am able by the Grace of God I will give no just cause to any Man to think me negligent in the concerns of the Church Nevertheless if it should prove so as all Men are frail I shall not take it ill if my negligence can stir up and put an edge upon the Emperours diligence to succour the Church still provided he keep within the limits you have staked out to him to wit that therein he follow the Rule of Right the Canons of the Church and the consent of the Christian World. Which if he do I make no doubt but that both our Functions though different and distinct will prove profitable to the Church Lastly As to that part of your Protestation where you alledge that the translation of the Council is unlawful because the stress of the Controversie rests there according to the power I am invested with I take upon my self the decision of that Point committing the examination thereof to their Eminencies the Cardinals Parisio Burgos Pool and Crescentio and in the mean time whil'st they are taken up in bringing the Matter to an issue I charge all Men not to attempt any thing to the contrary In like manner I command the Fathers as well those that are at Bolonia as at Trent that if they have any thing to say in this Matter they do it within a Month. And that I may not any way seem to slight the Interests of Germany I shall not refuse to send Legats thither to cure the infirmities of that People when I am satisfied that it will not be ungrateful to the Emperour and them After all if it appear upon tryal that it was not well done to remove the Council to Bolonia I shall by all means take care that it be continued at Trent And in few words I 'll omit nothing that can be done for restoring the ancient Religion of Germany The Cardinal of Trent was before this returned to Ausburg as we said when the Emperour then from his Discourse and Mendoza's Letters dated at Rome about the end of December perceived there was but small hopes of a Council January the Fourteenth he acquaints the States with the whole Affair telling them That he had sent Orders to his Ambassadour Mendoza to protest against the Translation of the Council at Rome that so soon as it is done he will give them a Copy of it to be transcribed and that although all hopes of a Council are not to be laid aside yet because it is like to be delayed somewhat too long it seemed to him very requisite that in the mean time some course should be taken that might contribute to the Peace of Germany that it was true the care of that Matter was committed to him but that he thought it expedient that some few good and Learned Men should be chosen out of the whole Body of the Dyet to manage that Affair That he would also appoint some to consult with them That therefore he required them that they would seriously apply themselves to this and laying aside all prejudices consider how much it concerned the Publick and every Mans private Interest that some Reconciliation were made That they would consider that before that unhappy Dissension Germany was one of the most flourishing Countrys in the World and as a Pattern that attracted the Eyes of all People That they would consider moreover that all the pains and trouble he had taken to get the Council continued at Trent had been to discharge himself of his Duty and to shew the singular Affection he bore to his Country Some Commissioners were therefore chosen to Treat of the Matter but they not agreeing among themselves the whole Cause was referred to the Emperour Wherefore he appointed some Persons to draw up Heads of Doctrine Ceremonies and of the Reformation of the Clergy These were Julius Pflug Bishop of Naumburg Michael Sidonius and John Islebius Agricola who Eighteen years before had with Melancthon and Brentius defended the Confession of the Protestant Doctrine as we mentioned in the Seventh Book They therefore Compile a Book of Doctrines but very secretly and when they had spent much time about it and viewed and reviewed it many times they at length present it to the Emperour Joachim Elector of Brandenburg who was very desirous of a Reconciliation having consulted with James Sturmey wrote to the Senate of Strasburg entreating them that for the sake of Religion they would send Bucer unto him for that the Pope declining the Council the Emperour had taken another course and that therefore there was great hopes of Reformation Bucer is therefore sent who taking his Journey privately about the end of Janaury stopt not far from Ausburg to stay there till the
all over the City Here lived at that time one Wolfgang Musculus an eminent Minister of the Church He finding Affairs in a staggering condition the Senate timorous and that he could not approve the Book departed and went to Bern in Switzerland John Brentius was at Hall in Schwabia and had been in great danger two years before when upon the breaking up of the Protestants Camp the Emperour came to Hall but was now in far greater For at that time a little before the Emperours coming which was in the beginning of December some of the Spanish Guards having entred the Town march streight to his House and desire to be let in else they threaten grievously Being admitted they grew very insolent and sawcy Wherefore having no other place of refuge he sends his Wife and Family to the Town Hospital and follows himself shortly after leaving a Man at home to supply them with Victuals and all things necessary Next day after cometh a Noble Spaniard of the Dignified Clergy who turning out the others takes the whole House to himself and going into the Study makes a diligent search there Having there found some familiar Letters written to Brentius by some of his Friends concerning the sad troubles of the Times he endeavours to expose him to the hatred of his Countrymen and Party by divulging the Letters By the Advice of his Friends then in a sharp and cold Winter Night he removes to a Neighbouring Place in the Country that his presence might not be prejudicial to the Citizens But when the Emperour arrived at Hall and behaved himself graciously not seeming to take any offence at the Doctrine and Worship of the place Brentius returned home thither again and discharged the Office of his Ministery until this time that the Emperour would have the Decree made about Religion to be received indifferently by all For he as all the Learned Men throughout Germany were being commanded to give his Judgment of that Book Though he was sensible of his own danger yet that he might discharge his Duty towards his Church he affirmed it to be contrary to the holy Scriptures and proved it so in Writing This Piece coming into the Papists hands Granvell sends Orders to the Deputies of Hall in the Emperours Name as he said that they should use their endeavours to have him brought in Chains to Ausburg But he having notice of this from his Friends withdrew into a Neighbouring Country Nor was it long after before a Troop of Spaniards came to Hall whose Commander went streight to Brentius his House where he carefully hunted up and down in search of Booty if any were to be got but most part of the Houshold Furniture had been already removed by the Neighbours So then the poor Man after he had preached amongst them and taught them for the space of six and twenty years is now banished Nay his Wife also though at that time afflicted with a dangerous Sickness whereof not long after she died was banished too so that the poor Wretch was forced to wander up and down with six Children not knowing what to do or whither to go for Relief and Shelter in so great consternation were all Men because of the Spaniards And to increase her sorrows at the same time she knew not what was become of her Husband However when Ulrick Duke of Wirtemberg came to be informed of the Calamity of Brentius though he was in very great danger himself yet he harboured him and his Family privately Now most of the Cities of Schwabia submitting to the Emperours Authority promised to obey his Commands Wherefore the Preachers every where removed that they might not do any thing unsuitable to their profession Andrew Osiander therefore left Norimberg and went to Prussia Spire and Wormes had each but one Preacher who also fled for safety William Count of Nassaw suffered Erasmus Sancerius to depart for the same reason The Duke of Wirtemberg also whose Country was full of Spanish Garisons as hath been said having received the Emperours Orders causes the Book that now was published to be read in the Churches and by Proclamation commands that no Man presume to act contrary to it gives liberty for any that pleased to say Mass for the future charges his Subjects not to molest or disturb any Priest and turns away from about him those Ministers that did not submit to the Decree amongst whom was Erard Schnepfius The Emperour sets Granvell and the Bishop of Arras upon the Duke of Saxony Prisoner to persuade him to obey the Decree and to follow the Doctrine of the published Book And though they tempted him with promises and gave him some hopes of liberty yet he constantly persevered in his opinion Why said he last year when the Emperour proposed Conditions unto me this was also one that I should approve both his and the Councils future Decrees concerning Religion but finding that I was not to be moved by terrour or any fear of danger to consent thereunto he waved that Condition and never after mentioned any thing of Religion unto me This I then looked upon as a very singular favour and being eased of that importunity as of a very heavy burden I bore more easily and with a more chearful Mind all the other Conditions whereby the Emperour disposed of me and my Fortune at his pleasure hoping that my Religion at least might be my own But now that he again urges and commands me to subscribe to the Decree that hath been made I here protest that I have been so brought up from my Youth and then by the reading of holy Books have been so confirmed that I do believe this Doctrine to be altogether consonant to the Writings of the Prophets and Apostles and that it cannot be convicted of any Errour And it was upon this very ground that my Father and I and some other Princes heretofroe exhibited a Confession of that Doctrine in Writing and referred it to a lawful Council Since then God has enlightened me with the knowledge of his Word I cannot forsake the known Truth unless I would purchase to my self Eternal Damnation wherefore if I should admit of that Decree which in many and most material Points disagrees with the holy Scriptures I should condemn the Doctrine of JESUS CHRIST which I have hitherto professed and in words and speech approve what I know to be Impious and Erroneous But what would that be else than with gawdy and painted words first to mâ—â—k God and then the Emperour And can there be any greater Crime than that For it is no less than the Sin against the Holy Ghost of which Christ so earnestly admonishes us to have a care and which is never to be pardoned These things being so and seeing my Conscience is in this manner tied up I most earnestly and by the Mercies of God that by the offering up of his own Son he bestowed upon Mankind pray and beseech the
humbly beg forgiveness and promise amendment This Formulary being read over as I said before was by the Bishops after some deliberation approved and they promised to call Synods within a little time after they were returned home Nevertheless they desired that the Pope might be moved to give his assent to some things in it This Book was Printed also afterward Mention was made before that the Deputies of the Cities sent home to consult their Principals about the Decree But when the Strasburghers who were the chief were a little backward in answering the Emperour orders Granvell to press them to it He therefore June the Twenty eighth sends for the Deputies of whom James Sturmey was the Principal and speaking to them by Henry Hasen who then was his Interpreter he told them that they themselves knew how the States had begg'd of the Emperour and referred it to his care to devise some Expedient that might be observed till the sitting of the Council That he had done it and that a Form was drawn up by good and Learned Men which all the Princes except some few and the chief Cities had approved Now seeing they and some others had besought the Emperour that they might have leave to consult their Principals which he granted and in the mean time waited for their Answer he took it ill that hitherto they had made him none and that therefore he had commanded him to learn what their mind was When the Deputies had told the reason of their Silence they produce a Letter directed to the Emperour from the Senate wherein they tell his Majesty That they desired nothing more than to be able to gratifie him in all things but that they and all their Citizens were fully persuaded that if they should at all admit of that Decree they should wound their own Consciences grievously offend God and endanger their own salvation That since he in his own Wisdom knew how heinous a thing that was they begg'd for Christs sake that in so nice a point which concerned not Lands nor Goods but the salvation of their Souls and Eternal Happiness he would have some regard to them and as he allowed others of a different Persuasion the free use of their Religion so he would suffer them to enjoy that of the Augustane Confession until a Decree should pass in Council as it had been often enacted in Dyets and that he would not compel them to say with their Mouth what their Heart did not think That they again on their parts should take all imaginable care that nothing should be done tumultuously or irreligiously in their City that no wicked and pernicious Principles or Doctrines should be suffered among them nor no cause of Complaint given to their Neighbours When Granvell had heard the Letter read he told them that the Emperour had always had a good opinion of their City and that since all generally commended and approved the Decree they must not expect to be exempted for they had Orders to admit of no such Answer that it was in vain then to Petition but that they should tell positively what the Resolution of the Senate was To which they Reply That when the matter was referred to the Emperour they and the other Deputies had always understood it of the Civil but not Religious Concerns that they thought the last had been referred to a Council where upon hearing of the Parties the Controversie should be decided but that in this Book almost all the Points of Doctrine in dispute were determined that if they should now receive them without any previous Disquisition or the Learned Men of their Party being heard they would no longer remain Controverted nor stand in need of the Authority of a Coucncil That it was no wonder that most part of the Princes and States approved the Decree since it was for their own advantage all being left whole and entire to them but a manner of Religion prescribed to the Protestants and commands laid upon them to forsake those Doctrines that had been always disputed without so much as a hearing whereas nevertheless in all the Dyets the whole Cause was referred to a Council That to force any Man to act contrary to his own Conscience though it were erroneous was a very grievous thing unless the Errour were first made appear That they believed there were a great many good Men on both sides that nevertheless differed among themselves in Judgment and Opinion That no constraint ought to be put upon such but that they should be convinced by Reason Truth and Arguments That since then in all Matters not relating to Religion they were ready to give unto Caesar the things that were Caesars they prayed him to recommend to his Imperial Majesty these humble Demands of the Senate That they were not ignorant of the Emperours great power nor of the danger they now incurred if he should think fit to make use of force That therefore if they were not fully persuaded that by the approbation of this Decree God was greatly offended it would be the greatest madness in the world not to comply with the Emperour Here again Granvell having repeated what he had said before told them that they themselves when they were received again into the Emperours favour had promised to observe what he should appoint for the welfare of the Empire That of this nature was the Decree made with the Counsel and Advice of Learned Men and by the greater part approved That therefore it could not be refused because it was consonant to the Doctrine of the Church Did they arrogate so much to themselves as to think they saw more than the Universal Church that they should make a separation from the rest That it was not lawful for them to change Religion without the common consent of the whole World. That therefore if they had no other Instructions they should inform themselves from their Senate whether they intended to obey or not That as to what they alledged that they had only understood it of Civil Affairs when the Matter was referred to the Emperour it was no matter how they understood it but how the major part of the States did The Deputies again represent that they and the rest of the Deputies of their State had in a manner been excluded from all Deliberations nay and that they had not been then consulted when the matter was referred to the Emperour so that they had understood it no otherwise than as they told him Yea and that some Princes had also understood it so for that when they made their peace with the Emperour they would not promise absolute obedience for fear it might be some time or other extended to Religion that his own Son the Bishop of Arras knew this to be true who then promised in the Emperours Name that the whole Cause of Religion should be referred to a Lawful Council That whereas he said that Decree ought to be received as
Scriptures and Doctrine of the Fathers without prejudice or affection and that they themselves should be heard to the full Then other Decrees are read over as it is customary especially that concerning Religion and all are strictly charged to obey it as was before declared May the Fifteenth We named before the three Authors of the Book called the Interim One of them John Islebius had liberal Rewards both from the Emperour and King Ferdinand for his pains but Michael Sidonius got afterward the Bishoprick of Mensburg in Saxony this gave occasion to some to joke upon them and say that they only maintained amongst other things the Popish Chrisme and Oyl to be used as sacred and necessary to Salvation that they themselves might come off the better greased Not long after the Emperour sent his Letters to the Princes that were absent especially to those who seemed most to stand in need of it commanding them forthwith to obey that Decree And July the Tenth he wrote to Erasmus Bishop of Strasburg to use endeavours that that which with so much labour and pains he had brought about should be put into execution and that if he wanted fit Men he should provide himself somewhere else The Report of this Decree was soon spread abroad far and near And the Venetians July the Nineteenth publish a Proclamation charging all who had Books containing any thing contrary to the Catholick Faith to bring them in within eight days to some certain Men appointed for that afterwards inquisition would be made and such as deserved be punished promising Reward and Secresie to Informers The Pope hath a Legat or Nuncio always there as in the Courts of Princes also these see and hear with the Eyes and Ears of many and are often the Causes why Decrees of that nature are made But the Senate of Venice useth this Circumspection that they suffer not the Romish Bishops and Inquisitors to be sole Judges but always joyn with them the Governours of Places and Lawyers to Examine the Evidences and take care that no Sentence pass against any Man within their Jurisdiction out of malice or for love of gain They made this Law in the year 1521. when in the Country of Brescia the Inquisitors tyrannised cruelly over poor Wretches as if they had been Sorcerers and in Compact with the Devil And now when the Doctrine of Luther had taken deep rooting and was spread far and near that Law was in force still whatever the Papist muttered who would have it abrogated Much about this time the King of France sent Auxiliary Forces into Scotland against the English and amongst these some Germans under the Conduct of the Rhinegrave But the Emperour Proscribes Hubert Count Bichling and Sebastian Scherteline in one and the same Proclamation and not long after the Rhinegrave Count Heideck Pecrod and Pifeberg beseeching all Foreign Princes not to entertain nor protect them but to gratifie him in that particular and assuring them that they might expect the like from him when occasion offered The Duke of Vendosme a Prince of the Royal Blood of France Married the Lady Jane Daughter to the King of Navarre who seven years before had been betrothed and given to the Duke of Cleve as has been said Eleanor the Emperours Sister Queen Dowager of France leaves France and goes to live in the Netherlands The Duke of Aumale Son to the Duke of Guise after he had long courted the Duchess of Lorrain the Emperours Sisters Daughter Married the Daughter of Hercules Duke of Ferrara About that time Louis d' Avila a Spaniard wrote the History of the Emperours Wars in Germany in the vulgar Language which was afterwards Translated into Italian Latin and French where he speaketh of the taking of Marquess Albert he saith That he minded his pleasures so much with Women that he neglected his Duty and misbehaved himself at Nochlitz Though the Emperour had given most strict charge that no Man should in any manner impugne the Book that was published about Religion nevertheless several Pieces came abroad that confuted all the Doctrine contained in it and admonished Man to beware of it as a most dangerous Plague Amongst these was Caspar Eagle Minister of the Church of Salfield in Thuringe The occasion of Writing was given by Islebius who was upon his way home from Ausburg and bragg'd mightily of that Book saying That a Golden Age was now at hand and that Eagle had also assented to it When this came to his Ears he wrote a most bitter Answer giving him the Lye and affirming the Book to be stuffed with false Doctrines In France also Robert Bishop of Auranches wrote against it but upon a different account and rejected the same chiefly because it allowed Marriage to Priests and the Sacrament in both Kinds to the Laity where taking occasion by the way he bitterly inveighs against Bucer for Marrying a second Wife Romey also General of the Order of St. Dominick wrote against it for the same Reasons at Rome So that the little Book was found fault with by both sides The Emperour had sent an Ambassadour to the City and State of Norimberg to persuade them to submit to the Decree that was made On his way thither he solicited the Sons of the Duke of Saxony to the same purpose but they all resolutely refused Upon his return he gave the Emperour a full account of his Negotiation Wherefore the Emperour makes his application again to the Captive Prince complaining of his Sons that not only they rejected the Decree lately made but also suffered the Ministers to rail against it in their Pulpits and Writings wherefore he desires him to use his Authority with them that they would give him satisfaction as to both these Points To this he makes Answer That he had lately satisfied Granvell and the Bishop of Arras why he himself did not approve the Doctrine of the published Book which being so he would not persuade his Sons to do that which he could not with a good Conscience do himself that he earnestly besought him to take it in good part and to favour both him and his Sons with his protection This constancy of his and singular fortitude of Mind in bearing Adverse Fortune purchased him the Love and Esteem of all Men. As the States of Bremen and Magdenberg were the only People in Saxony who were not reconciled to the Emperour so were also those of Constance that border upon the Switzers the only in Upper Germany but at length having obtained a safe Conduct they send Deputies to Ausburg to Negotiate a Peace The Emperour proposed very hard Conditions to them and amongst these that they should receive the Publick Book and conform their Religion unto it The Deputies desire some mitigation of the Conditions but that was in vain and they are commanded to bring their Answer by a day prefixt The Senate being made
acquainted with this on the Thirteenth of July writ a humble and submissive Letter to the Emperour beseeching him that he would not force them to do any thing against their Consciences and the Salvation of their Souls that they saw their own danger and were in great streights for that if they obeyed not their Lives and Fortunes lay at stake but that withal if they complied they must abide the Vengeance and Judgment of God That he would therefore spare them and not reduce to extremity poor unfortunate Wretches especially since they were no more in fault than the rest and had formerly suffered the greatest of Calamities for the Empire and House of Austria as they were still ready to undergo any burden that they were able and ought to bear and that though their Exchequer was low and their Fortunes mean yet they were willing to give for a Fine eight thousand Florins and four great Guns but that they prayed him that he would let them enjoy the Religion which for twenty years they had professed until the Decree of a lawful Council should pass and not impose a heavier burden upon their City than it was able to bear Their Bishop John Vesalius who was also called Archbishop of Lunden as hath been said in the Twelfth Book threatened them severaly at Ausburg after the Emperour had published the Book but within a few days after he died of an Apoplexy the Disease which he prayed might fall upon them The Reason why they alledged that they had suffered great damage for the sake of the House of Austria was this The Emperour Maximilian by the help of the Suabian League we mentioned in the Fourth Book made War against the Switzers wherefore the People of Constance their next Neighbours who were of the same League suffered great losses from them The Grisons and other Neighbouring People nay and Louis XII King of France also aided the Switzers at that time but at the intercession of Ludowick Sforza Duke of Milan the matter was made up in the year 1500. Maximilian was then Married to Mary Blanch Sforza's Sister On the Third day of August the Emperour called before him the Burgomasters all the Council and some of the chief Citizens of Ausburg and having by the mouth of Selden the Lawyer spoken much of the good will and favour that he and his Predecessors had shew'd them he told them that for many years past the Government of their Republick had been turbulent and factious and that the reason of it was that inferiour People ignorant Handy-crafts-men fitter for any thing than Government had been chosen into the Council but that he who wished the City well to remedy that evil did now dissolve the Council and turn them all out of place not for any disgrace to them but for the publick good and profit Then he commands the names of those whom he had chosen for Common Council-men to be read over amongst these were the Welsers Helingers Buntgartners Fuggers and Peutingers that being done he gave them their Oaths and assigned to every one their several Functions and Charges giving them serious Advice to love the Commonwealth submit to the Decree of Religion and be obedient to him At the same time he abolishes all the Companies and Fraternities making it death for the future to have any Conventicles or Brotherhoods and commanding all Publick Charters and Grants which contained the Priviledges and Liberties of the Companies to be delivered up to the new Common Council This new form of Government he ordered to be proclaimed by an Herald and that it should be death for any to oppose or censure it The Council thanked his Majesty and promised all duty and obedience In the mean time whil'st these things were a doing all the Gates were shut and Soldiers posted in several places of the City There had been a Suit depending for many years betwixt the Landgrave and William Count of Nassaw concerning the Dominion of Catzenelbogen which at that time the Emperour decided and gave sentence against the Landgrave The Fifth day of this Month the Emperour by the mouth of the Bishop of Arras answered the Deputies of Constance dismissing them without any success and because he perceived them not to be much concerned for Peace he told them he would take some course The same day the Spaniards who as we told you were removed into those parts to the number of three thousand Foot march towards Constance and drawing out of Uberlinghen in the night time part of them take the Woods that by break of day when they knew the People were to be at Sermon in the Churches they might invade the Town and part stayed behind in the Woods waiting for the occasion Now it happened that three of the City Watchmen hearing a noise in the Wood ventured farther out to see what the matter was and so fell into their hands These they took and threatning them with death if they gave the least sign carry them along with them then they plant themselves in a low ground near the Lake with great silence but that was not so private but that some of the Watch who then were in the Suburbs on the other side of the Rhine went and told their Captain that there was some Ambush laid wherewith he immediately acquainted the Burgomaster and this was about two of the Clock in the morning The Burgomaster presently calls a Council and orders all to Arm though no body could tell what the matter was About break of day the Spaniards began by little and little to appear but in small numbers that they might discover the number of the Watch. Then again the Captain of the Watch sends word to the Burgomaster to put himself in a readiness for that there was danger at hand Having therefore consulted what was to be done about four of the Clock they send out about two hundred Citizens into the Suburbs These perceiving nothing after they were gone out began to be a little negligent but so soon as it was day the Spaniards with their great Guns let fly against the Pales which divided the Ditch into two and beat them down and so in great numbers breaking in through the Ditch that was then almost dry upon the Town Watch Whereupon they also who as we said remained in the Wood came presently on and with great force break open one of the Gates but the Citizens defended themselves valiantly and made use of their Ordnance having however lost their Captain Alfonsus Vives in the first Charge But when they could hardly withstand the force of so great a multitude by little and little they retreat to the Bridge over the Rhine where they maintained a hot and tedious Conflict and with much ado getting into the Town again from the Walls and Gates they briskly play their great Guns upon the Enemy who with all their might were attempting to force the Gate and kill many of them Those
to house and many of the Seditious were taken who were in several manners put to death Fourteen Gentlemen were also brought forth with Halters about their Necks of whom one or two being beheaded the German Officers interceded for the rest and begg'd their Lives of the Constable Twelve days were spent in this sad and bloody spectacle and yet that was not all for besides those that suffered death a great many were sent to the Galleys All their Bells also were taken from them not only in the Town but likewise in the Country about that they might not ring any Alarm as they had done before Then all their Charters and publick Writings containing their Liberties and Freedoms were burnt they themselves making the Fire And because they had killed the King's Lieutenant the Constable made them scrape up the Earth where he was buried with their Nails and Fingers allowing them no Tool or Instrument to do it with so that the dead Body being found it was solemnly buried with a great Procession of Monks and Priests who went before the Corps After came all the Citizens about five thousand in number each with a Wax Taper in his hand and when they past before the Constable's Lodgings the Corps was set down at some paces distance then the Towns-people falling upon their Knees with a lamentable cry beg pardon bewail and curse their fact and thank the King for not punishing them more rigorously Having so ordered all Matters he left a Garison in the Town and marched away on the ninth of November There happened a very strange thing at that time in Italy In Citadella a Town not far from Padoua belonging to the State of Venice lived one Franccis Spira a Lawyer of great Practice at the Bar. This Man began with incredible Zeal to embrace the Reformed Religion and making daily more and more proficiency in it he told his Thoughts of the several Points of Doctrine not only to his Friends at home but abroad every where to all This thing could not be long concealed but was at length carried to John Caso Archbishop of Benevento who was then the Pope's Legate at Venice When Spira came to know this he very well saw what danger he was in and therefore having long cast about and considered with himself what was best to be done he resolved at length to go to the Legate who had sent for him Wherefore going to Venice and having confessed his Error as he thought or as fear made him call it he begg'd Absolution and promised Obedience for the future Though the Legate was glad of his voluntary Confession yet for Example-sake he enjoyns him to go home and make a publick Recantation of what he had said before He promised to do so and although he then began to repent of what he had done yet at the solicitation of his Friends who told him that the welfare not only of himself but of his Wife Children Estate and all depended on it he obeyed But not long after he fell sick both in Body and Mind and began to despair of God's Mercy By the advice thereof of his friends he is removed from Citadella to Padoua that he might both have the assistance of Physicians and the ghostly comfort of learned and pious Men. When he had been visited by the Physicians John Paul Crasso Bellacata and Frisimelega they presently gave their opinion that the Distemper was contracted by pensiveness and over-eager thinking and that the best Remedy for him was good Discourse and ghostly Consolation Many learned Men therefore come daily to him and laboured to cure his Mind by such Texts of Scripture as declare the manifold Mercies of God towards us He again told them that he denyed not but that all they said was true but that these Texts did not belong to him for that he was damned to everlasting Pains because for fear of danger he had abjured the known Truth that these Pains he felt already in his Mind and that he could not love God but horribly hated him In this condition he persisted refusing all Sustenance and when they forced Food into his mouth ever spitting it out again It would be tedious to relate all that past either what he said or what others alledged from holy Scripture to cure his despair Since then all Advice and Counsel were but cast away upon him and that both his bodily infirmity and the anguish of his Mind encreased more and more daily he was carried home again and there miserably died in that sad state of Despair Whilst he lay at Padoua amongst others Petro Paulo Vergerio Bishop of Justinopolis a Town in Istria under the Dominion of the Venetians came often to visit and comfort him Mention is made in the foregoing Books of Vergerio's being employed by the Popes Clement and Paul as their Nuncio in Germany He was also in very great favour with King Ferdinand whilst he was in Hungary Who having there a Daughter baptized by the name of Catharine Vergerio with George Marquess of Brandenburg and the Archbishop of Lundon who were the Godfathers But afterwards he revolted from the Papacy and that upon a very strange occasion Upon his return to Rome whither he had been recalled after the Conference of Wormes which was in the beginning of the year 1541. The Pope designed to have made him a Cardinal amongst other new ones whom then he was about to promote But it was whispered about by some that through long conversation with the Germans he was become a Lutheran When Vergerio heard this from Cardinal Ginucio whom the Pope had told it to he was strangely surprised and to purge himself retired into his own Country and there began a Book to which he gave this Title Against the Apostates of Germany Now whilst for confuting the Opinions he carefully perusued the Books of his Adversaries and attentively considered their Arguments he perceived himself worsted and overcome and laying aside all hopes of a Cardinals Hat he went to ask advice of his own Brother John Baptista Bishop of the City of Pola His Brother terrified at first bewailed the poor mans condition But having at his earnest prayer and entreaty applied himself to the search of the holy Scriptures and diligently weighed that Point of Doctrine concerning Justification and having compared things together he yielded and concluded the Popish Doctrine to be false Whereupon rejoycing in one another they began to teach the people of Istria which is the proper Office of a Bishop and to preach up the benefit of Christ to mankind and to tell the people what works God requires of us that so they might bring over Men to the true Worship of their Maker But many Adversaries arose against them especially the Monks called the Observantines who informed the Inquisitors of whom the chief was Hannibal Grisonio who had for Colleague Jerome Mutio the same that afterwards wrote an Invective
Age being sent for by his Father prepares to be gone and leaving behind him his Cousin German and Brother in-Law to govern the Kingdom in his absence he set sail with a Fleet of fifty Gallies and almost as many Merchants Ships under the command of Andrea Doria who had brought over Maximilian and on the twenty fifth day of November arrived at Genoua accompanied with a great train of Nobility amongst whom was the Duke of Alva and the Cardinal of Trent For some fews days after his arrival he lodged without the Walls in the Palace of Andrea Doria the Admiral till the Ships should be unloaded and the preparations within the City finished But on the second of December he made his entry and was magnificently received Being there furnished not only with Money but also other necessaries for a journy by Land eight days after he departed and passing by Alessandria and Pavia went to Milan At Pavia were the great Guns that the Emperour took from the Duke of Saxony John Frederick as we said and these also he viewed At Milan where he arrived the nineteenth of December triumphal Arches and Statues with honourable Inscriptions were erected for him in many places at his entry he was received by the Duke of Savoy and the Ambassadours of Venice Florence Ferrara and Siena About that time Maximilian Count of Buren died of a Quinsie at Brussels where the Emperour then was his Physician Andrew Vesalius having at first sight foretold him as they say the very hour of his death Duke Maurice as we told you after the Decree about Religion was read left Ausburg So soon as he came home he called a Convention of the Nobility and other States at Meissen where he propounds the whole Matter and declares to them what the Emperours will and pleasure was They urge him with his own and the Emperours promises and insist upon having the Religion of the Augustan Confession allowed them Afterwards it was thought fit that the Divines of Wittemburg and Leipsick should be consulted Who accordingly met first at Begy then at Zell and afterwards at Juterbock Whither also came John Islebius sent from the Elector of Brandenburg Here was a Decree made concerning things indifferent and what are called Adiaphorous The last Convention was at Leipsick and there a form of Religion was drawn up which all Men within the Territories of Duke Maurice were to observe but this Book gave afterwards great offence as shall he declared in its proper place In the mean time the Emperours Son proceeded in his journy and passing by Mantua and Trent he came first to Ausburg then to Spire and so continuing forward through the Country of Luxemburg he came to his Father the Cardinal of Trent amongst others waiting upon him The Emperour upon his approaching sent a party of goodly Horse under the command of the Duke of Arescot to meet him Duke Maurice also having gone to meet him as far as Trent took a short progress with a small number of Attendants to go see Mantua and Venice and was most honourably entertained by the Senate He earnestly begg'd of Prince Philip that he would intercede with the Emperour for the Landgrave his Father-in-Law which he did and sent him word of it bidding him be in good hopes for that he had received a fair answer but that withal he should dissemble and seem not to know of any such thing About this time there happened troubles in Africa for one Zeriff rising from a very small beginning was at last advanced to a Kingdom and drove his next Neighbour the King of Fez out of his Country who afterwards came to the Emperour at Ausburg to bewail his own misfortune and implore his aid Nicholas Bishop of Metz Son to Anthony Duke of Lorrian and Guardian to his Brothers Son as we mentioned in the sixteenth Book renouncing his Ecclesiastical Orders married a Lady of the House of Egmont which has large Possessions in Brabant so that the Bishoprick fell to the Cardinal of Lorrain We told you before what past betwixt the Emperour and the Deputies of Strasburg at Cologne A little while after they returned home they began to treat with the Bishop who having assembled the Nobility declares to them what the Emperours pleasure was and charges all to obey laying the same commands also upon the Clergy of Strasburg But seeing he propounded harder conditions than were expected on the twelfth of February the Senate sent Henry Cope as their Deputy with Letters to the Emperour wherein they acquaint him that they had taken great care to treat with their Bishop but that he propounded such Conditions to them that if they accepted them they could not enjoy those things which were allowed them by the Decree lately made at Ausburg For after a long debate they say we told him that we would enjoyn our Citizens to keep Holy-days and on certain days abstain from eating of Flesh Besides we have dealt with the Ministers of our Church and we believe some of them will of their own accord lay down their Office of Preaching We are willing and free then that he settle Religion according to the Platform prescribed at Ausburg For no hinderance shall be made on our parts nor by the Citizens neither whom we shall strictly charge not to offer the least opposition Now this being our Case most victorious Emperour we pray your Majesty that you would be pleased to suffer us to keep our own Ministers even such of them as are married and not reduce us to extremity especially since we are ready to behave our selves with all moderation and shall not give the least cause of offence Mention has been made before of the Emperours proscribing the Republick of Magdenburg But their rejecting of the Decree lately made about Religion did much inflame their former offence So that now the Emperour proceeded against them with new Edicts and Proclamations exposing them as a prey to all inviting the neighbouring Princes and States to make War against them and to do them all the hurt and damage that by any means whatsoever they could It hath been said before that the Ministers of Ulm were by the Emperours Orders made Prisoners but at length after seven Months confinement they are now in the third day of March set at liberty having first payed their charges About this time began the State of England to be troublesome Edward Duke of Somerset the King Uncle and Protector of the Kingdom as we said before had a Brother who was Lord High Admiral Of him the Protector conceived some suspition or suffered himself to be persuaded that he aspired to the Crown and intended to get the King into his power whereupon he ordered him to be apprehended and brought to his Tryal where being condemned to die he was beheaded on the twentieth of March. He had married Catharine Parr the Queen Dowager of
streights Now though there may have been some mistake committed in the Treaty and some things not rightly understood yet it suits well with your Imperial Clemency to prefer Equity before strict Justice and to have regard not so much to the Prisoner as to the inevitable necessity of the Electors And to treat them graciously after the manner of your Predecessors who have been always exceedingly tender of the Dignity of the Princes of the Empire And this Sir will render your Majesties Name glorious amongst all Men and engage them more and more in Love and Loyalty to your Person and Interests so that they 'll be ready to do any thing for you The Ambassadours also of the King of Denmark interceded in the same behalf But some days after the Emperour made answer That seeing it was a difficult business that required deliberation and that he had notice that Duke Maurice would be with him shortly about other weighty Affairs in so much that having written to him he expected him daily therefore he put off the Matter till then as thinking it most convenient to treat about it when he should be present That as for them they might return home to their own Princes and tell them in his Name That he would be mindful of their Intercession and so order Affairs that they should understand that their Mediation had been of no small weight with him Not long after Prince William the Landgrave's Eldest Son came to Duke Maurice to enquire of him what was done in the mediation he had put him in hopes of now that it was so many Months since the Ambassadours were gone on their Journy He told him That because the Danish Ambassadours came a little too late and not before the Emperour was gone from Ausburg to Inspruck it was some time delayed And then he shewed him what Answer the Emperour had given telling him That since he was desirous to speak with him and had put off the business till then though he was loath to leave his Country at that time yet because it was the Affair in the World that most affected him he was resolved to go so soon as he had received his Letters Then replied Prince William that that was a doubtful and uncertain Answer Nor did he see what it was they could expect that in the mean time his Father was in a sad Condition pining away for grief in a nasty and loathsome Prison That he could not but concern himself for him both in Duty and upon the account of Promise that he should therefore endeavour to get him a plain and definite Answer and that within a time too or else that he and the Elector of Brandeburg must not take it ill if they were cited and made to fulfil their Obligation As to what he said of his Journy he would have him to think better on 't Nor did he know whether it might be safe for him or not Now these things were done only for a shew in presence of some Counsellors whom Duke Maurice would by no means have privy to his Counsels and Design For ever since he had begun to project the Matter with Count Heideck which was when he drew over some of his Forces into his Party as we told you in the foregoing Book he scarcely acquainted any about him with what he did intend so that what the French Ambassador came thither for or what he did at Court none of them could tell Having therefore received this Answer from the Emperour he presently bent his thoughts upon War and only waited for a fit season The Disputes began December the Seventh concerning the Heads we mentioned before and on the shortest day of the year Maximilian made his entry into Trent with his Wife and Children and was received by the Popes Legate by the Spanish Italian and some German Bishops also but not by the Electors He brought with him from Spain an Indian Elephant a Beast not often seen in Germany The day after he came it came to the turn of John Gropper whom I named before to Dispute and in the heat of Discourse he bitterly enveighed against Melanchton and Bucer who was then dead and being himself a German railed reproachfully at both whereas both the Spaniards and Italians had been more moderate and this was both contrary to the Decree of the Empire and the Law they themselves had made which was That matters should be debated without passion or reproachful language wherefore some days after the Deputy of Strasburg took notice of it to the Ambassadour Poictieres and complained of the liberty they were suffered to take to themselves He made answer That it was much against the Fathers Will that they did do so and that they had been severely admonished to refrain and that though perhaps being provoked by the Example of their Adversaries who for many years had domineered in that manner they did do so yet they would take care that it should be so no more for the future that it was not the Emperours Will neither that any Man should have cause of offence given him and that the Fathers were of the same mind On the Eighteenth of December the Bishop of Waradine lately made Cardinal was upon suspicion of confederacy with the Turks murdered in his own House The Author of this Assassination was John Baptista Castaldo an Italian whom the Emperour had formerly sent into Hungary to aid and assist King Ferdinand with his counsel Sforza Palavicini had also an hand in it When this Murder came to the Popes Ears he appointed Judges to enquire into the Fact and at the same time Excommunicated those we named The Widow of John Vayvode of Transilvania finding that it would be hard for her to preserve the Country treated with King Ferdinand and having resigned over the Government to him and delivered up the Insignia and Ornaments of the Kingdom she returned to Poland By this means then and the assistance of the Bishop of Waradin Ferdinand got possession of all Transilvania almost but because this Bishop seemed afterward to plot new designs and to aspire to the Government he lost his life We spoke in the former Book of the Ministers of the Church that were banished Ausburg most of the Churches therefore were destitute to the great offence of the People who thought that the Senate had put the Emperour upon it And seeing it was to be feared that this grudge might some time or other break out into disorder after much and long inquiry one Caspar Huberine was at length found out who would conform to the Regulation of Doctrine prescribed by the Emperour He had published some little Pieces about Religion which were always very much approved and commended also by Luther but how he came to change his Opinion I cannot affirm He did not begin to preach so soon as he came to Ausburg for fear the People might mutiny but on Christmuss-day he fell to work
he thought it belonged to him to appoint his Successor and the rather because there was a general and common Dispute concerning their Legitimacy and Mary did also profess the Roman Catholick Religion and if she should succeed he had reason to fear the Religion which was then established would be subverted and the Nation be endangered to be brought under the Dominion of a Foreigner He resolved therefore after great deliberation to chuse Jane Duchess of Suffolk Grand-child to Mary the younder Sister of Henry the 8th for his Successor This Resolution being approved by his Council and Nobility and the Mayor of London the Archbishop of Canterbury and Primate of all England was sent for to Court to sign it But he refused to do it till he had spoken with the King being accordingly admitted into the King's Chamber and having with great freedom discoursed this Business with him at last he consented upon the King 's extream importunity The King died as I have said the 6th of July and the fourth Day after Jane was proclaimed Queen of England and the Instrument was read at the same time reciting how King Edward for great and weighty Causes had with the Consent of his Peers disinherited Mary and Elizabeth his Sisters and transmitted the Succession of the Kingdom to Jane his Cousin The Nobility and People of England were much displeased with this not so much out of affection to the Princess Mary as out of hatred to the Duke of Northumberland there being very few or none who did not look upon him as the Author of this Project that he might bring the Crown into his own Family Whilst these things were thus in agitation the Princess Mary fled to the Castle of Framingham in Suffolk and assuming the Authority of a Queen implored the assistance of her Subjects This being known at London Northumberland levied Forces and with the consent of the Council marched out of the City with an Army to take the Queen But in the Interim that part of the Council which continued in London seeing the dissatisfaction of the People and that great Forces came in to the Assistance of the Queen in Suffolk they thereupon changed their Minds and proclaimed Mary Queen and detained Jane a Prisoner in the Tower. Assoon as the News of this change came to the Camp the Army which neither willingly embraced the Cause nor loved the General revolted also and upon the Receipt of a Letter to that purpose seized the Duke of Northumberland at Cambridge and brought him the 25th day of July a Prisoner into London It is incredible with what Reproaches the People entertain'd him Some call'd him Traytor others Parricide and other the Murtherer of a most innocent Prince For his attempting to set his Daughter-in-Law upon the Throne had caused a mighty Jealousie that he had a long time been forming this Project and in conclusion had hasted the King's Death Afterwards his Children and his Brother were taken into Custody and some other Noblemen and Sir John Cheek the King's Tutor a Person of great Learning and Virtue but this last was soon after dismissed when they had stripp'd him of almost all he had The Third of August Queen Mary entred London and going to the Tower she immediately released the Duke of Norfolk who had been almost seven years a Prisoner there Tonstal Bishop of Durbam and some others who being of the Roman Catholick Religion had been removed from their Sees whom she also restored to their Places again And as for Gardiner Bishop of Winchester though he had in a Printed Book defended the Divorce made by Henry the Eighth of Catherine the Mother of Queen Mary as I have set forth in the Ninth Book of this History yet she notwithstanding made him Lord Chancellor of England which is an Office of the greatest Dignity and Power in that Kingdom When Queen Catherine urged in her Defence the Bull of Pope Julius the Second in Approbation of her Marriage the King on the other side said it was invalid and sent Gardiner who was not then advanced to the Dignity of a Bishop to Pope Clement to procure that Bull to be by him declared void He coming to Rome in February in the Year 1529. earnestly pressed his Errand on the Pope Clement according to the Proverb had then got a Wolf by the Ears and though he was very desirous to please the King yet fearing to offend the Emperor he only said he would write to the Emperor to produce the true Bull. Gardiner consented to this but desired it might be done in two Months and when that time was elapsed that if the Bull were not then produced it might be declared false The Pope thought this way of Proceeding was contrary to the Custom and unjust and endeavoured to appease and quiet the King by good words But Gardiner said on the other side that if what the King desired were not done it would bring great Mischief on the See of Rome The Emperor and Ferdinand his Brother the 27th of April by their Ambassadors express'd their discontent at this and expostulated with the Pope as too too much inclin'd to favour the King and for that he had permitted the Case to be heard in England and at the same time they appointed Proctors to prosecute the Suit in their Names at Rome with large Commissions and Instruction Thereupon the Pope commanded Cardinal Campeio to return back to Rome to which he was induced by a Letter which he had received from Wolsely Archbishop of York wherein he had given the Pope an Account of a new Love the King had entertained as I have set forth in the said Eleventh Book The Twenty second Day of August the Duke of Northumberland having before been tried and found guilty of High Treason and received Sentence of Death was brought upon a Scaffold on Tower-Hill where he made a Speech to the People and amongst other things exhorted them That they should continue stedfast in that Religion which they had received from their Ancestors affirming that he thought all the Calamities which had befallen the English especially since the Death of Henry the 8th proceeded from nothing but their having separated themselves from the rest of Christendom He had for some years before pretended to be of a contrary Opinion and had openly renounced the Roman Catholick Religion and it was said he had been prevailed upon to discourse thus upon Promises of a Pardon And although he ended his Speech with a Protestation that what he had said came from his heart yet some thought he repented it when he had look'd about him and saw there was no refuge to be expected and that he had been impos'd upon by flattering Promises Sir Thomas Palmer Knight who was beheaded at the same time professed the Protestant Religion with great constancy Northumberland was as I have said convicted of Treason and Rebellion and altho there were great Suspicions that he had poyson'd the late
great change that was made in the Publick Religion and the Laws betook themselves to Germany some to Wesel and others to Franckfort and Strasburg John Alasco a Polander of Noble Birth and great Learning who was the Brother of Jerome before this Winter began went thence to Denmark but being not so kindly entertained there on the account of his differing from them in the Point of the Eucharist and being denied an Habitation on the same score in the Lower Saxony at length he went to Emden a City of Friseland and there he setled The Fourth Day of March the Queen put out a Book of Articles or Injunctions wherein she commanded the Bishops and their Vicars not to admit any man into Holy Orders who was suspected of Heresie That they should extirpate Heresies suppress and destroy hurtful and pestilent Books That they should prescribe certain Rules to all School-Masters and Preachers and suppress those who did not conform That they should deprive all Married Priests and punish them as their wickedness deserved but that those who with the consent of their Wives should promise to divorce themselves and to abstain for the future should be treated with more gentleness and that they should restore all those that would do Penance for this Offence to their Livings again That all Publick Prayers should be in the Latine Tongue and according to the ancient Forms That all the ancient Holy-days Fasts and Ceremonies should be again observed That all Children already Baptized when they grew up should be brought to the Bishop to be confirmed And that they should be taught in the Schools how they are to minister to the Priest in the Mass at the Altar When Henry the Eighth abolished the Papal Supremacy in England as I have observed in the Ninth Book of this History he passed an Act of Parliament that no man should be admitted to any Ecclesiastical Function or Dignity unless he had first taken an Oath in which he acknowledg'd him and his Successors Supream Head of the Church of England and that the Pope had no Authority over the Church nor was better than a Bishop of Rome with whom they would have nothing to do This Oath the Queen even now remitted and commanded the Bishops not to exact it of any man and thereby did tacitly restare the Pope's Supremacy That which concerns the Publick Prayers went thus Henry the Eighth had commanded them to be said in the vulgar Tongue and in them amongst other things they prayed that God would deliver them from the Seditions Conspiracies and Tyranny of the Bishop of Rome and this Printed Form of Prayer was by this Order of the Queen abolished Soon after this Elizabeth the Queens Sister a Lady of great Learning was committed to the Tower because she was suspected to have had an hand in Wiat's Rebellion In the End of March the Enemies of Albert Marquess of Brandenburg returned to the Siege of Schweinfurt In April there came over into Germany Sir Richard Morison Knight whose Embassie I have mentioned in the Book before this Sir Anthony Cook and Sir John Cheeke Knights both the King's Schoolmasters and Men of great Learning and these all afterwards travelled into Italy And soon after Dr. John Poinet Bishop of Winchester came over also who together with many other Bishops was about this time displaced by reason of this Change of Religion The Forces of the Duke of Florence and the Pope besieging Siena about this time Peter Strozza who defended that City in the Name of the King of France learning something of their state by his Spies on a sudden made a Sally upon them and slew a great number of their Souldiers but they recruited their Army and continued the Siege for all that Loss whereupon the King of France levied Three Thousand Swiss for the relief of that Place The Duke of Florence also marries his Daughter to Ascanio the Pope's Nephew and the Methods of advancing his Fortunes by this Marriage were taken into consideration About this time also Ferdinand Gonzaga Governor of the Duchy of Milan came into Flanders to the Emperor Baptista Castaldus whom the Emperor had sent some years since into Hungary as I have said came also about this time to him About the middle of April Sir Thomas Wiat was executed at London He declared that neither the Lady Elizabeth nor Courtney Earl of Devonshire were acquainted with the Rebellion About the same time Cranmer Archbishop of Canterbury and Hugh Latimer Bishop of London were removed first to Windsor and then to Oxford and a Disputation being mannaged against them by the Students both of Oxford and Cambridge the 16th 17th and 18th of April concerning Transubstantiation and the Propitiatory Sacrifice of the Mass and they continuing stedfast in their Former Opinion they were again committed to Prison At the same time there was a Parliament sate in England wherein the Queen especially recommended to the States her Marriage and the restitution of the Pope's Supremacy The first of these she carried upon certain Conditions but the latter was so vigorously opposed by the Upper House that she could not then bring it about In the mean time Cardinal Poole having spent some time with the Emperor in Flanders went to the King of France and endeavoured to bring these Princes to make a Peace but his Mediation had no good success In the end of April Albert of Brandenburg having received 60000 Crowns set Aumale his Prisoner at Liberty A little before this time Holansperg another of his strong Places was taken from him by the Confederates Not long after this the Emperor being then at Brussels by his Letters confirmed the Outlawry decreed the last Winter in the Imperial Chamber of Spire against the Marquess of Brandenburg in which having complained that the Marquess had with impunity committed such Ravages and made such Devastations in the Empire he in the next place severely commands all the Princes and States and especially those that lay next him to execute the said Sentence against the Marquess There had before this been two Meetings at Rotenburg a City of Franconia upon the River Tauber in order to the putting an end to this War but they being both frustrated the Emperor put out this Decree against him which was set up in all places and soon after there was a Diet of the Circle of the Rhine holden at Worms concerning this Business I have often mentioned the General Diet which was summoned in August but the Emperor being hindred from being present in it both by Sickness and Wars Ferdinand his Brother at his Request undertook the management of it and sollicited the Princes to meet who excused their Appearance there on the account of the troubled state of Germany The Emperor had already sent thither some of his Council and amongst them the Cardinal of Ausburg but none of the Princes coming thither for the Causes aforesaid it was deferred to a fitter opportunity Albert had
Council which he had rather promised than desigued before The Conference was to be begun the First of August at Poissy and the Bishops and Divines were already arrived there and had entered into a Debate what Points were to be Disputed where they spent the time to no great purpose disputing amongst themselves concering the Office of a Bishop the Dignity of Cathedral Churches of Colleges and their Exemptions of the Ordination of Curates and Priests concerning allowing them Competent Pensions abating their number reforming the Discipline of the Monasteries of Commendam's and Benesices of cutting off the Pleasures and Luxuries of the Clergy and of Censures And they thought the Answering such like Queries was of great use to the Church in these confused times There appeared for the Protestants Augustin Marlorat Francis de S. Pol Jean Remond Merlin J. Malo Francis de Mureaux N. Tobie Theodore Beza Claud Brisson J. Bouquin J. Viret J. de la Tour Nich. de Crallas and John De l'Espine who abjuring the Dominican Order did then first openly prosess the Protestant Religion Soon after Peter Martyr came to Zurich These Asked four things 1st That the Bishops should be Parties and not Judge 2d That the King and Council should Preside 3d. That all things might be determin'd only by the Word of God 4th That whatever was agreed should be set down by Notaries The Queen yielded all these but would have one of the Secretaries of State be the only Notary and she would not consent that the King should Preside in the Conference The Cardinal of Lorraine had before objected against Beza That he should say that Christ was no more present in the Sacrament than in a Muddy Ditch This Expression is said to have been urged by Melanchthon against Oecolampadius as the Consequence of his Doctrine and was by a mistake of the Cardinal wrongfully charged on Beza who denied and detested it as Blasphemous The First of September the Conference began the King the Queen his Younger Brother and Sister and about Eleven Bishops being present and the Cardinals of Bourbon Tournon Chastillon Lorrain Armagnac and Guise The King opened it with a short Speech which was seconded by the Chancellor with a longer In which he preferr'd a National Council before a General and shewed that the Errours of many General Councils had been corrected by National Synods particularly the Arrian General Council of Ariminium was condemn'd by a Private Council held by St. Hillary Bishop of Poictiers and banished out of France He said they neithe needed much Learning nor many Books the Bible alone being sufficient by which Religion was to be Tried and Examined That the Protestants were their Brethren and to be treated as such if out of Ambition or Avarice they did otherwise God would judge and condemn them and their Decrees would be rejected That they ought to Amend and give God Thanks for any Errour that was discovered and if they did not God would Punish them After him the Cardinal of Tournon spoke and Thanked the King Queen and Princes for being present and approved highly of what the Chancellor had said but desired a Copy of it which the Chancellor refused though it was seconded by the Cardinal of Lorrain because he perceived they craftily designed to mischief him by it Theodore Beza being next commanded to speak fell upon his Knees and after a Prayer and reciting his Faith complained to God that they had been injuriously treated as Enemies of the Publick Peace Then he shewed wherein they agreed with the Church of Rome and wherein they differed and discoursed of the way of attaining Salvation of Faith Good Works the Word of God the Authority of the Councils and Fathers of the Sacraments and of their use and true Interpretation of Transubstantiation and Consubstantiation and lastly of the Ecclesiastical Order and Discipline and obedience to Princes he was so long and so sharp in some of these things that they had scarce patience to hear him out and the Cardinal of Tournon presently replied with a Voice trembling for Rage That he and the other Prelates had done violence to their Consciences by condescending to this Conference in compliance with his Majesties Commands by hearing these new Evangelists That he foresaw if they were heard many things would be spoken by them injurious to the Majesty of God which would offend the Ears of the King and of all good Men. And therefore he beseeched his Majesty not to believe what was said That if he could have prevented it the King should not have been present but however he desired he would not suffer his Mind to be pre-ingaged in their false Opinions but to suspend till the Bishops had Answered it and the King and the rest there present should know the difference between Falsehood and Truth He Asked a Day to Answer in and prayed the King that he would persevere in the Religion of his Ancestors Lastly he added that but for the respect they bore to the King the Bishops would have arisen and put a stop to those horrible and abominable Words The Queen calmly said she had done the thing without the Advice of the Parliament of Paris the Princes and Privy-Council That no change was designed but that the Disturbances of France might be appeased and Men friendly brought from their Errors into the Old Way which belonged to them to effect The first Dispute was about the Lords Supper The second which was the 17th of August was about the Church which the Cardinal of Lorrain said could not Err That if any particular Church did Recourse was to be had to the Head the Church of Rome and the Decrees of a General Council and the Concurrent Opinions of the Ancient Fathers and before all to the Sacred Scriptures explain'd by the Right Sense and Interpretation of the Church As to the Lord's Supper in effect he said That if the Protestants would not embrace their Opinions there was no hope of an Agreement The Cardinal of Tournon thereupon applauded his Harangue and said he was ready to lay down his Life for this Faith intreating the King to continue stedfast in it and was contented Good Man that if the Protestants would subscribe these two Points they should be admitted to dispute all the rest but if they refused this all hearing was to be denied them and they were to be expell'd out of his Dominions Beza desired to Answer him Extempore but the King delayed the Answer to the next day Upon a Petition the Ministers were heard at last again the 24th of September before the Queen only when Beza discoursed of the Church and its Notes which he said were the Preaching of the Word and a Pure Administration of the Sacraments As for the Succession of Persons and Doctrines it had been often interrupted He discoursed of the Ordinary and Extraordinary Vocation of the Universal Church and her Authority of Councils which he affirm'd
Leith but this she said she could not do 'till she had consulted with the Nobility of Scotland and when the Ambassador replied They could not but approve of what they had made she replied They did but not all and when I come amongst them it will appear what mind they are of The Duke of Guise and the rest of the great Men of that Family attended her to Calais and the Marquess of Elboeuf and Francis Grand Prior of France went with her She took Ship the 14th of August and arrived at Leith in Scotland the 20th She was much concerned for fear Queen Elizabeth might intercept her in her way home and therefore sent again for the English Ambassador but when he still insisted to have the Treaty of Leith ratisied she delayed it Her Uncle the Cardinal of Lorrain advised her to leave her Jewels and Treasures in France 'till she were safe in Scotland but she said It was folly to be more concerned for her Jewels than for her Person which she must hazard The truth is her Fear was well grounded for Queen Elizabeth sent a Fleet to way-lay her but the two Navies passed by one another in a dark foggy day unperceived and she safely arrived at Leith the 21th of August The beginning of her Government was very gracious and she condescended to grant That no Change or Alteration should be made in the present State of Religion only she said she would use her own Religion apart and have a Mass in private which was and by many was thought very reasonable she having been Educated in the Roman Church and being a Sovereign Princess Yet the Preachers in their Sermons publickly condemned that Toleration of their Queen as unlawful and the Earl of Arran being exasperated by his Imprisonment on the account of Religion in France by the Order of the Guises from whence he made his Escape replied That he did neither agree to Publick nor Private Mass which highly displeased the Queen And Archimbald Douglas Provost of Edinburg put out an Order commanding all Papists to be gone for which the Queen committed him to the Castle of Edinburg And one of the common sort of Men broke the Tapers in the Court which were prepared for her Chapel and a Tumult had ensued to the Ruine of the other Preparatives for her Chapel if some wiser Men had not interposed amongst whom the Lord James was one of the greatest and forwardest to suppress this insolent Disorder On the other side the Marquess of Elboeuf was much offended to see the Protestant Religion exercised openly in Scotland and the Earl of Huntley a vain Man proffer'd the Queen his Service to reduce all the North Parts of Scotland to the Popish Religion which was wisely rejected In the middle of September the Duke of Aumarl and the rest of the French which had come home with the Queen went back to France but the Marquess of Elboeuf who stayed with her all the Winter She sent William Lord Maitland to Queen Elizabeth with Letters full of kind and friendly Expressions and desiring the like Returns from her And amongst other things that she would declare her the lawful Heir to the Crown of England in case she Queen Elizabeth should dye without Issue which Queen Elizabeth denied but said She would never wrong her nor her Cause if it be just in the least point and that she knew not any whom she would prefer before her or who if the Title should fall to be controverted might exclude her The Queen of Scots caused a new Provost of Edinburg to be Elected changed the Common Council and put out a Proclamation That all her good and faithful Subjects should repair to and remain within the Birgh at their pleasure for doing their lawful Business which was in opposition to the Provost's Order She kept her Masses too more publickly and with greater pomp of all which the Ministers complain'd in vain in their Sermons The Nobility had divided the Church Lands amongst them and had now another Game to persue and were striving who should be most in the Queen's Favour The Queen's Expences being soon found too great for the poor Revenues of the Crown of Scotland to maintain The Remainder of the Church Lands was divided into three parts one was assigned to the Queen one to the Ministers and the third was left to the Bishops and Parsons of the Romish Communion which they were forced to yield to to prevent the loss of all they now subsisting merely by the Queen's Favour The Earl of Huntley to be made Lord Chancellor turned Roman Catholick again which encouraged one Winyet a Priest to write a Book against the Reformation for which he was censured and forced to leave Scotland Not long after which she created the Lord James her Brother first Earl of Marr and then of Murray the Lord Ereskin claiming and at last obtaining the Earldom of Marr which much offended Huntley which had enjoyed both these Titles ever since the death of James the Fifth This made Huntley enter into many base and unworthy Designs to murder Murray which were all by one means or other discovered and at last ended in the Death of Huntley and the Executiou of John Gordon his eldest Son a hopeful young Gentleman in the Year following The beginning of the Year 1562 was very unquiet in France The King had called an Assembly of the Delegates of all the Parliaments of France in the end of the last year which was to meet at St. Germain the 17th of January of this year to consider of the means of appeasing these Broils and preserving the Peace of France The King opened this Assembly with a short Speech which was seconded by a larger made by the Chancellor who having given a short account of the several Edicts that had been made before in the business of Religion and shewn how they had all by one means or other been defeated He added That Laws were of no use if they were not Religiously observed But then said he if the Question is put Why are not the Laws executed Must not you that are the Judges bear the blame For if they excuse themselves and say That it was not in their power to execute them I will accept the Answer upon condition they will ingenuously confess That neither was it in the King's power And that this Affair of Religion by a secret Judgment of God for the Castisement of our Luxury Indevotion and Neglect of his Glory is so disposed that we may by the severity of the Punishment be brought to Repentance In the year 1518 when these Commotions first began there is no Man but knows how corrupt the Manners and how loose or rather profligate the Discipline of the Church was throughout the World For to omit the Court of Rome in which there was nothing right and sound we had here in France a young King brought up in Pleasures tho' he afterwards was
Bishop had a great hand in this and was turned a Soldier and treated all such as he suspected of the Clergy very hardly nor did he spare the Churches Treasures more than the Protestants had done but took them to pay his Soldiers raising besides great Contributions on the People for that purpose There were in the Cathedral Church the Images of the twelve Apostles of Silver of great Weight and adorned with many Jewels and the Bishop had carried them to his Castle de Trouvoy in Maine for their greater Security but that being taken afterwards they were lost and the Bishop was suspected of having converted them to his own use and going after this to the Council of Trent it was said He must needs have the Holy Ghost because he carried the twelve Apostles with him The 13th of May the Protestants were forbidden their Meetings at Amiens their Books sought out and burnt and amongst them all the Bibles they found in French and the Pulpit with them and some few of them were flain in the Tumult At Abbeville there was a greater Tumult raised by the Roman Catholicks and many of the Soldiers in the Castle and of the Inhabitants of the Town were murdered upon a pretence they favoured the Prince of Conde's Interest and the Governour of the Town was assassinated in his House and his naked Body was dragged about the Town and another Gentleman most barbarously murdered At Senlis many of the Protestants were assassinated and some were put to death by the Decree of the Parliament of Paris on other pretences I have transcribed only a very few of the horrid and insufferable Villanies committed by the Roman Catholicks of France in this War from Thuanus For so madly did they dote upon their Images and Altars that when ever they got any of the Protestants into their hands they treated them with unheard-of Cruelty and Rage whereas all their Fury spent it self on the Statues Pictures Altars and Relicks of their Churches or in some places on their Tombs and if some few Slaughters happened in was in the Surprize or taking of Places before they were masters of them but the Roman Catholicks raged most where the Protestants were least able to resist them The Prince of Condé hearing that his Party was worsted in Normandy sent Lewis de Lanoy with three hundred Horse who with some difficulty arrived at Roan the 11th of June and recitified the Disorders he found in that place the Protestants would have expell'd the Roman Catholicks out of the City but he persuaded them only to disarm them and swear them to live peaceably Roan in a short time after this was besieged from the 29th of June to the 11th of July by the Roman Catholicks but then they were forced to withdraw and the City remained in the Protestants hands In the interim a Treaty was carried on by the Vidame de Chartres with Queen Elizabeth for Succours which displeased many tho' the Roman Catholicks in the mean time had called in German and Swiss Auxiliary Forces to support their Quarrel The Roman Catholick Army in the mean time took Poictiers after a sharp Siege which yet might have holden out longer where they plundered the Protestants and put many of them to the Sword And after that Bourges being besieged by the Duke of Guise was at last surrendered by the Cowardize or Treachery of Mr. de Yvoy the chief Commander when the Roman Catholicks had almost spent all their Ammunition and the Admiral had taken that which was sent to supply them from Paris The taking this place so far discouraged the Protestants that a great many places yielded upon the first Summons The Duke of Guise and his Party after they had taken Bourges were divided in their Opinion some advising the Army should march to the Siege of Orleans as the Capital of the adverse Party and others that they ought first to take in Roan as more easy to be reduced and of no less advantage because preventing the English from powering great numbers of Men into France So at last this Party prevailed and that Siege was undertaken Montgomery who by misfortune slew Henry the Second was by the Prince of Condé appointed to command here in Chief who entered the place the 18th of September with 300 Horse and having added some new Works to St. Catherins he built a new Fort at St. Michaels which he called by his own Name About the same time a League was concluded between the English and the Protestants at Hampton-Court by which the Queen was to send 6000 men into France 3000 of which were to keep Haure de Grace in the King's Name for a place of Safety for those of the Religion and the rest were to be employed in the Defence of Diep and Roan and she was to supply 140000 Crowns for the Charge of the War the Forces were immediately sent from Portsmouth and landed at Haure de Grace under the Command of the Earl of Warwick The 28th of September the Forces of the Triumvirate came before Roan being then 16000 Foot and 2000 Horse Montgomery had besides the English and the Townsmen 800 Veterane Soldiers for the Defence of the City The Besiegers would have stopped the passage of the River by sinking Ships in it but the violence of the Tide cleared the Chanel so that the Frigates came from Haure de Grace with Canon Ammunition and Victual notwithstanding The 6th of October St. Catherins Fort was taken by Storm and Surprize and 300 Townsmen beaten back who came to relieve it The 9th of October 500 English under the Lord Gray entered the Town The 13th of October the Besiegers stormed the City from 10 'till 6 at Night the English and Scotch sustaining the brunt and at last repelling them the next day they stormed it 6 hours more to the loss of 600 men The 15th of October the King of Navar was shot in the left Shoulder with a Musket Bullet in the Trenches The 25th of October there was a sharp Fight at St. Hillary's Gate three Mines being sprung to small purpose The next day the City was taken by Storm the greatest part of the brave Men having been slain or wearied out in the continual labours of the Siege Montgomery and the greatest part of the English and Scotch shipped themselves in a Galley and breaking the Chain which the Besiegers had drawn cross the River they escaped to Haure de Grace There were slain in this Siege about 4000 Men on both sides The 17th of November the King of Navar died of his Wounds having received the Sacrament according to the Custom of the Church of Rome but blaming his own wavering and unconstant temper in the matters of Religion and saying If he recovered he would embrace the Augustane Confession and live and dye in it He was a person of great Beauty of a generous and liberal Disposition a good Soldier just and fit for business but too
of which I have faitfully Transcribed them and the Letters are now in my Hands The History of this Council is so well described by Petro Soave Polano a Venetian which is in English that I need the less insist upon it but I shall however remark some few things from Thuanus and others for the Enlarging or Confirming the Credit of that History which is much cryed down by the Roman Catholicks as certainly they have good Reason to be offended with that Author who with so much Truth and Impartiality has discovered the Artifices of that Assembly for the keeping up the Grandeur of the Court of Rome and the Suppression and Baffling that Reformation which the most Learned of the Church of Rome then so much desired and panted after The Second Session was held the Twenty sixth of February in which a Decree pass'd against Reading Books suspected of Heresie and a safe Conduct and an Invitation was given to all that would come to the Council Seventeen Bishops were by Name appointed to bring in a Catalogue of such Books as were intended or thought fit to be Prohibited Polano observes that they carried this so high as to deprive Men of that Knowledge which was necessary to defend them from the Vsurpations of the Court of Rome by which means its Authority was maintained and made Great For the Books were Prohibited and Condemned in which the Authority of Princes and Temporal Magistrates is defended from the Vsurpations of the Clergy and of Councils and Bishops from the Vsurpations of the Court of Rome in which their Hypocrisies or Tyrannies are manifested by which the People under pretence of Religion are deceived In summ a better Mystery was never found out than to use Religion to make Men insensible However this may help to keep those in their Church which they now have it doth certainly by Experience render them very Contemptible to all others and unable to defend their Religion which is especially true of their Laity The Fourth of March the business of the Safe Conduct was dispatched in a Congregation and a Debate was raised and pursued with great Heat by the Spanish Bishops That Episcopacy was instituted by God without any Medium and that Residence and their Pastoral Deligence in feeding their Flock was of Divine Right which they desired might be Confirmed by the Decree of the Council But because this tended to the Establishing the Authority of the Bishops and the Abating that of the Pope his Holiness was much concern'd at it and having consulted the Cardinals about it they by common consent Delayed and by ambiguous Answers deluded the Fathers at Trent and at last totally baffled them in this Point The Second Session was appointed to be the Twelfth of April which was then prorogued to the Fourth of June and from thence to the Fifteenth of the same Month. In the mean time the King of France sent Lewis de Sanct Gelais Sieur de Lanssac Arnold de Ferrier Presiders of Paris and Guy du Faur Sieur de Pibrac his Ambassadors to the Council who arrived at Trent the Nineteenth of May. Lanssac soon after wrote a Letter to give an Account of their being come to the French Resident at Rome in which he said he thought they ought in the first Place to take care that an Event contrary to their Expectation might not attend the Council that the Pope should Order his Legates to shew great patience to those who spake proceed slowly in all things attend the Arrival of those Bishops who were coming and aâ—ow a Liberty without condition to all that were to Vote or Speak and not fall under the old Reproach of having the Holy Ghost sent them from Rome in a Portmanteau and lastly that they should take care that what was Decreed at Trent to the Glory of God should not be malignantly Interpreted and Traduced or it may be Corrupted at Rome by a Company of Idle Men He desired therefore he would endeavour to obtain these things of the Pope as he did but the Pope took this Liberty very ill and desired That no Prejudice might be done to his Authority by the French Bishops Adding That he reserved the Reformation of the Ecclâ—siastical Discipline and of the Court of Rome to himself and that he might with greater Convenience attend this and the Transactions at Trent he intended to go to Rononia The pretence of this Journey was the Crowning of the Emperor in that City who was said to be coming thither for that purpose But the reality was the Pope was afraid the World should think him more solicitous for the preservation of the Papal Power than for his Pastoral Cure. The Twentieth of May the French Ambassadors were admitted in a Congregation where they made an unacceptable Oration an abstract of which is in Polano Thuanus saith The Speech was made the Fourth of June and that amongst other things they desired That the Missals and Breviaries might be Reformed and the Lectures which were not taken out of the Holy Scriptures might be cut off That the Sacrament of the Lords Supper might be allowed in both Kinds according to the desire of many Nations And also the Liberty of eating Flesh and that the Severity of their Fasts might be abated That Marriage should be allowed to the Clergy of some Countries That the multitude of Humane Constitutions should be retrenched and Prayers in the Vulgar Tongue faithfully Translated mixed with the Latin Hymns Before this the Ambassador of the Duke of Bavaria had also demanded the giving of the Cup in the Lords Supper to the Laity as absolutely necessary for the Preserving those who had not yet separated themselves from the Communion of the Church of Rome but were much offended with this denial and for the Recovery of those who had lefâ— it And accordingly there were about Fifty of the most Learned of the Fathers of the Council who were for granting it and amongst them Gonzaga President of the Council though all his Collegues dislented But the Spanâ—sh Bishops opposed it and others thought it was fit first to send Legates into Germany who should see and report it to the Council whether it were necessary and how it might be done This was debated in a Congregation the Twenty eighth of August but in the Twenty second Session held the Seventeenth of September it was rejected and all were Anathematized That did not allow the Church to have taken away the Cup from the Laity c. upon just Grounds When the Germans still insisted that it might be granted again to some People the Council to free themselves from their importunity turned them over to the Pope who according to his Prudence was to do what he thought Useful and Salutary Before this the Pope being press'd to Grant the Cup by the French Ambassador about a Year since had referred it to the Conclave of Cardinals and they and he had referred it to the Council and now the
give in their Opinion of it 547. Cheregatus Franciscus Legate to P. Adrian at Nuremberg 57. Cities of the Empire complain against the Diet at Normiberg 65. and in the Diet of Spire against the Decree of Wormes 103. They complain against Mendicant Friars 104. Immunities of the Clergy Ibid. And against Holy daies Ibid. Cities for the Reformed Religion Protest against the Decree of Spire 120. Are for acknowledging Ferdinand King of the Romans 151. Some Cities quarrel at the Taxes laid at Coblentz to carry on the War at Munster 198. Catholick Cities complain that they are Excluded from the Princes Councils at Ratisbon 282. Some Cities refuse at Spire to grant subsidies against the French 326. They refuse to submit to the Council of Trent at Augsbourg 440. Clareback Adolph Burnt at Cologne for Religion 121. Clement the V. inserts into the Canon-Law that Emperors are Subject to the Pope 38. Clement the VII succedes to Adrian 66. Sends Cardinal Campegio to the Diet at Nuremberg Ibid. Writes to D. Frederick of Saxony Ibid. Sends a Golden Rose to Henry the VIII of England 75. Writes to the Parliament of Paris 97. Enters into a League with Charles the V. 105. Writes expostulatory Letters to him 106. Writes to the King of Poland to be ready to send Deputies to a General Council 142. Sends a Legate to the Duke of Saxony 162. His Legate's Speech to the Duke of Saxony Ibid. Goes to Marseilles to meet Francis 168. Marries his Neice Catharine de Medicis to his Son Henry Ibid. Dies 174. Cleve Duke of Cleve sues to the Emperor for Guelderland 266. His Treaty with the French King 277. Marries the Queen of Navarre's Daughter Ibid. Retakes Duren 304. A Pacification Attempted between him and the Emperor 307. Submits to the Emperor 315. Renounces his League with France and demands his Wife 316. Intercedes with the Arch-Bishop of Cologne to lay down his Bishoprick 418. Coblentz a Town in the Bishoprick of Triers upon the Confluence of the Rhine and the Moselle 13. Some Princes meet there to quiet the Stirs of Munster 197. Cologne Vniversity Condemns Luther's Writing 27. Condemn and burn Reuchlin's Book 30. The Elector of Cologne Herman calls a Provincial Council 209. Endeavours a Reformation 310. Confers with Bucer Ibid. Oppos'd by the Clergy 311. Who Publish their Anti-Didagma Ibid. And oppose Bucer Ibid. The Bishop Mediates for the Duke of Cleve 313. The Clergy plead against their Arch-Bishop 340. They appeal to the Pope and Emperor Ibid. The Arch-Bishop Answers their appeal Ibid. They Subscribe the Appeal 341. The Arch-Bishop is cited by the Emperor and the Pope 351. Answers to his Citation to the Emperor 352. Appeals to a Council 411. The Arch-Bishop is deposed by the Pope 417. He is Perswaded to resign his Bishoprick 418. Vide Adolph Count Schauwenbourg Herman the Old Bishop dies 573. Conclave The Ceremonies there practised in the choosing of Popes 489. Confederate Princes against Charles the V. propose conditions to him 109. Vide Maurice Consecrations of all Sorts Bells Churches Altars c. 481 482. Constance Council decreed a Pope subject to a Council 9. That safe Conducts should be Null to declared Hereticks 47. That the Laity should Communicate in one Kind Ibid. The Bishop of Constance Hugh opposes Zuinglius 51. Sends a Book about Images to the Senate at Zurich 72. They abolish Popery 112. They send Deputies with humble Submission to the Emperor 469. Their Bishop dies of an Apoplexy Ibid. They repulse the Spaniards who would seize the Town 470. Vpon their being proscribed they desire the Switzers to intercede for them 471. They surrender intirely to the House of Austria 474. The Conditions upon which K. Ferdinand receives them ibid. Contarini Card. the Pope's Legate at Ratisbon his Opinion at the Diet 279. His Exhortation to the Bishops 280. His Speech is communicated to the States ibid. He gives in other Papers to the Diet 281. Protests by Letter against a National Council 282. Accused to the Pope and dies 299. Cosimo succeeds Alexander de Medicis in the Dutchy of Florence 210. Marries Eleanor Daughter to the Viceroy of Naples ibid. Cosmus vide Cosimo Coyre Bishop of Coyre recalled by the Grisons from the Council of Trent 529. Cranmer Tho. A. B. of Canterbury calls Bucer and Fagius into England 479. Vindicates himself from the aspersions of the Papists 590. Is sent to the Tower ibid. Burnt at Oxford ibid. Crescentio Cardinal the Pope's Legate at the Council of Trent 518. Dies at Verona 548. Falls sick with seeing an Apparition of a Black Dog ibid. Cronberg Walter Grand Master of the Teutonick Order 99. Sollicites Char. V. for aid against Albert the late Grand Master 139. VVhich was granted ibid. The Emperor in the Diet of Ratisbon ratifies Cronberg's Title 161. Cusanus Nicolaus Cardinal vide Sigismund D DEcius Philip writes for the Council of Pisa 27. Denmark vide Christiern K. of Denmark sent no aid to the Protestants 415. His Ambassador intercedes for the Landgrave 534. Deux-Ponts vide Wolfgang D. of Deux-Ponts Diazi John goes to the Conference at Ratisbon 365. Is earnestly perswaded by Malvenda to turn Papist 366. And by his Brother Alfonso Diazi ibid. Goes to Newbourg ibid. Is Assassinated there 367. The Ruffians fled to Inspruck ibid. Ditlebius Valentine his Letter to Frederick 33. Doria Andrew a Genoese Char. V's Admiral restores Liberty to his Country 416. His Kinsman Joannin Doria is killed in an Insurrection ibid. Dragut a Pirate forced from Tripoly by Char. V. flies to Constantinople 500. E EBleben Christopher Negotiates a Peace for the Landgrave 430. Dies for Grief that the Conditions were so treachersouly kept 434. Eckius John Writes against Luther 3. Disputes with him at Leipzick 21. Maintains the Pope's Supremacy against him 22. Exasperates the Quarrel 24. 34. Disputes at Baden with Oecolampadius 105. Disputes with Leonard Caesar 110. Answers the Augustan Confession 130. Answers the Confession of the Confederate Cities 139. Is rewarded for his zeal in oppugning Heresie Ibid. Is displeased with the Book which was presented to the Diet at Ratisbon 278. Writes to the Princes against the Collocutors 282. Eckius a Lawyer draws up Luther's charge at Wormes 42. Questions him if he will defend his Books Ibid. Replies to Luther's Plea 44. Commands him to leave Wormes 46. Edward VI. of England born 232. Succeeds his Father 418. Beats the Scots by the D. of Somerset 440. Establishes the Reformation in England 443. Publishes a Declaration about the War in Scotland 454. The Mass is abolished in England 463. The Admiral the D. of Somerset's Brother is Beheaded for Treason 479. Troubles in his Reign 485. Concludes a Treaty of Peace with France 492. And a Peace concluded 495. Bologne Restored to the French ibid. He dies 585. Egmont Charles Count dies 240. Eldo Mathias Vice-Chancellor to Char. V. sent Ambassador to the German Princes 212. His Speech to them at Smalcald 213. His Reply ex Tempore to their Answer 218. He sollicites
several Towns for the Protestants 388. Routed by Duke Maurice 504. Taken into the service of Duke Maurice Assists the Magdeburghers 514. Henry the VII Emperor refuses to pay Allegiance to the Pope 38. Henry the VIII Writes against Luther 50. Is called defender of the Faith Ibid. Is Pensioner to Charles the V. 51. His Daughter Mary is Betrothed to Charles Ibid. Writes to the Princes of the House of Saxony against Luther 65. Receives a Golden Rose from the Pope 75. Writes a Scornful answer to Luther's Letter 101. Makes a League with France in the absence of King Francis 102. Makes a League with Francis against Charles 112. His answer to the Protestant Princes of Germany 150. Is dissatisfied about his Marriage with Catharine 169. Sues to be Divorced Ibid. They are Dilatory at Rome Ibid. He Marries Anne Boleyn 170. Is declared in Parliament head of the Church Ibid. Revokes Peter Pence Ibid. Sends Fox Bishop of Hereford Ambassador to the Protestants at Smalcald 188. His Ambassadors winter at Wittemberg 205. His Letter to the Protestants Ibid. He beheads Anne Boleyn 206. Quells a rising in England 209. His Reasons against the Council of Mantua 231. His Reasons against the Council at Vicenza 250. He enacts in Parliament several things about Religion 251. Marries Anne of Cleve Ibid. His Answer to the Elector of Saxony's Ambassador 255. Beheads romwel Earl of Essex 267. Is divorced from Anne of Cleve Ibid. Marries Catharine Howard Ibid. Burns Papists and Protestants for Religion 269. Beheads Catharine Howard for Adultery 289. Marries Catharine Parr Ibid. Makes a successful War in Scotland 324. He makes an Expedition into France 327. Takes Bologne Ibid. Makes a Treaty of Peace with France 355. Forewarns the Protestants in Germany of their danger 356. Dies 418. Henry of Zutphen suffers for Religion in Germany 75. Henry Duke of Saxony refuses to change his Religion to gain the Dutchy 249. But gains it by George's Death 250. Henry Dauphin of France has a Daughter 382. Henry the II. of France succeeds to Francis the I. 424. Is Crowned 435. The Ceremony of it Ibid. Persecutes the Lutherans severely in France 456. Enters Paris in State 484. Crowns his Queen Ibid. Persecutes the Lutherans Ibid. Makes a League with the Switzers Ibid. Regains several Places from England 485. Publishes another Edict against the Lutherans 492. Sends a Letter to the Pope about his assisting Octavio Farnese 514. He declares War against the Emperor with his reasons 517. Justifies himself from Leagues with the Turk 518. Sends the Abbot of Bellozane to Trent with a Letter to the Council Ibid. He Publishes an Edict against the Pope 521. And another against the Lutherans Ibid. Answers the Emperors Declaration 522. Hinders the Switzers from sending Ambassadors to the Council of Trent 528. He sends Ambassadors to Duke Maurice 529. Makes Peace with the Pope 548. He declares War against the Emperor 553. Calls himself Protector of the Liberties of Germany 554. He takes Toul Verdun Metz 555. Takes an Oath of Allegiance from the People of Metz Ibid. His Treaty with the Strasburghers 557. His answer to the Princes Ambassadors 558. The reasons of his leaving Germany 559. His answer to the Switzers Ibid. He Wastes Luxembourg 563. His Ambassadors Speech at the Treaty of Passaw 564. He Sollicites again by Letters from Aichstadt 567. He brings his Men from Luxembourg back into Artois 571. Is offended with the Pacification at Passaw 572. Writes to the Emperor 576. Sends a Declartion to the States of the Empire 577. Carries on the War in the Low Countries 603. But is beaten in Tuscany in the Sienese War 604. His Letter to the Diet at Francfort Ibid. Takes Casal 613. Carries on the War into Montferrat 617. Hereford vide Fox Herman vide Cologne Hesse vide Philip Landgrave Hildesheym a City in the Dutchy of Brunswick embraces the Protestant Religion 300. they are accused by their Bishop to the Emperor 313. Hogostratus James a Dominican writes against Luther 4. Commissioned by Maximilian to Examine Jewish Books 30. Writes against Reuchlin Ibid. Is cast by the Bishop of Spire Ibid. Appeals to Rome Ibid. Leaves his Cause Ibid. Examines two Augustine Friars at Brussels 63. Holland an Inundation there 137. Hooper John Bishop of Glocester burnt for his Religion 607. Huberine Caspar an Interimist Preaches at Augsbourg 535. Hugh Capet makes himself King of France 150. Huglie John a Protestant burnt for Religion by the Bishop of Constance 105. Hungarians beg for assistance at the Diet of Spire 324. Their Horse join Duke Maurice 409. Husse John Preaches Wiclef's Doctrine 46. Appeals from the Pope to Christ Ibid. Went to the Council of Constance with safe Conduct 47. There burnt Ibid. Hutton Ulricus a Noble Man of Franconia 65. Favours Luther and dies Ibid. I JAmes the V. of Scotland Marries King Francis's Daughter 209. His Queen dies 230. Makes a War with England unsuccessfully 304. Dies Ibid. Jerome Bishop of Brandenbourg 2. Jerome of Prague burnt at the Council of Constance 47. Jerome Bishop of Ascoli summons Luther by P. Leo's Order to appear at Rome 5. Jews compared with Roman Clergy 29. Illyricus Matthias Flaccius Writes against the Adiaphorists 498. Imperial Chamber Vide Protestants is set up again in the Diet at Augsbourg 466. The Judges fly from Spire for fear of the Confederate Princes 557. They answer Marquess Albert's Deputation about the Franconian Bishops 577. They decree in Favour of the Bishops 578. Indulgences Preacht up in Germany 1 2. Confirmed by Pope Clement's Decree in the Extravagants 9. Why granted 273. Indult vide P. Paul the III. P. Innocent the III. Decreed to the Electoral Princes a right of chusing the Emperor 21. His decree de Majoritate Obedientia 107. Inquisition its Original 434. Inquisitors about the Emperor's Edict of Religion in the Netherlands how they proceed 498. Interim drawn up at Augsbourg 454. The heads of it 458. Often Revised and Corrected 459. Sent to Rome ibid. The Electors differ in their Opinion about it ibid. Those who draw it up are rewarded 468. It is disliked on both sides Ibid. Confuted by the Saxon Divines 481. Joachim Elector of Brandenbourg sends an Embassie to the Elector of Saxony 242. Sends Agents to Eysenach 244. Made Geneali ssimo against the Turks 292. He Strikes in with the Papists in the War against the Smalcaldick League 375. Interposes for a Peace 418. With the Landgrave Ibid. Intereedes for Saxony 427. And his Life was spared at his Intercession 428. Intercedes for the Landgrave 429. Remonstrates to the Emperor for him at Hall 433. Calls Bucer to Augsbourg 454. Angry with him for not subscribing the Interim 457. Receives the Interim 461. Acts with Duke Maurice in the Magdeburgick War 505 506. He sends Ambassadors to the Conncil of Trent 526. His Ambassadors with those of D. Maurice Sollicite the Emperor about the Landgrave 531. John XXII P. vide Aquinas John King of Denmark overthrows the Swedes 62. Dying leaves his Son
Danube 12. Lions Nine Persons burnt there for Heresy 587. De Lire is sent to the Landgrave with Conditions 442. Locusts in Germany 298. Lorrain's Cardinals of Harangue to the Pope about a Council 443. Lovain Divines rail at Luther 21. Condemn his Writings 27. Censure them publickly 31. They Propose Articles against the Reformation which the Emperor Ratified 343. Lubeckers make War against Christian K. of Denmark Son to Frederick 203. Lucern one of the Swisse-Cantons vide Switzers They study to introduce the Reformation there but in vain 618. Luther Martin Preaches against Indulgences at Wittemberg in 1517. 2. Writes Octob. 31. to Albert Bishop of Mentz and Magdebourg against it Ibid. Publishes 95 Theses against Indulgences Purgatory c. Ibid. Sends an Explication of them to the Bishop of Brandenbourg and to Stupitz Ibid. Vindicates himself to Pope Leo Ibid. Answers Eckius 3. Answers Prierias's Dialogue ibid. Rejoyns upon Silvester's reply 4. Answers Hogostratus Ibid. Desires that his Cause may be heard in Germany 6. Is urged to retract his Theses by Cajetan at Augsbourg 7. Submits to the Pope but refuses to recant Ibid. Referrs himself to the Judgment of the German Vniversities with that of Paris Ibid. Gives his Opinion in Writing to Cajetan 8. Goes from Augsbourg two days after Ibid. And Writes to Cajetan when he went away to excuse himself Ibid. Appeals from the Pope not rightly informed to his Determination after full Information 9. Luther Answers Frederick's Letter excusing his Retreat from Augsbourg 11. He appeals from the Pope to a General Council 12. He Writes Submissively to Pope Leo 13. Goes to Leipzick to Dispute 21. Opposes the Popes Supremacy against Eckius 22. Writes Submissively to the Pope at Miltitz's desire 23. His Character of the Court of Rome 24. Makes Proposals for Peace Ibid. Writes a Book of Christian Liberty 25. Another called Tessaradicus Ibid. And about confession and Vows Ibid. And Communion in both kinds Ibid. He anwsers the Lovain and Cologne Divines 27. He Writes to Charles V. 31. And to the States of the Empire Ibid. And Submissively to the Bishop of Mentz 32. And to the Bishop of Mersburgh 33. Opposes the Popes Bull and appeals to a General Council 36. Writes about the Babylonish Captivity Ibid. Condemns the Doctrine of the seven Sacraments Ib. Writes against the Popes Bull Ibid. His Books burnt by the Popes Messengers to Frederick 39. He burns the Canon-Law and the Popes Bull Ibid. His reasons for it Ibid 40. Answers Ambrosius Catharinus 40. Promises to appear at Wormes in a Letter to Frederick 41. Is put into the Bull de Coena Domini 42. Turns it into High-Dutch and writes Animadversions Ibid. Goes to Wormes ibid. Is disswaded from it Ibid. To no Purpose Ibid. Owns his Books ibid. Takes time to consider of his defence ibid. has a day allowed ibid. Pleads to his Accusation before the Emperor and States 43. Answers Eckiu's Returns upon his Plea 44. Meets Commissioners who were to hear him privately ibid. His Answer to the Commissioners 45. Parlies with them 46. Submits to the next General Council ibid. Goes home from Wormes ibid. Writes to the Emperor for Protection upon the Road ibid. And to the States ibid. Drolls in his Answer to the Parisian Censure of his Books 47. Writes Letters to strengthen his Friends in his Retirement 49. And Books against the Mass and Monastick Vows and one against Latomus ibid. Answers Henry the VIII sharply 50. Returns to Wittemberg 51. Excuses it to Frederick ibid. Disapproves the taking down of Images 52. He writes to the Bohemians to perswade them to Unity 53. Writes against false Bishops ibid. Calls himself Preacher of the Gospel ibid. Refuses to stand to the Determination of any under God 54. Translates Adrian's Instructions to the Diet with Remarks 60. Interprets the Decree of the Diet at Nuremberg 64. And adds thereto a Discourse against Private Masses 65. Admonishes the Princes of Germany 75. Writes de Servo Arbitrio against Erasmus ibid. Warns the Saxons of Muncer 86. Writes a Book to prevent Sedition ibid. His Answer to the Demands of the Boors in Schwabia 90. His Monitory Epistle to the Princes and Nobility 94. His General Epistle to Nobility and Boors 95. His Alarm against the Boors 96. Censured as too sharp ibid. He defends it afterwards ibid. Writes against Caralostadius about the Eucharist 97. Vndertakes his Protection upon his Submission ibid. Marries a Num ibid. Differs with Zuinglius about the Eucharist ibid. Writes submissively to Henry VIII 100. And to George D. of Saxony 101. Complains of K. Henry's Answer 102. Has a Conference with Zuinglius at Marpurgh 121. Writes to the Bishops at the Diet of Augsbourg 140. Comforts Melancthon ibid. He defends the League of Smalcald 148. He perswades the Leipzickers to continue Protestants 168. He justifies himself from the Charge of Rebellion ibid. Quarrels with Erasmus 170. Writes against the Anabaptists at Munster 199. Wrote against the Draught of a Reformation published by the Delegate Cardinals 238. VVrites against the Antinomians 244. Preaches at Leipzick 250. He publishes a Book about the Authority of Councils ibid. He writes against the D. of Brunswick 272. He Installs Amstorfius 288. VVrites against Phlugius ib. VVrites a Camp Sermon for those who went against the Turks 292. His Opinion about Magistracy 293. His second Camp Sermon 294. His Prayer against the rage of the Turks 295. He writes about the Sacrament 340. Answers what the Lovain Doctors wrote against the Reformation 343. Publishes a Book against the Roman Hierarchy 349. His Theses about Government ib. His Ludicrous Pictures about the Pope ibid. VVrites to disswade the Protestants from Releasing the D. of Brunswick 354. He goes to Isleben to be an Arbitrator between the Counts Mansfield 362. Falls sick ibid. His Prayers 363. Dies ibid. Is buried at Wittemberg ibid. His Life ibid. His Skill in the German Language ibid. His undaunted courage ibid. M. MAgdebourg refuses to submit to the Emperor 434. Is Proscribed 436. In great distress upon that account 485. They publish a Manifesto 486. Another Manifesto of theirs 496. They are by the D. of Mecklenbourg 500. Conditions are proposed to them 501. They publish a third Declaration ibid. They Sally out briskly upon Maurice 502. They answer the Deputation of their own States 502. They overcome D. Maurice in a Sally and take the D. of Mecklenbourg Prisoner 505. They are sollicited to surrender 506. The Declaration of the States and Clergy against them ibid. Their Answer to it 508. A Mutiny in the Town 515. They accept of a Peace 528. Their Preachers Vindicate themselves to D. Maurice 529. They get credit by their constancy ibid. Malvenda opens the Conference at Ratisbon 359. Treats of Justification ibid. Answers Bucer ibid. Mantua a Council called to meet there by P. Paul III. 207. The D. of Mantua demanded a Garrison before the Council should sit 230. Marcellus II. chosen Pope 615. Dies after a Reign of 22
days ibid. Marot Clement an account of him 310. Mary Q. of Hungary made Governess of the Netherlands 149. Goes to Augsbourg to Mediate for the mitigation of the Emperors Edict 501. Holds a Convention of the States of the Netherlands at Aix la Chapelle 560. She stops the Landgrave at Mastricht 573. Mary Q. of Scots Troubles in her Minority 316. Affianced to Prince Edward of England ibid. Is carried into France 477. Mary Daughter to Henry VIII Proclaims her self Queen of England upon K. Edward's death 589. Enters London ibid. Makes Gardiner Chancellor ibid. Beheads the D. of Northumberland ibid. She Establishes the Popish Religion again in England 591. Orders a publick Disputation at London 593. Dissolves K. Edward's Laws about Religion in Parliament 595. Marries Pr. Philip of Spain ibid. Breaks Wiat's Conspiracy 596. Beheads Jane Grey and the Duke of the Suffolk ibid. Banishes Foreign Protestants out of England 597. Publishes a Book of Articles about Religion ibid. Commits the Princess Ellizabeth to the Tower 598. Her Marriage with K. Philip is solemnized with great splendor 604. Calls a Parliament wherein England is again subjected to Rome 605 606. Dissolves that Parliament 607. Burns several for Religion ibid. She mediates a Peace between the Emperor and King of France 616. It was reported that she was with Child ibid. She encreases the Persecution in England ibid. Her Ambassadors return home from Rome 618. She calls a Parliament where she proposes the Restitution of the Church-Lands in vain 627. Martyr Peter comes into England and professes Divinity at Oxon 443. Disputes there about the Lord's Supper 483. Is in trouble upon Edward's Death 590. Applies himself to Cranmer ibid. Gets leave to be gone Ibid. Goes to Zurich 637. Matthews John a great Prophet among the Anabaptists commands a Community of Goods 194. Runs Truteling through with a Pike by Inspiration ibid. Is run through himself by a Soldier ibid. Maurice D. of Saxony Marries the Landgrave's Daughter 272. Quarrels with the Elector of Saxony 292. Is wounded in Hungary 304. Refuses to enter into the Protestant League after his Father's death ibid. Makes Laws for the Government of the Country 311. Endeavours an accommodation between the D. of Brunswick and the Landgrave 353. Perswades the D. of Brunswick to surrender 354. Purges himself of Treachery ibid. Holds a Secret Conference with the Emperor at Ratisbon 380. Has a Conference with K. Ferdinand 391. Calls a Convention of the States at Chemnitz 405. Consults against the Protestants ibid. His Friends write to the Protestants 406. He writes to the Landgrave ibid. Writes to the Elector 409. And to his Son ibid. Takes most of the Electors Towns ibid. Is ill spoken of and Lampoon'd by the Protestants 410. Publishes a Manifesto to clear himself ibid. Joins Ferdinand to go towards Bohemia 423. Intercedes for the Landgrave 429. Writes to the Landgrave to comply 430. Receives Wittemberg with the rest of the Electorate from the Emperor 431. Exacts an Oath of Allegiance of John Frederick's Subjects ibid. Promises the Landgrave to interceed with the Emperor at Hall 433. And Remonstrates about it ibid. Receives the Wittemberg Divines Graciously 435. He is invested in the Electorate Solemnly at Augsbourg 457. Calls a Convention at Meissen who draw up a Form of Religion for Saxony 478. Intercedes with Prince Philip for the Landgrave ibid. Writes to the States to clear himself from the imputation of Popery 484. His Deputies at Augsbourg protest against the Council of Trent 499. He engages in the Expedition against the Magdebourghers 502. He is made Generalissimo of that War 503. He attacks the Magdebourghers 504. Defeats Heideck and Mansfeldt ibid. He promises the Landgrave Aid secretly 505. Routed in a Sally by the Magdebourghers ibid. Proposes Conditions of Peace to the Town 515. Commands his Divines to draw up a Confession of their Faith ibid. Demands a safe Conduct for his Divines to go to the Council of Trent 516. Sends the Proposals to the Magdebourghers by Heideck 521. He holds a Convention about the business of Magdebourg 525. He takes an Oath of Fidelity from the men of atzenelbogen 526. He concludes a Peace with the City of Magdebourg 528. Complains of the Preachers ibid. Hatches a War against the Emperor 529. Sends Ambassadors to the Emperor about the Landgrave 531. He holds a Conference with Prince William the Landgrave's Son 534. His Ambassadors come to Trent and declare their Instructions 537. They join with the Agents of Wirtemberg and Strasburg to sollicite for the hearing of the Protestants in the Council ibid. The Saxon Divines are upon their way to come to the Council 541. The Ambassadors complain against Perlargus ibid. Maurice sends Letters to his Ambassadors 542. They leave Trent secretly ibid. His care for the release of the Landgrave 549. He declares War against the Emperor 550. Takes the Field and joins with Marq. Albert 555. He goes with the other Princes and besieges Ulm 556. Treats with Ferdinand of Conditions of Peace ibid. Writes to the French King 558. His Army Skirmishes with the Imperialists 559. A Mutiny in his Camp for want of Pay ibid. His Soldiers make the Emperor fly from Inspruck 560. Which is Plundered ibid. They Publish a Declaration ibid. He restores the Outed Ministers ibid. His Grievances at the Treaty of Passaw 563. His Proposals at the Treaty 566. He is impatient of delay and hastens Ferdinand 568. He returns to the Confederates 569. Besieges Francfort ibid. At last he accepts a Peace 571. Sends his Forces into Hungary 573. Sends Commissioners to treat with John Frederick's Commissioners to no purpose 577. Went to Heidelberg to mediate between Albert and the Bishops 578. Makes a League with the D. of Brunswick ibid. Declares War against Marq. Albert 581. He overcomes Albert and is killed in the Fight 586. His Death foretold by Prodigies ibid. Maximilian Emperor holds a Diet at Augsbourg 4. Writes in August 1518. to Pope Leo to correct Luther and to put an end to his growing Heresies 5. Dies Jan. 12. 1519. 13. Sends Ambassadors to the Council of Pisa 26. Goes off to Pope Julius 27. Sends Langus to the Lateran Council ibid. Commissions Hogostrate and Reuchlin to examine Jewish Books 30. Wars with the Switzers 469. Maximilian Son to Ferdinand comes into Germany out of Spain 505. Is well beloved ibid. He returns home from Spain 529. Is honourably received at Trent 535. Goes to Brussels 637. Mecklenbourg vide George D. of Mecklenbourg Mechlin almost consumed by Lightning 392. Medices the rise of that Family to Greatness 169. Meinier President of the Parliament of Aix persecutes the Waldenses 345. Vses the Inhabitants of Merindol and Cabriers barbarously 345 346. Meissen John Bishop of Meissen Opposes Luther about Communion in both kinds 25. Melancthon Philip comes to Wittemberg 21. Goes to Leipzick ib. Answers the Parisian Censure of Luther's Books 47. Comes to the Diet at Augsbourg 127. One of the Protestant Deputies there to mediate an
the Emperor 204. Appointed of the Committee to draw up a Bull for the calling of a Council ibid. His Speech at Wormes 272. Talks with Spira at Padua 475. Turns Protestant 476. Perswades his Diocess of Justinople to joyn with him ibid. Being Persecuted settles in the Valteline 477. And thence removes to Tubing ibid. Writes a Book to disswad the Switzers from sending to the Council of Trent 528. Vey a Lawyer of Baden speaks to Luther from the Commissioners at Wormes 45. Exhorts him to submit his Books to the Emperor and Princes 46. Vienna vide Solyman Visconti Dukes of Milan their Pedigree 203. Ulm receives the Protestant Religion and a Church is constituted there 149. Is reconciled to the Emperor and fined 413. A Diet called thither 428. What was done at it 431. Adjourned to Augsbourg 432. The Government changed by the Emperor 472. Their Divines refuse with great Courage to acknowledge the Doctrine of the Interim ibid. Their Ministers are released 479. Their answer to Albert's Proposals 563. Ulric Duke of Wirtemberg claims his Country 79. Is repulsed by the Schwabian Confederates 80. Is restored into it by the Landgrave of Hesse 173. Engages to be Feudatary to Ferdinand ibid. And recovers his Country entirely 174. He acknowledges himself Feudatary to Ferdinand 180. Is admitted into the Protestant League 206. Excuses himself by Letter to King Francis 249. He with Vpper Germany first takes Arms 380. Writes Supplicatory Letters to the Emperor 413. Is received upon hard Conditions 415. He makes his Submission to the Emperor in Person at Ulm 421. Receives the Interim 462. Dies 502. Vogelsberg Sebastian raises Men in Germany for Henry King of France 434. Is beheaded at Augsbourg for it 456. W. WAradin George Martinhausen Bishop of made a Cardinal 528. Is killed for Commotions in Transylvania 535. Waldenses Persecuted 345. Barbarously Massacred at Merindol 346. Their Opinions 347. Wenceslaus Emperor intercedes for Husse 46. Wiat Sir Thomas rises in Kent upon Queen Mary's Marrying King Philip 594. Is suppressed 596. Executed 598. Wiclef John Preached against the Pope in England 46. His Bones ordered to be Burnt by the Council of Constance 47. William vide Bavaria Winchester Stephen Gardiner Bishop of he writes a Reproachful Book against Bucer 340. Is Imprisoned for Obstinacy 511. Made Lord Chancellor by Queen Mary 589. An account of his Proceedings in the Divorce of Henry VIII ibid. He dies of a Dropsie 627. Wirtemberg vide Ulric and Christopher Wittemberg a City of Saxony upon the Elbe and an Vniversity 2. Connives at Luther ibid. They write to Pope Leo in his behalf 6. And to Miltitz that he might be tried in Germany ibid. And to Frederick in excuse of Luther's proceedings against Cajetan 12. The Vniversity abett the Augustines in not saying Mass 49. Their Reply to Frederick about that Matter 50. Wolfgang made Grand Master of Prussia 324. His Plea at the Diet of Augsbourg about the Teutonic Order 447. Is driven out of his Country 571. Wolfgang D. of Deux-Ponts absolutely refuses the Interim 480. Yet promises to obey the Emperor as far as he could 481. Wolsey dies for Discontent 170. Wormes a Diet called thither 38. It is opened 41. Luther Proscribed by an Edict there 48. A Diet called to punish the Anabaptists 200. Another Diet called there 201. A Convention cited thither 268. The Heads of the Conference at Wormes 271. A Diet there 343. Z. ZIsca John raises a War in Bohemia against Sigismund in revenge of Husse's death 47. Zuinglius Ulricus comes to Zurick 22. Opposes Friar Samson about Indulgences ibid. Disswades the Switzers from serving abroad in the Wars 48. Defends himself against the Bishop of Constance 51. Writes to the Switzers to allow Marriage among their Priests ibid. Disputes with John Faber in the Assembly at Zurick 57. Acquits himself of the Accusation of the States 66. Preaches up the abrogation of Images ibid. Differs with Luther about the Sacrament 97. Would not go to the Conference at Baden 105. Disputes at Bern 111. Disputes with Luther at Marpurg 121. Is killed 156. Zurick vide Zuinglius They refuse to serve abroad at Zuinglius's desire 48. They est ablish the Reformation 57. They Answer the Remonstrance of the other Cantons 70. And the Bishop of Constance's Book abort Images 72. They remove Images 76. They Expostulate with the other Cantens about the seizing of their Ministers 77. The Mass abolished there 82. They stop Provisions from the other Cantons 155. They are routed in Battle 156. And so a second time ibid. And at last conclude a Peace ibid. The Ministers of Zurick answer Gardiner's Book 340. A TABLE TO THE CONTINUATION A. ALbert Marquess of Brandenburg dies 13. Alva's War on the Pope 9. He goes to Rome 11. The Emperor's Ambassadors to the Electoral Princes to carry his Resignation 6. Dr. Woton English Ambassador in France 14. Between France and King Philip at Peronne 19. At Cambray 22. In France 27. To the Diet of Germany 28. The Popes Ambassadors to the Christian Princes and to the Council 49 62. Admitted by the Princes of Germany of the Augustane confession 63. Refused by Queen Elizabeth 64. His Legates to Trent French Ambassadors to the Council of Trent 87. The Ambassador of Spain received 91. Lansac Ambassador for France at Rome 94. The French Ambassadors protest against the Council 95. And go to Venice 96. Andelot Marshal of France loseth the favour of his Prince 19. Suspected to be in the conspiracy of Bloys 43. Sent for Succours into Germany 78. Is in the battle of Dreux 80. Defends Orleans 82. The Archbishop of Toledo suspected of Heresie 48. An Assembly of the great Men of France at Fountainbleau 44. Of the three Estates decreed 46. Opened at Orleans 51. Prorogued 52. Reassembled at Pont Oyse 58. An Assembly of the Delegates of France 68. B BAbotz a Town in Hungary besieged 5. The battle of St. Quintin 15. Of Graveling 20. Of Dreux 80. The Bavarians demand the Cup and the Marriage of their Clergy in a Tumult 97. Bellay Jean Cardinal Dies 50. The Bible sufficient alone to determine the controversies of Religion 60. Books prohibited and why 86. Bona Sfortia Queen of Poland dies Du Bourg Anna a member of the Parliament of Paris offends the King 31. Is Prosecuted 32. Condemned and Executed 34. C CAlais its Form and Strength 17. Siege and taking from the English 18. Profered to the Queen 41. Catharine de Medicis Queen Dowager of France made Regent 33. She preserves Conde and Navar 47. She shews great favour to the Protestants but yet underhand opposed them 56. Suspecteâ—h the Nobility 57. Excuseth the conference of Poissy 60. Dissembles the Rudeness of Laines 61. Solicited to begin a Persecution by the Spaniards 65. She prohibits the worship of Images 69. She puts her self and her Son under the Protection of the Prince of Conde 72. Yet out of fear joyns with the Catholick Lords 72. And betrays Conde 73. She pretends she is at
with those of Zurich about Religion The Answer of the Senate of Zurich The Bishop of Constance's Book to those of Zurich Their Answer to it Images abolished at Zurich The Recess or Decree of the Dyet of Norimberg The Bishop Strasburg's Complaint to Cardinal Campegius The Senate's Justification Campegius's Plea with the Deputies of Strasburg The Resolution of some Catholicks at Ratisbone The Regulations for Reformation of the Clergy Luther's Admonition to the Princes of Germany The Pope sends a Golden Rose to the King of England Erasmus his Book of Free-will Henry of Zutphen suffers The Duke of Bourbonne Besieges Marseilles An Insurrection of the Boors Complaints of the Popish Clergy against the Senate of Strasburg 1525. Oecolampadius preaches at Basil A Tumult at Zurich The Zurichers expostulate with the rest of the Cantons The Senate of Strasburg gives an Answer to the Council of the Empire The Apology of the Ministers of Strasburg The French King made Prisoner Vlrick Duke of Wertemberg in vain attempts to recover his Country The Boors take the Field The Boors worsted The Boors Army in Algow dispersed The Cruelty of some Boors at Winsperg An Insurrection of the Boors also in Lorrain And 18000 of them are slain Another Slaughter of the Boors at Wormes Geismeier the General of the Boors assassinated A Sedition in Cologn The number of those that were killed The Princes and Cities ingaged in the Schwabian League Mass abolished at Zurich Muncer a great Sectarian Muncer preaching at Mulhausen got new Magistrates created and the Monks ejected whose Monasteries he and others took possession of Phifer Muncer's Companion and his enthusiastick Pretences Frederick Elector of Saxony dies The Princes Forces against the Boors Muncer's seditious Speech A Consternation in Muncer's Camp. The Speech of the Langrave of Hesse to his Soldiers The Princes Army overcome the Muncerianâ— Muncer taken His Discourse to the Princes His unseasonable laughing upon the Rack Luther advises to have a care of Muncer He published a Book dehorting the Boors from Sedition The Boors Demands Luther's Answer to the Grievances of the Boors Luther's Monitory to the Princes and Nobility Luther's common Epistle to the Nobles and Boors Luther sends an Allarm against the Boors The Emperour's Letters for calling the Dyet of Auâ—burg Carolostadius his Exposition of This is my Body Luther marries a Nun. Zuinglius differs from Luther about the Lord's Supper Pope Clement's Letters to the Parliament of Paris The Sorbonists persecute James Fevre The French King writes in his behalf A Change in Prusia The Original of the Teutonick Order The Master of Prusia deserts the Empire Is made Duke and imbraces the Reformed Religion Luther writes to the King of England Luther writes also to George Duke of Saxony The King of England's sharp Answer to Luther A League betwixt France and England Luther's Complaint of the King of England The French King sick in Prison 1526. The Treaty of Peace at Madrid betwixt the Emperor and French King. The French King leaving his two Sons Hostages is set at liberty The Dyet of Spire The Emperour's Letter to the States of the Empire about observing the Decree of Wormes The Turks invade Hungary The Judgment of some Cities in the Dyet of Worraes A Complaint of some Cities of Germany against Mendicant Fryers Against the Immunities of the Clergy Against Holydays A Dissention among the States at Spire about Religion The decree of Spire concerning Religion The beginning of a League among those of the reformed Religion Lewis King of Hungary slain The Marriage of Charles V. A Disputation at Baden The Points disputed The Issue of the Disputation John Huglie a Priest burnt for Religion The League of the Pope French and Veretians against the Emperour The Pope's expostulatory Letter to the Emperor The Emperour's Answer to the Pope The Emperour's Letter to the Colledge of Cardinals The French King's Letters to the Princes of Germany The Emperour's Letter to the Princes of Germany The Princes Letter to the Emperour The Demands of the Pope Venetians and French who were Confederates 1527. The Emperour's Answer unto them The Elector John Frederick marries the Daughter of the Duke of Cleve Rome taken and plundered by the Duke of Bourbonne The 〈◊〉 of the Diet of Ratisbonne The sect of the Anabaptists The French King renews a War in Italy Alexandria and Pavia taken by the French. Leonard Cesar Burnt for Religion Ferdinand made King of Bohemia A Dispute at Berne 1528. Popery abolished in the Canton of Berne Ambrose Blancer at Constance There Mass Images and Ceremonies are abolished As also at Geneva The Kings of England and France send Ambassadours to the Emperour The French King challenges the Emperour to a Duel A War betwixt Ferdinand and the Vaivode The Vaivod's Complaint to the Princes of Germany King Ferdinand's Title to Hungary The Elector of Saxony and Landgrave prepare for War. The Emperour's Answer to the French King's Challenge A Dyet appointed at Spire Naples besieged by the French. A Contention at Strasburg about the Mass The Popish Preachers silenced by the Senate there 1529. Mass by common Consent abolished at Strasburg A Dissention about Religion at Basil Mass abolished at Basil And Images burnt The Dyet of Spire Five Cantons of Switzerland make a League with King Ferdinand The Deputy of Strasburg not admitted to sit in the Council of the Empire The Decree of the Dyet of Spire The Protestation of the Princes against the Decree of Spire Some Cities joyn in this Protestation The Original of the Name of Protestants The Protestants appeal to the Emperour A Civil War among the Switzers Peace betwixt the Emperour and French concluded at Cambray Solyman besieges Vienna But is forced to raise the Siege The Vaivode made King at Buda A New Disease in Germany Two Learned Men burnt at Cologne for Religion A Conference at Marpurg betwixt Luther and Zuinglius Erasmus writes a Book against the Reformers Which is answered Sforza recovers the Dutchy of Milan The Protestant Ambassadours with the Emperour The Ambassadors appeal from the Emperour's Answer and are confined to their Lodgings Caden presents a Book about Religion to the Emperour in name of the Landgrave For which being stopt and in danger he makes his escape and returns home The Assembly of the Protestants at Smalcalde The League betwixt the City of Strasburg and the Switzers 1530. The French King's Sons return to France with his Queen The Emperour makes his entry into Ausburg The Emperour's Speech in the Dyet of Ausburg Campegius's Speech to the Princes The Protestants Confession of Faith presented at Ausburg The Popish Divines confute the Augustane Confession The Duke of Saxony's general Answer to the Confutation of the Popish Divines The Landgrave departed from the Dyet The Florentine War. Commissioners for reconciling Religion The Pope gives King Ferdinand leave to make use of the Ornaments and Goods of the Church The Emperour's Speech to the Protestants The Protestants Answer Truchses his Speech
Duke of Aumales Marraige Louis d' Avilaâ— History of the German War. Islebius brags of the Interim The Bishop of Auranches writes against the Interim So does Romey the Dominican The constancy of the Sons of the Duke of Saxony The Duke of Saxony avows to the Emperour his rejecting of the Interim The Deputies of Constance with the Emperour Their humble Letters to him The Bishop of Constance dies of an Apoplexy which he had imprecated unto his People Maximilian's War against the Switzers The Emperour changeth the Senate of Ausburg The Companies are abolished The Emperour gives sentence in favour of Nassaw against the Landgrave The Spaniards march privately to Constance Alfonsus Vives was killed and the Spaniards draw off without success A Custom of the Switzets The Letter of the Strasburgers to the Emperour Their Judgment of the Interim The Emperours answer to those of Strasburg The people of Constance proscribed They pray some Princes and the Suitzers to intercede with the Emperour for them The Emperous answer to the intercessors Those of Lindaw receive the Interim The Strasburgers consult about the Interim Many of them renounce their freedoms in the City and depart The Senate of Vlm changed The constancy of four Divines of Vlm The Ministers of Vlm put into Chains The Emperour comes to Spire The Popes Legats sent to Germany The Duke of Saxony and Landgrave carried Prisoners into the Low Countries The Deputies of Strasburg with the Emperour The Bishops of Strasburg's Letter to the Clergy about the observation of the Decree Their Letter to the Emperour The Deputies of Strasburg are dismissed and ordered to agree with their Bishop The Emperour keeps the Duke of Saxony with him The Landgrave he sends to Oudenard The Reformation of the Chamber The Duke of Brunswick brings an Action against the Protestants and so do some others The people of Constance give themselves up to the house of Austria King Ferdinand upon Conditions takes them into his protection And then lays his Commands upon them The Marriage of Duke Augustus of Saxony A Sedition at Bourdeaux The Bourdeaux-men receive the Constable and his Soldiers The Punishments inflicted by the Constable at Bourdeaux The Bells are taken from them and their Charters burnt The dead Body of the King's Lieutenant being by the Citizens scraped out of the ground with their Nails is splendidly buried The horrible History of Francis Spira John Caso Archbishop of Benevento the Pope's Legate at Venice Spira falls sick and also into despair admitting of no comfort He dyes despairing of Salvation Vergerio The strange Conversion of Vergerio to the reformed Religion Vergerio writes a Book against the Apostates of Germany John Baptista Vergerio Bishop of Pola The Inquisitors against Vergerio An Invective against Vergerio The Inquisition of Pola and Justinopolis Grisonio's exhortation against the Lutherans Vergerio goes to Trent to justifie himself in Council But is deny'd a place in it Vergerio preached the Gospel against the Grisons from thence was called to Tubingen Vergerio's Brother dies not without suspition of Poyson The Book of an Archbishop on the praise of Sodomy Marriages contracted by the Ministers of the Church of Cologne are annulled and declared to be incestuous The Custom of the Province of Treves The Interim is in vain pressed upon the Landgrave's subjects Siâ—onius consecrates a new the Churches of Franckfurt The Queen of Scots carried over into France Philip the Emperour's Son passes through Italy to the Low Countries Philip is magnificently received at Genova 1549. As also at Milan The Count of Buren dies A Convention of States in Saxony A Form of Religion is drawn up for Saxony The Emperous Son comes to Germany The Duke of Arescot is sent to meet him Duke Maurice's intercession for the Landgrave his Father-in-Law Troubles in Africa Upon what occasion the Cardinal of Lorrain was made Bishop of Metz. The City of Strasburg's Letter to the Emperour The People of Magdenburg exposed as a prey because of Religion The Preachers of Vlm freed out of Prison Tumults in Engâ—and The Admiral of England beheaded The Bishop of Strasburg enjoyns the Clergy to obey the Emperours Edict The diligence of Archbishop Cranmer in Promoting Piety Bucer and Fagius go over Sea to England The Emperours Son makes his entry into Brussels Intercession made for the Landgrave but in vain The Bishop of Strasburg says Mass The Plea of the Professors of Strasburg to the Bishop The Answer of the Bishops Agents to the Professors of Strasburg The intercession of the Senate of Strasburg for their Professors Christopher Welsinger a Civilian The Duke of Deux-ponts is again urged to approve the Decree His Letter to the Emperour The Ingenuous Confession of the Duke of Deux-ponts The refutation of the Interim by those of Lower Saxony The beginning of the divisions in the Churches of Saxony The Hamburghers Letter to Melaâ—chton about indifferent matters Melanchton's Answer The Electoral Archbishops held Provincial Synods The Heads of their Decrees Of Consecrations and Exorcisms The manifold use of Holy Water Salt in Baptism The Churching of Women 1589. The Ceremony of the Dedication of a Church The Consecration of Bells The way of Consecrating Altars The making of Oyl and the Chrism The Popish Ceremonies brought into contempt through the preaching of Luther A Papal Decree concerning the use of Holy Water The Pope's Legates to the Emperour The Pope's Indulgence The Power of the Bishops delegated Of Monks fallen into Heresie Of the Communion in both kinds Of the Profits of Church Lands The Subdelegation of the Bishops Delegate The Emperour sends the Pope's Indult to the Bishops of Germany The Archbishop of Mentz sends the Pope's Indult to the Landgravians A godly Answer of the Preachers A Dispute at Oxford in England about the Lord's Supper The Coronation of the Queen of France The King and Queen of France make their entry into Paris A Persecution in France Solemn Processions and Prayers at Paris Luther and other Hereticks to be rooted out of France Monsieur Vervine beheaded A League betwixt the Switzers and French. Duke Maurice's Letters to his Subjects The Landgraves Wife dies An Insurrection in England The French King recovers some Places from England The Duke of Somerset committed to Prison The Emperour makes the Low-Countries do Homage to his Son Prince Philip. The Senate of Strasburg agree with their Bishop The danger of the Republick of Magdeburg by reason of the Emperours Proscription Their Apologetick Declaration Two Reasons why they cannot obtain Peace Gordius the Martyr The Marriage of Francis of Mantua The death of Paul III. A Book against Paul III. The Murders of Paul III. Paul's Sister being a Whore makes him a Cardinal He murders another Sister His Lusts The Funeral Charges of Paul III. A description of the Conclave of Rome 54 Cardinals in the time of Paul III. The way of chusing the Pope How many Voices every Cardinal may give Three Factions of Cardinals The Conclave full of chinks Pool upon
some far fetch'd Gloss or Comment so as the Credit of the Author might not suffer any Diminution but towards him their Carriage had been very different for they had not only put a candid Interpretation upon those Parts of his Writings which might be wrested to his Disadvantage but had endeavoured to pick a Hole even in those very things in which he had been so cautious in his Expression as not to dread the Censure of the most Captious and Prejudiced Reader That the better and more effectual way had been to have admonished him either to explain or correct what he had wrote or else not to be obstinate in the maintaining of it That if notwithstanding all this he had continued disobedient they might then after having first shewed him his Error have acted according to Christ's Precept But besides all this the Pope could not but think his Honour touch'd in this that they had done in daring to pass such a Sentence on a Book which was wrote and Dedicated to him which was no other than rashly to upbraid him both with Sloth and Negligence but no Wonder that they made so bold with his Holiness since the Majesty of God himself was daily affronted by the Contempts which they put upon his Laws This William Ockam of whom Luther speaks lived in the Time of the Emperour Lewis IV about the Year of our Lord 1320 and among other things wrote a Book concerning the Pope's Supremacy in which these eight Questions were handled very curiously Whether the same Person can at one and the same time be both Pope and Emperour Whether the Emperour receive his Power and Authority from God alone and not also from the Bishop of Rome Whether Christ delegated any such Supreme Jurisdiction over the whole World to the Pope and Church of Rome which they might at their Pleasure parcel out to the Emperour and other Kings and Princes Whether the Emperour being once Chosen has not thereby the Government put absolutely into his Hands Whether other Princes besides the Emperour and King of the Romans because the Ceremony of their Coronation is performed by Priests upon that account derive any Authority from them Whether such Princes owe any sort of Subjection to those by whose Hands they received their Anointing and Investiture Whether if they should make use of any new Ceremonies or take upon them to Crown themselves they thereby forfeit their Regal Power and Dignity Whether the Suffrages of the seven Princes Electors do not give as good a Title to the Elected Emperour as a lawful Succession does to the other Kings where the Government is Hereditary In the Examination of these Points having shewed a great deal of Variety and Subtlety of Argument of both Sides he for the most part determines in Favour of the Civil Magistrate And upon that Occasion he makes mention of Pope John XXII who lived at that time and had made certain Ordinances which they called Extravagentes and inserted them into the Canon-Law All which he says were generally condemned as Heretical and Spurious Then he recites what Errors had been observed by other Persons both in his Books and publick Discourses and says That all Orthodox Men did admire how they came to gain any Credit in the World but that this was the Time of which S. Paul in his Epistle foretold Timothy That the time would come when men should not endure sound doctrin but after their own lusts should they heap to themselves teachers having itching ears and should turn away their ears from the truth and be turned to Fables That this was too sadly verified in these Days in which most Men never enquire what was the Doctrin of Christ or of the Apostles or Primitive Fathers but are guided in every thing only by the Pope's arbitrary Will and Command As to what relates to Capnion Reuchline the matter stands thus John Phefercorne who had forsaken Judaisme and embraced Christianity had a long time been a Petitioner to the Emperour Maximilian That all the Jewish Books might be suppressed as those which trained up Men only in Impiety and Superstition and very much hindred their Conversion to the Christian Religion and that therefore they ought to be allowed the use of no other Book besides the Bible Maximilian at last sends his Orders to Vriel Archbishop of Mentz That he should make choice of some certain University to whom together with the Inquisitor James Hogostrate and John Reuchline he might refer the Examination of this Affair that they might consult what was fit to be done in it and whether it were agreeable to the generous and open practices of our Religion to condemn all Books to the Flames except those whose Authors were divinely inspired this was in the Year of our Lord 1510. Reuchline who was a Civilian and a great Master of the Hebrew Tongue having received Letters from Mentz returned this Answer That the Jewish Books were of three sorts Historical such as treated of Medicks and their Talmuds which last were of several different kinds that although there were a great many things contained in them which were Ridiculous as well as Superstitious yet upon one account they were of great use in that they served to refute their Errors and fond vain Opinions This his Sentence he sends sealed to the Archbishop but when Phefercorne came to hear of this he presently began to make no small stir about it and published a Book in opposition to what Reuchline had wrote reproaching him with the most odious Titles of the Champion and Patron of the Jews Capnion that his Silence might not be interpreted as a Confession of the Charge writes an answer to it which drew upon him the ill-Will of several Universities but chiefly of that of Cologne The most Famous Men there at that time were James Hogostrate and Arnold van Tongren And Hogostrate he put out a Book in which he was not in the least sparing of his Invectives following exactly the Copy that Phefercorne had set him and this he Dedicates to the Emperour Maximilian After this they commenced a Suit against him and the Tryal was before the Archbishop of Mentz to whose Jurisdiction the supposed Criminal belonged and the Prosecutor was James Hogostrate him Reuchline excepted against as one whom he thought not indifferent and this he did at first not in his own proper Person but by his Advocate But being persuaded to it by some Friends he at last came himself to Mentz accompanyed with a great many of the First Rank both for Nobility and Learning which Vlrich Duke of Wirtemberg had sent along with him There when he saw that whatsoever Proposals he made in order to a Reconciliation they were still all rejected by his Adversaries he was forced to appeal to the Pope He commits the hearing of the Cause to George Palatine Bishop of Spire and at the same Time issues out an Injunction That no Person besides presume to intermeddle in it But
Not long after February the Sixteenth the Elector of Treves to refresh himself departed from Trent homewards which the Emperour as it was said allowed of only upon this condition that so soon as ever his health did permit he should return thither again but he left Pelarg behind him that he might be present at all the Actions The Electors of Mentz and Cologne brought him going a Mile or two on his Journy but he struck off to the left hand and did not go by Inspruck where the Emperour then was Not long after it began to be whispered by many that the Council would be Prorogued and that Duke Maurice having made a League with the French King was preparing to make War with the Emperour This was indeed but a faint rumour in the beginning but growing stronger and stronger daily there was one privately sent from Trent to know the Emperours thoughts of the matter Afterwards one came thither also from the Emperour but all things were industriously concealed On the Second of March which then was Ashwednesday the Popes Legate affixed publick Indulgences upon the Church-doors granting Plenary Remission of Sins to all in general but especially to the Bishops Ambassadours and Divines who having either already or would within a certain time confess their Sins should go to some Churches of Trent on certain days and there by saying five Pater Nosters and as many Ave-Maria's with the other Prayers should pray to God for the Concord of Princes the Unity of the Church and the happy progress of the Council That this so great a benefit was granted by Pope Julius III. out of his great care for the salvation of Souls and that it might be obtained at Trent as well as at Rome The Bishops and the rest therefore thronged daily to the Churches especially the Spaniards observing a distinction of days for sometime they spent more time and sometimes less about their Devotion In this so great silence the Deputy of Strasburg having in a Conference with Poictieres enquired of him concerning the state of Affairs was told by him that it was an idle Report spread abroad of proroguing the Council and that the Emperour would have them by all means to proceed and continue their Actions that it was for their sake also that for several days nothing had been done since they had given hopes of the coming of their Divines This was about the beginning of March when towards the later end of February Duke Maurice had recalled his Divines from Norimberg who after the Report was raised of his going to War upon the Emperour having made some progress in his Journy thitherwards returned home and began to raise Soldiers as you shall learn in the following Book When these things began to be publickly known and that the many Messengers who came upon one anothers heels put the matter past all doubt the Electors of Mentz and Cologne to whom plenty of Provisions had been lately brought from the Lower Germany having with great expedition provided themselves Horses on the Eleventh of March departed from Trent about break of day the Legate with the Italian and Spanish Bishops having been to take leave of them the Evening before The same day new Ambassadours came to Trent from the Duke of Wirtemberg Wern Munching and Jerome Gerard a Lawyer Next day after they went to wait on the Emperours Ambassadours and having shew'd their Commission desired to have an answer to their Princes Demands which were presented to the Fathers on the Twenty fourth day of January and acquainted them withal that within a few days the Divines would come and give a fuller account of their Doctrine and Confession of Faith. That seemed very strange to them but for what reason I know not unless it were that it was said one of them had all things in readiness for their Journy and was thinking of returning home who then must needs tarry against his will. Their answer was That they must communicate the matter to the Fathers and that when that was done they would inform them of what they had said In the mean while the Ambassadours of Duke Maurice were in great perplexity and anxiety for they were thought to have acted craftily and being privy to their Masters Council to have dissembled all along when they in the mean time affirmed That they neither knew what was doing at home had received no Letters from thence nor could tell how they could return home without danger And since they perceived that the longer delay they made the greater their danger was like to be March the Thirteenth as soon as it was day with great silence they slipt away and posting to Brixen consulted the Cardinal of Trent what they had best do At length one of the Ambassadours who had lived long at Inspruck before he came to Trent and had in his Princes name made intercession with the rest to the Emperour for the Landgrave Having if I be not mistaken obtained a safe Conduct came to Inspruck and purged himself so well to the Emperours Counsellors of having any knowledge of Warlike Preparations that he gained credit from them From thence he went streight home but the other took his Journy through Carniola and so returned safe into his own Country When the Electors of Mentz and Cologne came to Inspruck they were honourably received by those whom the Emperour sent to meet them amongst whom was the Bishop of Arras Having after had long and private Conferences with the Emperour they pursued their Journy for the matter required dispatch Six days after the Ambassadours of Duke Maurice left Trent four Divines of Wirtemberg and two of Strasburg came thither of whom Brentius was one Wherefore the Ambassadours repair instantly to Count Montfort and name the Divines to him that were come praying that he and his Collegues would use their endeavours that the Fathers might give an answer to their demands and fall to business again Next day being the Nineteenth of March appointed for the Session as was said before the Fathers met in the House of the Legate The Ambassadours of Portugal who arrived a little before was present who having shewed his Commission was in solemn manner received by the Fathers and admitted to his place After that the publick Session was put off till the first of May and all this privately nothing else being done In the mean time the Duke of Wirtemberg caused the Confession of Faith which his Ambassadours presented in Council to be printed of which those who came last and afterwards the Divines had brought some Copies with them and those being communicated to some were sought after by many For the Popes Legate kept the written Copy that as I said was presented on the Twenty fourth of January and suffered but very few to read it which was not known till then so that when it was now published some Italian and Spanish Bishops and Divines made great enquiry after it
though perhaps not all with the same design But the Legate Crescentio taking that ill chid a certain Physician of Trent a Learned Man for dispersing such kind of Books Count Montfort also told them plainly little less than that they had trespassed against the Conditions of the safe Conduct and that they who had publick security given them to save them harmless ought also to avoid all occasions of giving offence Two days after the private Congregation that was held in the Legates House Poictieres sent the Deputy of Strasburg word in the Night-time after they had had some hours before a long Conference together about entering upon Business again that if they would have him or his Collegues propound any thing to the Fathers they would not sail to do it and at the same time appointed them an hour Wherefore the day following which was the Two and twentieth of March the Ambassadours of Wirtemberg and Strasburg came to the House of Don Francisco de Toledo where Poictieres having spoken first the Ambassadours of Wirtemberg said that they again demanded the same thing which they had moved at their first coming to wit that they might have an Answer to the Demands presented long before that that being done they might the more conveniently proceed to the rest and when after many words on both sides it might easily appear that if they stuck to that a stop would be put to the whole Negotiation the Ambassadours according to their Instruction declare That though they did not obtain what before they had demanded yet that it might be evidently known how very desirous their Prince was of Peace and Concord again that the handling of the cause might no longer be delayed as also that in obedience to the Emperour and in compliance with the Decree of the Empire they were willing in their Princes Name to present their Divines to a publick Disputation but upon this condition still that thereby they may not be thought to pass from any part of their own Right but that they may retain whole and entire to them and theirs all that they can claim by Law and Custom and by the Decrees of the Dyet of Ausburg When they had made this protestation they gave it them in Writing and then stept aside Being again called the Imperialists commended their Action and acknowledged that they aimed at Concord that since it was so the next thing said they that was to be considered was the manner of proceeding and they entreated them to give their opinion as to that The Ambassadours withdrew and having consulted together declared that they had thought on two ways to wit That either the Divines might be heard touching all the Decrees of Doctrine that had been made in the Council or that the Confession of Doctrine given in to the Fathers and now published in Print should be produced openly and the several Heads thereof handled in order for that their Divines were come with that intent that they might more fully explain and demonstrate the Doctrine contained in that little Book and answer those that would oppugne the same that this seemed to them to be a very compendious way and the most convenient that they could think on Then the Deputy of Strasburg said that the Magistrates whom he represented had read the Writing of the Wirtemberg-Doctrine which they approved and professed and had sent Divines thither to joyn in that Confession and together with those of Wirtemberg to defend the same that he was enjoyned to make this profession to them in the name of the City of Strasburg and their Associates To these things they made answer That whereas they made so fair advances and acted so openly and sincerely that the Commonwealth of Strasburg and the other associated Cities joyned also in the Profession of the same Doctrine they were exceedingly overjoyed and thanked them for it promising to make a faithful report of the same to the Emperour who they doubted not but would be glad to hear of it That as to the Theological Disceptation and way of proceeding prescribed by them they would shortly acquaint them what the Fathers Opinion was concerning it Some days after when they heard no news from them when the Bishop of Naumburg was upon his departure and the other two German Bishops who were all that remained preparing also as it was said to be gone the Ambassadours went to Count Monfort to know if the Fathers had as yet given any answer All that he had to say was that the Fathers had not given any answer as yet and when mention was made of the departure of the Bishops he said that Naumburg went no farther than to wait upon the Emperour for that there were some Commissioners coming out of Saxony to treat a Peace with Duke Maurice and that he being of the same Country and one of chief Note too he could not but at their request be there That as for the others he knew nothing of their designs For that since the Emperour was very desirous of the Progress of the Council they also directed all they did and said to that end that Men might not lose all hopes of the main concern The next day which was the twenty seventh of March the Deputy of Strasburg waited upon Poictieres and told him that the state of his Affairs was such that he must needs return home And that therefore he was desirous to know what account he could give upon his return of the Theological Disceptation This gave occasion to some farther discourse about the way how the future Debates of the Divines was to be managed and it was the opinion of the Ambassadour Poictieres that they could not conveniently proceed in the Method which they had lately proposed That now it was the design of the Fathers to determine the business of the Mass in the next Session That therefore he thought that this was first to be debated and then to proceed to the rest in order That nevertheless what he had said was his own private thought not that his Collegues had enjoyned him to say any such thing On the other hand the Deputy of Strasburg alledged That in the same manner as the Divines of the Council had handled all things in order from the first Fundamentals of Religion as the Creation the Fall of Man Original Sin Justification Faith Good Works and at length the Sacraments so also ought their Divines to be allowed to follow the same Method That they had also promised the very same day they delivered the safe conduct about the later end of January that they should be heard about all Matters That it was best to stick to that and not invert the Order and Nature of things For that unless Superiour and Antecedent Points were rightly determined all Disputes about inferiour and subsequent Matters that depend on and are deduced from the former would be fruitless and vain But when they could not agree upon that Matter he told him That as