may leuye there alwaies force and power at hys pleasure and maye assemble greate armyes in Germany where others maye not doe the lyke how muche is thys to be estemed Our aduersaryes are more clamorous than we yet wyll they not follow good coūsell For we bothe allowed the decree of Spierand the articles accorded fyue yeres synce at Regenspurge we desired to haue enrolled for matter of recorde and admitted also al reasonable condicions of the laste conference contrary wyse they did none of al these neyther wolde they be brought to any cōformitie but with open protestation at Wormes refused the communication Now can not I go to Regenspurge the charge will be so greate There is also a matter in controuersye betwene the Electour of Saxonye Duke Moris which because theyr counsellours can not determyne it is put to my arbitrement Neuerthelesse I wyll sende Ambassadours to the assemblye with large commission Thus departing a fewe houres after commeth Nauius agayne to the Lantzgraue he telleth him how this daies talke hath pleased Themperour and solliciteth him again to come hymselfe to Regenspurge also he enquireth of hym whether he wolde talke agayne with Themperoure the same daye in the euenyng he refuseth not and whan he came Themperoure geueth hym thankes by Nauius fyrste that he came thyther secondely for that he seeth that the Paulsegraue and he are bothe desyrous of a concorde Howebeit he supposeth the Collocutours wil retourne againe to Regenspurge yf they doe not he wyll sende for them agayne but in the meane tyme he requireth him that he wolde come hym selfe to the assemblie though not at the begynnyng yet towardes the later ende He hym selfe hath verely all other affaires layde a parte taryed these three yeres in Germany to th entent he myght quyet the same Wherunto the Lantzgraue aunswered that of the departure of the Colloquitours he hearde not before thys daye he hath also recyted the causes wherfore he thinketh it was done But yf it be his desyre and that his fellowes be content that the same Diuines of the contrary parte doe retourne agayne hys also shall not tary from thence But for him selfe he may not goo thyther for that he hath ben at great charges in the warre of Brunswicke and hath lately maryed a daughter and is chosen vmpere betwene the Dukes of Saxon and for that he can not goe thyther with out a great company and because that through hys absence hys countrey might be in daunger by the confederates of the Duke of Brunswicke his prisoner Than sayeth Thēperour that hys intent is not to burthen hym with vnnecessarye charges but he desireth hym ernestlye to come for that he supposeth howe hys presence wolde further the whole consultation and that the Saxons and others myght be so in couraged And there is no cause that he shoulde be any thing affraide of Duke Heuries fellowes For neyther is their power so greate and thoughe they shoulde attempte any thynge yet wolde he let it and not suffer that any man shal disturbe the publycke quyetnes The Lantzgraue agayne recytyng the causes saieth he can promise nothyng neuerthelesse he wyll sende Ambassadours whiche shall trauell for peace whych yf they can not in all thynges obeye and gratifye hym he desyreth hym not to take it displeasauntelye neyther thynke it to be don of any obstinacie or mallice but for feare of godes displeasure For thys lyfe tyme is verey shorte and vncerten therefore must they thinke of an euerlastingnes Themperour againe speaking of hys owne paines taken sayeth the matter of Saxon maye be differred therfore let hym come and set all lettes a parte for he hym selfe beyng present myght bothe counsell and cause hys league frendes to shewe themselues tractable and be a meane that the beginning of the treaty maye be reasonable After this the Lantzgraue complayninge of dyuers that had ayded the Duke of Brunswicke maketh a briefe rehersall of the whole matter and howe he was taken and sayeth how Duke Morys he doe susteyne by them great iniurye For they are light persons and borne to styre vp trouble amonges whom Friderick Spedius tolde him yesterdaye that yf he wolde heare hym he wold open certen secret and priuie deuises that are nowe a working but in asmuche as he trusted not to the man he refused to talke with hym and wylled hym to sygnyfye vnto hym by wryting such thinges as he wold haue tolde hym presētly Whan the Lantzgraue had this declared Thēperour was maruelous angrie with Spedius wherfore after thys communication had amonges them the Lantzgraue takyng hys leaue of Themperoure was bad farewel ryght frendely And went from thence to Hedelberge and after home And Themperoure went streyght to Regenspurge And the selfe same time that is to saye at the kalendes of Aprill the Ambassadours of the Protestantes assemble at wormes to consult of the whole matter But because Themperoure sent awaye the Lantzgraue so gently they receiuing letters from hym of the same who in the meane tyme had reported the matter to the Duke of Saxon the .xxiii. daye of Aprill depart that they myght consulte of the same matters at Regenspurge whyther they must go to the imperiall assemblie In thys conuention they of Rauēspurge entred into league with the Protestantes The eight daye of Aprill was the thirde sytting of the fathers in the Counsell at Trent There are recited the bokes of the olde and new Testament and are cōmaunded to be taken for sacred and holy no parte nor iote of them omitted And the olde and common translation of the Bibell is only commaunded to be vsed in churches and Scooles It is also decreed that no man interpret the holy scripture after his owne sēce vnderstanding but that al mē follow herin the cōsent of the church and of the aunciente fathers Moreouer Printers are commaunded that they prynte or set foorth nothing but by consent of their ordinary Bysshop Furthermore it is forbidden the any man shal vse the termes or testimonyes of scripture to triflyng thynges or vayne fables about superstition inchauntmente or witchecrafte or also in ralyng slaunderous libelles and a daye was appointed for the next syttyng at the seuententhe daye of June Themperours Ambassadour there at the same tyme was Fraunces Toletane and when he had spoken much in Themperours prayse and had declared moreouer howe ioyefull that daye was to Themperoure wherin the bishop of Rome cōmenced the counsel he sheweth that he is ioyned in commission with Didaco Mendoza who hauing caught an ague is retourned to Uenise to his olde Ambassade and promysing hys seruice he sayeth we must praye to God that he wold long continew this consent of myndes in the Bisshop and Themperoure that is so godlye and holsome for the publycke weale to the intent that vices refourmed and euill weedes plucked vp by the rootes the Lordes felde maye receiue the auncient tillage In the eleuenth daye of Aprill the Bisshop
black Freres And he againe affirmed it to be agreable to the Scriptures that he was able to proue the senate of Zuricke called a coÌ„uocation of all the priestes within their Jurisdiction at the .xxix. of January for the controuersie about ReligioÌ„ at what time all men shal be heard there so much as shal be requisite They require also very louingly by theyr letters the Bishop of Constance that either he would come him selfe or sende his deputie Where thefore there came many at the dai appointed amoÌ„ges others Iohn Faber the Bishoppes deputie The Borowmaster speaketh these wordes Forasmuche as great dissention is rysen about Religion therfore this assemblie is called to the inteÌ„t that if any maÌ„ hath ought to say against that doctrine of Zuinglius he may speake the same frely Now had Zuinglius before comprised his doctrine into certein common places and Themes to the nuÌ„bre of .lxvij. and had published the same in all places to the intent men might come to the disputation fournished and prepared And what time the Borowmaster had done speakyng he propouÌ„ded the same againe desyring them to ioyne with hym in disputation There whan Faber had shewed the cause of hys commyng he goeth about to perswade that the place was not mere to decide matters of Religion but that the same apperteineth to a generall counsell whiche he trusted should be shortely But Zuinglius required him to dispute and if he had any thinge to saye not to dissemble the matter he said he would confute his doctrine by writyng After many wordes had betwixt them when neither he nor any other would come forth to dispute the Senate breakynge vp the assemblie commaundeth that throughe out their dominions the traditions of men layde a syde the ghospell should be taught syncerely out of the Bokes of the olde and new Testament ⧠The fourth Booke of Sleidanes Commentaries concerning the state of Religion and the common Weale during the Empire of Charles the fyfte ⧠The argument of the fourth Booke POpe Adriane by his Ambassadoure vttereth manye thinges and confesseth the wickednes of Rome The Princes of Germany answere him and propounde conditiond of the counsell An alteration is in Denmarke Christierne the kyng sleeth He speaketh of the impostes ouer Germany of the fyrst fruictes and the tenthes Of the dere Mantel of the Archbishops Of the burning of two Austen Freres Of the decree of Norinberge expounded by Luther and of certeine bokes written by him Of the complaint made of him by the kyng of EnglaÌ„d Adriane dieth Clement succedeth him Trouble in Swysserlande for Ê’ uinglius doctrine at Strasbourgh for the mariage of Priestes At the assemblie of Norinberge Cardinall Campegius came Ambassadour from Clemente who prayeth Duke Friderike to be there After hauinge spoken to the Counsell the princes make him aunswere and replie Troubles arrise in Swiserlande againste them of Ê’ uricke who rendre a reason of theyr doctrine to the Ambassadours sent by the other CaÌ„tons The Byshop of Constance defendeth Images and yet not wythstandyng his wrytyng Images were beaten downe through out al the dominion of Ê’ uricke To the foresaid assemblie of â—orinberge themperor sent his Ambassade They of Strasburgh and their Byshop vtter theyr controuersie to Campegius After the sayde assemblie Kynge Ferdinando and others make a league agaynst the Gospell The warre of the Bowres BEsides the former letters Bishop Adrian had prescribed to his Ambassadour what he should furthermore saye and expressed the same in writing Fyrst that he should accompt before the Princes what a grief it was to him that Luther shoulde styrre vp this trouble and sedition for that the thing concerned the losse of soules and destruction of the flocke committed hym of Christ to kepe secondly that it hath chasised in the same cuntreye where he hymselfe was borne which nation was euer furthest of from all suspecion of Heresye Wherfore he desyreth greatly that they would helpe to remedye the matter so soone as might be lest through longer delaye the same thinge happen vnto Germany as dyd to the lande of Boheme Affyrmyng that he wyll neyther spare cost nor labour herin beseching them that they will euerye man after his power do the lyke there beynge many weightye causes whie they so oughte to do Fyrste for the glory of Gods holy name which throughe this Heresye is chiefly obscured the Rites and Ceremonies of the Churche defaced and in maner quite abolished the loue of oure neighboure vnto whom Charitie bindeth vs to shewe the right waye For Germany which was wont to haue the chiefe prayse for Religion now by reason of this reuolting theyr fame and estimation groweth in contempt and ignomie For where they might easely haue dispatched Luther also quenched his heresies they would not degenerating herin from their auncestours which left a notable example of theyr vertu at CoÌ„stance Is it not a most open wronge that he doeth both to them and also to theyr elders For where as they folowed the Religion of the catholick churche of Rome nowe by his iudgement that condemneth the same Religion they are all damned Let them wey and consyder with them selues what these fellowes do purpose and intende Uerely vnder pretence of the libertie of the Gospel to subuerte and take away al lawes and Magistrates And albeity t Luther semed in the begynning to impugne onely the ecclesiastical power as tyrranical wicked yet is this his intent that after he hath once perswaded that Christians are by no lawes bounden to obeye the Magistrate he maye open the waye vnto all men to worke what mischief they liste And therfore greate daunger hangeth ouer them also Hitherto they do craftely and traiterouslye hyde theyr purpose and flatter the Magistrate to the intent they may frely vtter theyr malice vpon the clergie but when they be oppressed they wyll doubtles atteÌ„pt further For they may see already by experience what grudge hatred tumultes offences this Heresie hath alreadi brought into the common wealth Whiche euyles vnlesse they be suppressed in time it is to be feared lest God who hathe gyuen them the power of the sworde wyll plage this theyr so great negligence bothe with their owne priuate and also with the common destruction of all Germany For Luther differeth not muche from the secte of Mahomet which permitteth men to mary many wiues and after to forsake the same by the whiche policie that mischieuous man bewitched and allured the greatest part of the worlde whiche thing thoughe Luther permitteth not yet doth he aduise all them to mary which haue vowed chastitie gyuing the reignes of lybertie to mans lust and concupiscens that he maye haue the mo of his confyderacie to the vtter destruction of the common wealthe namely of Germany He sayd therfore to be theyr partes to put in execution the decrees of Leo and Cesar to the intent they may auenge Gods glorye auoyde the sklaunder of the countrey and
Germany bare of money and keptmen in great bondage which they said plainely they would no longer suffer but in case they were not reformed with spede they wold seke a redresse theÌ„ selues Concernyng the tribute of the Clergie thus it was Amonges other meanes to gather vp money this was one that Byshoppes and other spirituall parsons shoulde paye to the Byshoppe of Rome after the rate of the benefice a certeine summe of money commonly called fyrste fruites and tentes Some do ascribe this deuice to Iohn the .xxij. others vnto Boniface the .ix. The preteÌ„se was fayre and goodly that ther might be Treasure ready at all times against the Turkes and Saracenes And for as much as at that time the aucthoritie of the Bishoppes of Rome was growen great and estemed holy it was easely graunted Englishmen only refused to pay namely for theyr smal benefices This continued till the counsel of Basil where it was put downe brought vp againe by Eugenius the fourth who made that counsell frustrate and so hath continued euer syns but yet not with out much repining For in the yere of our Lorde a thousande and fine hundred what time the Emperor Maximilian held a counsell at Ausâ—â—rge about the Turkishe warre it was decreed that Ambassadors should be sent to Alexander the sixt that he should aide the common wealth And geue those yerely reuenewes vnto this vse that were graunted for the same purpose But tharchebishops or Metropolitanes receane of him a certein signe of honor and dignitie made of Flaxe wolle they call it a Palle For the which they must paye a great piece of money to the Byshoppe of Rome and that in a short space For he maye admit none other Byshoppe till he haue receiued his Palle whiche he weareth alwayes at Masse but before it be deliuered to him he must take his othe to owne him his faith and obeidience And the sixte day of Marche the Princes at Norinberge set forthe a writinge of the thinges before mentioned charging all men to obserue the same vnder a great penaltie whiche decree was published in the Emperours name For he had establisshed the Senate and iudgement before he retorned into Spaine And Fridericke Countie Palatine was his deputie in that assemblie About this tyme were taken at Bruxels two Monckes of S. Austens order Iohn and Henry Hogostrate a Frere Dominicke had theÌ„ in examination They were asked what they beleued They made answere howe they beleued the bokes of the Olde and New testament and the Crede of the Apostles that conteined the Articles of our faith Againe whether they beleued the decrees of the Counsels and of auÌ„cient fathers Such of them as are agreable to the Scriptures Whether they thinke it deadly synne if a man breake the decrees of the fathers and of the Bishoppe of Rome It is only ascribed to Gods commaundementes to condemne or saue WheÌ„ they perseuered herin they were condemned to dye But they gaue thankes to God that they should suffer for the glorie of his name When they were brought forth to suffer all men marueyled to beholde theyr constancie so were they burnt the fyrst day of Iuly But before they wer executed they were disgraded which thing is done vnto priestes onely For beynge condemned Heresye by an Ecclesiasticall Iudge he hath put vpon him an albe and a Uestement and deliuered into his handes a Chalice with wine and water also the gilt Patent with a singing Cake And so knelyng vpon his knees the Bishoppes deputie taketh from him the thynges before named commaundynge hym that he shall no more saye Masse for the quick and the dead And with a piece of glasse he skrapeth his fingers in ioyninge him that he neuer herafter halowe any thing After he taketh the rest of the thinges from him with certein curses ioyned therunto Whan he is exempted thus out of the numbre of Priestes he is also put from the rest of the ordres by the which he came vnto priesthod Then he is he torned naked and decked againe with a laymans apparell and so deliuered to the magistrate whom the bishoppes chaunceloure entreateth that he wold determine no harme against his life nor body for they vse this Ceremony lest they beynge holy men shoulde seme to be the Aucthors of death or bloudshed Whan the decree of the Empire made at Norinb was of many taken diuersely of some also coÌ„temned Luth. Writinge his letters to the Princes doth aduertise them that he hath read it reuerently with great pleasure First where they coÌ„maunde the gospell to be taught after the interpretatioÌ„s approued by the church some in dede vnderstaÌ„d it to be after the accustomed maner of Thomas of Aquine DuÌ„se suche others as the Bishops of Rome haue allowed but he taketh it to be mont of more auÌ„cient writers as Hilary CypriaÌ„ AusteÌ„ such others And yet not so much credit to be giueÌ„ vnto theÌ„ nothing like as to the scripture Thus he doubteth not but they meÌ„t it so doth he take it which is the cause that certen of the chiefest nobilitie wold not subscribe to it nor suffer it to be proclamed in theyr couÌ„treis Secondly where bishops should appoint mete meÌ„ to be present at sermoÌ„s which should geue gentle admonition if any thing were a misse he saith the decre is good but that the Bishops though they wold can not obserue the same for that they waÌ„t learned men haue no other but suche as haue learned nothinge elles but sophistrie And where they prohibite that no bookes be printed before learned meÌ„ appointed therunto haue first perused theÌ„ he wil not be against it so that it coÌ„cerue no bokes of scripture which in no wise oughte to be inhibited Finally where they haue decreed that priestes which mary wiues or forsake their order shal be punished according to the Canon law that to be to ouer hard a thig For as they coÌ„fesse if the gospel be preached sincerely thaÌ„ must the CanoÌ„ law be much qualified Afterwarde he bewalleth the miserie frowardnes of our time that in so clere a light of the gospel that extreme law that prohibiteth mariage is not abolished which hath geuen thoccasion of so many great euils yet are they much to be praised which are content with the punishmeÌ„t prescribed in the Canon law but such as wold kill the priestes that marie or leaue their ordre after they haue by prison all kind of punnishement tormented theÌ„ are greatly to be abhorred Wherfore he besecheth the Princes that for so muche as theyr aduersaries will not obeie the decre which they mighte and ought to obserue the pore priestes might be pardoned for that thinge â—ech not in their power to performe for euery man hath not the gift of chastitie and the vowes made be foolishe After this he set forth a boke of ordeining of ministers to the Senate of Prage and ioyneth with it a writynge wherein he
nothyng ought to be taught and such places of Scripture as appeare to be some what obscure can not be better expouÌ„ded than by other more manifest places of the same Scripture therfore wyll they dwell herein endeuourynge that the bookes of the olde and newe Testament may be taught syncerely and playnly For this is the onely meane and waye that is euermore certayne sure And as for mens tradicions they are grounded on a weake foundation The decree of the last assemblie was enacted for peace and concorde but in case this decree should take effecte it would opeÌ„ the waye to muche trouble and displeasure for euen nowe all be it the decree of Wormes was suspended doe some Princes seke to make some of their subiectes to forfyte their goodes for not obseruyng that decree where of men may easely coÌ„iecture what wyll insewe if the same decree shal nowe take place agayne and that some of them wyl vse force and coÌ„pelle men to suche thinges as can not be done with a saufe conscience But that is not well spokeÌ„ that the fourmer decree was penned with suche wordes as many did abuse the same thyng tyl the counsell were called they myght doe what they lyste this is bruted of them chieflye whiche are lytle afrayde of the last iudgement whan all thynges shal come to lyght for their partes they wyll not refuse to aunswer before indiferent iudges to suche as wyll saye that they haue in anye poynte broken the same decree Whiche thynges standyng thus they can not consent to this their decree And howe they wyll aunswere the matter both openly before all men and also to the Emperour hym selfe And in the meane tyme tyll eyther a generall or els a prouinciall counsell of Germany shal be called they wyll do nothyng that shall deserue iuste reproufe Unto this protestation of Prynces certen of the chief cities laying their heades together did subscribe as Strausborough NoreÌ„berge Ulmes Constance Rutelinge Winsseme Meminge Lindane Campedune Hailbrune Isne Wysseburge Norling and Sangall And this is in dede the first original of the name of ProtestauÌ„tes which not only in Germany but also emonges foreyn nations is nowe coÌ„mon and famous Ferdinando was departed out of the assemblie of Princes before thei had protested notwithstanding that the Duke of Saxon and his felowes required him to tary a litle After this the protestantes deuise a certen appellation wherein they doe appeale from the decree made at Spires vnto the Emperour to the next lawful general or prouinciall counsell of Germany and to all iudges that be not suspected and determined also to sende Ambassadours to the Empeperour Not long after this the men of Zurick and Bernes sent forth their armies against their ennemies of the fiue townes that made league with Ferdinando declaryng why they so did by wryting And emonges sondry causes and iniuries whiche they recite this is one that what tyme certen of their Citezens came for money that was dewe vnto them the Snites whypped them naked and the UnterualdiaÌ„s had in despyte hanged vp their Armes and also the Armes of the Cities of Basil and Strausborough vpon the gallous and howe they haue all ioynctely made a league wyth kynge FerdinaÌ„do to oppresse Religion and to roote them out of the couÌ„trey wherby they haue not onlye infringed the lawe of nature but also broken the bondes that were betwene them in conspiring with their moste vtter and mortall ennemie whome to subdue they haue long and many yeares euen froÌ„ the first beginning of their league with one assent ioyned together al their force and power When both armies were ready to ioyne in battel by the mediation of their neyghbours and by them of Strausborough the matter was taken vp FerdinaÌ„do had sent theÌ„ ayde which came as farre as the Rhine emoÌ„ges other thinges it was agreed vpoÌ„ that they should haue no warre for religion and that from henceforth they should absteyne from all opprobriouse wordes vnder a great penaltie The Frenche kynge consyderynge the state of his chyldren whiche he had lefte pledges in Spayne and what euyll successe he had of his warres in Italye hauynge loste bothe his Armie and also his chieftayne Latrechus And more ouer Androwe de Aure of Genes a Captaine of the Sea moste skylfull who about the same tyme that Lantrech the Coronell dyed reuolted from the Frenche kyng to the Emperour restoryng his countrey vnto lybertie he inclined hys mynde to peace Wherfore at Cambrey a Cytie in Artoys mette the Ladye Margaret the Emperoures Aunte and Ales the kynges mother and many other Nobles and emonges others Erarde Marchiane Cardinall and Byshop of Liege whyche concluded a peace in the moneth of Auguste wherein they recite the decree which was made thre yeare before in Spayne agaynste the Lutherians whiche they newely ratified the other conditions were partely altered For the Emperour permitteth the Frenche kyng to inioye Bourgundy in case he haue a sonne by his sister And the kyng paieth vnto the Emperour for the delyuery of his sonnes tweÌ„ty hoÌ„dreth thousand crownes accompting herein the debte dewe to the kyng of Englande Not loÌ„g after the Emperoure imbarked hym selfe in Spayne and arryued at Genes At what time also Soliman the Emperour of Turkes by the prouocation of Iohn Uaynode made by his Ambassadour Hierome Laske a Hongarian a man of an excellent wytte marcheth with an armie innumerable through HoÌ„gary into Austrice and in the moneth of Septembre layeth sege to Uienna the chief citie of that countrey He assayed to vndermyne it and where as he had ouerthrowen the walles he gyueth the assaulte desperatly but seynge the Souldioues of the garnyson whiche were Germaines whose chief captaine was Philip the Palsgrane defendyng the breache moste valiauntly by the space of one moneth about the eight day of Octobre he raised his siege and departed without his purpose many thousandes of meÌ„ in his retourne partely slayne and partly lead away into myserable and vyle captiuitie At his departure he created the Uayuode kynge at Buda This yeare also was Germany sore afflicted with a newe kynde of disease called the Sweathing sicknes Men were sodainly takeÌ„ with a pestilent sweate and within foure and twenty howres eyther they died or amended And before the remedye was knowen many thousandes peryshed It began at the Ocean sea and in a very small tyme spred ouer all Germany and with vnspeakeable spede lyke a fyre conâ—â—med all thynges farre and nere it is called in Germany the English sickenes For in the first yeare of Henry the seuenth kyng of England whiche was the yeare of our Lorde M cccc lxxxvj the same death began in that Ilande and because in a new disease the remedy was not knowen it made a wounderful destruction Moreouer this yere was small plenty of wyne and corne wherfore all those thynges whiche God in his displeasure is wonte to caste vpon vnthankefull people sedition warre sycknes
crueltie they reproue him therfore exceadingly and byd him not thinke that they wil euer allow such errours as thei nowe do condemne or at any time retourne vnto that churche whiche defendeth so manifest vices Whan Contarene in the meane tyme heard that his aunswere was diuersly taken by thaduise of certen he sendeth to the states the third wryting how he wil not assent the the articles newly accorded shal be receiued vntil the couÌ„sell but referreth al thinges in general to the highe Byshop The next day after the ides of Iuly the Princes Electours make answer to Themperours demaunde saye howe they are contented that the articles agreed vpoÌ„ should be receiued vntil the time of a couÌ„sel for the same is both expedieÌ„t for the auoiding of further incoÌ„uenieÌ„ces hereafter wil be also a great helpe vnto a further agrement and if there be any hope that the rest myght at this tyme be accorded they desire him to shew his fauour herin but if the shortnes of time wil not suffer it that thaÌ„ according to his fre ê“messe he wold deuise with the bishop and other kinges that there might be with al expeditioÌ„ a couÌ„sell appointed in some coÌ„uenient place of Germany either general or prouincial that he wold sende his legate thether if the same can not be obteined as they haue no truste it shall that than he wold retourne againe into Germanye and declare the same fidelitie to the countrie that he hathe doone hitherto and establisshe peace and quietnes But the Protestantes desyre themperour that he wolde commaund the articles of religion al ready accorded to be enacted and taught for so shal the truthe be opened more and more and this shal be as a waye to amende the diseases of the churche And that also he wolde take awaye and abrogate the decree of Auspurge as vnprofitable for concorde or at the lestwyse leaue it in suspence what their opinion is concernyng the counsel and how they wil not permit the bisshop or his clieÌ„tes to be iudges therof and of what sorte it ought to be they haue declared heretofore and remayne in the same opinioÌ„ and if percase such maner of counsel wil not be had and that ther be any assemblie of the states in germany by his coÌ„maundement in the same wil they declare their doctrine After the other princes amonges whom the bisshops were chief and with them the two bretherne Dukes of Bauier and Henry of Brunswicke declare what theyr aduise is to themperour seuerally which was that so many vices sectes heresies and dissentions did now not only in Germani but also in other places in maner through out christendoÌ„ ouerflow that they could not be holpen but by a counsell and that there shoulde now be any alteration of religion and ceremonies thai had so many yeares continewed they could in nowise geue theire assent especially considering that the bisshop by his legate doth promise a counsel and he him selfe will moue him herein presently and say how they are determined to sticke to the old religion couÌ„sels doctrine of their forefathers which hath continewed from the apostles tyme vnto this day And alledgeing moch other matter but to no great pourpose they thinke it most expedient to differ the cause of religion vnto the counsell especially for that the bisshops legate is of the same opinion the residew of the cities whyche were not of the nomber of Protestantes Collon Mentz Spier wormes Tully Hagenaw Regenspurg Schwinfurth Colmaria Semund Roteburg and dyuers others whan they were excluded from cousultation and that the princes wolde not geue them the copie of the aunswere they complayne herof to themperoure as they had don ofte before requestinge him that they myght not be hindered in theyr ryght and many of them were content that the articles agreed vpon shoulde be receyued Whan themperoure had hearde all mens opinions he maketh a new propositioÌ„ and recytyng euery thyng in order because the whole matter cannot be determined and they most certenly stande in great daunger of the Turke and the time is farre spente he sayeth he will referre the matter to the couusel wherof both the Bisshops legat hath put him into an vndoubted hope and he himselfe also will be in hande with the Bisshop for he promiseth also to retourne shortly into Germany and desyreth the Protestantes that they wyll in the meane tyme attempt nothyng els besydes those thinges wherin the diuines are accorded Than warneth he the Bishpops than they deuyse the meanes wherby euery one of theÌ„ maye reforme their owne churches to the intent ther be a way prepared for a coÌ„mon redresse This mind of Themperoure for the moste parte al men commended and thinke inete that the Bisshops Legate should geue also an ernest streighte charge to the Bishops that they redresse and pourge theyr churches And the Protestantes concernyng the conciliation of doctryne and all other thynges promise to do according to theyr dewtie require that it may be lawful for all other Princes ther to propounde in their churches the articles nowe accorded You haue hearde how Eckius abhorred bothe the booke exhibited of themperoure and also the Collocutours Wherefore after the conference had whan the booke was agayne restored to themperoure the matter debated in the counsel of the Princes he lying sick of a feuer sendeth an epistle to the princes of this effecte that he neuer lyked that foolyshe booke wherin he fyndeth so many errours and therfore ought not to be admitted for the custome of the olde fathers and the church layde a syde the stepes and phrasis of Melanchthon are in it well perceyued moreouer he sayeth he sawe not the booke whiche his fellowes corrected and after restored to themperoure but as he laye sycke there wer red vnto hym only certen opinions of the Lutheranes Moche lesse did he allow that wrytyng that was presented to themperoure with the boke for he neuer saw it This thing knowne Iulius Pfiugius and Iohn Gropper whiche thought how the same concerned their estimation desyre the Presidentes and hearers of the conference as witnesses of the whole matter that they would defend theyr honestie againste the sclaunders of Eckius They informe themperoure of all the matter who after in a publicke writing gaue vnto them bothe a goodly and an honorable report affirming that they haue donne herein as becoÌ„meth honest men It is before mentioned that the cause of religyon was referred to a generall or prouinciall counsell of Germany After that Contarene vnderstoode it the .xxvi. day of Iuly he wrote to the states and Princes requiryng that the last might be crossed and cancelled for the controuersies of religion ought not to be determined by suche maner of counselles but the same to belonge to the vniuersall churche and what someuer is determined in suche cases of any one nation to be of none effect wherfore they shall shew a greate pleasure to the Bisshop who
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
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
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
Rome he woulde haue hys owne oppinion to take place against the iudgement of mē Wherfore it is wittely done of him to haue no familiarytie with so pestilent a fellowe nor to alowe hys errour In the whiche thinge all graue and wise men do muche commende his vertue And chieflye he giueth God hertie thankes that he hath giuen him suche a mynde affirming moreouer that he hath suffered and borne with his rashenes a while to see if he woulde amende but now for asmuche as he hathe nothinge preuailed with gentle admonishmentes he is compelled to vse an extreme remedy fearyng lest throughe his contagion he shoulde infecte many Wherfore callyng a counsel of Cardinalles and learned men to debate the matter he hath made a decree by the instinction of that holy spirite whiche neuer faileth the Churche of Rome the copie wherof he hath sent vnto him to the intent he might see what monstrouse errours that minister of Sathan defendeth he wilieth him therfore that vnlesse he do openly and solemnely recant with in the daye prescribed he should commit him toward for so shall he put away all shame from his house and from Germany wynne muche honor and do God highe seruice The decree is ouerlonge but the summe is this Fyrst the Byshoppe Leo callynge vpon Christe Peter and Paule and other sainctes to tourne awaye the daunger hangynge ouer the Church most lamentably complayneth that now there should spring vp a doctrine conteinyng bothe the Heresies already condemned and also newe errours and great wickednes And that in Germany that was wont to do so muche for the Churche of Rome bothe longe sins and of late dayes concernyng Husse and thē of Boheme But because the numbre of Christians throughout the vniuersall worlde are committed vnto his charge by Christ he can no lenger wyncke at so great a matter After reciting Luthers opinions saieth that they be against Christian charitie and the reuerens that all men owe of duetie to the Churche of Rome and agaynste the counsell of the aunciente fathers Wherfore by the consent of his Cardinalles he condemneth both him and his works to be brought forth and burned and by the aucthoritie whiche he saieth he hath he commaundeth all Magestrates namelye in Germany to se the thing executed accordingely Then commeth he to Luther shewyng with howe fatherly a loue he sought to refourme him howe he cited him to Rome and promised him to beare his charges And howe in contempte therof he appealed from him to the coūsell contrary to the decrees of Pius and Iulius And all be it he had hereby deserued the punishement condigne for Heretikes yet did he of his clementie gyue him a longer time if happely as the prodigal child amended through his owne misery he would retourne to the bosome of the churche And to be yet also of this minde yea and moste hertely besecheth him and his adherentes to trouble the church no more promysing them great good will if they wyll cease from theyr errours Notwithstandynge he commaundeth Luther to teache no more prescribynge him .lx. dayes wythin the whiche time he shoulde amende burne his owne bokes and recante his doctrine openlye if he did not he condemneth him as an Heritike to suffer accordynge to that lawes he suspendeth him out of the Church commaunding al men to eschew his talke and his company vnder the lyke penaltie and this decree to be red in all Churches assemblies of people at certen dayes appointed Touching Pius and Iulius thus it standeth This Pius hilde a Counsell at Mantua in the yeare of our Lord M. CCCC.lix chiefely because of the Turkisshe warre And there amonges other he made a decree that no man should appeale from the Byshoppe to the Counsell for that vnder the Coope of heauen he said there coulde nothinge be founde better then Christes Uicar And not longe after he suspended Sigismunde duke of Austriche for takinge the Cardinall of Cusane prisoner The duke appealed from him to the counsell Wherfore the Byshoppe did excommunicate George Heimburge the worker herof commaunding the Senate of Norinburge to banishe him the Citie and to spoile him of his goodes Whiche decree was after renewed by Iuly to maynteyne him selfe agaynst the Cardinalles that swarued from him agaynst kynges and princes and the vniuersitie of Paris whiche vsed ofte suche refuge This Bishop Pius called before Aeneas Siluius was at the Counsell of Basill wrot euery thing praysing the decrees that there were made exceadyngly But when he was auaunced to this highe degree of dignitie he chaūged his opinion and would haue the counsell subiecte to the Byshop When Luther hearde that he was condemned at Rome he goeth to his former appellation wherin he appealed from the Bishoppe to the counsell And nowe forsomuche as the Byshoppe perseuerynge in hys wicked tyrrannye hath proceded so farre to condemne him nether called nor heard nor yet conuicte of Heresye he saieth howe he appealeth from him againe to the counsel chiefly for foure causes for that he hath condemned him at his pleasure not hearyng the controuersie for that he cōmaundeth him to denie faith to be in sacramentes necessary that he preferreth his owne decrees and dotages of men before the Scriptures and for that he leaueth no place to anye Counsell Wherefore he calleth him Tyrran a proude contemner of the Churche and fynallye Antichriste affirmynge that he will shewe and proue al these thinges whensoeuer it shall please his superiours And therfore prayeth themperour and other Magistrates to accepte this his appellation for the defence of Gods glory and the libertie of the counsell that they would bridell his tyrranny and thynke that the decree made concerned nothynge nor that they would styrre nothinge tyll the cause were lawfully decided Before he had thus appealed about the .xvij. day of Nouembre he had written a boke of the Captiuitie of Babilon in the preface wherof he saieth howe he profiteth dayely more and more in the knowledge of holy Scripture And howe a fewe yeares paste he set forth a booke of the Byshoppes pardons and that tyme wrote renerently because he stoode than in great feare of the Romisshe tyrranny and had it in great estimation but now his iudgement is farre otherwise and beynge styrred vp by the prouocation of his aduersaries he hath lerned that the See of Rome is nothynge els but the kyngdome of Babilon and the power of the stronge Hunter Niutroth Afterwardes he disputeth of the Sacramentes of the Churche and holdeth that there be but three onelye Baptisme Penaunce and the Lordes Supper and then treateth also of the other foure confirmation order Matrimonye and Unction But these he calleth no Sacramentes because they haue no sygnes annexed to the promesse other sacramentes which haue no promise to thē ioyned he saith are but vare signes therfore thinketh that Penaunce can not be coūted in the numbre of thē if we wil properly exactly
neuer take wages nor stypende of anye Prince to serue him in his warres After this was borne the kynges sonne Charles whome the Swyces sendynge theyr deputies Christened at the Fontestone The Heluetians or Swicesse consiste of thirtene Townes Zuricke Bernes Lucerna Ura Swite Unterualde Tugie Glarea Basille Solodure Friburge Schafusiane and Apecelle These are ioyned in a most straite leage by an othe vsynge one and the same law and gouerne as it were in common theyr common weale The fyrst of all that made this leage were the Uranites the Swyces and Unterualdians what tyme they expulsynge their nobilitie vnder whome they were oppressed procured their owne libertie This was in the yere of our Lorde M.CCC.xv After came vnto thē they of Lucerne next them the Tugians in the syxte place the men of Zuricke and last they of Bernes and of Basille Than ioyned wyth them in societie but not in the same lawes nor so great frendshippe the Rhetians Lepontians Sedunites Ueragrites Sangallians Mullusians and they of Rotuuille The Emperour beyng now past one twenty yeres of Age banisheth Luther by a common decree the eyght day of May takyng the begynning therof of his owne parson for that it was his part and office not onely to establishe and augment the Empire but also to forese that no blemishe nor Heresye should springe vp within the limittes of the same And that his Progenitours in dede haue bene diligent men herin Wherfore it is mete that he vnto whō God hath giuen so large and ample dominiōs should folow their steppes for vnlesse he should punishe nowe the Heresyes lately spronge vp in Germany he shoulde bothe hurte his owne conscience in the beginning now of his reigne sore blemisshe his name and dignitie that it is well knowen vnto all men what wicked doctrine Luther hathe spread abroade nowe these three or foure yeres agaynste the Byshoppe and Churche of Rome against the decrees of the auncient fathers and namely against the coūsel of Constance to the great reproche of thēperor Sigismūde and the Princes of Germany that were there present Wherfore syns that in hys bokes is nothing els conteined but sedition discorde warre murther and mischief so that he appereth not to be a man that wrote thē but rather a Deuil in a mans likenes He for the zeale that he beareth to the common wealth and the dignitie of the Bishoppe of Rome doth condemne and proscribe him as aucthor of Scismes as a manyfest and an obstinate Heretike commaundynge all men vnder a great penaltie so to accepte him and after thre weekes wherin he gaue him leaue to retourne to apprehende him and bringe him vnto him and al such as shall fauour or aide him in his doynges he banisheth in like case he commaundeth also his Bokes should be brent appoyntynge a greate penaltie herafter for the Stationers commaunding this decree of his which he sayeth was made by the common consent and assent of the Princes to be well obserued Men say how this decree was made by a very fewe for diuerse of the Electours confessed that they were not made priuie to it as shall be declared hereafter of the Archebyshoppe of Collē The Archbishoppe of Mentz beyng Chauncelour of the Empire maye do muche in such matters But how so euer it came to passe the Emperour hereby wanne muche fauoure in so muche that the Bishoppe of Rome cleane forsakynge the Frenche kynge made a league with him as shall be declared hereafter From the tyme of this publication Duke Fridericke appointed certein of his nobilitie whom he especially trusted to conueighe Luther out of the way in to some secrete place that he might eschewe the daūger whiche thinge was done bothe diligently and closelye In this carefulnes Luther wrote diuerse epistles to his Frendes and also bokes concernyng the abrogating of the priuate Masse whiche he dedicateth to his brethren the Austen Freres of Religious Uowes to his father Iohn Luther and a booke agaynst Iames Latomus a Doctor of Louaine The Austen Freres beganne nowe fyrste of all men to leaue of Massyng and for that cause Luther compiled this Booke for them that he might encourage the weake and confyrme the skylfull exhortinge them muche to perseuer in the same purpose Whiche thinge knowen Duke Friderick fearing that some great trouble or commotion should arrise therof commaunded that the opinion of the whole Uniuersitie herein should be knowen and brought vnto him The Uniuersitie chose iiij for the same purpose Iustus Ionas Philip Melanchthon Nyclas Amstorfe and Iohn Dulce Who conferryng with the Austen Freres brought worde what theyr intēt was And furthermore declared what an iniury was done to the lordes Supper Wherfore they beseche the Prince that he would abolish so great a wickednes not out of one Churche onely but also in all places and set vp the trew vse of the Lordes Supper accordyng to Christes commaundement and the maner of the Apostles stoutly contemnyng al the reproches of the aduersaries for it hath euerbene sene that who so taketh in hande to maynteine the trew doctrine of the Gospel must suffre many thinges and that he ought greatly to foresee that he accept reuerently this present gifte of God wherwith he is chiefly adorned by reason of the lyght of Ghospell spronge vp amonges his people Wherunto the Duke answered that he would leaue nothing vnattempted that might be for Gods glory but for so muche as the thing is ful of difficultie he thinketh good not to beto hastie for litel it is that so fewe can bringe to effect but in case the matter be grownded on the Scriptures they shall doubtles haue mo to take theyr parts And thē shall that alteration which shall seme both Godly and necessary more conueniently be brought to passe For he him selfe which is ignoraunt in the Scriptures cā not tel what time this accustomed vse of masse which you reproue came vp or when that maner that the Apostles vsed was lefte But as he taketh it the most part of Colledges and Churches were fownded for Masses whiche if they should be put downe and the landes taken awaye that were geuen for the same purpose euery man might well consyder what hurly burly would follow vpon the same Wherfore his aduise shal be that they go and consult further of the matter with the rest of good and well learned men of the vniuersitie that all theyr heades leyde together suche meanes may be foūde as maye kepe a Godly quiet These men after more deliberation had make him answer admoshing him as before to put downe thē Masse that the thinge maye be done without any tumult And thoughe it coulde not yet that whiche is righte and godlye woulde not therfore be lefte vndone that they be fewer in numbre it is no newes For euer syns the worlde began the greater part of men haue resisted the trewe doctrine moreouer that those onely shall receiue this ryght vse of the
Lordes Supper vnto whome it shall be gyuen from aboue Furthermore that Colledges were fyrst instituted not for Masses but that youth myght there be vertuousely brought vp in learnynge And the landes gyuen to fynde some to teach and some to learne and the reste to the vse of the pore And this vse to haue continewed in maner to the time of Barnarde But aboute foure hundreth yeares syns this Marchaundise of Masses began whiche is vtterly to be taken awaye And albeit the originall thereof were yet more auncient yet is not so great a wickednes to be suffered And in case any busynes shold come therof the same ought not to be ascribed to the doctrine but to the wickednes of them which for their owne lucre will impugne the truthe against their conscience And that we ought not to regard such inconueniences but to procede constantlye what trouble so euer shall come therof for all these thinges were shewed before of Christ Thys yeare Themperours brother Farnando Archduke of Austriche marieth the lady Anne sister to Lewes the kinge of Hongary Emonges so many aduersaries as Luther had Henry the eyghte Kynge of Englande wrote soore agaynst him And fyrst he confuteth his iudgement touching Indulgences and defendeth the Bishops authoritie After he reproueth all his disputations concerning the Sacramentes of the Churche taking the occasion of writing out of his boke intitiled of the captiuitie of Babylon Whan Luther knewe therof he answered most vehemently shewynge that in the defence of this cause he did not one whit respecte the highnes or dignitie of any parson For this cause the Bishop Leo gaue the kynge an honorable title callyng him the defendour of the faith Howe kynge Charles was chosen Emperour it is here to fore declared And wheras euer syns certen priuate dyspleasures did growe betwixte hym and the Frenche kynge it brake out into warres But fyrst in the borders of Spaine and of Flaunders The same tyme the Frenchmen kept Parma and Placence in Italy which the Bishoppe Leo was right sory for And when they had also of late attēpted Rhegium he vtterly forsoke them and entred into league with the Emperour wherof the chief condicions were these That the dignitie of the Churche of Rome should be defended that suche Townes as the Frenchemen of late had taken from him should be recouered that Frances Sfortia that time a banished man should be restored to his fathers seat and to the dukedome of Millan Thus ioyning their powers together they recouered of the frenchmen Parma and Placence and by force toke the citye of Millan and droue the French king out of Lumbardy which he had kept in quiet possession fullye .vi. yeares and afterwardes restored Sfortia by the conduit of prosper Columne Fernando Daualle marques of Piscare And not lōg after these newes wer brought Leo departed not without the suspicion of poysening He was sōne vnto Laurens Medices and had to his great grandfather Cosmus that was that great honor of that house Leo was made Cardinall when he was but .xiii. yeares old he liued not past seuen and forty his successor was Adriane the sixt a Hollāder who had bene tutor to the emperour About the same time Soliman lately created Emperour of Turkes moued warre vpon Lewes king of Boheme and Hungary which had maried the Lady Marye themperours sister and besides many other townes and Castels he tooke Belgrade the chief fortresse of Hungary and placed therin a garrison Whilest Cesar maketh his abode in Flaunders and Germany greate seditions arose in Spaine Wherfore to the intent he might remedye the thing in time hauing first appoynted a coūsel to minister the law and to see to the affaires of thempire he saileth againe into Spaine But before he toke his iorney the states of Thempire were all readye assembled at Norinberge concerninge diuers matters but chieflye the Turkyshe warre And Cesar sending forth his proclamation at the later ende of Marche warneth chiefly all ecclesiasticall parsons to pray and make theyr supplications vnto God Afterwardes the fyrste of Maye was aide graunted to kynge Lewes Themperour in his retourne goeth agayne to see the kynge of Englande whom to haue his assured frende agaynst the Frenche kynge he promyseth to geue hym yerely a hundreth and three and thyrtie thousande Duckates For so muche did the Frenchkynge paye yearely to the kynge of Englande and to his syster Mary the French quene Wherfore vnlesse he mighte be saued harmeles he would attempt nothing against him This treatie was made the thirtene day of Iune in the Castell of Wyndsore .xx. myles from Lōdon And for a more entiere loue and frendship it was agreed that the Emperour shoulde take to wyfe the lady Mary the kynges daughter by his aunte Quene Kataryne and marry her whē time should serue for she was then but seuen yeares of age Whethersoeuer brake of to pay to the other foure hundred thousande crownes The Frenche kynge bendeth all his force towardes Italy to recouer that he had lost you haue heard before of Zuinglius and now Hugh Byshoppe of Constance within whose prouince Zuricke is aduertised the Senate what complaintes he heard of Zuinglius and what a kynde of newe doctrine he had broughte in he defendeth hys cause before the Senate whome he satisfied After the Byshoppe wrote his letters to the College of Canons wherof Zuinglius was one speakyng muche of new doctours that troubled the Churche he exhorteth them to take hede and beware of them And for so muche as Leo the Bishop of Rome and the Emperour also haue by most streigth proclamations condemned thys doctrine he warneth them that they obey the same and neyther alter nor chaunge any thinge till they that haue Authoritie should decree some thinge by a generall counsell this was in the moneth of Maye When this Epistle was read in the Colledge Zuinglius whome it concerned wryteth agayne to the Byshop that he vnderstondeth right well by whose motiou he doeth this He admonisheth him not to folow theyr counsell for the trueth is inuincible and can not be resysted Afterwardes with a longer letter he answereth those whiche styrred vp the Bishoppe to write Then Zuinglius and certein others intreate the Bishop by their letters that he would not hynder the doctrine of the Gospell nor suffer any longer that filthy and sklaunderous life of pristes but permitte them to marrye And of the same effecte he writeth to all the Heluetians admonishyng thē not to stop the course of the trewe doctrine nor to worke any displeasure agaynste maryed priestes for of the single life the Deuill him selfe was author In many of theyr Townes it is the maner that whan they receyue a newe minister of the churche they bidde him take a Leman lest he attempt to defyle honest women whiche custome althoughe it be laughed at of many yet was it wittelye diuised as the tyme serued and in so greate darkenes of doctrine
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
be first heard to make their purgatiō especially seyng they make alwayes offer that if they maye be more ryght instructed by the scriptures they wil do nothyng obstinatly or against their dewty Wherfore they desyre hym to accepte thē in to his defence and protection and as shortly as may be to aunswer them mercyfully and louyngly by wrytyng And because the whole matter can not be declared by mouthe as he hath also commaunded therfore haue they comprehended in wrytyng what thynge so euer is nedefull for the further knowledge of the matter whiche they delyuer vnto him the Emperour aunswereth them by an interpretour that he hath heard what their sute is and lyketh well also the obsequiens seruyce that they offer in theyr Prynces behalfe wherfore whan he hath talked with his counsell he wyll make them an aunswer reasonable Fynally the twelth of Octobre he gaue them an aunswere in writing as their request was That he vnderstode by kyng Ferdinādo his brother and the residue in commission with hym of the decree made at Spyres before thei came to him and howe he is ryght sory for the dissention that is amongest them And for as muche as it is his dewtie to forsee that suche thynges happen not or at the leste whan they are chanced to see them refourmed therfore after longe delyberation had with priuie counsell of the whole matter he findeth howe the same decree was made to the intent nothyng hereafter should be altered that there should be no place for any newe secte from henceforth as there be many al ready euyll fauoured enough and that peace and concorde myght be had throughout the Empyre Therfore the Duke of Saxon and his fellowes ought of ryght to haue consented to al these thinges for both he and other Prynces set as muche by the healthe of theyr soules and tranquillitie of their consciences as they doe And he for his parte no lesse desyreth a generall counsell for a staye to the common wealth than they do whiche not withstandyng were not all together so nedefull if the lawes and decres as that of Woormes and others whiche are made by comon assente of all states myght be obserued as they them selues wyll graunte that suche decrees oughte to be fyrme and stable Whiche thynge considered and seyng that the vse and custome is that loke what the more parte of the states of the Empyre do decree the same may not be disolued by a fewe persones therfore hath he in his letters to the Duke and his fellowes commaunded them that they doe accepte this decree as ratisfied and attempte nothyng against it but obeye the same vpon theyr allegeaunce that they owe vnto hym and the Empyre If not it wyll come to passe that for aucthoritie and examples sake he must punyshe them extremely but he supposeth that his letters be already delyuered vnto them or wylbe shortelye and that they wyll obey his cōmaundemēt wherof he wold be ryght glad especialy at this tyme wherin he is credibly infourmed howe the great Turke the common ennemy of christendom is at this present marchynge through Hongarye with all his power into Germanye Wherfore it were now requysite to haue domestical concorde to the intēt this myghty and cruell ennemy myght be repulsed against whome he intendeth so sone as he shal haue stayed all thynges in Italy to bende all his force and power wherfore he trusteth that they consyderyng well the daunger wyll doe that whiche they are bounden of dutie What tyme the Ambassadours had red this aunswere they delyuered an appellation whiche was ready made to Alexander Schneissie callyng wytnes to the thyng as the maner is Who at the fyrst would not receyue it but in fyne he was content to take it and caried it to the Emperoure and the same daye at after none he retourneth and hauyng ended his other talke he sayeth howe the Emperour commaundeth them not to styre one foote out of their Inue that they wryte nothing home nor sende any of their men til he bring them further newes in payne of for fayting life goodes if they should do other wyse Why left this charge was geuen it fortuned that Michaell Cadene was not within his lodging and being hereof immediatlye certified by a seruant he wryteth the whole matter to the Senate of Norinberge and dispatcheth awaye his letters with great expedition for he was not bounde vpon fidelitie as his fellowes were At the length the last daye sauyng one of Octobre at Parma whether they were cōmaūded to folowe Nicolais Granuellane who executed the office of Cardinall Mercurine lieng sicke she weth them that all be it The Emperour taketh in euyll parte the appellation that was sent hym yet doth he neuerthelesse permytte them to retourne home in to their countrey But he commaundeth Michaell Cadene to remayne styll vnder payne of death if he disobeye the cause wherof is this The Lantgraue when he came forth had geuen hym a booke fayre garnyshed whiche conteyned briefly the somme of the Christiane doctryne to the intent he should delyuer it to the Emperour He vpon an occasion when Cesar went to Masse did present it and the Emperour agayne delyuered it to a certen Spanyshe Byshop to vnderstande what it was He fortuned to lyght on the same place where as Christ warneth his Disciples that they desyre not soueraignitie for the same is not theyr profession but the kynges of the gentyls doe vsurpe vnto them such authoritie that place had the authour emōges other things expounded declaryng the dutie of suche as be ministers of the church but he lokyng vpon it superficially when the Emperour asked hym what it was he made aunswere as though the booke toke away the authoritie of the sworde from the Christian Magistrate and permitteted only the Gentyls to vse it whiche were farre from the Christian Religion And for this cause was he stayed Granuellan sayde this moreouer howe the Emperoures pleasure was that he shoulde delyuer the lyke booke to the Byshop of Rome And where he sought to excuse his doynges and receyued no pleasaunt aunswer perceyuyng by the wordes of Granuclane what dannger he was in he tooke his horse priuely and roode to Farrare in poste and from thence goyng to Uenyse retourned home When the Senate of Norenbergh had receyued Cadenes letters before mentioned immediatly they certified the Duke of Saxon the Lantgraue theyr fellowes therof the. xxiiij of Octobre the matter being debated they agreed to mete at Smalcaldia about the ende of Nouēbre Thyther came the Duke of Saxon and Iohn Frederick his sonne Erneste and Frances brethren Dukes of Lunenburgh Philip the Lantgraue and certen counsellers of George Markes of Brandenburgh moreouer these cities Strausborough Norinberge Heilprune Rutelynge Constance Menynge Campodune Ulmes and Lindaue It is mentioned before how the Prynces and certen of these Cities differed in opinion touchynge the Lordes supper wherfore they of Strausborough had already made
haue bene denyed them seing that he is content to heare others that be their inferiours muche in matters of lesse importaunce But when he would alter nothyng of his purpose they requyre him to leaue them their boke tyll suche tyme as it hath bene read opēly which graunted they came the next daye and in the audience of all the Prynces and states the Emperour hym selfe being present recite it ouer Afterwardes they delyuer it vnto hym wrytten bothe in Latin and Dutche and if they shall doubte in any thyng they offer a further declaration and in case the matter can not be determined at this present they do not refuse to abyde the counseell so often tymes promysed and looked for The Emperour whiche had layne all the wynter from Nouembretyl March at Bononie in the same place with the bishop of Rome endeuoured as muche as he myght to appease this controuersie in Religion without a counsel For by this meanes he knewe he should please Clement best whose intent was that in case the matter could not be quieted by gētle meanes it shuld be oppressed by force of armes Therfore the .xxvj. of June he calleth before him in his owne hous the Ambassadours of al cities declareth vnto them by Frederick the Palsgraue howe in the assemblye at Spires a decree was made wherunto the moste parte did consent where he was right glad but that certen others contemned the same for the which he was as sory Wherfore he requyred thē not to swarue away from the rest orels to shewe the reason why they should not obey Hereunto aunswered the Ambassadours of the cities of Protestauntes that they had done nothing contrary to their dutie For they haue no lesse desyre than their elders haue had to perfourme their fayth and obedience but where as he woulde knowe the cause why they dyd not admytte the decre they desyre some tyme to make aunswer and after the seuenth of Iuly they put vp their aunswere in wrytyng in effecte lyke vnto that whiche they sent the yeare before by their Ambassadours into Italy Two dayes after that the Emperour causeth one to demaunde of the Duke of Saxō and his felowes whether they wyll exhibite any thynge more They saye nothing els but a brief somme of the same confession whiche they haue delyuered already After he commaundeth the Ambassadours of the Cities that where they saye how they can not for conscience sake kepe the decree of Spyres they should drawe articles briefly of the thynges where with they founde them selues greued And he delyuereth the confessiō of Saxonie to the resydue of the Prynces to be skanned And they agayne to their diuines amonges whome Faber Eckius were pryucipall Who wrote a confutation against it whiche after the Prynces had heard red many iudged it to be much extreme and thought mete that certen should be chosen to reade ouer both their wrytynges and to qualyfie them but their opinion preuayled whiche sayde it shoulde thus be exhibyted to the Emperour and the whole matter be referred vnto hym In the meane tyme they of Strausborough Constance Memming and Lindaue present the Emperour with a confession of their doctryne For touchyng the Lordes supper they beleued otherwyse than did the Duke of Saxon and his fellowes The Emperour debatyng the matter with the byshoppes Legate framed an aunswer to the doctrine of Saxon and sheweth it vnto the Prynces the fyrste daye of August The wyndyng vp of it was vehement and harde cōmaunding them to obserue it vnder paine of outlawing But through the coūsel the of Prynces this thing was mitigated Wherfore the third daye of Auguste he sendeth for al states and declareth to them by Frederick Palsgraue how he hath long and much consulted vpon the cōfession of the Saxons doctryne how he hath also commaundeth certen honest and well learned men to examyne it and to iudge what is Godly therin and what is against the consent of the churche whiche they haue done accordingly and haue declared their myndes in an other wrytynge whiche also he alloweth After this was the confutation of the confession rehearsed in this ordre They had deuided the Saxons bookes in two partes The first part conteined .xxj. chapters of doctrine of these some they receiued and some they reiected certen thinges were partely admitted and partly refused alledginge manye testimonies out of the fathers and counsell They forsoke these good workes deserue nothing Iustification to be ascribed to faith only and not vnto workes also that the churche is the congregatiō of the godly that we can not make satisfaction for sinnes that sainctes be not intercessours for vs other thinges they admitte after a sorte as ceremonies moreouer that the true body and bloud of Christe was in the sacrament so as Christ should be vnder both the kyndes and the wyne and the bread cleane chaunged they allowed their articles of confession so that the people were bound to confesse them euery yere at Easter tellyng all their synnes diligently and receiue the Lordes supper and beleue that there be seuen sacramentes of the church prouided alwayes that no man were appointed to instructe the people but by the byshoppes leaue and consent Moreouer that all lawes and decrees of the churche should be obserued and in suche places as they be abolyshed be restored The seconde parte comprehendeth fyue thynges chiefly the communion of the Lordes supper vnder bothe kyndes as they terme it is reiected and the Emperour desyred that herein they would followe the consent and custome of all Christendome For the marriage of Priestes he sayeth it is to hym maruell they wyll requyre it syns it was neuer vsed from the Apostles tyme vnto this day wherfore it may in no wyse be graunted Their Masse is admitted so that it be consonant to the vse of the Romane churche But in case it be altered it is reiected and also affirmed that the Masse is a sacryfice for the quicke and the dead neyther that the priuate Masse oughte to be abolyshed For Daniell had prophecied long before that when Antichriste shoulde come the dayly offeryng shoulde cease whiche thyng is not yet come to passe saue only in such places where the Masse is layd downe and the Aulters destroyed the Images brent in the whyche churches nothyng is songe nor read nor no lyghtes burne any longer there in deede is the saying of the Prophet represented and verified Wherfore all men must take dilygent hede that they geue none occasion of the comyng of Antichriste the monasticall vowes to be grounded aswell vpon the authoritie of the newe Testament as of the olde wherfore they deserue punyshement whiche contrary to their profession haue forsaken their ordre That the bishop haue authoritie not only to teache but also to gouerne the common wealth therfore ought not to be abridged of their ryght and priuilege whiche they haue obteyned through the liberalitie of their elders Not to abstayne
hande The next day after they were gone the Emperour calleth before hym all the states and first he commaūdeth the Ambassadours of the cities by Truckesse that they shuld not departe before the end of the Assemblie after that declareth what had bene done with the Duke of Saxon and his fellowes and because the cities of Strausborough Constance Memmyng and Lyndaue had exhibited a seuerall byll by them selues he sheweth howe he wyll treate with them in lyke case After are debated other matters of the Empyre chiefly of the Turkyshe warre This tyme at Rome the Ryuer of Tiber ouerflowed exceadingly to the great terrour of the citie by reason that the wynde blewe sore against the streame droue backe the course of the water from the sea wherfore it did much hurte A lyke deluge and more cruell was in Hollande and Zelande where the Sea brake in ouer the walles that are made to kepe it out in those parties and drowned al the countrey farre and nere Finally the xiiij daye of Octobre whan al the states besydes the Protestauntes were called and assembled in the courte the decree was red to the Ambassadours of the Cities who requyryng a Copye were sayde naye but it was repeted ones or twyse When al for the moste parte had allowed it they of Auspurge Ulmes Hales and Franckeforth desyred further delyberation the eight day after the deputes of the Duke of Saxon his fellowes declare vnto the Archebishop of Mentz whiche is chief emonge the Prynces that if they maye haue their Religion quiet vntill the counsell they are also contented to become cōtributaries with them for money and ayde towardes the Turkyshe warre wherfore the next daye beyng called into the courte there was red before them a certen tenure of the peace wherin they only were comprised whiche had consented vnto the decree made where about rose a contention the Ambassadours affirming that it concerned them nothynge at all or if it did howe it ought to be vttered with playner wordes to take awaye all ambiguitie They said how they would moue it to the Emperour After two dayes the Emperour sent for home to his house thē of Strausborough and their fellowes and before all the states commaundeth the confutation of their doctryne to be red openly a wrytyng long and tedious and also where it touched the Lordes supper ful bytter and sower The authors therof were John Faber and Eckius And for because the argument was odiouse they left out no kind of excusation wherby to kyndle the Emperour and Prynces agaynst them the ende was this For as muche as in their Religion they professed an opinion contrary to al the reste and allowed that moste heynous errour of the Sacramēt had also cast their Images our of their churches abolyshed the Masse and plucked downe Colleges builded in tymes past through the lyberalitie of kynges Emperours maynteyned sondry sectes and dispersed their bookes wrytten of suche matters throughout Germany therfore he requyreth them eftsones to come to amendement and receyue agayne the auncient Religion for otherwise wyll not he fayle to do the thing which his office requireth They aunwer not long after that in this confutation they were charged with many thinges that were vntrue for in ther cities is nothyng done out of ordre but the same is extremely punyshed wherfore seing thei be clere in cōscience the cause weightie the cōfutation ouerlong can not be aunswered before they make certificat home to their cities they desyre fyrst therfore to haue a copie secondarely that credite be not geuen to this accusation before suche tyme as their pourgation be heard and examined In all other matters they wyll do any thyng for his sake The Emperour sayeth he wyll take aduisement and the fyst daye after she weth them by the Marques of Brandēburge how they can haue no copie For that was for weightie causes denied of the Duke of Saxony and all disputatiō of fayth is nowe prohibited But if they desyre to be reconciled and retourne agayne to the churche he is content that they shall heare the confutation red agayne ones or twyse but he chargeth them to professe the same kynde of doctrine that al other Prynces and states do and to gyue ayde against the Turke for vnlesse they forsake theyr stubburnes he wyll worke by the counsell of the byshop of Rome and other kynges as shal become hym After this they make a further sute to obtayne a copie and the same not graunted to haue peace and quietnes in their Religion tyll the begynnynge of the counsell and therin to haue their cause decided and they wyl in the meane time geue theyr ayde against the Turke so farforth as their power wyll extende or els could they graunte nothing The Maques promysed them to be a petitioner for them to the Emperour At after noone was red vnto them a graunt of peace wherein were only conteyned suche as receiued the decree as was rehearsed before to the deputes of the Dukes of Saxon and his fellowes wherunto they aunswered in lyke case that the same touched them nothyng and desyred to knowe further of the Emperours pleasure herein In this meane whyle had they of Ulmes Auspurge Franckeforth and Halles forsaken the decree made as concerning Religion and vrged sore to haue a cousel But Faber and Eckius craue a great rewarde of the Princes for makyng the confutations and had it And promyse from hēceforth to bestowe theyr trauayle in the defence of the Romyshe Religion For they and dyuerse others sought preferment by the meanes of Luther and in dede Faber was afterwardes by kyng Ferdinando made byshop of Uienne Wherupon Erasinus of Roterdame was wont to say merely howe poore Luther made many ryche In the meane ceason the Saxons and their fellowes put vp a supplication to the Emperour intreating hym to establyshe a peace throughout the Empyre that no man be put in trouble or daunger for Religiō But where this coulde not be obtayned they wryte an Epistle to all states makyng a brief rehearsall what thinge hath bene done desyryng that the names of their Prynces be not put in to the later ende of the decree emonges the reste And for as muche as they haue sued for peace in vayne they saye howe they can graunte none ayde to the Turkyshe warre More ouer where it is prouided in the decree that they only shall haue place in iudgement and counsell chamber whiche allowe the decree made they requyre that the same may be chaunged and amended for els can they beare no parte of the charges whiche the chambre requyreth What tyme they had thus denounced they departed the next daye beyng the .xij. of Nouembre I shewed you in the fyft booke howe Marques Albert of Brandenburge was by the kyng of Pole made Duke of Pruselande But the Emperour beyng sued vnto by Walter Cronberge disallowed all that treatie or cōpacte as made to the dammage of the Empyre and
for that the kynge hath lately deliuered his realme of Englande out of that moste fylthie bondage and restored it vnto lybertie that Idole Antichriste is nowe starke madde and where as he can work no mischief openly he goeth about fraude and gyle and with false forged sclaunders to incense kynges against hym And al be it he woulde do any thynge to mainteyne his authoritie yet is this his deuyse and polycie to styre vp cruell warres and set one in an others toppe And the kynges pleasure was that he should thus declare vnto them not for that he stode in feare of the byshop for he was so furnyshed with all thynges that he cared neyther for hym nor yet for all his adherentes but to the intent they might clerely perceyue what Antechristes purpose is chieflye at this present tyme whan he pretendeth to holde a counsell but in his mynde intendeth farre an other thynge The kyng doeth confesse and graunte that a lawfull disputation were very profitable and expedient for the common wealth But yet for all that it ought to be forseen in any wyse that ther be no such coūsel had as shal intreate only to establysh the bishoppes authoritie Wherfore he requyreth and admonysheth them that they wyll allowe no counsell before a common peace be made through out christendome Moreouer he wisheth that Gods true Religion and seruice maye be restored whiche thinge to accomplyshe and mayntaine he is content to ioyne hym selfe with them And that these are the thynges which they were commaūded to declare vnto them And moreouer required thē that they might hereafter haue further conference in these matters priuately with certen appointed persones For the kyng bare suche an affection towards them and their Religion that he would employ herein al his treasure and hym selfe also Whereunto they made aunswere and commending the kinges good wyll do shewe howe their chief desyre is that the doctrine of the Gospell myght be spred far abrode And whatsoeuer they do herein to be done of dutie And all be it they haue suffered for the same great rebukes and iniuries and although thei haue procured thē selues hereby moste heinous displeasures and haue oftentymes endured the malice and threatnynges of many yet haue they nothynge relented nor slacked therfore their enterpryse in settyng forth that moste holy thyng And the only cause of so great hatred Malice was that they had forsaken wicked errours and false doctrine Now where the kyng promysed his ayde herein so ample maner where also he hath expulsed and banyshed out of his Realme the tyranny of the byshop of Rome from whence as out of a well sprang all wicked idolatrye they are glad and ioyful to heare it and beseche God that he may thus procede Moreouer where he doeth admonyshe thē to beware that there be no dissention in their doctrine they gyue hym harty thankes but doubtles there is no controuersie at all they doe perseuer in the same doctrine whiche they professed at Auspurge For as concernynge the Anabaptistes they be with thē extremely punyshed vnlesse they come to amendement And that they also reigne chiefly in those places wher the doctrine of the Gospell is prohibited The talke also of the byshop and of his craftie dealynge pleased them very muche and that the byshops legate is nowe in Germany makyng promyse of a counsel to be holden at Mantua and howe he had talked herein with the Prynce Electour of Saxony But what deliberate aunswere they made vnto his demaundes is comprised in wryting whiche he shall haue deliuered vnto hym to beare vnto the kyng to the intent he may vnderstāde what is their mynde herein for the kynges societie and coniunction wherof he spake they yelde him harty thankes And also to the intent that this so holsome doctrine may kepe his ryght course they wil spare neyther paynes nor peryl and doubte not but God wyl gouerne these affayres although their aduersary doe neuer so muche contende and spurne against them And for because he desyreth to conferre of these thynges more at large with some men priuatly they haue chosen certen for the same purpose with whome he may cōmunicate his things praying him to reporte of them so vnto the kynge as theyr good wyll towardes hym may appere the better through his commendation Whan the Duke of Saxon was retourned from kynge Ferdinando to Smalcalde the twelfte of Decembre on Christmas euen a decree was made that the league whiche lasted one yeare longer shoulde be renewed for ten yeares and howe the reste of their furniture shoulde be prouyded and were agreed to receyue into the same league such as were wyllynge and desyrours so that they professe the doctrine propounded of them at Auspurge and woulde beare with them scot and lotte Emonges whome were the Prynces of Pomerane Ulriche Duke of Wyrtemberge Roberte Bauier Prynce of Bipounte Aulpurge Franckeforte Kempten Hamborough and Hannobria And herein toke ordre howe to withstande defende themselues againste the vniust iudgement of the Emperiall chambre At the same tyme also was William Erle of Nassowe admitted into the league And albeit that the Lantgraue by reason of the controuersie that was betwixt them for the lande of Chattes did not assente yet if any wrong were offered him for the profession of the Gospell he sayde he woulde not fayle him in case he desyred his ayde This yeare also the Senate of Auspurge all dissention at the length taken cleane awaye receyueth the doctrine of the Gospell and wrytinge their letters vnto Luther intreate hym that he would sende them faithful ministers of the churche and amonges others Urbanus Regius ✚ The tenth Booke of Sleidanes Commentaries concerning the state of Religion and the common Weale during the reigne of the Empyre of Charles the fyfte ⧠The argument of the tenth Booke THe citie of Munster through the preachyng of Barnarde Rotman receaued the Gospell wherupon the clergie with theyr byshop forsoke the place neuerthelesse a reconcilemēt was made by the Lantgraue There came thether out of Hollande an Anabaptiste called Iohn of Leiden who hauing wonne Rotman and diuers others infected the whole citie with his poyson in so muche as they of that secte being set on mischief became strōger had all thinges in common and married many wylles Iohn of Leiden after the death of Iohn Matthewe is declared the chiefest Prophet and shortly after kyng vniuersall hauing his cheyalry and power of life and death The citie being beseged a metinge was appointed at confluence to enforce the siege The Anabaptistes had sent letters to the Lantgraue and a booke of their doctrine whiche Luther than impugned The citie being in extreme famine at the last was surprysed and wonne The kyng and his companions were taken prisoners whose execution is after recited About this busines of Mūster was an assemblie appointed at Wormes The Duke of Sauope besegyng Geneua is repoulsed The kyng of Fraunce prepareth
heare saith he how the Frēche kyng hath requyred your ayde but not obteined which was to me great pleasure and I haue aduertised the Emperour hereof And certenly reason would it should so be For the Emperour gaue none occasion of this warre but was fully resolued this sommer to haue warred vpon the Barbarians and the ennemies of our Religion Notwithstanding the Frenche kynge immediatly after the death of Fraunces Sfortia Duke of Millan albeit he hath no right nor title therunto a composition made touchyng the whole matter certen yeares paste contrary to the conuenauntes sought to renewe warre and to recouer Lumbardy And at the same tyme passing the Alpes with a great armie inuaded the Duke of Sauoye a Prynce of the Empyre to the intent that hauing ones subdued his countrey he might haue the way open to passe further And nowe that the Emperour hath leuied an armie to resiste hym as he was in dede constreined I am informed that he craueth nowe ayde agayne of you Neuerthelesse for as muche as he breakyng his fidelitie hath commenced warres a freshe I desyre you that you doe not assiste hym Whereby you shall do the Emperour and me pleasure and preserue the quiet of your owne commō wealth In this meane while the Protestantes had sent an Ambassade to the Emperour in Italy to make their purgation in that he had charged them by letters to haue taken the churche goodes and further more to complayne of the iudges of the Emperiall chamber But before the Ambassadours were arriued the Emperoure the seuenthe of Iulye had sent letters to the Protestauntes from the Towne of Sauilie signifieng how he hath at al tymes both present and absent by his letters and Ambassadours sought the quiet of Germany and hath both promysed them peace in theyr Relygion and also perfourmed the same And nowe for as muche as the Frenche kynge against whome he is enforced to rayse an armie maye perauenture by false suggestion perswade with them that he would now take occasion to breake that treuce of Religion therfore hath he thought good to admonyshe them by his letters to beleue no suche thinge but assure them selues that he woulde obserue his promyse neyther would he moue warre vpon any man for religion nor styre vp any trouble in Germany for all this preparation of warre is to mainteyne his ryght and authoritie Wherfor let them quiet them selues and styre not what so euer they shal heare For this shall be both to hym acceptable and to them also profitable Whan the Emperours power was come altogether he marched through the myddest of Italye with a stronge armie tyll he came in to prouynce of Fraunce The kynge had incamped hym selfe at Auignion betwyxte the Ryuers of Rhosne and Druence and destroyinge the countrey Whereinto he perceiued the Emperour woulde come and kepyng hym selfe from geuynge the battell he brought his ennemies into great perplexitie and myserie For the Emperour enforced through the penurie and scarscitie of all thynges and the losse of manye thousandes whiche died for famine and pestilence and also for the death of Anthony Leuie dischargeth the reste of his Armye and retourneth to Genes An other Armie of his that warred this sommer in Uermandoys beseged the towne of Peronne by the cōduicte of Henry Erle of Nassowe but preuayling not leuied the siege about the same time that the Emperour retyred in the prouince and the reporte of eyther newes brought vnto Paris the same daye reioysed the citie exceadynglye For they were in verye great feare and the Preachers in their Sermons to the people inuehed sore against the Emperour And the kynges Lieutenauntes began to intrenche the cytie and kepte the gates with watche and warde William Furstemberge a Germane serued the Frenche kynge in this warre About the begynning of this warre ended his lyfe the Frenche kynges eldest sonne Fraunces the Daulphin eyghtene yeares of age the reporte went that he was poysoned and one Sebastian de moute Cuculo an Italian beyng had in suspicion was fyrste racked and after torne in pieces with sondrye horses at Lions And the kynge afterwardes in his letters to the Prynces of Germanye amonges other made a greuous complainte hereof against Anthony Leuie and Ferdinando Gonzage the Emperours Lieutenauntes in whome he layd all the blame Herman Archebyshop of Collon of long tyme intending a reformation of his churche holdeth at this tyme a counsell of his owne prouince callynge to it as the maner is the Byshoppes within his iurisdiction of Liege Utreicht Munster Osenbridge and Myndes Herein were decrees made of ceremonies and doctrine and after set forth in a booke compyled by Iohn Gropper wherein were al Popyshe Ceremonies for the moste parte paynted out with new colours whiche booke dyd not contente the Byshop than as hereafter shal be declared About this tyme also in the moneth of Iuly Erasmus of Roterdam departed out of this lyfe an olde man of thre score and ten yeares and was buried at Basill Howe excellently learned and howe eloquent a man he was and howe muche al learnyng is bounde to hym his own workes shall testifie By occasion of puttyng downe papistrie in Englande and suppressing of certen Abbeyes vnder thre hundreth markes of yearely valewe there arose a commotion in Lynkcolneshyre in a market towne they call Lowthe styred vp by Doctour Mackerell a false Monke who named him selfe captayne Cobblar and after that it was appeased by the Duke of Southfolke the kynges Lyeutenaunt an other began in Yorke shyre a grear deale worse For those Rebelles were manye and stronge and came as farre as Dankcaster where the Duke of Northfolke met them with the kinges power and when they should haue ioyned together in battell by the mediation of the Erle of Shrewisbury which was a man welbeloued of the commons the matter was taken vp without bloudshed Their chief Captaine was Robert Aske who was after executed for his treason with certen others of the Nobilitie his adherentes Unto the letters which the Emperour wrote in Iuly the Protestaūtes answer the nynth day of Septembre and where it pleased hym to wryte so gentle and so lyberally they shewe hym howe they conceaue great pleasure in theyr mindes for albeit they did neuer distruste his promise yet for as much as diuerse reportes of his displeasure came to their eares and agayne for that the iudges of the imperiall chamber and others makyng none accompte of the peace concluded did procede diuerse wayes agaynste them they had some cause to doubte and feare the matter But nowe that he hath wrytten againe so louingly and playnly they are out of all doubtes that he wyll perfourme the same and refuse the sclaunderous reportes of their aduersaries lykewyse wyll they doe and geue no credite vnto suche as shall otherwyse reporte of him and in al other thinges also doe according to their dutie than came they to the counsell which the
Byshop had lately appointed at Mantua And for as muche as the Emperour had oftentymes promysed them a free counsell in Germany and especially in the peace concluded at Norinberge and what this shall be they can not perceiue by the wryting they desyre hym that he woulde see the matter myght be indifferently heard and vsed In this same moneth the byshop of Rome publysheth an other wryting and sayeth howe in the meane tyme tyll the counsel begynne he wyl refourme the holy citie of Rome the head of all christendome and maistres of doctrine maner and disciplyne and washe it cleane from all spottes and vyce to the intent that his owne house being first well pourged he may after more easely take ordre for the rest and because the nature of man is full of imbecillitie neyther can he do so great a thing alone and also dispatche other affaires of the common wealth therfore hath he chosen certen Cardinalles whome the liuing God hath ioyned to hym as the coadiutours and companions of his cure and of office to be the workers of this necessary and holsome busynes the Cardinall of Ostia Sauseuerine Ginute Simonet and with them thre byshops whome he commaundeth all men to obeye vnder a great penaltie In the moneth of Octobre the Emperour imbarketh him selfe at Genes to sayle into Spayne The Frenche kynge came afterwardes to Paris and on new yeares day gyueth in mariage madame Magdalene his eldest daughter to Iames the fift kynge of Scottes who came into Fraunce in Autumne before And in maner about the same tyme Laurence Medices through treason in the nyght murthered Alexander Medices Duke of Florence of his owne kyndred and familie whan he had allured hym home to his house putting hym in hope to enioye a noble matrone that was his neyghbour who in beautie honest fame farre excelled others Who being slayne the gouernment came vnto Cosmus Medices which after by the Emperours consent married Elenor daughter to Peter Toletane Uiceroy of Naples At the Ides of Ianuary the kyng of Fraunce came in to the court of Parliament at Paris whiche thinge is seldome accustomed And there in a great audiēce he maketh a sore complaint of the Emperour and declared causes why the countries of Flaunders and Artois whiche the Emperour holdeth of the kynges of Fraunce as his elders haue done also ought to be called againe to the patrimony of Fraūce The speaker hereof was Capell the kynges aduocate and he named hym not Emperour but Charles of Austriche In the meane tyme the cities of Zuricke Bernes Basyll and Strausborough make sute to the Frenche king for such as were imprisoned for Religion intreating hym that the exiles myght be restored the kyng graunted partly vnto their requestes but yet accomplished not their desyre Wherfore whan they had receyued their aunswere the foure and twenty of February by Annas Momorantie the Conestable and suspected that the kynge through his impulsion dealt the lesse frendly with them the Ambassadours vsed afterwardes the helpe of the Quene of Nauarre the kinges owne syster a very good ladye and whiche bare a great zeale to the true doctrine In this meane whyle the kyng hauing mustred his men in the beginning of Marche leadyng his army towardes Arras besegeth the towne and strong castell of Hesdine whiche he had rendred to hym within a moneth At the selfe same tyme came to the kynge an Ambassadour from the byshop of Rome Reignalde Poole an Englysh mā borne of the bloud roial lately made Cardinal The cause of his ambassade was thought to be to worke some mischief against the kinge of Englande About the same tyme that the kyng of Scottes maried the Frenche kynges daughter the byshop had sent him for a present a fayre sworde riche well wrought and did exasperate him against the kyng of Englande For the byshoppes are accustomed on Christmas daye at nyght amōges other thinges with certen ceremonies to consecrate as thei terme it a sworde whiche after for an honour and token of beneuolence they geue or sende vnto some man to whome it lyketh them Sixtus the fourth was first authour of this custome as is mentioned in the booke of their ceremonies Afterwardes Cardinall Poole wrote a booke whiche he had intitled a defence for the vnitie of the churche And he addresseth his style and speache vnto king Henry and reprehēdeth him sore that he toke vpon him to be head of his churche for that title to be longe only to the Byshop of Rome whiche is the Uicar of Christe and the successour of Peter whome Christe appointed Prince of the Apostles For he it was only that aunswered how Christe was the sonne of God vpon hym as vpon a Rocke Christe buylded his churche And howe Christe prayeth for his fayth that he being conuerted myght also conuerte his brethren And that Iohn after Christes death did euer obeye Peter And what tyme they made haste bothe to Christes Sepulchre he wold not go in before but gaue him this honour The cure and charge to fede the shepe was committed chiefly to hym of Christ And the nette also ful of fysshe whiche many were not able to hale vp was drawen vpon the shore by Peter alone Than hath he a long discourse of the deathes of the byshop of Rochester and syr Thomas Moore detestinge his crueltie Moreouer howe the kyng had afflicted all the states of his realme And into how muche mysery he had brought a moste floryshynge kyngdome what daunger he stode in of the Emperour for the diuorsement of his Aunt and subuersion of Religion and sheweth hym how he neyther can nor ought to loke for any ayde eyther of his owne subiectes or any other men whiche hath deserued so euyll of the common wealth And tourning his tale to the Emperour with many wordes stireth him vp prouoketh him and prycketh hym forewarde to auenge that notable reproche done vnto his familie and sayeth howe the Turkyshed seede is sowen abroade in Englande and in Germany signifiyng the doctrine that is contrary to the byshop of Rome Finally after many opprobrious wordes and sharpe rebukes he prouoketh hym to regentaunce telleth hym howe there is none other remedy but to retourne agayne to the bosome of the churche whiche ones he defended by setting forth of bookes greatly to his honour This booke printed at Rome bearyng no date was of long tyme kept close and at the last after manye yeares it came to one or two in Germany And he sayeth the cause of his wrytinge therof was for that the kynge had desyred hym to wryte his opinion And albeit that certen learned men in Englande whiche had done the lyke had lost their lyues yet could not he whiche was so muche bounde vnto hym dissemble what his opinion was neyther ought it to be imputed to hym as raylynge or cursed speakynge for he doeth both of his naturall disposition and also by a certen ordre
Religion About this tyme in the moneth of May appered a blasyng starre and shortly after departed Isabel wyfe to Charles the Emperour for whome the Frenche kyng so sone as he heard therof kepte a solempne funerall at Paris as the maner of kynges is I shewed you before of the counsell of Uicence whiche the byshop of Rome had proroged tyll Easter of this yeare But seyng than that none would come he publisheth his letters the tenth of Iune wherin he prorogeth the counsell no more but suspendeth it at his owne pleasure and senate of his Cardinalles The kyng of Englande had certen monethes before set forth another wryttyng touching this Synode of Uicence and declareth howe the Byshop deludeth the whole worlde For where he excused hym selfe by the Duke of Mantua it was a playne mockery For seing he taketh vppon hym so great anothoritie why did he not compelle hym If he coulde not wherfore shoulde he commaunde men to come to a place vncerten and the whiche is not in his power Nowe albeit he hathe chosen Uicence for the same pourpose yet is there no doubt but the 〈…〉 enetians men of so great wysdome wyll no more suffer their citie to be pestred with suche a multitude without garmsons of Souldiours than woulde the Duke of Mantua and that in fyne there wylbe as small resorte thether as was to Mantua There fore it is but delusion what so euer he doeth neyther oughte he to be permitted in this dissolute lybertie any longer There is nothynge in dede better nor more commodious than a lawfull counsell But whan they are applied vnto priuate lucre and commoditie and to the establyshynge of certen mens aucthoritie they brynge a wonderfull destruction to the common wealth Whan the name of the counsell and of the churche was nowe common in euery mans mouthe Luther setteth forth a booke of either of them in the vulgare speache And fyrst he treatefh of the assemblie of the Apostles at Hierusalem whiche is mentioned in the .xv. of the actes After he reciteth the contrary opinions of the Doctours especially Austen and Ciprian concernyng baptisme by the same occasion he maketh mention of those lawes that are called the Canons of the Apostles and proueth by manifest reasons that thei be false and countrefeated and those that geue them that tytle to deserue death Than doeth he recite in ordre those foure counselles which were of chiefe authoritie the counsell of Nyce Constantinople Ephesus and Calcedonie And declareth for what causes they assēbled ther and what they decreed in euery of them After he commeth to the principall question and sheweth what is the aucthoritie of a. counsell Wherfore he sayeth howe a counsel maye not confirme any newe doctryne nor commaunde any newe worke neyther bynde mens myndes with newe ceremonies not to intermedle with ciuile gouernementes nor to make any decrees to establysh the authoritie of a few But the dutie therof to be to abolyshe and condemne newe opinions contrary to holy Scripture and newe ceremonies whether they be superstitious or vnprofitable for the churche And suche thynges as are brought in controuersie to examine and determine after the written text of Gods worde After this he diffineth the churche sheweth by what tokens it ought to be knowen and by a comparyson made declaring what Christe and his Apostles taught he sayeth howe the Byshop of Rome whiche hath brought into the churche a farre cōtrary doctrine and by wicked meanes hath pylled the whole world with intollerable exactions ought to be condempned and dryuen to make restitution Amonges diuerse other thynges wherby in the same boke he declareth what blyndenes men were led into vnder the Byshop of Rome and howe shameful and vyle was the Religion he sayeth how it was come thus farre that a monke or a freers wede was thought to be sufficient to bryng a man to eternall lyfe And manye not onlye meane folkes but also great Prynces would be buried in a freers garment Those that shall come after peraduenture wyl not beleue it but yet is it true and wont to be commonly done in Italy And in our me mory Fraunces Marques of Mantua the seconde of that name put into his last wylle that he myght be buried in a gray freers cote The same did Albertus Pius Prynce of Carpes in Paris And Christopher Longelie a Bourgonnion buried at Padwey a man excellently learned and a great Ciceronian who also wrote an Oration against the Lutherians in lyke case as Alberte did diuers against Erasmus of Roterdame Immediatly after the death of Duke George Henry the Duke of Brunswycke rydeth to the Emperour into Spayne thorowe Fraunce About the same tyme Henry the eyght kyng of Englande calleth a Parliament wherein amōges other thinges were enacted certen decrees for Religiō called the syxe Articles as followeth that vnder the four me of bread and wyne was the true and natural body and bloud of Christe and that after the wordes of consecration there remayned no more substaunce of bread and wyne that the receiuing of the whole supper of the Lorde was not necessary to saluation and that Christ is wholy cōteyned vnder both kyndes How it is not lawful for priestes to marry That the vowes of chastitie ought to be perfourmed That priuate masses were to be reteyned That auricular confession is good and necessary To suche as thought and did otherwyse was appoynted punyshement dewe for heretikes And the same tyme the kynge stoode in termes to marry the Lady Anne of Cleue a mayde of an excellent beautie which after she was affianced within a few monthes was sent to Caleis whether the kyng had sent the Lorde Admirall others with his shyppes to receyue her and transporte her into Englande But he hymselfe accompanied with all the Nobles and Gentlemen of the Realme receiued her vpō blacke Heath and brought her to Grenewitche where shortly after they were married by the Archebyshop of Canturbury Some saye howe the Bishoppes had perswaded the kyng to cōsent to the syxe Articles to the intent they myght bring the Archebyshop of Cantorburye and the Lorde Crumwell whiche were great fauourers of Religion out of aucthoritie creditie This yeare in the mōth of August Barbarousse the Turkes Lieutenaunt taketh by assiege Castelneufe a towne in Slauonie borderinge vpon the Goulfe of Uenise and sleying all the Souldiours leadeth awaye many captiue A yere before in the moneth of October the Emperour and the Uenetians beyng of one confederacie had wonne it And the Emperour in dede put in a garrison of foure thousand Spanyardes and made captayne Fraunces Sarmiento Whiche chaunced to the Uenetians contrary to their expectation for that they sayde the town standing in that coaste ought rather to be theirs Therfore not longe after when they more more mislyked this societie and sawe it wold be very daungerours for them aske truce of the Turke and obteyne it In maner at the same tyme arose
Palle was made breede matter of contention And nowe is the same so fast wrought and of suche strength that the Bishoppe of Rome is in daūger to be strangled withall And seyng it is so let thē impute the fault to them selues which so impudently and excessiuely handled the matter I maye well laughe in my sleue For he that dwelleth in heauen hath strikē them and would not suffer so great wickednes to raigne any longer and hath brought his people out of that darkenes of Egipte into the most cleare light and pleasant syght of the sonne This Palle so often here mentioned is geuen onely to Archbishops and as a syngular benefite to a fewe other Bishoppes of the whiche numbre the Bishop of Bamberge in Germany is one And it is made with thys Ceremonie In the Feast of S. Agnes the Uirgyn whiche is the xxi day of Ianuary what time they come to Agnus dei in the Messe two white Lambes are laide vpon the Aultar which afterwarde are deliuered to the Subdeacon of S. Peters churche And they put them forth to pasture and whan shering time commeth do clippe them of the which Woll mingled with other woll whan it is sponne into fine threde are made these Palles which are not past three fingers brode and hange downe from the shoulders to the midde breast and to the Reines of the backe like a stoale and at eche ende are thinne plats of leade of the same breadth Beyng thus wouen and wrought they are caried to the bodies of Peter and Paule and there certen prayers beyng said ouer them they are left there al that night The next day the subdeacons receaue them againe and keps them diligently vntil such time as some Archbishoppe that hathe nede of one or his Proctor do sue for it And than it is deliuered with many ceremonies they that haue the cariage therof are inioyned that they remaine not aboue one night in a place This ware whiche is neither costely nor curiouslye wrought do the Archebishoppes redeme of the Bishoppe of Rome for a wonderfull some of money For it is not lawefull for him to weare the same that his predecessor did but euery one of them is bounden to purchase a newe for him selfe at Rome Againe in case he become Patriache or Metropolitan of another churche throughe promutation or any other meane althoughe he had bought one before yet must he of necessitie bie another againe Of suche kinde of pillage greate complaintes haue bene often made of all nations as I shewed you in the fourth boke but chiefly in Germany And in the yeare of our Lorde a thousande fyue hundreth xviii what tyme Leo the tenth in the assemblie of Auspurge by Cardinall Caietan exhorted Maximilian and the Princes to the Turkish war and went about that all states should pay money and the Cleargye for theyr partes the tenthes Answer was made him that there was no hope to obteine that of thecclesiasticall persons who were so manye waies and by newe policies pilled and poled by the courte of Rome And the people if anye thinge shoulde be imposed woulde make great exclamations that they haue so oft geuen theyr money for thys purpose and maruell how it is consumed or whither that money goeth that is gathered yearly in Germany I tolde you before of sundry fyers that were kindled of late in Saxonie Whan diuerse of the malefactours were apprehended and taken in sundry places and examination had they testified howe they were hired for money by the captaines and officers of Henry duke of Brunswike and set on by them to do it And this they affirmed to the last breth For this cause therefore and for other matters the Lantzgraue and thambassadours of Saxonie accuse the duke of Brunswicke to the Emperor at Regenspurge and exhibite in writyng the seuerall confession of euery one of these make fyers And ioinetly with them did William of Brunswik accuse his brother Henry sore who had kept him many yeares in pryson Whan all the most part were commen together they began to sit the fyft day of Aprill And in thēperours name as the maner is was propounded what trauaile and paine he had alwayes takē that the publike weale might be well established And after a longe discourse of all that he had done aswell for the appeasynge of the controuersye that is in Religion and reformation of the churche as also for the defence of th empyre against the cruell inuasions of the Turkes In fine themperor demaunded of them all but chiefly of the Protestauntes that they would geue him leaue to chose out certeine to conferre and herein to trust him who will do nothing that shall not concerne the preseruation of the countrey Whan they had this graunted him the xiij day of Aprill he appointeth by Friderike the Paulsgraue to thys talke Iulius Pflugius Iohn Eckius Iohn Gropper Philippe Me lanchton Martin Bucer Iohn Pistor that they should treate of the oppinions that be in controuersie and after make reporte and bringe them to him and the princes Againe the two and twentie daye of Aprill he calleth them vnto him and gyueth them a great charge that in the handling of this matter they should giue nothing to affections but that all pertialitie set apart they should onely haue respecte vnto Gods glory They full modestly do excuse themselues and require al that other more mete might be appointed sauing Eckius For he said he was well prepared and fournished but where themperor dyd instant them to take it vpon them they were content and also intreate him that he would assigne some to be as presidentes of the disputation others to bee as witnesses and hearers of the matter And so he commaundeth Fridericke Palatine and Granuellan to bee as governours and willeth Theodorycke Countie Manderschit Eberhart Ruden Henry Hasie Fraunces Burcarte Iohn Figius Iames Sturmins to be there to beare witnes And when all these came together the xxvii day of April Fridericke the Palsgraue admonisheth the Collocutours that they should seriously go to the matter and conferre together frendly After Granuellan exhibiteth a booke written which he sayd was delyuered to themperour of certayne good well learned men as fit for a reconcilement and that themperour woulde to th entent they might haue a lawful argument and matter to treat of that they shoulde reade ouer the same booke also and waye it and looke what they shoulde all allow therein to commende and the rest to correcte This booke contayned these articles following of the creation of man and before the fall of the integritie of nature of freewill of the cause of synne of originall synne of the iustification of man of the church and of the tokens and authoritie of the same of the notise of the woorde of repentaunce after the fal of the authoritie of the churche in discerning and interpretyng the scripture of the sacramentes of order baptesme
confirmyng of the lordes supper of penaunce absolution matrimony vnction of the bond of charitie of the dignitie of the churche and of the authoritie to establishe the weale publicke of images masse and ministration of the sacramentes of the discipline of the churche bothe for the ministers and the people In the moneth of May the Protestantes wryting their letters frō Regenspurg to the Frenche kynge entreate for such as at the same tyme in Fraunce for the profession of the gospell wer partly in prison partly in exile partly hyd in corners and led a miserable lyfe And because many were receyued into fauour incase they woulde abiure they require that he woulde release them from that condicyon declarynge howe heynous a matrer it is to wounde the conscience The cause of thys persecution was by a sentence geuen agaynst the Merindolans in the prouince by the president Bartholomew Chassanie a lawyer which beyng terrible and cruell beyonde measure put the poore men in a wonderful feare not withstanding the full execution therof was differred tyll an other tyme and the persecution of thys yere was but a balle playe in comparison of that whiche followed foure yeares after as shal be recited in hys place Whylest these thynges were done at Regenspurge the Duke of Cleaue hauing themperour hys heuye Lorde for the possession of Gelderlande goeth priuely into Fraunce appoynting such as he would haue with hym a day and a place wher they going an other way should mete hym what tyme therfore he arryued at Paris aboute th ende of Aprill being receiued of the kynges officers and conducted throughe Orleans the sixte daye of Maye he came to the kyng at Ambose a towne in Turin by the Riuer of Loire who imbracing him none otherwise than the father would his owne sonne sent word immediatly to the kyng of Nauarre and hys syster that they shoulde repayre vnto hym with all expedition and brynge theyr Daughter with them for they wer the same time in Gascoigne And after they wer coommen the kyng by and by began to entreate of the maryage And albeit the parentes than did not greatly lyke it and the yonge mayde also was somewhat vnwyllyng not somoch of her owne iudgement or contempte of hym as by the whispering and perswasyon of sertayne whych dispysed Germanye as rude and barren in comparison of the delycacye and pleasauntenes of Fraunce yet vanquished by the kynges authoritye whiche iudged the same affinitie very fit for hys pourpose at the last they gaue place Wherfore at the Ides of Iune the maryage was solemnised the kynge hymselfe leadyng the bryde hys nece to the churche and the Cardinall of Turnon played the prest The kynge gaue them a goodly dyner And ther were thambassadours of Roome Englande Portugall Uenise and Saxonye For themperours had made an excuse After a fewe dayes the Duke retourned homewarde leauing his yong spouse in Fraunce whom her mother woulde haue to remayne with her tyll she wer of rype yeares for a man Before the Dukeof of Cleaue came into Fraunce the kyng had enlarged the Admirall that we spake of before and sent hym home to hys owne house and after in the moneth of May commaunded hym to come vnto hym whom receiued most gently he restored to hys former dignitie and called as it wer out of hel into light agayne and after a straung example and seldome heard of made the sentence geuen agaynst hym by all the princypal iudges of hys realm cleane frustrate partlye for hatred of the constable as it is thoughte and partly at the requeste of madame Destamps whych was allyed to the Admirall by a new affinitie Therfore Memorancie the Counstable which loued not thadmirall his egall and was oute of the kynges fauoure for themperours passage as before is sayed beyng had in contempt gotte hym home and led a priuate lyfe where before he had ruled the Kynge wholye hymselfe alone ✚ The fourtenth Boke of Sleidanes Commentaryes concernyng the state of relygion and the common Weale duryng the reigne of the Empyre of Charles the fyfte ⧠The argument of the fourtenth Booke IN the processe of the communication they treated of an order to be establyshed in the churche sondry aduyses and aunswers bee there gathered Eckius dispray syng the booke there presented accuseth hys fellow collocutours Themperoure hauing intellygence of the Turkes commyng remitreth thys colloquie to the counsel Fregose Rincon thambassadours of the French kynge to the greate Turke at taken and slayne Wherupon the Bastarde of Maximilyan is arested The Turke taketh possession in the cytie of Buda Thēperoure arryueth at Argiers The plage is in Germany and great calamities in Austriche A supplication of the princes of Austriche to kynge Ferdinando that they myght haue the Gospell Wherunto he aunswereth After the ouerthrowe in Hongary an assemblye was holden at Spires where Oliuier beeing for the French kynge made a longe Oration Cardinall Maron the Popes Ambassadour offereth a counsell at Trcent Luther Wryteth a booke intitled the sermon of Soldiours comparyng papistry with the Turkes Alcorane The warre beyng proclaymed betwene the Frenche kyng and the Emperour Marten van Rossem inuadeth Brabante decrces are made in Fraunce agaynste the Lutheranes Farell preacheth at Mentz ABoute the ende of Aprill the disputation began as I shewed yon before but Eckius was vnpatient and froward for both he abhorred the booke and mislyked hys fellowes and a lyttell after fell into an agewe so that he coulde not bee there yet went his fellowes to him and conferred with hym of al thynges And certen places of the boke exhibited were throughe conference amended by common assent but of some other they coulde not agree of the churche and authoritie therof of the sacrament of the body and bloud of Chryst of the recytall of synnes of satisfaction of the vnitie order of thecclesiastical ministers of sainctes of masse of the vse of the whole sacramente of the single lyfe So was the booke deliuered vp to themperoure as it was corrected and the Diuines of the Protestantes had written theyr mindes vpon these forsayd opinions which were leafte in controuersy this was the last of Maye Themperoure commendeth theyr good endeuour and lyketh it well And incase the matter herafter do so require he exhorteth thē to shew the like good-will and dilygence Than in the eyght day of Iune in the consistorie before the Princes and other states he maketh relation what hathe ben done and howe farre they haue proceded howe the collocutours haue handled the matter dilygentely and haue reconcyled dyuerse weyghty articles of doctryne And touching the rest that are not yet agreed vpon the diuines of the Protestantes haue opened they re myndes After he exibiteth vnto ether of them boothe the wrytinges requiring them that so shortly as may bee they woulde consulte thervpon and vtter theyr mindes in either of them And moreouer would consyder howe the state of the weale publike
citie The kinge hym selfe maketh warre on an other syde and marchinge foreward with a strong Armie besegeth Parpignan a Towne of Ruscinon in the mountaynes of Pyrene Moreouer he moueth warre in Piedmount by the conduicte of William Langey and also in the borders of Flaunders by the gouernment of the Duke of Uandome So that he assayled his enemies in fyue sondry places wherby the iudgement of many it had ben better for him to haue set vpon some one prouince with his whole power as th ende also declared for both he attempted Parpignan in vayne and also whan the Duke of Orleans was retourned home the Imperialles recouered all agayne except it were Iuey By this occasion they began to fortifie Andwarpe where before it was easy to bee wonne When the kinge pourposed to haue warres he sente agayne Poline to the Turke to entreate hym that he wolde sende him a uanie into Fraunce but where it was longe or Poline came there Solyman differred the thyng vntil the next yere Duryng this warre the king setteth forth proclamations against the Lutherians Moreouer the parlament of Paris chargeth the Printers vnder a great penaltie that they shoulde neyther prynte nor sell any bookes condempned or suspected namely the booke of Caluine whiche is intituled the Institution of Christiane Religion Further more at the request of the Inquilitour as they terme hym the seuenth daye of Iuly he maketh a decree that the preachers shall admonyshe the people to doe their duty to the churche and if they know any Lutheriane or one that thinketh amisse in Religion to present hym for this is a worke to God moste acceptable And the Ministers of the churche had an order prescribed whiche they should followe in that inquirie For they were coÌ„maunded to inquyre of the promoters whether they knewe any man that would saye how there was no purgatory whan a man is dead to be eyther saued or dampned or that a maÌ„ is not iustified by obseruing of Gods commaundementes that God only must be called vpon not Sainctes that the worshipping of images is idolatry that sainctes worke not miracles that the ceremonies of the churche profite nothing that the lawes of the churche doe bynde no man that the knowledge of the Gospell is necessarye for all men without exception or that it is a fonde parte of the common people to pray to God in Latin how the priest caÌ„ not forgeue sinnes through the Sacrament of penauuce but to be only a minister to pronounce the benefite of God whiche forgeueth our synnes that the church can bynde no man to mortall synne or that it is lawfull to eate fleshe at al tymes This fourme of inquisition was geuen priuately to priestes but openly was set forth a proclamation wherin they were coÌ„maunded to be presented and accused whiche doe neglecte the Rites and lawes of the churche or suche as haue bookes contrary to the christiaÌ„ fayth and eyther geue them others to reade or purposely let them fall in the wayes as they goe that thei may be founde those that assemble in priuate houses and gardens and forge diuises against the lawes of the chruche and they that receyue suche kynde of men into their houses or gardens They that are priuie to any suche thyng are commauÌ„ded to presente them within syxe dayes to the doctours of Diuinitie chosen by the Inquisitour or els to stande accursed The Stacioners were also charged that if they had any thyng eyther prynted or wrytten that were in any point suspected or that swarued froÌ„ the custome of the churche that within syxe dayes they should bryng it before theÌ„ after none excuse to be taken The same daye that this acte was proclaymed they had a generall procession for the preseruation of the realme and of Religion And saynt Genefeua their trusty Goddes was borne about with suche solemnitie as I haue before declared in the nynth booke And in these dayes were certen brent in place Moberte for Religion At the same tyme Fraunces Landrâ—e Uicar of S. Crois in Paris taught the people syncerely and sayde no Masse for that he branke no wyne whether he did it of nature or of purpose I knowe not Against whome the Diuines had conceaued a great hatred And after thei had noted certe in thinges in his preaching they propounde vnto hym these articles The sacrifice of the Masse to be instituted of Christe and is vayleable for the quicke and dead that we must praye to sainctes that they maye be mediatours and aduocates for vs vnto Christe howe the substaunce of bread and wyne is chaunged in the consecration that only preastes may consecrate bread and wyne and that the whole supper of the Lorde apperteineth to them only Monasticall vowes must be kept that by the Sacramentes of confirmation and vnction is receiued the holy ghost by prayer fasting good workes soules are delyuered out of purgatory that the lawes of the churche concerning fastyng and choyse of meates doe bynde the conscience that there is one hygh Prelate and Byshop of the Churche whome al are bounde to obeye by the lawe of God how many thinges must be beleued and of necessitie receyued that are not expressed in the scriptures that the Byshop of Romes pardons doe release the paynes of purgatory that priestes beyng neuer so synfull and vicious doe consecrate the Lordes body that all deadly synne must be confessed to the priest and than to receyue of hym the sacramentall absolution howe man hath free wyll wherby he may doe good or euyll and ryse from synne through repentaunce howe not by fayth only but by charitie and true penaunce is obteyned the remission of synnes how the churche and counsell beyng lawfully assembled can not erre and therfore must be obeyed howe the iudgement and interpretation of Scripture apperteyneth to the churche if any thyng be in controuersye These thynges would they haue him to subscribe to and confirme with his Seale He a fewe dayes after aunswereth generally that it is good and Godly what so euer the holy catholyque churche hathe taught in these matters but they not content with this aunswere attempted greater thinges against him as afterwarde you shall heare In this tyme also one or two Freers of saint Dominickes order preached the Gospell at Metz. But whan the priestes shewed them selues sore offended diuerse citezens made petition to the Senate that they would not forbidde theÌ„ promysing al dewe obedience The ther came also William Farell who taught first priuatly in the citie and afterwardes in a certein Castell without But what tyme the Emperours letters were brought wherin he commaunded that they should alter nothyng in Religion but punyshe the offendours the people were forbodeÌ„ to heare any more sermons vnles the preacher werlicenced by the Byshop and the Senate This sommer an infinite nombre of grassehoppers came flieng into Germany and the hither parte of Italy They were of a wonderfull bignes and where
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
Chauncelour whan he had tolde him the cause and occasion of hys comming It is not in one place nor in Germany only but also in foreine Nations reported moste myghty Emperoure that throughe the Bysshop of Roomes procurement you shulde mynd great displeasure to the Protestantes There goeth abrut also that at the conclusyon of the peace you shuld haue perswaded the French kyng to ayde you in punnisshyng the same Moreouer that you sollicite the Turke for a trewes that you may so muche the easelyer brynge youre pourpos to passe and therefore they saye the Bisshop hathe called and cōmaunded a counsell that vpon the decrees made in haste the matter myght be put in execution it maketh vs the rather to think this report to be trewe to see howe ernestly and busyly the suite procedeth againste the Archebisshop of Collon And certenly forasmuche as we haue ayded you chargeablye against the French kyng and the Turk and offered to doe more as was declared at Spier because we haue donne more also then euer our aunceters were accustomed moreouer inasmuche as you haue graunted vs large warrauntes concerninge the peace and the law bothe at Regenspurg at Spier these thinges chaunce to vs now beyonde all expectation Yet we trust that before you departe out of Germany you wyll cause that relygion be established after the prescripte of Goddes woorde by a prouinciall counsell of Germany and in case the dissention can not be throughly accorded yet that the peace whiche was promised vs at Spier you wold commaunde to be wholy obserued in suche wyse as it bee neyther chaunged nor taken awaye by the decree of any counsell Hereunto Themperoure aunswereth by Nauius Howe sondrie reportes haue commen to hys eares of them also that they should attempte some enterpryse yet wolde he not credite the same especiallye after he had hearde hys letters written to Nauius and nowe also beleueth it muche lesse As concernynge that whyche he spake of the Frenche kynge there is no man able to proue it he hathe pease with him only and nothynge els It is the guise of Fraunce to braue and bragge of matters that bee vayne he moued the Turke of a trewes chiefly for the loue of Germany for seyng that in sondrie assemblyes of Thempire they complayned of the greate charges and the pouertye of the people he thought this the best waye to relyeue them that duryng the tyme of the trewes they myght consulte how to make war agaynste him and to set an order in Religion but herein as yet is nothyng determyned for hereof must he conferre with hys brother Fernando the Counsell which they haue so many yeres requyred of him is nowe throughe hys greate suite and labour assembled And what so euer he hathe done therin he hathe donne it of a good affectyon to the publicke weale And where some perchaunce taketh it otherwise it is not well donne of them he hathe vsed the Archebisshop of Collon frendlye but he coulde abyde no delaye at all What is hys preparatyon to warre he seeth presētly there is no man with him but his housholde seruauntes neyther doeth he gather any power And the cause whie he sent for him is for that he supposeth him to be a man that desireth peace And therfore requireth him to declare his fantasye howe Relygion may be appeased or what he thinketh maye be obteyned of his fellowes And if he list not now he wil appoint of his coūsel to cōferre with him in the matter Thē the Lantzgraue speaking himselfe yf it laye in me noble Emperoure to doe anye thynge for the welthe of Germanye and maynteynge of Amytye beetwene you and the states of Thempire certenly I wold spare no paines for this cause chiefly came I hither I wisshed surelye to haue had some moe of my fellowes here but that could not be for shortnes of tyme. The Duke of Saxō is to farre of and Iames Sturmius is troubled with sicknes I beleue ryghte well that you haue hearde sondrye reportes but doubteles the trewthe is so as I wrote to Nauius for there was no consultation had agaynst you at Frankefurte but we treated onlie howe we myght bothe perseuer in oure relygion and also repulse vniuste violence Of the French king it was shewed vs that for the affinitie of the Duke of Orleans the king had promised you ayde against vs Many wise mē marueled that you sued to the Turke for trewes and supposed that no lyght cause moued you so to doe especiallye hauyng peace with the Frenche kyng but now forasmuche as you saye it is done for the common welthes sake I haue nothyng to obiecte against it For Germany had nede longe synce to haue ben vnburthened of suche charges we desyred a counsell the treweth is so but the same to be free godly and holded in Germany And why we doe not esteme thys of Trent to be suche we did sufficientlye declare it vnto you at Woormes For to shewe any waye howe to accorde relygion I maye not withoute the aduise of manye fellowes and I perceyue well I should haue but small thanke of neyther partie yet will I not refuse to conferre with your counsell herein so it be not preiudiciall I haue in dede no hope in the counsel where all others secluded the bisshoppes onlye and such others as be the Bisshop of Roomes sworne men shall determyne all thynges but I suppose a synode of Germany shulde not be vnprofitable for as yet other nations differ muche from vs in opinions and doctrine And the thyng is so farre entred in Germany that it can not be altered Therfore were there nothyng better than yf you woulde permit relygion there to be free yet so as all men shulde obserue the peace I suppose you ordeyned the colloquie at Regenspurge of a verye good intent but I heare by som that were present howe there be certen bitter Freers which call agayne in questyon the articles already accorded and be of so naughtye a lyfe withal that there is no good to be looked for at theyr handes The Archebisshop of Collon is doubteles a goodman And what so euer he dooeth in thys matter he supposeth it to bee hys dewtye especyallye syth the decree of Regenspurge inioyned hym to refourme his Churche And that reformatiō he caused to be made as temperately as might be taking awaye no more thā was nedeful in the church goodes he altered verie littel And his boke is agreable to the holy scripture cōfirmed with the testimonies of the auncient Doctours Tertuliā Austē Ambrose others which wer nerer the time of the apostles wherfore if any violence should be offered hym for thys matter the same might be awarnynge to others that had altered a great deale more Than sayeth Themperoure I leaue the treaty of Franckfurte for I neither beleued the tales that wer tolde me neyther haue I geuen anie occasyon that it shoulde so be And I haue not procured the counsell
there be commaunded to remain till thei receiue further aduertisemēt The same was thought to be done for this intēt that through their meanes the Byshop might be wholy inclined to the kynges frendship and if he should fortune to dye for he was already foure score yeare olde an other myght be chosen that fauoured the kyng of Fraunce Howbeit some saide this was wrought thorowe the policie of the Conestable to get them out of the way that he might rule the king alone for they all in a maner wold be at the kinges heles whethersoeuer he went The Byshop had a litle before sent his legate into Fraunce Hierome Romane with a moste large commission to graūt many thynges whiche are forbidden also by the lawes and decrees of the counsell He created also Cardinall at the same tyme Charles of Guise the sonne of Duke Claudie Archebyshop of Rains in whom he knew the kyng delighted much Again the Frēche king to purchase further amitie offreth in mariage his bastarde doughter about .ix. yeres of age to Orace Farnese the Bishops granchilde by his sonne The Emperour remouing from Hale cometh to Bamberge that being so nere he might be a greater terrour to the Bohemers and a strengthe vnto his brother Whilest he was here the third daye of Iuly he calleth an assemblie of the Empire and cōmaundeth that all mete at Auspurg the first day of Septembre the Princes them selues in persone the residues Ambassadours with full authoritie And saieth he was letted by the warres that he helde not a cōuention at the kalendes of February last past as he had determined at Regenspurge But now that he hath the authours of trouble in his custody he would no longer differ but that the corrupt members of the commō wealth may be healed And the consultaciō shal be of suche matters as should haue bene treated vpon at Wormes and a yeare synce at Regenspurge This conuention should haue bene at Ulme but for the infectiō of the plage the place was chaunged as before is also mentioned After from Bamberge he goeth to Norinberge As he there was he receiueth into fauour certen cities of Saxony and the .xvi. daye of Iuly he publisheth a wryting wherin he declareth what hath bene done with the Lantgraue and vpon what conditions he hath pardoned him And because that he is carefull leste that many should haply through ignoraunce worke violence to his landes and subiectes therfore at his request doth he straightly charge and commaunde all men to absteyne and if they haue any matter against him to trie it by the lawe In this self same tyme Duke Maurice sendeth for Melanchthon Pomerane Cruciger diuines of Wittemberge and receiueth them ryght gently at Lipsia and speaking muche of his zeale towardes religion committeth vnto them the order both of the church and Scoole also requiring them to procede after their wonted maner he appointeth them stipendes as they them selues wryte sendeth thē away not without great rewardes For Pomerane in a litle boke that he set forth after commendeth highly his liberalitie and gentlenes The Frenche kyng that succeded his father at the kalendys of Aprill the .xxv. day of Iuly cometh to Rains to be crowned And being receiued before the cathedral churche with thr 〈…〉 Cardinalles he is led to the hyghe aultar and after he had kissed there the relickes of saintes enclosed in gold said his prayers he goeth to supper After supper retourning and making his prayers againe whan he had confessed his synnes to a priest he departeth and goeth to bedde The next day he sendeth certe◠of the nobilitie to intreate the Abbot of saint Remige that he would bring the boxe of holy oyle whiche they say came down from heauen After resorte to the churche those that are called the Douzeperes of Fraunce which are twelue in nomber The Byshop of Rains Landune Langres Beauuois Noion and Challon Than the kyng of Nauarre the Dukes of Uandome Guise Niuerne Mompenser and Anmalle These represented the Dukes of Burgundie Normandie and Guienne moreouer the Erles of Tolouse Flaunders and Champaine Of the Byshoppes were chosen two Langres and Beauuois also two Cardinalles to go fetche the kyng to the churche Whan they came into his chamber after certen prayers sayde they lift vp the kyng liyng on his bedde as the ceremony is and accompanied with a multitude of priestes leade him to the church and the Conestable beareth before him the sworde drawen The king what tyme he had prayed before the aultar was led by the Byshoppes to his seate And in the meane whyle tyl that boxe cometh the Archebyshop of Rains After he had finished the prayers conteyned in the boke of ceremonies sprinkleth with holy water the kyng and all the reste And whan worde was brought that the boxe was coming whiche in the absence of the Abbot the Prior of the monkes brought sitting vpon a white hambling palfrey and accompanied with the Monkes of hys order and the Noble mē that the king had sent for it as before is sayd the Archebyshop with the other byshops goeth to mete him at the churche dore with the crosse borne before him ther receiued of him the boxe deliuering hym a gage to restore it againe And whan he came agayn to the aultar the king rysing out of his seate doeth him reuerence After the Archebyshop goeth into the reuestrie and there being solemnely decked in his pontificalibus cometh forth and taketh his othe and fidelitie of him by the whiche after an auncient custome kynges are bounde to the churche Than is the king led to the aultar by two Byshops There putting on other garmētes he kneleth downe and is girded with a sworde which he as thei terme it hath consecrated with many prayers After this the Archebyshop prepareth the oyle in a redines whylest the other priests synge their seruice prayeth softly with the kyng lying both grusselyng on the groūd Than he annointeth the kinges head breste and both shoulders and the elbowes of either arme in saying that accustomed prayers That done the kyng hath put on him new garmentes like a minister of the church and is annointed in the palmes of his handes After he layeth both his handes on his breste and putteth on hallowed gloues as they call them But the Archebishop putteth a rynge vpon his fynger and deliuereth him the Sceptre in his ryght hande And in the selfe same moment the Chauncelour calleth forth the Douzeperes In their presence the Archebyshop taketh frō the aultar the crown of Charles the great and whan the Peres haue touched it setteth it on the kinges head and bringeth the king into a roiall throne whiche is made in an higher place the whole company of Nobles followyng And there hauing ended his prayers kisseth him Likewyse do the Peres and Nobles making a great shoute and acclamation pray all God saue the kyng and to reioyce mens hartes the Trompettes blowe After is gold
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
of her husband But whan Ulrich Duke of Wirtemberge hard of the misery of Brentius all be it he him selfe was in great daunger yet gaue he relief secreatly to him and his family Furthermore the Cities of Sweuia following all for the moste parte the Emperoures authority promised to accomplish his commaundement Wherfore the preachers euery where remoued out of diuers places least they should commit any thing vnworthy their profession Andreas Osiander for this cause leauinge Norinberge wente into the lande of Prusse Spire and Woormez had but ether of them one which fled also to saue them selues William the Earle of Nassowe suffred Erasmus Sarcerius to depart for the same cause Moreouer the Duke of Wirtemberge in whose country were garrisons of Spaniardes euery where as hath bene saied whan the commaundement came from the Emperour caused the Boke setforthe to be recited in the Pulpit and commaundeth that no man do any thing to the contrary and if any man wil say Masse he geueth them liberty and chargeth his subiectes that they disturbe no Priest and putteth awaye those Ministers of the Church which would not allow the boke Amonges whome was Erardus Schueffius The Emperoure by Granuellane and the bishop of Arras moued the Duke of Saxon captiue to obey the decree and followe the doctrine of the Boke setforth And albeit they assaid him with fair promises and shewed him some hope of deliueraunce yet he perseuered constante in his opinion And the laste yere saithe he amōges the condicions whiche the Emperoure propounded this was wrytten also that I shoulde approue the decrees that shoulde be made by him and by the Counsell concerning Religion but whan he perceiued that I coulde not be induced through the terroure or feare of any pearill to assent he released the same condicion and after that neuer moued any thing to me concerning religion Whiche certenlye I toke than in steade of a great benefite and being cased hereof as of a most waighty burthē al the other conditions which the Emperoure at his pleasure determined on my parson and all my goodes I suffered the more easelye and with the better wil trusting that from henceforth I shoulde be permitted to kepe my Religion free but now for so muche as he vrgeth me againe and commaundeth me to subscribe I do heare protest that I was so brought vp in my youth and after by the reading of holye scripture so confyrmed that I do beleue this doctrine to agree throughly with the wrytinges of the Prophetes and Apostles neyther can it be conuicted of any erroure For the whiche cause verelye bothe my father I and certaine other Princes exhibited in times past a confession of the same doctrine comprised in wrytinge and referred it to a lawful counsel considering therfore that God hathe illuminated me with the knowledge of his word it is not lawfull for me to forsake the truthe knowne vnlesse I woulde purchase to my self euerlasting dampnation Wherfore if I should nowe admit thys decree forasmuch as the same dothe in manye and moste waightye places dissent from the holy scripture I should condempne the doctrine of Iesu Christ which I haue professed hitherto And in word and speach should allowe that I know to be naughte and wicked But what thinge els were this than with painted and glosynge wordes to delude the deuine Maiesty and the Emperoure also Than the which thing what more wickednes can be committed For this is that same sinne against the holy ghost wherof Christe hath so diligently warned vs which shall neuer at any time be forgeuen And seinge it is so and that my conscience is tied with these bondes I most earnestly and for the mercy of God which he gaue vnto mankinde through the oblation of his sōne pray and beseche that the Emperoure would not take in displeasure this my refusal For where as I do reteine the doctrine professed at Auspurge I do it for my soules health and setting all other thinges a parte do imagine howe after this miserable life I may be made partaker of the life and ioy euerlasting I heare say moreouer howe it is reported to the Emperour by diuers as though I nothing regarded religion but sought for a vaine glory and what thing els I know not I beseche you what thing coulde happen to me in this worlde more to be wished for especially being thus grose of bodye then liberty then to retourne to my wife and children than quiet and rest at home And I take God to witnes and than will also what time he shall take an accompt of vs all for our doinges that I respected nothinge els than that throughe the true worshippinge of God I might enioy the inheritance of the heauenly kingdōe Which thing I hartely desire that the Emperour would certainly beleue and be fully perswaded of me In all other thinges my will hath bene alwaies ready to gratify him and euer shal be and the infidelity and promesse which I haue made him that will I kepe as becommeth a iuste man and borne of noble parentage Furthermore I beseche him to remit all displeasure and at the lengthe to deliuer me from this continuall captiuity That I be not reported the first of all other Princes that should lead his life with him prisoner Where he perseuered thus constant and immouable they began to hādle him somwhat more hardly and toke from him his bokes of Scripture and was commaunded on daies forbidden to abstaine from fleshe The same preacher also whome by the Emperours licence he kept vntil this time whan he sawe present daunger hanginge ouer his head he chaunged his apparel and conueied him self awaye priuely At the same time came abrode out of the Emperoures court letters which the Lantzgraue was saide to haue wrytten to the Emperoure In those he saieth he hath commaunded his wife and coūselloures that they should fulfil all the reast of the conditions and satisfy such as complaine for the warre past Againe he saieth how he hathe the boke wrytten of Religion And albeit there be manye thinges which he doth not wel vnderstand and the which he cānot affirme by the scriptures yet for somuch as they ground their thinges of antiquitie and authoritye of holy fathers he will not make him self wiser then they and doth both allow that wryting and wil deuise also that his subiectes shall obserue the same After this he offereth him his faith and seruice whether he shall warre with the Turke or with the Bishop of Rome or any forain kinges or with the Swishes or els wil vse him in Germany but he besecheth him for the loue of Christ and all saintes that he would lay awaye all displeafure and set him at liberty For now hath he bene deteyned prisoner a whole yeare and suffred punishmente inoughe and is brought to extreme misery Moreouer for a further assuraunce he will geue his two sonnes pledges vntill he be fullye satisfied And whatsoeuer way
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
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
heafter shal be sayde The Bishop whiche was euer accompted to be of a mylde and a quiet nature was not thought to haue done this so muche of his owne accorde as through the instigation of others that were about hym whiche affirmed that this occasion of recoueryng his iurisdictiō was not to be neglected sayd moreouer that vnlesse he were earnest in that matter he might feare thēperours displea He vsed for his chief doer in these cases Christofer Welsinger a Ciuilian who sometime was student in the vniuersitie of Wittemberge Againe the clergie of the head church of Strasburg had for their aduocate Iohn Tischel a doctour of that ciuile lawe In the last boke is mention made of Wuolfgange Prince of Bipounte how after the decre of Religiō was enacted he was sent for to Auspurg Whome the Emperour had pressed with sō dry letters that he should obeye the decree And for so muche as he had referred the matter to the Byshoppes the Emperour demaundeth of hym whether he wyll ratifie the decree And whether he wyll displace the ministers of the churche that wil not obeye the same Wherupon he writing his letters to themperour in Frenche repeteth in fewe wordes what was done in the somer before at Auspurg And saieth howe at his retourne home he set forth vnto the people that part of the decree that concerned holy daies and fasting daies cōmaunding the same to be obserued Howe he hath also red ouer diligently oftener than once the decree of Religiō and graunteth that therin are many thinges which are consonant to his faith by the which he loketh for eternal saluation And that ther be many things also which differ much from the same Neuerthelesse he hath charged the preachers ministers of the churche to way euery thing diligently after to declare vnto him how they suppose the thing may be instituted But where al they with one voice affirme that they can not allowe the same in al thinges with a quiet conscience he thought it not his part to compell them to worke against their conscience Wherfore he required the byshops that they them selues wold take some order in it But what thing they haue aunswered he hath certified heretofore being in good hope that nothing more of him shuld be required But now saith he in as much as you wil haue a direct answer most mightie Emperour I wyl say what myne opiniō is And first as concerning the religiō rites ceremonies which haue bene certen yeres obserued within my dominiō verely I was borne brought vp in the fame as I haue also shewed you before Cesar euē vntil this day neuer heard any other kind of doctrine moreouer I haue bestowed my study paines therin so farre forth as my wyt is able to cōceaue it appereth plainly to be agreable vnto Gods worde For this must I nedes confesse seing I am asked the question least I should both hurt myne own cōscience litle regarde my saluatiō This is the cōsideratiō also why I can not approue y◠decre otherwise most willing ready after that maner exāple of mine auncestours to do any thing for Howebeit your highnes whiche is the supreme Magistrate maye determine herein what shall seme good vnto you It is wholy at your pleasure This only I beseche you that I be not constrayned to doe against myne owne iudgement nor yet the people that be vnder my dominion As touching the ministers of the churche I desyred you in my last letters that they might tary through your licence for the christening of chyldren and visityng of the sicke chiefly tyll others were substitute in their place Notwithstanding if you shall commaunde them to departe immediatly not abydyng tyll others come albeit thesame shal be a great grief and hynderaunce to the people yet shal it be done accordingly For many of them are gone already and in those thinges that may or ought to be perfourmed I know that all loialtie obeysaunce must be shewed you What time in the dominions of Duke Maurice there was a great apparence that Religion should be altered the ministers and preachers of Lubeck Luneburge and Hamburge compiled a boke wherin they confuted at the full the booke and decree of Auspurge Wherof the chief authour was Iohn Epine Moreouer the doctours of Maydenburg Nicolas Amstorfe and especially Matthie Flacie borne in the citie of Albone in Slauonie Nicolas Ganles bende them selues earnestly against the diuines of Wittemberge and of Lipsia and in many little bookes set forth do reprehende them as though they should deale dissemblyngly and shoulde through their indifferent or meane thynges set open a waye to the Romish Religion Finally they place this as a generall Rule that all rites and ceremonies al though they be of their owne nature indifferent be no longer meane thynges whan force an opinion of holines and necessitie byndeth men and whan occasion of wickednes therby is geuen This Flacie had bene certen yeares Phillippe Melanchthons schollar but in this contentiō he went to Magdēburg setting forth a boke afterwarde wherin he declareth the cause of his so doing Furthermore they of Hamburge addressinge their letters to them of Wittemberge especially to Melanchthon doe recite what they call indifferent or meane thynges and declare in what cases they ought to be admitted desyryng them also to wryte what thynge they would haue comprysed vnder that name to the intente men maye haue some certen thynge to followe and not to wauer in theyr myndes and least that name of indifferent thynges geue occasion to sondrye errours whiche may crepe in by lyttle and lyttle Unto the which epistle Melanchthō maketh answer amōgst other thinges sayeth how some bōdage is to be borne withall so it be not annexed to wickednes The Archebyshop of Mentz in the beginning of May holdeth a counsell prouinciall The decrees wherof he setteth forth in a boke afterward Lykewyse do the Archebyshoppes of Treuers and Collon who hath also a large prouince That booke amonges other thynges establysheth for confession that no mā be admitted to the Lordes supper vnlesse he be first confessed Of the hallowyng of Salt water and other thynges which through exorcismes and praiers are prepared as they say for the vse of faithful men Of the Reliques of the inuocation and adoration of Saincts of Pilgrimages of prayers for the dead of pourgatory of fasting and choyse of meates of the canonical houres as they terme them of the tremblable misteries of the Masse Unto this Synode came Maurice Byshop of Eistet The residue sente Ambassadours But that ordynaunce of hallowyng and consecratyng aparteineth to many matters Euery seuenth daye whiche is called the Sonday whan there be many people in the churche the priest exorciseth as they terme it first Salte after Water And whan he hath mixed the salte and the water together he sprincleth the people withall And this sprinklyng is thought to geue health
made with his father And although the Emperour by letters and intermessēgers did greatly disswade them yet they neuerthelesse for that they thought it more expedient for their pourpose assente ther unto first in dede those that are of the Romishe Religion and the Lepontians and Ualesians and after also they of Basill the Schafusians wherat many men marueled greatly by reason of those forsayd proclamations and executions For moste men supposed that they ought not to enter into league and societie with him whiche so cruelly persecuted the true Religiō and cōdemned their churches and doctours by name But they of Bernes and Zurick followyng the counsel of Zwinglius as I haue shewed you in the third and sixt boke abstained frō this league The conuocation of Lipsia is before mentioned But where many sayd and complained that the Romish Religion was by litle and litle restored Duke Maurice the fourth day of Iuly addressing his letters to his lieftenauntes sayeth how he heareth that ther be many which partly for ouermuch carefulnes partly being so perswaded by others feare least the olde errours should one after an other be restored And that certen ministers of the churche with other busy braines and troublesome persones are not fre from this sclaūder He hath verely at sōdry times heretofore declared by opē wryting what his minde and purpose is and for those sclaunders doth repete the same againe to the intent he may shewe testifie that he hath an especial care of Religion Wherfore he desireth those which either for lightnes of belief or through the perswasiō of others do feare an alteration to lay al feare aparte and geue credit to this his wryting and testimonie And as cōcerning them that bring vp suche reportes let them not thinke to escape vnpunished if they so continue Howbeit out of the decree lately made at Lipsia were gathered certen chapters by his commaundement which should be taught and preached Let them inquire therfore and learne to vnderstand whether the ministers of the churche do followe this fourme or whether they reprehend the same in their sermons What so euer it be he commaūdeth thē to aduertyse him and if any doubtes shall aryse to repare to that diuines of Wittemberge and Lipsia and that these thinges be declared vnto the people In these daies departed the Lātgraues wyfe mother in lawe to Duke Maurice whiche pined awaye through care sorow for her husbandes imprisonment About this time the people rebelled in England for two causes One was for landes cōmons enclosed For the people complayned that the Nobilitie had taken in much groūd whiche before lay cōmon had inclosed imparked the same for dere for other priuate vses The others in Deuonshire demaūded thesame also but they were chiefly offēded with thalteratiō of religion wold haue the syx articles wherof is mētioned in the .xii. boke to be restored What tyme therfore they flocked together in armure and the matter was ful of daunger neither would admonitions take any place The kyng and his coūsel though moste vnwilling sende forth a force against them and disconfite thē in sondry places and certen thousandes were slayne The French King espiyng this occasion which gaped after Bolain that was lost prepareth an army spedely and partly by force partly by surrendrie taketh certain castels and fortes by sea coaste betwixt Bolain and Caleis and by that meanes putteth the soldiors of Bolain to an extremity The Lordes of England toke this misfortune most greuously and because the Lorde Protector the kinges vncle had the gouernmente the whole faulte was imputed to him that he had not in time furnished the places with things necessary This blame and enuy increasing daily the protector in the beginning of Octobre was by common assent of the nobles appreheded at Windsore where the king was at the same time and brought to the Towre of London prisoner The Lords afterward declare vnto the people the causes charge him with euil gouernement of the common wealth and setforth a proclamation of the same in Print wherunto for a further testimony euery mā subscribeth his name amonges the which Ihon Earle of Warwicke was principal In the meane while that the French king attempteth these thinges against the Englishmen themperour leadeth about his sōne throughe Flaunders Henault and Artois and sweareth the people to be true and loyall vnto him After they both retourne to Andwarp about the .viii. daye of Septembre There was themperors sonne receiued with Pageauntes and showes most sumptuous not only by the Townes men but also by marchaunts straungers Spaniardes Italians Germanes and English men After this accōpanied with his aunt the regent he goeth also into thother prouinces receiue theyr fidelity by an oth I tolde you before of the Senate of Strausburge how they sent an ambassadour to the Emperour to abate the controuersy they had with theyr Bishop wherefore by themperors permission there were chosen certain arbitrers on bothe parties Whan they were met in the monthe of October after long disceptation the Senate permitteth the Bishop .iii. Churches that he may establish therin Religion according to the decree lately made Moreouer he receiueth the Cleargye into his faithe and tuition The Bishop againe couenaunteth and graunteth to the Senate the Colledge of Saint Thomas for the maintenaunce of the schole and the rest of the churches The Cleargy also payeth to the Senate an yerely tribute some of mony in other thinges they obtain their immunity and fredome The Emperour setforthe proclamations against them of Maydenburge as I haue declared before and called on the states in Saxonye for aid many refused not so that thother states not only of Saxony but also of thempire would do the same The menne of Lubecke and Luneburge by consente of themperors deputies going to Maidenburge assaied to make a reconcilemente but all in vaine At that tune did no man impugne them openly but for so much as they were outlawed they were euermore in daunger nether might they withoute pearill of life and goods depart out of that city For it was lawful for euery man to trye fortune against them Therfore the Senate where they had before cōplaind of thiniuries of their neighbors by publicke letters Now they setforth another wryting vnto al men in general but chiefly to their next neighbors and say how they are selanderously reported as though they should arrogantly and proudly demeane thē selues against themperor thempire and that they should forsake peace wryte many contumelious things but herein they sustain great wrong for they do acknowledge Charles themperor for theyr supreme magistrate and haue opēly proclaimed that nothing be said a misse against him or any state nether is there anye other cause of displeasure say they than that we professe the Gospell and word of God for thother slaunders are deuised and forged by theyr enuemies howe desyrous they be of peace it
demerites Which he sheweth may thus be don if that citie be inuironed with a trēche a bulwark made the siege cōtinued til thei be subdued For vnlesse that licēcious obstinat rebellion be repressed they se how gret a daūger shame it wil be to thempire Thus therfore Duke Maurice whiche had busied him self herein as I said before was by cōmon assēt made high generall of the warre And for the charges of the war were appointed .lx. thousand crownes monethly and an hōdreth thousand crownes payed for the charges past Concerning the counsell the Emperour affirmeth to the Princes that it shal be continued againe at Trent before Easter For so doeth the Byshop promyse him Yet doeth he in the meane season vrge the decree of Auspurge and commaundeth them to declare the causes vnto hym why those orders that were wrytten two yeares synce of Religion and reformation of the Clergie be not obserued The Archebyshops Electours saye howe they haue omitted nothing and are yet wholy about the same But the cause which letteth that they are not fully accomplished is the exemptions and priuileges of certen The deputes of the Electours absent say they haue applied the thing diligently but the long continuaunce of tyme hath bene a hinderaunce For this Religion can not so sodenly be plucked out of mens myndes that they had nede to be instructed that men might by litle and litle accustome them selues who are thorowly perswaded that thesame decree dissenteth much from the holy Scriptures that nothing can be violently altered without trouble and sedition And if any man should cōstraine the prechers to it ther would no man serue in that churche For hardely can there any one be found that wyll abase him selfe hereunto for the state of the syngle lyfe and condition of the Lordes supper The residue of Prynces and states of the Romyshe Religion alledge these causes that Scholes wherin yougth is not ryghtly instructed The Ministers of the churche that diswade the people from the same decree The want of priestes The negligēce of Magistrates And saye moreouer that this thing is an hinderaūce that many of the spiritualtie liue vitiously Again that many inuey rayle vpon the decree made with bokes of reproche vnpunished Iuly the Byshop of Rome being oft treated with by the Emperour about the eight day of Nouember sending forth his bulles calleth a coūsell affirming it to be coincident to his office to call and directe counsels That he coueteth also to prouyde for the trāquillitie of Germany which hath alwayes ben most obediēt to the church Byshops of Rome who in earth are Christes Uicars Wherfore let all men repare to Trente against the first day of May whiche either by ryght custome or priuilege haue interest to be there and suche as Paule the thirde hath called before what tyme he somoned the counsell in the same place For that daye shall the counsell be there continued And if it so fortune that either for age or sicknes or affayres of the commōwealth he can not himselfe be present yet will he by his Legates be president of the same This bulle he sent after to themperour Duke Maurice being made chiftayne attempteth the thing with great force and buylding vp certē bulwarkes that the souldiours myght wynter therin about th ende of Nouember he assayleth the citie Whiche citie is diuided into thre partes Wherof one whiche is called newe he surpriseth by nyght scalyng the walles and gates and neither drumme went nor trompet blewe tofore he had brought in his souldiours The citezens reised vp with the clamour so many as were found in armure are put to the sworde the rest being taken and spoiled are expulsed Wherfore they of the citie to the intēt they might take away from the ennemy this commoditie sendyng forth their souldiours burne that part that was theirs Agayn the other part whiche is called Sudeburg they sette on fyre also receiuing the townes mē into the citie About this tyme came Lazarus Schuendie into the campe to Duke Maurice that he myght in the Emperours name gyue his counsel The same tyme was Erle Hedeck in Saxony whome the Emperour had outlawed two yeares past as before is mentioned He and Albert Erle of Maunsfeld do leuie bandes of souldiours in the cities by the Sea coaste to ayde them of Maydenburge Duke Maurice therfore in the moneth of December goeth vnto thē with part of his armie and scattereth them and allureth vnto him foure enseignes of the same men and after also counte He decke as you shall heare The .ix. daye of December the Emperour in a long proclamation and with heinouse words inueieth against them of Maydenburge and commaundeth that no man ayde them and straightly chargeth the Captains and soldiours whiche be within the citie that within fourtene daies after these letters be deliuered they departe out of the citie geue knowledge hereof vnto Duke Maurice or in his absence to Lazare Schuendie If they obeye he promyseth pardon if not he appointeth extreme punishement There was in the citie Albert Erle of Mansfelde whome the Emperour in dede had not banyshed but had tourned him out of al his possessiōs what tyme he perseuered in the fidelitie and frendship of Iohn Friderick Duke of Saxon. Howe the Emperour left the Lantgraue at Machline taking his iourney to Auspurg it is before declared Duke Maurice and the Marques of Brandenburge were earnest suters that he might be deliuered but aunswere was made them how not he only but also his sonnes and coūsellours so demeane them selues that as yet he might not be deliuered His kepers also said vnto him how he should be caried into Spaine Wherupon he requireth ayde of his sonnes admonishynge them of the faith and duty they owe vnto hym commaundeth them to sue Duke Maurice and the Marques of Brandenburg that they yelde them selues prysoners according to the forme of their obligation and fulfill their promise His sonnes obey him herein and sending Ambassadours most earnestly and oft admonish and sue them But they one whyle ioyntly together another whyle either of thē seuerally by him selfe some tyme by messengers sometime presently excuse the matter and declare that it is not expedient either for them or for their father that it should so be euer bring newe reasons wherby they trust he may be deliuered without any daunger Therfore they desire them to forbeare thē a whyle and to geue them respite But the Emperour who before had moued the Lātgraue by Lirane to deliuer those obligations as is declared whan he was further sued vnto he sendeth Lazare Schuendie to his sonnes and counsellours commaunding them not only from henceforth neither to cōmence action nor sue Duke Maurice and the Marques of Brandēburg but that also they sende vnto him all suche maner of wrytinges surcease their sute vnlesse they obeye he threateneth thē with the greatest punishment that
he hath done also the same at Boloigne Lagrasse trusting both to their industry and fidelity also and now in as much as the counsell is called and latelye the first day of May begon at Trent occasion is geuen him to wryte vnto them wher therfore their presence should be a great help and furtherance to so godly and nedeful a worke he exhorteth them very much that such prelates of the church as be within their iurisdiction and liberties be not wanting but be there at the next session the first day of Septembre the rest they shall vnderstande of S. Hierome Franch Knight his ambassadour whose faith and diligence hath of them now many yeres ben wel tried again for because the matter in hand is greatly to his contētation he wil send or it belōg one of his principal bishops which may treat with them touchinge the counsel more at large About th end of May the Emperoures sonne departing from Auspurge by Italy returneth into Spain with him wente Maximilian his Cosin and Brother in lawe to fetche awaye his wife the mother of two Children In the meane time the kinge of Fraunce to appease the Bishoppe and Senate of Cardinals declareth at Rome by his ambassadoure Mounsour de Thermes that where he hath receiued into his tuition Octauian the Prince of Parma it deserueth no reprehension For thys thing proprely belongeth vnto kings to succor thafflicted Moreouer that he hath sought no priuate commodity in that matter but whatsoeuer he hath done to haue done it for the church of Romes sake after thexāple of his progenitors which haue ben more beneficial to the same than any others many times also defēded it by force of armes For seing that Parma is the patrimony of the churche he was very careful to forsee that it shuld not come into other mens handes and for the same cause is at great cost charge daily wherfore he desireth him and that most earnestly that he wold take it in that part and leaue the opinion that he hath conceiued of him for the same shal be to the great cōmodity of the cōmon weale But if he refuse this satisfaction and chuse warre before peace he him self seeth how greatly that wil be to the damage and daunger of all Italy and Europe and that also there can be no certen treaty had in Religion that may continue wherefore concerninge the moost pearillous commotions that shal arise hereof that the counsell already called can not assemble or if it do of necessity muste be dispersed and that in this troublesome time he can sende none of the bishops of his realme vnto Trent of all these thinges ther can be no fault laid in him who is willing not only to offer conditions of peace but also to take this so protesteth so openly Howe be it the bishop trusting to thaid and promesses of themperor was nothing the mileder for thys ambassade The xvii day of Iune duke Moris graunteth againe safeconduite to them of Maidenburge that they should send vnto him ambassadours concerning peacs Who taking theyr iourney being conducted by Marques Alberte finde Duke Moris at Pirne a Towne of Meissen For he was retourned home and semed to worke slackly When they were come in themperors name he propoundeth these conditions That they should yelde them selues without any condition and humblye desire pardon They shal make no leage against themperor king Ferdinando Austriche or Burgundie they shal obserue al the decrees of th empyre They shall aunswere to the law and recompence the cleargy for domage done that they cast down theyr fortifications Rampires and admit into theyr City a garrison of a M. and CC. soldiours They shall receiue themperor Kinge Fardinando and theyr deputies at all times wyth what power someuer they brynge with them that they deliuer twelue greate pieces of ordenaunce paye an C M. Crownes and confirme all these conditions by an oth These thinges although they were not able to perfourme yet did they not vtterly refuse through thintercession of Counte Hedecke by little little some thing was remitted Themperor before this sending his letters into Germany especially to the states of the protestants religion had sufficiently assured thē by safeconduit exhorting thē to be at Trent the first day of Maye but inasmuch as for the war of Parma the day of the counsell was differred to the first of Septēbre as I said before he admonisheth them again that they come in any wise promising thē all equity faithfulnes But albeit ther were very many of the same profession yet did they not confer together which thing hath ben chiefly necessary either for that they dispaired touching the successe of the thing or els for that they feared themperors displesure or for that they waxed faint hearted as it were in the very entrance of the daunger And amonges the cities only they of Strausburge sent messagers to enquire what thinge both they that were nere and also far of wer purposed to do herein And certenly duke Moris gaue in cōmaundement to Philip Melanchton that he shuld pen tharticles of doctrine which shuld after be exhibited openly whan that boke was finished the prince commaunded al the diuines ministers of the church to mete at Lipsia the viii of Iuly wheras the same was red and approued by consēt of them al. The same ordre also toke Christopher duke of Wirtemberge who caused Brentius to compile a boke of the same argument And albeit that the sence of either wryting was all one yet wold Duke Moris haue his boke exhibited by it self least if many together should propound the same thing in common themperour might conceiue a suspition of some conspiracy made Neuerthelesse sēding their bokes to and fro both they of Wirtemberge approued the Saxons boke the Saxons the boke of Wirtemberge and the diuines of Strausburge ether of them both whan they had red the same and so it was agreed that when time shuld serue ther shuld be sent to the counsel certen to prefer and defend these things The Duke of Wirtemberge after thexample of his father made muche of Ihon Brentius for his excellent learning vsing his aide in restoring of the godly doctrine after also he restored him to the Ministration of the Church and made him president of Stutgarde The .xxv. day of Iuly the Marques Albert in thabsence of Duke Moris reiecteth such thinges by a trompetter as they of Maidenburge had answered to the conditions of peace propounded at Pirne by duke Moris The day before he had taken an ouerthrow for they bickered with greater forces than euer they did before About the viii day of August ther had like to haue bene a greate sedition in the city For letters wer brought to the soldioures wherein this was conteined how ther wer certen of the Senators which wold betray the city to thenemy and amonges them was Henry Alman Wherfore the soldiors flocking together cal for him
the Albertines wer cōmaunded to lay away their armor They of Wuolmes recouering their castell of Helsesteine by expulsinge the garrison which Marques Albert had there lefte rased it downe to the harde ground Themperor enforced by th extremity of the cold winter about th end of Decembre being in dispaire of the thinge leuied the siege and remouing from thēce to Dedehouie and so returning into Flanders cōmaundeth certen legions to remain in the countrye of Treuers amonges the whiche was also Marques Albert. By cold and sicknesse themperor lest the third part of his army The French men the xxii day of Ianuary go a procession about all the Churches in Metz geuing God thankes for theyr good fortune The next day are searched out al Lutherian bokes in the citezens houses and by the hangman are brente openlye After this the Duke of Guisse leauing ther his deputie returneth into Frāce In this same moneth the captain of Marques Albert wone many things again from the Bishop of Bamberge and after the siege of Metz was leuied whan Marques Albert had wintred a while in Treuers til themperor had paied him his wages in the moneth of February returning into Germany the Bishop of Bamberge the .xvii. day of the same moneth obteyneth newe letters of the chāber wherof in one was commaunded agayne thesame as was before in thother are inioyned the nobilite of Franckeconie they of Norinberge the Paulsgraue electour and Iohn Friderick Duke of Saxon as his next neighboures to helpe him About th ende of the moneth of February the French king which was puft vp with pride that Metz was so defended setteth forth a wryting in printe vnto all the states of the Empire verye stinginge and hatefull to the Emperoure For he goeth aboute to bringe him in hatred and contempt also How he verely is nowe no more to be feared whose power is all readye in fringed and the craft of many yeares detected whiche is also so sicke and diseased that they can hardlye kepe life in him he doubtles wil be alwais of one mind towards thē that is to wit frendly and liberall And all be it that diuers of thē whiche haue receiued of him greate benefites haue not shewed thē selues verye thanckefull yet wyll not he therefore renounce the Frendship of the reast After that Marques Albert was aduertised of the commaundement of the chamber Imperiall he wryteth manye letters to the Bishop of Arras to the Duke of Alua and to the Emperoure him selfe signifyinge what the Bishops go aboute and howe they breake couenauntes and for so muche as he hathe ratified those compactes that were made him he requyreth that ther maye be a penaltye appoynted vnlesse they obey the same Afterwarde sendinge a messager to the chamber at Spier declareth how the Bishoppes haue not only broken couenauntes but themperors commaundemente also wherefore he requireth them that they woulde suffer none action to be commenced againste him and that they woulde abolishe the letters whiche his aduersaries had obtained Wherunto they make answer how it is theyr partes and duety to minister the law vnto all men which they coulde not denie the bishoppes also requiring the same But he again after a longe confutation requireth the same that he did before For els in case he sustain any losse he shal haue good cause to require amendes and recompence at their hands Themperor the xiii of March wryteth an answer to the letters of Marques Albert. How he ratified that compacte he can not deny How he paied him also and his men theyr wages most liberallye to his owne greate hinderaunce where he gaue to the residue nothinge And he woulde haue bene righte glad if the Bishoppes woulde haue stirred no more in the matter and for the same cause he sent an ambassadoure to them to perswade them but since they haue refused and haue appealed both to him and also to the Princes electors and to the Chamber imperiall he seeth well inoughe how this can not be denied them Especially consideringe howe diuers states haue conceiued a suspition of him and spreade diuers brutes For in case he should now accomplishe his request and cōmaunde them to kepe couenauntes it woulde be saide that he did wronge and it shoulde increase suspicion For his office is to minister iustice indifferently vnto all men and prohibite wronge and violence Therefore the only way is this that the matter maye be frendly taken vp and he doubteth not but he him self if he ponder the matter diligently wil take this same way and to the intent the matter may the more easely and purposelye be broughte to passe he will appoynt his owne kinsmen the Dukes of Bauier and of Wirtemberge that they shall be meanes in the matter The bishops verely in diuers and sondry letters haue complained to him greuously Neuerthelesse he trusteth that they will not refuse the treaty for the controuersy that is betwene the Duke of Brunswicke and his nobility he hath committed the hearinge of the matter to Ihon Marques of Brādenburge And hath appoynted also the dukes of Bauier and Wirtemberge to end the matter betwene therles of Deting the father and the sonnes In manner about this time both tharmy of counte Mansfeld shrank away and thambassadors of Ihon Friderick duke Moris met together to accord thē two For he in his letters coyne that he stamped vsed stil the name of elector and ii swords a crosse which is tharmes of Electorship by themperors permissiō fortified again his castel of Goth which thing duke Moris toke greuously cōplaineth therof to his states the opiniō of al thē was to deuise meanes of peace wherfore as I said ambassadors wer sēt but yet in vain In this time also Robert the bishop of Metz Cardinal Lenōcurt most addict to the french king came to Metz chalengeth to him selfe the hole iurisdictiō saith it belōgeth to him which is a prince of themand ordeineth a newe Senate and placeth in that nombre diuers of the Cleargy and fortifieth Marsey a little Towne standinge at the Frontiers of Germany with fortificatiōs garrison of french men His letters wer before intercepted wherein he desired of the king that he would permit him to haue the iurisdiction whiche the Bishoppes his predecessors haue had For his intent is to ordain a new Senate and to receiue none into the same but that shall be wholly addicted to him or els will it come to passe that such as be of the Emperors part shall remaine there and the others shall depart thence which doubtlesse woulde be to his great hinderaunce For vnlesse all suspected personnes be cleane remoued let him not loke to kepe the City in quiet possession And he desireth to declare his hart and good wlil towardes him For euen for the same cause chiefly came he into these parties and receiued this bishoppricke that he might do him some notable seruice Than was Marques Albert at Hedelberge
so in dede and for so muche as they theÌ„ selues haue furthered his enterprise cleane against the Emperours coÌ„maundement therfore must he see for hym selfe howe he may recompence himself for the domage receiued and therfore renounceth their league and amitie The Emperours armie after Turwen was ouerthrowen marching from thence into Artois in the moneth of Iuly toke the Castell of Hesdine by assaute There was slayne Oratius Farnese the Frenche kynges sonne in lawe There were manye of the Nobilitie taken amonges whome was the hyghe Mareshall of Fraunce Marchian that dwelleth in the foreste of Arden The newes of the battell in Saxonie was brought to the Empuâ—y within a very fewe dayes Who after the .xxii. daye of Iuly aunswereth Duke Ericke of Brunswicke whome Marques Albert had sent as before is sayde Howe he is not a little sory that the displeasure is growen so farre for he had muche rather that all this controuersie had bene appeased and vnles it be so he feareth least it wyll come euyll to passe not only to the Empyre but also to Marques Albert especially since that so many of the chiefest States doe set in fote herein and haue made a league Therfore his aduise and request is that with al spede they laye downe theyr weapons and deuise some meanes of concorde If the Marques be so content he wyll deuise that the contrary parte shall surcesse also and distrusteth not but that he shall perswade them And he earnestly desyreth that he refuse not so to doe For otherwyse the case standyng as it doth nowe he can not vse his seruice least he should increase the suspicion that is reysed already Whiche doubtlesse vnto hym that hath nothyng derer than the peace and tranquillitie of the Empyre should be very greuous and displeasaunt About the begynning of the moneth of Auguste Augustus Duke Maurice brother commyng home out of Denmarke a fewe dayes after consultyng with his Counsel taketh an othe of all the people and amongest others of the Wyttembergians to be true to hym and to his heyres males and if none remain to retourne to the fidelitie of Iohn Fridericke and his chyldren in case he obey the Emperour and obserue the compactes of fourmer yeares if not that than they be obedient to the Lantgraue This done he is saluted Prynce Electour and calleth an assemblee of his States to appere before hym the xx daye of Auguste The .xvii. daye of that moneth was a marueilous great earthquake in the towne of Mesen Whan all were assembled at Lipsia at the daye very many Duke Auguste bryngeth in question fyrste whether he should ioyne hym selfe to the newe league of kyng Ferdinando the Prynces and Byshopes and to prosecute his brothers warre against Marques Albert. Secondarely if he should forsake the league how he ought to auenge his brothers death Finally by what meanes he may compounde with Iohn Fridericke For he in his absence sendyng letters to the nobles required that the dignitie of Electourshyp and his possessions that were taken awaye myght be wholy restored to hym The effect of the consultatioÌ„ and counsell was that he should obserue peace with both and that the Electour of Brandenburg should treate a pacificatioÌ„ And hereof an order was made although king Ferdinando by Henry Plauie Chauncelour of Boheme had treated earnestly with Duke Auguste concerning the league In this conuention the Duke of Saxon sending againe an other Ambassade demaundeth his owne and that with sharpe wordes the same did the States of his dominion but that was in vaine And Auguste sayed howe he was not bounde so to doe and that he would sticke to those compactes and conuenauntes which the Emperour had made whan he was takeÌ„ but yet would he not refuse all treatie During that same assemblie Henry Duke of Brunswicke desyred ayde of Duke Auguste against Marques Albert whiche hyred new bandes of soldiours After the death of Duke Maurice the Duke of Saxon sent th one of his soÌ„nes Iohn William into Brabant to the Emperour that he might be restored And in a maner about the same time the nobilitie and states of his dominion sent thyther Ambessadours also in the absence of Duke Auguste that the Emperour wold accept their Prince as by them commended The Duke of Saxon had sent Ambassadours also to kyng Ferdinando and to the kynge of Denmarke about the same matter In the meane season the Bishop of Wirtemburg besegeth Schninfurt which was kept with a garrison of Marques Albert as before is sayd And the Byshop of Bamberge and the Norinbergians whan they had a whyle beseged Collebach leading away the power ioyne theÌ„ selues to Counte Plauie whiche layed batterie to the towne Hosie belonging to the Marques In these monethes were .ix. burnt at Lions whan diuers of them had bene in pryson a yeare and more Articles were propounded to them al of the presence of Christes body in the Lordes supper of Purgatory of the Masse of priuate or auricular Confession of Ceremonies of praiyng to the virgin Mary and other that be dead of the supremacie of the Bishop of Rome of Free wyll of Iustification of workes of the authoritie of the churche and of Byshoppes of Monasticall vowes of choice of meates of vnction and confirmatioÌ„ and of Images And they aunswered to euery point constantly and after one sorte seuerally alledging the testimonies of Scripture Whylest they were in pryson with their letters they comforted not only one an other but also their frendes and other churches and wrote euery thing as it was done What tyme Lewys Marsake one of the prysoners being a maÌ„ of warre alledging many things out of the holy Scriptures the inquisitours that were preseÌ„t demaunded of him whether it were his part to read the bokes of Scripture and asked him how he knewe these thinges to be the Gospell The kinges liftenaunt also sayd there were onely but two Euangelistes Matthew and Iohn For the other two and Paule also had as it were sowed together certen fragmentes and patches And if it were not that the Doctours of the churche did attribute to Paule that authoritie he wold set no more by his Epistles than by Esopes fables And whan Marsake inferred agayne that there were Godly testimonies of the vocation and office of S. Paule especially in the .i. chap. of the Epistle to the Galathians That maketh nothing for the matter saith he for he beareth witnes of him self Unto those that suffer with hym the hangeman put an haltar about their neckes as the maner is But Marsake whome the iudges coÌ„mauÌ„ded to be led without a bande about his necke sayed vnto theÌ„ is their cause better than mine Why wil you not geue me such a chaine also Why will you not dubbe me knight of this noble and excellent order alluding to the accustomed maner of kinges who at what tyme they wyll honour and auaunce their frendes they make them knightes of their owne order and geue them a
Turke seke the destruction of thempire let them ponder therfore what commodities they receiue of these discordes and domesticall euils which they vndoutedly haue craftelye raised and supported that in this dissention of the states they might accomplish theyr gready lust and by a soden inuasion might bring al men into their subiection and bondage for other nations which haue bene so vanquished by them and supplaÌ„ted ought to be a warninge for them to take hede to theÌ„ selues and to take such counsel wherby both the present tempest and ruine of the country may be blowen ouer and the Empire consiste and perseuer in full strengthe and authoritye and all foraine violence as in times paste so nowe also maye be manfullye and valeauntly repulsed And what so euer the Emperoure and he are able to do here in bothe with theyr aide and counsell they will do it right gladlye and that in suche sorte as all men maye vnderstande what intier loue they beare to the common Countrye And let them perswade them selues of this to be moste assured What time this Oration of kinge Fardinando was published throughoute Germanye it was wrytten at the self time out of sondry places that he had exiled out of Boheme about two hundreth ministers of the churche It was signified also bi letters how cardinal Morone shuld com froÌ„ Rome to the counsell of thempire which would assay to do the like in Germany that Cardinall Poole had already brought to passe in England For it is thought assuredly that for the recoueringe of England the bishop of Rome and all his clients conceiued a wonderful hope in their mindes For in as much as the thing had so lucky successe therfore thought they now or els neuer that God was on theyr side and that they maintained a most iuste cause neither that theyr church could be conuict of any error thus they now chiefly beleued or at the least so pretended And whan they send ambassadours into Germany they do it for this intent not to acknowledge any faut of theyrs but that they may helpe and succor as they saye mennes infirmity About the end of February Ihon Albert Duke of Megelburge who I said was in league with Duke Moris and whoÌ„ Henry the duke of Brunswicke afflicted sore the yere before what time he kept war in Saxonie marieth the daughter of Albert duke Pruisse Whan I had proceded thus farre I was aduertised oute of England that of those fiue of whome I spake a little before Bradford althoughe he were condempned was reserued in prison and that the mindes of manye through the constancy of the reaste that suffered wer wonderfully astonied and amased The xxvi Booke of Sledaines Commentaries concerning the state of Religion and the common Weale during the reigne of the Empyre of Charles the fyfte The Argument of the xxvj Booke ENgland brought againe in subiection to the Bishop of Rome a wrytinge is seâ—te for the with Indulgences The Duke of Saxon by his ambassadoures maketh his purgation to Ferdinando and excuseth him selfe that he can not be at thassemble The ministers of the Churche expulsed oute of Boheme are comforted by the wrytinges of godly learned men Townes taken by the French men The Princes of Germany mete and enter also into league Pope Iuly being dead immedidiatly after that Mercellus was chosen in his stead he dieth And Paul the fourth of that name founder of the sectes of the Iesuites succedeth whilest they of Sene do yelde them to the Emperoure Cardinall Poole solliciteth themperor and the French kinge vnto peace in vaine The Quene of England being therin a meane and persecuting cruelly the true Christians At which time a rose tumultes at Geneua and Lucerues The Senate of Paris indeuoureth to mitigate and call in the Proclamation setforth by the French king against the true Christians Thinges done at Rome by the Bishop and by the Normens against the Spaniardos Uulpian taken by the French men dissention amonges the Ministers of the Churche concerning the Lordes supper Whilest the compact was made for the Lordship of Chattes themperor going into Spain committeth the gouernment to his sonne Thinges doue in thassemble of thempire concerninge Religion And extraordinary wryting of the Papistes in the same thanswer also of Ferdinando and of the Protestantes to them bothe and what decrec insued vpon the same The Parlament and state of England They of Austriche by their ambassadoures requiringe that they mighte be permitted to haue the true Religion are denied it by the diuers answers of Fardinando and sue in baine In manner at the same time the Bauarians sollicite theyr Duke about the like matter in vaine At the lengthe was truce taken betwixte the Emperoure and the Frenche kinge The Duke of Prusse imbrasing the confession of Auspurge therror of Dsiander is quenched About this time appeared a blasinge starre The matter of Marques Albert is heard Tharchbishop of Cantorbury openly and constantly professyng the true Religion is burnt The Pope seketh priuelye to infringe and disseuer the confession of Auspurge The Cardinall of Auspurge accused of treason purgeth him self declaring plainly of what nature and faction he is of A suspition of a conspiracye in Englande brodeth trouble and increaseth crueltye againste the faithfull that xiij were burnte together at a stake Fardinando alledgeth the reuoltinge of Transtiuania and diuers Townes from him And also the Turke now ready to inuade as causes and lettes why he can not come to thassemble which hitherto he had so oft differred Themperor now at length taketh shipping into Spaine leauing his soone gouernor of the lowe countries Sleidan departeth out of thys life HOw England submitted it self againe to the Bishop of Rome it hathe bene shewed in the former boke When these newes with a wonderfull expedition were broughte to Rome greate ioye a rose in the Citye and Te Deum was song in euery Church After on Christmasse euen The Bishoppe sendeth forth this wryting Since I lately heard saith he that England which of many yeares nowe was separated and plucked from the body of the Church is through the vnmeasurable mercye of God broughte againe to the Communion of the same Church and to the obedience of the sea of Rome by the singuler dilligence fidelitye trauell and industrye of kinge Phillip and Mary his wife and Cardinall Poole I toke greate pleasure in my minde And also as reason was gaue thankes vnto God as hartely as I could and omitted nothing but that the frute and profit of this my gladnesse might redound to the whole City But like as that father of whom the Gospel mentioneth hauing recouered his sonne lost not only reioyseth exceadingly and is priuately glad in his minde but also inuiteth others to feasting and making good cheare together with him Euen so I verely to thintent that al the world may vnderstand how great is my ioy and gladnes will that common thanckes and praiers be made Therfore by the power that I haue I
Rome homewarde The Pope allowed well enough al other thinges that they had retourned to repentaunce and craued pardon But that the churche goodes should not be restored he saide it was in no wyse to be suffered Amōgest the Ambassadours was the Byshop of Ely The king of Denmarke had a nauie at that time which sailing towardes the North made men to talke diuersly For some said it was done by the Emperours counsell who mynded to put the kinges sonne or his brother in to the possession of Scotlande Others sayde it was prepared for the vse of the Frenche kyng others for this cause only that if the Emperour or king Philip his sonne whose power was waxed great by reason of Englande should straye any further they might be restrayned And therfore were the cities of the Sea coaste thought also to haue borne the charges of the same nauie After lōg and great expectation all this rumour vanished away and all this preparation was found to be made against Pirates Than was the state of Rome troublesome For that Pope hauing cōceiued a suspicion of certen nobles prouided him garrisons and placing soldiours here and there in the Citie committed Ssortia Cardinall of Sanflorian and Camillus of the house of Columnois to prison And for as muche as they were of the Emperours part many men thought he went about a greater matter And that suspicion was increased what tyme he required of the Duke of Florēce the Emperours client a wonderous great summe of mony whiche both Clement the seuenth lent Alexander Medices and lately Iuly the third lent him at the siege of Sene. The captiue Cardinalles at the length putting in suerties are inlarged The Spanishe flete that tyme came towardes Flaunders laden with all kynde of Marchaundise And when it came vpō the coastes of Normandie the Frenchemen whiche knewe it long before set vpon them with a great force And the fight conflicte was terrible the shippes being sunke and burnte on either parte and very many loste wherof some with weapon others with fire many swallowed vp of the billowes did perishe The Frenche men caried away certen shippes that they toke into Depe hauon from whence they came This was in the monthe of August whereas about the end of the same moneth kyng Philip sayling out of Englande into Flaunders came to the Emperour his father at Brusselles accompanied with the Nobles of Englande Truckesins Cardinall of Auspurge had a fewe yeares past founded an Uniuersitie at Dillinge a towne situated vpon the Riuer of Danubius by the wyll and permission of Pope Iuly the thirde who had graunted for the same a publique bull with exceading great fredoms priuileges as a wryting set forth in print declareth Hither therfore amonges other came he whome themperour of many yeares had vsed for his ghostly father or confessour as they terme him Peter Asot a Spaniarde a blacke freer He this yeare began with a contrary wryting to impugne the booke conteyning the sōme of the christen doctrine the which boke Christopher Duke of Wirtemberge sent by his Ambassadours to the fathers of the counsell of Trent as before is sayde whiche also he was not afrayde to dedicate to the same Duke But Iohn Brentius about this time aunswereth it at large and confuteth his sophisticall reasons Whiche boke of Brentius Uergerius afterwarde translated into Italian to the ende that men of his owne nation might vnderstande both what thing came in to controuersie and whether parte handled the scriptures more purely and sincerely About the Ides of September George Counte of Mountpelicarte vncle to the Duke of Wirtemberge maried the Lady Barbara the Lantgraues daughter After the arriuall of the Duke of Alba in Lumbardie the king of Fraunce also sendeth thither new ayde and many warlike captaines which ioyned them selues to Monsour Brissake as companions of his perils and fortune There is a towne wherof we haue spoken before called Uulpian which fortified with a garrison of Spaniards was a great annoyaunce to Frenche matters seing that from thence roades were made as farre as Taurin and further To the intent therfore that this only let might be taken away that they might haue victualle the Frenchemen towarde the ende of August besiege it with al their force and batter it with muche harme done and receiued At the length the .xxii. day of September they take it by surrendry and rase the walles both of the towne and Castell and make it in shape of a Uillage And a fewe dayes after they take also the Towne and Castell of Mountcalue betwixt Aste and Casale The dissention that hath bene nowe these .xxx. yeares betwixt learned men aboute the Lordes supper and of the presence of Christes body began at this time to be renewed and bokes were set forth by the ministers of the churches of Breme and Hamborough namely againste Caluine Iohn Alascus Caluine afterward aunswereth sharpely and defendeth the cause Thesame doeth Bullinger and Iohn Alascus also For setting forthe a booke to the Kyng of Poole he complayneth and bewayleth that there is no examination had or made by talke or cōference of the sentences but that the opinion is only condemned by preiudice verely after the maner of the Papistes whiche also procede not by argumentes and scripture but only by wyll and violence About the end of September Augustus Duke of Saxony had a sonne borne called Magnus his Godfathers at the fōtstone were amongest others Henry Duke of Brunswicke and Iohn Fridericke the Lantgraues sonne in lawe I haue spoken before of the Archebyshop of Cantorbury of Ridley Byshop of London and Hughe Latimer howe they being caried to Oxforde and reasoning with the diuines there were of them condemned being therfore kept in prison vnto this tyme nowe at the last in the moneth of October Ridley and olde father Latimer were burnt The Archebyshop was also brought forth with them and at the place of execution did openly call vpon God for mercy with them but he was lead againe to pryson In this same moneth the Cardinalles of Lorayne and Tournon went to Rome Then also the Senate of Paris whiche they cal the Parliament aunswering the king to that whiche the Cardinall of Loraine requested them to as before is mentioned By that proclamation of yours say they whiche came forth foure yeares since moste mighty kyng you reserued to your selfe and to your iudges the examination and punishment of Luthers heresie Neither in it was any thinge exceptep vnlesse it were what time it required any declaration of heresie or that sentence were to be pronounced of suche as had taken orders But this proclamation of yours that is now set forth doth plainly establish the contrary For it submitteth the people of your Realme to the ecclesiasticall iudgement and to the Inquisitours and by this meane it diminished your dignitie wherby you excelle all men and geueth to your subiectes a
Reliques of the holy gost The Cardinall writeth to the Duke of Saronis Campegius oratioÌ„ to the Princes at Norinberge The princes aunswere The decre of Wormes repeted The pope is wel monied The Suises are offended with them of Zuricke Yeare for the Hoste The Marchaundise of the clergie The answer of them or zuricke Authors of Scismes Matrimonie lawfull for all men What nedeth gold in the churche What is true coÌ„fessioÌ„ Howe the yoke of the Papistes is to be shaken of The Bishop of CoÌ„stance maketh a booke in defence of Images Images breÌ„t at Zuricke The decre of Norinberge Suite betwixt the Bishop senate of Strauso Thomas Murner Campcgsus raileth agaiâ—â— holye Matrimony A decree of Papistes against gospellers The lamentatioÌ„ of Lut. The golden Rose sent to the kynge of Englande Erasmus boke of Free will A decree of the duke of Loraine Henry Zutphan The Emperor biameth the Princes Themperor defendour of the Romishe churche Lut. coÌ„pared with Mahomet The duke of BourboÌ„ besieged Marfelles The begynnynge of the rustical war The Papistes fight for their bely The coÌ„plaiÌ„te of them of Zuricke The cause of theyr hatred To serue foreine princes is vile The eraâ—t of the Papistes Ecksuc theÌ„ Popes champion The pouertie and boundage of the Swices The riches and libertie of the same The constaÌ„cie of them of Zurieke The FreÌ„che kyng taken prisoner The vnconstaÌ„cie of Clement The victors of themperâ—alles The coÌ„motion of the bulgare people Theyr demaundes The duke of Wirtemberge atteÌ„pteâ—â— warrs The fyrste slaughter of Bowres Another slaughter The great crueltie of the Bowres A most cruel maner of burnynge The warre of Bowres in Loraine The slaughter of Bowres The crueltie of the Archebishop of Treuers Geismer captaine of the Bowers The league of Swelane The Masse abolisshed at Zuricke Muncer a great anabaptists Muncer will haue a token ared of God He teacheth that all thinges should be common Muncer maketh gonnes Phifer his companion Phifers enterprise The death of Fridericke the noble duke of Sax. The princes make a power A seditious oration of Muncer The saith of Abraham obteined of god great benefites Muncer rai leth on the Princes A blouddy Preacher bloweth the Crompet Gods power appeareth in sewest men Iud vii .i. Sam .xiiii. and .xvii. Muncer disceaueth the people by the Rainebowe Fearein MuÌ„cers Campe. A messenger slaine agaist the lawe of Armes An exhortaci on of the Lantzgraue The madnes of the Munceriane The slaughter of the MuÌ„cerians Muncer is taken His cruell answere He is reproued of the Lantzgraue The vnreasonable laughter of Muncer At the houre of death he repenteth Lut. diswadeth theÌ„ from sedition ii Thess .ii. The dewtie of a good Magistrate How the Magistrate shold deale wyth the Papistes Gods wrath is slowe but yet sore Thauthors of rebellion are wythout excuse What thing rebellion is How wicked dominion is to be shaken of The best way to ouer threw the popes authoritie Lu. did more with that word thaÌ„ cold haue bene don by force of Armes It appereth by the Prophecies of Briget and others The Practise of the deuill The popishe kingdoÌ„ maie not long indure Preachers ought to be circumspect Theyr demaundes Huntinge Haukyng Fishyng prohibited Lut. answer to the Bowres The Bours vse Godlye titles Gen. 7 Gene. 19. Math. 26. Roma 13. We are all blind in our own cause The state of a magistrate wherin it coÌ„sisteth The Magistrate is as necessary as the seune to the worlde The law of nature aloweth a Magistrate The christiaÌ„ lawe Math. 5. The christeÌ„ profession is harde The nature of veritie The craftes of the deuill to oppresse the Gospel Aunswere to the demaundes of the bowers No maÌ„ may be kept from the Gospell Howe ministers shoulde be ordayned Tithes must be payde Christianitie taketh not away boÌ„dage Bondage is not let to christen libertie Luters office The false title of the bowers Psal 107. The Gospel is sclasidered with rebellioÌ„ The rasers of tumultes The part of a wyse man The dutie of a Magist The ende of tyranny Of Not Daniel and â—ob Luther bloweth the troÌ„pet against the boures Ther can be nothig worse then sedicioÌ„ Lut. to vehement TheÌ„perors letters to the princes of Germany An assemble called at Auf. Carolostadius writeth against Lu. Carolostadius maketh his porgatioÌ„ Faith ought not to vauer Luther maried a NuÌ„ne Luther and Zwynglius met at Marpurge The Popes letters to theÌ„ of Paris Faber driueÌ„ out of Paris The kynges letters for Faber The story of Pruse Lut. letters of submissioÌ„ to the kynge of England The chief point of Lu. doctrine The ende of the Papistes doctrine Luth. letters to George Dake of Saxon. Duke George hateth the Gospel Thomas wulley Cardinal a Butchers sonne A league betwene EnglaÌ„d FrauÌ„ce Godlines is not to be sought for in the court The peace of Madrice The lady Elenor The kynges sonnes are pledges Counsell at Spyres The Emperours letters The Turke inuadeth HuÌ„gary A league betwene the venetians Pope FreÌ„che kyng Against false Freers The noÌ„ber of holy days A decree for Religion The begynninge of the ProtestaÌ„tes league The kynge of Hungary slayne The Emperour maried a wyfe A disputatioÌ„ at Baden A Priest burnt Discorde in Hongary The FreÌ„che league agaist the Emper. The Popes benefites to the Emper. The Emperours aÌ„swer The kyngdoÌ„ of Naples A point of that lawe Rome is the treasure house of that whole worlde The Pope the Emper. are two gret lyghtes The Pope is a warrier A counsell promysed The frenche kyngs leters to the prynces of Germany The Empe. confuteth the letters An apologie for the freÌ„ch kyng The princes letters to the Emperour An assemble at Regensburg Iohn Fridmarrieth Sibille of Cleue Rome is sacked The king of Englande The begynning of Anabaptistes The FreÌ„che Armye The Duke of Baurbon conoempned at Paris Englande hath title to Fraunce Leonarde Cesar Hopocrisy of byshops The power of Bernes Lawes of their disputacion Theames or conclusions Prayers for the dead are superfluous Religion reformed The prebids departe Ambrose Blaures Religion reformed at Geneua The victory of the gospel The kinges of FrauÌ„ce EnglaÌ„d Amballade to the Emperour The FreÌ„che kings inuectiue against the Emper. He offereth the Emper. the combat The letters of Iohn Uaiuode to the states of the Empyre His Ambassadours takeÌ„ Kyng FerdinaÌ„do forsoke kyng Lewis FerdinaÌ„dos title to Hongary The duke of Saxon the Lantgraue prepare theÌ„ to warre Paccen beheaded The Emperours aunswer to the FreÌ„ch king Themper Heraulde came at Paris An assemble at Spires Lantrech be segeth Naples Contention about the Masse The papists forboden to preache The Ambassadour of the chamber imperiall to Strausbor The bishops letters The Masse put down at Stansbor Dissentid at Basil for religion They of Basill take armure Images put downe The Masse put downe Images breÌ„t on â—sh wednesday The assemblie of Spir. The papists iÌ„ SwicerlaÌ„d make leage with kynge Ferdinando The Ambâ— of Srausborough excluded The
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
the Swycers Zuricke and Bernes agreed in one Religion the Lucernaites Urites Swites Unternaldians and Engians whiche abhorred moste this doctrine make a league with kyng Ferdinando Clement byshop of Rome the .xiij. day of Aprill sendeth Iohn Thomase of Mirandula to exhorte the prynces to warre against the Turke And al be it that he hath susteyned great losses of late yeares yet promyseth he to assiste them with ayde and to doe his endeuoure that the Emperour and the Frenche king being accorded the counsell may begynne immediatly to the intent that Germanye may embrace again the same religion that other countreis do In this assemblye the Senate of the Empire woulde not permitte Daniel Miege Ambassadour for the citie of Strasborough to sitte in counsel for by cause the Masse was abrogated before this counsell imperiall not withstanding that they were intreated to the contrary wherfore Iames Sturmius Ambassadour for the same citie sayed vnto them that in case they were thus displaced contrary to the lawe custome of the Empire let them not loke from henceforth that they wyll beare any part of charges But all might not preuayl and Ferdinando hym self aunswering the intercessours bad that any other citie that obserued the Emperours decrees should be substituted in the place of the other After a longe dispute of Religion the fourmer actes of Spires were repeted and a new decree made on this wyse They which haue hitherto obserued the Emperours decree let thē obserue the same styl vntyll the generall counsell and bynde the people to do lykewyse but suche as haue altered their Religion and can not nowe departe from the same for feare of sedition let them staye from henceforth and alter nothynge besydes vntyll the tyme of the counsell Furthermore that their doctrine whiche teache otherwyse of the Lordes Supper than the churche doth be not receyued nor the Masse abolyshed nor that in suche places where this newe kynde of doctryne is anye man be letted to go to Masse that wyll The Anabaptistes also such as defende their opinion obstinately shall suffer death the ministers of the churche are commaunded to teache according to the interpretaciō receiued by the church referring al disputable questions to be in the coūsell decided Moreouer that all states kepe the common peace none to hurte other for the cause of Religion neither one to take the defence of an others subiecte they that shall do otherwyse to be accompted in the numbre of outlawes This decree resisted the Prince electour of Saxony George Marques of Brandenborge Ernest and Frances Dukes of Lunenborough the Lātgraue counte Anhald who the .xix. of April recite openly in wryting the causes why they doe not consent thereunto And firste they doe repete the decree of the former assemblie whereby euery man hathe his Religion permitted him frely vntyll the counsell from this maye they not departe nor infrynge those thynges whiche after great delyberation were for a common quiet establyshed and with their sygnetes and othes also confirmed They woulde in deede be glad after the example of their progenitours to do all thynge that myght content the Emperour and as for their goodes and lyues also they wyll spende them wyllinglye in his hyghnes seruice but this present cause coucerneth the euerlastyng saluation of all men Wherfore they desire them not to be offended with them for that thei herein dissente from them for like as the former decree was made by the common assent of all so can not the same be broken with out all their consentes They wyll not be against that they shall in their own countrey establysh what religion shal seme good vnto them beseching God to illuminate the hartes of all men with the light knowledge of his truthe And where as there hath bene dissention and controuersie about religion certen yeares it was declared in the counsel at Norinberge who haue bene the authours and causers therof as well by the confession of the byshop of Rome hym self as also by the requestes of Prynces and states of the Empyre which were delyuered to the byshoppes legate to the numbre of foure score wherof notwithstanding as yet no redresse is made And that of al consultations this hath euer bene the ende that for the debating of controuersies and refourmyng of vices there is nothyng better than a generall counsell And where as the same left a parte they haue nowe decreed that suche as haue chaunged their Religion and can not nowe without muche trouble forsake the same shal alter nothyng from henceforth that can they neither cōmende nor allowe vnlesse they should discredite the doctrine whiche they haue professed hitherto as both true and Godly graunt moreouer that they ought to leaue the same if thei might with any tumulte or vprores And what thynges els were that thā to denye gods worde whiche is taught them purely and syncerely whiche were the moste heynous offence that coulde be committed For they must confesse it not in wordes only but in very deede also Moreouer what an hynderaunce this abnegation would be and howe muche preiudiciall to the fauourers of the Gospell it is easy to coniecture As cōcernyng the Masse it is ryght well knowen with howe strong and inuincible testimonies of holy Scripture the preachers within their dominiōs haue confuted the Popishe Masse and in steade therof instituted the Lordes supper according to the institution of Christe and the maner by the Apostles obserued wherfore they can neither admitte this part of the decree neyther permitte their subiectes to heare Masse whiche is abolyshed For though the byshop of Romes Masse were neuer so good and godly yet if they should haue in their churches two cōtrary Masses al mē may wel perceiue what grudge dissentiō would there vpon ensewe Moreouer where they do prescribe what they shal commaunde their owne subiectes and what lawes they shall make with in their owne dominions they can not a lytle maruell consyderynge that they them selues would not suffer any man to doe the lyke with them Furthermore what thyng is taught in their churches touchyng the presence of the body and bloud of Christe is so euydent to all men that it nedeth no further declaratiō Notwithstandyng as they haue sayde oftentymes so thynke they it good now also not as yet to make any decree against thē that teache otherwise for that the Emperours commissiōs teach the Latin beneth maketh no mentiō therof And agayne for as muche as the maynteners of that doctrine are nother called nor hearde whiche in so weyghty matters is muche to be considered that nothyng be determyned at any tyme and they not hearde speake whome the matter doth chiefly concerne And where as they saye that the Gospell must be taught after the interpretations approued by the churche that is very well but all the stryfe is which is the trewe church But seyng there is no doctrine more certen than Gods worde and besydes that