our faith neither abolishe those whiche are left vs by the handes of the Apostles and auncient fathers Of iudulgēces and pardons he wrote very muche also And in graunting of the same maketh the byshop of Rome a great Prince he died as it is saide in the yeare of our lorde athousand two hundreth thre score and fortene And is cōmonly called thangelical doctor for the subtiltie of his witte This booke of Syluesters Luther aunswereth onlye in an Epistle to the reader saying it is so compacte altogether of lyes and terrible blasphemies of Gods holy name that it should appeare that the deuyl himselfe was the aucthour therof Wherfore if the Byshops and Cardinalles be of the same opinion and that suche doctrine be taughte at Rome then is it no longer to be doubted of but that Rome is the very seate of Antechrist Then happy is Grece and happie is the lande of Boheme yea fortunate are all those that haue made a diuorcement with her and miserable are they that haue to doe with the same Wherfore vnlesse the bishop will see him punished and compell him to recante he protesteth that he wil dissente frō him And not only forsake the church of Rome but also to take it from henceforth as a most filthy synke and puddell of all wickednes For there be daylye inuented newe prayses for the Byshop of Rome suche as the lyke haue not been heard of for this subtile ende and craftie polycie that a lawful counsell should take no place And therfore do his flatterers preferre him aboue al counsels and affirme that the vnderstanding of all Scripture must be fetched at his hande as of a mooste certen iudge Wherefore if they holde on their madnes and with their iuggelinge castes mocke all the worlde after this sorte other remedy is there noone but that the ciuile magistrate must se them punished Theues and murtherers and such other malefactours are punished with death but it were a great deale more right that these whiche are muche more hurthfull enemies to the common wealth should with the common assent and trauell of men be supsuppressed For the bishop of Rome is in the same state that al other mē be and is no lesse bounden to the obseruation of Goddes commaundementes than is the poorest man liuing And such as teache otherwyse do the greatest iniury that may be to the diuine maiestie At the same tyme also Iames Hogestrate a blackfreer wrote against Luther full bitterly exhorting the Byshop of Rome to fyre and sworde whome Luther aunswering in very fewe wordes reproueth his cruell and bloudy mynde scoffing merely at the mans ignoraunce admonishing him so to procede for that it is the chiefest way to wyn true fame what tyme a man is blamed of vnlearned and euil men but at Byshop Leo his handes he saith he looketh for better thinges Whilest these matters were thus handled on either parte after the maner of scolemē Themperour Maximiliā calleth an assemblie at Ausputg whether also Leo the tenthe sendeth afterwarde his Ambassadour Thomas Caietane Cardinall At this assemblie were present all the seuen Princes electours so called bycause they haue the authoritie to electe and create Themperour They treated here of warre againste the Turke For Solyman Emperour of the Turkes hauing lately subdwed the Sultane had conquered all Syria and Egipte Wherfore the Cardinall made an exhortacion promysing in his maisters name the treasures of the churthe to be employde vpon this warre And required herein the ayde and assistaunce of Maximilian as defendoure of the churche At this selfe same tyme Leo the tenth created Albart Archebyshop of Mentz Cardinall And in this assemblie cōmaundeth Caietane to cōsecrate him with the ceremonies and rytes accustomed Whiche thing being doone accordingly Themperour leadeath home the newe Cardinall from the churche and sendeth him presentes that is to saye a Princelyke horselitter wythe horses and manye ryche and costly hangynges And the Byshop of Rome gaue him also an hat set with golde pearle and precious Iwels and a swoorde with a gylt skabarde For the moste part of al the bishoppes in Germany be as wel Ciuile as Ecclesiasticall Magistrates Howbeit it was thoughte that Leo preferred him to this dignitie to theude that the church of Rome myght haue a defendour in Germany suche a oue as was both in nobilitie of birth and in authoritie also right famous as the lyke vnto this man could not be founde there For besydes that he was of the noble house of Brandenburg in that he was archebyshop of Mentz he was the chiefest of all the Princes electours and as it were consull for euer And albeit that all byshops are bondē to the Byshop of Rome yet such as are made Cardinalles be muche more bonden Maximilian being aduertised of the controuersie of Luther in the moneth of August writeth his letters to the byshop of Roome signifiyng that he hath heard in what sorte Luther hath reasoned many matters and preached also some thinges that seme to be hereticall And he is the more sory for that he defendeth his doctrine styfly and hath very many fauorers of his opinion emonges the whiche there be diuers of hygh estate he exhorteth hym therfore that he for his hyghe authoritie that he beareth would abolyshe all suche Idle and vnprofitable questions and inhibite all sophisticall contencions of wordes for so much as they that applie their study that way do not a little hurt the christē cōmon weale Where as their intent is only that the thing whiche they haue learned should bee praysed and receyued of all men alledging that in tyme past there was great diligence shewed in appoyntinge ayt preachers to the intent the al Sophisticall contention myght be eschewed howbeit this order by lyttle and lyttle felle into cōtempt so that it is no maruell that suche as should haue taught others haue oftentimes erred thē selues And this to be the cause therof for somuch as the auncient writers and interpretours of holy scripture haue now a long tyme been layde a syde and filled more full of lyes It maye bee imputed to them also that so muche contention is reysed in these oure daies about matters of learnyng and this laste daungerouse controuersie now about pardons Certeinly the weightines of the thinge requireth a remedie betyme lest the disease runne to farre for in delaye is daunger What so euer he shall determine therin the same wyll he allowe and see that it shall take place throughout all partes of Thempire There was mencion made before howe Luther and Syluester wroote one against an other Nowe had he being in office at Rome so aggrauated Luthers matter that Leo cited him tappeare at Rome and that vnder a great penaltie Afterwardes the .xxiij. day of August he wryteth his letters to Caietane his Ambassadour in Germany signifiyng howe he is aduertysed that Luther holdeth certein opinions that be wycked
vertue and as Tullye reporteth of Cesar he maketh all wyse menne a frayde to wryte Some others haue taken in hande the same Argumente and in deede better learned than he but they doo not attayne to that fynes of perfectyon In the tenth booke is mentioned of the Archebisshop of Collon how he coueted to refourme hys churche and allowed not that Synode of hys prouynce notwithstandynge that the booke went foorthe in hys name And after that in the conuention at Regēspurge Bisshops were enioyned bothe by kinge Fernando and also by the Bisshop of Roomes Legate that euery man in hys owne dyocesse shoulde see a godly reformation to bee had he calleth a conuocatyon of hys states whych are the clergye of the cathedrall churche the Erles the Nobilitie and Ambassadours of cities The matter beyng debated they agreed all that so godly and holsome a worke shoulde be taken in hand Therefore he appoynteth certen to conceaue in writyng a draughte of the reformation that shal be and to espye out good men to bee mynisters of the churche Thys wryting he sendeth to the Diuines of Collon and wylleth them to iudge thereof by the Scriptures and to shew theyr opinion but where hys requeste was not sasatisfyed and hauing not conuenyent ministers to instructe the people he sent for Martyn Bucer at Strasburg whō both Iohn Gropper had alwayes commended vnto hym highly and he hymselfe also knewe ryght wel by familyar comunication Who commyng thither the laste yere in Decembre in the begynnyng of thys yere at the commaundemente of the prince beganne to preache at Bomia a Towne vpon the Rhine fyue miles aboue Collō After at the Ides of March the Bisshop calleth a newe assemblie of states at Bomia and requireth that they wolde consulte vpon a godly reformation But where the clergie had assigned no man for this pourpos the rest of the states desyre the Archebishop that according to hys owne iudgemente hee wolde chouse mete men for the thynge Wherfore he committeth thys charge vnto Bucer that he shoulde penne oute the articles of the christian doctrine and to th entent all thynges might the better be donne he intreateth the Prince Electour of Saxonye that he wolde Ioyne vnto hym Melancthon When he was commen and Iohn Pistor frō the Lantzgraue and that the woorke was fynished the Archebishop sent it to the clergie of the head church in Collon whych are all of noble houses and requireth them that they wolde ponder dyligently the doctryne of that booke After at the .xxii. daye of Iuly he calleth an other Synode and exhibited vnto them the booke of reformation requiring them that euery state wold chose certen whyche myght pervse that booke ouer and conferre with hys to th entent some tollerable and godly accorde myghte in fyne bee had But the clergie before sayed vrged this obstiuately that Bucet especially and certen others appoynted of late to instructe the people myghte bee dysplaced After they require a further tyme of delyberation touching the booke and refuse to conferre with the rest He albeit he knewe well enoughe for what pourpose they made thys delaye yet to th ende they should fynd no lacke graunteth them tyme to consulte in And where they spake of remouing of Bucer and hys companions he did not refuse in case any man were able to conuicte them eyther of false doctryne or of euyll lyfe And at sondrye tymes offered them lybertie to trye it beyng ready to exhibite them before any lawefull or indifferent Iudg. Whā the matter therfore stayed here they prepare a contrary booke and in title it Antididagma In the preface of the same booke after a wonderfull raylynge agaynst the Lutheranes they affirme with expresse wordes that they had rather lyue vnder the dominion of the Turkes than vnder a Magistrate that wolde followe and defend that reformation The author and diuisor of this booke as they say was Gropper For he albeit he was very familiar with Bucer two yeres before at Regenspurge Albeit that comyng home from thence he cōmended hym maruelously not only to the Archebisshop but also euerye where to all others albeit he had written him many and that most frendely letters yet whan the matter was brought vnto this poynt he forsoke his frendeship altogether and leauynge hys prince by whom he had all hys preferment he reuolted into the tentes of his aduersaries The same did Barnarde Hagie his Chauncelour which had bothe of them many fatte benefyces The diuines of Collon affailed Bucerfore and rattled hym vp with manye opprobrious wordes But he requyred that the matter might come to disputatiō and protested that he wold defende this doctrine agaynste them in all assemblies In hys defence also Melanethon set forthe a booke at the same tyme and exhortinge them vnto modestie sheweth them what shamefull errours they defende Duke Moris of Saxonye maketh certen lawes at this tyme to be obserued within hys dominiō And fyrst in dede he exhorteth the preachers and ministers of the church to execute theyr office diligently to preache the Gospel sincerely and to shyne before theyr stock with honest examples of lyfe that they exhorte men to prayer and mutuall loue that they rebuke vice sharpelye and sequester desperate persons from the communion of the church by the consent of the Magistrat vntyll they amende And suche as will not thus be refourmed to present vnto the Magistrate Secondly forasmoch as youthe is the store of the Churche and the publicke weale he founded three Grammer Scooles at Misene Merseburge and Porte And in euerye place he fyndeth a certen nombre of Scolars bothe theyr apparell and commons And payeth also yerely stipendes to theyr Scolemasters And to thys vse doeth he applye the reuenewes of the relygious houses wherin Monkes had dwelt and suche others He graunteth that the youthe shal remaine there for the space of sixe yeres of the same lands also he geueth in Augementation to the Uniuersitie of Lipsia two thousand crownes yerely and certen Rasers of wheat Moreouer he forbiddeth beggynge and appoynteth an yerelye somme of monye in certen places to releue poore householders After this for suche as defloure maydes and mary them not he appoynteth thys punishement that albeit they sett them foorthe afterwardes and marye them to others yet shall they be committed to pryson And commaundeth that aduouterers shall dye by the sworde And noble men that marie suche wyues as they haue accompanied with beefore he punnishethe thus that he taketh awaye from theyr children that were borne before the Marriage the possession and profites of suche landes as they holde of him in fee. In the meane time themperoure cōming oute of Spaine arriueth with his Nauie at Genes And the .xxvi. day of May addressyng his letters from thence to the Duke of Saron the Lantzgraue and theyr consortes For as moche as they are alreadye sufficientlye warranted by hys proclamations for publyke peace and that also
Fraunce shoulde bee theyres or the kynge shoulde be at commaundemente who had three moste myghty enemyes Themperoure the Germannes and the Kyng of Englande ✚ The sixtenth Booke of Sleidanes Commentaries concerning the state of Religion and the common Weale during the reigne of the Empyre of Charles the fyste ⧠The argument of the sixtenth Booke ¶ The Pope by letters admonisheth taunteth threateneth Themperoure hys sonne and maketh new Cardinalles The clergie of Colon resisteth the Archebishop Master Peter Bruly for preachynge at Tournay was brent quicke Whilest the assemble was at Woormes they of Merindolle and Cabriere named Uandois be sacked and burnt The Pope notwithstandyng the counsell by hym called burned with desyre to make warre agaynst the Protestātes Luther wryteth against hym and paynteth hym in hys collours Grignian is sente to the Protestantes to cause them to approue the counsell The Archbisshop of Colon is cited to Roome Open warre betwixte the Duke of Brunswicke and the Lantzgraue wherin the Lantzgraue had the victory the Palsgraue prince Electour receyueth the Gospell Bruites of warre are sowen agaynst the Protestantes a Colloquie was ordeyned at Regenspurge to dispute of Relygion which broken the Counsell of Trente is publysshed and the sessions beginne in the meane tyme Luther departeth oute of this presente lyfe WHan the warres were hotest the Bysshop of Roome at the eyghte kalendes of Septembre wryteth hys letters to Themperoure wherin he rebuketh hym sharpelye for vsurpinge as he sayeth hys authorytie and intermedlinge with the reformation of Relygion whiche neuerthelesse he dooeth not ascribe to hys owne nature but to the malycyous perswations of such euell men as he hathe lately made league and frendship with he threateneth him with thexamples of Dathan Abiron and Core whiche wolde haue taken vpon them the authorytye of Moyses Aaron And also of Kyng Ozias whom God strake with Leprosie for that he wolde attempte to burne incēse vpon the Aultar he telleth hym playnely that he hath nothing to doe with the reformation of Churches but the same to be longe vnto hys office chyefly whom God hath geuen authorytie to bynde and loose Than proueth he by ensamples that suche Emperours as haue aided the See of Roome and the Bisshoppes therof God hath euer rewarded with great gyftes and benefytes as greate Constantyne Theodose and Charlemaygne Agayne such as haue resisted them to haue ben punnyshed with greate misfortunes as Morys Constans Phylyp Leo Henry the fourthe and Fridericke the seconde whyche came vnto shamefull endes and were some taken some also slayne of their owne chyldren And that for suche disobedience not only kynges and Emperours but also whole nations haue ben plaged as namelye the Iewes and Grekes the one for crucifying of Chryst the sonne of God the others for contemnyng of hys vicar Moreouer he wylleth him to imitate the example of greate Constantyne who refused to be iudg in the Bisshops causes Notwithstandynge he coulde be contente to vse hym as a coadiutour in matters of relygion but herin to be head and gouernour he can not abyde hym Fynally he warneth him frō hence foorthe to treate no more of relygion in the assemblies of Th empyre but referre that vnto hys indgement and that he disanulle and abrogate all suche thynges as he hath through ouer moche fufferaunce already graunted to those rebelles and aduersaryes of the Churche of Rome or els must he be constrained to deale more roughly with him than either hys custome nature or will also can beare Yet wil he not neglect hys dewtie for the example of gods plage vpon Helithe prest is euer before his eyes Hitherto he hath vsed the clementie of a father but if thys will not serue he must feele another waye therfore let him consider whether it shal be more for hys honour to assist his olde age in recouerynge the tranqullytie of the Churche or els to fauour those that seke the desolation of the same It is thought that the Frēch king set hym on to wryte thus extremely who made the matter odious by reason of the Englysh league to incense the bysshop the more for herof cometh it that he wryteth of the Societie of euel mē For they both are wont to swe and craue hys frendship right busyly bothe by letters and ambassadours especyallye in tyme of warre and eche laboureth for hym selfe that they may bee to hym most acceptable Aboute thys tyme Stephen Bisshop of Winchester set foorth a boke agaynst Bucer verey opprobrious and bitter Wherin emonges other thinges he defendeth the sengle lyfe This yere the Bisshop created Cardinalles Christopher Madruce of the Trente and Otto Truckesse Bishop of Auspurge Germanes George Arminiack Iames Anuebald Frēchmen Fraunces Mendoza Bartholomewe Cueua Spaniardes to gratifye the Emperoure Fernando and the Frenche Kynge At the same tyme also he calleth a counsell whyche had ben hindered heretofore by reason of the warres agaynst the Ides of Marche in the yere following And because Themperour and the French king wer now at peace he vttereth greate gladnes and the writte wherewith he reneweth the connsel beginneth of that place of Scripture Letare Ierusalem-In these dayes also cometh foorthe a booke of Luthers touchyng the Lordes supper wherin he reneweth the olde controuersie and speaketh many thynges agaynste Zwinglius and the fellowes of the same doctryne Which was aunswered by them of Zuricke that ryght sharpelye I tolde you before of Clergie and Uniuersitie of Collon howe they with theyr whole force resisteth the Archebisshop in the reformation of religion But where as he procedeth they sendyng agayne Ambassadours letters requyre hym to leaue and attende the decree of the counsell yf not they must cōplayne to the higher magistrate and fynde remedy to quyet theyr conscyence and pacifye Gods wrath They are lothe to take that waye but yf he goo forewarde they muste nedes do it Whan they coulde not thus preuayle the .ix. daye of October they assemble in the head Churche of Collon and there recyte by wrytyng amonges other thynges what hath ben done at Wormes .xxiij. yeres past what Luther by the common assēt of all Princes was condemned of Themperoure what was decreed at Auspurge what at Regenspurge and what latelye at Spyer All these thynges neglected they saye how theyr Archebysshop Herman hathe gon a new waye to worke and hath sent for Bucer an Apostata and twyse polluted with incestuous mariage a sacramentary and a defendour of that opinion and to hym hath committed thecclesiasticall function and hath appointed euery where new preachers lewde and euill persons by them also was a fourme of a refourmation diuised set forth by the princes commaundement All the which thinges they haue euer to theyr powers resisted and ofte desired the Archebisshop that he woulde staye vntyll the counsell or at the leste vntill the conuention of thempire but all was in vayne And nowe forasmuche as the state of the prouince is lamentable
what they wyll doe herein he cōmaundeth them to sende playne worde by the brynger of these letters Unto the whiche letters they aunswer briefly that whylest they be saufe and so longe as they haue lyfe they wyll doe no suche thynge as he demaundeth The Frenche king passing out of Germany with his army deuided in thre partes came at the last to Walderfing whiche is a litle towne of the dutchie of Lorayne by the Riuer of Sare There vniting his armie the .xxv. day of May marching forth and passing ouer the riuer of Mosel what tyme he came into the lande of Lutcemburg he distroied all before him with spoiling and burning prouoked by the example of Rosseme as they thē selues reporte and recouereth the towne of Asteney voyde of soldiours to defende it For Marten Rosseme was retourned home Againe pitching his tentes he taketh a little towne by surrender called Danuillers after that also Iueye one of the chiefest fortes there In the same town was Count Mansfield Ernestus gouernour of the whole countrey with the floure of the youth there with him Al they were taken prisoners Afterwarde was the towne spoyled of the outragious soldiours against the kinges will as they reporte Now let vs retourne to Duke Maurice He for to treate a peace as I said was gone to Passa we There he repeting the treatie that was at Lintz the first of Iune propoūdeth declareth al thinges more at large There were themperours Ambassadours kyng Ferdinando Albert Duke of Bauier the Byshops of Salisburge Eistet and of all the chief Princes of Germany the Ambassadours also of Cleaue and of Wirtemberge and many others besides He complaineth that the state of thempire whiche chiefly ought to be free is gouerned by straungers that thauthoritie of the Princes Electours is deminished that many things be done with out their aduise knowledge That certē thinges also are plucked away alienated frō thempire Howe meanes are deuised that thautoritie of electing thēperour may be takē from thē in cōmon assemblies the Electours voices are in a maner neglected that the priuate conuentions of the Electours are for a certen feare omitted and their liberties infringed whylest the chamber imperiall receiueth those that appeale from thē contrary to the auncient custome That the controuersies of the states Imperial are purposly maynteined and be neuer accorded before either partie haue susteined losse and dammage Howe in the Emperours courte a man can hardly be heard speake neyther is his matter exactly knowen chiefly for that they vnderstande not the tongue and that there is muche losse not only of costes but of tyme also In open assemblies matters are handled nothyng frendly and if any man propounde ought for the common wealth it is taken in euyl parte That Germany is sore impoueryshed and beggered with those ofte and dayly conuentions and at home oftentymes are many thynges neglected and neyther yet is the publique state any whyt amended yea it is made worse and more intricate By strayghte proclamations it is prohibited that no man serue in foreyne warres That suche as be reconciled are bounde that they shall not warre against the Emperours countrey and so are plucked from the Empyre In the Protestaūtes warre such as serued their Lordes according to their dutie were punished by the purse such as in the same war remained in thēperours frendshyp were commaunded to paye also and that their landes and goodes should be put to sale vnlesse they payed immediatly and their Ambassadours bicause they did not by and by assent were commaunded vnder paine of death that they shuld not departe from the court That foreine soldiours haue bene oftentimes brought into Germany and the last warre beinge finished were distributed hither and thither into Prouinces whiche haue done many thinges dissolutely and vitiously and haue gloried of the conquest of Germany and haue sayde how it should be annexed 〈◊〉 the Emperours patrimonie and that in the head cities should be buylded castelles and fortes Howe muche ordenaunce and warlike munition was as it were in a mockerie caried out of Germany into foreine nations Howe diuerse men for a certen ambition haue caused the armes of the Princes of Germany to be set vpon the gunnes which they made for themselues as though they had taken them from thē How there be set forth bokes that with the Emperours priuilege whiche sounde to the great reproche and infamie of Germany as though it were cōquered and brought in bondage That in common assemblees vnder the name of the Emperours prouinces certen men were placed amonges the Princes and states and this to be wrought through secret deuises that the nōber being augmented they may preuayle by the nomber of voices Howe foure yeares past was ordeyned the iudgemēt of the chamber imperial and lawes made by a very fewe which wer after published to the great hynderaunce of many especially of them that be of the Protestauntes Religion For all those are vtterly excluded from that benche Wherfore the thinge it selfe requyreth that those lawes be better skanned in the next conuention These and suche other lyke thynges he propoundeth and for as muche as they chiefly concerne the Emperour he requyreth that they be redressed out of hande and that the Empyre be restored to the fourmer dignitie and that others be not permitted to delude and contempne the same The intercessours conferring together iudged nothinge amisse in these requestes Howebeit to the intent that both the Emperours dignitie should be mainteined and might so much more easely be perswaded they thynke that many thynges whiche concerne the reformation of the state publique may be ryght well differred tyll a generall conuention of the Empyre There was present the French Ambassadour Fraxineus Who the thyrd daye of Iune made an oration before the Princes How betwene the Frenchemē and the Germaines in old time and before the name of Francons was knowen there was so great lykenes of life and maners that the Germains be thesame people whiche the Romaines in times past called the brethren of the Frenchemen But after that the Francons had planted them selues in Fraunce both natiōs were so vnited that there was one Empire one Prince and the same lawes for both Afterwarde whan an alteration chaunced and that th empyre was deuolued to the Germains The Dukes of Saxon other Emperours for that they had their originall of the kinges of Fraunce had continual amitie with the Frenchmē in so much that Philip king of Fraunce caused the auncient league whiche could scant be read for the olde antiquitie therof to be written out in goldē letters and layd vp in an holyer place And verely not without iust cause For during that league of amitie the cōmon wealth of either nation was in dede moste florishing And certenly the force of Germany was thā so great that it prescribed lawes not only to the Hongarians Bohemers Poloniās and Deanes but also to the Italians
The Pope woulde bye Millan Philip created kynge of Spayne A league of themp the king of England against the Frenche kyng The protest ambassad to themperor Themp. viage againste the Duke of Cleaue They of Hildisseme are accused to the emperour Themperours letters to them of Collon The Popes letters to the clergie of Colion The French king fortifyeth Landersey The turkes Nauie arriueth in the prouince The Castell of Nice beseged Batchelaurs Abooke of Caluine againste the Sorbonistes A booke of the relieques of Sainctes Two Cities full of relicies Afalsereport of the Emperours deathe The Duke of Cleaue craueth pardon of themperoure CondicioÌ„ns to him imposed The daughter of Nauaris sent to the Duke of Cleaue Laundersey beseged The preachers of the gospel thrust oute of metz The sege is leuied at Nice Dissencion in Scotland The yonge Quene of Scottes affiaunced to Kynge Edwarde The king of Denmarke warreth vpoÌ„ theÌ„ perialles The duke of Cleaue renounceth the Frenche Leage The departure of the Frenchmen from LaÌ„dersey Duke moris County willyam forsaketh the Frenchking 1544. Thre eclipses of the moone A great Assemble at Spiere The causes of the turkes prosperitie The French king compared to the Turke The Protestantes oration to themperoure The Duke of Brunsewicke accuseth the Protestauntes The French ambassade to the assemble at Spier The French Herault euil receyued at Spier The ambassadors retorne by nighte The princes letters to the Pope The Popes aunswer The meane to heale the comon welth The princes letters to the Swisses The protestantes accuse the Duke of Brunswicks The tenure of his letters The Duke of Brunsewicke conteÌ„neth hys owne religion A straunge tale of the saide Duke An Image buryed in the sleâ—e of Eue. The French victory at Carignane The Duke of Sauoye accuseth the FreÌ„ch king The swysses aunswer the Princes letters Thenglishe Nauie inuadeth scotlaÌ„d The oration of the FreÌ„ch Ambassadours Holy men haue had leagues with men of a contrarye relygyon The duke of Saxon is set throughe with kynge Ferdinando The French king hateâ— of all men for the turks societie The states of thempire decree an aide against the Frenche Kynge A decree for relygion Of the chaÌ„ber Themperoures gentlenes to the Lantzgraue The duchye of Brunsewicke committed to theÌ„peroure Themperoures Iornoy into Fraunce barbarossue retourneth The deathâ— of the Duke of Lorayns The kyngs besegeth Bollogns The deathe of the Prince of Drenge Counte willyam taken prisoner Eperney brunte The feare flyghte of the Parisians Bollon rendred A peace concluded betwixte themperour and Fraunce The condicions of the peace Three moste myghty enemyes of Fraunce The Popes letters to the Emperoure The enemies of the romish church The Pope can abide no superiour Themperoure is the Popes eldest sonne Great princes swe for the Popes fauoure The creatyon of Cardinalies A counsel is called Luthers booke of the Lordes supper The clergie of Collon to the Arche Bisshop They appeale to the Pope and Emperour An Ambassade to the Kynge of Englande Peter brulie 1545. Brulie burnte at Tourney Hys examination A conuentioÌ„ of diuines at mellon The Articles of Lovayne Luther aunswereth theÌ„ of Louayne An AsseÌ„ble at wormes The ProtestaÌ„tes make aunswer The counsel of TreÌ„t vnlawefull The deuise of the popish Princes Grinian the French ambassadour The Ualdois The cruell sentence at Aygnes Iohn Myners The Cardinal of tournon Miners presidente of Aygwes He leuieth a power agaynste the Ualdois The merindolans flee into the woodes A lamentable departynge A soldioure geueth them warnynge A Captayne defendeth the women A cruell fact of Miners Cabrier yelded A terryble example of crueltye The Swisses intreate for the Ualdois A sharpe aunswer of the kynge The confession of the Ualdois doctryne The deathe of Lewes Duke of Bauier Cardinall Farnesius his coÌ„ming to wormes Themperours Ambassadour to the kyng of Poole The kinges aunswer to themperour The pope most desyrous of war A frere obseruaunte stireth TheÌ„peroure to warre Luthers boke against the Pope Luthers themes of thre gouernmentes The wylde beaste Luthers picture against the Pope Luther a prophet The ignoraÌ„ce of Grinian The deathe of Fraunces Duke of Lorayne The birth of CharlessoÌ„ns to kyng Philyp The Duke of Brunsewicke getteth monye of the FreÌ„ch kynge Themperoure taketh truce with the Turke The clergie and vniuersitie of ColloÌ„ against their Archebishop Temperourciteth the archebishop The Pope citeth the archebishop of Colon. The decre of Auspurg The frowardenes of the Duke of Brunswick The warrâ— of Fraunce England The Protestantes send Ambassadours into FrauÌ„ce and Englande The deathe of the duke of OrleauÌ„ce The armye of the Duke of bruÌ„swick The Lantzgraue goeth against him Duke Moris intreateth a peace A skirmishe betwirte the Duke the Lantzgraue The vanitie of the Duke of Brunswick A conflicte betwixte the Duke the LaÌ„tzgraue Duke HeÌ„ry and hys son yelde themselues The deathe of the Cardinall of Mentz CouÌ„te willyam deliuered The Lantzgraues letters to theÌ„peroure Themperoure to the LaÌ„tzgraue A treatie of peate beetwirt frauÌ„ce England 1546. The king of Englande warneth the Protestants of the daunger The Palsegraue ordeineth ministers in hys Churches A brute of war against the Protestantes Granuellan his aunswer to the Lantzgraue Sebastian Scherteline The Protestantes accused of conspiracie The Lantzgraues letters to Nauius The coll 〈…〉 quie of the learned meÌ„ at RegeÌ„spurg Maluenda treateth of iustification Bucers aunswer Pflugius amonges the Presidentes The colloquie dissolued Ambassadours to theÌ„peroure for the archebisshop of Collon Gonzage go uernour of Millane The Popes Legates in the counsell of Trente Preachinge Freers A bul of perdonnes The begynnyng of the counsell The oratioÌ„ of the popes Legates TheÌ„ was 〈…〉 g of Esedras and Nehemias A decree of the Sinode redde The seconde session of the Synode Luther chosen arbiter Luther is sicke Whether we shall knowe eche other in the lyfe to come Luthers last prayer The quiet departure of Luther Luthers birthe Luther sent to Rome Luthers eloquence in the Dutche tongue The inuincible constaÌ„cie of Luther The victory and conquest of the word Iohn Diaze a Spaniard Diaze goeth to Maluenda Fewe Spaniardes loue the Gospell Marquins excuseth Diaze His brother Alphonse coeth into Germany The traytorous mind of Alphonse Alphonse retourneth to Nuburge to kill his brother The murtherer killeth Diaze Cladius Senaclyus Themperours letters for a paracide TheÌ„peroure visiteth the Lantzgraue hys daughter The Lantzgraue commeth to theÌ„peroure The Lantzgraue to theperoure What counsell the Protestantes desyred Freers be disturbers of peace The boke of reformation at Collon The Archebisshop of ColloÌ„ is accoumpted vnlearned The ignorance of the people for lacke of teachyng A communication of the LaÌ„tzegraue and others Freers vile in lyfe and learnyng Diuines stubburne obstinate Themperoure ought to compell the Pope to do his dutie The ende of Scripture The beste thinges please sewest The mynde of the Pauls graue What profit hath theÌ„peroure out of Germany The Lantzgraue is arbiter beetwirte the Dukes of
A FAMOVSE Cronicle of oure time called Sleidane's Commentaries concerning the state of Religion and common wealth during the raigne of the Emperour Charles the fift with the Argumentes set before euery Booke conteyninge the summe or effecte of the Booke following Translated out of Latin into Englishe by Ihon Daus ¶ Here vnto is added also an Apology of the Authoure ✚ CHE SARÀ SARÀ ⧠✚ To the right honorable and his singular good Lord Fraunces Earle of Bedford Lord Russel one or the Quenes highnes most honorable priuy counsel Ihon Daus his daily oratour wisheth helth peace and cōsolatiō In Christ Iesu with thincrele of honor and digntiy AMonges all other wryters that compile Bookes for the knowledge and instruction of others right honorable and my singular good Lord thei in my opinion deserue best of the common welth which commit to wrytinge stories wherby men maye learne by thexamples of others set before their eies how to guide and gouern theyr life what thinges to embrace or eschue and to iudge by matters past what shal be the consequent and end of things to come For which cause the most eloquent orator Cicero calleth an history the mystres of māners the guid light of life the sercher out of vertues driuer away of vices with many such other like goodly titles which he attributeth to the same And certenly if ther wer euer any story written whereof men might reape frute and commodity or worthy to be had in hand practised in the common vse of mans life ether for the worthines ofihargumente which is concerning the state of religion and common wealth or for the report of things done lately of fresh memorye it is thys same work of Sleidane For he treateth not only of thenterprises of men with the casuall chaunces of things that happen But climing higher and auauncing the minde of man vp vnto heauen constraineth the same to maruel at the wōderful prouidence of the liuing God touching the gouernement of the Churche And induceth men to wonder at the vnsearchable counsel of God almighty who hath preserued the same in somany troublesome stormes and tempestes ful of pearil and daunger And as concerninge the author the dilligence and fidelity that he hath vsed deserueth doutles to be highly commēded of all men for so much as he hauing more respect to the common wealth than regard to his priuate commodity hath wholy imploid him self to consecrate the best and most excellent matters that maye be to euerlasting memory It is said how Thucidides was so desyrous of the verity and so doubtfull and scrupulous in wryting of his story that he gaue a great some of monye euen to his ennemies to haue the truth of matters to know how all thinges went Assuredly the same may we say also by Sleidan who as he him selfe confesseth not content to go by heare say or by common report of people hathe fished for the certenty of his Story out of common recordes or at the least by report of men worthy credit and herein hath spared nether cost nor paine For although he hath wrytten many thinges which he him self hath sene in Germany Fraunce Italy other places yet muste he of necessitye be holpen herein with the eies and eares of many to compact an history of so many seuerall nations and places so far distante one from an other Seing therefore that thys story of Ihon Sleidane is compiled of matters of so singuler and excellent perfection worthy of perpetuall memory J haue thought it expediēt for sondry causes to present your honoure with the same And that as wel for the great good wil zeale that your good Lordship beareth towards lerninge christen religion and common wealth of your natiue country As also for the place and dignity to the which by the iudgement of al mē you are most worthely called cōsidering how it shal be neither vnprofitable nor vnnedeful for your honor to vnderstand the state of other realmes and cōmon welthes with the tormoils of the church in the same which things do here aboundantly and sufficiently appear And to thend it may be easely knowen in what place euery matter may be found I haue set before the beginnyng of euery boke the some or argumēt conteining the most matters comprised in the same most humbly beseching your honour to accept this simple translatiō dedicated to your good Lord ship and wrytten for the vtility of our common coūtry into your honorable tuition that throughe your good Lordships authority the tonges of euil speakers being repressed put to silence all others that are disposed may receiue commodity and profit by readinge of the same For doutlesse a more profitable boke than this is hath not ben setforth in thenglish tong now of many yeres Thus the liuing God preserue and increase you in honor and so replenish your noble mind with the light and grace of his holy sprite to perswade and treat with the Quenes highnes moste honorable in such wise that all thinges ther condescended and agreed vpon may wholy redownd to the glory of Gods holy name The Kalendes of August Anno. 1560. ⧠The. Translator to the Boke GO forth my painful Boke Thou art no longer mine Eche man may on the loke The shame or praise is thine But seke thou for no praise No thanke nor yet reward Nor eche man for to please Haue thou no great regard The labor hath bene mine The trauell and the paine Reproches shal be thine To beare we must be fain Yet hath my study bene To profit others mo Some men thereby to win And trust it shal be so For as to pleasure many I haue bene euer glad Right so to displease any I wold be loth and sad But if thou please the best And such as be of skill I passe not for the reast Good men accept good will Thou mightst with me remaine And so eschue all blame But since thou wouldst so faine Be gon goe in Gods name ¶ To the most excellent Prince Augustus Prince Electour Duke of Saxon Lantzgraue of Turing Marques of Meissen high Mareschall of thempire his singuler good Lord Ihon Sleidane wisheth health DIuers authors most excelleut prince haue setforth vnto vs many and sondrye alterations of kingdomes And God him self wold that we shuld be taught these thinges as it were with his mouth long before they shoulde come so passe And of those foure greate Monarchyes of the worlde of theyr greate aulteration and succession he taughte vs by the Prophette Daniell Whose Prophecies for the mooste parte of them are alreadye made euidente and manifest vnto vs wyth a certaine knowledge most pleasaunt and ful of consolation And of the alteration and contention that shoulde be about Relygion and Doctrine both the same prophet hathe spoken before and S. Paule comminge after him prophecieth also manifestlye But in what sorte the same shal be it is setforth and declared by mo than one or two Howe be
same should be longer wanting so many learned men not only of Germany but also of foreine nations instantly requiringe me that I wold gratify them herein There be comming doubtlesse moste greuous commotions and wonderful alterations Which thing also the holy Scripture dothe nether doubtfullye nor daroklye Prognosticate and the present state of thinges doth plainly signify so that such as will applye theyr minde here vnto shall not want matter to wryte of but the same cause that moued me to wryte that is publicke vtility the self same perswadeth me nowe also that some thinges as I haue written and be comprised in these xxvi bookes I shoulde suffer to come abrode into others mens handes And this my labor and all my pains taken I wil dedicate whole vnto you moosie excelient Prince whiche are descended of that noble house and familie whiche fyrsto gaue harborow and refuge to thys Religion whose father did earnestly imbrace the same whose brother for the education of youth in true Religion and learning imploied a wonderful substaunce whose father in law for the self same cause hath a famous name among kinges And for so much as you also walke in these theyr fotesteps to your great commendation this worke which I hope wil profite many I trust will be to you also not vnpleasaunt The liuing God preserue your highnes safe and healthful Geuen the .x. Kalends of April in the yeare of our Lord. 1555. The first Boke ⧠The firste Booke of Sleidans Commentaries concerning the state of Religion and the common wale during the reigne of the Emperour Charles the fyfte The argument of the fyrst Booke THe Pardon 's graunted by Byshop Leo Luther reproueth by preachyng and wryting of proposicions and Letters sent to Tharchbishoppe of Ments the which are fyrst unpugned by Frete Tckell and Eckins and after by Siluester Prier as Hogestrate Upō this the Pope sendeth Cardinal Caietane taduertise Thēperour Maximilian to cite Luther to Rome but Fridericke Duke of Saxon founde the meanes that Luther aunswered Caietane at Auspurge The Cardinal what with threatenynges and what with thalligations of decrees mainteyneth thauthoritie and supremacie of the Pope Luther at his depertynge thence set by an Appellation Caietane solliciteth by letters the Duke of Saxon but in vaine whiche the Pope perceyuing publisheth a new remission of synnes by pardons And to wynne Duke Fridericke sendeth him a goldē Rose In the meane tyme dieth Maximilian and great suite and meane was made taspire vnto thempire whiche in fine Charles of Austriche atchieued and word was sent him into Spaine The golden bulle lawes of Thempire are here recited Erasmus commendeth Luther And at the same time that the disputacion was at Lipsia Zwinglius preached at Zuricke and as Luther had don resisteth a perdoner there one Samson agraye Frere THE Bishoppe of Rome Leo the tenth of that name a Florentine borne after the vsurped auethoritie of his predecessours which he pretēded to haue ouer all Churches had sent forth into al realmes vnder his Bulles of Lead indulgēces pardōs wherein he promysed cleane remissyon of synnes and euerlastynge saluation to all suche as would gyue money for the same for the leuiyng wherof he sent his Collectours into all Prouinces who gathered together and heaped vp great treasures in all places but speciallye in in Germanie And affirmed their doynges to be good bothe in wordes and writyng which pardons the Papistes call by an olde accustomed terme indulgences Grauntyng moreouer for money licences to eate whitmeat and fleshe on daies prohibited The same time was Martin Luther an Augustine Frere and professed diuinitie in the Uniuersitie of Wittemberge who beynge not a little tickled with the preachinges fonde bokes of these collectours for that he sawe howe the simple people beleued the thinges to be true that they bragged of began to admonishe men to be more ware and circumspecte and not to bie their marchaundise so dere For that the same which they bestowed vpon such trifles might be much better emploied This was in the yeare of our lorde a thousande fiue hondreth and seuentene And to thintent he might woorke the thynge to more effect he wrote also to the Archebyshop of Mentz the firste of Nouembre signifying both what they taught and also lamenting that the ignoraunt people should be so far abused as to put the whole trust of their saluation in pardons and to thinke that what wickednes so euer they had committed it should by them be forgeuen And that the soules of them that were tormented in Purgatory so soone as the mony were cast into their boxe should straight wayes flie vp into heauen and fele no more payne he sheweth him how Christ cōmaunded that the Gospell should be taught and that it is the propre office of a Byshop to see that the people be rightly instructed Wherfore he putteth him in remēbraunce of his dutie and prayeth him that for the authoritie whiche he beareth he would eyther put those prattelinge pardoners to silence or els prescribe them a better order in teachinge lest a further inconuenience might growe vpon the same as doubtles there wil doo vnlesse they be inhibited The cause why he wrote vnto him was that for so muche as he was also Byshop of Maydenburg the care of al such matters belonged vnto him And with these letters he sent certen questiōs whiche he had lately set vp at Wittenberg there to be disputed to the nombre of foure score and fiftene In the whiche he reasoneth muche of purgatory of true penaunce of the dutie of charitie and of their indulgences and pardōs at large and inueigheth against their out rageouse preachinges only of a certen desyre to boulte trie out the truth For he prouoked all men to come to that disputation that hadde anye thinge to saye and such as could not be there present he desyred to send their myndes in wrytinge protesting that he would affirme nothing but submitte him selfe and the whole matter to the iudgement of holy churche Neuerthelesse he sayd how he woulde not admitte Thomas of Aquine and suche other lyke writers but so farre foorth as they be consonaunt to holy Scripture and decrees of the auncient fathers To this the byshop aunswered not a woords But shortly after Iohn Tecela Frere Dominick set vp other conclusions at Franckford quite contrary to those of Luthers wherin he extolleth the supremacie of the Byshop of Rome with the frute of his pardōs and other lyke thinges in so muche as he compareth him with Peter the Apostle the crosse whiche he commaundeth to be set vp in churches with the crosse that Christ suffered vpon But where as no man of the cōtrary parte wold repeare to the disputacion at Wittenberge the questions were suche as many were destrous to reade Luther wrote a longe exposition of the same and sent them first to Hierome byshop of Braundenburge and to one Stupice Prouinciall of
the Austen Freres desiring hym to cause them to be sent to the byshop of Rome And he him self in the moneth of Iune wrote vnto Leo the tēth partly complayning of his pardoners whiche through their owne auarice abused his auethoritie And partly purging him selfe knowing for a suertie that they had complayned on him for the same matter but affirmyng that they did hym wrong For he was inforced by reason of the fonde Sermōs bokes of the Collectours to set vp certain questiōs only for the matter of disputation whiche he woulde now more playnly declare beseching him to geue no credit to sclaunderous reportes alledging that Duke Fredericke the Prince electour of Saronie was a man of suche wisdome honour that in case suche thinges had been true that his aduersaries reported of him he would not haue suffered his countrey to beare such an infamie And that the vniuersitie of Wittenberge was of lyke consideration and so submitted vnto him both all his workes and his lyfe also not refusing death if it should seme good vnto him For whatsoeuer should procede from him he would take as an oracle that flowed from Christe him selfe Amonges others of Luthers aduersaries Iohn Eckius wroote a little booke against him at the same tyme. To the whiche Luther aunswereth that he neyther bringeth Scripture for hym nor any thinge out of the auncient Doctours but certein dreames of his owne receiued of scoolemen by an vnallowable euill custome After Eckius one Siluester Prierias a freer Dominicke master of the holy palace as they terme it wrote against him a dialoge with the preface to Leo the tenth right stoutelye saying that he woulde proue whether Luther be so inuincible that he can not be confuted or vanquished For if he can answer this thē wil he set forth greater thinges with moste exacte diligence Then speaketh he vnto Luther exhorting him to amende and before he commeth to his disputation he propoundeth certain Themes that the Byshop of Rome is head of the whole churche and that the churche of Rome is the firste and chiefest of all others and can not erre in matters of faythe and religion Neyther that the generall counsell can erre where the byshop of Roome is present Moreouer that the holy Scripture taketh all his force and authoritie of the churche and byshop of Rome as of a moste certain rule And he that beleueth other wyse to be an heretike This foundation ones layd he beginneth to debate the matter Afterward doth Luther make answer to the same boke And in his preface to this Siluester saith that he wōdreth at his questions rather than vnderstādeth the same Then takyng of him example for the defence of his cause putteth forth also certen themes but suche as are taken out of holy scripture wherin he sheweth that we ought not to geue credit to euerye doctrine of man but to way euery thing exactely and to embrace that thing only whiche is consonaunt to goddes worde And none other doctrine to be receiued but that which is left vs by the Prophetes and Apostles although it haue neuer so goodly an apparence Neuerthelesse thautoritie of those writers whiche were next after them to be allowed but for the rest to be well ware what they wryte And as concerning the indulgences that it is not lawfull for the Collectours to inuente anye newedeuise herein but to followe in the same the order of the Canon law After this he obiecteth that he alledgeth no testimony of scriptur but reciteth only the opinions of Thomas of Aquyne who treated in a maner of al things at his pleasure without thauthoritie of scripture Wherfore he reiecteth both affirming that he doth the same not onely by the commanndement of saint Paule but of S. Austen also Emōgs the Ciuilians it is commonly sayd that it is not lawfull to pronounce any thyng but after the prescript of the lawe Much lesse in diuine matters ought that thing to be suffered that is spokē without the testimony of scripture It is S. Paules precept that suche as be appointed to instruct the people should be furnished not with Syllogismes or sondry decrees of men but with holsome and sounde doctrine lefte vs by godly inspiration But for so muche as many haue contemned this precepte great blyndnes hath been induced and an innumerable sorte of vnprofitable questions hath flowed ouer the worlde What tyme he hath thus made his waye he commeth to the confutacion and aboute th ende therof sayth howe he is nothinge affrayed of his manasinge wordes which are set forth for a brauery For albeit he shuld dye therfore yet Christe liueth and is immortall vnto whome all honoure is dewe And therfore if he list to come to a further trial in this matter he must fight with stronger weapōs or els his authour Thomas and he are lyke to goo by the woorse Againe this Syluester writeth Luther an aunswer and saythe it deliteth him muche that he submitteth hym selfe to the iudgemēt of the byshop of Rome wyshing also that he spake it with his harte vnfainedly Luther had charged him with ambition and fllatterie but he purgeth him self therof as muche as he may And defendeth right stoutly the doctrine of Thomas affirming it to be in suche sorte receiued approued by the churche of Rome that it ought to be preferred aboue all other writinges And blameth him sore that hath spoken of so worthy a man so vnreuerently accomptyng it an honour to him selfe to be called a Thomiste Notwithstanding he sayeth howe he hath red other mens woorkes also whiche shall hereafter appere After this preface he setteth forth a little booke wherin he cōmendeth exceadinly the aucthoritie of the byshop of Rome in so much that he clerely preferreth him before all counselles and decrees affirminge that all the strength of Scripture dependeth vpon his authoritie This Thomas comming of a Noble house gaue him self wholy to learning And leauing Italy went first to Collyn and after to Paris and proued best learned of al men in his time wryting diuers workes in the whiche he treated of matters of diuinitie and Philosophie He was a blacke frere the disciple of Albertus Magnus Whan he was dead Iohn byshop of Rome the .xxii. of that name made him a sainct about fifty yeāres after he lefte his lyfe He was a great mainteiner of the byshop of Romes authoritie For he attributed vnto him the supremacie ouer all other byshops kynges and churches vniuersall with both Iurisdictions aswell sacred as ciuile affirming it to be a necessary thyng vnto saluation that all men be subiect vnto him that he hath full authoritie in the churche and that it appertaineth to him to call counsell and to confirme the decrees made there Moreouer he sayeth howe men may iustlyappeale from any generall counsell Finallye he ascribeth vnto him all thinges onely this he excepted that he can not make newe articles of
wherevpon by the way is spoken of Iuly his actes and of the sayd counsell In the meane while the Diuines of Louayne condemne Luthers Bokes In his defence the articles of Picus Erle of Mirandula the Questions of Ockam and the controuersie of Rewcline with the same Diuines are recited Seyng him selfe assayled with so many enemies he writeth to themperour and shortely after to tharchbishoppes of Mentz and of Marseburge Duke Fridericke beyng aduertised that he had cuill will at Rome by reason of Luther he maketh his purgation by letters Luther in lyke case And yet this notwithstanding the Pope by an extreme Bulle doeth excommunicate Luther who contrary to a decree of Mantua by the waye recited maketh his appellation hauinge set forthe in Print a Boke of the captuitie of Babilon The emperour at the same tune goeth to be crowned at Acon the solemnities and maner whereof be there recited The Pope beginneth agayne to sollicite Duke Fridericke agaynst Luther but nothing preuailyng he causeth Luthers workes to be burnt and likewise Luther burneth the Popes Decretals and sheweth the cause why afterwarde he aunswereth Ambrose Catarine who had written agaynst him WHen Charles Meltice that was sent from Leo the tenthe vnto Duke Fredericke with the golden Rose perceiued howe Luthers doctryne was so farre spreade abroade and so highly estemed of many that it shoulde be hearde and almost vnpossible to quench it he sought all meanes possible to heale the wounde with a plaster of reconciliation Wherfore after longe conferens with Luther and his frendes at the last the meanes was foūde that Luther should write his letters to the Bishop reportyng of hym muche honour And so did he at the request of his Frendes aboute the syxte day of Aprill The tenure of his letters was this that albeit he had appealed from him to the Counsel Yet neuerthelesse he ceased not to make his prayers vnto God for his healthe And for as much as he is sore blamed to haue hurt and offended his name and dignitie he is hartely sorye to be so charged and this to be the cause of his writinge at this present signifiynge that in dede he hathe bene earnest in rebukyng of vice and errours but hath euermore written of him right honorablie as it is to be sene in his bokes And in that he doth so frankely taunte false doctrine he doeth it by the example of Christe his Prophetes and Apostles but that such reprehensions and holsome admonishementes can as yet take no place to be long of naughtie flatterers which tickle men in the eares And that he regardeth gods glory and seeketh onely that the truth might appere if he may this obtaine to be willinge ynough to giue place in other matters but to leaue of the professyng of Gods veritie he can by no meanes Then commeth he to the Court of Rome as they call it and sayeth it is more corrupt wicked then euer was Sodome or Babilon and that there cā be no more mischiefe wrought then is there no not of Antichrist him selfe wherefore he is sory that he is there as a Lambe amonges manye Wolues For Rome is not worthy to haue so good a man to gouerne it that it were muche better for him to be content with a meane benefice or to liue of his owne landes and reuenewes farre from suche pestiferous slatterers whiche to serue their owne lust and ambition do depraue his name and dignitie he addeth that Barnarde bewailed the state of Eugenius when Rome was better then it is at this present but now for asmuche as it is the most filthy sinke of al the places in the Uniuersall worlde and a rakehell heaped of all mischief he ought much more to be lamented And this to be the cause why he inueighed so soore agaynst it whiche appertayneth nothing to his reproche but rather to his saluation and he would wishe that all learned men woulde set on with touch and nayle to ouercome that Monstre Touching the thing it selfe whan he had set forth certeine litle bokes and sawe that his attempt was vayne he was willyng to haue left of his enterprise imployed all his frudye to the profite of his bretherne in the same house but than rose vp Eccius who disturbed all these quiet cogitations and desyred leasure wherin he did nothing els but more aptely disclose the shame wickednes of Rome After he toucheth in fewe wordes howe he was vsed before Cardinal Caietane who he saieth might haue appeased all the matter if it had pleased him vnto whom the faulte is to be imputed if any thinge be a misse not to him And that afterwarde came Charles Meltice who had quieted the kinge had it not bene for the importune disputation of Eccius whiche prouoked him to reason matters agaynst his will and is in dede his enemie which fyrst of all men kindled this fyre And nowe for asmuch as he was requested by Melticius others his betters to write to him in the waye of submission he would refuse nothing that appertained to reconcilement First therfore he required him that his aduersaries might kepe silence not raile vpon him as they did secondarely that he were not driuen to recante or bounden to interprete the scriptures after the prescript of mā for the doctrine of the Gospell which bringeth libertie to the myndes of men can not be bounden within any certen limites if these thynges may be graunted him he is content to do any thinge so that it lyeth in him nowe to ende the strife if he will vnderstande the matter commaunde either partie to silence But herein he must chiefely beware of flatterers and with a deafe eare sayle besydes theyr songes as the enticementes or daungerous rockes of the Sirenes which ascribe vnto him a godlines and affirme him to be the head of all the world preferring him aboue all generall counselles for there is nothing more pestiferous than is this kynde of Parasites but that he credite them rather which admonishe him of his dewtie and put him in remēbraunce that he is a man and this to be the dewtie of a very frende Finally he dedicateth to him his booke which he had lately written of Christen libertie commendinge the same in fewe wordes for that it conteyned the summe of trew doctrine In the begynning of the springe time Themperour taketh shippinge in Spaine to sayle into Englande where he was royally receiued of kynge Henry the eight who had maried hys Aunte Katherine which amonges other kyndes of his princelike liberalite builded a goodlye lodginge purposely for him vpon the Riuer of Themse called Bridewell and from thens he sayled into Flaunders where he was ioyefully receyued of almen About the same time duke Fridericke fell sore sicke Wherfore Luther compiled a boke to cōforte him and in his letters to him he saith it is the cōmaundemēt of Christ that amonges other workes of Charitie whiche we oughte to
Religion that excepte their Bybles all other Bookes shoulde be burned This was in the yere of our Lorde a thousande fiue hundred and ten Reuchline which was both a lawier and right skilful in the Hebrewe tongue when he had receiued the Archbishoppes letters he wrote againe his mynde and said how the Hebrewes bokes were of three sortes there were Histories Bookes of Phisicke and of Prophecies and these laste to also of dyuers sortes in the whiche albeit there were many fonde and supersticiouse thinges yet are they for this purpose profytable for that they will serue well to confute their Errours and their dotages This his opinion he sente to the Archebyshoppe sealed After that Phefercorne knewe this he made not a lytell a doe but set oute a Booke agaynste him callinge hym the fautoure and defendour of the Iewes Reuchline in the defence of his estimation aunswereth him with another by the which he offended certein vniuersities but especially Collen in the which were then of moste reputation Iames Hogostrate and Arnolde Tōgre who wrot an Inuectiue against him in like case as Phefercorne had done dedicating the same to thēperor Maximiliā And after that they wente to the lawe with him before the Archebyshoppe of Mentz and Hogostrate was plaintife whome Reuchline as his ennemy resused And first aunswered the vlatter by attourney and in fine came him self to Mentz accompanied with diuers gentlemen and other learned men whiche Ulriche Duke of wirtemberge had sent with him but after they had soughte meanes to haue quieted the matter and coulde not he appealeth vnto Rome The Bysshoppe of Rome committeth the hearyng therof to George Palatine Bishop of Spires commaunding that no mā els shoulde medle with all This notwithstandyng they of Colon condēned Reuchlines boke and burned it in the moneth of February in the yere M.D.xiiij This did the Bishoppe of Spires take in maruelous euil part And because the Plaintife beynge called at seuerall tymes as the maner is appered not he geueth sentence with Reucline approuynge his Booke to be good and condemneth this Hogostrate in costes and domage But he to the intent to make this sentence frustrate trauayleth to Rome In the meane time his fellowes at home labored and wrot to Paris and to Lewis the Frenche kinge by the mediation of Erarde Marchiaue Byshoppe of Liege who was at the same tyme greate with Lewis the twelfeth Wherofore the Uniuersitie of Paris after longe debatynge of the matter condempned the booke also as worthye to be burnte and the author to be dryuen to recant and those Hebrews bokes to be brent in like maner as they haue bene in times past This was in Auguste followynge The Duke of Wirtemberge had intreated them by his letters And Reucline him selfe wrote vnto them gentely for that he had bene there studiēt and sent them the Copie of the Sentence pronounced by the Bishoppe of Spires but all was in vaine When this Hogostrate had sued at Rome three yeres and could not preuaile he retourneth home againe as he wente For diuers of the Cardinalles vnto whome Leo committed the hearynge of the matter loued Reuchline intierlye for hys excellente learnynge and amonges others Adrianus that wrote a booke of the Latin tounge He was also commended vnto them by Erasmus of Roterodame whose Epistles in hys behalfe do yet remaine Before the menne of Louaine hadde publyshed theyr sentence of Luther they tooke theyr aduise of Adriane Cardinall of Derthuse in Spayne a Hollander borne and brought vp amonges them at Louaine by whome they were boldned to do it Wherefore when Luther had so manye and so greate ennomyes he wrote an Epistle to the newlye created Emperoure Charles the fifte and fyrste crauynge pardone that beinge a manne of so lowe degree he shoulde attempt to write to so highe a Prince he saithe the matter is weightye that causeth him to doe it and altogether suche as appertaineth to the glory of Christ signifying how he had written certaine bokes whiche had procured him the displeasure of manye through no desert of his for he was broughte into this contention by his aduersaries agaiust his wikhe had muche rather haue setten still but this hath bene his chief and only studye that the pure doctrine of the go spell might appere against the false traditions of men and that many good and excellent learned men can beare witnes of the same And this to be the cause of all the hatred disdaine reproches pearils and displesures that he hath bene in these thre yeres that he had done as much as lay in him that the matter might be taken vp But the oftner that he sought quietnes the more were his aduersaries offended and where he hath oftentimes required them to shew him wherin he had erred and to teach better thinges hitherto they haue aunswered in maner nothing but by railing wordes and cruell iniuries sekinge only how to quench both him and the doctrine of the Gospell For the which causes he is now constrained to vse the last remedy and after the ensamples of Athanasius to flie vnto him for succour besechynge him to take vpon him the tuition of the christian doctrine and to defende him againste all violence and iniurie till the matter be further knowen that he will desyre no defence in case he be proued to maynteyne an euill cause but desyreth onely that the thing may be tried and knowen and nothing to be determined before That this apperteineth to his office and for this cause hath he this highe power geuen him of God to minister Iustice and to mainteine right and equitie And to defende the pore and weake agaynst the iniuries of the stronger In like effect he writeth after that to all the states of the Empire reciting in fewe wordes howe vnwillynge he was to fall into this contention howe desyrous he hathe bene to haue it taken vp what conditions he hath offered and yet doeth the same Not longe after he writeth to the Archebishop of Mentz Cardinall with greate submission beynge sory as he saieth that he is complained vpon to him by suche as were wont to praise his doinges But he admonisheth him to gyue no credit to talebearers and to beware of Flatterers by the example of kynge Dauid disceaued by the flatteter Siba that he would set a part all sinistrall suspicion of him and of his workes vntill suche time as he had leasure to reade them him selfe for there were two kindes of men that condemned his writinge one was of them that neuer red them another of suche as read them in dede but with a malicious minde these did depraue his doynges wherin if any man coulde fynde any errour and teache him that were better he woulde be glad to folowe it and hathe oftentymes so protested And for asmuche as he trusted well in his great humanitie and was borne and brought vp in the same prouince that he hath cure of he coulde not but write thus vnto hym The
but no man can shewe it they haue often times required herin the Bishoppe of Constaunce of Basill and of Courtes certeine Uniuersities and them also but vnto this day ther is nothing done Therfore their Ministers gyue none occasion of diffention in the commō wealth but the Bishoppes and suche as for their owne profit teache that which is contrary to Godes worde For they deceiue the people offende God greuously which feare to lose any of theyr commodities and wer loth to forsake theyr pride and auarice As touchyng the eatyng of Egges and Fleshe Albeit it be free and not forbidden by Christ yet haue they made a lawe to auoide offence and rashenes God is the Aucthour of Matrimony and hath ordeined it for almen S. Paule also commaūdeth that the minister of the church should be the husband of one wife And sins that Bishoppes do permit priestes for money to kepe Concubines and Harlots by a filthy example And they neither can nor wyll be without women they thinke it not good to resist God who ordeyned holy wedlocke sufferyng them that haue not the gifte of Chastitie to marrie rather than in singlenes to lyue a fylthy lyfe Colledges and such other places were fyrst founded for the pore but now for the most part they possesse them which haue enough besides And often times it is sene that one hath as much as wold find many Wherfore they think it reasonable that suche goods were againe conuerted to the vse of the poore wherin notwithstandyng to vse this moderation that suche as be in possession already be permitted to enioye the rente during theyr liues leste any man shoulde haue cause to complaine That the Iewels of the Churche apperteine not to the trewe worshipping of God But this to be more acceptable vnto God what time the pore and nedye are releued The order of Priesthode is not of them dispised but muche set by in case they do their dewtie and teach syncerely But as for the rest of the rabble that doeth no good but harme If it be by litell and litel diminished without offence and theyr possessions put to some godly vse there is no doubte but the same woulde be vnto God most acceptable For whether that God do accept their singing and seruice in Latin it is muche to be doubted of For many of them vnderstande not what they say and yet are they hired to do the same The order of Monkes is the inuention of man and not the ordinaunce of God Howe muche Auricular confession is of valewe that numbreth the sinnes they wil leaue vndiscussed but that wherby trewe penitentes haue accesse vnto Christe theyr mediator they iudge not onely profitable but also necessary for consciences troubled and pressed down with the burthen of sinne And this to be trewly to repent when a mā doeth amende his life The Sacraments which were instituted of God are not of them contemned but had in great reuerence notwithstandyng they must be vsed accordyng vnto Gods worde and the Lordes supper not to so applied as if it were an oblation or a sacrifice And if the Clergie that thus complaineth can fynde out any error amonges thē or prone that they be hindred or empeched by thē they will make them amendes if not it were reason that they should be commaunded to do theyr dewtie that is to teache the treuth and to abstaine from sklaūdering of others Where as they desyre to be deliuered from the pillage and vsurped aucthoritie of the Bishoppe of Rome and his clientes they are exceadyng glad to heare it whiche thinge can be done by no meanes better than if Godes worde may be throughly receiued for so longe as theyr lawes and decrees shall take place let vs looke for no deliueraūce For it is onely the preaching of Gods word that shaketh theyr power and dignitie For the force of the Gospell and veritie is suche that they distrusting theyr owne strength seeke forthe aide of kynges Wherefore if they should in this case vse the helpe of Scripture it is requisite that the same be done lyke wise in all other thinges that all that God is offended with may be abolished for the reformation whereof they wyll be glad to bestowe not onely theyr trauaile counsel but their goods also for this would haue bene done longe syns Wherefore they desyre them to accept this in good part and to weighe it diligently They conet nothing more than peace and quiotnesse and will do nothing contrary to theyr league But in this case which concerneth theyr euerlastyng saluation they can not otherwise do vnlesse theyr errour can be detected they desyre them therfore that if they thinke theyr doctrine to be against the Scriptures it maye be shewed them before the ende of Maye For so longe will they tary for an answere from them and frō the Byshoppes and also from the Universitie of Basill In the meane while the Bishoppe of Constaunce calling a conuotion made a boke to answere them of Zuricke the ende wherof was to declare that where the Scripture speaketh againste Images it is to be vnderstand onely of the Idoles that were amonges the Iewes and Gentiles And that the Images receyued of the churche are to be kept styll Then treateth he of the Masse the which he proueth by many testimonies of Bishoppes of Rome and theyr coūsels to be an oblation and a sacrifice This boke sendeth he to Zuricke the fyrst daye of Iune exhortynge the Senate with many weightie wordes that they neither take downe theyr Images nor abrogate the Masse nor suffer the people to be taught otherwise The Senate make the answere the eighteneth day of Auguste howe that they are glad that he hathe setforth this booke for now it shall appere whether partie defendeth the iuster quarell After they declared the mindes of theyr learned menne teaching the contrary by the Scriptures But before they wrote an aunswer the Senate had commaunded throughout theyr incisdiction all Images to betaken downe brent Yet without any trouble this was in the moneth of Iune and within a fewe monethes after the Canons of Zuricke make a compact with the Senate and order was taken how the landes and goods of their Colledge should be imploied The Emperor sent to the Counsel at Norinberge Iohn Hawnart and complainyng that the decree made at Worines by their common assent and counsell was broken to the great losse of Germany he commaunded that from hence forth it should be diligentlye obserued The Princes answer that they wyll do herein what they can Finally the .xviij. of Aprill it was there decreed that by the assent of the Emperour the Bishop of Rome so shortly as might be shoulde all a free counsel in Germanye in some place conueniente That the estates of the Empire do assemble at Spires the xi of Nouember there to consult what they shall folowe vntill the begynninge of the counsell That the Princes shall assigne
from henceforth promiseth al due obediēce for him for the other This was in the moneth of Iuly And in Septēbre following the Emperour answereth hym by letters frō Ualentia how that he vnderstode the whole matter already by his brother Ferdinādo vnto whome he hath written his mynde in this behalf now sheweth him more by his Ambassadour by whō he may vnderstand of his clemencie and desire of peace and quietnes Wherfore he doth admonishe him to perfourme in deede the thinges which he hath promised in wordes vsing him self obediētly eschewig all troublesome coūsell During the warres of Wirtēberge Fraunces Sfortia duke of Millā taketh to wife Christine the daughter of Christierne king of Denmarck captiue the Emperours nece by his syster The Frenche kyng would haue moued warre agaynst hym But the death of Clement the seuenth with whome as I sayde before he had made a league was supposed to haue bene the lette and delaye therof For he being diseased in the stomack whan after the aduise of his phisicion Curtius he had chaunged his diet being an aged man dieth in this moneth of Septembre and had to his successour Paule the third surnamed Farnesius whiche shortly after made Alexander his young Nephewe by his Bastarde Sonne Peter Aloise and his Nephewe Ascanius by his bastarde daughter Constance bothe Cardinalles After that he calleth home Peter Paule Uerger oute of Germany to vnderstande the state of the countrey And he consulteth with his Cardinalles howe the counsell myght be differred tyll suche tyme as by their priuie practyse they might fynde the meanes to set the Emperour and other kynges together by the eares In conclusion they agreed to sende Uerger againe into Germany to make promyse of a generall counsell and that he should so handle the matter that their craft and subtiltie were not suspected as it was in Clementes tyme And that he should aduertyse the prynces howe the counsell should be holden at Mantua and there to entreate of the condicions And that he shoulde chiefly marke what forme of disputation the Protestauntes would seke to haue that one 's knowen he myght after prescribe vnto them suche lawes as he knewe they woulde not come there for the same He had also commaunded him to incense the hartes of Prynces against the kyng of Englande whose Realme he intended to geue awaye for a pray to hym that coulde get it And that he shoud see more ouer whether that Luther and Melancthon myght throughe anye meanes be broughte from their purpose Also certen Cardinalles and byshoppes were chosen to deuise some refourmation for the Clergie whiche in fyne was made and puplished as in place shal be declared Kynge Ferdinando was causer that Paule sent againe Uerger saying that he was a very fitte man for the purpose At this tyme was Andrewe Gritte Duke of the state of Uenyse a man of great authoritie for his singular wysdome and experience Who what tyme he liued at Constantinoble had a bastarde sonne called Lewys whiche being there brought vp frō his yougth where he had a good witte by his syngular industrie had attayned to great ryches and throughe his lyberalitie had gotten many Frendes first by the gentlemen of the courte and after by the meanes of Ibrain Bascha who at that tyme myght doe all thynges alone he was so well knowen with the Emperour Soliman that he was also admitted vnto his priuate talke Thus vsing the oportunitie of tyme through the beneuolence and liberalitie of the great Turke he came in to Hongary with great power dignitie to possesse that part of Slauonie that is next vnto the borders of Uenife to his own priuate vse to kepe the nether part of Hongary wherof Belgrade is chiefe for the Emperour of the Turkes He had a sonne named Anthony bishop of Quineueecclesia whom bishop Clement purposed for his father grādfathers sake to haue made Cardinall But in the meane whyle that Lewys was in hope of no lesse than a kyngdome and had in muche reputation of all men And that his father was glad exceadingly of the good and lucky successe of his Sonne by occasion of a grudge and a faction reysed againste him he was taken by his aduersaries and beheaded aboute the same tyme that Paule succeded Clement In this meane tyme beginneth anewe persecution in Fraunce againste them that were anye thynge suspected of Lutheranisme wherof in dede the occasion was this In the citie of Paris and certen other places and euen within the kynges palace aboute one tyme in the night season sondry billes were set vp against the masse and other poinctes of Religion And streight wayes inquyrie and searche was made and many were apprehended some by information and some by suspition whiche after they were racked were brent alyue and vnstrangled whiche was terrible to beholde For they beyng fastened to an engyne and lifted vp in to the ayre wer after let downe into the fyre from on hyghe and there fynged skorched were hoysed vp agayne and at the length the hangeman shoulde cut the corde and they fall downe into the fyre vnderneath them And suche also as were any thynge learned had their tongues cut out lest either thei should vtter the cause of their death or declare vnto the people the somme of their doctrine And for this busines was Iohn Motine the Lieuetenaūt Criminell a very mete minister For as he could moste craftely smel and searche them out that were any thynge at all suspected so lykewyse whan he had founde them in execution and extreme punyshement he passed in all extremitie Neuerthelesse at the same tyme came forth a booke in Frenche without the name of the authour against Romyshe marchauntes tempered with mirth and grauitie And first he sayeth howe that marchandise is a kynde and trade of lyfe neyther dishonest nor vnprofitable for the common wealth so it be voyde of fraude and auarice For of this kynde of men Christe toke his similitude what tyme he commaunded that the talentes receiued should be occupied that they might be made gainfull Whiche place in dede is to be vnderstande in a mistery for nothynge lesse becommeth the pastours and ministers of the churche than the lest suspicion of filthy lucre Notwithstanding almighty God being offended with the wickednes of men hath suffered to enter into his churche not only ryche and welthy marchauntes but also theues and murtherers For who wyll not call hym a thefe that eyther selleth an othermans goodes for his owne or counterfeited wares for ryght and true Is not the bier foule disceaued But this thyng hath chaunced vnto vs longe synce For in steade of true shepeheardes are crept in exceadyng rauenyng wolues And al be it that no mans witte or tongue is sufficiētly able to expresse theyr craft and subtiltie yet wyll I touche it a little Wherfore these marchauntes of whome I speake here are craftie beyonde
kyng and his two fellowes were caried hither and thither vnto Prynces for a shewe and mockery By the whiche occasion the Lantgraues preachers enter in disputation with the kynge touchynge these opinions chieflye of the kyngdome of Christe of Magistrates of Iustification of Baptisme of the Lordes supper of the incarnation of Christe and of Mariage and by the testimonies of Scripture priuayle so farre that albeit they did not chaūge him wholy which stroue and defended his opinions stifly yet did they turne him cōfounde him so that in fyne he graunted to many things whiche not withstanding he was supposed to haue done to saue his lyfe For whan he retourned vnto him the seconde tyme he promysed if he myght haue his pardon to brynge to passe that the Anabaptistes whiche were in Hollande Brabant Englande and Freselande an exceadyng great numbre shold kepe sylence and obey the Magistrates in all thynges Afterwardes the same preachers reasoned with his fellowes also both by mouthe and wryting of mortification of Christening of Chyldren of the communion of goodes of the kyngdome of Christe What tyme they were brought to Telget the kyng beyng demaunded of the Byshop by what authoritie he durst be so bolde to vsurpe so muche libertie vpon his Citie and people He asked hym again who gaue him that power and aucthoritie ouer the Citie And wher the Byshop made aunswere that by the consent of the College the people he had that rule and iurisdiction And I sayde he was called hether of God At the thirtene kalēdas of February thei were brought again to Munster cōmitted euery man to a seuerall pryson And the same daye also came the Byshop thether accompanied with the Archbishop of Collon and the Ambassadours of the Duke of Cleue The space of two dayes followyng was spent in Godly admonitions that they myght be reduced from their heresy And in deede the kynge confessed his faulte and fled vnto Christe through prayer The other two neyther woulde acknowledge any offence and yet stode obstinatly in their opinions The next daye the king was brought vp to the skaffold and tied to a post There were two hangemen ready and eche of them a payre of tonges read hote at the three first pulles he helde his peace afterwarde callyng continually for Goddes mercy whan he had bene thus turmented an howre and more and at the last was thrust to the harte with a sharpe poynted dagger he left his lyfe and his fellowes had the same punyshement Whan thei were dead they were fastened to grates of iron and hanged out of the hyghest towre of the Citie called saynet Lambertes the king in the myddes a mans height aboue the other two In the moneth of Ianuary of this present yeare died the lady Katherine Dowager whome Henry the eyght kyng of Englande had put away thre yeares before I shewed you in the fourth booke howe Fridericke Duke of Holste was by the helpe of the Lubeckes made kyng of Denmarke After whose death there arrose mortall warre betwene his sonne Christiane that was kinge after him and the Citie of Lubecke But where as the Duke of Saxon the Lantgraue Ernest Duke of Lunenburge and the Citie of Breme Hamborough Maydēburge Brunswicke Lunenburge and Hildisseme intreated a peace This yeare in the moneth of February all was pacified Than had Charles Duke of Sauoye a certen space maynteyned warre against the Citie of Geneua beynge ayded by the Byshop of the same Citie or set on rather partely for the profession of the Gospell partly for other matters And the Citie of Geneua was ioyned in league with the Citie of Bernes in Swicerlāde of whome at the length receiuing great ayde they gaue the repulse to their ennemies And they of Bernes marching further subdued al that laye cōmodious for their countrey euen to the loke of Geneua The residue of the Swicers also that bordered vpō Sauoye did the same Whylest this was a working the kynge of Fraunce whiche had longe before purposed to warre in Italye but especially synce the death of Fraunces Sfortia leuieng his Armie in the begynning of the spryng tyme maketh warre also with the Duke of Sauoye his vncle for a controuersie of inheritaunce whiche he said was due vnto him possessed and deteyned by the Duke Who beynge already much inpoueryshed by the Swycers and therfore an vnmete matche for so puissaunt an ennemye was in short tyme dispossessed in maner of his whole Duckdome For the kyng passing ouer the Alpes inuadeth also the countrey of Piedmount and amonges other taketh Turrine the chiefest town in those partes fortifieth it with workes and strength of men by the conduict of Philippe Schabotte Admirall The Duke of Sauoy had marryed Beatriche daughter to Emanuell kyng of Portugall and the Emperours syster Isabel And in the former tyme he addicted him selfe to neyther of them but now where he semed to incline to the Emperour he styred vp the king his nephew by his owne syster Lewesse against him Some reporte howe byshop Clement what tyme he was at Marseilles as in the last booke is recited gaue the kyng this counsell that in case he intended to recouer Millan he should first seke to be lorde of Sauoy and Piedmonte adioyning to the same Howe soeuer it was the kyng in the yeare followyng after a certen newe custome ordeyned through out the Realme of Fraunce legions of Souldiours to the numbre of forty thousande whiche shoulde exercise their weapons and be in a readynes when tyme of seruice came For where as aunciently the kynges of Fraunce haue alwayes maynteined cheualry and their whole force hathe bene horsemen this man would haue also footemen ready monstered that he shold not euermore haue nede of forein souldiours And the kynges purpose was to leade forth his armie and make warre thereby in Lūbardie to the intent he myght recouer the Duckdome of Millā which he had before enioyed syxe yeares together and contented that it was his and the right of his children by Ualentine his grandmother sister to Philippe Uicecounte the last Duke of Millan of that familie And thus the matter standeth The house of Uicecoūtes bare a noble brute in Lumbardie And the first of them is accompted Otho Archebyshop of Millan who in the tyme of Raffe Emperour expulsed the Turrians a noble and worthy familie whome his nephewe Matthewe his brother Theobaldus sonne succeded after hym Galeace Actius Luchine Iohn Matthew the seconde Galeace the seconde Barnabas Iohn Galeace whom the Emperour Wēceslans created the first Duke of Millan He had two sonnes Iohn and Philippe which died both without issewe and one daughter Ualentine Fraunces Sfortia a stoute warriour married the bastarde daughter of Philip and by that occasion vsurped the Dukedome of Millan secludyng Ualētine Philippes syster whome Lewys Duke of Orleaunce brother to Charles the sixt kyng of Fraunce had maried Sfortia had thre sonnes Galeace Lewis
a sedition at Gaunte Whiche citie is of great force and aucthoritie in those parties and hath oftentymes made many sore bickeringes for their lybertie with the Gouernours of Flaunders in whose dominion it standeth The Emperour hauing intelligence hereof where he firste had thought to haue gone through Italy into Germany he altered his purpose and determined to passe through Fraunce seyng the kyng required hym instantly so to doe and promysed hym all thynges franckely In the meane tyme the Palsgraue and the Marques of Brandenburge intercessours addressyng their letters to the Emperour of the pacification at Franckfurte had requyred hym to permitte a conference of learned men to be had at Norinberge But he sayde that the death of his wyfe and certen other affaires would not suffer hym to entende suche matters Whan the intercessours had sent a copie of these to the Duke of Saxon and the Lantgraue and yet had not signified whether the Emperour had confirmed that truce of .xv. monethes The .xix. daye of Nouember an assemblie was appoynted at Arustet a towne of Turingia Here they consulted to augmente their confederacie for their nedefull defence in case the Emperour wyll not allowe the peace makyng at Franckefurte for well disposyng the churche goodes to sende Ambassadours into Englande touching the syxe Articles and to mitigate the kinges mynde to moue the Frenche kynge that innocente persones be not tormented for ReligioÌ„ Moreouer to sende Ambassadours to the Emperour so sone as they shall vnderstande of his commyng into Flaunders And for because certen of the confederatours were absent and other some had not commission to determine of certeÌ„ matters an other daye was assigned at Smalcalde at the kalendes of Marche wherin to treate of the reste Here were receiued into the League the men of Rigen a citie in Linonia whiche were at coÌ„tencion with their Archebyshop lyke as many others were in Germany Neyther wer they receyued vpon other condicion than to be defended in the counsel chaÌ„ber by the commoÌ„ procurers therfore payed to the confederatours a thousande and fyue hundreth crownes Henry Duke of Saxon was taken into the league two yeares before without any charge because he was but poore but yet vpon condition that if he were at any tyme enriched he should beare like charge with the reste Nowe therfore that he was auaunced to this goodly inheritaunce in this Assemblie they treated with hym touching the same whiche assemblie ended the tenthe of Decembre The Prynces were not there present but had sent their deputes And the Duke of Saxon had sent Iohn Dulcie and Fraunces Burcarte vicechauncelour into Englande in the moneth of Nouembre to be is his name present at the marriage betwene the kynge and the Lady Anne of Cleane for he had married her syster Sibille as is mentioned in the syâ—â— booke Wherfore vpon this occasion they were enioyned at Arnstade to treate with the kyng in the name of the ProtestauÌ„tes for these matters before sayd The Emperour receyuing a saufe conduictetoke his iourney with a small company in the moneth of Nouembre Whan he came to the frontiers of Fraunce borderynge vpon Spayne he met the kynges two sonnes Henry and charles which were come thether in poste and the Constable which was gone thether long before with a great parte of the nobilitie of Fraunce of whom being receyued and conduicted through the myddes of Fraunce the greatest cities whaÌ„ he came to Loche in Burges he mette with the kynge hym selfe who was than scarcely ameÌ„ded of a late disease After passyng through Or leaunce on Newe yeares daye rydynge in the myddes betwene the kynges two sonnes he entred into the citie of Paris and the Constable bare the sworde before him For no kinde of ioyful myrth and gladnes no honour or solemnitie that the mynde of man coulde delight in was left vndone Thether came the Byshoppes Legate Alexander Farnesius Cardinall who together with Cardinall Bellaye the Byshop of the citie Receiued the Emperour into the Cathedrall churche at Paris Where the Emperour remaining seuen dayes afterwardes departeth the kynge hym selfe accompanying hym into Uermandois and his sonnes brought hym as farre as Ualencenes a towne in Henaulte The kynge was brought into a great and almoste a sure hope to recouer Millan but it chaunced farre otherwyse as hereafter I purpose to declare What tyme the Emperour was with the Frenche kynge in Fraunce they sent both their Ambassadours to the Uenetians moste nobly accoÌ„panied The Emperour sent Alphonse Daualle gouernour of Millan and the king Claudie Hannebalde Lieutenant of Piedmonte These exhorted the Senatours with a longe discours to ioyne them selues in amitie with these two most myghty Princes and to put to theyr good willes and power to ouerthrow the Turke But they whan they had most honorably dimissed the Ambassadors considering the thing more diligently thought mete to reconcile them selues to the Turke with whom they had trewce already Wherfore concluding at the last to rendre vnto him Nanplia and Epidaurum they obteyned at his hande peace Some saye that the Frenchemen albeit exhorted them openly as did themperours Ambassadour yet secretly whispered in their eares that they should prouide for themselues not enter into such a daunger for the which they were fyrst like to smarte the king him selfe in an Apologie against themperour reporteth that the common wealth of the Uenetians of him destroyed was through his meanes releued and recouered Aloisius Bardnarius the Ambassadoure of the Uenetians sente to the Turke for peace 〈◊〉 as commaunded fyrst to offer al other conditions and reserue those two cities for extreme necessitie But the Turke which by priuie espiall knewe the determination of the Senate longe before did expostulate with him that he did not declare his commission plainely and directly And without those two places deliuered would not conclude Who beyng amased seyng the priuities of the common wealth were bewrayed full sore againste his will permitteth him to haue them at laste But whan he was retourned to Uenise and had declared the whole matter the Senatours greatly astonied after moste diligente inquisition apprehende certen and fyndynge them giltie cut of theyr heades One of them was fledde into the Frenche Ambassadours lodgyng the Bishoppe of Mompelier as into a Saintuary wherefore officers were sent to haue searched all the house But whaÌ„ they might not be suffered to enter the Senate commaundeth certeine great pieces to be fetched out of theyr ordenaunce house to ouerthrow the lodging Wherupon the Frenchmen consyderinge theyr owne daunger bring him forth vnto them The Senate afterwarde wrote vnto the kinge the cause why they so dyd lest he shoulde thynke his Ambassadour had susteined wrong When themperour came into Flaunders kyng Ferdinando comming out of Austriche met there also After the Protestantes Ambassadors as it was condescended at Arnstad who the xxiiii daye of February beyng admitted to the Emperours speach at Gaunt
vnto them the cause of that assemblye And because the Prynces came not them selues whiche the Emperour thought verely they woulde haue done he wylleth them to she we their commission and aucthoritie After he nameth intercessours Lewys the Paulsgraue Iohn Archebyshop of Treuers Lewys Duke of Bauier and William Byshop of Strasborough When they were contente with them they beganne the treaty Thether came also the diuines of the Protestantes a great number Iustus Menius Pistorius Urbanus Regius Bucer Brentius Blanrer Osiander Shirepsius and many others Melanchthō fell sore sycke by the waye These preached at home euery man to their company but chiefly what tyme al the Ambassadours mette together to consulte vpon any matter But Ferdinando whan he vnderstoode it forbade them the Ambassadours agayne shewed hym howe they preached not openly but only priuatly neyther was there anye cause why he should be offended The Duke of Saxon and the Lantgraue were about to come in case the talke had gone forwarde and taried vpon the frōtiers to the entent that hearing newes therof they might haue bene there by and by The intercessours requyre the Protestātes to deliuer them in a brief somme the Articles that are in controuersy they say how they did exhibite the somme and confession of their doctrine ten yeares synce at Auspurge an Apologie to the same whiche they sticke vnto and to none other beyng ready to make aunswere if any man fynde lacke therin And for because they knowe not what thynge chiefly their aduersaries do reprehende therin they haue nothyng to exhibyte but the same is rather to be requyred at their hādes to shewe what they suppose to be contrary to Gods worde Whiche if they doe and that the matter come to disputation as was thoughte mete at Franckefurte they wyll not be against a cōcorde They shew them againe within a fewe dayes after that forasmuche as they dwel styll in their confession exhibited at Auspurge they doe fynde in readinge of the treaty there that certen thinges were brought to a conciliation and certen not Nowe that the reste also myght come to a reconcilement they wyll doe their endeuours and desyre them to vtter their myndes herein The Protestauntes agayne saye that there was in dede a talke of certen Articles but nothyng concluded nor anye agrement at al made there Thus the matter being debated to and fro where the Protestauntes requyred that they myght come to disputation and they againe sayd howe it was cōmaunded them by the king and the Emperour that they should procede accordinge to the treaty at Auspurge Kyng Ferdinando the .xvi. daye of Iuly callyng them al before hym forasmuche sayth he as the matter standeth thus that nothyng can nowe be determined and that chiefly for the absence of the Duke of Saxō the Lātgraue an other day must be appointed wher in the Ambassadours learned men of both partes shall mete of lyke number to conferre of the Articles professed at Auspurge And than after a longe controuersie betwyxt the kyng and the Protestauntes for the peace of them and all their confederatours about the restitution of churche goodes and the iudges of the chamber Ferdinando the .xxviij. daye of Iuly maketh a decree and reciting the whole matter appoynted the day for a cōmunication to be at Wormes the. xxviij daye of October vpon condicion that the Emperour be so content The Prynces Electours the Dukes of Bauier and the Duke of Cleaue and the byshoppes of Madenburge Salisburge and Strasburge are commaunded to sende thether their counsellours and the Protestauntes also theirs so that there be eleuen on eyther part And also as many Scribes to wryte diligently what euery man sayeth the conference to be had of the Protestantes doctrine professed at Auspurge and that request be made to the Emperour that he wyll call a counsell of the Empyre And in the meane tyme he commaundeth all men to obserue peace and abstayne from violence vnder a great penaltie appointed by the Emperours commaundemēt Prynces before mentioned at this assemblie were Christopher the byshop of Trent Henry Duke of Brūswycke but he went home before the matter was ended The greatest peace makers in this assemblie were the byshop of Collon and the Paulsgraue Electours and also the byshop of Auspurge For all the reste were extreme agaynst the Protestauntes Duryng this assemblie died Iohn Uaiuode kyng of Hōgary leauing behinde hym a younge sonne Stephen whome Isabell daughter to Sigismunde kyng of Pole had borne hym a lytle before whiche was a cause also that kyng Ferdinādo beyng aduertysed therof by letters hasted homewarde About this time also were certen townes and villages of the Protestantes set on fyre in Saxony there aboutes and burnt vp cleane This wicked acte was sayde to be done by the Duke of Brunswyck as shal be declared hereafter The seconde kalendes of Iuly Robert Barnes Doctour of Diuinitie was brent at London in Smithfield He was for a certen tyme fled out of Englande for the doctrine of the Gospell and what tyme he vnderstode howe kynge Henry gaue his mynde to the knowledge of the truthe he retourned home agayn and was after in the Ambassade sent into Germany and was one of them whiche treated with the diuines at Wittēberge touching the kinges diuorsement as is wrytten in the tenth boke But where as the kyng had exiled the name of the byshop of Rome but kept styl his doctrine this man whiche loued the truthe was chieflye by the meanes of the byshop of Wynchester this daye executed after he had protested hys fayth openly there in the place of execution And with hym also were brent two others of the same Religion And the same daye in the selfe same place were three others hanged vpon the Gallowes that helde with the supremacie of the byshop of Rome so that neyther rāke Papists nor ernest Protestauntes escaped punishement In the moneth of August ended his lyfe at Paris Williā Budey maister of the requestes a man of great learning and worthy to be had in perpetuall memory for this cause only that he and Cardinal Bellaye byshop of Paris did counsell and perswade Fraunces the Frenche kyng to do a moste noble acte that is to appoint great stipendes for the readers of tongues and good artes at Paris For out of this welspryng no mā can beleue what clere and plentiful ryuers flowe out not only into Fraunce but also into other countreis The lyke hath Henry the eight done in Englande both in Cambridge and Oxforde And Buden would be buried without any solemnitie This yeare was notable by reason of an intollerable heate and drought Than also was excellent good wyne In the meane tyme the kyng of Fraunce dispatchyng abroade his letters to all his byshoppes commaunded them to go a procession in all places For albeit he had peace with the Emperour whiche he would not willingly breake yet feared he greatly leste
the same tyme he sayed he muste nedes gooe whan in deede he fled and leafte Germany for appraye to the enemie than approchynge throughe hys faulte the yong infante of Iohn Uayuode and his owne brother Fernando and all the Realme of Hongary are fallen into thys calamitie he telleth with a brauerye as thoughe he came to Aegnesmortes to confirme the peace but yf there be any prayse in thys thynge it ought rather to bee ascribed vnto hym whiche wente fyrste in to the Shyppe to hym and after also sente hys chyldrene thyther wherein surely there was great daunger bothe of hym selfe that can truste no man and also of Androwe de Anxie hys Admirall a man of a subtyll and craftie witte After he tooke hys Iorney through Fraunce at his requeste in dede but when he had fyrste by hys Ambassadour letters and Messagers craued thys of hym and offered hym Millan he alledgeth nonne other causes but he was constrayned of necessitie for the Rebellion of Gaunte to passe that waye where he sayeth howe consultation was had to haue stayed hym it is faulse neuer came into hys thought He did the Duke of Sauoye no wronge but when he denyed him bothe hys mothers dowarye and in herytaunce and woulde not permitte hym to redeme Nice and besydes dyd euyll intreate hys Lieutenauntes and soldiours he recouered by foorce of Armes that he coulde not gette by lawe and equitie especyallye syns he wrought all thinges in a maner at the Emperours pleasure whose vse and propertye is to perswade other Kynges subiectes to reuolte after to bryng them to miserye As for example the Dukes of Bourbon Sauoye the Prynce of Salarne And Duke Henry of Brunsewicke He is also chargeable and hurtful to his kinse folkes and alies to Christierne king of Denmarke to Fernando his brother to hym chieflye whiche hathe maried his eldeste syster For that the Turke hathe of late inuaded Hongarye and taken the chyefe Cytye it ought not to be ascribed vnto hym but to hymselfe and hys brother whiche layed wayte for the yonge Heyre Uayuodes sonne and made warre agaynste hym And so aunswereth to euerye poynte of the Emperoures Letters concernynge the Turke and hys Ambassadoures sente vnto hym touchynge the Germanes Relygyon and counsell that he will seme to bee in no faulte but to deserue well the Title of the mooste Christian Kynge geuen longe syns to hys noble progenitours And in fyne desyreth the Bisshop to geue no credyte to the sclaunderous reporte of hys aduersary but to thynke howe there is nothynge that he wyll not bee glad to doe for the common welthes sake and hys and for the Churche of Roome A little before this time dyed Willyam Bellaye of Langeis of whom wee haue oftetymes mentioned a man of moche honoure and vertue and an especyall ornamente of the Frenche Nobilytye by reason of hys notable learnynge Eloquence Experyence and syngular aptnes in all affayres farre vnlyke vnto the moste parte that followe the lawe which seeke onlye to auaunce and augemente they re ryches but he was of so noble a courage that he had thys respect onely howe he myght through more vertue wynne trewe renowne and serue hys Prynce trewelye thoughe it were to hys owne hynderaunce I tolde you beefore of Fraunces Lander a preacher of Paris Whan he had made a doubtfull aunswer to the articles propounded and perseuered styll in hys Preachynge two or three dayes before Easter he was commytted to warde Thys was doone by the procuremente of the Diuines which had accused hym to the lieutenaunte Criminell Within a fewe daies after the Kynge came to Sangermane whyche is a little Towne and Castell by the Ryuer of Seine fyue myles benethe Paris and beyng infourmed of the whole matter calleth the Preacher beefore hym He whan he came thither beynge put in feare by some mennes woordes whyche sayed howe the kynge was sore offended declared not that constancye whyche many men looked for at hys hande And beynge caryed agayne vnto Parys the .xxix. daye of Aprill he was enforced to recant suche thynges as he had taught before For on that day in the Cathedral Church did assemble the Senatours and iudges of the Parlamente moreouer all the Magistrates and officers of Parys and a great nomber of Diuines After the Church dores wer made faste and men set in Armure to dryue a waye the people Whan all were placed hys opinions were recyted and beynge demaunded of euery one what he beleued therein he aunswered as pleased them confessynge howe he had erred and promyseth all obedyence from hencefoorthe and acknoweledgeth those Articles of doctryne which fryste the Diuines and after the Kynges counsell propounded vnto hym to bee trewe and godlye After the same sorte also they handled an other Preacher Depensius thoughe not with so greate a solemnitie for whan he had at the fyrste made hys retractatyon nothynge playnlye he was compelled an other daye in hys sermon beefore the people to declare eche thynge distinctelye and apertelye tyll the Divines there present were fully satisfyed In Fraunce liued Clemente Marotte who in the vulgare tounge surmounted far al Poetes that eyther wee before hys dayes or that liued also in his tyme. He had no greate knowledge in the latyn tongue but yet through the company of learned menne he profyted verye moche Neyther was there any thynge almost in the bookes of Poetes but he kneweit so that out of theyr woorkes he tooke moche and applyed it to hys pourpose Thus did he translate certeÌ„ thinges couertly out of Tibullus Propertius and Ouide into hys owne elegies And our of Gaâ—â—llus he tooke the Marriage of Hercules Duke of Farrare and Senate Armoricke Daughter to Lewes the .xij. Kynge of Fraunce He translated also moste excellently the fyrst booke of Ouides Metamorphosys And in his later dayes he bente all his writynges to holy scripture and was prefixed to haue expressed Dauid his Psalter in Frenche metre but taken away through sickenes he finished only fyfty Psalmes which now remaine and are red not without thadmiration of hys excellent wit for nothinge is more pleasaunte than hys style nothynge purer than his speache nothyng apter or more pleasaunt than hys Rythme And he set them foorthe thys yeare at Geneua whither he repaired what tyme hee myghte not safelye make longer a bode in Fraunce for suspycyon of Lutheranisme he had prynted .xxx. Psalmes two yeares before in Parys but with moche diffycultye for thys myghte he not doo beefore the Doctours of Sorbone had pronounced that there was nothynge conteyned in that booke contrary to the Chrystyane fayth Thys peraduenture maketh not moche to our pourpos but I thought good to commend the name of so excellent an Artificer also to other nations for in Fraunce hys memoryal shal endure to the last posterytie and most men be of thys opinion that it shall be ryght harde for anye man to matche hym in thys kynde of
August he wryteth vnto them From Wormes and with a terrible threatenyng commaundeth them to restore relygyon and all other thinges into theyr fourmer state vntyll some publicke decree be establisshed in such matters Thre dayes after he addresseth his letters to the Senate of Collon how he heareth that certen preachers labour sore to remoue them from the aunciente religion whom they notwithstandyng haue stoutly resysted hytherto whych he was ryght ioyefull to heare of admonisshing them to perseuer in the same and kepe the citezens in theyr dewty This shal be to him most acceptable whiche he will also declare in dede in tyme to come At the kalendes of Iune the Bishop of Roome wryteth to the same effecte vnto the prebendaries of the cathedrall churche at Collon In the care sorrow of mynd which he hath of the Archebisshopppes folye conceaued he is greatly cōforted with theyr stoutenes and constancy which is not only to themselues but also to all theyr neyghbours righte holsome For nexte to the immortall God they deserue the thankes that bothe that moste noble Citie and also the whole prouince is in sayfegarde Therfore he geueth them ryght harty thankes for standyng so styffe in the cause and whylest he lyueth will neuer forget the same For albeit they did but theyr dewtie yet for the thing it self and for the example he must nedes confesse that he is moche bounden vnto them Notwithstandyng they had nede to bee constant for thys cause chiefly left if they should faynte and that the Archebyshop shoulde happely gette the vpper hande he wolde wreake hys tene on them extremly Therfore let them be stronge and stoute in the defence of Goddes name and the catholicke relygyon and of theyr owne lybertye saluation whyche that wicked Archeheretike goeth aboute to subuerte and destroye They haue no nede of a counselloure yet wolde he also thruste as it were thys spurre vnto them runnyng and desyreth them ernestlye to take good hede that he whiche is vn woorthye the name of an Archebishop doe not infect that most noble Cytie with his contagion neyther that they take hym for theyr Pastoure but for an enemie and he wyl not fayle to assist them bothe with hys counsell and otherwyse These letters dyd Iohn Poggius the Bisshops Ambassadour to Themperour sent vnto them the. xxv of August A little before thys tyme the French Kyng goyng with an army into Uermandois taketh a little Towne of Themperours called Landersey maketh it stronge with fortifications and garisons aboute the same tyme also Barbarousse the Turkes Lieutenaunt by the conduit of Poline a Frenche man arriued with a greate Nauie at Tolloye whiche is an hauen towne in the prouince of Fraunce betwene Marselles Nice Whan the Kyng knewe of hys comyng he sendeth the Duke of Uendome Angiane with a force with Galleis to assiste hym After they goe bothe to Nyce and whan they had taken the Towne and the havon the .xx. day of August they layesege to the castell An other armie of Turkes made incursyon into Hongarye whyche tooke the towne Quinquecclese and the citie and Castell of Strigone and Wanne Stulweysenburge by assaulte The Bishop of Roome had sente ayd wherof Baptista Sabella Iulye Ursine were Captianes but they came sō what to late Whan the diuines of Paris had thus triumphed ouer Lander and Depensius as beefore is sayde they publyshe those articles of Doctrine propounded to the Preacher Lander whiche in nombre were xxv The matter was solēnely donne at Paris the first daye of Auguste the people beyng called together as the maner is by a trompet those articles were recited and after also by the kynges commaundemente wer put in prynte and proclamation made vnder a great penaltie that no man should worke nor teache agaynst them and a decree also added for the searching oute of Lutheranes The diuines moreouer charge theyr studentes that are called bacchelaures and others that studie diuinitie to follow this fourme or els to be expulsed their colledge Agaynste this theyr doctryne Caluine wrote a booke whych he calleth Antidotum and paynteth them forth in their collours and moch aboute the same tyme setteth forth an other booke in Frenche of the relyques of Saynctes to thintente that bothe thys age and also the tyme to come may see in to what a case relygiō was fallē but he recyteth these thinges only which vnto him were knowē and wissheth that the same were done lykewyse in other countries And of this nombre are the Cribbe Swadling clothes and bearing clothe the foreskinne and blud of Christ partely pure partely delayed with water the sixe waterpottes that were at the mariage in the Citie of Cane in Galilee the wyne that Christe made than of water the stuffe and furniture of hys Maundie and last supper that he had with hys Apostels the Manna of the people of Israell the Crosse the cane Nayles Sponge launce Crowne of thorne Cote Shoes Handkerchef and teares of Chryst The Milke Smocke Heare Girdel Slipper Combe and Ring of the Uirgin Marie The sworde and bucklar of Michel tharchangell The Scull Iawebonne braynes and fingar of Iohn the Baptiste The Chaire Honlette Massinge garmentes brayne of S. Peter And then the bodies of Sainctes and that the same in diuerse and sondry places And he sheweth with what veneration the people worshipped these thynges whan the Pristes not without monye let them haue a syght therof and shewe them a farre of verey tryfles and thinges of nought which yf they be well considered haue nothing but craft colloure diuised of the Pristes for lucre But in vase Dutchelande ther be two famous Cities in thys behalfe Treuers and Achon for hither they saye men were wonte to come to see reliques oute of Hongary and Slauonye What tyme those marchauntes set forth theyr wares but euery seuenth yere that thauthorytie and wonder mighte bee the greater Themperoure came from Mentz to Bomia by water Ther taught Bucer at the same tyme Casper Hedio also sent for thither newly frō Strasburg by the Archbisshop a man of a verey milde nature and verey mete to instruct the people They were bothe in great daūger especially the Spaniardes beyng thete Themperour also doth wyll the Archebisshop by his ambassadours to send them a waye Melancthon was departed thence before They also not long after obteynyng lycence to departe hauing taken order with the ministers in the churches retourn home again After this Themperour wente to Dure And what tyme he came before the Towne the .xx. of Auguste the nexte daye he sent an Herauld to sommon the Towne willyng them to render it vnto hym or els he wil attempte it by force The soldiours within aunswer hym contēptuously sayinge that they are not affrayde of hym who was a good whyle sence made bayte for fysshes For the brute went howe Themperour in hys retourne out of Barbarie after the
tendeth to greate vnquyetnes he will not be perswaded they of necessitie doe flee to the laste remedye and doe appeale to the Bisshop of Roome and to Themperoure the hyghe protectour and aduocate of Gods churche and committe all theyr thoughtes vnto theyr tuition The chief of this assemblye was George of Brunswicke Duke Henry hys brother Prouost of the same College This thynge knowne the Archebishop settynge forthe a wrytyng sayeth there is no cause of Appellation For he had done nothynge contrary to hys dewty therfore he reiecteth theyr appellation and trusteth that they wil leaue theyr enterpryses but if not he wil procede not withstanding in those thinges that concerne gods glorye and amendemente of Churches And agayne in an other wrytynge he confuteth theyr sclaunderous reporte of Luther and Bucer and affirmeth that he was neither priuie to the condemnation of Luther before he sawe it in print nor consented to the decre of Auspurge Luther was in dede condemned at Rome but his cause not hearde violently and tyrannically But in the decree of Regenspurge he and all other Bisshops were enioyned to reforme theyr Churches And he sente for Bucer throughe the meanes of Gropper who so ofte and so hyghly commended hym in whom he also could fynd nothing blameworthye And it is a greate tooken that he shoulde bee an honest man for that Themperoure amonges many chose him to be one of the colloqutours as a man godly learned a louer of peace the same iudgement hath he also of the rest of the ministers of the churche by him appoynted After the peace concluded Themperour sent the Bysshop of Arras Granuellans son and the Frenche kyng Cardinall Bellaye ioynctely to the kynge of Englande to treate a peace but it was in vayne the king refusyng to restore Boloingue In these daies also the Duke of Orleans and the Cardinall of Turnon and Ladyes of the Frenche courte came to Themperoure at Brusselles for a mutual reioysyng of the peace Themperour had appoynted the captaynes and bandes of Spaniardes to wynter in Lorayne in the contrie there aboute In Themperours prouinces annexed to the house of Burgūdye many were euery where desyrous to know the gospel but secretly for feare of Themperours proclamations punnishment In those parties is a Towne called Tournoye the chiefest amonge the Neruians Thither came a Frenche preacher from Strasburge beyng of them sente for one Peter Brulye of whom mention is made in the twelfth booke Whan he was commen thither in the moneth of September beyng gently receyued of them that sent for him he began to instructe them priuately And after for the same cause went to Lysle a Towne of Flaunders and retourneth aboute th end of Octobre agayne to Tournay but nowe was the matter brought to lyghte and searche made for hym throughout al the cytye the gates kept shutte Being therefore in present daunger and coulde be no longer hyd the second day of Nouember in the night season he was by serten of hys frendes let downe ouer the walles by acorde whan he touched the earthe and satte downe on the grounde one of them laining ouer the walle as softly as he coulde bad him a dew and whylest he thus leyned he fortuned to thruste of a stone that cleaued not fast to the morter whiche fallynge vpon hym as he sate brake hys legge who vexed partely with the ake of his legge partely for colde when he could not styrre thence satte styll and bewayled hys chaunce and miserie That That hearde the watchemen and suspecting as it was in dede came vnto hym take hym and carye hym to pryson When the brute hereof came into Germanye the Senate of Strasburge sendynge theyr letters did intreate for him the same did also afterwardes the Ambassadours of the prote stantes which wer that tyme at Wormes but that was somwhat to late And before these letters came whiche were sēt in the name of the Duke of Saxon and the Lantzgraue he was dyspatched out of the waye This was on the .xix. day of Februarye The maner of hys executiō was extreme For he was brent in a small fire that hys torment might be so mutch the greaeer He confessed his doctryne constantlye euen to the laste breathe And as he laye in prison comfortyng hys discyples by letters which were fettred in chaynes he exhorteth thē to be constāt The sentence was pronounced against him that he should suffer for transgressing themperours commaundement For many yeres past themperoure had set forth most streit proclamations in all hys dominyons there awaye agaynst the Lutheranes And they be red euery yere twyse lest any mā should pleade ignoraunce Whē he was sent for out of prison to be examined the Freers that wer diuines axe him before the magistrate what his opinion of the sacrament of the altare as they calle it of the messe of consecratiō of adoration of the host of purgatorye of the worshipping of sainctes of steewil of good workes of Iustification of Images of Baptisme of vowes of confession of synnes of the Uirginitie of our lady Wherunto he aunswered that the verey body blud of Christ is there receiued not with the mouthe but in spirit through fayth and neyther the substannce of breade nor wyne is chaunged But whan the supper is distributed to the congregation after Chrystes institution in the vulgare tongue than are they verely consecrated euen by the wordes of Chryst For that still and secret mutteryng wherwith the priestes doe treate speake to the breade and wyne belongeth rather to inchaunters and charmers than vnto Christianes The popissh masse to haue nothyng cōmon with the Lordes supper but to be a seruice inuented by men to the reproche iniurye of Chryst the adoration of the bread consecrated to be Idolatry For there is worshipped a creature in the place of the Creatour that he knoweth not nor can fynde non other purgatory sauing the bloud of chryst which forgeueth vs not the trespas only but also the payne dew for our synnes Therfore the masse other praiers which are applied vnto the dead are not only of non effect but also wicked for asmoche as they are instituted besydes gods woorde Sainctes can not be better worshipped than yf we followe theyr faythe and vertues What soeuer cometh besydes is euyll and they whylest they lyued wolde permit no worshyp to be donne vnto them Therfore ought they not to be called on as mediatours for that the same honour apperteyneth only to Chryst through Adames sinne mans nature was wholy corrupted and the wyll weakened so that withoute Goddes grace it can doe nothyng that good is Howbeit a man regenerate dooeth through Gods motion as a good tree bryng forth good fruictes How it is faith that bryngeth vnto vs saluation that is when we trust vnto gods promesses beleue stedfastlye that for Chryst his sonne sake our sinnes are forgeuen vs. Traditions whervnto the mindes of men are
winne nothyng therby and for vs is prepared a kyngdome euerlastynge This Psalme whiche at that tyme he applyed to relyeue sorrowe and heuynes whan he had translated it into the vulgare toungue somethynge wrastynge the sence he made it also in metre and set a note to it verye consonant to the argument and a mete tune to styre vp the minde And so euer synce that tyme thys Psalme hathe also been muche songe amonges all others And that there was suche a decree made at Auspurge he ascribeth all the blame therof in a booke setfoorthe afterwarde to Clement the seuenth and hys Legate Campegious but speaketh all honoure and good of Themperoure whose name and authorytie they vsed for a clooke and reporteth hym to bee blameles ✚ The seuententh Booke of Sleidanes Commentaryes concerning the state of Religion and the common Weale during the reigne of the Empyre of Charles the fyfte ⧠The argument of the seuententh Booke IOhn Diaze beyng sent Ioinetly with Bucer to the colloquie of Regenspurge is murthered of hys owne brother Alphonse The Lantzgraue commyng to Themperours speche declareth vnto hym the conditions of the counsell whyche the Protestantes requyre and afterward makyng his excuse that he cannot come to the assemblee taketh hys leaue frendly of Themperour Sentence of excommunication thondereth at Roome against the Archebisshop of Collon Thēperoute couertly maketh preparation to warre in Germany Those of the Counsel of Trent make theyr decrees and Peter Danes is Ambassadour there for the Frenche kynge Themperoure soliciteth certen cities of Germany and also the Swysses through polycye to do them to vnderstand The Protestantes hauinge intelligente hereof take them to theyr weapons The Tenure of the league betwixt the Pope and Themperour is recyted Themperour is so vrged by the Pope that he letteth alone the Turke and falleth vpon the Protestantes The Castell of Erenberge and Tonauert surprysed Themperoure by hys letters Patentes bannissheth the Duke of Saxon and the Lantzgraue The Popes armye commeth to ayde Themperoure A Lyttle before was mention made of the conference at Regenspurge Iohn Diazius a Spaniarde wente thyther with Bucer He had ben many yeres a student at Paris in the diuinitie of the Sarbonites but when he had red the bookes of Luther and others and dilligentlye studied the scriptures that doctryne began to waxe vyle to him euery day more more And at the last to th entent he might profit so much the more leauing Paris he went to Geneua where Caluine was minister of the churche And whan he had there remained a while went to Strasburge and because Bucer perceiued in him much learnyng and an ernest zeale a few monethes after whan he should go to the disputation at Regenspurge he moued the senate to appoint him to be his companion and felow that iorney Commyng therfore to Regenspurge in the moneth of December he goeth to this Peter Maluenda whom he knewe at Paris He as one amased bewayleth lamenteth to see him in these parties and that in the company of the Protestantes whiche wil trihumphe more of one Spaniard allured vnto their opinion than of a great meany thousandes of Germanes And therfore begā to admonish him that he wold haue a respect to his name not so shamefullye staine and spot his countrey and honest familie Diazius aunswereth hym modestly commendyng the Protestantes doctrine and so departeth for that tyme. And whā he came againe a fewe daies after as was accorded Maluenda planteth al his ordenaunce that he myght to put hym in feare And speaking many thinges of the authoritie of the bisshop of Roome he rekeneth vp at large how daungerous a thing his curse is Again because Themperoure should come thyther shortely he aduiseth him not to tary hys commyng which perchaunce will be daungerous for him but counselleth hym to goe mete him by the waye and fallinge downe at the feete of Themperours confessour craue perdon for hys offence and promiseth to be a furtherance to hym herein Wherunto Diazius aunswereth stoutely and throughlye And sayeth howe the doctryne of the Protestantes is consonant to the doctrine of the Apostels and Prophetes and lamenteth the miserye of Spayne his nat if countrey which is in so great darkenesse he rebuketh Maluenda and his fellowes which impugne the manifest veritie and geue Themperoure euill counsell and ernestly warneth him to leaue he refuseth his counsell and sheweth hym how he wyl through Gods helpe professe thys holsome doctryne and wyll refuse no daunger of hys lyfe therefore Whan Maluenda sawe hym so strongelye confyrmed thy commyng hither sayeth he is in vayne For here shal be nothing determined And yf you liste to doe any good openly as you seme to boast you shoulde haue gone to Trente After this metinge Diazius came nomore in hys company But Maluenda wryting his letters to Themperours cofessour repeteth the whole matter and exhorteth him most ernestly to helpe the disease in tyme. When these letters were delyuered there was a Spaniard by Marquina whiche came lately from Roome Who vnderstandyng the accusation beganne to excuse Diazius whom he knew verye wel And after a few dayes he retourneth home agayne and declarech the matter to Diazius brother Alphonsus a Lawyer at Roome what he had hearde of Themperours confessour In the meane season Diazius went from Regēspurge to Nuburge a Towne of Otto Henry the Paulsgraue standyng by the Riuer of Thonawe twelue myles aboue Regenspurge the cause of hys goynge thyther was to ouersee the correction of a booke that Bucer sent thyther to be prynted Hys brother Alphonsus kyndled with the tale of Marquina haply also with the letters of som others besides immediately prepareth him selfe to take his iorney and in greate hast cometh first to Auspurge and from thence to Regenspurge And whā he vnderstode where Diazius was he hasteth thyther And to hym that marueled not a lyttell at his sodan comming declareth the cause After he vseth in a maner the selfe same argumentes reasons as did Maluenda at Regenspurge Whan he had assayed that in vayne he promiseth hym a greate yerely pension out of hys benefyces so that he wil goe with him to Roome When that wolde take no place nother After certen dayes he confesseth himselfe to be vanquisshed and fayneth as though he loued the doctrine of the gospel and exhorteth him that leauing Germany which hath aboundance of learned men and nedeth not hys trauell he wolde goe with him into Italye where he maye profit many First they shall come to Trent there be many men of singular learnynge and iudgement which wil be right glad of hys company After they will goe to Roome and Naples so shall it come to passe that when many shal be ryghtly instructed of hym in sondrye places in Italye by this occasyon the same doctryne maye be set forth also in Spayne therfore he prayeth and besecheth hym to follow his aduise herein he
For albeit that al papistry in a maner was therin established yet for asmuch as certē things wer permitted to the contrary part they thought it first expediēt to make the bishop priuy Who after openet 〈…〉 themperor by cardinal Stoudrate these notes or any inaduersiōs That a priest which hath takē ordres shuld mary execute stil y◠holy ministry was neuer hard of that the vse of receiuing the Lords supper vnder both kinds is abrogated nether hath any māautority to permit that liberty sauing the bishop of Rome the sinode that the folowers of the old religiō are not to be boūdē vnto these doctrins but if any Lutheranes wil forsake their opinions thei are not to be refused That of the .ii. masses ought only to be vnderstād of the Lutheranes that the singing of Psalmes ought to be restored in al places that on holy daies they must celebrate the memoriall of the patrone of the church that suche as are priestes already or hereafter shal be muste abstayne frō Mariage that a spedy restitution of the church goodes and iurisdictiō must be made For the Robbery is manifest nether must they folow herein thordinary proces of the law but determin of y◠thing that is euidēt execute the matter by regal power Whē this cēsure was inferred tharchbishops of Mētz Treuers Collen vnto whō it was deliuered answer thēperor directly after the same sort especially vrge restitutiō declaring the same to be right necessary if christē religiō shuld be maintained in places wher it is abolished shuld again be restored Moreouer the cōmon peace cā not otherwise be established wherfore it is chiefli to be prouided that religious houses be wholy restored And in as much as the spoil extortiō is manifest they must go spedeli to work that gods seruice may withal spede be recouered Finally they desire him to take these things in good part with his protectiō to defēd the mēbers of the church The .iii. other electors wer not of the same opiniō especially the Paulsgraue Duke Moris yet ether of thē had causes why they shuld not gainsai themperor The rest of the princes whiche wer for the most part bishops answer in like maner as did the iii. Archbishops As for the cities ther was no great accompt made of thē Themperour therfore at the Ides of Maye calleth all the States before him And in the preface speaking of his zeale towardes Germany saieth we perceiue by manifest arguments by the thing it self the neither the peace can be established nor law iustice ministred vnlesse the cōtrouersie of religiō the first appeased which hath now many peares sturred vp thempire muche grudge dyssention hatred discorde ciuile warres This hath bene verely the cause why by many cōuētions cōferēces we haue often sought a remedy But in the meane time not only in Germany but also into other natiōs and people of Christēdome hath this same cōtageous infection pearsed in so much that ther appereth no more present remedy than a general coūsel which at the lēgth at your request we procured to be holdē at Trēt and moued you also at the beginning of this conuentiō to submit your selues to thauthoritie of y◠same And that y◠charge might be cōmitted vnto vs in the meane seasō to deuise some godly meanes wherby they might liue quietly the meane while in Germany which cōtētatiō and cōfydēce of youres was vnto vs both thā now also right acceptable What time therfore we gaue our selues wholy vnto this carefulnes demaūded your opinions we than perceiued not without the great grief of our mynde that the disagrement in religion was thoccasion of all the former euils And vnlesse it be foresene hereafter wylbe Wherefore we thought it not good to leaue the matter in that troublesome state vntyll the decree of the counsell but that it oughte to be broughte to some moderation especially sith that oftentimes new sectes did arise Whilest we were pōdering these things certain of high degre nobility desirous of peace louers of the cōmon weale exhibite to vs in wryting theyr opiniō cōcerning religiō promise due obeisāce We than receiuing y◠wryting deliuered the same to certaine good learned deuines that they shuld among thē selues consider al things diligētly which after they had perused it made report that y◠same being wel vnderstand did not impugne the catholike religion and doctrine nor the lawes and cōstitutions of the church two opinions only excepted wherof th one is of the mariage of priestes thother of the Lordes supper but said it was wel deuised to establish the concord of Germany which thing dousles vnto vs shuld be most of all acceptable for what more ioyful thing could happē thē to se al states in mindes agreable follow one the same forme of Religion And seing it is euē so we require such as haue obserued hitherto the lawes custome of the catholike church to their great cōmendation that they perseuer in the same alter nothing as they haue promised vs heretofore And those also which haue chaūged their religiō we desire most earnestly to passe with thother states professe the same religion that they do or els to cōfyrme their doctrine after the order of this boke in euery poynt to follow the steps hereof besides that to ordaine nothing but to stay within these boundes limites and neither by wryting nor preaching to attempt any thing to the contrary but obediētly to attēd the decre of a general coūcel that the same may be had as shortly as is possible we wil indeuor with al diligēce now ar occupied in this thing wholy how to cōceaue a forme for the reformatiō of the clergie Whā he had spokē thus by his secretary as is accustomed he cōmaūded the boke to be red Ther tharch bishop of mētz which occupieth the chiefest place amōg thelectors not seking what thopiniō of stats shold be ariseth vp as it wer in the name of al the rest geueth vnto thēperor for so much trauel pain care diligēce loue of y◠coūtrey imortal thāks in asmuch as thei haue already cōmitted the thing to his fidelitie now paines hath bē takē therin he saith it is reason that they should with most willing minds acknowledg thesame obey the decre This thāks geuing did thēperor take for a cōmon assent cōfirmatiō after wold admit none excuse as I shall herafter declare cōmaundeth the boke to be set forth in print both in latin duch also The iiii day after he declareth to the stats with how much labor cost he hath restored peace vn to Germany because the thing it self requireth that it be also prouided for in time to come he supposeth it veri mete necessari some great treasure of money beleuied and in certeine places be kept the common treasurie that if it fortune at
any time anye commotion to arrise within the Empire or without the same may be alwaies in a readinesse And when a fewe daies had passed betwene kynge Ferdinando raccompteth how he for waightie causes whiche they them selues vnderstand wel inough and nede not to be recited sendinge an Ambassade made truse with the Turke for fiue yeares wherof one is past And albeit he hath commaunded his men to do nothing to the contrary yet he requireth them neuerthelesse to geue him that aid which they haue already promised to the intent that if he breake couenauntes he may be easely resisted Again inasmuch as he doth fortifye his frontier Townes with stronge garrisons that he also be negligent in this behalf Therfore is he purposed to fortifye in all places and to kepe garrisons but for the intollerable charges of the warres in these former yeares he is not hable to sustaine so greate a burthen Wherfore he requireth them that whilest this truse shal indure they would pay the mony yerely to be imploid vnto these vses For this concerneth the quiet and preseruation of them all In the meane time Maximilian the eldest sonne of king Ferdinando departinge from Auspurge goeth into Spaine to take in Mariage the Lady Mary the Emperours eldest daughter his cosin Germane The Cardinall of Trent was sente wyth him and a fewe monethes before the Duke of Alba. At the ende of Maye the horsmen of Nalpes that before were in Norgouia come into the contrie neare vnto Strausburge and there remaine by the space of three Monethes and hardly can it be expressed how arrogantly they vsed them selues Many times woulde they come into the Citie neither wanted that thinge great suspicion Duke Moris not long after the Emperours decree was setforth departeth thēce But Marques Ihon of Brandenburge the brother of Ioachim the electoure goeth to the Emperour and kinge Ferdinando standinge by besecheth him to fauor him in this matter and speakinge somewhat of his seruice towardes him saieth that he vppon this affiaunce chiefly serued him in this last warre for that he had assured him touchinge Religion The Emperoure sheweth him howe this is the consente of the states imperiall and saieth that no man oughte to swarue from the same he replied againe that all had not assented and aunswered him plainly that he could not with a good conscience praise the same decree and still vrged his promesse and couenaunt Whan the Emperour might not preuaile he commaundeth him to departe whiche men suppose to be done for this cause least he should through his example and talke cōfirme the mindes of others Wherfore the same day towardes euening he taketh his iourney homewardes and in all his dominion altered nothing The Prince Electoure his brother who indeuoured alwaies to please themperoure made no assistaunce Nor yet the Paulsgraue hauing the Emperoure at the same time not his very good Lorde The Ambassadoures of the Cities suche as were of the confession of Auspurge when they were vrged did intreate that they mighte firste aduertise their Senates to the intent they might answer according vnto their mindes which thing was permitted them to do The Emperoure commaunded Wuolfgange Prince of Bipount of the house of Palatine which had his Ambassadours there to come him selfe And whan he came he doth instaunt him to confirme the decre He saieth he knoweth none other Religion saue that in the which he was borne and brought vp in vnto this day Wherfore he requireth him to haue some consideration of him and saieth he wil do herein whatsoeuer he maye with a safe conscience The Emperoure for that time letteth him so departe but afterwarde he vrged him sharply by letters and by messagers as shall be rerited in his place Whilest the Senate of Auspurge consulted the Emperoure placeth souldiours throughe out the Citie There was a righte famous Minister of the Church Wuolfgange Musculus he seinge Godlinesse go to wracke and the Senate tunorouse and could not approue the booke departeth from thence to Bernes in Swisserland At Hale in Sweuia was Ihon Brentius He was in greate daunger two yeres past what time as the protestantes retourned home the Emperour came vnto Hale and now was in much more daunger For then a little before the Emperour came thither which was in the beginning of Decembre certain Spanish souldioures comming into the Towne went straightwaies vnto his house and require to be let in or els threaten much cruelty Which beinge receiued did many thinges fierselye and arrogantlye Wherefore he biddeth his wife and his family hauing none other place to repare to to get them into the hospitall house of the City and a little after followeth he him selfe leauinge one at home to geue them vitailes and thinges necessary But the next daye commeth a noble man of Spaine which was of the Cleargy and thrusting them oute at the dores kepeth the whole house to him self and going into his studie searcheth all thinges There whan he had founde certaine letters wrytten to Brentius from his frendes concerninge the trouble of this time he seketh to procure him much displeasure whan he had vttred the same to his Countrye men Wherefore he followinge the aduise of his frendes in a cold and sharpe winter nighte conueieth him self into the country least by his presence he should hinder his Citezens But when the Emperoure was come thither and shewed clemency and semed to be nothing offended for anye kinde of Doctrine taught there Brentius at the last retourned thither and executed his srunction vnto this time that the Emperoure woulde haue all men to receiue the decree made concerning Religion For beyng commaunded as many other learned men were thorowout Germany to declare what he thought of that boke Albeit he vnderstode his owne daunger yet to thintent he might perfourme hys duetie to the cōgregation he pronoūceth the same to be contrary to the Scriptures and so declareth it by writing Which after that it came into the Bishops handes Granuellan in themperours name cōmāded thambassadours of Hale that they should finde the meanes that he might be brought bounden to Auspurge But beinge admonished by his freindes he steppeth a side into the countrey by And not longe after commeth to Hale a bande of Spanierdes the Captaine wherof goeth immediatly to the house of Brentius and seketh euery where diligently if he might find any pray to cary away but the most part of his stuffe was conueied by his frendes alies vnto another place Thus therfore he whiche had taught there xxvi yeares was exiled And his wife also thoughe she had a greuous sicknes whereof she died shortly after was banished withall his family Wherefore she pore wretch wandred vp and downe with .vi. children and knewe not where to become or to haue any refuge all men were so sore afraid of the Spaniardes And this thing augmented her disease sorow that she knewe not in the meane while what was become
warned meune to beware and eschewe the same as a mooste presente Pestilence One of these was Caspar Aquila chiefe minister of the Church of Saluelde in Thuringie Thoccasion why he wrote was Islebie who retourning home from Auspurge gloried muche in the boke by the way and said there was now a golden world toward and that Aquila had also assented After he hearde of this he answereth moste vehementlye and reproueth him for his liynge and affirmeth the boke to be ful of erroneous opinions And in Fraunce also Robert bishop of Abrincen wrote against it how be it after a contrary sort and chieflye dispiseth the boke for so much as it permitteth Priestes to marrye and the common people to receiue the whole Supper of the Lord and so taketh occasion to inuey against Bucer with most opprobrious words for maryinge his seconde wife Moreouer one Romeus generall of the Austen Friers at Rome wrote againste it for the same purpose Thus doth the boke incurre reprehension on euerye side Themperour sent an ambassadour to them of Norinberge and to certain others to perswade them vnto this decre Whan he came by the way to the duke of Saxons sonnes he moued them hereunto but they constantly denied it wherfore at his returne to themperour he declareth the whole matter wherupon themperour solliciteth againe the Duke theyr father prisoner and complaineth of his sōnes how they contemne the decre lately made suffer men to speake against it both in theyr preachings wrytinges he requireth therfore that he would treat with them to content him in ether thing Wherunto he maketh answer howe he lately declared the cause whye he hym self could not allow the doctrin of the boke setforthe to Granuellan and the bishop of Arras wherfore he can not perswade hys sonnes to do that thyng whych he hym selfe can not with a quiet conscience he besecheth him to take it in good part and defēd both him and his childrē This cōstancie of his magnanimiti in so great aduersity got him great loue euery wher amōgs al men Like as in Saxony they of Breme and Maidenburge so also in high Germanye onlye they of Constance borderynge vppon the Swisses were not yet reconciled to themperor but at the last obtaining a saufcōduit they send ambassadors to Auspurge to treat a peace Themperor propoundeth right hard conditions and amōgs other things also that they shuld admit the boke setforth after that to frame their religion Thambassadors require to haue the cōditions mitigated but that was in vain and are commaunded to make answere by a certen day That knowen the Senate wryting their humble letters the xiii day of Iuly do beseche him that they be not constrained to do any thing against their soules health their own conscience how they se theyr owne daunger and are in a greate parplexitie for vnlesse they do obey they stand in pearill to lose both life and goods but if they shuld follow his appetite they must abide the vengaunce and iudgement of God Wherfore let him spare them and put not them pore wretches to so great an extremity especially seinge they haue no more offēded than others and haue for thempire for the house of Austrich suffred in time past exceding great misery now do refuse no charge that cā ought of them to be performed although their treasure is very smal their substance not great yet wil they geue for amendes .viii. M. crownes and .iiii. greate peces of ordenaunce but they beseche him to permit the same Religion whiche they haue kept now these .xx. yeres vntil the decre of a lawful coūsel and unpose no heauier burthen to the Citye than it is hable to beare Their bishop Ihon Wesel who was also called Archbishop of Londen as is mentioned in the .xii. boke had threatned thē sore at Auspurge after the Emperors boke was setforthe but within a few daies he died of the same disease that he praied might fal vpō them that is of a sodē palsy Where they say how they haue sustained great domage for the loue of the house of Austrich thus it stādeth The Emperoure Maximilian by the aid of the Sweuical league wherof we haue spoken in the fourthe boke made warre with the Swisses wherfore the Citye of Constance being than of the same league and lieth nexte them receiued much displesure The Swisses were aided by them of Rhoetia of Seon and Sāmaurice whiche were lately made their felowes and also by the Frenche Kynge Lewes the .xii. At the length by the intercession of Lewes Sfortia Duke of Millan the matter was pacified aboute the yeare of oure Lord a thousand and fiue hundreth Maximilian had in Mariage Mary Blancke the sister of Sfortia Themperor the third day of August calleth before him the consuls and all the Senate of Auspurge and diuers others of the chiefest Citezens and by Seldus the Ciuilian speaking muche of the good wil zele that he and his progenitors haue borne to them he saith their common welth hath now these many yeres bene euill seditiously gouerned the cause wherof hath bene that men of none experiēce crafts mē for nothing les mete thē to haue gouernmēt haue bene chosen senators wherfore he who beareth good will to their city to thintent this euil may be remedied displaceth them al not for any reproche vnto them but for the common welthes sake After he cōmaundeth their names to be red whō he hath apoynted senators of the which nōbre were the Welsers Relingers Būtgarners Fuggers Pētingers whō he bindeth after by an oth assigneth vnto euery of thē his office function cōmandeth thē straitly that they loue the cōmon welth obei the decre of religion be vnto him obedient He doth also abrogate al fraternities cōmaundeth vnder pain of death that from henceforth ther be no conuēticles or assēbles made And cōmaundeth that al wrytings of gildes fraternities of priuileges fredō be immediatly deliuered to the new Senate cōmaundeth this state of publike weale to be proclaimed by an officer of armes geueth charge vnder pain of death that no man do impugne the same The Senate geueth him thankes promiseth al due obeisāce In the meane while that these things were in doing al the gates were shut and the souldiours set to warde There had bene a lōg sute many yeres betwene the Lantzgraue William the Erle of Nassow for the lordship of Chats which now at the length themperor in these daies decided geuing sentence againste the Lantzgraue The .v. day of this month themperour answereth thambassadours of the City of Constance by the bishop of Arras and sendeth them away withoute their purpose and because he seeth them so little careful for peace he saith how he wil deuise an other way The same day the Spaniardes which we said went into those parties to the nombre of thre thousand fotemen go straite
fourmer bokes howe the Byshoppes of Rome Clement and Paule haue vsed the seruice of Uergerius before in germany Certes he was in hygh fauour with king Ferdinando whilest he was in Hongary in so much that whan his daughter Catharine was borne Uergerius George Marques of Brandenburge and Iohn Archebyshop of Lunden were her godfathers at the fountestone But after he reuolted from the Byshop of Rome by a wonderfull occasion Whan he was sent for to Rome from the conference of Wormez whiche was in the beginning of the yeare M. CCCCC xli as before is said The Byshop going about to make newe Cardinalles appointed him also amongest others But there were some that priuely whispered in his eare that he was now through muche familiaritie with the Germains become a Lutherane After that Uergerius had heard this by Cardinall Ginucius vnto whome the Byshop had tolde it he was maruelously astonied And to the intent he myght pourge hym selfe he goeth home into his countrey and begynneth a boke whiche he intituled against the Apostatas of Germany And whylest to confute their argumentes he tourneth ouer diligently the bookes of his aduersaries and pondering depely their reasons he feleth hym selfe taken and vanquished Than casting away all hope of his Cardinalshyp he goeth to his brother Iohn Baptist Byshop of the citie of Pole and reciting the whole matter asketh his counsell His brother being afrayde at the beginning lamenteth his case much But after he was perswaded by hym to applie hym selfe to the searching of the Scripture and had considered diligently that article of iustification comparinge the sentences together he geueth place and iudgeth the bishop of Romes doctrine to be false Wherupon they reioysed the one to the other And as the very duty of Byshops is began to instruct the people in Istria and preache diligently the benefite of Christe imployde vpon mankynde and declare what workes God requireth of vs to the intent they myght call men againe to the true Religion But there sprang vp many aduersaries especially Freers suche as are called obseruauntes who reported the thing to the inquisitours the chief wherof was Anniball Gryson and ioyned with him in commissiō Hierome Mutius whiche after wrote an inuectiue against Uergerius and not that only but set forth a boke also wherin for the Hatred of Religion he diffameth Germany with moste sclaunderous rayling wordes Whan Grison was come to Pole and to Iustinople he rusheth into mens houses and searched if they had any bokes prohibited Than whan he had spokē many thynges in his Sermon he cursed all those that wold not presente such as were suspected of Lutheranisme Yet he promysed a lesse punishment vnto suche as would come to amendement of their owne fre wyll aske hym pardon But on those that would not wyllyngly cōfesse their crime and were after accused of others he sayde he would be auenged by fyre and entringe into euery house feared all men Wherfore there were founde diuerse that accused them selues for feare refused nothyng Of the which nomber the rycher sorte pryuely and poorer openly were constrayned to confesse their errour Suche as confessed how they had red the newe Testament in the vulgare tongue he disswaded moste earnestly to abstayne hereafter Than the common multitude whose myndes were stryken with feare accused one an other full busely without any respect had eyther of kynred frendshyp or benefites For the sonne spared not the father nor the wyfe her husbande nor the cliente his Lorde and patrone The complaintes were all for the moste parte of triflyng matters suche as one reprehended in an other for superstitiō Hereunto were added preachinges against the doctrine of Uergerius And on a certen daie whan there was a great audience of people assembled in the head churche of Iustinople The inquisitour Grison whiche sayed masse than pourposly getteth him vp into the pulpet in a rych vestiment amongs other things to the intent he might thrust in his sting at this time saith he and these certen yeares past you haue had many stormes and much vnseasonable weather which destroyeth one whyle your Oliues an otherwhyle your Corne And nowe marreth your Uines now eftsones your cattell other goods And the cause of all these euilles commeth of your Byshop and the other sort of Heretikes And neuer loke for any better vnlesse they be first restrayned Therfore the next way is to set vpon them stone them Through this their violence Uergerius was constreined to repaire to Mantua vnto the Cardinall Hercules Gunsage with whome he was familiarly acquainted But where bothe diuerse at Rome and also Iohn Case the Byshops Legate with the Uenetians admonyshed the Cardinall by letters and messengers that he should no longer mainteine suche a man he goeth to Trent where the coūsel was holden at the same time to make his pourgation Whan the Byshop of Rome knewe therof albeit he had rather haue had hym deteyned prisoner yet least any suspicion should aryse namely in Germany as though the counsell were not free he wryteth agayne to his Legates there that they permitte hym not to haue any place in the session but that they commaunde hym to departe from thence Being after this sorte repulsed he wēt to Uenise Here the Bishops Legate before named exhorteth him by al meanes that he would go to Rome But he whiche vnderstode his daūger refused Than the other a fewe daies after cōmaunded him in the Byshops name that he retourne no more to Iustinople Therfore went he to Padwey And whylest he there was he behelde this miserable example before rehearsed Wherewith being wehemently moued whan he had sene presently the wrath of God wherwith that wretched man was stryken he began more and more to be confirmed and than he determined plainly to forsake contrie and all that euer he had and go into volūtary exile rather and to be in place where he might frely professe Christe Whiche he did within a fewe monethes after and taking his iourney out of the countrey of Bergome he came in to Rhetia bordering vpon t the same And whan he had preached the Gospel there and also in the vale of Tely that ioyneth next vnto Italy certen yeares Christopher the Duke of Wirtemberge sent for hym to Cubinga Before he departed out of Italy the Byshop of Polle his brother was dead and it was suspected that he was poysoned Moreouer many notable mē besides Uergerius sawe Spiera in the same state and amongest others Matthewe Gribalde a Ciuilian of Padwey who compry sing in wryting the whole matter whiche he presently saw and heard set it forth in printe As Uergerius did also and Sigismunde Gelowe a Polonian and Henry Scotte The Archbyshop of Beneuento before mentioned compyled a booke of Buggery and so filthy as nothyng can be deuised more For he is nothing ashamed to extolle and prayse the moste detestable vice of all others yet commonly vsed in Grece
and Italy In the meane tyme the Archebyshoppes of Germany especially of Mentz Collon and Treuers euery man in his owne diocese holde conuocations to thintent to refourme their churches after the order prescribed by the Emperour For this had they promised him to do In the prouince of Collon Bucer had taught before as in the .xv. boke is specified and there were diuerse ministers of the churche that had maried wyues But although the Emperours decree did permitte the mariage of priestes tyl the counsell should determine the same yet sayed the Bishop of Collon how that appertained only to the Lutherians and not to suche as folowed the churche of Rome Wherfore by a decree made he disanulleth matrimonies contracted and declareth them to be incestuouse and commaundeth the children be gotten of suche to be bastardes The Archebyshop of Treuers hath but a small prouince conteining only thre Byshoprykes Metz Tully and Uerdon There neded no suche lawe For the priestes in these places had rather haue cōcubines thā wyues But in the Archebyshopryke it selfe where there appered to be more daunger he decreed as his fellowes did The iurisdiction of Mentz is moste large For vnder hym be .xii. Byshops and almost all Hesse is also win his prouince Therfore he began to instaunt and vrge them to obey the Emperours decree Like wyse did the Archebyshop of Treuers who had also some iurisdictiō there But the Lantgraues sonnes and the other rulers and counsellours heard these thinges with deafe eares The Archbyshop of Mentz sent also to Frāckfurth his suffragan Michel Sidonie Who first hallowyng the churches there preacheth teacheth after his maner The Byshop of Auspurge compelled certen priestes that were not constante to abiure their religiō and doctrine I spake before of the Frenchmen which in sommer went to ayde the Scottes They at the last bryng away in to Fraunce Mary the yonge Quene daughter and heire to the kyng that dead is beyng thā syx yeares of age that they might thus take away from the Englyshemen all hope of optaynyng her This yeare that Byshop of Rome created Charles Uandome a Frencheman Cardinal After that Maximilian of Austrich was arryued in Spayne and had maried the lady Mary themperours daughter Phylippe the Emperours sonne a younge Prince of .xxi. yeares of age being sent for of his father prepareth him selfe to take his iourney And leauing behinde hym his cosin Germane the same his brother in lawe to gouerne the common wealth in his absence whan he was imbarked had set vp sayle the .xxv. daye of Nouember he arriueth at Genes with fiftie Galeis and as many shyppes of burthen by the conduite of Androwe Daurie who had transported Maximilian accompanied with a great nomber of Nobles amongest others the Duke of Alba and the Cardinall of Trente A fewe dayes after his arriuall he remaineth wout the walles in the house of Androwe Daurie the Admirall in the meane tyme that the Shippes were vnlading and preparation made in the citie The second daye of December he entred and was receiued moste sumptuously and being there furnyshed aswell of money as all other thinges mete and requisite to trauell by lande he departeth thence the eight daye after and passing by Alexandria and Pauie goeth to Millan At Pauie were the great battering peces which the Emperour had taken from Iohn Fridericke Duke of Saxon and sent thither as before is sayde At Millan where he arriued the .xix. daye of December were set vp in euery place triumphant arkes pageōs and images with honorable posies written At his entring were ready to receiue him the Duke of Sauoye the Ambassadours of Uenise Florence Ferrare Seines About this tyme at Bruisselles died Maximilian Erle of Bure of a disease in the throte called the Quinancie whan his Phisition had tolde hym before as they saye the very houre of his death as sone as he sawe him whose name was Andrew Wessel I shewed you before of Duke Manrice how after the decree of Religiō was red he departed from Auspurg Whan he was come home he assembleth the Nobilitie and the other states And propoundeth the whole matter at Misene declaring vnto them what the Emperours mynde is They vrge the Emperours promesse and his also and requyre instauntly that they may be suffered to kepe styll the Religion professed at Auspurge After it was agreed that the diuines of Wittemberge and of Lipsia should be called to counsell Wherfore they met first at Begge after at Celle last at Iuterbock Thither came also Iohn Islebie sent frō the Marques of Brādenburg Here was a decre made of thinges indifferent suche as are called Adiaphora the last conuention of all was at Lipsia Here was a fourme of Religion written whiche all men should obserue vnder the dominions of Duke Maurice Which boke afterwardes bred much contention as shal be declared in his place In the meane tyme the Emperours sonne procedeth on his iourney and passing by Mantua and Trent he cōmeth to Auspurge and so to Spire After he passeth through the lād of Luke to the Emperour his father accompanied amongest others with the Cardinall of Trent The Emperour had sente to mete hym in Germany a goodly nomber of Horsemen at the conduite of the Duke of Arescot Duke Maurice goyng forth to mete him as farre as Trent rode forth with a small cōpany to see Mantua and Uenise and was moste honorably interteyned of the Senate He intreated diligētly the Prince of Spain that he would be a meane to the Emperour for the Lantgraue his father in lawe whiche after also he signified vnto him for as muche as the other had promysed right gently he byddeth hym be of good comfort yet neuerthelesse admonyshynge hym to dissemble the matter and not to be acknowen therof At this tyme was muche trouble in the partes of Barbarie Affrica For one Zeriphius as they say arrising of a smal beginning and atteyning to a kingdome had erpulsed Fesanus a kyng by hym out of his Realme who came after to the Emperour at Auspurge complayning of his misfortune and desyryng ayde Nicolas byshop of Metz the son of Anthony Duke of Lorayne and Tutour to the Duke his Nephew as I shewed you in the xvi boke forsaking ecclesiasticall order maried one of the house of Eckmount whiche was an inheritour in Brabant So the Bishoprike returned to the Cardinal of Loraine In what sorte the Ambassadours of Strasburge treated with the Emperour at Collon is before declared Whan they were retourned home shortly after they began to conferte with the Byshop who callyng before hym the Nobilitie sheweth them what the Emperours pleasure is to haue done and commaundeth them all to obey He chargeth also straightly the Clergie of Strasburg to followe the same And where he propounded ouer harde thinges the Senate the .xii. daye of February sending Henry Cope Ambassadour with letters to the Emperour saie howe they haue treated diligently
only againste whome if anye proclamation come forthe or if any decrees be made the matter is clearely out of doubt that the same oughte to be reiected and refused but of this sort is the decre made at Auspurge concerning religion Therfore can not we obey them that woulde make vs to receiue the same Mauger our heades and take from vs the lighte of the Gospel and setforth that Romish Idoll that they might draw vs into euerlasting damnation And seinge the case standeth thus ther can no rebellion of right be obiected vnto vs again euery mā may easely perceiue how vnlawful it is to worke anye violence against vs for in that are not we only assaied but this thing is wrought to th end that the professors of the true doctrine might vtterlye be extinguished that through our side mighte be wounded Christe him self and al godly people For we are al the members of Christe Wherfore such as defile them selues with so wicked a facte what thing els may they loke for but Gods vengaunce Touchinge the fortes and villages taken we haue spoken in our last former wryting neither is it neadefull to repeate the same For so sone as we shal be assured of peace we will restore them to the right owners Where also our enemies haue raised a brute as though there were vsed amonges vs an intermixed vncerten lechery it is a most impudēt lie Therfore we beseche you for the honor of God that ye do not defile your selues with innocent blud but pray God that he would confound the bloudy coūsels of the wicked if it fortune to be war that they wold not deny them their aid After in the month of Aprill the ministers of the church setforth a wryting wherein they recite the confession of their doctrin and declare how it is lawful for the inferior magistrate to defend him self against the superior compelling him to forsake the truth and here they speke vnto and beseche themperor that he wold geue no credit to suche as incense him to practise vniust and wicked cruelty but that he wold first truly and duely examine the whole matter Finally they make earnest request that they may haue no war and if the thinge come so to passe they desire aid also of the inhabiters next them Of the trouble that I said fortuned in the head church at Strausburge the bishop made complaint to themperor but the Senate by an ambassadour sent declareth that ther was no fault in them wherfore themperour adressing his letters to the bishop commaundeth him to renue hys worke omitted to procede therin The bishop taketh firste assurance by othe of the Senate that ther shuld be no violence shewed nor any disturbance in theyr doing Thus at the length the clargy at the feast of Pentecost which was than the .xxiiii. of May began their matter again A few daies at the first the consuls certen other Senators wer ther in thother side of the Cathedrall church least any tumult shuld be raised And the clargy of the said church had inclosed that part of the chauncel as they go into the reuestry with grates of yron that no man could come nere At th end of May themperor departeth from Brussels with his sonne Phillip goeth to thassembly at Auspurge leading with him the duke of Saxon prisoner leauing the Lantzgraue at Machlin Not long after his departing thence ther was setforth a proclamation against the Lutheranes which was written both in French Flemish the .xxix. day of April and that was after this sort albeit saith themperor I haue alwaies indeuored that thauncient and true religion might within al my dominions be obserued albeit I haue bene euermore wholly bent that therrors sectes heresies which haue now these many yeres bensowen ouer al christendom might vtterly be abolished albeit that for the same cause I haue setforth sōdry proclamations with most extreme penalties yet hearing saye not without the great grief of my mind that not only men of our own dominiō but also strāgers which dwel within our prouinces occupy the trade of marchandise haue spread abrode thinfection of this mischief far and nere in such sort as it is doutles requisite to lay to this disease some corrasine or other sharp medicine make diligent inquisitiō after the offenders that the same plage maye be plucked vp by the rotes as in the last assemblies prouincial I admonished the states and gouernors that euery man for his part shuld diligētly apply him self hereunto and stil remain in thold and catholick religiō Especially cōsidering how it is openly sene of al men what tumultes commotiōs this infection hath stirred vp to speake nothing in the meane time of the losse of saluation of soules Wherfore by thaduise of our most derely beloued sister and assent of oure nobles we make this new law straitly charge and commaund that no man whatsoeuer he be haue bie or distribute any bokes of Luther Oecolāpadius Zwinglius Bucer or Caluine or any other bokes set forth xxx yeres past without the names of the authors as in the registre of the deuines of Louain is furthermore conteined moreouer that no man kepe any Image or picture made in contempt or mockery of our Lady or other saincts nether that he cast down or breake any Image painted or pourtraied in the honor of any saint that no man open his house vnto priuy conuenticles wherin bothe erroures are wont to be sowen men and wemen rebaptised and also conspiracies made against the church and the common wealth that no man either priuely or apartly dispute of the holy scripture especially of hard and doubtfull matters or take vpon him thinter pretation of the same vnlesse he be a deuine aucthorised by some commendable vniuersity they that shall otherwise do shal be punished as seditious persons and disturbers of the common tranquility and if they be men they shal die with the sword and womē shal be buried in the ground quick in case they wil forsake theyr error but if they will be obstinate they shall be burnt and theyr goodes confiscated whether punishment so euer they suffer Againe they shall haue none authority to make any will and whatsoeuer they shall do herein since the time they first began to infringe thys oure law shal be frustrate and take no place Furthermore we charge cōmaund that no man receiue into his house or aid with any thing such as he knoweth to be suspected of heresy but that he aduertise immediatly thinquisitour or gouernour of the place and shal suffer punishment if he do it not Such as not of obstinate malice but throughe infirmitye haue fallen into errour and heresies and yet haue not transgressed thys our law and haue done nothing seditiouslye but of their owne accord haue retourned to amendement and after they haue abiured be receiued again to grace shal after that haue no conference amongs them selues of matters
the Emperor Than will he amongs other thinges treat with him also of these matters presently and that also with his diuines should come Moreouer the ambassadors and diuines of certain Princes and Cities amonges the which he named the Duke of Pomeranes cosins the copy of the which letters th one of thambassadors for that his felowe was not yet retourned from his iourney sendeth to the Cardinall of Trent at Brixna which was lately gon thither For he because he was both most seruiceable to the Emperor and also loued Duke Moris by reason of muche familiarity dearely well and chiefly wished that the counsel might procede toke very heauely this dissention growing wherof ther was much talk And that was the cause that thambassador sent these letters wherwith he knew he should be comforted And he verely after he had receiued those letters where before he doubted now at the length he began to take more comforte and to hope well and wrote againe to thambassador that so sone as Duke Moris shall come to Insprucke he will go thither immediatly to him or a great way further For by reason of the amity and frendship that was betwene them he thoughte he could perswade him to peaceable waies And these letters were subscribed wyth Duke Moris own hand and to them was also annexed letters of theyr commission to exhibite if nede required for the same was before neglected Not long after tharchbishop of Treuers to refresh him self departeth from Trent homeward the xvi day of February For that they said how themperor had geuen him leaue that so sone as he might recouer his health he should come thither again yet left he the Frier Pelarge ther that he might be present at al actions Tharchbishops of Mentz and Collon brought him goinge a mile or two on his way And he tourned on the lefthande and toke not his iourny by Insprucke wher themperor lay Shortly after many began to mutter how the counsell shoulde be proroged and that Duke Moris making league with the frēch king prepared to warre vpon themperor This rumour was not great at the first but it increased daily and secreatly was one sent from Trent to themperor to vnderstād his pleasure After also came one thither from themperor but all thinges were kept very close The seconde daye of Marche whiche was than Ashewedensday the Bishop of Romes Legate settinge vp papers on the churche walles whiche they call indulgences or pardones graunteth remission of sinnes to al men in generall but specially to Bishops Ambassadoures and deuines whiche either haue or will confesse their sinnes by a time prescribed will go to certaine Churches in Trent on daies appoynted And there saying fiue Pater nosters fiue Aue Maries other praiers will pray to God for the concord of Princes for the consent and vnity of the church and for the lucky successe of the counsell and how this so great a benefit is geuen by the high bishop Iuly the third who is careful for the health of soules that men may as wel enioy the same at Trent as at Rome Wherfore many ran daily to the churches both Bishops others especially Spaniardes obseruing the difference of daies For they attributed to this religion one while les time an other while more In this great taciturnitye as before is saide the ambassadoure of Strasburge inquired of themperors ambassador Pictaue of the state of thinges who said how the brute that went that the counsel shoulde be proroged was vntrue and that themperor would haue them in any wise to proceade and continue their action where also ther hath nothing bene done of late that is for theyr cause whiche haue put the fathers in hope of the comming of the diuines This was in the beginning of Marche whan Duke Moris had aboute th end of February called backe the deuines from Norinberge who after the brute was raised that he should come to themperor whē he had passed a certain way of his iourny retourneth home and beginneth to take munsters as in the nexte boke shal be recited When these things wer knowen and sondry messagers came daily one after another and that the matter was now out of doubt the Archbishops of Mentz and Colon vnto whome came lately great plenty of vitaile out of the nether partes of Germany prepared thē selues to horsbacke with great expedition and the eleuenth day of March they depart in the dawning of the day wheras ouer nighte the bishops of Romes Legate accompanied with the residue of the Bishops of Italy and Spaine came vnto them to bid them farewel The same day came thither new ambassadours from the duke of Wirtemberge Werner Munchinge and Hierome Gerarde a ciuilian They go the next day to themperors ambassadoures and shewing their commission in wryting desyre to haue an answer of theyr Princes demaunds exhibited to the fathers the .xxiiii. of Ianuary And say moreouer how the deuines wil be ther within these few dais to declare more at large the confession of doctrine that was lately put vp the whole assembly Wherat they meruailed greatly I know not for what cause except it wer that one of thē had made all things ready to take his iourny and was purposed to go home which than of necessity must tary ther ful sore against his will It was answered them how they must deuise and haue conference of the matter with the fathers and loke what they shall hear of them they will let them vnderstand In the meane tune duke Moris ambassadors were in great distres and carefulnes For they wer supposed both to haue handled the matter craftely and to haue bene priuy to their princes doings and to haue plaid all together the dissemblers where they againe affirmed that neither they knew any thing that was don at home nor yet receiued any letters from thence and knew not which way to retourne home out of daunger And for so muche as they sawe that the longer they taried the more daunger it were for them the xiii day of March they depart as priuely as they coulde assone as the day apeared and speding them hastly to Brirna axe thaduise of the Cardinall of Trent what is best to be done At the last th one of thambassadors which before he came to Trent had made longe abode at Iuspruck and in his princes name had with the rest made intercession to themperor for the Lātzgraue hauing first receiued except I be disceiued a safe conduit came to Insprucke made his purgation to themperors counsel proueth that he was not made priuy to this war in such sort as they did credit him From thēce he goeth straight home and thother taking his iourny through Carnia returneth into Saxonie When tharchbishops of Mentz and Collon approched nere vnto Inspruck they were honorably receiued of such as themperor sent to mete them Amonges whom was the bishop of Arras After they both talking long much with the Emperor alone spede
in this same conuention so great a matter can not be finished Neuertheles they wyshe vnfainedly that the same amitie which hath bene alwayes betwene bothe nations may remayne ferme and vnuiolable That suche priuate suites as he hath with the Emperour myght be appeased they both couet chiefly and also wyll refuse no paynes and trauell therin And where as the kyng affirmeth that the Emperour deteineth diuerse thinges that ar his and signifieth plainly that he hath thinges to lay clayme to they thinke it not against reason that he shewe what thing that is For they are mynded to preferre the controuersie to the Emperour be as meanes therin And they desire very much that the kyng would accept these thinges in good part Nowe as concerning the alliaunce betwene the Germaynes FreÌ„che men I haue spoken in the eight booke And that whiche the Frenche Ambassadour speaketh here of the house of Lutcemburge thus it standeth The Erle of Lutcemburge Henry had a sonne named Henry whiche was after made Emperour the seuenth of that name he had a sonne Called Iohn whiche by mariage was made king of Boheme Who aided Philip Ualose the Frenche kyng against the kyng of Englande Edwarde the third goyng hym selfe with hym to the fielde and the battell being foughten where the Englishmen had the victory he was slayne and amonges others lefte a sonne called Charles whiche afterwarde was made Emperour the fourthe of that name father to Wenceslaus and Sigismunde whiche were after both Emperours and this Sigismunde also kyng of Hongary and Boheme the procurer of the counsell of Constance Albert of Austriche of whome he speaketh the sonne of Raffe the Emperour whan he was Emperour he obserued perfit amitie with Philip le beau kyng of Fraunce notwithstanding that the Byshop of Rome Boniface the eight did wonderfully incense him vnto warre Duke Maurice besydes the deliueraunce of his father in lawe vrged two thynges chiefly One that of suche matters as annoyed the libertie of Germany the whiche he hym selfe had recited by name kyng Ferdinando MaximiliaÌ„ his sonne and the intercessours themselues shuld nowe forthwith examine and according to the lawes and custome of Germany determine the same Another was that peace myght be graunted to Religion and that no man should he molested therfore tyl suche tyme as the whole coÌ„trouersie were fully reconciled This way did not thintercessours discoÌ„mend but themperour by his Ambassadours declareth what lacke he findeth therin thought it reason that those which had bene faithfull to him and therfore had chaunced into extreme miserie should be first recompeÌ„sed their losse After much debating what time diuerse pointes were mittigated they agreed at the length that the third day of July the Emperour shuld answer directly that the war should cease in the meane time Wherfore thintercessours wryting their letters the .xvi. day of June exhorte themperour vnto peace Whan that castel of Ereberg was taken and afterwarde Inspruck spoyled I shewed you howe the Princes retorning through thalpes about th ende of May came backe again to Fiessa And marching froÌ„ thence the .xix. day of June pitched their tentes at Eistet which is the Byshops town bordring vpon Bauier and ther the whole army longed sore for Duke Maurice coÌ„ming not without great thought carfulnes Who comming thither at the length sheweth them in what case the matter stode and the laste daye of Iune he retourneth from thence to Passaw by post horses that he might be there at the daye appointed and his fellowe Princes remouing their campe the next morning the fourth day after came to Roteburg whiche is a towne nere vnto Francony by the riuer of Duber But Marques Albert neuerthelesse pursued his enterprise and hauing driuen the citie of Norinberge to make their peace he compelled also the nobilitie and states in these parties to be at coÌ„maundement For albeit he mainteined the common cause at the first as in the writing set forth he professed to do yet was he not of the same league and whaÌ„ the siege of Ulmes was leuied he went about his priuate affaires whether it were for that he would wynne to hym selfe alone what soeuer the chaunce of warre had geuen hym or that he myslyked Duke Maurice his doinge or els moued by the Frenche kynge was bent otherwyse Notwithstanding those that he toke the faith of he commaunded to perfourme the same fidelitie also to his felowes Afterwarde inuading the prouince of the Archâ—bishop of Mentz by the Ryuer Meyne doeth exceading muche harme with burning and spoyling and demaundeth of hym a wonderfull summe of money And where diuers made intercession neither yet could thei agree vpoÌ„ the summe The Archebyshop fyrste synkynge hys great Artylarie in the Rhyne the fyrste daye of Iuly fled awaye to saue hym selfe The selfe same tyme also Marques Albert whiche lefte nothynge vnattempted wylleth the Archebyshop of Treuers to deliuer vnto him the chiefest castell of his dominion whiche is situated where the Riuers of Rhine and Mosell mete vpon an hyghe hyll naturally strong and very commodious And he sayd howe he required this of him in the FreÌ„che kynges name He after he had conferred with his counsell sent him worde that he could not accomplyshe his request herein For as muche as the Princes intercessours in the latter part of their aunswere that they made to the Frenche Ambassadour as before is mentioned sayd howe they thought it reason that the kyng should declare what he required of the Emperour The Ambassadour by the kyng aduertised whan he was with the armie besydes Eistet the .xix. daye of Iune wryteth to them agayne how the kyng hath attempted this war for none other cause doubles but to profit the whole common wealth and chiefly to restore the libertie of Germany sore opressed what tyme certen Prynces had long and muche requested hym to the same And assuredly sought no priuate gayne to him selfe therein and that may the thing it selfe beare witnes For he had taken nothyng at al in Germany where it had not bene harde for him to haue done He permitted the Princes also to warre frely as they list And albeit that in the meane tyme that he hymselfe laye styll with his armie by the Riuer of Rhine his ennemies had inuaded Fraunce yet did he not once remoue tyll he was aduertised by Duke Maurice that suche thinges myght be obteyned by peaceable meanes for the whiche this warre was attempted Whiche thing knowen he was not a litle glad whan he sawe the thinge procede after their hartes desire For his aduise and counsell was first that the Princes should not neglect so goodly an occasion as this was neither disceiue them seluws or by others be abused as they were before Moreouer for so muche as he had shewed so notable a token of his good wyl and fidelitie that the amitie of both nations might assuredly be established to thintent that he himself may afterwardes haue better
all the calamitie that hath come into Englande of longe tyme nowe but chiefly since the death of King Henry that they are seperated from the reste of the body of christianitie Of many yeares nowe he had bene of a contrary opinion as he pretended at the leaste and had vtterly forsaken the Popish doctrine And the cause why he nowe spake thus as they saye was for that he was put in hope to be pardoned And albeit that the reste of his talke being finished he sayd he spake as he thought yet be ther some that affirme he was sory for so saiyng what time he loking round about him perceiued no succour sawe that he was begiled And other that suffered at the same time one sir Thomas Palmer knight professed the doctrine of the Gospell with moste constancie And the Duke was condēned as I said of rebellion treason And albeit there were great suspiciōs the he had geuen the king poison yet was he nothing at al examined for that matter Nor in the sentēce pronoūced against hym any mētion made therof Of Peter Martyr the Florentine we haue spoken before whiche going into England six yeres past by the kinges sending for was reader of the diuinitie lecture at Oxforde Whome many made muche of for his excellent learning and vertue but he wanted not also euil willers Wherfor when the king was dead he was commaunded not to styre one fote thence without the pleasure of the Quene firste knowen nor cary away any thyng that he had vnder a great penaltie in case he should doe otherwyse He was content to obeye but whan he sawe he was longe delayed he wryteth to the counselours of the Realme concerning his state and if he had ought offended he requireth that his accuser might be brought forth and the matter examined Wherupon through their permission he came to London There he fyndeth the Archebyshop of Cantorbury his Patrone and frend of whome the Popysh preachers had reysed a brute as though he should be vnconstant wauering as though by his commaundement the Masse were restored at Cantorbury as though he had promysed the selfe same thing to the Quene And bragged with al of a disputatiō that should be After he knewe of this immediatly he set forth a writynge to pourge him selfe and sayth how a terten priest vnknowyng to hym had sayde Masse at Cantorbury he denieth the other thing also yea he protesteth if the Quene wyll geue him leaue to proue that the actes of kyng Edwarde concernyng the Lordes supper and other articles of doctrine be consonaunt to the holy Scriptures and that the Romyshe Masse is cleane repugnant from the institution of Christe for the declaration wherof he desyreth no great nomber but euen a very fewe and amonges them Peter Martyr to ayde and assiste hym And for so muche as the contrary parte adourned their Religion by the commendatiō of antiquitie saiyng that it hath continued aboue a thousand and fiue hondreth yeares he affirmeth that thei be not able to proue the same but he wil proue that the doctrine whiche in kyng Edwardes daies was set forth and is as yet obserued in England is the very natiue and auncient Religion instituted and left vs of Christ and his Apostles Whan he had publyshed this wryting at London about the fift daye of September Peter Martyr the same tyme came thither from Oxforde as I sayd aduertysed by hym of the whole matter commendeth his doing and sheweth him the he wyll refuse neyther paynes nor peryll herein But beholde whylest they are in this expectation the Archebyshop of Cantorbury was committed to pryson and also the Archebishop of Yorke and Rydley Byshop of London H. Byshop of Worcester and certen other Byshops for the profession of the Gospell and for sermons made against Quene Mary by the counselles commaundemēt before she atcheued the crowne Moreouer Hughe Latimer is than also apprehended whome kyng Edward deliuered out of the tower layd in there by his father for doctrine In the meane tyme Peter Martyr albeit he perceiued his daūger yet for that he had nothing offended against the lawes of the Realme trusting to his innocencie thought not good to departe before he had obteyned leaue Wherfore whan he had brought that to passe and receiued his passeporte signed with the Quenes hande he came to And werpe from thence to Collon and after to Strasburge from whence he went firste into Englande and a litle before hym Bernardine Ochine both in health It was once written and signified into Germany that the Emperour should haue geuen coūcell to his auntes daughter Quene Mary that she should gouerne with mercy and not alter Religion nor marie without the Realme For what daūger were in that in case she should chaunge the Religion he knewe best of all men Whether this were so in dede I can not affirme The ende it selfe declareth it to be farre otherwyse For euen for the doctrine of the Gospel straungers being cōmaunded to departe and the natiue countrie men there caste in pryson the Romyshe Religion was wholye restored as shal be declared hereafter The first daye of October after Quene Mary was crowned And not longe after began the Parliament at London But the conuention of the Empyre which the Emperour called against the .xiii. day of Auguste as I shewed in the beginning of this boke was proroged to the first of October than to the moneth of Ianuary After that same battel wherin Duke Maurice was slayne Henry the Duke of Brunswick and the Marques Albert euery of them for them selfe make them selues strong and gather their power about them The Byshoppes and States of Norinberge fed Duke Henry wyth monie But all men for the moste parte marueled at Marques Albert from whence he had al that store Wherfore it was spoken commonly that Quene Mary the Emperours sistes supported him with mony But the Emperours folkes denie that vtterly and maruell that there are any so fonde so to thinke But what tyme the mony was brought to the Duke of Brunswicke somewhat to late he was in very great daunger For whan the Marques had intelligence therof he practised with the soldiours to forsake hym who abode this delaye moste impatiently But very luckely in the selfe same momente whan that heate and mutine began to ryse the .x. day of September was brought a remedy and all the tempeste appeased Duke Henry for his better assuraunce fel at a cōposition with Duke Ericke his cosin whiche was his ennemy before The kyng of Denmarke had long since sent his Ambassadour into Saxon to further the matters of Duke Augustus his sonne in lawe They at the length through the helpe of the Electour of Brandenburges Ambassadours reconcile hym to Marques Albert. The conditiōs were these that Duke Augustus should neither prosecute his brothers warre nor ayde the ennemies of Marques Albert. The same shall the Marques doe and if he
shall chaunce to leade his armie nere vnto the limites of Duke Augustus he shall go forth without harme doing That Duke Auguste shall beware that what tyme he dischargeth his armie thei go not to the Marques ennemies Finally that the league of inheritaunce whiche is betwene the house of Saxon and of Brandenburge be renewed so shortly as may be The next day whiche was the .xii. of September Marques Albert leadeth his armie out of Brunswicke And where as he chaunced vpon his ennemies not far without the citie he geueth the charge But vanquished with the nōber especially where he had none and the Duke of Brunswick had .xx. enseignes of footemen he was discomfited and put to flight albeit he left to the ennemy a bluddy victory After the battel he retourneth to Brunswick In the meane season thei were in great distresse whome Coūte Plauie and his companions had besieged at Hoffie For where the towne was both very sore battered with shot and the Marques was vanquished in battell and no rescowe came beinge dryuen through penurie and want of all thynges they render vp the towne And Counte Plauie sweareth the townes men to be true to hym and his chyldren and leaueth there in garrison one enseigne of fotemen and the great ordenaunce We haue spoken before of the Turkishe flete Unto whome ioyned them selues certen Frenche captaines setting forthe of Marseilles and in maner in these dayes take the Iland of Corsica belonging to the state of Genes a fewe townes excepted Howe the Emperour toke the castell of Hesdine by force is before said And the same he raseth as he had done Terwen before The French king in the meane season leuieth his armie about Amiens and attendeth tyll the Swysses whiche he had sent for were come Whan Hesdine was now ouerthrowen the Emperour at the ende of Auguste was in mynde to attempte Dorlans but whan the Constable heard therof by espiall he leadeth forth a great number of horsemen and some part of footemen so spedely that he set vpon them or euer thei were aware and putteth them to flight slaying and takyng many of them And what tyme the Swisses were come about the beginninge of September a ten thousande footemen the kyng went vp the water of Some on the banke wherof standeth Amias and commeth to Corbie From thence sending out certen guidons of horsemen he runneth about the Towne of Bappam as though he would besiege it But the seuenth daye of September sendyng an Herault of Armes to Cambraye he requireth to be certified what hartes the Townes men beare towardes hym that is a very large towne belongyng to the Byshop and aunciently to the Empire and in the same warre whiche the Emperour made with the Frenche king it was a neuter town indifferent to both but at this tyme it was more of the Emperous parte The king therfore sendeth them worde that he wil do nothing against cōuenauntes so that they wyl do the same and let their citie be set open for him who is protectour of thēpire be ready to serue him in all thinges as wel as they be to themperour But when that gouernour of that town had signified the matter to the Emperour he made aunswer that for so muche as the Frenchmē had with spoyling and burning distroyed al the coūtrie that he should take them for his ennemies But before this message came againe from the Emperour the kynge making roades out began to assaie the citie certē daies But wher nothing preuailed about the middes of September he rayseth his campe and pitcheth his tentes two myles from the Emperours campe whiche was than at Ualencene a towne of Henault nere vnto the riuer of Scalde Thā he approcheth nerer and certenly the thing was like to haue come to a batell but that end was this that the king for that he had approched so nere that Emperours fortifications after he had loste very many of his men retourned with his army the .xviii. day of September At his departing he distroyed all far and nere with fire The matter was after wrytten priuatly vnto frendes the Frenchemē in dede saie howe the Emperour would not fight but this the imperials deny The king retourning home dischargeth the Swisses In this same moneth are discharged the garrison of sixe enseignes of fotemen whiche had by the Emperours commaundement bene all that yeare at Auspurge as I sayd in the fourmer boke About this tyme also met at Hailbrune the Pauls graue the Archebyshop of Mentz the Duke of Bauier and the Duke of Wirtemberge From the Archebyshop of Treuers and the Duke of Cleaue came Ambassadours There was present in the name of king Ferdinando the Byshop of Passawe This sommer the rage of that plague made a great slaughter at Paris and in the meane time diuers were burnt there also for Lutheranisme The king had a darling whose husband in tyme past had bene gouernour of Normandy The same woman being a wydowe had two sonnes in lawe at the same time prisoners Duke de Anmalle and the Mareschall Marchian as before I sayed And for the raunsome of Duke de Anmalle Marques Albert demaundeth a hondreth thousande crownes but that was aboue his habilitie Wherfore the brute went that she which might do with the king what she list to that ende she might make the monie without her owne hinderaunce had obteined that the kynge should geue her their landes and goodes that were condemned for heresie For the custome of Fraunce is that the kynge taketh not only the lyfe of suche as be condemned but their goodes also What tyme therfore this praye was obtayned many they saye were brought in daunger I wyll not certenly affirme this but it commeth to passe many tymes in Fraunce and in other places that the bloude of innocent persones is not only a pleasure but also a gaigne to many Marques Albert after his ouerthrowe in battell retourneth to Brunswicke as a little before I haue sayed but where he vnderstode by espiall that the Duke would besege the citie making no longe aboade he gathered vp what horsemen he could and commaundeth them to abide his comming in Turingia and sending to his kinsfolkes and allies for ayde Whan he was holpen of them he hasteth into Turinge and the fifth daye of October vsing great expedition beyond al mens expectation came to Weymer where he was ryght gently receiued of Iohn Fridericke and there remayning two nightes that he myght refreshe his souldiours after their trauaile that laye scattered a broade in the coūtrie he marcheth towardes Franckony That tyme the Erle Plauie and his fellowes beseged a towne of his named Birnt But hearing of his comming they leuied their siege and gote them to Bamberge But he being accompanied with no great bande of horsemen goeth forthe the .xi. day of October to espie what is done at Hosie the town lately loste The soldiours of the garrison chaunced than to be some what vn warely without the
gates for their pleasure being altogether carelesse Wherfore fynding this occasion and exhorting his men to be valiaunt ryding vpon the spurre setteth vpō them quickely and putting them to flight followeth after and entring in at the gates with them whan the towns men reioysing at his sight and presence came running to him he slewe the moste parte of them He founde there great pieces of Artillerie and certen others whiche they call field pieces but without any cariage or furniture For the enemies had caried awaye all that were furnished to make the batterie at Birnte Leauing ther an enseigne of fotemē he goeth to Blasseburg his chief castell After he came awaye from Brunswick Duke Henry beseged the citie and battered it sore with shot But the Byshoppes and they of Norinberge whiche supported all that armie sendyng hym worde that he should repayre to them Duke Henry demaundeth of the citezens about foure thousande crownes Whan they refused this and the Souldiours vnlesse they were payde their wages woulde beare none enseignes they being afrayde of their owne daunger promyse to geue hym so muche Than at the lengthe leuieng the siege whan he had appoynted his Soldiours a daye whan they shoulde be payed he taketh his iourney through Turinge That knowen the Duke of Saxon Iohn Friderick for that he was not as yet made at one with him goeth him selfe his thre sonnes to Gothe leauing his wife at Weymer for that she was not very wel in health Duke Henry being now furnished to take his iourney sending vnto him letters albeit sayeth he I haue had iust cause and good occasion also in these certen yeares past to reuenge the iniuries of fourmer time done vnto me yet for so muche as you were in the Emperours custody I haue attempted nothing against either your subiectes or children but haue permitted the thing to lawe iudgement But you not contented with fourmer iniuries haue holpen now of late also with your ayde and counsel Albert of Brandenburg the disturber of Germany and my vttermoste ennemy whiche I knowe for certentie although you wrought it secretly Wherfore in case my army now shal doe any hurte to your countrie there is no cause to cōplaine therof For that beginning is of your selfe Duke Henry was determined to haue playd the vtter ennemy with Albert Uolrate Erles of Mansfeld for the last yeres war Howbeit through thintercessiō of Duke August whō they sought vpon the matter was appeased Iohn Fridericke receiuing the Duke of Brunswickes letters began to treate with him by ambassadours to mitigate his minde so that he shuld come to Weymer with two guidons of horsemen fiue enseignes of fotemen the residue of his armie be placed in the coūtrie therabout Hither came to him from the Prince Minquice his chaūcelour declaring his cōmissiō perswaded him throughly to quietnes And where before he required a great sōme of monie the same now doth he partly remit remaining there two daies without doing any hurt departeth frendly At the .xviii. day of October began a disputation at Londō by the Quenes cōmaundement of the presence of Christ in the Sacrament of the altar as they terme it The matter was reasoned six daies not without opprobrious wordes where one of the Romsh dictrine Doctor Westō that was proloqutour demeaned himselfe disorderly what was decreed of the same and what was th end of that parliament I wyll declare here after About the end of October Michael Serueto a Spaniarde was executed at Geneua He had many yeares since set forth diuerse bookes amongest other thinges of the trinitie vtterly repugnaunt to that cōmon consent of the church And whan at the length he came this yeare to Geneua the Senate being certified of him cōmaūdeth him to be aprehended and after appointeth Caluine who before had wrytten against him other ministers of that churche to haue conference with him Wherfore there was a great and a bitter disputation amongst them where as he would many tymes tell Caluine he lied very immodestly But the Senate least any thing should be done in so weightie a matter rashely asketh counsell touching the same opinions of the Doctours of Bernes Zurick Basill and Schafusians They all make aunswer that the same thinges redounde to Gods high contumelie And where he wold not only not forsake his opiniō but also with opprobrious wordes cursed speakinges defende the same he was condēned to die Whan he came to that place of execution William Farell did exhorte hym he would not call vpon Christe the eternall sonne of God And where he she wed no token of repentaūce yet did he not defend his cause vnto the people Many men ascribed the blame of his death to Caluine But he setting forth a booke reciteth his opinion and all the matter as it was declareth that heretikes may be punished with death The laste sauing one of October Iames Sturmie a man moste iuste and wittie and the very beaultie of the Nobilitie of Germany both for his excellent gyftes of mynde and notable lerning departeth out of this life at Strasburg whā he had layne sicke of a quartaine by the space of two moneths He was past thre score and thre yeares olde In these dayes Reynold Poole an Englisheman borne a Cardinal comming from Rome goeth through Germany to the Emperour And whan he was come to the frontiers of the Paulsgraues countrie receiuing newes from the Emperour who sent vnto hym Mendoza he retourneth to Dilling whiche is a towne of the Byshops of Auspurge by the water of Thonawe and there attendeth till he shal heare more from the Emperour The Duke of Brunswicke departing from Weymer the seuenth daye of Nouember came to his fellowes Campe whiche was than at Lichtefelse a Towne belongyng to Bamberge In the whiche Towne were placed the Soldiours of Marques Albert a .ix. enseignes of fotemen the selfe same that had bene a little before at Birnthe And the Counte Plauie and his Fellowes had beseged it And what tyme the great pieces of Artillerie came from Norinberge wherwith the Towne myght be battered they makyng surrendrie the tenth of Nouember yelde them selues in their ennemies hādes Who taking certen of the Captaines let goe the reste without armure or enseignes That done they go to Colembach a Towne of Marques Albertes and batter it very sore And the townesmen perceiuing that they were not able to defende it from the ennemie carie out all their goodes and houshold stuffe into the castel of Blasse burge and after setting the houses on fire flie thether them selues also Thus in fine the ennemy entreth the towne and kylling diuerse that were founde there quencheth the fire and spoyleth the reste that was lefte Afterwardes whan Coūte Plauie had taken by surrendrie the castell of Lichteberge and the townes of Biruth and Hofie and rased the walles he besegeth the castell of Blasseburge the chiefest forte that the Marques had
him most humblye by theyr letters and alledginge manye teasons that they might he permitted to receiue the whole Supper of the Lorde according to the commaundement and institution of Christe and custome of the primatiue Churche Unto these letters of theyrs the xxiii of Iune the king ausweringe from Uienne I had full little thought saith he that you would haue called in question that proclamation of mine and haue found cauillations therin For I mēt only that my subiectes should perseuer in thauncient and true Religion and obedience of the Catholicke church without the which no man can obtain saluation and that they should receiue this sacrament the chiefest of all others after the law and custome of the church and neither through the corrupt opinions of certain or for curiosity and pride also should swarue from that duty which they both owe to the church and also to the Magistrate This is verely the mind and effect of the same proclamation nether is it any new thing that I commaunded but an old ordinaunce which hath ben brought as it wer by hād vnto my progenitors Emperors kings and Dukes of Austrich and to me also whan I began to gouerne the common wealth was deduced and vnto this time by me diligently as becommeth a Christen Prince obserued and at sondrye times to my people also inioyned that they shoulde remayne in the same Wherfore I supposed that you would not haue attempted any thyng against this my proclamacion which in all other thinges do contende that there should be no alteraciō and that your lawes and liberties myght remaine vnto you whole For certenly that you do is a new deuise and lately of you conceaued by a certayne opinion and now also reasoned at large as though it were lawful for you to iudge of my commaundementes whiche am your chiefe and supreme magistrate or as though the same ought of ryght to be permitted you which certen yeres now diuers of you of your own accord contrary to the lawes of the church and my will haue taken vpon you priuately to vsurpe But because the question is harde ful of difficulty as you also affirme I will doubtles thincke more therupon and whan time is make such answer that it may be well perceiued that I do not tender a little the saluation of my people but in the meane time I loke for al obediēce of you and trust that you wil do nothing against my proclamation Unto this the states afterward answer again by wryting And the same say they that we haue oft times spoken before of our sauiour Christes commaūdement most puissant king we now repete again For he did institute his supper with plain and manifest words that after the same sort that he him self prescribeth it might be receiued of al men nether is it lawfull for any man mortall to alter hys institution It may be proued also that this was the manner of thauncient Churche and the same that is vsed now a daies to haue crept in by little and little For euen the counsel of Constance graunteth that the same was so instituted of Christ Wher therfore thys cōcerneth our saluation certainly neither curiosity nor pride hath moued vs here vnto Wherby we truste the rather that you will refer your consultation to the commaundement of Christ and his Apostles and consent of the primatiue Church and will not that our consciēce shuld be burthened which thing that it might please you to do we besech you for the honor of God and the glorye of his name and for oure own saluation We do acknowledge you and that moste gladlye to be our high Magistrate geuen vs of God and there is nothing in this world but that you both may ought to loke for at our hāds if it lie in vs to do But in this one matter we desire you to be fauorable to vs. In the byshop of Wirciburges dominion ther is an Abbay of Mōkes called Newstat The Abbot therof Ihon Frise after he came in suspition of Lutheranisme the fift day of May he is cited to come the vi day to Wirciburge and to answer vnto certain interrogatories And the questions were these Whether it be lawful to sweare whether anye man be bounden by his othe whether it be lawful to make a vow of Chastity pouerty and obediēce whether such manner of vowes do binde whether becometh better the ministers of the church mariage or singlenesse whether ther be one true and Apostolical church whether the same as the spouse of Christ be continually gouerned by the holy ghost whether she can alwaies discern true and holsom thyngs whether the same by reason of her head Christes vicar be called rightly the church of Rome whether all the bokes of both Testaments that be in the Cannon be lawful and true whether the holy scripture ought to be expounded after the mind of the holy fathers the doctors of the Church counsels and not after thopinion of Luther and others of the lyke sort whether that besides the Scriptures ther is nede also of other traditions as be those of the Apostles and such other like whether the same faith aucthority and obedience oughte to be geuen to the same traditiōs as to the holy scripture whether we ought to obay the ciuill magistrate in politick matters in holy things thecclesiasticall ordinary whether ther be vii sacraments of the Churche whether children oughte to be Christened whether they oughte to Christen in the Latin tounge with Salt Oile Water Charactes and exorcismes whether that by baptisme be cleane putte awaye Originall sinne in such sort that concupiscence which remaineth loseth the name of the same sinne whether the breade be chaunged and consecrated into the body and the wine into the blud of Christ by the vertue of the wordes which the Priest pronounceth whether it do so remaine althoughe it be not by and by receiued whether the Sacrament being after this sort consecrated is to be worshipped whan either it is borne aboute for the honor of Christe or caried vnto sickfolkes or also be reserued in the pix whether Christ is to be worshipped vnder the forme of bread and wine whether Christ be wholly vnderneath either kinde whether the confession of sinnes do prepare a man to the worthy receiuing of the Sacrament whether Masse be a true and continuall sacrifice whether that the Cannon of the masse is to be reteined whether the Sacramēt of confirming is to be vsed whether ther be iii. parts of penaunce contrition confession and satisfaction whether the priest may forgeue his sinnes which hath not before confessed the same whether Priestes onlye haue authoritye of the keyes whether the soules of good men do loue vs whether they pray to God for vs whether we ought to pray vnto Sainctes whether sainets Holy daies oughte to be obserued whether the relikes of Sainctes oughte to be worshipped whether the soules of the godly not yet repurged be relieued
in me I truste that for the vertue that is in them and true Nobilitie they wyll sooner geue credit not so muche to my saying as doyng whiche manifestly appereth and sheweth it selfe than to these sediciouse persones which as certen bellouse seke to reyse vp flame With what intier loue also and good will being absent Imbraced al Germaines for the remembraunce of the moste swete countrie that can both the Ambassadours of many Princes and many also of the Nobilitie declare whiche were than at Rome when I was of Mentz Treuers Collon Saxons of Brandenburg Maydenburge Bauarians of Brunswicke Passawe Osenburg Minden and of Basill For all these at once repared to me as a certen hauen and were faythfully holpen of me in their affayres and certen also through my labour and commendation haue ascheued offices and great promotions Now that same of the Lantgraue and of one Titelman what a fonde diuise is it For neyther had I euer any talke with the Lantgraue and his sonnes of that matter neyther can I remember that I spake one worde of it either at Rome or in Italy Much lesse can I tell what the Ministers of his dominion do teache or reuoke This in dede am I able to saye that to my knowledge there was no suche recantation made at Rome Therfore I doubte not but the Lantgraue when the matter shall so requyre wyll easely confute this same and the other also of my commendation Considering therfore that the artificers of so perniciouse libelles haue shamefully forged all thynges to the ende that the same fyre whiche many yeares since they had layde together myght nowe at the length burne and breake out all at ones it is nedefull that Princes and Magistrates take dilligent hede of them and when at the laste they shall be detected that they set suche an example as may make all others afrayde Finally in case there be any that haue conceaued any euyll opinion of me by reason of these sclaunders I earnestly praye them to laye it awaye and thynke assuredly that synce I am bothe a Germayne borne and come of a noble house I wyll doe nothinge vnworthy the vertue and Nobilitie of my auncesters When he had published this wrytinge the fifte Kalendes of Iune as before is sayde he wrote also priuatly to diuerse Princes to the same effecte and after went againe into Italy what tyme Bona the mother of Sigismunde kyng of Poole retourned home goyng to Naples In the meane season commotiōs were in England many Gentle men for suspicion of conspiracie as it was sayde were cast in prison Wherof some were executed other some fled into Fraunce and amonges them Sir Androwe Dudley brother to the Duke of Northumberland There were two also taken out of my Lady Elizabeth her house At the Ides of May Sir Peter Carrowe who for an insurrectiō had fled certen monethes before reconciled to king Philip and Sir Iohn Cheke whiche was king Edwardes scholemaister retourning out of Germany into Brabant to fetche his wyfe as they were going from Brusselles to Andwarpe by the cōmaundement of king Philip being apprehendetd are caried to London Aboute the ende of Iune not far from London there were .xiii. burnt together at one stake for Religion In the meane tyme Charles Marques of Baden receiueth the doctrine of the Gospel and of his neighbours borroweth ministers to refourme order his churches Before this also had the Senate of Spire taken a preacher or two of the Gospell Maximilian the eldest sonne of king Ferdinando with his wife the Emperours daughter departing frō Uienne the. xvii day of Iuly came to Brusselles where he had bene long and much desirous to take that iourney Peter Martyr a Florentine of whome we haue spoken before what tyme the dissention about the Lordes supper was kindled againe he in certen bokes was touched by name wēt from Strasburg to Zurick that he might handle that matter frely both in teaching and writing That time Conrade Pellicane died at Zurick And therfore the Senate being requested by the ministers of the churche wryting their letters to the Senate of Strasburg praye earnestly that he might be sent them So he departeth at the third Ides of Iuly not without the sighing grief of many whiche loued him for his incomparable learning his moste exacte iudgement his great gentlenes and modestie and his other vertues At the same time the Archebyshop of Pise Cardinall borne in Sicilie passing by Basil went to themperour at Brusselles being sent frō the Pope where a litle before Cardinal Caraffa the Popes cosin was come to the kyng of Fraunce A reporte had bene and that written that there was moste heinous displeasure betwixt the Pope themperour that the matter tended vtterly to war For amonges other thinges the Pope had taken from the house of Columnois al their possessions in Italy Whiche thing in dede semed to apperteine to the iniury of the Emperour Again it was said how he would not inueste kyng Philip his sonne in the possession of Sicilie and Naples propounding ouer hard condicions for those kingdomes paye tribute to the Byshop of Rome and depende vpon his benefite At the Ides of Iuly Albert Duke of Bauier in the name of king Ferdinando beginneth the counsel at Regensburg declareth that he is occupied with holding assemblees in Austriche and Boheme so that he could not come hither hym selfe at the time appointed and sheweth why he can not be present yet neither For by meanes of Peter Petrouice the kynges cliente who had desired ayde of the Turke all the coūtrie of Transyluania when no necessitie vrged them when they had no iust cause reuolted from the king to the sonne of Iohn Uayuode After that Fraunces Beuecke and George his sonne making a rebellion in Hongary haue by the helpe the aide of the Walachiās taken certen townes and castels Againe that the Turke hath lately sent a gouernour to Offen And that an other also what time they treated of the truce beseged the towne and castell of Zegeste the .xi. day of Iune and began to batter it sore Moreouer to be signified by the letters and messages of many that the gouernour of Bosnia leuieth an exceading great army to inuade Slauonia And also that the president of Grene gathereth no small power at the citie of Sophie intending to marche forward and that the Emperour of Turkes him selfe wyll in haruest next come in to Hongary and wynter there or if he defer it to the next spring that he wil come than with a strong army to wyn Uienne by sege For these causes therfore the kyng can not at this time leaue his countries but is wholy busied occupied in making preparation to resiste And for as much as it is not for the profit of the cōmon wealth to differ the coūsel any lōger therfore hath he appointed him to begin the treaty and to procede till he may come
haue nowe declared and of others that wryte stories But when I speake of Historiographers I meane not those of our time which study only to extoll and highly commend what part they list and ouerwhelme thother with contumelious and railynge wordes They that are of such sort be not worthy to be so called Ihon Cocles .vi. yeares past setforthe Commentaries in a manner of the same argument that mine are but all thynges are heaped vp with such horrible forged and abhominable sclaunders and lyes as haue not bene hard Cardinall Poole in the boke lately setforthe calleth the Doctrine renewed in Germany Turkishe seede Of suche lyke wordes are al theyr bokes full But what like thing is found in all my woorke I haue verely wrytten the wonderfull benefite of God geuen eo thys our time orderly and as truely as I could possible and for the same purpose I gathered .xvi. yeares since what soeuer belonged herunto neither haue I wrytten rashlye but with a sure iudgemente proceaded And what labour and paines this worke hath cost me nexte the liuing God I know For his glory haue I chiefly regarded and leauing the practise of the law I haue applied in a maner all my study herevnto and verely I must confesse that throughe Gods motion I haue ben after a sort drawen vnto this labour And nowe where diuers requite me so vnworthye thanckes for my so greate trauell and paines I wil cōmit to him whose cause chiefly I toke it in hād for I know vndoubtedly that I haue offred vp vnto him a most acceptable sacrifice with the same verely good conscience I comfort and sustain my self especially seing that my labor is commended of learned men whiche bothe geue me thanckes and confesse also that they haue receiued much frute therby Wherefore I desire all louers of the veritye that they wold geue no credit to the sclander of a few certen mē but wold gentelly accept my labors faith and dilligence nether conceiue any sinistre opinion of me Furthermore I protest that I do acknowledge the Emperour and king of Romaines for the high Magistrate whome God hath ordained and to whom in al things that be not against God we ought to obey as Christ and thapostles teach FINIS ¶ A Table containing all the Principall matters in this Boke A A Counsel promised 92 An Apology deliuered but not receiued eodem A beastly cruelty 104 A blasing starre 109 A consecrating of Cardinals 113 Andrew Gritie duke of Uenise 117 A boke of Romish Marchauntes 118 A straunge chaunge eodem Alteration in England for Reli. 125 A Prophet inspired 129 A new king of Anabaptistes 131 A boke of the misteries of the scrip 133 A blinde asse 134 A counsel called 147 An oration against the french king eo A reformation of Collon 141 A sword hallowed 142 A wryting of Auspurge 143 Athanasius Arius and Liberius 148 A propre saying of Ciprian 153 A priestes sonne not enioy his Fathers benefice 155 Auarice and concupiscence let coū 156 Annas Momorancy made Constable of Fraunce 157 A gentleman of Tolowse burnt 158 Andrew de Aury saluteth the king 159 A colledge erected at strasborough 160 A league of the Papistes againste the protestauntes 173 Ambassadors sent to Henry brother to George duke of Saron 176 A Friers wede maketh the deuell a. 177 An assembly at Smalcald 169 A wryting exhibited by the deuines eo A confutation of the .vi. articles 171 An oration of a yong Cardinal 172 A priuy hatred of the french king eod An exceading hot sommer 174 A disputation betwixt Eckius and Melanchthon 176 A great assemble at Regenspurge eo A mean to get mony by pardons 177 A most costly stole or Paile eodem A wollen halter to strāgle the pope 178 A boke presented to the collotors 179 A great tempest destroid his ships 184 An assemble at Spires 186 A soden fear in the french court 88 An army against the Turke eodem Any pleasaunt life is not to be eodem A consolation of the prisoners eodem A counsel called at Trent 198 An assembly at Norinberge 163 Ambassadors to the duke of Saxon the Lantzgraue 194 A rebellion at Rochelle 197 A supplication of the protestaunts 194 A boke called Antididagma 201 An assemble at Spire 202 A league of themperor and the king of England against the french king 203 A boke of Caluine against Sorbo 204 A boke of the relikes of saints eodem A false report of themperors death eo A great assemble of Spiere 206 A straunge tale of the duke of Brū 209 An image buried in the stede of Eue. 209 A decre for religion 212 A peace concluded betwixte themperor and Fraunce 314 An ambassade said to the king 216 A Commention of deuines at Mil. 217 An assembly at Wormes 218 A lamentable departing 219 A soldsoure geueth the Merundo 220 A cruell fact of Miners eodem A terrible example of cruelty eodem A captain defendeth the women eodē A sharp answer of the king eodem A frere obseruant stirreth themperour to warre 221 A skirmish betwixt the Duke 225 A conflict betwixt the Duke eodem A league of them of Strasborow Zuricke and Bernes 85 A confutation of the Protestantes 88 A confession of the Zwinglians 88 A story of the king of Fraunce 101 A controuersy of the bishoppe of Bantberge with the Marques of Brandenburge 103 A bishops office 111 An assemble at Regenspurge 73 An assembly at Spires 79 A treatise of peace betwixt Fraunce England 227 A brute of warre againste the Protestauntes 228 Ambassadors to themperor for tharchbishop of Collon 230 A decre of the Sinode read 231 Alphonse Diaze commeth into Germany 234. Alphonse returneth to Nuburge to kill his brother eodem A communicatiō of the Lantzgraue others 237 A diuision amonges thelectors 241 A statute of Trent 243 A decre of originall sinne eodem An aunswer of them of Strasborough to themperor eodem An heape of euils of ciuel war 244 A league betwixt the Pope and themperor 246 A preatence of mouinge war 247 Albert of Brunswicke hurt 265 Alteration in Sauoy 266 A warlike pollicy of themperor 267 An other pollicy of themperor eodem Aucthoritye can not beare equallitye 271 A decre of the counsel at Trent of iustification 276 A Dolphe substituted to Hermon archbishop of Collon 277 Alteration of Religion 278 Alteration in the Courte of Fraunce 282 A pergidu of the sonne 285 An assembly of the Empyre at vrmes 286 An assemble at Auspurge 291 An holy boxe sent downe from heauen you may be sure eodem A conspiraty against the Popes sonne 294 A reformation of Religion in Englād 297 Albert receiued into the tuition of the king of Pole 3021 A disordained ordre of knightes 303 A composition of peace 305 A counsel called at Trent twise 309 An euil compiled booke ofte corrected 314 Ambrosa Blaurer the chiefest minister of the church 324 At Strausburge the Consull of th 〈…〉 ri◠eodem Augustus married a wife 327 A
Wittenberge 1 Luthers exception eodem Luthers letters to Pope Leo. 2 Luthers answer to Siluester Prierias eodem Luthers second aunswere to Siluester Prierias 3 Luthers forsaking of Rome eodem Luther cited to Rome 4. Luther is called to Auspurgē 5. Luthers conference with Cardinal Caietane eodem Luther appealeth 6 Luther appealeth from the Pope to the Counsel 9 Luthers letters to the Pope 17 Luthers boke to the duke of Saxon. 18 Luthers boke condemned at Louain 19. Laurence valla eodem Luthers letters to themperor 21 Luthers letters to the archbishoppe of Mentz eodem Luthers letters to the bishop of Merseburge 22 Luther cursed of the pope 23 Luther impugneth the Popes censure 24 Luthers boke of the captiuity of Babilon eodem Luthers bokes are burnt 26 Luther burneth the Canon law 27 Luther cometh to Wormes eodem Luther pledeth his cause before themperor and the hole Empire 1. Luthers answer to the princes 39 Luther sent away from Wormes 31 Luther is outlawed by themperor 33 Luther wrote sūdry bokes in his exile eodem Luther is conueied out of daunger eo Luther returneth to Wittenberge 35 Luther foreseeth the tempest comming eodem Luther wryteth to the Bohemer◠36 Luther wryteth against the bishops eo Luther a Frier 38 Luther compared with Mahomet 40 Luther expoundeth the Popes laying eodem Luther interpreteth the decrees of the Princes 43 Luther wrote to the Senate of Prage eodem Luther wrote of eschuing the doc 44 Luther compared to Mahomet 50 Luther disswageth al men from sedi 58 Luther did more with the worde then could haue bene done by forc eodem Luthers answer to the boures 60 Luthers office 63 Luther bloweth the trōpet against 64 Luther to vehement 65 Luther married a Nonne eodem Luther and Zwinglius mete at 66 Luthers letters of submission to the. 67 Luthers letters to George duke of eo Leonard Cesar apprehended for the. 74 Lawes of disputation 75 Lantrech besiegeth Naples eodem Luther and Zwinglius dispute at 83 Luther wrote a boke to the bishops 96 Luther comforteth Melancthon eodem Luthers opinion of mens traditiōs eo Letter of the duke and Lantzgraue 103 Luthers counsel 112 Luthers purgation eodem Luther comforteth thexiles eodem Luthers opinion touching the spri 116 Luthers wryting of Munster 134 Legions of soldiors in Fraunce 137 Luthers constancy 138 Like lips like lettes 151 Longolnis oration against the Lu. 167 Lascus committed to prison 175 Luthers boke against the Duke of 176 Luther is cursed of the Pope 175 Langeus letters to Alphonse 184 Luthers oration for the field 189 Lawes against deflowrers of vir 202 Laundersey besieged 205 Luthers boke of the Lordes supper 215 Luthers answer to them of Louain 218 Luthers boke against the Pope 222 Luthers Themes of iii. gouern eodem Luthers picture against the pope eodē Luther a Prophet eodem Luther chosen arbitror 231 Luther wareth sicke 232 Luthers last prayer eodem Luthers birth eodem Luther sent to Rome eodem Luther eloquent in the dutch eodem Lightning caused destruction 255 Liberty is exiled out of the counsel 256 Letters for the Lantzgraue to 295 Letters of Strasborough to them 326 Luther brought in contempte the Popish Ceremonies 334 Lewes Marsile one of the prisoners 423 Libels strowed about in London 461 Lady Clinor commeth into France 86 Lantzgraue departeth from Ausp 89 Lantzgraue goeth to the frēch king 113 Lantzgraue boroweth Monye of the French king eodem Lady Mary proclaimed bastard 114 Lantzgraue taketh his leaue of themperoure 240 M MAximilians letter to Poope Leo concerning Luther 3 Maximilians death 10 Many sectes in the popish kingdom 36 Maner of chusing themperor 10 Matrimony lawful for all men 47 Muncer a great Anabaptist 55 Muncer wil haue a token of God eodē Muncer maketh gunnes eodem Muncer teacheth that all thinges shuld be common eodem Muncer raileth on the princes 56 Muncer disceyueth the people by the rainbow eodem Muncer is taken his cruel answer and he is reproued of the Lantzgraue 57 Muncer repenteth at the hour of death eodem Mishaps of the french king 82 Matters receiued in religion 89 Monestical vowes 124 Munster a city of Westphalia 137 Maidens do prophecy 130 Mariage counted whoredome 135 Many filthy actes of Monkes 156 Meanes to restore the ecclesiastical 181 Melancthon and pristor come to 201 Miners president of Aygwes 219 Miners leuieth a power againste Ualdois 219 Maluenda treateth of iustification 229 Marquin excuseth Diaze 234 Mariages in broil of warre 254 Maurice loueth his townes 276 Marques Albert sent to aid 277 Mendoza ambassade from the Frenche King to Strasburge 279 Marques Albert taken prisoner 280 Mihel Sidonie a great Masmōger 294 Muskel borowe field 296 Muleasses king of Tones 313 Maximilian marieth his cosen 315 Musculus departeth to Bernes 316 Maximilian warred against the Swissers 322 Maried Priestes plucked from they re wyues 329 Melanthō defēdeth the Adiaphorist 333 Monseur Ueruine beheaded 336 Maximilian cometh out of Spayne 353 Melanthon best learned 359 Mony gathered for the warre of Mayden burge 760 Maximilian entreth into Trent 378 Marques Albertes letters agaynst thēperoure 393 Marten van Rossem spoileth Champanie 399 Marques Albert warreth for hym selfe 406 Marques Albert the scourge of Pristes 410 Marques Albertes request to Straseburge 410 Marques Albert refuseth peace 101 Marques Albert entreth Treuers 412 Marques Antonius Ambassadoure of Uenisse 413 Marques Alberte reconciled to Themperoure 413 Marques Albert sendeth to the Emperoure 420 Marques Albert outlawed 429 Marques Albert goeth to Sewinforte and flyeth 436 Maryburge taken 473 Melanthon conforteth the mynisters of Boheme 449 Marcellus the Second chosē Pope 450 Marcellus the Second dyeth 450 Maurenburge vitaled 452 Mount Calue is taken by the Frenchmen 453 Masse abolished at Zuricke 54 Madnes of the Munsterians 57 Magestrates is as necessarye as the Sonne to the worlde vi Marques letters to the state of Duke Maurice 42 Ministers exiled out of Boheme 442 N NEw pardons 9 No man may be kepte frō the gospell 6◠Newes of the Turkes Coming 200 Newes of the Turkes approche 1◠Nauius hath the place of Heldus 174 Nuburge rendered to the Emperoure 264 Notes of the Interim by the Bishop of Rome 314 No man oughte to be compelled to hys fayth 319 New ambassadours from Wittenberg 375 Norinberge hath peace with the Marques 402 Nyne bournte at Lyons 423 Note how Bisshoppes seke authoritie of kinges to condemne 454 Nombers of great gonnes taken front protestauntes 29 Notes of the Interim by the bysshops of Rome 313 O O Eham condemned in Paris 19 Of the original of the Turkes 190 Of ecclesiasticall benefites 281 Out of the conclaue came most fylthys Letters 343 Ortauious Farnesius cliēt to the frēch kinge 360 Oration of tharchbishop of Treuers 12 Opinion of the Cyties touchynge the king of Romaines 102 Othe of the Electors 406 Oration of the Popes ambassadour to the Duke of Saxon. 109 Oration of Themperours Ambassadour 109 Oratiō of the french ambassadours 123 Ofspring of
Nurremberge eodeÌ„ The treatye of Norunberge 198 The Turkes increase by the losse of Christians 198 The decree of Norunberge 199 The duke of cleaue refuseth truce eod The death of the bishop of Auspurge eo The duke of Sauoye frend to thep 200 The death and prayse of William Bellay 200 The prayse of Clement Marot 201 The Archbishop of Collon calleth a coÌ„uocation eodem The Bishops boke of reformatioÌ„ eod The protestauÌ„tes ambassadour to theÌ„peror 203 Themperors viage against the duke of Cleaue eodem They of Hyldesseme are accused to the Emperour eodem The Popes to the clergie of Collon eod The French king fortifieth landersey 204 The Turkes nauie arriueth in the. eo The Castell of Nice besieged eodem Two cities full of Relicques eodem The duke of Cleaue craueth pardoÌ„ 205 The duke condicions to him imp eod The doughter of Nauarris sent to 205 The preachers of the gospell thrust eod The siege is leued at Nice eodem The yonge Quene of Scottes affiaunced to king Edward eodem The duke of Cleaue renounceth yâ— 206 The departure of the French men 206 Three Eclipses of the moone eod The causes of the Turkes prospe 207 The protestaÌ„tes oratioÌ„ to the emp. eo The duke of Brunswick accuseth eod The French ambassador to the asse eod The French herauâ—t euill receyued 208 The ambassadors retorne by night eo The Popes aunswer eodem The meane to heale the comon eodeÌ„ The Princes letters to the swisses 209 The protestantes accuseth duke of eod The tenure of his letters eodem The duke of Brunswicke contemneth his owne religion eodem The French victory at Carignaue 210 The duke of sanoye accuseth the. eod The swisses aunswer the Princes eod The English Nauie inuadeth scot eod The oration of the French ambas 211 The duke of Saxon is set through 211 The states of thempire decree a 〈…〉 212 Themperours genâ—elnes to the lantz 212 The Duchye of Brunsewicke com 212 Thamperours Iorny into fraunce 212 The king besieged Bollognie 213 The death of the Prince Orenge 213 The feare slight of the Parisians 213 The conditions of the peace 214 The towne of Pery was burnt 214 Three most mighty enimies of FrauÌ„ce that is themperour the Germaynes and the kyng of England 214 The enemies of the Romish church 215 The pope cannot abide no super eod TheÌ„perour is the popes eldest sonne eo The creation of Cardinalles eodem The Clergie of Collon to the arch 216 The clergie appeale â—o the pope 216 The articles of Lonaine 217 The protestauntes make aunswer 218 The counsell trent vnlawfull eodem The deuise of the popish princes eodeÌ„ Their be in the FreÌ„ch prouince a people called valdois 219 The Cardinall of fournon 219 The Meridolâ—ns flie into the woodes 219 The Swisses intreate for the valdois 220 The confession of the valdois doctrine 221 The death of Lewis duke of bauier eo TheÌ„perours ambassadour to the king of Poole eodem The kinges answer to theÌ„perour eod The wilde Beast 222 The ignorance of Grimian eodem The death of Fraunces Duke of Loraine eodem The birth of Charles sonne to kynge Philip. 223 The Duke of Brunsewicke getteth mony of the French king 223 Themperours taketh truce with the Turke eodem The clergie and vniuersitie of Collon agaynst theyr Archebishop eodem Themperour citeth the Archbish eod The decree of Auspurg 224 The warre of Fraunce EnglaÌ„d eod The protestantes sende Ambassadours into Fraunce and England eod The death of the duke of OrelauÌ„ce eo The armie of the duke of brunswick eo The lantz goeth against him eodem The vanitie of the Duke of Brunswicke 225 The death of the Cardinal of Mentz 226 The Lantzgraues letters to theÌ„p eod Themperour to the Lantzgraues eod The Palsegraue ordeneth ministers in his Churches 227 The protestantes accused of conspi 228 The laÌ„tzgraues letters to Nauius 229 The colloquie of the learned menne at Regenspurg 229 The colloquie dissolued 230 The popes Legates in the counsell of Trent eodem The beginning of the Counsell 231 The warning of Esoras Nehem. 231 The seconde session of the Synode 231 The quiet departure of Luther 232 The inuincible constaunce of Luth. 232 The victory conquest of the word 233 The traytorous minde of AlphoÌ„se 234 The murtherer killeth Daze 235 TheÌ„perours letter for a paracide eod Themperour visiteth the Lantzgraues doughter eodem The Lantzgraue cometh to themp eo The Lantzgraue spake vnto theÌ„p 236 The boke of reformatioÌ„ at Collon 236 The archbushoppe of Collon is accouÌ„ted vnlearned 237 The diuines are stubburne and ob 238 Themperour ought to couÌ„sell the pope to his dutie 239 The ende of the Scripture eodem The best thinges please fewest eod The minde of the Paulsgraue eodem The Lantzgraue is arbittor betwixt the duke of Saxon duke moris eod Themperour thaÌ„keth lantzgraue eod The thirde sessioÌ„ in the Sinode at 240 The popes letters to the Bushoppe of Sedune Chur certaine Abb. eod The Archbushoppe of Collon excomunicated by the pope eodem TheÌ„perour cometh to Reuspurg 241 The murther of Diaze vnpunished 241 The brute of warre against the prot eo The falshode of Marques Albert and Iohn Brandenburge eodem The Lantzgraue is circumspect eod Themperours letters to the Cities of the protestauntes 242 Themperours Crafte eodem The oration of the Frenche Amb. 243 The French kinges request 243 The pope tiraunt 244 The clergie abused the church goods eo The good will of the protestauÌ„ts eod Themperour had secrete talke with duke Moris 245 Themperours ambassadour to ye. eod The cities of wirteÌ„berg put on ar eod The oratioÌ„ of Balthazar to the sold eod The protestauntes letters to the Uenetians 246 The Churche goodes in Spaine to be imployde 246 The cardinal Scotlande slaine 246 The teares of the Crocodile 247 The pope attempteth the matter 247 The Paulsgraue axeth the cause of 247 The Paulsgraue seketh to recoÌ„sile the protestaunte to themperours 248 The duke of SaxoÌ„ letters to theÌ„p eod Themperour periured eodem The authors of this warre eodem Themperours letters to the Archebusshoppe of Cellon 248 Themperours policie 249 The Cardinal of Auspurg the fire braÌ„d of this warre 249 The Iudges of the Chamber bee Papistes 250 The league betwixte the three houses Saxon Brandenburg and Hesse 250 Thintent of the Papistes 251 The Popes bull agaynste the Protestauntes 251 The diligence of the Protestantes in leuyng theyr armye 251 The Lantzgraue sente his sonne to Strausburge 251 The fyrste enterprise to the Protestauntes 251 The Castell of Erenburge 251 Themperoures power 252 The Duke of Saxon Lantzgraue are out lawed by Themperoure 252 The popes letters to the Swysses 257 The pope bringeth themperour into hatred 254 The nuÌ„ber of the fathers at trent 254 The king of Swetia receiueth the. 254 TheÌ„perours letters to dukemoris 254 The protestauntes letters to the Duke of Bauer 255 The Swysses auÌ„swer to the Prote 255 The death of Diazius vnpunished 256 The Protestantes proclaime
Who were outlawed by the Emperour 320 Who impugned the Interim 322 Uergecius vanquished with the truth 328 Uergecius repaireth to Mantua and is put out of the Counsell 329 Uergecius Preacheth the Gospell in Rhetia eodem What thynges offende many 353 Why the Clergie forsake the citee 356 Wonders in Saxonie 360 Wilie begiled 379 Warre in Italie 48 Winchester made Chaunceler 425 Warres renued betwixte the Duke of Brunswick marques Albert. 426 Uercelles surprised 429 Wiat taken and committed to pri 431 Uulpian victualed 452 Uulpian taken raced by the Frenche kyng 453 Whether peace should be giuen to the religion or no. 455 Unconstancie of Clement 53 Uictorie of themperialles eodem Winnyng of Munster 136 Warres of Geneua against the Duke of Sauoy 137 Uenecians league with the Emperour 138 Uenecians Ambassadour to the Turk 169 FINIS ✚ Imprinted at London by Ihon Daie for Nicholas Englande M D. LX. The. 26. daie of September Cum priuilegio ad imprimendum solum Luthers letter to the B. of Mentz B. of MaydeÌ„burgs charge Luthers 95 questions at Wittenberge Luthers exception The B. of Mentz clence Ihon Tecell ft. do concl at frankford Luters letters to Pope Leo. Duke Fredericks wisdom Echins booke against Luth. Siluester priers dialogue Silue priers Themes Luth. answer to Sil. priers Scriptur and choldewriters only to be also wed Iudulgences to be vsed after the Canon lawe The CiuiliaÌ„s vse of citing Silut prier seconde aunswer to Luth. Thomas of Aquine Albertus magnus scollar Thomas of Aquine a salt Thomas of Aquin geueth authoritie to the Pope 1274. Thom. of Aq. died Luth. seconde answer to Siluester prier Rome the seat of Antechrist Grece and Bohemes happines Lut. his forsakiÌ„g of Rome The caus whâ— the By. of Rome is extold Princes of necessitie must reforme Ro. The bishop of Rome bounde as other to Gods commaundement Iames Hogestrate wrote against Luther Thassembly at Ausputge by Maximilian The treaty of warre against the Turke Albert archb of Mentz mabe Cardinall The cause of his Cardinalship Maximilians lettre to Pope Leo coÌ„cerning Luther Luther is cited to Rome The Popes letters to the duke of SaxoÌ„ The Popes letters to Gabriel veneius The vniuersitie of Wittenberg writeth for Luther Luther is called to Auspurg His conferens with Cardinal Caietane Luther appeleth The welspring of Pardons The pope vnder the Coun. Gerson of Paris Pope Iohn is deposed Caietan writeth to the duke of Saxonie The dukes letters to the Cardinall The Uniuersitie of Wittenberge writeth for Lut. New pardoÌ„n Luther appealeth from the Pope to the Counsell The Pope sendeth a golden Rose to the duke of Saxonie The death of Maximilian The swisses banquished Kinges of Naples paye tribute to Rome An oration of the Archebyshop of MeÌ„iz The oration of the Archbi of Treuers Fraunce and Germani wer 〈…〉 ted Themperour Raffe The duke of Saxo. refuseth to be Emperour Charles is declared Emperour Friderick the Paulsgraue sent into Spaine 1500 The byrth of the Emperor The manes of chosing â—he Emperour Erasmus iudgement of Luther The disputatis at Lypsia 1520 Luters letters to the Pope The court of Rome is vnturable Conditions propounded by Luther Flatterats must be eschewed The part of a true frende Luth. boke to the duke of Saronie Confession of synnes The supper vnder bothe kindes The wishe of Pope Pius The counsell of Latherane The counsel of Pisa The Popes Shifie Fraunce is offered to the spoile At Rome they doubt of the immortalitie of the Soule Luth. Bookes condemned at Louaine Capnio Rewcline Ockam Picus mirandula Lawrence Ualla Aristotle WilliaÌ„ OckaÌ„ The story of Reuchliue Hebrew bokes of thre sortes Luthers letters to the emperor Luth. letters to the archbishop of MeÌ„tz His annswere to Luther How scripture must be hadled Luth. letters to the Bish oy Merseburge His aunswers to Luther The pope curseth Luther The Bulle of Leo. The decree of Pius Iuliê° Aeneas Siluius Honors chaÌ„ge maners Luth. impugneth the popes censure Luth. booke of the captiuitie of Babilou Thre Sacrases Which are properly called Sacrament The maner of the CoronatioÌ„ Themperor calleth a couÌ„sel imperial The Pope was subiecte to themperor The lawe of Clement The courte of Rome in Fraunce The duke of Saro incensed againste Luther The answer of duke Friderike Luthers bokes are brâ—â— Luther burneth the Canon laws Booke burners Catarinus writeth against Lut. The Emperour sent for Luther to Wormes The Empe. writeth to Luther The Bul of cursyng The constaÌ„cie of Luth. Lut. coÌ„meth to Wormes Eckius to Luther Lu. pleadeth his cause before themperour and the whole Empire Iohn .xviii. Pope Cost sell may erre Treuers other Princes threateneth Luther Luthers answer to the Princes The offenca of Faith and maners Actes .v. Luth. sent awaye scom Wormes Iohn Wiclâ—ffe an Englishe man Iohn Husse a Bohemer Husse appealeth from the Pope The CouÌ„sel of CoÌ„stauÌ„ce Iohn Husse Hierome of Praga burned Thre Popes deposed The Diuines of Paris condempne Luth. bokes Thauthoritie of the Diuines of Paris The Swysses make a league wyth the Frenche kynge Thirtene townes of Swysses The libertie of the Swysses Luib is ontlawed by the Emperour Luth. is conuetghed out of daunger Sunday bokes of Luth. Of themasse to be abolisshed The best thiges please fewest men Henry kyng of Englande writeth against Luth. Themperor hath warre with FrauÌ„ce The death of Leo the .x. Adrian succedeth Leo. The Turke taketh Belgrade Commotfôs in Spaine The lady Mart assured to theÌ„peror Who is author of single life Lut. rotaurneth to Wittenberge Luther foreseeth the teni pest coÌ„myng Luther writeth to the Bohemers Many sectes in the popish kingdome Three sectes of the Bohemers Lu. writeth againste the Bishoppes Adrian writeth to the duke of Sa. Reucline dieth The Pope writeth letters to at the princes of Germany 1. Corin. 〈◊〉 Luthers Frere The warre of Treuers The Popes letters to Strasburge The stocke of Aorian Dissention betwixt Leo and his Cardinals A disputatioÌ„ at Zuricke The questions of Zuinglius The request of Adrian to dispatch Lu. Luth. compared with Bahomet Iniquitie procedeth froÌ„ the Priestes The synne of Rome spred ouer al the worlde Lut. expoundeth the Popes saiynge The meane to let couÌ„sels The answer of the prices Why Luth. was not punished The maner of a free couÌ„sell An alteratiû in Denmark The king of Denmarke flecth Cornelles Scepper The beginnyng of the first fruictes and tenthes A Romishe Palle Two freres brent at Brusels The Ceremonies of disgratyng Luth. interpreteth the 〈◊〉 of the Princes The Bible to be preferred before all others Lut. wrot to the Senate of Prage Luther wrot of eschewing the doctrine of men The death workes of Hutten The king of Englande writeth to the princes of Saxonie The answer of duke George Adrian the Pope dyeth Clement succedeth Zuinglius is broughtin hatred The eatyng of Fleshe A new disputatioÌ„ at Zu Priestes maried wiues Pope ClemeÌ„t sendeth Campegius to duke Fri. A decree of the Suyses
the Duke of wittemberge The Duke of Saxon the Lantgr write to the FreÌ„ch kyng Duke George of Saxon â—irth Ambassadours sent to his brother Henry The Can 〈…〉 coÌ„monly called of the Apostles are false A Freers were maketh the deuyll afrayd Langelius Oration against the Lutherians The syr Articles The Lady Anne of Cleaue Barbarouse taketh Castel newes Rebellienat Gaunte The Emperour passeth throughe Fraunce 1540. The Emperour entreth into Paris The Emperours and FreÌ„ch kings Ambassade to the Uenetians The Uenetians Ambassador to the Turke The secrets of the senate vttered to the Turke The trators executed Themp. arriueth in Flaunders The Prote wryte to the FreÌ„che king An assembly at Smalcald Latimer Shaxton The Lorde Cromwell A wrytinge exhibited by the diuines The Emp. aunswer to the Protest Hatred betwixt counsellers The false perswasioÌ„ of the Emper. The answer of the Prot. to GraÌ„uellaÌ„ A confutatis of the six Articles Great execution done at Gaunt The Emp. letters to the ProotestaÌ„t The answer of the Prot. to the Emp. letters An oratieÌ„ or a yeuÌ„g Cardinall The Prote 〈◊〉 to Turkes A priuy hatred of that freÌ„che kynge against the Emperour The Duke of Cleaue ioyned with the Frenche kynge The Pope warreth vpoÌ„ the PerusiaÌ„s The Lorde Crumwell beheaded The kynge marieth Katherine Hawarde The Duke of BruÌ„swik accused the Protestaun The assemble of Hagenawe Preachyngs forbydden FerdinaÌ„dos request The decree of Hagenaw The death of Iohn Uayuode king of Hungary Fyres in Saxony Doctor Bernes burnt in Smithfielde Thre Prot. burnt and thre Papistes hanged all at one tyme. The death of Budey An erceadig hote soÌ„mer Nauius hath the place of Heldus The oratioÌ„ of Granvellan at Wor. The euils that coÌ„meth of the discention in Religion The Turke receiueth the infant of Uayuode Lascus committed to prised The papists seke delayes A disputation betwixte Eekius and Melancton The oratioÌ„ of Uergerivs The admiral of frauÌ„ce condemned A greate assemble at RegeÌ„spurg Luthers boke agaist the Duke of Brunswick Why the Protest desyre a counsell Themperor Gods client What moued Luth. to writ against the papistes The blasphemie of frere Tecell A most costly stole or palle A meane to get money by pardons Luther is cursed of the Pope A wolleÌ„ halter to strangle the pope The maner of makynge this Palle Complaints of pillage These Fyeres were set on by the duke of BruÌ„swike The treatie of Regenspurge The chosen by themp The rashnes of Eckius A boke presented to the Collocutours The conteÌ„ts of the boke The Protestantes letters to the FreÌ„ch king for suche as wer persecuted for the gospell The Duke of Cleaue goeth priuely into Fraunce The Duke marieth the daughter of Nauarre The Admirall restored The constable put out of the courte The colloquie of lerned men at Regtnspurg The worse parte ouer cometh by the nomber of voyces Meanes to restore thecclesiasticall function Simons must be takeÌ„ awaye The popes Legate The diligence of the protestantes iu teaching of children The diuines of the Prote aunwer to that Popeslegate The princes electours answer Themperour The answer of the popish princes The bishops are inioyned to reforme their church The presumtuousnes of Eckius The protestantes confute his letters and reasons The Emperours priuat wrytiug for the Protestantes The Emperours complaynte of the Duke of Cleaue The princes make intercession for the Duke of Cleaue The oratioÌ„ of the FreÌ„ch Ambassador The FreÌ„che ambassadors intercepted by thimperiall Langens letters to Alphonse George of Austriche apprehended at Lyons Ferdinando besegeth Buda His armie discomfited The Emperours torney into Barbarie A great tempest distroyed hys ships Syr Henry Kneuet The plage in Germani by the Rhine Ioye in Fraunce at temperours losse The nobilitie of Austrich put vp a supplication for the Gospell Kingdoms distroyed for â—dolatry The plages that god seÌ„t to Austriche and Germany The Turke is the scurge of God God offereth his word before he plageth The chiefe article of doctrine is iustification Ferdinando desfateth the request of his uobles The nobles resterut their â—â—te Strife about the bisshop ricke of NuÌ„ burge 1542. An assemble at Spires Gropper coÌ„mended Bucer The king of EnglaÌ„d maried the syxte wyfe Theioration of the freÌ„che ambessrdour PerswasioÌ„s to warre against the Turke The policie of the Romaines in establishing their empire The concord of England Howe the Turkes acheued their empyre GwelphiaÌ„s Wibellines The opinion of the Popes Ambassad The Pope suspecteth Germany A soden fear in the FreÌ„ch courte An Army agaynste the Turke Contention betwixte the elector of saxon Duke Moris Luthers oretion for the field The Pope â—â—pared with that Turke Two mighty Tyrantes Any pleasant lyfe is not to be loked for The Turke shal not be of such force as were the Romaines The last act of that Turke A cousolatioÌ„ of the prysoners with the Turkes The prayer of Luther Of the originall of the Turkes The Markes of Piscare accuseth the FreÌ„ch king The kinges purgation A counsell called at Trente The FreÌ„che king proclaimeth warre The Duke of Languile and Martin van Rossen invade Brabant Perpigusan beseged The maner to sâ—rche out that LutherinÌ„s S. Genefeua The articles of the Sorbe nistes Two friers preache the Gospell at Metz. WilliaÌ„ Farell grashoppers in Germany and Italy The Duke of Saxon the Lantgraue mouewar againste the duke of BruÌ„swicke who flieth An assembly at Noriberg Ambassadors to the Duke of Saxon the Lantzgraue Contarene in displesure with that pope cardinalles Hys death The ChauÌ„celour of Fraunceput in prison The Palsgraue receyueth the Gospell The Empe. aunswered the Popo The enterprises of Fregose Rincon Peace is disceiptful The FreÌ„che king is accused of ambition Cardinalles sent to maks a peace The Presydentes of the counsell at Trente Dure is taken Warre betwixte England Scotlande The Scotes taken at Solymosse Theyr king dieth The Duke of SaroÌ„ and the Lantzgraue refuse the iudgmeÌ„t of the chaumber The Duke of Cleauerecouereth Dure A rebellion at Rochelle 1543. The kynges oratioÌ„ to theÌ„ of Rochell The clemeÌ„cy of king FrauÌ„ces The assemblie of Nurrenberge The treatye of Norinberge A supplication of the protestantes The Turks increase by the losse of christians The decre of Norinberg The Duke of Cleaue refuseth truce The death of the bishop of Auspurg The French kinges aunswer to the Emperours letters Kinges of Fraunce most addicteth the pope The Dukes of Sauoye frend to theÌ„peroure The death praise of W. Bellay Frances LaÌ„der coÌ„mmitted to prison His weknes before the kynge His recantation Depensius driuen to recante The prayse of Clements Marot Psalmes translated by Marot The Archebisshop of Collon calleth a convocation Bucer preacheth at Bomia The bisshops boke of reformatioÌ„ Melancthon and Pistor come to Collon A booke called Antidagma Gropper forsaketh the Gospell Duke Moris maketh lawes for the ministers of the churche He foundeth three scooles He is beneficiall to the Uniuersitie of Lipsia Lawes agaynst deflowerers of Uirgins adulterers An assemble at Spier