but euen our owne soules and not onely as is said in an other place to leaue their father and mother but also to hate them yea our owne liues Briefly Iesus Christ would that we should be readie to forsake all when the confession of his truth requireth it There are learned people of our age which say they haue seene foure bookes which he writ Intituled a Collection of the Catholike and Canonicke scripture He writ also a booke Intituled the fiftie markes and signes of false Prophes Hee writ against Bonauenture who then was the chiefe Buckler of the begging Friars Matheus Paris an English Historiographer writes that in this same time there was in the schoole of Paris great disputations against Monkes which by multitude would needs oppresse and oppugne all the schoole hauing forged a new booke full of errors and blasphemies which they then reiected and intituled Euangelium eternum that is the euerlasting Gospell which they would needs bring into light But to appease this tumult there were sixe delegates of all the schoole which were of the greatest estimation in all the Vniuersitie amongst which was Guilliam de S. Amour to send them to Rome vnto the Pope and shewe the insolencies and blasphemies of those Monkes The Monkes also sent thither on their part and after great contention their errors were condemned touching their eternall Gospell But the Pope with certaine Cardinals Monkes repressed nothing the tirannie of the begging Friars thinking it was needfull that such his black gard should become mightie ouer all These be the words of Matheus Paris who was in this time Wee also finde a booke written in this time intriuled de periculis mundi of the daungers of the world which the Papists attributed vnto Guilliam de S. Amour making him alone of that opinion but it seemeth to haue bin written by many and conteineth complaines against those new rising Monkes with an aduertisement vnto the Church that by them great mischiefes would follow This S. Amour was condemned an heretike wherevpon great stirres fell out amongst the schooles at Paris but to obey the Popes commaundement Guilliam S. Amour was banished from France We heare that some of his bookes are yet at this day in the librarie at Sorbone and many other Doctors haue since written the like as in our discourse shal be said Truth is alwaies banished yet still getteth the vpper hand of all Alexander being come to Viterbe to make peace betwixt the Venetians and Geneuois died there and the seate was vacant foure moneths Albert the great and other studious people were at this time at Paris An Aduertisement From Siluester the 2. that diuellish Magician vntil this time 1260. Popes haue raigned as Incarnate diuels in all trumperies deceites oppressions of the good and manifest tirannies Their Cardinalls Legates and Bishops haue come out from them as Sathans to trouble the world The greatest Monarkes haue bene tormented by their infernall furies Examples for all are the two Emperours Henry the fourth and fift the two Fredericks first and second and other Princes of the earth From henceforward from Innocent the fourth and Alexander the fourth the Popes by a new forged Armie established and priuiledged by them they wasted and destroyed all that is to say by foure Sects of Mendicant Monkes which like true Locusts deuoured and consumed by their Sophistike doctrine whatsoeuer was greene of the word of God From which like theeues which enter into the sheepfolde by breaches and mines nothing can bee looked for henceforth but thefts robberies persecutions and murthers of the true faithfull which God gaue and raised vp to maintaine the eternall veritie Vrbain Pope 4. of that name French borne at Troy in Campagne a Monke of the order of Cysteaux Patriarke of Ierusalem ruled at Rome three yeares one moneth and foure dayes The Greekes recouered Constantinople which the French had held 55. yeares Chron. of the Kings of France and the Sea of Hist. Vrbain instituted the Feast of the Sacrament and the Octaues with Indulgences whereof he was free to such as obserued the said Feast Martin fift Pope doubled them and added yet others to such as fasted the eue and as went to the Precession and Communion that day S. Thomas d' Aquin Iacopin made the office of the said feast with the Prose and the Hymne and sent it to the Pope who for a recompence of such an inuention sent him a Doue of siluer c. Naucler The yeare of Christ 1263. Vrbaine sent to S. Lewis King of France that he would send him his brother Charles Count Angiou and Count de Prouence with a good Armie then hee would crowne him King of Sicilie and giue him Pouille Calabria Hee said that the said Kingdome was held of the Romane Church and that the king of Sicilie was the Popes man Vrbain caused the Croisado to be preached in France against Manfroy who occupied the said Sicilia The said Charles came and marched in battaile against Manfroy and after against Conradin and ouercame them both and so obtained the Lands but the end was miserable For the Sicilians after in the yeare 1282. rebelled against him maintaining the quarell of the king of Arragon whom they would needs haue for their king And they marked the doores and gates of whatsoeuer houses the French men lay in in the Countrey then at an euening slew them all indifferently and opened which they knew to be great with childe with the French men and cast away their fruite that there might remaine none of that generatiō in that Countrey This occasion was afterward ordinarily called The Euensong of Sicilie In this time Bonauenture Generall of the Friers wrote two bookes against M. Guilliam de S. Amour The one of the pouertie of Christ and the other an Apologie of the poore The Bishoppricke of Ratisbone was offered vnto him but he refused it louing better to follow his studies and died of the age of 80. yeares Chron. Abb. Vnder this Pope the Idolatrie of Chaplets was inuented at Amiens in Picardie called Peter the Hermit See Peter Viret of the spring of Chapelets The Souldane made a great Armie in Siria A Comet seene 3. monethes together This Pope died at Peruse and for troubles the seate was vacant 10. monethes Clement Pope fourth of that name borne at Narbone ruled at Rome 3. yeares 9. monethes and 21. dayes before hee was called Hugo Falcodius hee had bene an aduocate and was after the king of France his Councellor After the death of his wife he was Bishop of Puy and after Archbishop of Narbone lastly Cardinall and Bishop of Sabine Finally by the Pope Vrbane hee was sent into England for the reformation of peace and being in that Legation was chosen Pope at Peruse after the death of Vrbain He caused to come info Italie Charles brother of the king of France and made him Senator of Rome and sent two Cardinalls into the Church of
obserued as the Gospell which is a sacriledge to compare humane ordinances with the eternall word of the liuing God It was there also ordained that no Bigamus should be ordained Priest and that Priestes accused of the people should haue this authoritie that by oath they might purge thēselues and approue their innocencie By this meanes they would be all innocent Monkes were forbidden to carry any to baptise and women that they should not enter into anye Monasterie of Monkes In Italie after a great drought there came an innumerable multitude of Grashoppers which consumed all the graine and fruite whereof came a great famine in Italie which endured two yeares Chro. Euseb The Legends of Saintes were forged at this time of such liues as these Fathers writ Many Relikes were found out by the subtilties of Sathan As Christes Coate vppon which the souldiers cast Lottes is said to be found in a Coffer of Marble in the Towne of Zapha and frō thence carried into the towne of Ierusalem Abb. Vrsperge and Naucler Such foule absurdities merit no recitall but that the greatest of the world haue bene deceiued with these inuentions of Relikes Argentuel nigh Paris made a Banner of this Coat Agilulsphus king of the Lombards was 2. yeares before Rome and the Arrabian Sarrasins entered into Sicilie and by fire wasted it Mauricius otherwise a good Prince who had many victories especially against the Persians in the end became odious to his souldiers because of his infinit couetousnesse which is a very detestable vice in a Prince He by his auarice dissembled rapines and murthers and payed not his souldiers but not them especially which serued vpon the Frontiers of Sarmatia to resist the fiercenesse of the Scithians They remained in barraine places enduring great necessities For this cause the souldiers conspired against him and Phocas was designed Emperour Who caused his M. Maurice his head to be cut off in Chalcedone the heads also of his wife three Children Theodorus Tiberius and Constantine the rehearsall thereof is worthy memorie that Maurice seeing his children murthered by Phocas and that hee himselfe straightway must be put to death he often cryed in this voice which is in 145. Psalme and verse 12. Lord thou art iust and thy iudgements are also And so dyed of the age of 63. yeares and the 20. yeare of his Empire We may learne by the example of the Emperour who was not of the worst in great cruell temptations in such sort to bridle our thoughts that the iustice of God may alwayes haue his praise and be vnto vs a buckler against all temptations Colomban of Scotland a very renowmed Bishop dyed the yeare 598. Abb. Trit The Lombards were conuerted to the Faith by S. Gregorie who writ his Dialogues and presented them to Theodelinde the wife of Agilulphus their King Supplem Chron. Eutropius a Bishop at this time Abb. Trit Phocas 42. in number and the 19. of the Grecian Emperours of Constantinople which ruled in the East from a Gouernour of Scythia after he had wickedly slaine his maister was chosen by the vnlucky Armie whereof he had charge a verie slaue of couetousnesse who handled secret matters with Courtiers after the manner of the Persians and solde the Offices of Magistrates Iudgements and dearly loued such as tormented the people by rapine and extortion This is hee who first ordeined that Rome should first be the chiefe of all Churches yea though it were Constantinople Gregorie the first besides so many ceremonies and superstitions made certaine ordinances and gaue permissions and lycences Amongst others he suffered diuorces for the long disease of a woman which cannot yeeld her dutie to her husband if he cannot conteine vpon condition notwithstanding that he helpe and succour his said wife in her disease This is in the second Epistle to Augustine the English man And in the second volume of Councells But why then did he not rather vse moderation towardes men and women which were cast into Monasteries when they cannot conteine wherefore constraine they them not to marry See the same Epistle Hee made many bookes amongst many others the Dialogues of the miracles of Saints in foure bookes which are full of Fables whereby he pretendeth to prooue that the soules of the dead returne againe and that we must pray for them These Fables inuented to pray for the dead gaue great authoritie to Masses which after came in great credit Sauinian Pope a Tuscane after Gregorie gouerned the Church of Rome two yeares He is accounted the third Pope noted of abhominable infamie an insatiable man and a sworne enemie of his predecessor Gregorie euen to cause his bookes to be burnt He being once admonished to follow the liberallitie of the said Gregorie towards the poore he answered that he dissipated and wasted the goods of the Church to get a good report and the fauour of the people Hee passed not his Popedome without inuenting and ordaining something namely that there should bee burning Lampes kept continually in the Temple and the houres of the day should be distinguished and rung in Churches The sea of Histories Boniface Pope the third of that name a Romane after Naucler ruled in the Church of Rome one yeare fiue moneths In a Sinode at Rome of 72. Bishops 30. Priests and some Deacons it was ordained vnder paine of excommunication that none should be elected Pope or Bishop but three daies after the death of his predecessour and by the consent of the Prince or of the Lord of the place It was also ordained that all such as by gifts fauour came to any Episcopall dignitie should be excommunicated Then it followeth that all their Bishops at this day are excommunicated This Pope ordained that the Aultar should be couered with cleane cloathes That the corporall of the Aultar should be kept cleane This Phocas as is said the murtherer of his M. the Emperour ordeined Boniface Bishop of Rome the soueraigne Bishop of all Chistianitie and the Romane Church chiefe of all the Churches of the world Abb. Vrsp. The primacie then of the Romane Church was established by an homicide and a traytor who died miserably Cosroes King of the Persian vnderstanding his Father in lawe Maurice was put to death by the ambushes of Phocas detested so that treason that he rebelled against the Empire In such sort that he wasted Siria and tooke Ierusalem where there were nintie thousand men slaine And the Chronicles adde that the wood of the holy Crosse was then taken and carried into Persia and the Bishop Zacharie was also prisoner The East Empire beganne to decline The Hans likewise reuolted against the Empire and with their great multitude they ouerranne the Romane Prouinces The Persians occupied Mesopotamia and Assiria and from Ierusalem ranne euen to Cappadocia and Gallatia and succoured all the Country euen to Chalcedone On the other side the Sarrazins wasted Egipt Boniface Pope 4. of that
vnto the people The 18. day of May Charles the ninth of that name sonne of Henry de Valois and of Catherine de Medicis was sacred king at Reimes in Campagne and soone after crowned at S. Denis in France The Churches of his kingdome to the eye-sight flourished to the preiudice whereof was made an Edict called of Iuly notwithstanding which they maintained themselues with great testimonies of the blessings of God In the meane while the king of Nauarre the first Prince of the bloud next vnto the kings brethren sent for Peter Martyr and Theodore de Beza to be at the disputation of Poissy which were sent thither by the Lords of Zurich and Geneua The 24. of August the Prince of Conde was recōciled by the King and his Councell with the Duke of Guise who vpon the Princes words which he spake on high I hold him and them for villaines which haue caused my imprisonment answered I beleeue so it nothing toucheth me Soone after the gouernmēt of the kingdome during the kings minoritie who was then but ten yeares old an halfe was cōfirmed to the queene mother In the meane while the deputies of the Churches and certaine other Ministries with safe conduit arriued at Poissy presented vnto the king a request for the order of the disputation and also the confession of their faith who with good countenance receiued thē promising to communicate their requests vnto his Councell make them an answere by his Chancelor In the beginning of September many requests were presented to set forward that which was begun and finally the 9. of the said moneth in the presence of the King Prince Lords and notable persons of the kingdome of France as wel of y e one as the other religion Theodore de Beza in the name of all the French Churches after publike inuocatiō of the name of God made long oration cōprehending a summary of all the Christian doctrine held preached by the Ministers of the reformed Churches and his oration finished he presented their cōfession of faith which was receiued deliuered into the hands of the prelates to prepare themselues to answer it But they opposed themselues only against two Articles of that oratiō The one of the Supper and the other of the Church and pronounced their answere by Charles Cardinal of Lorraine who had for his maister Claude Despence a Doctor of Sorbone who once shewed some seed of religion This answere hauing bene made certain daies after the oration the Ministers prayed that they might reply straight way but it was deferred to an other day and audience was giuen them but not so notable as the first thē fel there out a sharp disputation which began an other time after a third oration Then entred into conference fiue of the Romane Churches side with fiue of the reformed Churches who after a long disputation vpon the matter of the Supper retired without according any thing assuredly Frō the end of this moneth vntil the end of this yeare diuers leagues factions were made against the Churches seditiōs were stirred at Paris and in other places against the Christians assembling to heare the word of God the kings councel being occupied to prouide by some Edict against the mischief to come to procure rest for the kingdome About this yeare died Shuvenckfeld a very pernitious heretike who by his wicked doctrine greatly endamaged the Churches of Almaine The summe of his principall errours was to reuiue and renew againe the heresie of Eutiches For hee maintained that the humaine nature of Iesus Christ ought no more to be called a creature but we must think that it is at this day swallowed vp by the diuine nature by that meanes cōfounding the two natures Vpon this foundation so badly placed he established other mōstrous opinions the fault was in not wel cōsidering the vniō of the two natures in Christ and the communicatiō of the properties But these opinions are not dead with him but contrary haue bene renued promoted by such who will needes at this day haue the the humaine nature of Christ infinit In the moneth of Ianuary which was then 1591. because they then began the yeare at Easter and at this present we begin it the first of Ianuary an assembly was made of the most notable persons of all the Parliaments and other renowmed people besides the priuie Councellors which decreed and set foorth that notable Edict named of Ianuary which permitted free exercise to them of the Religō through all the kingdome of France prouiding good securitie for all people and rest for the Common-wealth Many thought that hereby the Churches should haue rest when soone after newes arriued of the massacre of Vassi committed by Francis the Duke of Guise who in his owne presence caused 42. persons of the Religion to be slaine and a great number others to be wounded being all assembled to heare the word of God This was the beginning of the ciuil warres of France For the Duke of Guise and his partakers tooke Armes on the one side The Prince of Conde the Admirall and others meaning to maintaine the Royall authoauthoritie the Edict of Ianuary and the Churches that were vnder the protection and defence thereof opposed themselues against them by Armes also and the war began through all the kingdome where infinit cruelties were exercised in diuers places against them of the Religion as the history of our time maketh mention Many Townes Fortresses were besieged carried away by assaults sacked spoiled more cruelly thē by the most barbarous people in the world diuers encounters bloodie battailes namely that of Dreux wherein the two chiefe Captaines of both partes remained prisoners many of the Nobilitie and souldiers as well Straungers as French were slaine Churches dissipated and dispersed in most part of the Prouinces and a maruellous desolation in infinite Families Maximilian the Emperour Ferdinands sonne was declared king of the Romanes the 14. day of Nouember and sixe daies after he was crowned two moneths before he was crowned king of Boheme Peter Martyr borne at Florence an excellent Theologian and professor of Theologie at Zurich where he writ bookes full of great and sound doctrine died the 12. day of Nouember being then of the age of 63. yeares The ciuill warre continued in France notwithstanding the taking of the Prince of Conde and the Constable The Duke of Guise hauing laid siege before the Towne of Orleance being kept by them of the Religion was wounded in the shoulder with a Pistoll shot the 18. day of February and died certaine dayes after in great torments By this meanes Orleance was deliuered a peace concluded the moneth following the Edict of Ianuary abolished in the most part of the Articles to the great disaduantage of them of the Religion which notwithstanding tooke hart and in the quarters maintained themselues in their accustomed order In the moneth of Iuly
of the Lorde and was consumed with vermine and died miserably because hee yeelded no glorie vnto God and so the persecution ceased Heere is a second mirrour of Gods iudgement against such as oppresse the Church Saint Paul after his conuersion returned fiue times to Ierusalem At his last beeing there hee recited the Historie of his Ministerie in the assembly of the Elders of the Church His preachings were greatly spread abroad neither ceased hee to plant the Gospell wheresoeuer he went as it appeareth in the Acts. He preached at Rome by the space of two yeares although he was a prisoner Where before there was an assembly of the faithfull as the Epistle to the Romanes witnesseth Philippe the Apostle preached in Samaria where there was a Church which retired thither after the death of Saint Steuen In Azote the Church assembled from thence it went into the Maritine Townes Peter the Apostle also preached the Gospell in many Townes as is at large seene in the Historie of the Acts. Origine in his Tome vpon Genesis saith it seemeth that Peter preached in Pontus Galatia Asia Bithinia and Cappadocia to the dispearced Iewes There was also a Church in Babilon as he himselfe witnesseth in the fist of his first Epistle In Phinicia and Siria in Tyre Sidon Serentia Silicia Pamphilia Pisidia Attalia Lycaonia Also in Pontus Galatia Cappadocia Asia Bithinia Misia and Phrigia Vnto these did S. Peter write The seuen Churches of Asia are named in the Apocalips namely Ephesus Smirna Pergamus Thyatirus Sardis Philadelphia and Laodicia Aboue all the Church of Antioche was most famous where the Disciples were first called Christians Some say this was the thirtie and eight yeare after Christ others fortie Paul and Barnabas remained there one whole yeare Acts. 11. and 13. Saint Iohn the Apostle and Euangelist after hee had preached the Gospell through all Asia he finally retired into the Towne of Ephesus where he remained many yeares From thence the Church might easily spread it selfe into Europe which was nigh therevnto Now we see the beginning of the Kingdome of Christ and as it were a renewment of the world About the yeare 42. the vengeance of God fell vpon Pilate For after the Iewes had accused him of too great crueltie Lord Vitellius then Gouernour of Siria commaunded him to goe to Rome to answere the accusations that were to bee laid against him But as hee was in the way hee died Tiberius as Iosephus reciteth in the eighteenth of Antiquities Chapter fiue Eutropius in his seuenth booke saith that Pilate was nipped and pinched with so great anguishes because Caligula troubled him that striking and beating himselfe with his owne hands he sought to destroy himselfe See Eusebius in his 2. booke Chap. 7. This same yeare it is held that Saint Mathew writte his Gospell in Iudea The same yeare the Tetrach ship of Herodes was deliuered to Agrippa and a great discomfiture now the second time was made of the Iewes in Babilon See Iosephus in the last Chapter of his Antiquities Claudius the fift Emperour was chosen to the Imperial dignitie the aforesaid yeare and raigned fourteen yeares and nine moneths Herodes Agrippa the yeare 15. and the third of Claudius held the Kingdome of Iudea of the gift of Caligula and Claudius Beeing departed from Rome to come to Ierusalem hee thought good to make a shew to the Iewes that he loued their Religion and after to gratifie the high Priests he put to death certaine of the faithfull At this time Churches were gouerned by the Apostles which were instructed in the schoole of the sonne of God and therefore there is no gouernment to be compared to this Yet in this time the dwell had his instruments in Churches gouernment that is to say false Apostles and false bretheren Euen alreadie wrought he the secret of Iniquitie by his Antichrist 2. Thessa 2. and 1. Iohn 2. and 4. There were Heretickes Titus 3. Dogges Philip. 3. Wolues and men speaking peruerse things Acts 20. People which were neither hotte nor colde Apoca. 3. If at this time Sathan had such license how bolde thinke we will he be now that they are gone Amongst them which now gouerned the Church some were giuen Apostles to visit Churches Their charge was to sowe the Gospell throughout the world They had no place assigned Besides the twelue Paul and Barnabas are called Apostles Acts 14. Epaphroditus is called the Apostle of the Philippians Philippians 2. Andronicus and Iunia are called notable amongst the Apostle Romanes sixteene Prophets are they which had the gift not onely to Interpret scripture but also to apply it to the true vse S. Paul preferreth Prophecie before all other gifts Euangelistes hadde an office which came nigh vnto the Apostleship The difference was onely in the degree of dignitie Of this estate was Timothie and his like which succoured the Apostles 2. Timoth. 4.5 Philip is called an Euangelist Act. 21. b. 8. Doctors were for the conseruation of the puritie of Religion that the holy doctrine might bee kept and published Saint Luke ioyneth Prophets with Doctors Acts. 13. a. 1. Priest signifieth Auncient not for that they were of an age but because age commonly hath with it more wisedome experience and grauitie Vnder this name are comprehended as well Pastors as such as were ordeined for the Regiment of the Church S. Peter calles himselfe Priest shewing thereby that it was a common name Deacons is a general name of seruice but is taken for such as had the charge to dispence the Almesses Actes 19. a. 22. Ministers or seruants are called Adioints or such as accompanied the Apostles in their viands Timothie and Erastus ministred to S. Paul Act. 19. a. 22. Bishop and Priest was then one same name and office Saint Hierome in his Epistle to Euagoras witnesseth it But afterward whilest Schismes endured one was chosen from amongest the Priests and set in the most principall place and called Bishoppe or Superintendent And therefore the office of Bishoppe was after helde to bee higher then the Priests Saint Paul commaunded Titus to place in euerie Towne Priests or Bishoppes Titus 1. a. 5.6.7 See Acts 20. f. 28. With the good seede which was all ouer as is said dispersed there beganne also heresies to be cast into the Lords field The first and most pernitious were the Simoniaques The originall whereof was Simon Magus borne in a Towne of Samaria which Iustin calleth Triton and Eusebius Gitton a man exercised in Letters who by his Arts enchaunted many in Samaria before Philip had conuerted them As is recited in the Acts. Chap. 8. After S. Peter had discouered his wicked Hipocrisie hee went away in such despite that making a mingle-mangle of the dreames of Philosophers and Painims with the religions of the Iewes and that which he learned of the Gospell he corrupted and transferred to his owne person that which was spoken of Iesus Christ of the holy Ghost and of the saluation of man
vailable 8. q. 3. c. Salus in omnibus Galen the Phisitian flourished at this time Valentine the hereticke a Platonician denied the resurrection of the flesh Hee affirmed that Christ tooke no humane flesh off the Virgines wombe but that hee passed through it as through a conduit Cerdon the Stoike said at Rome that the holy Ghost descended not vpon the Apostles but vpon himselfe Note here the saying of Tertullian namely that the Philosophers are Patriarkes of heretickes Martian the Stoike a follower of Menander made two contrary principles This Pope seeing hee named himselfe so was a learned man and made a booke intituled De Trinitate vnitate Dei. Pius first of that name 11. Pope of Rome an Italian of Aquilia ruled at Rome a 11. yeares Some say hee ordeined that Easter should be celebrated vpon the Sunday by the perswasion of Hermes who said it had bene reuealed vnto him by an Angell in likenes of a shepheard And this ordinance was after confirmed by many Pope That hee decreed punishments for Ecclesiasticall persons which administred the Sacraments of the body and bloud of Christ negligently That is to say that he that by imprudency negligently let fal vpō the earth any of the blood of Christ so speakes he should do penance 40. dayes If it fell vpon the Aultar 3. dayes If vpon the Chalice cloth 4. dayes If on any other cloth 9. dayes And that the said bloud so falne should be licked scraped or washed and after all burnt and kept for the Sacristeres By litle and litle then the Romane seate beganne to forge ordinances Also that Virgins or Nunnes should not take vpon them the vaile before the age of 25. yeares Item that if any Ecclesiasticall person did sweare or blaspheme he should be deposed and euery Laie person excommunicated Anicetus 12. Pope a Sirian ruled 10. or a 11. yeares wise and of good life Some attribute vnto him that hee ordained the Crowne for Priests He was martyred vnder Marcus Aurelius In his time Egesippus an Hebrew came to Rome dwelt there vntill Eleutherius Iustinus a Christian Phylosopher writ a booke in defence of Faith and Religion to the Emperour Antonius Pius who also was much enclined to maintaine it He writ against Martian Policarpus Bishop of Smyrna in Ionia which is in Asia the lesse aboue Ephesus came to great age Ireneus saith that he was ordeined Bishop by the Apostles and it is likely that he began his ministery the 2. or 3. of Traian S. Ierome in his Catalogue saith he was placed there by S. Iohn the Euangelist who dyed the yeare 68. after the passion of Iesus Christ as most say Ireneus reciteth of him that one day as Marcian encountred him and said vnto him Take knowledge with vs. Policarp answered him I know thee for the first sonne of Satan And Ireneus saith further There are some haue heard him say that Iohn the Disciple of Iesus went into Bathes to wash himselfe and seeing Cerinthus the hereticke there he went out and washing himselfe saying Let vs flie from hence least this house fall vpon vs where Cerinthus enemy of the truth washeth Note how the Disciples of the Apostles had this rule not to communicate with them which falsifie the truth of the Gospell Whilest Policarpus was at Rome he withdrew many from their heresies Marcus Aurelius Antoninus Verus the brother of Antonius Pius obtained the Empire 18. yeares Lucius Verus his sonne in lawe gaue himselfe to dice and to haunt the Stewes Therfore was he sent into Siria by Marcus Aurelius and at last as some say poisoned After some he dyed of an Apoplexe So Marcus Aurelius Antoninus raigned alone The fourth persecution after Nero was stirred against the Christians by Marcus Aurelius And as Eusebius saith many euils happened in Italie great pestilence warre earthquakes Invndations of waters and a multitude of Grashoppers In the meane while by the persecutions as it were continuall the Christians affaires encreased from day to day by the doctrine of the Apostles Disciples Wherof yet many then did liue that the Christian Religion tooke strong roote being thus bedeawed with the bloud of Martyrs We must not here forget the sentence of Iustine spoken in a colloquie with Trypheus Hee saith thus Men may each day perceiue that we which beleeue in Christ cannot be astonished nor turned backe Let them cut off our heads Let them crucifie vs Let them expose vs to beasts to fires or other torments and so much more as men torment vs so much more do the number of Christians encrease Euen as when a Vine is cut it is but to make it more fertile So the Vine which God hath planted and the Sauiour Iesus that is his people cannot but multiply by torments c. Melito Bishop of Sardis writ to the Emperour for the Faith and Christian Religion Apollinaris Bishop of Hierapolis was at this time Theophilus Bishoppe of Antioche writ against Martian Denis Bishop of Corinthe Iustus Bishoppe of Vienne a Martyre for the Faith Attalus Blandina Photin Bishop of Lions a Martyr also for the Faith Persecution in Asia The end of the life of Policarpus was at this time Marcus Antonius Verus and the chiefe Gouernours of the Empire caused such a persecution that it came euen to the Christians which dwelt in the Towne of Smyrna whereof Policarpus was Bishoppe and had beene a long time and was there burnt hauing serued the Church of God about three score and tenne yeares which was the seuenth of this Emperour Some say hee was of the age of foure score and sixe yeares The Prayer of Policarpus before his death is in the Eccleciast History Booke 4. His bones taken out of the fire were laide in a Sepulchre Pionius Martyre Soter an Italian 13. Pope helde the seate about tenne yeares He endured many aduersities and in the ende was Martyred He ordained that none should celebrate without two men present That Nunnes should carry Vailes on their heads That they might not touch sacred Ornaments as Chalices Corporalles and that they should not Incense in the Temple nor about Aultars In his second Decretall he calleth himselfe Pope Hee instituted that each Priest doing his Office should haue with him an other Priest If there chaunced some suddaine necessitie to happen Hee saide that an oath made imprudenly which redounded to an euill ende ought not to be kept For it were better saith he to periure himselfe then for keeping his oath to fall into a greater crime At this time Peregrine a Philosopher did publickely at Pise cast himselfe into the fire vpon vaine-glorie At this time beganne the Cataphryges heretikes by Montanus with Priscilla and Maximilla They vsed in their Sacrifices a Childes blood which they mingled with Flowre or with Breade If the Childe whose blood was drawne out dyed they held him for a Martyr If
he liued for a great Priest Montanus was of Phrygia of a Towne called Ardaba Hee called himselfe the Paraclet Hee forbadde marriage and inuented and instituted Fastes Against those Heretickes writte Apollinaris Hierapolitaine and before him Milciades and Apollonius Appelles the Disciple of Marcian whome Theodotius called the great Hereticke put a beginning to God Also that Christ appeared in a fantasticke bodie Tatianus and his followers Encratites and Seuerians in this time These abstained from all kindes of flesh and drunke no wine They blamed Marriage as well as fornication They cast off the Epistles both of S. Paul and S. Peter The Doctrine of Christian libertie beganne at this time to bee greatly obscured and by little and little the errour tooke encrease For although yet there was no forbidding to vse the good thinges or God yet the Historie of Alcibiades recited in Eusebius Booke 5. Chap. 3. sheweth that by little and little men beganne to place a certaine Religion in seruices forged at pleasure This Alcibiades was one of the Martyres which suffered death in Gaul vnder Marcus Antonius Verus the Emperour Hee vsed to liue so austerely as hee did eate onely bread and drunke water In so much that beeing in prison hee would vse no other diet Attalus a Romane a man renowned amongst the Martyrs being also imprisoned shewed Alcibiades a better way and brought him to this point that after hee vsed indifferently the creatures of God without scruple and with thankesgiuing Eleutherius borne in Greece at Nicopolis ruled at Rome 15. yeares and more Hee made a commaundement against the heresie of the Seuerans which then raigned that no Christian for any ceremonie should reiect any sort of meates whereof there is an accustomed vse Also that none should be dismissed of his Office vnlesse first hee be accused and conuinced of crime That Bishops should finish nothing in an accusation intended against a Bishop without knowledge of the Pope but they might determine by Sentences the causes of other Church people That a Clarke may not be drawne into any cause but before his Bishop from whom if there were cause of suspition he might appeale Christian Religion then greatly augmented and came into farre greater suertie then before Lucius King of England and his Countrey receiued the Faith Many Nobles of Rome with their wiues and children were conuerted and Baptized The said Lucius left his Kingdome and went to preach the Faith first in France after in Almaine where hee was martyred Smyrna in Asia whereof Policarpus was Bishop was ouerthrowne by Earthquake and for the repaire of it tributes and tallages were laid Commodus the 18. Emperour raigned 13. yeares cruel luxurious incestuous of his owne Neeses hee held in his Pallaice three hundreth Concubines and three hundreth buggering boyes In a wicked rage he slew Lucilla his sister Being at the hot houses and but pricked with a Flea he cast the maister of the house into the Furnace Ireneus Bishop of Lions flourished The Temple of Serapis burnt in Alexandria The Capitoll at Rome and the Librarie burnt by lightning Apollonius a Senator of Rome accused to be a Christian presented to the Senate a booke conteining a defence of the Christians He was beheaded because the Imperiall lawe had so ordeined it Heereby appeares that Popes or Bishops of Rome were not as at this present they are Apollonius a man of authoritie could not shunne the sentence of death onely because he was a Christian hauing so many friends at Rome The Imperiall Lawe then was that such as were in Iudgement conuicted to be Christians should be punished with death Commodus made die many Noble persons It is recited in the History of the Martyrs of Gaule that the Painims sollicited and by torments constrained the seruants of Christians to confesse of their maisters things impossible once to be imagined Namely that they did eate the flesh of litle children that they committed paldiardizes and whoredomes such as is vnlawfull to name In so much as they which before had vsed some moderation in Christians causes gaue themselues greater licence to exercise crueltie against them This happened at Lions and at Vienne Eusebius reciteth it in his Epistle of the faithfull of Lions and of Vienne in Chap. 1. of the 5. booke At Rome the Pallace and the Temple of Vesta and of Peace and the greatest part of the Towne was consumed by fire Commodus the 13. yeare of his Empire was strangled of the age of 32. yeares by the counsell of Martia his chiefe Concubine who fauoured the Christians and other her friends which he had condemned to death because they shewed him certain his insolencies but they by this meanes preuented him and little there wanted that the bodie of this Tyrant was not drawne into Tyber by the common people Aelius Pertmax the ninteenth Emperour held the Empire by the space of sixe moneths His couetousnesse caused his death for retaining his souldiers wages He was of the age of seuentie yeares Didius Inhanus of Millaine 20. Emperour raigned foure or seuen or two moneths as some say Hauing slaine his predecessor hee was slaine of his Successor of the age of 56. yeares For his auarice he was hated of all Some say he was slaine by a souldier of little estimation within his Pallaice Victor Bishop of Rome borne in Affricke ruled tenne yeares He ordeined that such as would not reconcile themselues should be depriued of the Table of the Lord. Hee instituted that vnlesse it were in cases of necessitie Catholicke Baptisme should be celebrated in the time of the feast of Easter As we may see in the first Decretall Epistle attributed vnto him It were incredible if all Historians did not witnesse it that for the day of celebratiō of the feast of Easter so great a schisme should happen in the Church that of a dissention and question thereof so terrible a warre should come and all by this Victors meanes who would needs haue the feast of Easter celebrated on the Sunday because of the mysterie of the resurrection and would not haue the Fastes broken but on that day Victor writ to Policrates who was a Ruler amongst the Bishops of Asia and gaue commaundement in his Letters whereat all the Bishops of Asia were greatly offended Septimus Seuerus Pertinax borne in Affrica 21. Emperour raigned 18. yeares and dyed of the age of 70. yeares in England Many Sinodes were held in diuers Prouinces touching the Feast of Easter vpon what day it should be celebrated and by common accord it was agreed that the saide Feast of Easter should be celebrated vpon the Lordes day on which was his Resurrection and on no other day But the Bishops of the Countrey of Asia were of a contrary opinion saying that they should keepe the customes of of their Auncestors touching that Which Victor seeing would needs haue depriued generally all the Churches of Asia and
medowes and possessions and their goods should be common and distributed to nourish Ministers the poore and Notaries called Protonotaries which writ the Acts of the Martyrs Origines the tenth yeare of the Empire of Alexander fled from Alexandria into Cesaria of Palestine for a popular sedition there Some say hee was marteried vnder Alexander For although Alexander fauoured the Christians yet were many martyred by his Officers For he made no Edict to prouide for the affaires of the Christians Pontian a Romane Bishop of Rome ruled 6. yeares or nine after Damasus Two Decretall Epistles are attributed vnto him which haue this common argument with many others not to molest nor accuse Priests By Damasus it is attributed vnto him that hee should ordaine sixe Priestes 5. Deacons and 6. Bishops Martian the Scottish Historiographer saith that Pontian was sent into exile into Sardinia the first yeare of Maximin At this time at Rome were 36. Priests Cardinalls that is to say eminent and principall amongst others which especially had care of the saluation of soules Of which they say Marcellius ordained 15. to bury the dead and to baptise Children Our Cardinalls of this time would heere take their originall But indeed they beganne in the time of Innocent the fourth about the yeare of Christ 1244. Iulius Maximin borne in Thrace 26. Emperour without authoritie of the Senate but by the Souldiers because he was a great and puissant man he raigned about three yeares A man inhumane and furious he was slaine of the souldiers at the age of 60. yeares with his sonne of the age of 19. yeares and their bodies cast into the Riuer He raised the sixt persecution against the Christians and especially against the Doctors of the Church for hatred to Manea the mother of Alexander his Predecessor of whose death he was culpable and with his owne hands murdered the houshold seruants of the said Alexander The Romane Senate for hatred it bare vnto Maximin chose new Emperours to maintaine the Common-wealth namely Pupian Balbin and Gordian The two first were slaine in the Pallace at Rome by a sedition of warriors and Gordian remained alone Emperour In this time some Historiographers of small authoritie say that Syriacke was the successor of Pontian as Fasciculus tempo Henry de Hereford Bergomensis and Naucler yet is there not one approoued Author or Historiographer which makes any mention of this Siriake They say that he occupied the state a yeare three moneths and 13. dayes and that after he went to Almaigne into Colongue with a great number of Virgines and that there he was Martired with them And the reason why he was raced out of the Catalogue of the Bishops of Rome they say it was because that willingly he forsooke his dignitie against the will of the Cleargie Let euery one iudge what faith such Historians merite or such authors or forgers of Decretall Epistles attributed to Romane Bishops Celsire an Epicurian Philosopher writ then a booke which he Intituled The Truth wherein hee pursued the Christians with villanies lies Origen writ eight bookes against him Anter Damasus saith that by Nation he was a Grecian Isnarda writeth that he came to be Bishop of Rome because Pontian going away substituted him There is great difference in the supputation of the time of his gouernment Euseb giueth him a moneth Damasus 12. yeares and a moneth A Decrerall Epistle is attributed vnto him vnto the Bishops of Betique and Toledo wherein hee pronounceth it lawfull for Bishops to remoue from one place to an other if necessitie require it and the profit of the Church he was Martired vnder Maximin Fabian Bishop of Rome after Anter. a Romane gouerned 13. or 14. yeares His election is described too miraculous namely by a Doue See Eusebius 51.6 Chap. 19. Three Decretall Epistles are attributed vnto him that the Constitutions of the seuen Sub-deacons which ought alwaies to be with the Notaries which gather together the deedes of the Martyrs Hee was Martired and his wife Darfosa vnder Decius vnto whom he was married before his being Bishop Gordian chosen by the Senate was a Prince of a noble heart wee finde not that hee made any cruell Edicts against the Christians After he had raigned sixe yeares he was subtilly slaine by Phillippes which succeeded him Many heresies which rose vp in former times renewed at this time At Rome Proclus mainteined the heresie of the Cataphrygians Berillus who otherwise was an excellent Doctor in Arabia fell into the heresie of Artemon which denied Christ to haue bene before his Incarnation Origines disputed against him Vnder Gordian there was so great an Ecclips that the day-light seemed an obscuritie as darke as the night There was also so terrible an Earthquake that some whole Townes were swallowed with the ouerturne of the earth Gordian obteined many victories against the Persians and chased Sapor King of the Persians euen to Antioch which then was held of the Persians He recouered both Cares and Nisible and by this meanes came it to passe that the East was brought subiect vnto the Romane Empire Iulius Capitolin rehearseth it in Gordians life To confute Berillus a Councell was held vnder Gordian at Philadelphia in Arabia where Origenes was who ouercame him and brought him into a good way M. Iulius Phillippus an Arabian with his sonne also called Phillip succeeded Gordian in the Empire They were Christians conuerted vnto the Faith by Pontian or Pontius a Romane Senator and baptized by Fabian Hee his mother Seuera and his sonne Philip desirous to resort into the company of the Christians Fabian would admit them vnto the last Vigiles of Easter although he had great desire to persist in the congregation and prayers of Christians vntill he had confessed his sinne which was a murder as is thought and ioyned himselfe with them of whose sinnes Inquest was made and so placed amongst the Repentants Eusebius Lib. 6. Chap. 34. This Philip refused not to do but accomplished whatsoeuer was enioyned him by the Bishop In the raigne of this Philip there were Heretickes in Arabia which mainteined that the soules die with the bodies and that together they shall rise at the day of Iudgement Origines went towards them beeing sent thither and confounded them There are at this day certaine Anabaptistes which say that when man dyeth his soule sleepeth vntil the day of iudgement which is an execrable heresie There were other Heretickes called Helchescites as Eusebius saith Lib. 6. Chap. 38. or Elsecians after Epiphanius and Saint Augustine which dwelt in Arabia in the Region of the Moobites They reiected the Epistles of Saint Paul and mainteined that in the time of persecution it was no sinne to renounce the Faith with the mouth if so bee the heart remained faithfull This Heresie was before sowne by Basilides and confounded by Agrippa Castor an excellent Doctor O what great hurt this wicked heresie hath
brought to the Church in persecution Phillip and his Courtiers receiued the doctrine of the Gospell and renounced all Painim Idolatries But this felicitie endured not long for the Church For as Phillip did to his predecessor so was done vnto him by his successor Decius yea and to his sonne who was slaine at Rome and the Father at Verone This was their ende after they had raigned 7. yeares Decius Phillip Decius borne at Bubalie a Towne of base Panonia was chosen after Phillip Hee was a Prince worthie praise but that hee stirred the seuenth persecution against the Christians because of the euill will hee bare to his predecessor Phillip Euseb Lib. 6. Cap. 39. This hatred as Sabellicus and Bergomensis say proceeded hereof that the two Phillips being in perill of death gaue their treasures to Fabian Saint Ciprian rehearseth other more vrgent causes And these be his words in his fourth booke and fourth Epistle We must needs confesse that this waste which hath pilled our Flocke and the theft yet at this day practised comes because of our sinnes for that we hold not the way of the Lord but giue our selues to gaine to pride to enuies and dissentions c. Of this persecution Nicephorus saith in Lib. 5. Cap. 29. that it was as possible to number them that suffered in this persecution as to account the sand of the sea Alexander Bishop of Ierusalem honoured for his pietie once was drawne before the Gouernours seate in Cesaria and after hee had made a confession of his faith he died in prison Babilus Bishop of Nichomedie Asclepiades of Antioche Germanie Theophile Cesarius Vital Polychronius Bishop of Babilon Serapion Apollonia a Virgin and infinit others were martyred in this horrible persecution Aboue all other Townes Alexandria then was as a scaffolde when the faithfull mustered See Eusebius Lib. 6. Chap. 40. Diuers kindes of torments were vsed against the Martyrs as Eusebius saieth As sharpe needles against the face and eyes bursting betwixt stones burning pearsing the entralles casting downe from high places to lower tearing in peeces by cardes of Iron plates being applied to their sides the rage of sauage beastes condemnation to digge mettalls c. Saint Ciprian beeing in exile writ verie consolatorie Letters to them which suffered such euilles And as Tertullian in his time defended the Christians against Scapula So also did Saint Ciprian the like against Demetrian a Painim Gouernour shewing thereby that the calamities of the world are fully imputed vnto the Christians Denis of Alexandria writ that after the publication of Decius Edict confirmatiue of this horrible persecution many of the most excellent shewed themselues so fearefull that of their owne motion they made abiurations and sacrificed vnto Idols Ciprian made a Sermon of such as fell namely of such as perseuered not in the confession of Iesus Christ There hee sets downe examples of Gods punishment of such as abiured hee affirmeth that many of them were tormented with euill spirits Hee saith one became dumbe incontinent after hee had renounced An other also after his renouncing comming to take the Supper with others found in stead of bread ashes Also a maide taken with a diuel bitte off her tongue with her teeth Many things are attributed to Fabian conteined in Gratians decree which are not worth rehearsing and as vnworthy that Bishop Beda and Eusebius write that Fabian suffered Martirdome at the beginning of Decius raigne For he bare him euill will because Phillip gaue him his treasures Eusebius in his Chronicle saith that Fabian gouerned the Romane Church 13. yeares Damasus and Marian the Scot say 14. Origene writ to Fabian touching the puritie of doctrine as Euseb Lib. 6. Chap. 6. Decius died miserably before hee had raigned two whole yeares Pomponius writeth that in a warre against the Gothes hee was swallowed vppe of a Gulphe into the which he cast himselfe that he might not fall into his enemies hands Hereupon note the saying of S. Cyprian Cyprian in his booke against Demetrian toucheth it saying Certaine we are that all that we endure shall not long be vnpunished And so much more as the outrage of persecution shall be great so much the greater shall the vengeance be for that persecution and so much the more manifest Although we keepe not in memory things of olde yet the doctrines of things newly happening do suffice that in very little time and so suddenly so horrible a vengeance hath followed c. Gallus and Volucian his Sonne ioyntly succeeded in the Empire Hee was otherwise called C. Verus Trebonian of Gaul Hee was happie enough at the beginning as Denis writeth but continuing the persecution which fell into his hands by his predecessors he prospered not For before two yeares were passed hee and his sonne Volusian were miserably slaine in a warre against Emilian hauing before gotten an opprobry vnto the Romane people to make thē tributary vnto the Scythians by an alliance he made with them as Eutropius and Pomponius Laetus write Cornelius a Romaine was three yeares Bishop of Rome By the Epistle of the Romane Cleargie written to Saint Cyprian we may knowe that the Romane seate was vacant certaine time and that Cornelius succeeded the Bishop Fabian at the beginning of the raigne of Gallus and Volusian Saint Cyprian defended his election against the calumniations of Nouatus the hereticke saying in his fourth booke and Epistle to Antonian that he occupied not his Bishoppricke by bribes nor of his owne desire neither by violence as many doo which are swelled with their owne pride but that hee came thither by the will of God then when the Tyrant envenomed with mortall hatred against Priestes the seruants of God vttered horrible menacies The things then attributed vnto Cornelius in his Decretall Epistles how can they agree with so excellent a Doctor who alwaies was at the combat As that which is written in his first Epistle that at the request of a noble woman he caused to be transported the body or rather the rotten bones of S. Peter and S. Paul which long time had bene kept in a Sepulchre The second Epistle is to Ruffinus a Bishop of the East touching the maners of Priests Eusebius and Saint Hierome who most diligently writ of this holy person make no mention of those Epistles but they mention his determination to haue a Councell held at Rome against Nouatus Damasus and others haue written that Cornelius was banished and finally Martired vnder Decius but S. Hierome transferreth his administration to the time of the Emperours Gallus and Volucian whose authoritie we haue followed Eusebius 51.7 cap. 2. writeth that Cornelius gouerned the Church of Rome three yeares yet in his Chronicle he giueth him but two Lucius succeeded Cornelius he was a Romane Eusebius saith he was not a Bishop 8. whole moneths Nauclerus Platina and Sabellicus giueth him 3. yeares and more Gratian attributes vnto him this decree that Priests
Wherefore preachest thou my Iustifications And wherefore takest thou my Testament in thy mouth c. And incōtinently shut the booke then sat he downe sheading teares and lamenting with great cry being not able to speake and all that were present wept with him Suidas addeth that hee was buried in the Towne of Tyre Euse Lib. 7. cap. 1. saith it was vnder the Emperour Gallus 255. or thereabouts and then was it betwixt the yeare 50. of his age or 69. after Nicephorus And as it may be thought he dyed in great pouertie and miserie if not in dispaire S. Ierome although he sometimes handled him rudely yet he admireth him and praiseth him because of his great knowledge in the Epistle to Pammathus and Ocean He praiseth his spirit but not his faith This should make vs walke in feare and care in our vocation Stephen borne at Rome was Bishop of Rome and the successor of Lucius The greatest paine that he had in his gouernmēt was that he opposed himselfe forcibly against S. Cyprian and all the Councell of Affricke touching the difference that then was moued to rebaptise heretikes as it is recited by Eusebius Lib. 7. ca. 2. 3. The contents of the two Decretall Epistles attributed vnto him deserue no credite The one to Hilarie Bishop and the other to all the Bishops of the Prouinces touching accusations made against Priests For it seemes not that the Romane Church was in such prosperitie then that Stephen Bishoppe thereof had no other thing to do and ordaine but with what reuerence a man must handle the Chalice and holy garments or as Isidore and Polydore witnesse of him that he was the first Inuentor of the Couerings of the Aultar Damasus attributes vnto him two ordinances in which sixe Priests fiue Deacons and sixe Bishops were ordeined and saith that after he had gouerned seuen yeares and fiue moneths he was martyred But Euseb Lib. 7. cap. 5. sheweth that hee was but two yeares in his office S. Cyprian writ vnto him certaine Epistles which are in his workes Denis Bishop of Alexandria excellent in doctrine although he suffered not martyrdome but watched in the midst of the Church therfore God preserued him from Martyrdom as Niceph. speaketh Li. 15. ca. 28. Notwithstanding he endured terrible afflictions diuers banishments in two violent persecutions vnder Decius and after vnder Valerian He died very olde and it hapned at what time the two Councells were held against Paul Samosaten An. 12. of Gallien and of Christ 288. hauing gouerned the state of Alexandria 16. yeares and the Church 17. About this time many Nations cast themselues vpon the marches of the Romanes The Countrey of Denmarke was taken out of their hands Likewise the Almaines came euē to Rauenna putting all to fire and blood This was the first waining and decreasing of the Romaine Empire For the Countrey was neuer after recouered Egipt reuolted France was lost Macedonia Pontus Asia wasted by the Gothes Pannonia by the Sarmates Zenobia Queene of the Persians ruled in the East To vnderstand all this diminution and fall of this Empire See Trebellio Pollia a Romane Historiographer Phillip Bishop of Alexandria martyred and his daughter Eugenia at Rome The great Temple of Diana in Ephesus was pilled and burnt by the Gothes A second Cerinthus hereticke promised in the kingdome to come great store of meates and women and that after a thousand yeares should bee the resurrection and the kingdome of Christ should be on earth Xistus or Sixtus the second of that name succeeded Stephen he was of Athens He was ordeined Bishop of Rome by the election of the Cleargie comming from Spaine where he was preaching There are attributed vnto him two Decretals the one to Gayus Bishop the other to the brothers of Spaine the which containe nothing but the forme of the common gouernment which they make vs beleeue was thē Item touching the vowes of Priests But we may easily see that all is forged at pleasure Damasus after his maner reciteth that hee made orders twise ordeining Priests Deacons and Bishops Bergomensis Sabellicus recite that Xistus trauelled much to take away the heresies of the Sabellians Cerinthians and Nepotians Finally that he was accused by them before Gallien and vpon his commaundement beheaded and with him 6. Deacons S. Ambrose in his Offices li. 1. cap. 41. reciteth that as he wēt to death it is said that one Laurence a Deacon spoke to him in this sort Father wilt thou goe without thy sonne And Xistus answered him My sonne I shall not leaue thee There are greacombattes for the Faith prepared for thee thou shalt follow me three dayes after In the meane while if thou hast any thing in thy treasure distribute it to the poore This Laurence was the chiefe of the seuen Deacons of the Church of Rome which had the handling of the goods deputed for almes The Gouernour of Rome being hungry of siluer and perswaded that the Church had gold siluer moueables as Candlesticks Chalices and such like things would needs haue forced Laurence to haue tolde him where those treasures were Laurence to do this hauing taken the terme of three dayes distributed it all to the poore whatsoeuer he had Then hauing gathered together on an heape all the poore lame and diseased which were maintained of almes At the day assigned hee prayed the Gouernour to goe with him to that place and shewing him al those poore and diseased people he said Behold the vessels of siluer yea the Talents in order receiue them and thou shalt adorne the Citie of Rome and enrich the Reuenewe of the Emperour and thine owne The Gouernour seeing himselfe mocked commaunded hee should be stretched on an Iron grate red hotte and soone after the tormentors laid him on it who with great courage endured that cruell and long torment and finally prayed and inuocated the Lord and so yeelded his happie soule Prudencius a Christian Poet in his booke of Crownes describeth this martirdome Denis succeeded Xistus and as Damasus saith of a Monke was made Bishop But it appeareth rather by that which Eusebius Lib. 7. Ca. 7. and S. Hierome say that he was a Priest of the Church of Rome the yeare of our Lord 266. and the 10. yeare of Gallien Two Decretall Epistles are attributed vnto him In the first he exhorteth Vrbain to follow the true Religion The second distributeth and makes partitions of Churches into Parishes and Diocesses Item that two seuerall times he held orders But Eusebius saith Lib. 7. Cap. 30. that Denis died without martyrdome hauing gouerned 9. yeares Others say sixe yeares and sixe moneths The Councell of Antioche against Paul Samosetaine was celebrated in his time wherein the said Paul was condemned and cast out of the communion of the vniuersall Church and Donus a man accomplished with vertues was ordeined in his place He was the sonne of Demetrian who had ruled in that Church without
deliberation of the Churches affaires ought to take oathes and after he reciteth others He suffered Martyrdome after he had gouerned the Romane Church almost ten moneths as Eusebius witnesseth Lib. 7. cap. 32. Damasus and Platina say one yeare and a moneth Volareran 8. yeares Many things are recited of the conquests of Probus the Emperour which the Romane Historiographers describe Carus succeeded him the yeare of Christ 284. and associated his two sonnes in the Empire Numerian and Carinus He beganne new warre against the Persians which Probus had left imperfect He sent Carinus to the Gaules to maintaine them and led with him Numerian He recouered in that warre Mesopotamia and hauing wasted all the Region of the Parthians he got all the kingdome of the Persians See Vopiscus Carus strooken with lightning dyed suddenly Numerian was of great modestie giuen to study especially of Poesie His Father in lawe hauing laid ambushes slewe him as hee was in his Coach His brother Carinus a man giuen to all wickednes defiled himselfe with the bloud of the faithfull hauing the Empire alone These three then raigned not long For all their times endured not three whole yeares as Eutropius Victor and Latus recite The gouernment of those aforesaid Emperours brought some release to the Christians and so things happened fauourable vnto them Insomuch that some of them were aduanced to Offices and gouernment vntill the raigne of Dioclesian and shall be seene in his place Caius Bishop of Rome was of Dalmatia of the family of Dioclesian the Emperour after Damasus Eusebius saith he was ordained Bishop the same yeare that Eutichian was who with much adoo remained but ten moneths Bishop There is attributed vnto him a decretall Epistle wherein he speaketh but meanly of Christ the Mediator and of Iustification Hee after saith that to ascend vnto the dignitie of a Bishop men must goe by degrees and by Ecclesiasticall orders as first hee must be Portier then Lector c. Damasus witnesseth that he liued during the time of Dioclesian the Emperours persecutions from which he hid himselfe and dwelt vnder vaultes yet finally hee was drawne to death the 12. yeare of the said Dioclesian after he had gouerned the Church 15. yeares after Eusebius or eleuen and foure moneths after Damasus The Lord as hath beene said gaue some release to his Church vntill the kingdome of Dioclesian as Euseb Lib. 8. Cap. 1. Dioclesian Emperour borne at Dalmatia the second yeare of his kingdome associated to the Empire Maximiam Herculean in which yeare he brought vnder the Empire the Gaules which had bene occupied by the Rustikes which were called Bagaricles from thence he went into Affrike and vanquished the Gentians These two seeing the affaires of the Empire might be better decided by many named two Cesars to gouerne vnder thē namely Galerian and Constantinus who was Father vnto Constantine the great Euery of them were imployed in conquering that which was lost aboue all to recouer Egipt which Achillas had gotten And this was the yeare of Christ 298. The East also which Narsus had gotten They brought vnder the yoake fiue Prouinces beyond the floud Tigris which reuolted from the Romanes since Traians time Also Britaine which is now England ten yeares after her reuolt and after hauing chased away Garesius or Cranssius who had made himselfe King Euseb and Pomp. Laetus After that things were thus ordered in the place to acknowledge this good of the Lorde Dioclesian caused himselfe to bee worshipped as GOD. Laetus in his Abridgement of Romaine Histories saith Whereas the first Emperours contented themselues to be called Consuls and to be saluted of the people by that name this man was the first that wold be adored naming himselfe brother of the Sunne and of the Moone Before Emperours gaue to kisse their hands to Nobles and their knees to the common people But Dioclesian made an Edict that all men without difference of whatsoeuer race should kisse his feete vpon which also he placed certaine markes of adoration and had his shooes garnished with gold and pretious stones which also Caligula had done as is said The Popes and Antichrists of Rome haue bent Imitators hereof and haue well held this ordinance of Dioclesian to conserue their dignitie The tenth persecution raised against the Christians endured tenne yeares in the West Countries This was the greatest and cruellest persecution of all For in lesse then thirtie dayes through diuers Prouinces were martyred about 18. or 20. thousand persons as well men as women Marcelline borne at Rome succeeded Caius in the gouernment of the Romane Church his Father was called Proiectus During this persecution hee was very greeuously pressed by the Tormentors vnder Dioclesian and Maximian Emperours wherein being taken with feare of torments and punishments he offered a graine of Incence in the honour of Idols but afterward he acknowledged his fault in a full Synode assembled at Sinnesse did penance and after came euen to reprooue Dioclesian and voluntarily presented himselfe to death Hee was martyred with Claudius Cyrinus and Antonius after he had gouerned the Romane Church nine yeares after Damisen eight after Marianus and foure after Vrsperge This was the yeare of Christ 303. There are attributed vnto Marcelline as to others two decretall Epistles The first written to a Bishop called Salomon And the other vnto the Westerne Bishops Dioclesian was of opinion that there was no meane more meere to pacifie the world and to bring the Romane Empire into the face and brightnesse of his auncient maiestie thē to abolish all new religions His determination then was to begin to take away from the middest of the people the dissimilitude of the Christian Religion and many Sophisters and Philosophers drew him on herevnto As for the faithfull Euseb in his 8. Booke Chap. 1. saith that the too great peace and libertie of the Church made them degenerate and brought debates and questions about words so that at last they came to flames and there could not be found a more singular meane to extinguish and bring it to nothing then this persecution Dioclesian might haue bene numbred amongst the Princes worthy of praise if he had not contaminated and obscured the vertues he had with the Christians bloud he shead His companion in the Empire was Maximian Herculeus a man meete to exercise all cruelties The chiefe seate of the Easterne Emperours was then at Nichomedia in Bithinia wherein the Imperiall Pallace was consumed by fire This being imputed to the Christians he sent commaundements all ouer to persecute them yea to burne the bookes of holy scripture to take from the place of Magistracy with ignominy all them that were Christians Dioclesian persecuted the East and Maximian the West Crueltie was sharpe in Syria and it began at the Bishops See Euseb lib 8 cap. 6. This fury spread into Mesopotamia Cilicia Pontus Phrigia Armenia Egipt yea euen to the Iles of Lesbos as
of the poore he caused the vessells vailes and other precious things of the Temple to be solde Sozomene lib. 4. cap. 25. And Hierome ad Rusticum accuseth Bishops which vsurpe and make proper that which is common If the liberalitie of Emperours failed the Churches defrayed the charges of Bishops and all others that went to Sinodes Theodoret. lib. 2 cap. 16. Libraries The bookes of the holy scripture which for the most part were lost during the persecutions at this time by the benificence of the Emperour Constantine were written in great dilidence and with magnificence worthy of such an Emperour By the witnes of Athanasius it is plain inough that in the Chrians Temples there were Libraries and therein he accuseth the impietie of the Arrians which tooke out these bookes burnt them Hierome against Rufin makes mention of the Librarie at Cesaria It appeares by the Acts of a Romane Sinode held vnder Siluister that the Romane Church mainteined certaine Notaries to write the acts of the Martirs Schooles There were also Schooles of two sorts Ethnicks or Philosophicall and Ecclesiasticall Nazianzenus in the death of his brother Cesarius makes mention of the Schooles of Palestine wherein he learned Rhethoricke Lactantius held that of Nicomedia Ephiphanius a Sophister kept that of Laodicea That of Cesaria in Cappadocia was renowned bicause Constantius caused Gallus and Iulian his children to be taught there But aboue al that of Alexandria was most famous for blind Didimus who ruled there Rufin Lib. 2. Cap. 7. And Basilius calleth it a goodly shape of all doctrine In Europe that of Athens because of letters was of most acount wherin Iulian had for condisciples Basile and Gregorie Nazianzenus as the said Gregorie witnesseth in his Inuectiue against Iulian. Victorinus Affrican taught at Rome Rhethorike See Hierome in his Treatife of Illustrious men The Salarie or reward was to professors payde after the lawe of Constantine conteined in the title de profess med in the Code At this time there was a man called Arrius a professor in the schoole of Alexandria in Egipt whose Heresie did miserably torment and distract the vnion of the Church He was a man swelled with ambition and presumption One day hauing heard in the congregation of the faithfull Alexander Bishop of Alexandria subtilly and learnedly disputing of the diuine essence after he had shewed that the vnitie thereof was in a priuitie Arrius Logician rather then a Theologian began to dispute and vomit out the pâ—ison he had long time gathered Epip Lib. 2. Tome 2. Necesie 69. rehearseth that Arrius was now found in an errour that Melitius a Bishop in Thebaide accused before Alexander his Bishop who after that looked to him more narrowly and tooke heed to his subtilties Such a care had Bishops at this time one of an other that no euill should goe forward Arrius maintained the Sonne of God to be a creature and the holy Ghost created of him But with what arguments and babble of words he vsed to confirme his error it should be superfluous to rehearse There are long Epistles of Arrius to Alexander and of Alexander to all Churches by which one may more at large know the spring of all this infection Alexander at the beginning sought to stop this euill by silence But seeing that Eusebius Bishop of Nicomedia tooke vpon him the cause of Arrius in hatred of the Church of Alexandria Alexander not onely published the Apostasie of Arrius but also excommunicated him and his adherents as Heretickes and Schismatickes which would maintaine that God was sometimes without being Father and that the Sonne was a creature and made who knew not perfectly and exactly the Father It is straunge how so cursed an errour should in so litle time subuert so many Bishops yea the most learned not onely of the East Church but of the West also Epiph. saith that Arrius being chased away went into Palestine But Alexander hasted Letters euery where to the number of seuentie to aduertise the Bishops of Arrius his doings who was receiued of his Protector Eusebius Arrius in the meane time sent Letters to Alexandria naming him Pope and his Bishop The great Councell of Nice Anno domini 320. These debates and contentions brought great dolour and care vnto the good Emperour Constantine and incontinent to giue order therefore seeing this euill from day to day got the vpper hand sent Hosius Bishop of Corduba in Spaine to Alexander a man of great pietie and authoritie with his Letters Patents to the Church to finde meanes to extinguish this fire whose flames were blowne all ouer Eusebius reciteth the Tenure of Constantines Letters full of all pietie in the life of the said Emperour Lib. 2. Hosius furnished with these Letters came into Egipt and did all that he could to agree Alexander Arrius but in vaine Whereof the Emperour being aduertised was more grieued then before at the request of the Bishops and instance of Alexander as witnesseth Rufin lib. 1. cap. 1. ordained at his owne charge an vniuersal Sinode at Nice a town of Bithinia the yeare of Christ 320. after some and the yeare of his Empire 17. At which Sinode from all the parts of the earth came Bishops and the number was 250. after Socrates li. 1. ca. 8. besides Priests Deacons A colites other multitudes Theodoret. li. 1. ca. 7. saith 318. Bishops and this is about the number wherof the most part of the Elders agree that haue written thereof Some say that the Emperour before he assembled this generall Sinode had caused Arrius to come vnto him and in the presence of some Bishops hauing enquired of his heresie Arrius with an oath answered that he bred no heresies then straight the Emperour in the presence of all said If thou hast sworne with a good conscience that thy oath be made with a full faith then departest thou an Innocent But if falsly thou callest God to witnesse let him whom thou hast offended take vengeance So many spake for him which he before had gained Notwithstanding the Emperour writ large Letters that men should take heede of Arrius that they builded not their Faithes vpon his heresies These letters beganne with these words Constantine the great Augustus c. The place for the Sinode was in the Emperours Pallace wherein hee had placed seates couenable and conuenient for each state and degree The Emperours seate was in the first ranke and it was couered with Golde as Eusebius saieth in his life Liber 3. Hee himselfe made the first exhortation to enter into the matter wherevnto by consent of all Eustachius Bishop of Antioche had charge to answere The Emperour the better to agree with them proposed the great crueltie and tirannie of the persecutions passed that now peace was open vnto them and that it should be a straunge thing the outward enemies being vanquished to stirre vp warres within Theodoret. Lib. 1. Cap. 7. Amongst the Bishops which were there assembled
saith that the Towne was dedicated by him the yeare of his Empire 28. and as he had taken the Empire diuided and vnited it in his person so he diuided it againe as a paternall heritage and made a partition thereof amongst his children whom whilest he liued he created Cesars one after an other that is to say Constantine his eldest sonne Anno. 10. Constantius the second Anno. 20. and Constans the youngger Anno. 30. Whose Empires were very turbulent and endured but 24. yeares 5. moneths 12. dayes according to the Chronicle of Hierome Constantine the Father died at Nicomicha after he had liued 66. yeares and raigned 31. yeares Pompon Laet. Licinius the sonne of Constantia sister of Constantine the great and Crispus sonne of the said Constantine the great with his said son Constantine the eldest were created Caesars the yeare of the Lord 316. But the wickednes of Fausta the wife of Constantine the great caused the death of Licinius and Crispus and many other noble personages See Aure. Victor and Pompo Laet. Crispus was instructed by Lactantius Constantine the eldest sonne of Constantine the great was Emperour with his two brethren after the father the yeare of our Lord 338. The Empire was thus parted namely that Constantine should enioy Gaul Spaine and England Constance should haue Italie with Slauonia and Greece And Constantius should holde Constantinople with the East This partition contented not Consantine hee raised warre against his brother Constance being proud of his Army of Gaul but warring more couetously then warily was ouerthrowne by an ambush nigh to Aquilea and being wounded in diuers places dyed there hauing raigned but three whole yeares and liued 25. See Bapt. Egnat and Pomp. Laet. Constance after he had vanquished his elder brother passing the Alpes came to make warre in Gaul and in two yeares with great difficultie conquered the Countrey which his brother had in partition He at the beginning gouerned well but after gaue himselfe to pleasures and at last became odious to all men So that in the end they conspired against him as he was at hunting and was slaine by the deuice and treason of Magnentius who vsurped his Empire yet he had saued this Magnentius his life Constance liued thirtie yeares and raigned fourteene See Pomp. Laet. Constantius had for his part the Empire of Constantinople with the East Hee vanquished Vetranio who made himselfe Emperour in Hungarie after the death of Cōstance Moreouer to reuenge the death of his said brother Constance hee made great warre against Magnentius In the first battaile there were slaine of one part and the other 53000. fighting men Magnentius had the worst And againe making head was ouercome nigh Lions Constantius was suspected vpon enuie and ambition to haue made away Dalmatius his Cousin-germain a vertuous man who better resembled Constantine the great then his owne father and who was appointed for a copartner with the said Constantius when he had his partition But Constantius liued not long after For as he was going the second time against the Persians vnderstanding that Iulian had made himselfe Augustus he tooke a Feuer and dyed the yeare of his age 40. and of his Kingdome 24. See Eutrop. Aurel. Vict. Pompon Laet. and Bapt. Egn. The Sinode of Sardis in her Sinodall Letters calleth Iulius their friend and companion Theodoret. lib. 2. chap. 8. It followeth that the Bishop or Archbishop of Rome had not the pretended superioritie It seemeth that Iulius was dead when Constantius hauing tamed the tyrannie of Magnentius and Syluanus hee was in Italie to appease the discordes of Athanasius his cause Liberius borne in Rome his father being called Augustus succeeded Iulius the yeare of Christ after S. Hierome 352. about the 12. yeare of Constance Empire his confession was agreeing vnto the Catholique faith and writ to Athanasius very Christianly of God the Father God the Sonne and God the holy Ghost as may be seene in his Epistle which is affixed to the workes of Athanasius Athanasius in the Epistle to them which leade solitary liues rehearseth how Liberius was subuerted The Emperour Constans sent to Rome one named Eusebius an Eunuke with Letters wherby he threatned him exile and on the other side tempted him with presents to induce him to cōsent with Arrius and to subscribe to the condemnation of Athanasius Liberius despised both his menaces and gifts as a sacrifice of blasphemie Whereat the Emperour being exceedingly grieued found meanes to get him out of Rome and being come to him threatned him with death But Liberius manfully answered I am ready to endure all rather then of Christians we should be accounted Arrians Why what art thou said the Emperour that with one wicked man troublest all the world The word of Faith said Liberius dependeth not vpon multitude He was then banished by this Emperour Constans into Berrea which is a Towne in Thrace Where after hee had bene two yeares he was called home as saith Theodoret his restitution after some was accorded by the Emperour at the request of many Romanes and of the Westerne Bishops The same saith Athanasius in the before alleadged Epistle Also that Liberius after his two yeares exile feared with threatnings and apprehension of death sealed to the condemnation of Athanasius Ruffin saith the same and Hierome as Baleus saith writeth that by ambition Liberius fell into the heresie of Arrius being once fallen from the integritie of faith We finde some constitutions of Liberius namely not to make noises in fasting time that times of fasting and Lent bee not polluted by the act of marriage that in time of famine and pestilence men should appease the Lords anger by fasting almes and prayers An aduertisement The principall felicitie and ornament of the Church of this time was the multitude of excellent Doctors which by their doctrine sought so farre as in them lay to conserue multiply the puritie of doctrine But this felicitie was greatly obscured partly by the multitude of heretickes and partly by the rage of seditious people and schismatickes In so much that since the time of the Apostles there was no Church that hath endured more dissentions combats and diuisions within it then that of this world Wherevpon by good right Basile the great in a certaine poeme writing of the iudgement of God complaineth saying I haue liued the age of a man and I haue seene great concord amongst the Arts and Sciences But in the Church of God alone for which Iesus Christ dyed I haue obserued so many dissentions that it is altogether dissipated and wasted And comming to the cause As I searched saith he the cause I remembred the place of the booke of Iudges where it is written That then euery one did whatsoeuer hee thought good in his owne eyes Great persecutions were vnder Constantius after the death of Constans against the Catholike Doctors and Bishops by the Arrians Many were put to death euen within the Temples others
but really Iulian was instituted in his youth in pietie vnder Eusebius Bishop of Nicomedia as Laetus saith but after he had tasted the Schooles of Philosophie and Rhethoricke vnder Libanius the Sophister and Maximus the Philosopher whom Valentinien the Emperour after caused to be executed for exercising Magicall Artes all that godlinesse which he had learned was chaunged into Ethnike superstition yea Eutropius saith that Iulian in his youth was a Reader in the Church of Nicomedia Moreouer he was a man learned in humane Letters and exercised in deeds of warre ambitious and cruell which he shewed hauing bin cause of the death of his brother Gallus Ierome in the Epistle to Nepotian saith that Iulian denied Iesus Christ in France Beeing then altogether revolted from Religion hee was surnamed the Apostate Hee first forbad Christians to keepe no schooles of humane Letters nor bookes of Philosophie or Poesie For he had often this word in his mouth These Galleleans so called he Christians will make warre vpon vs with our owne writings if they be once armed He liked better to proceed against Christians by long torments and insupportable griefes then by great effusion of bloud For he knew well inough that the former persecutions were the cause of the multiplication and glory of Christians Socrat. lib. 3. chap. 13. Theodoret. lib. 3. chap. 8. The chief persecution that he could deuise was to doo the same in the Temples of Painims that the Christians did in their Churches at their ordinary assemblies in Churches Lectors prayers releeuing of poore hospitalls and such like things which he opposed in the name of Painim Gods Valentinian entring one day into the Temple of Fortune with Iulian being angry at the casting of certain holy water vpon him saying that it rather defiled then clensed him strooke him that cast it But Iulian would haue constrained him to sacrifice vnto the Idolls but he chose rather to forsake all then to commit such a villanie Iulian then banished him the Court alleadging this for a shewe that he had negligently gouerned his souldiers For Iulian the most that he could dissembled that the crueltie he exercised was for the Christian Religion He tooke from Christian Churches all their goods Immunities honours and the prouision of reuenewes which Constantine had assigned thē He destroyed their churches tooke away their treasures and vessels and caused the Temples of the Painims to be repaired he suffred not them to dwell in townes but banished them vnto the extreame and outward parts of the Empire and gaue licence to vse vnto them all contumelies and shames Wherfore in Ascolon and Gaza townes in Palestine great outrages were done vnto them For Christians there were beaten euen to death They of Gaza stoned many of the faithfull opened women and filled their bellies with barley then made them be eaten with swine Theoret li. 3. cha 7. The sacred virgins were exposed naked and after they had shewed vnto them all kinds of reproaches they were cut in peeces and then cast to beasts In some places the Christians were laid aliue sacrificed vpon the Aultars of the Painims It is recited by Nicephorus li. 10. chap. 13. And when the Christians by their embassadors would haue shewed these iniuries vnto Iulian to take order therefore they had no audience allowed And if at any time he made a countenance that he would chastise them that did such outrages by countenance again he rather incited then repressed them Sozom lib. 5. chap. 15. Yea he fell into such impietie and malice to vexe the Christians that the fountaines in Antioche by his commaundements were dedicated vnto Idols in sacrifices and oblations thinking thereby to pollute the Christians and to make them to bee partakers of such abhominations whensoeuer they vsed these fountaine waters yea the flesh that came to the Butchers stall bread fruites and other such like things which were necessary for life hee made them bee sacrificed to Idolls by the Priests The Christians with great sorrowe were constrained to see a detestable and abhominable prophanation yea and to vse these fountaines and viands thus infected and polluted beeing instructed by the doctrine of S. Paul to take with a good conscience whatsoeuer came to the Butchery and that which is necessarie to the common life These were two excellent Captaines Inuentius and Maximianus who at a certaine banquet deploring this prophanation of the goods of God applyed the complaint of the captiue children in Babilon to the time of Iulian. Lord thou hast deliuered vs vnto a wicked King and wee are made slaues vpon the earth c. Which thing beeing reuealed vnto the Emperour he made them come before him They there declared their iust complaint more at large then before seeing they had the meane giuen them to speake vnto him The Emperour condemned them to grieuous torments not as Christians but as iniurious and offering opprobry and shame to his Maiestie for he greatly enuied that word and honor of Martyr And this enuy made him assay all means to torment them before hee would come to execute them by iudgement Iulian burnt with desire to goe against the Persians who had cruelly afflicted the East and affected the name of Partrike But before he enterprised that Act which was his last he promised his Gods that at his returne from this expedition he would yet commit more greeuous things against the Christians then before Ruffin Lib. 1. Chap. 36. Doret Lib. 3. Chap. 21. Of this euill will he shewed sufficient witnesse for in the middest and as it were in the heate of this Persian warre hee tooke leisure to vomit out seuen bookes against Iesus Christ although before he contented himself to write against Christians as Eutropius saith And indeed being in this expedition he prepared a Skaffolde in the Towne of Ierusalem at his returne to place there the Bishops Monkes and the faithfull of these places and to expose them vnto beasts Basile and other good Doctors did all their duties to goe hither and thither to comfort exhort Christians both publikely and particularly nor did meddle nor pollute thēselues with the abhominatiōs of the Gentiles but to detest them yea the gifts and honours which the Emperour proposed to such as renounced Christianitie Here we must not forget the Prophetike answere which a Schoolemaister in Antioche made to Libanius a Sophister when Iulian went against the Persians Libanius demaunded of him mocking Christ What thinkest thou doth the Carpenters sonne at this time The Schoolemaister answered O Sophister the Creator of al things whom thou calledst the Carpenters son makes a coffin to enclose Iulian. Soone after newes came that Iulia was slaine But behold what was the end of this cursed Apostate Iulian After he had passed the Sea Bosphore he wintered in Antioche As soone as the Spring came passing by Hierapolis hee went into Mesopotamia and after he had passed the floud hee fought against the
learne the Magike Art by the law Culpasimilis Cod. de maleficis mathematicas Finally the Lord ordained this Emperor Theodosius as a second Iosias wholly to roote vp all the Idols Temples Thod li. 5. ch 20. On the other side the Doctors of the Church were exceeding carefull to refute all this false religion of the Painims and Ethnikes Arnob. Lactantius Theodoret and the most part of them which writ in that time vnto whose bookes we send them that will know more at large Damasus builded certaine Temples and adorned them with gifts he gaue fields and possessions and bathes to the Cleargie He augmented certaine straunge facions of seruing of God He approued S. Hieromes translation of the Bible The hearts of the Archbishops of Rome began to be taken with too much ambition After this Damasus as hee could diligently calculate times to the end that in time to come in the Romane seate might bee placed Bishoppes of renowme hee drew briefly in writing the liues and statutes attributed to his predecessors Bishops of Rome yet this was not without manifest lies As for his faith and doctrine Theodoret giueth great witnesse he had a good opinion of the Trinitie and by his Epistle to the Bishops assembled at a Sinode at Constantinople exhorted them to maintaine the holy doctrine of the sonne of God But in his Epistles although he call the Bishops vnto whom he writ his brothers yet he sheweth himselfe too much giuen to eleuate the dignitie of the Romane seate For he thus beginneth his aforesaid Epistle to them of Constantinople In the reuerence deare children which you owe to the Apostolike seate you doo much for your selues c. Theod. Lib. 5. Chap. 9. He had many combats to maintaine the doctrine of the Councell of Nice especially against Auxentius of Millan Hee condemned many heretikes and amongst others the Apollinaries at a Councell of many Bishops at Rome Hee had firme amitie with Hierome who in his writings gaue great witnesse of him Virgin Doctor of the Virgine Church in his Preface vpon the foure Euangelists calleth him great Priest Athanasius in his Epistle to the Bishops of Affrike calleth Damasus his very deare companion in the Ministerie c. Gregorie Nazianz calleth Damasus happie in his Epistle to Clidonius Damasus dyed of the age of 80. yeares in the raigne of Theodosius witnesses Hierome and Suidas after hee had administred his Bishopricke 18. yeares the yeare of Christ after Naucle 385. but after Prosper the yeare 387. Aduertisement From the time of Siluester the first and others after him the Bishops or Archbishops of Rome being inriched by gifts munificences of many began to liue at their ease and to receiue vnvsed apparell as Miters and other pontificall ornaments to make themselues to be accounted of and to prepare the seate for the great Antichrist by their traditions and canons yet neither Siluester nor his successors till Boniface the 9. who was about the yeare 1390. were Lords of Rome much lesse did they holde the domination of the West For wee haue seene that Liberius was sent into exile by Constantius that Iulius implored the aide of Constantius for Athanasius against the furie of the Arrians and that Damasus by vertue of the Letters of Theodosius called the Easterne Bishop vnto the Sinode of Rome And as for the right to choose the Emperours to Crowne them and put on their Imperiall purple and such other solemnities requisite it was partly done by ordinary souldiers And the Emperours Constantine the great Iulian Iouinian Valentinian the first and second were created Emperours and Cesars by the Campe of souldiers Constantine ordained his three sonnes Valens was ordained by his brother Theodosius by Gratian. Arcadius and Honorius by the Father It is not read in any approued Author of this time that any Romane Bishop thrust himselfe in to choose or crowne an Emperour Theodo lib. 5. chap. 6. saith that Theodosius in a dreame sawe Meletius Bishop of Antioche who gaue vnto him the Mantle and the Imperiall Crowne Syricius a Romane the sonne of one Tiburtius succeeded Damasus There are attributed vnto him many ordinances Hee put such as were Bigami that is such as were married twise from the misteries of the Masse and was the first that admitted Monkes to receiue Ecclesiasticall orders because of their continencie which before were not accounted no not amongst Clarkes Fastings and abstinencies The varieties and multiplications of Fastings certaine dayes at this time engendred great disputations and contentions Augustine in his Epistle to Casulan writeth that some men fasted on the Wednesday because Iesus Christ was solde that day And on the Fryday because hee was then on the Crosse As for fasting on Satterdayes there was great strife They of Millain and of the East maintained that none ought to fast on it because Iesus Christ rested that day in the Sepulchre And contrary the Romanes and Affricanes and others fasted it because Christ was cast euen to the ignominie of the Sepulchre P. Martir Monicha S. Augustines mother comming from Affrike to Millan seeing none fast there on the Saterday maruelled greatly Augustine her sonne beeing then not yet baptised came to Ambrose and prayed him in the name of his mother to expound what were best to be done therein Doo answered Ambrose as I doo Augustine by this answere thought he should not fast vpon Saterday because Ambrose fasted not but hee declared his meaning more plainely in these words When I am at Rome I fast on the Saterday because there they fast but when I am returned to Millan againe I there fast not Men attribute to Melchiades Bishop of Rome aboue mētioned the ordinance not to fast on the Sunday nor Thursday because Christians fastes should bee farre from the fastes of Ethnikes and heretikes Epiphan also bringing the reason wherefore wee should fast on the Wednesday saith because Christ that day ascended into heauen And that it is written when the Spowse shal be taken away that then the Apostles shall fast c. and this hee affirmeth to bee a tradition of the Apostles I leaue other Fastes of Angaria that is to say of torment when some calamitie comes and other differences and abstinences and meates which were after inuented as these discourses in their place shall shewe Superstition hath peruerted the exercises of pietie despight or negligence hath caused them to be forgottē in the Church which are two extremities that all the faithfull must shunne Theodosius after hee had established peace in the Church and caused many publike Sinodes to be assembled died at Millain of the age of 50. yeares and raigned 17. that is to say 6. with Gratian and 11. after The same yeare his body was carried to be buried in Constantinople See Aurel. Vict. Pomp. Laet. Paul Diac. lib. 12. Ambrose lamented his death and made a funerall oration wherein amongst other things hee said I loued this Prince who when his soule
because by it wee embrace him that iustifieth vs that is to say Christ our Lord with whom it vniteth and ioyneth vs. In such sort that we are made partakers of him and all the goods he hath and that frō thence good workes should come that is from Iesus who is within vs by the force and free efficacie of whom we begin to will that which is good and to employ our selues therein Zozimus a Grecian by Nation hee ordained that on the Saterday before Easter waxe should in euery Parish bee blessed That Deacons shoule hide their windowes with a cloath And that Clarkes should not publikely drinke He ruled about two yeares The Pelagian heresie was condemned of the Bishops at the Councells of Ephesus Carthage and Mitiuitaine Before Pelagius England knewe not what superstitious Monkery meant neither yet learned to preferre by vaine and friuolous allegories the righteousnes of workes before the merit of Iesus Christ But this Pelagius begun to broach this pestilent heresie vnder Maximus King of Englande the yeare of Christ 390. The Doctors which were before this Pelagius vsed in their writings this word Merite in the signification to obtaine or attaine Peter Martyr The beginning of the Kings of France THe French-men are said to be issued of the Troians and as Histories say came after the destruction of Troy with the Duke Francion to the pooles of Meotides which at this day is called the Golfe de la Tana aboue and something farre frō Constantinople as men draw towards the North neare there they builded a Towne which they inhabited vntil the time of Valentinian the Emperour sonne of Valentinian and the brother of Gratian also Emperours They were honoured by the said Emperour and made free of paying tribute for 10. yeares in consideratiō that they reduced the Almanes vnder the obedience of the Romanes But afterward when the tribute came again to be laid vpon them and they vnwilling to subiect themselues they forsooke the Country and came with their Duke Marcomir into Franconia which is betwixt Saxe and Almaine Pharamond the sonne of Marcomir was chosen for their King and began to raigne ouer them the yeare of the worlde 4383. and of Iesus Christ 420. vnder whom first they vsed Lawes and appointed foure Nobles which iudged of causes and differences betwixt men Then was the Salike Lawe made which stood vpon many articles amongst which there was one which tooke frō daughters the right to succeed in the Crowne and Realme of Fraunce Hee raigned 11. yeares Paul Emil. the first booke Boniface the first of that name a Romane ruled at Rome 4. yeares His Father was a Priest called Iucundus The fourth schisme was by a Priest called Enlalius who was also ordeined whereof came great dissention and schisme which endured 7. moneths but finally Boniface was approued The sixt Councell of Carthage after some the seuenth S. Hierome died of the age of 91. yeares The Affricane Councell was now which is a confirmation and recapitulation of the Councels of Carthage The titles of the Canons are in the number 105. Boniface renewed certaine decrees attributed to his predecessors Amongst others that none should be ordeined a Priest before the age of 30. yeares c. Also that no woman or Nunne might touch or wash the Priests ornaments which are holy The Hunnes a cruell and barbarous people which came out of Scithia did great hurt all ouer and at their comming into Italie many fled towards the Adriatike sea and tooke place in those litle Iles which were in great number and liued as they could of fishing After they beganne to make certaine buildings in these Iles and principally in that which is called Miroalto it being the chiefest of them There was at this time many Churches in Italie Sozom. reciteth them lib. 4. cha 24. where hee makes mention of the faithful which retired into the places where is now builded the Towne of Venice in the Adriatike Sea There is also heereof made mention in the Epistle of the Romane Sinode which was held vnder Constantine Theodor. Liber 2. Chapter twentie and two The Emperour Honorius being at Millan and vnderstanding the dissention for the electiō of the Romane Bishops deposed them both and writ to Boniface that whē two were elected he would ordain that neither should be allowed notwithstanding for this time he allowed the election of Boniface Boniface by his Legate Faustin Bishop a fierce and proud man and Philip and Esellus Priests proposed to the sixt Councell of Carthage that it might be graunted that appellations of Bishops might be sent to Rome and that no Councell should be allowed vnlesse he send thither his Legate to doo it and alledged for his speech the decree of Nice The Bishops caused the bookes to be searched and the Registers of the Councell if it were so Also they caused to come from Constantinople a Copie of the said Councell but finding it not to be so as the said Boniface had alledged by his Legate his request was reiected See the Epistle of the said Councell of Affricke to Boniface and to Celestine in the first volume of the Councells Note here by what meanes the Popes sought to obtaine their primacie Celestine first of that name a Romane or of Campaine after some He ordeined that the Introitus of the Masse should be of some Psalme Dauid yea and the Graduall which they call the Offertorie and added vnto the thē Praiers with the song Naucler Also that the Priest should say before the Introitum the 43. Psalme Indica me Deus Supl. Chron. Item that they should sing three Sanctus Abb. Vsp This said yeare 426. the Emperour Honorius died The third generall Councell at Ephesus against Nestorius Bishop of Constantinople of 200. Bishops It was there concluded that Iesus Christ is one alone person in two natures and that the Virgine Marie by good right is called the mother of God Cyrillus Bishop of Alexandria assisted there Theodosius the younger alone obteined the Empire and raigned 26. yeares Celestine gaue commaundement to all Ecclesiasticall persons to know and obserue the Canons He sent Palladius a Greeke and Patricius into Scotland and Ireland preach the faith He sent into England Saint Germaine Bishop of Anxerce against the Pelagian heresie He ordeined that none should attempt any thing in an others parish Item that no Bishop should be ordeined against the wil of the people but that the consent of the Cleargie and of the people was requisite The Church in that time was greatly troubled and especially in Affrike the Ecclesiasticall people were cast into exile and martyred by Gensericus of the Vandales Palladius composed the life of S. Iohn Chrisostome S. Augustine Bishop of Hipone of the age of seuentie sixe yeares dyed after he had gouerned the said Church fortie sixe yeares the third moneth after his Towne was besieged by the Vandales euen when he writ against Iulian a Pelagian Bishop
it was ordained in the 2. Chapter that in Churches the Apostles Creed should be recited euery Sunday with an high voyce that the people might be better disposed to the Cōmunion after they had made a confession of their faith The Visegothes conuerted to the Catholique faith left the Arrian heresie by the means of their king Recaredus or Richandus and Leander Bishop of Siuile The confession of their faith was sent to the said Councell of Toledo The Councell of Mascon first and second wherein the oblations and offerings of bread and wine are commaunded for remission of sinnes This ordinance is wholly against the word of God and the merite of Iesus Christ by whom alone comes remission of sinnes And this is the beginning of the establishment of merites Great abundance of waters were in Italie and principally at Rome wherewith many were drowned and of the corruption of the dead bodies came a great pestilence Pelagius died of the plague at Rome Pretextatus Bishop of Rouan was called from exile Fredegonde was slaine in the Church on Easter day at the sollicitation of whom this Bishop was exiled Gregorie Pope first of that name a Romane ruled at Rome 14. yeares or after some 13. yeares tenne moneths and sixe dayes This man was called one of the foure Doctors of the Church with S. Augustine S. Hierome and S. Ambrose His Father was a Senator of Rome and of the estate of Seneshall or Captaine The said Gregorie was a Monke after a Deacon and finally the Romane Bishop In this time the Emperors cōfirmed the election of Popes and Churches There arose in this time a great contention for the premacie of the Church For Iohn Bishop of Constantinople was in a full Sinode of the Grecians published and declared the vniuersall Patriarke and the Emperour Maurice commaunded the said Gregorie to obey that Patriarke of Constantinople But Gregorie could not endure that any Bishoppe should be vniuersall ouer all others whervpon it came that he called himselfe Seruant of the Seruants of God See Gregorie in the 32. Epistle to Maurice and 38. to Iohn Patriarke See Iohn Caluin in the Institution of Christian Religion Note here Reader that after the persecutions before Siluester and the heresies before Gregorie now the Church lifteth it self vp by ambition of preheminence which engendred such a combat betwixt the East Church and the West that since that time that schisme is not yet ended The Emperour Maurice was sharply reprehended by Gregorie for that he constrained Ecclesiastical persons to go to the warres the which Gregorie resisted greatly Gregorie sent into England after Naucler or Ireland certaine great persons to preach the Faith and amongst others one called Augustine and Melitus and other Monkes Instituted in the rule of S. Benet to plant that order there and their labour prooued so well that from thence came great troupes of Monkes into France and Almaine Of the number of these Irish Monkes was Colomban and his Disciple Gallus who after preached in diuers places of Almaine and finally hee retyred into a sollitarie place which at this day is called S. Gaul in Suisse Great libertie and immunitie was graunted vnto Blacke Monkes by the Pope Gregorie at the Councell of Lateran by the consent of the assembly In this time raigned Seuerus Bishop of Marseil who caused the Images of Saints and of Christ to be broken seeing the people worshipped them Gregorie reprehended him for breaking them but praised him that hee forbad the worshipping of them See the Register or the booke of his Epistle the 10. part Epistle 4. And Pollidorus Virgil. lib. 6. chap. 13. The building of the Masse The greatest part of the ceremonies thereof came from this Gregorie For he brought the office of the Church as they call it into a forme So that at this day it is called the Gregorian Office He brought all the Masse into certaine lawes and almost such as it is at this day And therefore many say he was the Authour thereof And although he constrained none to follow the Romane forme as hee testifieth to Augustine Bishop of Canterbury yet all Churches followed the manner to celebrate their Masses after the Romane Church the English men by the said Augustine the Spaniards France and after Almaine by Boniface Bishop of Magunce who was of great renowne He made the Antiphones and Introite of the Masse of some verse of the Psalmes Item the Kyrieleison should be sung nine times the Alleluia in the end of the Offertorie of the Communion At the beginnig of the Canonicall houres Deus in adiutorium and in the end of euery Psalme Gloria patri filio c. Item that the Pater Noster should be sung with an hie voyce ouer the consecrate hoste He added to the Canon of the Masse Diesque nostros in tua pace disponas c. And made the Supper with his people in the language of his Country which was Latin common and intelligible to all as he witnesseth in the preface vpon Ezechiel In the Register of his Epistles in the 8. part and 7. Epistle he saith the Canon that is to say the prayer which the Priest saith in secret ouer the Eucharist was made by one called Scolasticus This word Masse was inuented in his time although as aboue the Supper of our Lord be called Messe of the writers who called it with a common name of their time as is said But you must heere note that so oft and wheresoeuer the Church was assembled the Bishops preached to the people and principally at Masse And this custome endured yet in Gregories time but after it was omitted by ignorant Bishops a multitude of ceremonies were brought in in the place of preaching Henry Bullinger He instituted it Rome the great Letanies on S. Markes day against the pestilence which was then with the Procession of order The first conteined all the Cleargie The 2. the Abbots and Monkes The 3. the Nunnes The 4. the Children The 5. Laie-men The 6. Widowes The 7. married women And caused there to be carried the Image of the virgin Marie The people died neezing whereof comes yet at this day that when one neezeth they say God blesse you He instituted a great part of the stations at Rome chiefly such as are made to S. Peter He ordeined for the great multitude of people which resorted to Rome to the said stations and patrons certaine Priests to keepe the Sepulchres of the Apostles and called Chamberlaines which afterward were deputed to keep the Popes Chamber And Leo the tenth made a Colledge of them Briefly this Pope Gregorie vpon deuotion which was not according to knowledge brought into the church a great masse of superstition which by little and little suffocated and choked the true Religion which remained In his time in a certaine Sinode of twentie foure Bishops assembled at Rome the foure generall Councells were approued to be
name borne of the Countrey of Marses in the Citie of Talleric a Phisitians sonne gouerned the Romane Church the space of seuen yeares At the request of this Pope the Emperour Phocas commaunded that the old Temple of Pantheon wherin were all the Goddes and Goddesses of the Painims should be consecrated and dedicated to the honor of the virgin Mary and of al Saints And then was insttiuted the Feast of All-Saints in the Moneth of May which after was brought to the first of Nouember See how those Fathers rather chaunged then chased away superstitions Leontius Bishop of Naples in the I le of Cyprus made a booke of the life of S. Iohn the Almes giuer Bishop of Alexandria Abb. Tris. After the death of Boniface the fourth the seate was vacant 7. moneths and 25. dayes for the great discentions which were at Rome The yeare of Christ 612. Phocas was miserably slaine by the souldiers of his guard Abb. Vrsperg Others say that Heraclius and Priscus slew him cutting off his hands feete Others adde that his priuie member was cut off Finally after his head was cut off his body was burnt See the ende of this wicked Tyrant who caused so many good people to die All his brethren and parents had like ende and his race was vtterly extinct The Romane seate is worthie to haue had such a monster to authorise his primatie aboue all Churches Heraclius the sonne of Heraclien succeeded Phocas When his Father a Captaine in Affrica marched from Affricke into Egipt and Asia with a great Army the Persians being out of feare of him assailed Affricke and brought it into their subiection Corfrees King of the Persians would neuer receiue any conditions of peace vnlesse they renounced Christian Religion The Bishop Didier of Vienna was stoned at the commaund of Theodorus King of Soissons Deus of dedit or Dorothea a Romane Pope ruled three or foure yeares His Father was a Subdeacon after some He ordeined that no Christian should take in mariage his Gossip Item that the sonne of a Gossip or Suertie should not take in marriage the daughter that his Father had held at the Font And ordeined this so straitly that if the Father or Mother carried their childe to Baptisme that they should be seperated notwithstanding that the wise might receiue her dowry and that after a yeare she might marry again in any other place There happened a great Earthquake at this time in the moneth of August and after a great mortalitie The Councell of Auxerre in this time wherein it was decreed that it was a thing vnlawfull that the Estrenes should be giuen the first day of the yeare calling them diuellish ceremonies because of the obseruation of the day In the 12. Chapter there was forbidden to giue vnto dead bodies the Eucharist or the Paxe to kisse In the 21. Chapter it is not lawfull for a Priest to lye with his wife nor for Subdeacon nor Deacon In the 24. and 25. Chapter it is not lawfull for Abbots nor Monkes to goe to marriages nor to haue commothers nor to present children to Baptisme In the 31. Chap. it was forbidden to take his cousin Germaine or the issue of cousin Germaine in marriage In this time were Loup Arch-bishop of Sens Amand and Bauon in Flaunders And Priscian after Abb. Trit and Eloy Bishop of Noyon after the Sea of Histories Cosroes King of the Persians was vanquished by Heraclius And Anastatius a Persian Monke was martyred for the faith with 70. others He was hanged three houres by one hand and after be headed Abb. Vrsp Boniface Pope 5. of that name borne at Naples gouerned the Church fiue yeares This was hee who first ordeined that offenders which saued themselues in Churches should haue Immunities and priuiledges and that from thence they should not be deliuered by force but that such as committed Sacriledge in all places should be excommunicated The waine and decaie of the Romane Empire The Romane Empire began to fall For whilest Christians were at warres one with an other the Sarrasins occupied Egipt and Affrike and do yet holde them And in the space of an 120. yeares all Asia was lost from the Christians Also the best part of Europe was occupied because of the couetousnesse discention and carelesnesse of the Emperours and Popes which mused and studied vpon lesse matters namely to forge naughtie inuentions and ordinances vpon ordinances Cyrus Bishop of Alexandria seeing the Sarrasins came into Egipt and that there was no succours on the part of the Emperour Heraclius a carelesse man yeelded himselfe tributarie to the said Sarrasins at a certaine annuall summe vpon which condition they returned back He was after accused before the Emperour as he who transported the riches of Egipt to straungers Wherefore he was deposed and Manuell of Armenia ordeined in his place who would not pay the said tribute whervpon the Sarrasins came againe into Egipt and occupied it Which the Emperour vnderstanding repented himselfe and sent Cyrus in Embassage towards the Sarrasins to cause them to goe out of Egipt and they should haue their said annuall tribute But one of them answered in these words Canst thou Cyrus saide he plucke downe this piller He answered no. As impossible said he it is that we should leaue Egipt By like pride many Countries haue bene lost Many common-wealths by tributes haue bene maintained in peace Faith promised euen to enemies must be kept The encrease of the kingdome of France From the yeare of saluation 514. hitherto the kingdome of France was diuided into certaine kingdomes because the kings of France had many heires One kingdome was called Austrasia comprehended Lorraine and Brabant and that which is betweene Rhene and Mense from Culloine to the Countrie of Alsasia The other called Neutria which comprehends the Regions which are betwixt Mense and Loire and Paris was the chiefe Towne thereof The third was called the kingdome of the Soisons In this diuision of Gaul the kingdome of Arles tooke also his beginning which had vnder it Sauoy the Countrey of the Switzes Zepingen Haspurge and Dauphine but at this time those particular kingdomes returned into a Monarchie Car. Dagobert the 11. King of France possessed first Austrasia after he ioyned vnto it the kingdome of Burgoine and finally was made Lord almost of all France and the name of France was then vniuersall for all those kingdomes When Dagobert dwelt in Austrasia his Pallace was in Alsatze And he builded a Castle at Rufach called Eisenburge he also builded many Monasteries of S. Benet wherevnto he gaue great reuenewes and chiefly to that of Wittenburge within 8. leagues of Strasbourge on the side of Rhene An other at Surbourge two leagues from Wittenburge Item an other at Haselach hard by Strasburge in the West mountain He also brought the church of Strasburge to a Bishoppricke and enriched it with great reuenewes Heereby note that France was then
Bishop of Constantinople tirannized ouer the faithful by imprisonment exile and other torments Naucl. Chron. Abb. Vrsp and Fascic temp At this time were Vincent Bishop of Beanuais and Foursy the King of Ireland his sonne who came into France with two of his brethren Aubert Bishop of Cambray Gertrude others all which after their deathes were called Saints Clouis the 12. King of France raigned 17. yeares This King in a time of famine tooke all the gold and siluer wherwith his father Dagobert had adorned the Chappels of Martyrs yea and one of the Armes of S. Denis to giue to the poore to relieue them For that cause the Monkes deuised that he became a foole and out of his wittes in the ende of his dayes Chron. de Regib Fr. Martin Pope first of that name an Italian ruled at Rome sixe yeares and more At the beginning of his Popedome he sent Messengers to Constantinople to Paul the Patriarke to reduce him from his heresie but so much wanted therein his amendment that euen abusing the authority of the Emperor an heretike like himselfe hee caused the saide messengers to bee throwne out whereat the Pope Martin being mooued assembled a Councell at Rome of 150. Bishops and condemned Paul the heretike agreeing with the condemnation of Pyrrhus Cyrus Sergius and others Then the Emperour Constance sent Olimpus Exarke into Italie and commaunded him to make haste either to sley Pope Martin or to take him and bring him Againe Constance sent to Rome Theodorus Calliopa who by subtiltie tooke the Pope and hauing bound him in chaines brought him to Constantinople and from thence was hee banished and sent into a Citie of Pontus where he finished his daies after many and great miseries and the seat was vacant three moneths Supp Chron. In this time were held the Councell of Toledo 8.9 and 10. In the 10. there was an ordinance against Bishops which gaue Monasteries and benefices Ecclesiastical to their parents which was now made of no valewe In the 4. Chap. it was ordained that Nunnes should make a profession and vow of chastitie and that they should be apparelled in an other sort from others to be knowne Ierusalem was taken by the Mahometists Some as Nauclerus say that it was in the time of Agathon Pope and of the Emperour Constantine the sonne of this Constance Rhodes taken by the Sarrasins The Iles Ciclades were wasted by them and Sicile forraged Naucl. At Rome there appeared great signes fire fel from heauen and great thunder lightnings and invndations of waters whereof great pestilence followed Fasci Temp. and Nauclerus Eugenius Pope the first of that name a Romane ruled at Rome about three yeares He ordained that Bishops should haue prisons to punish crimes and faults of Clarkes That Priests houses should be scituate and builded nigh Churches Supp Chron. That none bee kept in Monasteries against their wills One named Peter succeeded Paul the heretike at Constantinople and was of the same heresie His Letters were recited at Rome and the Pope was hindered by the people from celebrating vntil he had cast them away because they denied two natures in Christ Naucler Claudus Arch-bishop of Besancon afterward Abbot of the Abbey of S. Eugenius was renowmed about this time through Burgoine Fasci temp And after his death they made that abhominable Idoll which is at S. Claud. in the Countie of Burgoine The children of Arikert King of the Lombards whilest they stroue one with an other the one was slain and the other a fugitiue first into Bauiere after into France Naucl. At the Councell of Calibone in the Prouince of Narbone held in this time Theodoric Bishop of Arles was accused to haue done somewhat against the Ecclesiasticall statutes and Canons and because he appeared not hee was suspended out of his Bishoppricke vntill the next Councell Vitalian Pope an Italian ruled at Rome 14. yeares and more It was he who first ordained singing in the Romane Church and agreed it with Organes by the consent of Rodoaldus King of the Lombards who beeing taken in adulterie with a wife of Lombardie was slaine by her husband It is not found that hitherto the Romane Church had full domination in the Towne of Rome other goodly things it pretendeth since the death of Constantine the great vnlesse it were vnder certaine too soft Emperours and yet then not much But to this Vitalian the Emperour by singular grace confirmed the priuiledges of the Church which notwithstanding he after brake and made them of no force Fasci temp and Naucler Constant the Emperor caused to be assembled a Sinode and abiured his heresie and after came to Rome with a great company with Cierges in their hands and so entred into the Temple but he shewed well it was not vpon deuotion but to see where the Treasures were to take and carrie them away Hee was there to visit it fiue dayes Afterward hee tooke away all that was delicate in his eyes He tooke away more ornaments and riches he alone in 7. dayes then the Barbarians had done in 258. yeares Naucl. and Supp Chron. He was greatly hated at Constantinople for his cruelties and for causing to die in exile Pope Martin in such miserie and for cutting the tongue and hand from Maximin Wherefore he sought againe to bring the Emperiall seate to Rome and kept his Court sixe yeares in Sicilie Abb. Vrsperg where hee did many great euills as is recited by Paulus Diaconus He was slaine in Sicilie being in the Bathes this yeare 669. and of his Empire 27. Mizizius otherwise called Mitius or Missessius was constituted Emperour and raigned about sixe moneths Constantine the fourth sonne of Constant commonly called Le Barbu the bearded came against him and caused him to die and all such as had bene of the conspiracie against his father After these things were done he raigned from the beginning with his brethren Tiberius and Heraclius Abb. Vrsp. But after according to Naucler alleadging Blundus and Pius his abbreuiator he caused their noses to be cut off least they should after come to the Empire so that his sonne Iustinian might raigne The Councell of Toledo 11. in this time Dado Bishop of Ruoan writ three bookes of the life of S. Eloy Bishop of Noyon Abb. Trit Clotaire the third of that name and the 13 king of France raigned foure yeares Note Reader touching the Kings of France which follow that from this Clotaire vntill Pipin and Charlemaine they did nothing worthy of any great memorie but became vnprofitable and full of cowardise so that they had not like authoritie as either their predecessors or successors They had as it were nothing but the bare names and titles of Kings For the Maiors or Prouostes of the Pallace which then were as it were the Constables or great Maisters had the administration of all matters of the Kingdome as well those of warre as of peace and all was
Romane ruled at Rome 10 moneths He was humble and soft Naucler He restored at his great charges the Churches of S. Peter and S. Laurence of S. Valentin and S. Marie aux Martyrs Supp Chron. and gaue to the said Churches many Vessels of Golde and Siluer and many vestments and ornaments The election of the Pope taken from the Emperour The Emperour Constantine mooued with the Popes sanctetie ordained that the election of the Pope from thence forward made of the Cleargie and Romane people should bee stable and sure without any more attending the authoritie of the Emperour or of his Lief-tenant Exarche of Italie without whose authoritie before it was not ratified Naucl. and Supp Chron. Iohn Pope fift of that name of Antioche in Siria gouerned the Romane Church a yeare a man moderate and subiect to diseases He was consecrated as also was Leo the second by three Bishops of Ostia Portensis and Veliterus And this maner was alwaies after obserued The Bishop of Ostia as hee sung Masse put the Crowne on his head Before hee was onely ledde to the Chaire of S. Peter and beeing there set he was holden the true Pope without other ceremonie The Emperour Constantine died at Constantinople hauing raigned 17. yeares Conon Pope borne at Rome gouerned the Church of Rome one yeare Fasci temp After the death of Pope Iohn the fift there was great contention about the Popes election for the people or the Cleargie elected one called Peter Archbishoppe The Romane Gendarmie corrupted by siluer did chuse Theodorus a Priest a pernitious man After long strife betwixt these two Conon by all their agreements was confirmed He fell sicke incontinently after his election wherevpon he died Some said he would neuer occupie himselfe in secular matters Iustinian or Iustin Emperour second of that name sonne of Constantine the fourth began to raigne of the age of 16. yeares Hee gouerned himselfe so ill that after tenne yeares of his raigne hee was banished See the Sea of Histories Quilian an holy Scottishman preached in Franconia He conuerted Gosbertaine Duke of the same Countrey who kept Ceilam Sillam or Gelana his brothers wife And for that he preached that he ought to leaue her she made him secretly be slaine Fasci temp and Sigeb Beda the Venerable in this time made many bookes and wrote the liues of many Saints Abb. Trit Sergius Pope a Sirian ruled at Rome tenne yeares after Chron. Euseb a noble restorer of Churches There was a great contention and debate for the election of the Pope after the death of Conon Some had chosen Theodorus a very rich man Others Pascall Arch-deacon who had promised a great summe of money to Iohn Platina Exarche if hee were chosen Each of them maintained his election ambitiously But the Cleargie and Romane people seeing that this sedition would cause effusion of bloud tooke counsell to remedie it Wherefore they chose Sergius reiecting the two others The said Sergius was carried into the Church of Laterane and hauing broken the gates they cast out the factious and constrained Theodorus and Pascall to salute Sergius Pope and approoue his election Pascal accused and conuicted of Art Magicke was sent to a Monasterie and there died obstinate Naucler It is attributed vnto him to haue founded a good part of the holy Crosse which euery yeare they worship at Rome Nauclerus Beleeue this who list For in the time of Heraclius the Emperour it was carried to Constantinople The Church of Aquilea not wholly approouing the first after Naucler Chron. Segeb. Paul Diac. or sixt after Fasci Temp. Councell of Constantinople was reduced by Sergius In this time the Saxons yet Painims receiued the Christian Faith by the meanes of this Sergius After Suppl Chron. The yeare 688. Ebroine a French Tyrant was slaine in his bedde Theodoricke the King of Franc was buried in the Abbey of S. Vaast of Arras whereof hee was founded with his wife called in her Epitaph Doda Clouis third of that name King of France 16. raigned 14. yeares Sergius sent Vmbred to the Frisons to conuert them to the faith Rabed their Duke would not accord thereunto alleadging that it were more meete to followe many then fewe But afterward beeing vanquished in warre by Pippin Grand-maister of Fraunce the Frisons receiued the Faith beeing instructed by Willibrot Bishoppe or Clement after some The Emperour Iustinian broke his faith giuen to the Sarrasins and fought against them wherein he was not happie And after without necessitie brake the peace which his father hadde made with the Bulgarians and entered into the one and the other Misia where hee put all to fire and sword but the Bulgarians ceazed vppon the passages and straights and shut them in so well that they constrained them to doo what they would Hee beeing returned to Constantinople did so many euils to the Christians that euerie one hated him so that they conspired against him and chased him away Leontius vsurped the Empire tooke Iustinian and cut his nosthrills and sent him into exile into Pontus and raigned three yeares Some call him Leond second Emperour 68. The Sarrasins seeing such troubles among the Christians came into Affrica Childebert second of that name 17. King of France raigned 18. yeares Hee founded the Abbey of S. Albane in Angiers Lambert Bishop of Liege was reuoked from exile but because hee reprehended the adulterie of Pippin hee was cruelly slaine by Dodon brother of the Adulteresse The saide Dodon and his complices perished miserably within a yeare Hubert succeeded the Bishop of Liege The Histories of France Absimarus otherwise called Tiberius borne at Constantinople was chosen Emperour by the Souldiours for the negligence which they sawe in Leontius that no aide was sent vnto them for the guard of Affrike which they had recouered of the Sarrasins Absimarus then came from Constantinople and tooke Leontius and cut off his nose and imprisoned him in a Monasterie He raigned seuen yeares Naucler Abb. Vrsp. Iohn Pope sixt of that name a Grecian ruled at Rome 3. yeares After the maner of other Popes he was very curious to repaire Churches to adorne Aultars and redeeme captiues with the papall treasure Some write him a Martyr vnder the kings of Lombardie for defending the rights of the church Fasci temp The Venetians at this time beganne to haue a Duke to hinder quarells and disorders of such as gouerned and the enuie which the Lombards bare to their libertie but after as it were repenting themselues they caused many of their first Dukes to die Moreouer the Dukes ornaments differed not from those of a King and all the Senates Letters the publication of them were in the Dukes name yet he had not the bridle loose for a full authoritie Westfalia after some was conuerted to the faith about this time Iohn Pope 7. of that name ruled at Rome two or three yeares diligent to adorne and repaire Churches
Laie person By which answere Charlemaigne being appeased after also that Leo had affirmed by an oath that he was not culpable he declared him absolued and innocent The Pope for these benefites willing to yeelde some pleasure on Christmas day assoone as the King was come from the Church he put the Crowne on his head and pronounced Charlemaigne Emperour of the Romanes without that he had aspired to receiue the Imperiall Crowne And all the Romane people cryed saying Life and victorie be to the thrice Christian Charles alwaies August Crowned of God great and peaceable Emperour And whereas before they vsed to call him by the name of Patrician he was called Emperour the yeare of his raigned 23. and of our saluation eight hundreth and three Hirene Empresse of Constantinople hearing what had beene done at Rome sent three Embassadors towards Charlemaigne to confirme the peace Charlemaigne on his side also sent his Embassadors towards the Empresse for a greater confirmation of peace demaunding her in marriage wherevnto she had consented but for the hinderance by ambushes laid against it as if she would haue solde the Empire by her marriage to strangers Nicephorus then was crowned Emperour and Hirene chased away who passed the rest of her life in exile Nicephorus sent his Embassadors to Charlemaine to renew the alliance vpon those conditions That both should be called Augustes and bretheren together the one of the East and the other of the West That in Italie which is on the side beyond Naples and on the other side beyond Sipont namely all that which stretcheth towards the Sea should belong vnto the Greeke Emperour and the rest to the French Emperour That Venice should be in the middest and as the limitte and border betwixt those two Empires and acknowledge the Maiestie of them both That the Venetians should be subiect neither to the one nor the other but should vse their owne lawes and be the friend of both whether in peace or warre Some say that the Emperour after his Coronation said that if he had knowne the Popes enterprise he would not that day haue entred into the Church Aduertisement Although successiuely there were alwaies Emperors of Constantinople which kept the Romane Empire vntill the Towne was occupied by the Turkes yet because the true brightnesse and Maiestie of the name and of the tuition of the Empire and of Italie was in Charlemaine and his successors we leaue in Nicephorus the Greeke Emperours because they haue not bene like these Therefore leauing the East namely that of Constantinople we will set downe in order the Emperours of the West namely of Rome Charlemaigne then deliuered the Romane seate from all molestations of forraine Princes and atchieued that for which principally hee came into Italie that is to say at the siege of Pauie hauing constrained Didier the last King of the Lombards to yeeld himselfe hee got possession of all Lombardie And to the ende they should no more molest Italie hee droue them away as seditious persons and sent Didier Captiue with his wife and children into the Towne of Liege Paul Diaconus an Historiographer and Secretarie to the said Didier was ledde with him and from that time Charlemaigne made his the Kingdome of Lombardie leauing all the Townes of Italie in theyr accustomed libertie to the ende hee might giue no occasion of trouble vnto the Greeke Emperour About this time Acayus the 65. King of Scots made the first alliance with King Charlemaigne and with Fraunce which hath endured euer since and yet at this present is maintained betwixt these two Nations Tassilo Duke of Bauiere moouing warre against Charlelemaigne lost his Countrey and was put in a Monasterie with his sonne and although hee was Charlemaignes kinsman yet for his faith before violated hee vsed this seueritie towardes him Nicephorus raigned at Constantinople eight or nine yeares whom the Romanes would not acknowledge for Emperour wherevpon there rose great enuie and hatred betwixt them of the East and of the West A Schisme betwixt them of the East and of the West Whatsoeuer agreement was made there was stil enuie and enmitie betwixt the East and the West Emperours and they could not suffer one an other yet this dissention hapned not onely betwixt them but also betwixt the East and the West Churches wherof altogether the Pope was cause in intent to withdrawe and exempt himselfe from the obedience of him of whom he held all his good Charlemaigne inriched many Churches Abbeys and Bishoppricks especially in Almaine the Bishoppricks of Magunce Strasbourge Colongne and Treuers giuing them great priuileges Briefly there were fewe renowmed Churches in Germanie nor in all the two Frances which hee endowed not with some goods and reuenewes Iohannes Scotus a Monke of S. Benet a Disciple of Beda and a companion of Albin or Alcuin Charlemaignes maister wrote vpon S. Mathewe three bookes and other things Abb. Trit Hinmarus Bishop of Rhemes before Monke of S. Deuis wrote two bookes of the life of S. Remy Bishop Tritem Charlemaigne at the last got the vpper hand of the Hungarians and tooke great riches from them for it had bene two hundreth yeares that they did no other thing but pill and spoile all other Nations without beeing pilled themselues After he tamed the Bohemians hauing ouercome their King called Lechon And so in the ende Charlemaigne was peaceable of Italie France Almaine Hungarie and Bohemia So oftentimes the Lord sends puissant Monarkes to repaire things confused as also to represse the insolencie and disordinate dealings of great persons dispersed on the earth Charlemaigne of the age of 72. yeares died at Aix in Almaine of a Feauer and a Plurisie the yeare of his raigne 46. of his Empire 14. and the yeare of Christ 814. hauing instituted the Vniuersitie of Paris and Pauie Lewis Charlemaignes sonne by his wife Hildegarde surnamed Le Debonaire because he was of a soft and gracious spirit was after the death of his father pronounced Emperour by the chiefs of the Kingdome Stephen fourth of that name a Romane being substituted in the place of Leo three monethes after went into Fraunce towards Lewis Debonaire the Emperours to the ende to purge himselfe concerning his election for that against the decrees of Adrian and Leo his predecessors hee had beene chosen and confirmed Pope by the Cleargie and the people of Rome without the counsell and authoritie of the Emperour Wherein we see that the Romane seate is so faithfull an obseruer of her owne lawes and ordinances that the first that succeeds him which made them breakes and transgresseth them But to the end that this flatterer vsing hipocrisie might the rather for a time abuse Lewis hee set on his head a faire Crowne which hee brought with him and an other on the head of the Queene Hirmingarde calling her Auguste or Empresse But the subtil Foxe being recompenced by the Emperour returning and the
Church of Reate in Italie euen then falling vacant he would not consecrate the Bishop who was chosen there vnlesse hee would first acknowledge that the Emperour should approoue his election But see what followed after As soone as he was come to Rome he beganne to thinke that the right and preheminence giuen to Charlemagine and his successers might bring with it many mischiefes therefore taking the greater hardinesse by the softnesse and benignitie of Lewis thought it good to abolish such a right and there vpon pronounced that the Popes election ought to be in the power of the Cleargie of the Senate and of the Romane people yet fearing to prouoke the Emperours anger against him he added this Interpretation namely that it should be very lawfull for them to elect the Bishop of Rome without the authoritie of the Emperour but that it should not be lawfull to consecrate him without the Emperours presence or his Embassadors So by this meanes for a certaine time were the Emperours kept from the election of the Pope Yet because Stephen occupied not the seate past eight moneths hee could do litle of that hee forethought to encrease his authoritie But he died in his accustomed superstition Anno domini 817. Pascal first of that name a Romane Monke following the traine of Stephen his predecessor was chosen Pope by the Cleargie and people of Rome without the consent of the Emperour And as the Emperour complained of this election Pascal subtilly purged himselfe by his Embassadors sent thither By tract of time this subtill and malitious Pope seeing there was daunger if he longer deferred to augment his authoritie so straungely enchaunted the Emperour Lewis insomuch as he bare great honour to the Romane Church that he consented to remit into the hands of the Cleargie and the people the right of electing of the Pope which had beene giuen before to Charlemaigne and also that hee should by his Letters confirme all Donations made by his predecessors although they were made of things acquired by vniust vnlawfull violence This hee did as one ignorant of their cautelous and deceitfull dealings and sealed them with his seales But after he had Crowned at Rome Lotharie his sonne Emperour to the end that by that meanes he might more easily compasse that which he sought he did so much by treason and secretly that Theodorus and Leon officers of the Emperours house which faithfully held their maisters part had their eyes put out and after their heads cut off by the meanes of certaine mutinous and seditious people And although he were accused to the Emperour as well for the sedition which had bene stirred as for the murder against their persons committed after he had assembled a Sinode of a certaine number of Bishops he purged himselfe by oath Notwithstanding he accused of treason them which were slaine and pronounced that by good right they had bene slaine declaring them to be absolued which murthered them Behold the holinesse of these holy Fathers in their kingdome of perdition Pascal honoured with a most magnificall Sepulchre in the Towne two thousand bodies if he faile not in his account of Saints before dead which were buried in Church yardes He builded all new the Temple of S. Praxides and set in it the bodies of S. Cecilie Tiburcius Valerian Maximian and other Martyrs also of S. Vrbain and other Bishops He reedified some Churches which were like to fall with great age Lewis vpon great deuotion he had to the Apostolike Sea bestowed vpon the people and Cleargie of Rome the power to choose the Pope and the Bishops which authoritie belonged to the Emperours But hee reserued this prerogatiue that the Pope beeing chosen hee should alwaies send to the Emperours to confirme amitie Naucler The Emperour also ratified the donation made to the Pope of Rome by his predecessors and signed it with his owne hand and his three children tenne Bishops eight Abbots and fifteene Earles The Copie of these Letters are in Volateran in the third booke of his Geographie Pascal then tarried not long after to commaund vnder paine of excommunication that none should presume to receiue an Ecclesiasticall Benefice of a Lay-man whosoeuer hee be Supp Chro. Great signes and maruells happened in this time In Saxe a great Earthquake so that many villages as Vrsp saith perished by fire In diuers places it raigned stones amongst haile which slew men and beasts Naucler Eugenius Pope second of that name borne at Rome ruled three yeares A Schisme rose vp in the Church and there was great discord amongst the Cardinalls some choosing Sozimus but finally Eugenius obtained the Papacie for he had in him great appearance of holinesse At this time a Peace was confirmed betwixt Leo Emperour of Constantinople and Lewis the Romane Emperour Naucler The King of Denmarke named Hariolus cast out of his Kingdome by the children of Godfrey came for succours to the Emperour Lewis and obtained helpe to be restored into his Kingdome Chron. Sigeb Translation of holy bodies Now was translation of the bodies of many Saints from Italie into Almaine France and England Fascic temp This was all the Religion of this time Michael Emperour of Constantinople sent Embassadors towards Lewis Debonaire to vnderstand his opinion towching the Images of Saints namely whether they should keepe them or reiect them Lewis sent them to Pope Eugenius to heare his opinion Bonif. Simoneta This Emperour Michael sent to Lewis the bookes of the Hierarchie of S. Denis Chro. Sigeb Lotharie King of Italie came to Rome and was royally receiued of Pope Eugenius hee reformed the estate of the Towne and all Italie and ceased all partialities and appointed at Rome Magistrates to do right to the people Naucler Blond Valentine second of that name Cardinall and Deacon a Romane gouerned at Rome onely fortie dayes an eloquent man Bonif. Simoneta Organes became first in vse in France about this time by a Priest called Gregorie who learned his cunning therein in Greece See the Hist of France Gregorie Pope fourth of that name a Romane ruled at Rome 16. yeares This Pope would neuer accept the Popeship vnlesse first the Emperour would approoue his election and therof he was certified by an Embassage which the Emperour sent to Rome to examine the said election Naucl. and Abb. Vrsp The Sarrasins with the Souldan of Babilon came into Rome and of the Church of S. Peter made a stable for horses and wasted Pouille Calabria and Sicilie and pilled and spoiled all where they went Chron. Euseb and Naucler Naucler saith that in the Councell held at Aixle Chapele vnder this Pope the yeare of Christ 830. there was ordained a meane and rule for Monkes Nunnes Canons and others to liue in There was also ordained that euery Church should possesse rents and reuenewes that so Priests might haue whereon to liue and so to keepe them from applying themselues to any prophane thing or dishonest gaine Prebendes were ordained
a Magitian Philosopher who had a booke none like it in the Art Magicke Gerbert sought often to steale it from him but by reason his maister kept it very carefully hee could not come by it Yet hee perswaded the Philosophers daughter with whom hee had great familiaritie to get the booke and lende it him to reade which shee did Hauing then the saide booke hee retired and fearing to be surprized with it hee vowed himselfe to the Diuell vppon condition hee would bring him to Fraunce Being returned he kept a Schoole and taught the liberall Arts with great admiration of his Auditors After he was Maister vnto Otho the the fourth of Robert sonne of Hugo Capet King of Fraunce and of Lotharie who afterward was Arch-bishop of Sens by whose helpe hee was aduaunced First to be Arch-bishop of of Rheimes as is saide and after of Rauenna and finally Pope During which time hee alwayes dissembled his Art Magicke and the communication hee had with the Diuell Of whom once desiring to knowe how long hee should liue in the Popedome the Diuell answered him that he should liue til he said Masse in Ierusalem Siluester then giuing himselfe altogether vnto his delights hoping to liue long and thinking of nothing lesse then of going to Ierusalem It came to passe that one day in Lent as he celebrated in the Church of the holy Crosse of Ierusalem he was suddenly taken with a great Feuer then did he remember y t the said place was called of y e crosse of Ierusalem so had bin seduced by the ambiguity of the answer Straight heard he great tumults of diuels in his presence being surprised with feare began to lament And although he was a very wicked man yet fel he not into dispair but seeing he must needs die called his Cardinals told vnto them all his life and the art Magicke which he had vsed to come vnto that dignitie exhorting them to liue holily and before all men cōfessed himself miserable ordeined that his body should be hewen cut in peeces but especially such of his members wherby he had worshipped the diuel and then that they all should be put in a cart and in what place soeuer the horses which drew y e cart should stay there he should be buried And it came to passe that the horses without any cōduction of man carried his body into the Church of Laterane where he was laid in a Sepulchre And at this day his Sepulchre is a pronosticke token of a Popes death R. Barnes Suppl Chron. and Nauler An Aduertisement From the time of Iohn the 8. which was the whore vntil the yeare after the Natiuitie of Christ Antichrist raigned at Rome a brazen faced harlot which had despised and troden vnder her feet holy mariage All the Popes which were within this time which conteineth about an 150. yeares were plunged in all voluptuousnes impudency and carnal villanies in arrogancy kissing of feete Sacriledges horrible dissentions homicides vnbrideled impudencies as may easily be perceiued by the discourse of those proceedings In this time now following after the thousand yeare the diuel is wholy vnchained And rightly may this time be called The kingdome of the great Dragons Siluester the second by his Necromancies began to vnloose Sathan hauing couenanted with him to haue the Popedome Benet the 9. did homage to the diuel in woods mountaines In Hildebrand or Gregory the 7. and other Popes thou shalt see what Arts they vsed Otho the 3. the 18. yeare of his Empire was poysoned by a Romane woman which had bin the wife of Crescentius at the houre of his departing from Rome by the gift of a paire of persumed gloues being poysoned And this was in reuenge of her husbands death as saith Crantius Henry second of that name Duke of Banier and Counte of Bamberge surnamed the Lame obteined the Empire by election and raigned 22. yeares Iohn Pope 19. of that name surnamed le Sec as Iohn Blundus by Nation an Italian succeeded Siluester the Magician euen in the same art and studies which he practised Berno saith that there were great cōtentions amongst the Necromancians such as were fauourers of Siluester this Iohn but in the end he carried all away Some say he was poysoned after he had gouerned 5. months This Pope gaue himself altogether to idlenes pleasure as witnesseth Crantius Hydromany was his studie He commanded the Feast of the Commemoration of the dead newly inuented and instituted in the Abbey of Clugny by Odillo as is said which was in the moneth of March to be remitted vntill the second day of Nouember and then obserued also through all Churches R. Barns and Supp Chron. The name of a Cardinall appointed as a dignitie The Historiographers say that at this time the name and appellation of a Cardinall beganne to be in great account as we see at this day Baconthorpius Ro. Barns and Carion Iohn Pope 20. borne at Rome called Fasanus was suspected to haue made away his predecessor These Popes from Siluester vntill Hildebrand gaue themselues to nothing but diabolicall arts This man after he had gouerned foure yeares fiue moneths dyed Naucl. not without some suspition of poyson In this time there was an horrible pestilence yea almost through the whole world Sigeb Fulbert Bishop of Chartres wrote these Respondes to the praise of the Virgin Marie Stirps Iesse c. Et Chorus nouae Hierusalem c. and other prayers Herman a Monke of S. Gall wrote that Salue Regina Alma redemptoris mater Trit Abb. Sergius Pope the fourth of that name a Romane gouerned the Sea two yeares and sixe moneths Suppl Chron. Burchardus first a Monke of Lob the Disciple of Albert aboue mentioned was Bishop of Wormes He compiled the auncient Canons which afterward were abridged by Gratian yea rather corrupted which is easie to iudge in comparing them together Rhenanus in his Annota vpon Tertullian Ierusalem was taken and the Lords Sepulchre destroyed by the Sarrasins and Mahumetists Nancl. and Suppl Chron. Benet Pope 8. of that name a Tusculan gouerned the Romane Church 12. yeares or thereabouts He crowned the Emperour Henry at his comming to Rome and saluted him Augustus Henry the second builded at Bamberge the Church of Saint George and prayed Benet it might be a Cathedrall Church which the Pope agreed vnto vppon condition that the saide Church should paye to the Pope euery yeare an hundreth markes of siluer and a white horse with all his furniture Platina and R. Barnes Conrade 2. of that name obteined the Empire and raigned 15. yeares Naucler He was the sonne of Herman Duke of Franconians and was called Salicus because he came of the Sicambians from whom came the Salicke lawe And the French themselues were called Salickes which vsed that lawe whereof we haue made mention in Pharamond After the death of Henry the 2. Benet was deiected frō his dignitie
of a Regular Chanon he was made Bishop Cardinall and after Pope ruled at Rome fiue yeares and sixe monethes He was sent vnto Norway by Eugenius the third Pope to preach the faith and when he had instructed the people of the said Countrey he was chosen Pope Beeing receiued the Romanes prayed him to leaue the administration of the towne free to Consuls and Magistrates after their auncient maner which be refused wherat the Romanes grieued did many euils vnto a Cardinall In so much that Adrian set all the Citie of Rome vnder an Interdict or excommunication After his election he would by no meanes go to the Church of Laterane to be consecrated vntill first Arnold bishop of Brixe were cast out of the Towne who opposed himselfe against the Administration of ciuill things and of the temporall sword which the Cleargie had vsurped And therefore he called him an heretike solliciting the Romane people to maintain their libertie Magistracie and other offices R. Barns Of this same time was Peter de Blois who in his writings touched the wickednesse of the Cleargie-men In a certaine Epistle which he writeth to a Bishops Officiall he admonisheth him to come out of Babilon detesting the tirannie of Bishops and their Officials calling them infernall harpies which do but powle and sheere the Church of Iesus Christ He often calleth the Cleargie Siria Edom Calues of Bethel Idols of Egipt the fatte of Samaria Priests of Baal and Iudges which forge vniust lawes and many such like names he giueth them This saith he of Rome At Rome all is subuerted by gifts Monkes may do all things by siluer and redeeme by annuall pentions all wickednesse of the flesh There filthinesse began to be sung in the Tabernacle of Geth in the streets of Ascalon So was he made the Prince of Sodome and his Disciples after him are set in the chaire of pestilence Such writing should be noted for their excellencie and raritie The yeare of Christ 1155. Frederic went into Italy Adrian met him euen at Sutry hoping by the Emperours meanes to reuenge himselfe vpon his enemies And as hee arriued at the Emperours lodging the Emperour hasted to meete him and as he lighted he held the left stirrope of his horse and taking him by the hand ledde him into his Castle The Pope greatly disdaining held as a mockery that the Emperour at his lighting held his left stirrope and not his right Insomuch that he departed from his Castle much offended discontent The next morning the Emperour dissembling all like a wise man calling the Pope as hee met him againe held his right stirrope at his lighting For hee had not forgotten his lesson of the day before After they went to Rome and there Frederic was crowned by Adrian at S. Peters and returned into Almaigne Ri. Barnes Iohn of Salisbury Bishop of Chartres was in this time who sharply opposed himselfe against the wickednes of Popes and Cleargie He writ a booke Intituled Obiurgatorium Cleri In his booke Intituled Policraticus he saith thus In the Romane Church are set Scribes and Pharisies loading mens shoulders with insupportable burthens The great Bishop is heauy vnto all yea importable His Legates cast themselues so into the fields as if Sathan were come from the Lorde to torment the Church Iudgement amongst them is no other thing but a true marchandise They esteeme of gaine as of pietie it selfe They iustifie the wicked by gold and siluer and reioyce in wickednes They eate the sinnes of the people They are apparelled nourished in all luxurie whilest the true worshippers worship the Lord in spirit He that sticketh not vnto their doctrine either is he iudged an hereticke or a schismaticke c. Often were there such Doctors in the Church but they durst not speake nor write of all that was needfull In a booke Intituled Speculum that is to say the Glasse It is said that that good Bishop Iohn amongst other complaints hath bene sometimes heard say to the Pope Adrian the fourth his very familiar friend these words The Pope indeed is truly the seruant of seruants because he serueth the Romanes seruants of couetousnesse The same Pope Adrian was heard say to the said Bishop Iohn That there were many Popes which rather succeeded Romulus in murders paracides then S. Peter in feeding of sheep Romulus the first founder of the Citte of Rome slewe his owne brother Remus and so the walls were dedicated in that Parricide Adrian excommunicated William the sonne of Rogier king of Sicily and Pouille and absolued his subiects of their oathes towards him but seeing he profited nothing by that meanes he incited Emanuel Emperour of Constantinople Emanuel promised the Pope to deposed the said William Onely he demanded three Maritime or Sea Townes if he came to his purpose These conuentions made in the meane while the Grecians occupied Pouille and wasted it William vnderstanding these practises prayed the Pope to be reconciled vnto him and that hee would onely graunt him the title of king of the two Sicilies and he would restore him whatsoeuer he demanded yea he would giue of his owne The Pope was content but the Cardinalls kept him from it William then went into battaile against the Grecians and obtained the victorie droue the Grecians out of Pouille and recouered it The Captaine prisoners were bound with chaines Afterward he went against Beneuent and besieged it The Pope and his Cardinalls which by chance were there are prisoners and constrained to demaund peace and to agree wiih him The Pope first absolueth him of his excommunication and pronounceth and declareth him King after hauing done him homage to hold his Land Seignory of the holy Father Adrian returned to Rome and straight fel vnto cōtention For the Consuls would maintaine their franchise ancient libertie Wherfore fearing because the Interdict endured yet he got himselfe Anagnia or Arignianum R. Barns Frederic was not content that the Pope without his knowledge had graunted the title and right of Sicilia because he was thereby defrauded of the Inuestures also for that the Popes Legates pilled so the Countries subiect vnto his Empire Because the Pope began secretly through all the Empire to sowe reasons to retire his subiects from his subiection Wherefore he demaunded homage of the Bishops of the Germaine Nation and oath of fidelitie hee forbad that any should appeale vnto the Romane Sea He commaunded the Popes Legates which appealed not to him to get them out of his Countries The Pope very much grieued at all those things as also that the Emperour set his owne name before the Popes in his Letters missiues which he sent writ Letters vnto him rebuking him for those foresaid things admonishing him to amēd The Emperor answered them frō point to point First that iustly by good right he set his name before his seeing the Pope oweth all humilitie to the Emperour as Christ hath taught And if Popes haue
things to this passe that Wencelaus son of Ottocaire should take to wife Gertrude the Emperors daughter on the other side Rodolphe the Emperour his sonne should espowse Agnes the daughter of Ottocaire Austrich also came vnto the Emperours sonne Albert. The Tartarians Till this time the Tartarians were vnknowne in Europe Now they shewed themselues and finally entred into Hungarie with fiue hundreth thousand men from thence into Polonia Schlesia Morauia See Monstre lib. 4. Some recite that in this time Haalon King of the Tartarians ouercame the Countries of Persia and tooke Babilon then called Baldaca with the great Caliphe who in the Mahumetist lawe is to bee compared vnto the Pope of Rome in authoritie and treasure This Haalon hauing the Caalipho prisoner as is said inuented and ordained in a great mockerie his death in this sort It is conuenient saith hee that that man speake of the Caliphe which loued so much gaine should be nourished with precious viands go then and place him in the middest of heaps of gold and precious stones and let him vse such meates As then he had certaine time bene kept in great affluence of gold and siluer and in the middest of these riches he died with hunger See Paralip Vrsp. Innocent Pope fift of that name borne at Burgongne after Supp Chron. and Cor. Abb. Or in Lombardie after Fasci Temp. before called Peter de Tarentaise Prior Prouinciall of the Iacobins in France Maister and Doctor in Theologie Archbishop of Lyons Cardinall d' Ostia and great Penitenciary of the Pope See how these Grashoppers Mendicants enter alreadie into power to appoint ouer them the King Abadon as is spoken Apocalips 19. Whilest this man was Bishop of Ostia and Cardinall whose office it is to consecrate the Pope Bonauenture Friar was also Cardinall and Bishop of Albe This Peter or Innocent beeing chosen Pope came soone after to Rome Where hauing bene crowned in the Church of S. Peter that hee might rest at his pleasure he sent Embassadors men of great authoritie which commaund them of Tuscane which had conspired to destroy the Pisans and the Geneuois and Venetians beeing at deadly foode to lay downe their Armes vpon paine of excommunication The Embassadors of Charles King of Sicilie were also there present by meanes of whose authoritie hee hoped things should more easily haue such issue as they desired The Tuscanes straight did what was commaunded them And aboue all the Florentines which also for that cause he declared and absolued of the Interdict which Gregorie his predecessor had published against them But the Geneuois Venetian whose hearts had of long time beene inueterated consumed one an other by losses and mutuall victories which notwithstanding Innocent would haue made consent vnto that he pretended if he had longer liued he tooke the matter so much to heart But he dyed sixe moneths and two daies after he was chosen Pope the same yeare of his predecessour Gregorie and was buried in the Church of Laterane This saith Carsulanus although he had determined to do many things yet did nothing worthie of memorie because he was preuented by death This Pope as Platina saith displeased much the secular Priests because that being at Viterbe after he had heard the processe that was betwixt them and the Iacobins touching the sepulcure of Clement the fourth hee ordeined by sentence that his bodie should be buried by the said Iacobins Rodolphe Adrian Pope fift of that name borne at Genes of the house of Tolisques before called Othobonus was created Pope at Rome in the Pallace of Lateran after the death of Innocent his vncle hauing bene ordeined by him Cardinall Deacon of Saint Adrian and sent into England with large power to leuie a great summe of money But as hee sought to appease certaine discordes betwixt the King and his Barons that hee might dispatche his businesse the more easilie hee was clapt vp in prison by the Londiners but finally deliuered againe The yeare of our Lorde 1266. hee helde a Sinode in Northumberland and an other at London whether resorted a great number of Bishoppes and Priests There after they had brought to such estate as he thought good the things appertaining to the Popedome hee published certaine lawes which in time to come England should vse in such things as concerned Popery He declared wicked all such Bishops as had rashly followed the Princes part against King Henry the third which yet were absolued by him partly by gifts presents and partly because he was constrained vnto a quicke transportation to the Pope of Rome Being then created Pope of Rome he tooke incontinently his way towardes Viterbe and sought to bring into Italie the Emperor Rodolphe to diminish the power of Charles King of Sicilie this was hee which a little before they had lifted vp into that roome against all iustice and equitie who at that time did his pleasure and as he would at Rome But Rodolphe being wrapped in warre against the Bohemians could not satisfie Adrians request As for Charles meaning to flie the enuie against him transported into Achaia all his forces which he had prepapared to make warre to the end by that meane to make a way to be Emperour of Constantinople Adrian had a will saith Platina to cause that all Seignories belonging vnto the Church should come into great assurance against such as oppressed them and to reduce into an other forme the constitution of his predecessour Gregorie touching the shutting vp of Cardinalls at the Popes election But death hindered his enterprises and opposed it selfe against the greatnes of his courage What could he do saith Wicelius Apostate of the truth that was a Pope but of fortie dayes For be deceased at Viterbe the yeare 1276. before he could be consecrated and was enterred in the Couent of Friars the fourth day of his Popedome and the seat was vacant about 28. dayes Many debates and contentions happened amongst the Bishops and Pastors against the Mendicant Monkes which troubled Churches because whether Bishops Priests would or no they would ascend into Pulpits to preach Amongst such as complained of them besides Guilliam d'Amour of whom we spake before there was Bernard the Glossator of the Decretalls Godfrey des Fountaines Henry de Gaud and many others Laurent an English man Doctour of Paris in this time maintained the opinion of Guilliam de Saint Amour and writ against the Monkes a Booke conteining an admonition against false Prophets and an other by which he defendeth the said de Saint Amour The Booke that the bogging Friars set out Of the eternall and spirituall Gospell to eâ—â—â—â—ct the true Gospell of our Lord was publikely burnt and to couer their filthinesse and impudencie they saide that a certaine Monke which long time before was dead had made it Iohn 22. of that name of Portugal borne in the Towne of Lisbone making profession of Phisicke called before Peter of Portugall of a Cardinall and
for the sea came vnto Sardeigne and there attended till there was some stirre in Sicilie For the Sicilians hauing coniured against Charles and the French had assigned a day to sley them all yea without hauing respect vnto Sexe or condition of any person so soone as the sound of Bell should bee heard at euening as shall bee said heereafter But this cruell and horrible acte was not executed in the time of Nicholas but vnder Martin the fourth of that name his successor Nicholas transported to himselfe the dignitie of the Senator of Rome which Clement the fourth had giuen vnto e foresaid King Charles and ordained for a perpetuall Edict that from thence forth no King or Prince should dare to demaund such an estate or to take such a charge vpon him By the disloyaltie of this Pope it came to passe that all Flammina with the towne of Bolongne it selfe and the Exarchate of Rauenna which things had long time bene in the Seignorie and domination of the Emperors were reduced vnder the puissance of the Romish Sinagogue And besides hee alone tooke vpon him the charge as Stella saith of the office of Senator which the Church had accustomed to giue vnto Kings and Princes He inriched the Towne of Rome with new edifice and amongst others he builded an house very commodious for S. Peter and a Parke for Hares or Conneys which hee enuironed with high walles Wherein he himselfe often hunted He reedified the Churches of S. Peter and S. Paul which fell with age Hee atchieued and ended a certaine house in Laterane which had long time before bene commenced Hee builded from the bottome to the top the Church called Sancta Sanctorum and set there the Apostles keyes in siluer chaines When this Hypocrite sung Masse the teares fell from his eyes Hee carried such fauour vnto the Friars that hee declared certaine doubtes which were in the rule of the Sect by a Decretall Epistle He made many ordinances for the profit and vtilitie of the Cleargie not of Christian people and made many Cardinalls of the order of begging Friars He droue from him certaine Notaires commaunding vnder paine of Excommunication that in what place souer Magistrates should bee but Annalls for a yeare Many reprooued him for that hee had made his Nephew called Berthand Count or Earle of Romagnole and had sent Latin Cardinall Iacobin his other Nephew or rather Bastard Legate into Tuscane For Platina Stella others say that he loued his owne too much In so much that whatsoeuer hee got from others hee gaue it without reason or measure For he tooke by force from certaine Romane Gentlemen their Castles and gaue them to his friends and amongst others one called Surien After he had euery where set vp the Gibellins a sort of mutinous and rebellious people into their first estate to the end they might maintaine his tirannies he placed in Florence as in other places Magistrates at his pleasure and many other domages he did vnto them This Pope had also determined to haue made two Kings of the house of Vrsini and to haue placed one in Tuscane and an other in Lombardie But as he purposed to put all these things in effect being in the Towne called Sutry he was taken with an Apoplexie of which he died suddenly and without speaking the yeare of our Lord 1291. And after some the 4. of his Popedome although by his good complection it seemed he would haue liued much longer Some say his death was foretold by one which sawe a great Invndation or ouerflowing of the Riuer of Tiber. Som say also he engendred vpon a Concubine of his a bastard whose haire and nailes were like a Beares See what Iohn de Noyan saith in his Illustrations of Beda William Durand a subtill man made at this time his booke Intituled Rationale diuinorum officiorum Albert the great Bishop of Ratisbone died in this time Martin the 4. of that name borne in France in the Towne of Tours named before Simon and Cardinal Priest of S. Cecile ruled 2. yeares and 8 monethes Being chosen by the French Cardinalls which then were in greatest number would not be crowned at Viterbe because he tooke that Towne to be interdicted for a rowte they made against the Cardinalls For they of Viterbe following one called Richard Hanniball Captaine of all such as tooke part with the Italians entered into the Conclaue tooke the Cardinalls and put them in prison after hauing not onely dispised but also giuen the chase to all them of the house of Vrsins This Pope Martin then being come into the old towne which commonly is called Oruieto vsed all the solemnities and created 8. Cardinalls that same day that he might be strongest when he came vnto combat But hee not onely receiued very courteously the King Charles comming towards him but also yeelded him the dignitie of Senator whereof he was depriued by Nicholas This euery man found not good for that it seemed it should stirre vp great seditions in the Towne seeing the Vrsins were alreadie returned and such as were of Hanniballs faction chased away For Charles was a great aduersarie of the Vrsins for the hatred he conceiued against Nicholas Yet Martin subtillly casting his affaires had in great estimation Mathew d'Aquasporta of the order of his bretheren Friars Cardinall and Bishop of Port of the house of Vrsins This Pope Martin published sentence of excommunication against Peter King of Arragon who ordeined an Army by Sea to come into Sicilie against Charles and exposed his Kingdome for a pray to the first that could get it declaring his subiects absolued of the oath of fidelitie which they had promised him naming him an vsurper of Ecclesiasticall goods and leuied an armie against him of such as had taken the Croisado All the pastime of Popes and their supporters is to stirre vp warre and dissention amongst the Princes of this world Yet Peter making no account of all this obtained the kingdome of Sicilie with the helpe of Paleologus Emperour of Constantinople who was also excommunicated as making no account of that he had promised at the Councell of Lions aboue Moreouer the Sicilians not being able longer to beare the pride and whoredomes of the French at the perswasion of Iohn Prochita coniured against Charles and slew them all at the sound of a Bell without hauing any regard to Sexe and from thence came the Prouerbe when one wisheth the death of many that they may say The Euensong of Sicilie as hath beene touched a litle before Besides this Martin amongst other acts worthy of a Pope graunted to the Romanes that they might chuse two Senators of the Nobilitie and excommunicated Paleologus Emperour of Greece He made warre against them of Forley and graunted many priuiledges vnto Begging Friars which hee knew to be like horses prepared vnto the battle and all this was still to munite and fortifie the more his tirannie
the Pope Clement in fauour of the king noted them of heresie and infamie wrongfully and vpon enuie Paral. Vrsper Some thinke that the kings of France of England and of Spaine conspired against them for the possessions and Castles which they had in their kingdomes The yeare 1309. the Sarabits Monkes which came out of Egipt began in England Their garments were of Oxe and Swines skinnes and they were tyed with cordes Iohn Clyn Hybernus The order of Paulins entred into England and placed thēselues at Glocester the yeare 1310. Chron. Caletense This Pope Clement in a well leaded Bull which is yet at this day kept by Copie at Vienna at Limoge and at Poiters in the Coffers of priuiledges commanded the Angels of Heauen to carrie into the Ioyes of Paradice and draw out of Purgatorie the soule of him whosoeuer should die in the way going in Pilgrimage to Rome Moreouer saith he we will that the paines of hell shal no way be inflicted vpon them Agrip. de vanit sciēt Iean wife of Lewis king of Fraunce after the death of her husband went to Rome and resigned the kingdome of Naples deliuering it into Pope Clements hand who after made a gift of it to Lewis duke of Angiou brother of Charles the fift king of France sauing the profits to the vse of the said Iean for her life But he enioyed it not for he died with fiue thousand men in conquering it against Charles Nephew of the said Lewis King of Hungaria who occupied the kingdome and held it foure yeares and left a sonne called Ladislaus who raigned 29. yeares at Naples by the helpe of Pope Vrbain the 6. This Pope condemned the Beghards or Begnins which would not worship the Bread of the Eucharist He commaunded that the great Maister of the Templers should be burned at Paris with one of his cōpanions in the presence of Cardinals made certain ordinances against the insolencies of the Iewes after hauing confiscated their goods He ordained that oathes deliuered by Princes were not oathes of subiection but of fidelitie and commanded that the goods of the Church should not be alienated Hee ordained that Clarkes which occupied temporall traffiques and wore precious garments should be punished and forbad Monkes all kinde of huntings as well of beastes as birdes He confirmed the Feast instituted in the honour of the bread of the Eucharist which the Papists commonly called La feste dieu God his Feast He gathered in his volume the Constitutions called Clementius and pronounced that the reliques of Saints ought to be greatly honoured He gouerned the affaires of Italie by Neapolion and Pelagura Cardinalls his Legates and added Celestine the fift to the number of Popish Confessors He set in order the constitutions of Monkes and againe declared the rule of Friars Finally this Clement being tormented one while with a flux of the belley and an other with a paine of the stomack sides deceased in a Castle called Rocquemaure vpon Rosue the yeare of the Lord 1314. his body was carried into Gascoin and the Papall seate was emptie euen till the third yeare This yeare it selfe that he died as Henry of Lucembourg Emperor determined to draw to him by force of Armes the kingdome of Sicilie vnto which he was called hee was traiterously brought to death by a wicked Monke called Bernard du Mont Polician of Domcastre who was of the conspiration of the Guelphes and yet made a countenance that he was the Emperours friend He gaue a poysoned host to this good Prince who as soone as he felt the mischiefe aduertised this traitor Monke to flie away saying vnto him Away away for if the Almanes perceiue any thing and such as doo affect mee you shall die So this wicked Iudas withdrawing himselfe to Sienes receiued the siluer that had bene promised him for the reward of his treason but hereby hee deliuered not his bretheren Iacobins For many of them perished by fire and sword with their houses as wel in Tuscane as in Lombardie and many other places The Vniuersitie of Orleance was instituted in this time Chron. of the Kings of France The yeare at Crist 1313. the King of Fraunce Phillip le bel became a Leper and therefore he caused all the Leapers of France and Flaunders as well men as women to bee burnt For he vnderstood that they had infected the waters And the Chroniclers of Almaine say that the said king became a Leper because he made the Templers die Arnold de Villa Noua an excellent Phisitian and Mathematician some say of Chalon others of Narbone was iudged an heretike because he said that Sathan had made all Christian people stray from the truth Item that the faith of Christians of his time was no other then such as diuels haue Item that such as are in Cloisters are out of Charitie and condemne themselues in falsifying the doctrine of Iesus Christ leading Christians into hell Item that the Theologians haue maliciously mingled the Dreames of Philosophers with the holy scripture Item that in the sacrifice of the Aultar the Priest offereth nothing to God and that Masses profiteth neither quick nor dead He prooued by Daniel and by Sibilla Erithra that Antichrist in a full tirannie should persecute the faithfull after the yeare 1300. Besides his Phisicke bookes he writ against the Iacobins that it was lawfull to eate flesh The cutting sword against the Thomistes The admonition of Iesus Christ to Christians Of the subtilties of false Prophets Of the misterie of the Churches Cymballs Of the consummation of the world and other bookes He was iudged an heretike by the Iacobins at Tarraeon Finally being sent to the Pope by Frederic king of Sicilie he died in the way and was buried at Genés a true champion of the Lord. Margarite Queene of Nauarre daughter of the Duke of Burbon Iean daughter of the Count of Bourgongne and wife of the Count of Poiters Blanche second daughter of the said Count of Bourgongne wife of the Count de la Marshe were taken by the kings commaundement and condemned to continuall prison for their fornications and adulteries against them manifestly prooued Yet afterward Iean Countesse of Poiters returned with her husband For it was knowne that she was not culpable of all that which was imposed on her The Adulterers that is Phillip d'Annoy which kept the Queene and his brother Gualter de Annoy which kept the said Blanch knights were scorched there genitories cut off and they drawne and hanged Schisme in the Empire There was a diuision amongst the Electors some did chuse Lois the fourth of that name Duke of Bauiere others Frederic Duke of Austrich and the one had warre against the other eight yeares In the end Lewis obtained alone the Empire and raigned 24 yeares after the Chron. of Euseb which make 32. yeares The Sea of Hist Loys Hutin sonne of Phillip le bel succeeded in the Kingdome and is
Leter de Luna would not refuse to enter into the way of agreement But in place to graunt their request hee sent them towards his Nephewe Loys who remained at the hospitall of the holy spirit as were towards an hangman prepared for them who tooke eleuen of his Citizens which came to consult with him touching the affaires of their Common-wealth which was in perishing by the Popes negligence and put them all to death he after cast them out of the windowes to the ground saying that schismes and seditions could not be otherwise taken away With this crueltie the Romane people being mooued hauing called to their aide Ladislaus or Lancelot king of Pouille tooke Armes for the punishment of that cut-throate Lewis but the Pope to shunne the furie of the people fled to Viterbe with Lewis his Nephewe The people seeing they could not take vengeance of him that had committed such wickednesse fel vpon the Curtezans whose goods were almost all pilled yet some saued themselues in the Cardinals houses which being ayded with their people receiued such as came vnto them although very hardly After the Romanes hauing taken the Capitoll and being seized of the Mount Miluins they assailed the Fortresse of Aebrian but it was lost labour although Iohn Colomne the Count of Troy and other valiant Captaines assisted them vnder the conduction of the King Ladislaus In the end this stirre being appeased the Pope came againe to Rome where he created many Cardinalls amongst which was Angelius Corrairus a Venetian Petrus Philargus of Creete and Otho Colomnus a Romane Gentleman Hauing by this meanes strengthned established his Popedome he created Lewis his Nephwewe Marquis of Pise and after appointed him for the principalitie of Firman This Pope demaunded as well in France as in England the halfe of all Ecclesiasticall reuenewes as Gaguin saith but it was not graunted him After which things he liued not long for the yeare 1407. he died at Rome Diuisions in Religion in the Country of Boheme We haue abouesaid that the Emperour Charles the fourth instituted the Vniuersitie of Prage and prouided it of learned men and as a Prince giuen to Letters adorned often with his presence the disputations made in Schooles But because the Teutonians in that Vniuersitie seemed to carry away the prise and honour there in disputations aboue the Bohemians they were greatly ashamed that straungers should surmount them It came to passe that one of the Bohemians hauing recouered the bookes of Wickliffe communicated them to his companions and they drewe out of them great arguments which the Teutonians could not resist wherevpon many dissentions fell amongst them euen to batteries and murthers The Teutonians seeing this forsooke the place Insomuch that more then 2000. Schollers on one day went out of Prage the yeare 1048. and came to Lipse where they begun an Vniuersitie after leaue obtained Iohn Hus then had the greatest renowne a man that came out of a village called Hus which signifieth an Hen whereof he tooke his name He was of a great and quicke spirit and well spoken beginning to recommend the doctrine of Wicliffe to the people The Bohemians instructed with this doctrine began first to set against the Pope esteeming him no more honourable nor greater then other Bishops or Priests And therevpon reformed the doctrine by the conclusions and Articles following 1 That the dignitie makes not the Priest or Bishop honorable but sanctitie of life and good doctrine 2 That soules seperate from bodies goe right vnto eternall paines or straigth obtaine happie life 3 That there is no witnesse in all the scripture wherby can be proued that there is Purgatory after this life 4 To make oblations and sacrifices for the dead is an inuention of the couetousnes of Priests 5 Images of God or of Saints benedictions of waters and such like things are forged of men against the word of God 6 That the orders of begging Friars were inuented by diuels 7 That Baptisme ought to be administred with water without creame oyle spittle and such pollutions 8 That the Temple of God is the world That such as build Churches Monasteries and Oratories therein to enclose him do enclose Maiestie which is incomprehensible 9 That the ornaments of Priests Chasubles Corporals Chalices Plates Vestments and Aultars are all but vanitie 10 That in vaine we implore the helpe of Saints and that it is time lost to sing the Canonicke houres That fastings merit nothing 11 That the Eucharist ought to be administred vnder both kindes 12 They reiected the Masse and receiued onely the Communion of the supper the word and prayer and many other Articles drawne from the holy scripture Gregorie 12. of that name borne at Venice called before Angelus Corrarius Patriarke of Constantinople and Cardinall Priest of the order of S. Marke was chosen at Rome after the death of Innocent but vpon this condition that if the profit and vtilitie of the Church required it he should giue ouer his Papall dignitie because of Benet 13. named Peter de la Lune who succeeded Clement 7. in Auignon The Venetians tooke of one named Franciscus Curiario Vicar of the Empire two Imperiall Cities Verone and Padua after the said Francis was sent prisoner to Venice where finally he was slaine in prison So after they vsurped traiterously the Towne of Rauenna which was the Romane Churches Patrimonie They sent to summon with great magnificence the Gouernour Hostasius Polentan his wife and his sonne and prayed them that they would come and take their pastime at Venice at a certaine great Feast and solemnitie which was made there But whilest he was at Venice they tooke Rauenna by treason and sent the said Lord his wife and his child into perpetuall exile into the I le of Candie where they died poorely Iohn le Maire Lewis Duke of Orleance comming from the Queenes house about eight of the Clocke at night was murdred at Paris by Apostate people which first threw him off his Mule when he was fallen on the earth an Almaine his Squire fell vpon him thinking to saue him who was also put to death with his Maister Iohn Duke of Burgongne caused him to be slaine who after the case was knowne fled incontinently from Paris and came to Arras riding 42. Leagues that day See the Annales of France by M. Nichol. Gille This Pope Gregorie approoued the Sects of the Monkes of Mount Oliuet and Hieronymites with the congregation of them of Venice which were named of S. George de Alga Benet the 13. beeing in Auignon the king Charles the sixt sent in Embassage towards him the Dukes of Bourgongne of Berry of Orleance to the end to perswade him to giue place to his right for the good and vnion of the Church and that on the other part Gregorie the 12. would do the like Wherevnto the said Benet gaue no answere but left the said Princes without bidding them farewell and retired into
the first of December vnderstanding that the French had bene vanquished at Millaine by the Emperours people and chased out of all Italie which also was not done without his meanes drinking making good cheare hee maruellously reioyced at this newes and herein suddenly died as they say Hee which neuer beleeued there was either hell or heauen after this present life There was a Poet called Sannazarius which made a Distiche that is two Latin Verses of the death of the said Leo which because they seeme to be wel made are set downe Sacra sub extrema si forte requiritis hora. Cur Leo non poterat sumere vendiderat The sence of these Verses is If you aske wherefore Leo could not take the Sacraments beeing so nigh his death the reason is he had sold them before That which is aboue spoken of the taking of Rhodes and of the wonders seene the same day that agreement was made to yeeld the Towne into the Turkes hands cannot accord with that which is spoken of the death of Leo. For it is a certaine that Rhodes was taken by Pope Adrian his successor and was yeelded to the Turkes Anno 1522. An Aduertisement touching a certaine coniecture of the supputation of time It would bee noted in this place that the yeare after the Incarnation of Iesus Christ 161. Paulus Samosatenus beeing Bishop of Antioche began to disgorge his blasphemies against Iesus Christ denying that he was the true and eternall sonne of God Which most daungerous and pernitious heresie of all others was afterward augmented by Arrius and Mahomet and is yet at this day by that Antichrist the Pope Moreouer the Monkes which began as it were the same yeare vnder Paul the first here vnto haue nourished and maintained the same heresie in theyr diuers maners of life and theyr wicked doctrines whilest Antichrist raigned in the Temple of God and dealt with preaching and teaching publikely in the Church namely by the space of 42. moneths or of 1260. dayes which is all one which dayes if wee take them for yeares as they ought adding thervnto the first number of 261. yeares they will come to the yeare 1521. after the Natiuitie of Iesus Christ But that you may vnderstand this secret That yeare was discouered that great aduersarie of God who lifted himselfe aboue all that ws called God or worshipped as God This yeare then that error which so long time had beene mainteined vnder the tyrant of Antichrist began to bee shaken and to fall because the truth and righteousnesse of Faith through the spirit of Iesus Christ were reuealed by the meanes of certaine learned persons For in the said yeare 1521. Martin Luther beeing well fortified by the spirit of God in the presence of all the Estates of the Empire assembled at Wormes confessed and maintained constantly and hardily the true doctrine of our Lord Iesus Christ which the aforesaid heretikes denied And since this confession the true Church of our Lord Iesus Christ hath againe begun to renew it selfe and his kingdome to take and gather more greater forces And the kingdome of Antichrist hath begun to diminish and approacheth his ruine This which followeth is extracted out of the book of Christien Masseus The yeare of the Lord 1515. Frances King of Fraunce receiued of Leo a Iubile that is to say pardons to sell to be published through all France which was also spread through all Christendome This was a bottomelesse depth of all euills for vnder the shadowe of fighting against the Turkes they heaped vp inestimable treasures They which had this charge and commission perswaded the simple people that whosoeuer would giue tenne French soules should deliuer the soule for whom hee gaue them from the paines of Purgatorie For they held this for a certaine rule that God would doo whatsoeuer they would according to that which is said All that you doo on earth c. So that if there had wanted but one farthing lesse then the said tenne soules they said all could profit nothing Such like marchandise displeased many good men and they began to debate this question touching the Popes power whereof the old Bishops neuer heard speake Martin Luther was then in Almaine who then began to cry very sharply against Indulgences against whom one called Iohn Bekins opposed himselfe and they two entered into great disputations and contentions touching this matter Pope Leo the tenth thundred a great processe against Martin Luther and condemned him as an heretike and reiected him from the communion of the faithfull He straight appealed vnto the Councell to come After this Leo commaunded that his bookes should be burnt at Rome and on the other side Luther burnt at Wittemberge his Canons and Popish Decretalls saying As they haue done to me so haue I done to them Thus farre Masseus The rest of this historie you may see in Sleidon Baptista Mantuanus had before exhorted the said Leo to doo his office thus speaking vnto him in the fourth booke de fastis Yet there remaineth many things for thee to doo of great importance holy Father If they be great and waightie thou must enterprise them with great courage But there are there amongst others which are most worthy wherin thou shouldest employ thy selfe and trauell therein The first is warre wherewith Italie alreadie tyred and the fields thereof bedeawed with humane bloud An other is That the Romane Court is infected with a daungerous poison which spreadeth it selfe ouer all Nations Lastly there is a Faith which is oppressed and on all sides offered a pillage vnto all cruell and barbarous Nations All these things cry after thee and demaund succours of thee helpe them for the Commonwealth of Christ staggereth and Faith is sick and alreadie nigh her death Leo hauing gathered a great summe of siluer for pardons which he sold inriched his parents bankers and listed them vp into great dignities Martin Luther a great Theologian began to preach the true and pure doctrine against the hypocrisie of Papists and from thence forward the Popedome ceased not by litle and litle to fall into ruine Francis de Valois Duke de Angoulesme as the nighest and meetest to succeed in the Crowne was King 57. yeares after the death of Lewis the 12. whose eldest daughter called Claudia he married Selim hauing driuen away and after poysoned his olde father because he liued too long was Emperor of the Turkes in the yeare 1510. Vnto this wickednesse he added the murdering of his bretheren and the strangling of his Nephewes He vanquished and droue the Sophie away and in many battailes ouercame the two Souldans Campson Tonombeus with the Mammelus and Arabians hee added to his Empire Egipt and Arabia and tooke the great Caire Afterward returning the into his Countrie an Vlcer engendred in his loynes which still encreasing as a Canker killed him the 7. yeare of his raigne See hereof Munster in his Cosmographie Paulus Iouius and Ritche the first booke Soliman the
onely sonne of Selim aforesaid succeeded him in the Empire of the Turkes Anno 1518. Soliman three yeares after tooke Belgarde in Hungarie which was the Fortresse and defence of the Christians and from thence about other three yeares he tooke Rhodes by composition hauing in his Armie 200000. Turkes and 400. Gallies and two yeares after that he destroyed the Country of Hungarie with fire sword vanquished the King of the Country and tooke Bude But the 14. of his kingdome comming to besiege Vienna in Hungarie with a great puissance he was put backe by God his grace and the force of the Almaines By nature he was hautie and glorious hauing so great dominions and victories Hee pretended that the Empire of Rome and of the West appertained vnto him For he said he was the true successour of Constantine who transported the Empire from Rome and vnto Constantinople His ordinary reuenew is of sixe millions of skutes some say seuen for each yeare and whensoeuer it pleaseth him to make warre he gaineth more thereby then he leeseth because of the great store of siluer he taketh of his subiects He hath more treasure and precious stones then all other kings together as Paulus Iouius saith who also attributeth the losse of Rhodes to the carelesnes and negligence of the Pope Maximilian deceased in Austriche the 12. Ianuary after the obteining of the Empire 27. yeares Charles 5. the sonne of Phillip Archduke of Austrich of the age of 19. yeares was chosen Emperor of Rome the 25. Iune and succeeded his graundfather Maximilian The Pope would haue hindered his election because he was king of Naples and that the kings of Naples were bound to the Pope to denounce that Empire whilest they should be kings of Naples but it was in vaine Zuinglius is called from Glarone to Zurich to read teach Theologie The bookes of Luther are burnt the Popes partakers in Almaine Luther also for his part publikely burnt at Wittemberge the Popes Canon lawe as also a new decree whereby hee was condemned and after yeelded a reason of his so doing The Emperour at the instance of Frederic of Saxonie sent the 6. of March to Luther that vnder his faith and safegard he should come to a Iourney held Wormes whither hee came against the aduise of his friends and entering there the 16. of of Aprill he came out againe the 26. of the said moneth Ferdinand the Emperours yonger brother Prince of Austrich tooke to wife Anne the onely daughter of Vladislaus King of Hungarie and of Boheme the sister of Lewis the last King of the line of Hungarie Luther apposed by Eckins the Lawyer at the Iourney at Wormes constantly maintained the truth The Emperour writ Letters to Princes wherby he declared his aduise that Luther should be abandoned to whosoeuer would sley him He is excōmunicated anathematized by Pope Leo. The Sorbonists of Paris assailed him so did Henry the 8. King of England by his owne writing Wherevpon the Pope gaue him the title of Defendor of the Church A Decree at Wormes published by the Emperours Letters Patters against Luther and his fauorites Adrian Pope sixt of that name borne at Vtrict in the country of Holland come from a poore house passed his youth in studie at Louaine norished and brought vp amongst the poore of the Colledge called du Pourcean From a Doctor in Diuinitie and Doyen of S. Peter de Louaine he was called to be a Pedagoge and Schoolemaister of Charles the fift after Emperor Erasmus hauing bene cast off as a suspected person because of the doctrine which after Luther published afterward being sent Embassador towards Ferdinand King of Spaine he obteined the Bishoppricke of Derthuse The Emperour passing into England to goe into Spaine made alliance at Windsore with Henry the 8. to espowse Marie his daughter then of the age of seuen yeares when she should be of full age Iohn Rouchlin restorer of the Hebrew tongue in Almaine this yeare died Rhodes besieged in the moneth of Iune by Soliman Emperour of the Turkes the seuenth moneth following is taken by composition to the great damage and dishonour of the Christians Christierne King of Danemarch Noruege and Snede for feare that for his great tyrannie and ill gouernment he might fall into some daughter of his person this yeare fled into Zeland with his children and his wife Isabel the Emperours sister brought vnto great necessitie We may learne by such examples to feare God his iudgements when hee chastiseth both Countries and Kings for our instruction Charles Duke of Bourbon Constable of France willingly departed partly drawne by the Emperors faire promises turned himselfe against the French King to the great misfortune both of his owne person and of France The bookes of a Phisitian Magician were burnt at Rome some of which were brought vnto Adrian whereof hee made great account and they were after his death founde amongst his secret papers And some thought he came to his Popedome by an euil art Paralip Chron. Abb. Vrsp The Pope Adrian after like others he had persecuted the truth of the Gospell in the person of Luther and Oecolampadius died of a death suspected of poison in September the second yeare of his Popedome Clement Pope seueth of that name a Florentine of the Sect of Knights of S. Iohn of Ierusalem Prior des Cappes succeeded Adrian He before was called Iulius but admonished by his familiar Cardinalls he tooke the name of Clement Functius Some write him the Nephew others the sonne of Leo others his bastard brother of the house of Medices At Zuric there was a disputation three dayes whether the Masse and Idolls should be abolished The 20. of Ianuarie following the Iourney of the Swisses was held at Lucerne where they wholy cōfirmed the Popes doctrine and condemned that of the Gospell The Swisses in common complained of them of Zuric Bourbon besieged Marceill in vaine from whence hee retired into Italie where he was pursued of the French King who tooke Millaine and in winter besieged Pauie vppon Tesin Anthonie Duke of Lorraine sharpely persecuted such as bare any fauour to Luthers doctrine About the ende of this yeare certaine Countrey-men or peasants of Snabe beganne to rise and rebell against the Count de Loupae their Lord and after their example their neighbours did the like vnder the colour of certaine charges wherewith they complained to be burdened This stirre was after verie pernitious and brought great troubles and effusion of blood A battaile giuen at Pauie betwixt Charles de Lauoy a Gentlemen of the Country of Hainaut the Emperours Lieutenant and the French King wherein the said King was taken in the combat and from thence carried by sea into Spaine Zuinglius agreed not with Luther in an Article of the Supper He said that in the words of Iesus Christ there is a figure such as there is found in infinit places of the scripture
into Flaunders He passed then through France from Spaine with great receiuing and entertainment of the king and his subiects The Emperor and the King sent their Embassadors to the Venetians to ioyne with them for making warre vpon the Turke but without any thing beeing mooued with that Embassage they incontinently sent towards the Turke to make peace with him Some say they were behinde counselled herevnto by the French Embassador They of Gaunt are punished by the Emperour many are beheaded and otherwise punished and after he had taken their liberties from them he caused a strong Forte to be there builded to bridle them The French king seeing himselfe out of hope to recouer Millaine he began to contract with the Duke of Cleues cōcerning a marriage betwixt him and the Princesse of Nauarre Iohn de Vainoda king of Hungarie died leauing a little child called Stephen borne of Elizabeth daughter of Sigismond king of Polonia Phillip Chabot Admirall of France is condemned at Melnue vpon treason and in seuen hundreth thousand Scutes as a fine and after banished into the wood of Vincenne but a litle after hee was againe restored vnto all his goods and estates The disputation of Remsbourge began in Aprill betwixt the Protestants and them which they called Catholickes Phillip Melancton Bucer Pistorius other Theologians were there on the Protestants side against Eccius Iulles Pffug and Iohn Gropper Caesar Fregosa and Antonie Rincon which the French king sent Embassadors to the Turke as they passed the Pan to drawe towards Venice they were taken by the Imperialists and put to death The Marquesse Alphonsus Daual the Emperours Lieftenant in Lombardie is accused of that murder by the Lord de Langeay The King dispatcheth his Embassadors to the Iourney at Reiusbourge to complaine of that wicked act After hee stayed at Lyons George d'Austriche bastard sonne of the Emperour Maximilian Archbishop Valence as he passed through Fraunce from Spaine vnto the Emperour who was in the lowe Countries Francis sonne of Anthonie Duke of Lorraine espowsed Christierne widowe the daughter of Christierne king of Denmarke which displeased the king of France Ferdinand besieged Bude a Towne in Hungarie where the Queene Dowairie was shut vp with her litle sonne but the Turkes comming downe in great numbers in the moneth of Iuly he was glad to leaue his siege The Turkes arriuing a litle while after tooke the Towne of Pest and discomfited a great part of Ferdinands people After whether the said Dowairie would or no he forced her to appropriate Bude vnto him vnder the colour that shee could not defend it against Ferdinand So the litle King and his mother were banished into Transiluania The Emperour came to Lupues to speake with the Pope And to hinder the Turke of an other side to withdraw him from Hungarie hee embarked himselfe with his Armie in the Porte of de Venere and passing by the Iles of Corseigne Maiorque and Minorque he made saile to Argiere where he tooke land the third of October but there arose a great and horrible tempest of the sea which scattered and dispearsed a great number of his sayles so that hauing lost a good part of his Artillery and almost all his furniture of warre he was constrained to retire into Spaine The French after they vnderstood of this losse tooke occasion to mooue warre The principall Lords of Austriche euen to the number of 24. and with them tenne Cities presented a request vnto the King Ferdinand the third of December at Prague to this end that according to the decree of the last Iourney at Reiusbourge they might reforme their Churches Ferdinand answered that that that Decree onely appertained vnto the Protestants therfore he commaunded them to attend the issue of a generall or Nationall Councell of Almaine promised by the Emperour at the said Reiusbourge The beginning of the Councell of the Trent Paul Pope published the Councell at Trent the first day of Nouember Edicts of extreame rigour were published at Paris against such as they called Lutherans namely to bring vnto certaine deputed Theologians all such as were any thing spotted therewith And that all Stationers and Booke-binders should bring in within a certaine time all suspected bookes Priests also had set downe a certaine forme of Interrogating such as came to confession if they knew any Lutherans A generall Procession on is made and Geneuiefue the Parisians Goddesse trotted through the streetes in great pompe The French king sent the Lord de Longueuil to the Duke of Cleues there with Martin de Rossem to leauie people and to attend occasion to begin their enterprise After in the moneth of Iuly following warre is denounced to the Emperour Longueuil Rossem pilled spoiled in Brabant all the Countrey but they wanted powder and furniture for Artillery They of Rochel in Xantoinge mutined against the king for a Garrison placed there against the custome and for extreame tollages Gernac is sent thither by the king Whilest the king goeth vnto Parpignan Guillame Poyet Chauncellor of Fraunce is by iustice apprehended in the night time in his bed and lead to prison who foreseeing this tempest made himselfe a Priest a litle before to shun the punishments which he knew to be due for his deserts The Papall Priesthood serueth for a good cloake to couer all maner of infection The Scots about the beginning of December fought very vnluckily against the English The cause of the warre was because the king of Scotland came to Yorke as he had promised to end a controuersie which they had together about the limits of their Countries The Emperour made Crowne his sonne Phillip king of Spaine and gaue him in marriage Marie the daughter of Iohn king of Pontugall Sigismond the sonne of Sigismond king of Pologne tooke in marriage Elizabeth the daughter of Ferdinand king of the Romanes Clement Marot retiring to Geneua set out in French verses 20. Psalmes of Dauid He had before published 30. at Paris wherevpon he was persecuted by the Sorbonists The Emperor and Henry of England ioyned themselues to make warre vpon the French king who tooke Landrecy and fortified it The Hauen and Towne of Nice taken and the Castle besieged by the Prince d' Anguien after that Barbarossa conducted by the Captaine Poidin had taken land with his Armie by Sea at Tolon The Duke of Cleues chastised by the Emperor forsooke the alliance of France The Princesse of Nauarre in the way against her will with the Cardinall de Ballay for her conduction vnto Cleues was stopped with great ioy of the marriage broken Trouble in Scotland by such as demanded that their young Queene might be accorded vnto Edward sonne of king Henry The king of France did so much that he pacified the Nobilitie to drawe vnto himselfe that alliance The Vauldois a people in Prouence are put to the spoyle for the Gospell wherefore the Historie is faithfully described and
imposed vpon him lawes of extreame rigour Amongst others that hee should subiect himselfe to that which the Pope would ordaine vpon him touching Religion The Duke wished rather to die whereat the Emperor maruelling remitted that condition but yet he tooke from him all his goods sauing 50000. Crownes which the Duke Maurice vnto whom that spoyle came should giue him yearely The 21. of May Wittemberge yeelded it selfe by that Dukes commaundement after hee had acquited to his sonne and his subiects the oath of fidelitie they ought him and Maurice tooke season thereof An example of magnanimitie and constancie more then Heroicke that is Christiā which God giueth to his in the middest of the greatest afflictions of this world The estates of the Empire assembled at Vlme There the Emperours Embassadors purposed to make a league frō thenceforward to appease all troubles if any such arise like this last But the pestilence dissipated this conspiration against the Gospell and the estates retired to Ausbourge The Lantgraue of Hesse to obey the conditions of peace proposed vnto him came vnto the Emperour at Hale and after supper as he would haue departed he was stayed He complained that hee was betrayed and promises not performed vnto him The Emperour before the estates at Ausbourge declared the cause wherefore he set him not at libertie to be this That hee exhibited not the Letters and secrets of the League of Smalcalde And taketh witnesse vnto Maurice and Brandebourge that he neuer meant him lesse then a perpetuall prisoner The doctrine of the Papists dispenseth herein namly that vnto Heretickes men should keepe no faith Peter Lewis the Popes sonne was shine at Plaisance in his Castle by a Band of 36. which had cōspired against him They hanged his body in a chaine on the toppe of the Castle walls a thing much pleasing the people He was slaine the 10. of September on the same day wherevpon his Father Pope Paul being cunning in Negromancie had warned him to take heed The end of tyrants are miserable and horrible and should put vs in mind of Gods iudgement Certaine time after he had beene cast into the graues the Plaisantines themselues massacred him with the stabs of Daggers After Dom Ferdinand de Gonsague strengthned the towne with a Garrison The Masse was abolished in England by a decree iudgement of the publike Councell of all the Realme The Venetians after the Emperours fashion made a very rigorous Edict against such as are called Lutherans One called Francis Spiera of the Citadelle a Towne of the Territories of Venice for that in the said Venice before Iohn Cuse the Popes Legate he had renounced the truth of the Gospell which hee knew fell into dispaire and of a vehement and great apprehension thereof got a great malladie and sicknesse wherein hee could no way be comforted and whatsoeuer any alleadged of Gods promises of his mercie he would still answere that they nothing appertained vnto him because he said hee had sinned against the holy Ghost And in that dispaire finished he pitiously his dayes This is a great good example worthy to be earnestly thought on Maximilian the eldest sonne of Ferdinand from Trent arriued in Spaine and in great magnificence espowsed Mary the Emperours eldest daughter his Cousin-germaine Iane the onely daughter of the king of Nauarre who before was promised vnto the Duke of Cleues was giuen in marriage vnto the Duke of Vendosme The Emperour giueth charge to certaine traytors of the truth namely Iulles Pflug Michael Sidonius and Iohn Islebe Agricula with a Secretarie of Grauiele to build a booke of Religion and called it Interim This booke shooke Almaine more then all the grieuous persecutions that had bin before It was called the Emperours booke Ellenor the dead king Francis widowe left France and retired into her brothers lowe Countries The Bourdelois in Guienne mutined against the King because of a subsidie or taxation and slew the kings Lieftenant there whereof they were by the Constable chastised He constrained themselues to make the fire and to burne all their priuiledges He caused a great number of the chiefe of the towne to be put to death They were constrained to follow the Funeralls of the said Lieftenant slaine in the habit of Criminalls carrying Torches in their hands and demaunding mercie Ambrose Blaurer Minister of Constance and with him a great number of the Bourgesses left the Towne because of Religion The Princes and Townes of Almain are sollicited and forced by the Emperour to giue answere vnto the approbation of his booke The Emperor also caused to be set out a forme of Ecclesiasticall reformation for an outward shew which after they had heard recited they approoued and promised to cause them to be obserued in their Churches with the Popes good pleasure The Duke of Wirtemberge at the alone commandement of the Emperour straightway caused the booke to be read vnto the people forbidding them to do any thing to the contrary The Duke of Saxonie being prisoner was much sollicited to receiue the Emperours booke of reformation but he still remained constant without bowing or yeelding either by threatnings or promises which was cause that his gardes began to handle him more roughly and rudely The Preacher which he alwaies till then had with him fearing danger found meanes to escape A great diuersitie of courage betwixt the two Dukes The Duke Maurice returning into his Countrey proposed the Emperours decree caused the Diuines of Leipsic and of Wirtemberge to assemble and determine therevpon Which after they had two or three times assembled they ordained of things indifferent commonly called Adiaphores In the end they set out in writing at Leipsic a forme of Religion which all Duke Maurice subiects should follow The Bishop of Strasbourge summoned the Ministers and Regents of the schoole which held the Colledge of S. Thomas to receiue the Emperours decree Bucer and Phagius with the Senates leaue departed the first day of April to goe into England whither they were called by Thomas Cranmer Archbishop of Canterbury Thus the Lord prouideth for his After he hath taken his truth from one place he sendeth them into an other to doe his worke there The King of Fesse in Affricke being chased by a certaine Zepziphe king his neighbour who from low estate was growne vnto that greatnesse implored helpe of the Emperour at Auspourge Whilst Religion was thus troubled in Almaine the Pope thought it good to make his profit thereof Therefore he sent their Legates into Almaine with an Indult by which power was giuen vnto them to receiue all such as they would into the bosome of the Church and to permit by the Popes authoritie to communicate the Supper of the Lord vnder both kinds and to eate all kinde of meates at all times The Ministers of the Lantgraues Country refused the Indult Phillip of Austrich made his entry into Bruxelles where his Father was and is receiued in great magnificence and pompe the
first day of Aprill They of Magdebourge opposed themselues with might and maine against them of Wirtemberge and Leipsic and taxed and reprooued them greatly for that concerning indifferent things they had made a way and entry for the Popes doctrine The 10. of Iune the Queene of France was crowned at Saint Dennis In the said moneth of Iune Henry king of France made his entry into Paris commaunded a generall procession and dedicated it with the blood of certaine poore Christians which hee made to be burned for Religion See the booke of Martyrs Le sieur de Veruin for yeelding Bullen to the English men was beheaded at Paris and le sieur de Biex his Father in lawe was condemned to perpetuall prison The Cantons of Basil Schaffuse in Swissia made alliance with the King of France whereof euery one greatly maruelled because he persecuted their Religion with fire and blood Zurie and Berne refused that alliance Sedition in England partly for the chaunge of Religion and partly for common grounds occupied by Gentlemen for their priuate vse there was great bloodshead In the meane time the King of Fraunce tooke certaine holdes about Bologne whereby he put the English in great distresse The fault of all this was laid vpon the Duke of Somerset and therefore he was imprisoned at London This Pope Paul of the age of 82. yeares dyed the 10. of Nouember On all sides Cardinalls ranne to Rome to elect a new Pope Iulius the third of that name borne at Aretio called before Iohn Maria de Monte who was President in the Councell of Trent and Bolongne was chosen Pope the 10. of February after that the Cardinalls which were in great number had long time debated in the cōclaue Some say that this Pope promised by oath vnto the Ferneses to leaue Parme to Octauius Bernese Whilest the Cardinalls were in the Conclaue to chuse the Pope Iulius certaine Letters came into the handes of some of them which were written the 26. of Ianuary by an houshold seruant of the Cardinall of Mantoue called Cornelius Oliue to a friend of his called Hanniball Contin and with them certaine verses made in the vulgar Italian language wherein speaking of his good affection towards him the desire he had to see him he vseth so infamous and dishonest words that hardly can any recite them without shame blushing Hereof came the taunt of such as said it signified that some infamous dishonest Pope should come out of that Conclaue from whence such proceeded They which read these Letters saide as well in Italie as in Almaine they neuer read any more villanous detestable Hereby Reader maist thou iudge what the spirit is which the Papists vaunt so much to haue in their Masses in the election of their Popes The 22. of Frebury Iulius is crowned Pope by the Cardinall Cibo two daies after he had opened the gilded gate with a golden key and celebrated the yeare of Iubile which his predecessor Paul the third had so much desire to see And because of an auncient custome the new Pope might giue his red hat to whom he thought good he made Cardinall a young boy called Innocent whom he had sometimes abused whē he was Legate at Bologne notwithstanding the other Cardinalls approoued it not yea resisted it Moreouer hee receiued him into his house into the number of his Domestickes and familiars A brute went through the towne of Rome yea it was divulged by certaine diffamitorie Libells that Ganymedes was entertained by Iupiter although he was not faire This Pope himselfe dissembled it not but customably in a maner of pastime would account his follies therein Paulus Vergerius hath left in writing this Historie Pope Iulius saith hee determined to make a young youth called Innocent a Cardinal who not only came frō a father and mother of base condition but that was of a most wicked and dishonest conuersation Wherfore as on a certain day he had made this motiō in the presence of the Cardinalls that there was no man which resisted it not but that more is as certaine Cardinalls said freely I pray you what finde you in this young man who deserueth that we should doo him that honour Iulius answered And I pray you what found you in mee to doo mee that honour as to make mee Pope without any desert aduance this young man and hee will merit it The Masse which had bin banished Strasbourge the space of 21. yeares was set vp againe in three Churches the first of February A great number of children ran thither to see so straunge and new a thing The Priests were affraied at it and complained vnto the Emperour The Emperor and the King of France one after the other made publish each in their Countries very cruel Edicts against the Lutherans as they called them About the ende of May the Emperour with Phillip his sonne departed from Bruxelles to come to the Iourney at Auspourge and brought with them the Duke of Baxe captiue leauing the Lantgraue in prison at Malignes In the time of this Pope was Iohn de Case a Florentine Archbishop of Beneuent and Legate of the seate in the territorie of Venice This man who made so magnificall a profession of Popish singlenesse was not ashamed to make a Booke in Italian Rime wherein he praiseth and exalteth that horrible and detestable sinne of Sodomitry yea euen to name it a diuine worke and affirmeth that he tooke great pleasure therein and that he knew no other kind of palidiarzing or whoredome The booke was Imprinted at Venice by one Traian Naun Behold notable Archbishops of the Papall seate with such Iudges doo the Pope and his maister the diuel serue themselues in their Consistories to condemne as heretikes such as teach and write the truth with puritie In a Catalogue of bookes prohibited which he made whilest he was Legate he comprehendeth no other therein but such as make profession of the pure Euangelike doctrine Francis Spiera as is abouesaid fearing the tyrannie of tormentors renied the veritie of Iesus Christ and dyed in extreame dispaire Sleidan also makes mention of the Sodomitike booke aboue spoken of It would be here too long to rehearse the gests and deeds of Iulius the third concerning the Iubile which was in his time the Councell of Trent the confirmation of that Idol de Laureto the debate which he had with the Bishop of Aremin his Steward for a Peacock and many such like things Amongst other viands hee greatly delighted to eate the flesh of Swine Peacocks But his Phisitian had aduertised him that hee should take heed that he eate no swines flesh because it was contrary vnto the Gowt wherewith hee was often tormented but yet hee would not abstaine therefrom The Phisitian secretly aduertised the Clarke of his kitchin that no porke flesh should be serued As then there was none serued the Pope perceiuing it demaunded of his Steward where his dish of
died when he had raigned 10. yeares Him followed in this way of all flesh Mahomet the seruant of God King of Persia who all his raigne held warre with the Turke with equall fortunes And in Saxonie Fredericke Duke of Saxonie The 20. of October Iames the King of Scots was besieged by his subiects and taken in the Castle of Saint Damian Those Dukedomes and Seignories which many yeares before Iohn Basilides Prince of Moschouites had taken from the Polanders the aforesaid Stephen recouered again and annexed them to the crowne he shewed himselfe of a dauntlesse spirit against the Turke for when according to the auncient custome he demaunded certain Forces to maintaine his warres against the Sophy of Persia hee denied him saying that the white Eagle of Poland which before was vnfeathered and of no force was now become young againe full fledged and had whet and sharpened her bill and talents Anch. Cicar This yeare Maister Thomas Cauendish began his voyage about the world vpon the twentie one of Iuly entering in at the straight of Magellan and returning by the Cape bona Speranza Which voyage hee finished to the space of two yeares and lesse then two moneths arriuing at Plimmouth the ninth of September 1588. Maister Richard Haklnit In the beginning of this yeare Syr William Standley traitorously yeelded vp those Townes of the which he was made Gouernour by the Earle of Leicester After the death of Stephen King of Poland the Polanders were carefull for the election of a new Some thought it best to offer it to the Emperour who had succeeded without any other election his Father Maximilian the chosen King of Poland If hee had come to the possession thereof Some proposed the Duke of Parma because hee was a wise and valiant souldier and for that he was the Nephew of Cardinal Farnese who when he was Protector of this Realme was verie kinde and liberall to the people Many had liking to the Prince of Transiluania and to Cardinall Bathoraeus and the Duke of Ferrrara Nobles likewise were desirous of it amongst whom Samoscius the high Chauncellour whom Stephen had preferred to such height of honor that nothing was thought wanting in him for the perfection thereof but the title of a King was thought most fit But all these were excluded and there were yet two other competitors Sigismond Prince of Suecia and Maximilian Archduke of Austria and brother to the Emperour Maximilian is chosen of the one part Others proclaimed med Sigismond a young Prince of twentie yeares of age or there-about These two were both called to the possession of a kingdome who hearing thereof made speedie haste thereto Maximilian first came with his Armie consisting of sixteen thousand horse and foote and pitched his Tents in a field neare the Citie of Craconia and sent to the Citizens that he might be crowned The Cracouians would by no meanes admit him but sent Letters to the Prince of Suetia that hee would come who with great ioy was receiued and crowned Now the Polanders thought themselues strong enough for the Muschouites whose Duke they called the Dragon of the North and against whom they beare an innated hatred Chytraeus And. Cicarell Gen. The Duke of Guise perceiuing the Army of Rutters to be a body dispearced hauing nothing but the legs and Armes executed vpon them that which he had determined from the first day of their entrie which was vpon the Generalls lodging and so by striking the shepheard diuided the flocke as Caesar did at the battaile of Pharsalia The Pope the King of Spaine and the Duke of Sauoy made fiers of ioy and pronounced the praises of the Duke of Guise The Pope sent him a sword engrauen with burning flames The Duke of Parma had sent him his Armes saying that among all the Princes of Europe it belonged only to Henry of Lorraine to beare Armes and to be a commaunder in the warres After many broiles betweene these two elected Kings of Poland Max was constrained to leaue Poland but hee was pursued by Samoscius the Chauncelor and at Pitscha he besieged him and tooke him prisoner In this yeare 1588. Maria de la Visitatione Prioresse of the Monasterie de Annūciada in Lisbone was held for wonderful holy whose hypocrisie and false myracles were discouered and publikely condemned Her the fond people called the holy Nunne Another Franciscan I should haue said a Dominican a feawe yeares since rose vp in Lisbone who they said had the fiue wounds of Christ as had S. Francess and many other things they say of her One Stephen de Lusignan a Dominican Friar who collecting all he could get to extoll her compiled a booke in French and dedicated the same to the Queene of Fraunce Imprinted at Paris by Iohn Bessant 1586. In the beginning of the booke shee is pictured like a Dominican Nunne with a blacke mantle and a white rolle a coate and white loose habit vpon the Mantle and on her head a crowne of thornes the Crucifix on high set ouer her and falling towards her with rayes from the wounds which reach to the feet and hands of the Nunne that out of the same commeth a heart which she holdeth betwixt the fingers of her right hand a Dragon she hath vnder her feete a Dominican Friar before her kneeling and a secular man and woman and at her left side a paire of Beads hanging The title of the booke is this The great miracles and the most holy wounds which this present yeare haue happened to the right reuerend mother now Prioresse of the Monasterie de la Anunciada in the Citie of Lisbon in the Kingdome of Portugall of the order of preaching Friars approoued by the reuerend Father Friar Lewis de Granada and by other persons of credit M. Cyp. Val. So famous was the holinesse of this Nunne that Cardinall Albertus of Austria sent information to Pope Sixtus the fift To whom the Pope wrote this Letter With great ioy haue wee read that thou hast procured to bee written the vertues of the Prioresse of the Monasterie Anunciada of the most holy Virgin And of the great benefites which God hath shewed her we pray thy diuine goodnesse from day to day to make her more worthy of his grace and to inrich her with his heauenly gifts for the glory of his name and ioy of his faithfull Giuen in S. Maries at Rome with the litle Ring of the fish Fredericke the second king of Denmarke the 30. yeare of his raigne and 54. of his age departed this life at Arderfoa in Zeland whom Christian the fourth of eleuen yeares of age succeeded In the moneth of Aprill 1588. Phillip the second of that name King of Spaine pretending to send his inuincible Fleete for the conquest of England made choyce by the aduice of the Prioresse of the Monasterie of the Anunciada whose name was Mary of the visitation as most worthy for her holinesse to blesse his Standard royall the
haue bin to conserue and keepe the puritie of the Euangelicall doctrine but suffering to take roote I know not how that which tasted of carnall wisedome in so much that in the place of the true end marke which the Gospell proposeth vnto vs men began to establish vnto vs all the perfection of Christianitie in sufferings and afflictions for the Gospell and in arresting abiding a litle too subtilly vpon the stay of certaine fantastike persons springing from the schoole of Philosophers so fell by litle and litle to that vnhappinesse as to transforme the holy scripture into allegorike interpretations a maruellous baite for the curiositie of humane vnderstanding and a fountaine of infinite mischiefes in the Church True it is that the first inuentors of such things thought nothing lesse then that which came after So much then did the Lord humble his people But about the end of this periode euil was seene to aduance and ceremonies encrease in such sort that men enclined vnto Indaisme and Paganisme the loue of solitude and Munkery the abstinence from marriage and from certaine viands and meates on particular dayes many Feasts and other seeds of superstition after succeeding tooke a maruellous roote So the commencement of praiers for the dead and of the sacrifice of the Masse did then discouer themselues not that the intent of such as made mention of the dead to encourage the liuing constantly to serue God and which brought of their goods into the company of the faithfull for the comfort of the poore after the celebration of the Supper was to bring in the execrable Idolatrie which long time after sprung vp There were also introducted and brought into Baptisme certaine ceremonies yet not such as the ridiculous superstitions which since haue bin forged Finally the good intent began to shewe it selfe and from thenceforth to lift vp the head vntill at the last vpon the ende of the second time of the Church it rose vp aboue the word of God As for the third periode of the first time heerein it was happie in that God during that time raised vp diuers learned persons Greekes and Latines to oppose themselues with liuely voyce at Sinodes as also by their bookes whereof wee haue some number at this day against the impietie of infinite heretikes Amongst other S. Augustine was an excellent Doctor of the Church who notwithstanding is not alwaies so cleare as is to be desired Amongst the Latines this time also brought forth other great persons yet men also which yet is more seene in the Greeke Doctors lesse pure then the Latines especially in the right knowledge of the merite of Iesus Christ and all was the want of a pure and natiue intelligence of the Lords language in the Prophetike and Apostolike bookes Their allegorike interpretations had as it were gotten the vpper hand ceremonies maruellously encreased Monkeries began to take footing the true meanes to diuide the Church and to forge a new seruice of God afterward the veneration of the Martyrs Sepulchres paintings and after Images glistered in Churches The pure doctrine of the Lords Supper began to bee falsified for want of right vnderstanding the manner of Sacramentall speeches and the vertue of the alone sacrifice of Iesus Christ Bishops especially that of Rome thrust into the world and the misterie of iniquitie formed it selfe as it afterward should come into the light For Arrianisme hauing serued for a seed to Mahumatisme and the dispising of the celestall veritie with corruption of manners maintaining the audacitie and boldnesse of the Bishops of Rome this periode finishing gaue entry vnto straunge euils wherewith the Church was ouerthrowne a litle space after Let vs now say something of the second time of the Church which we diuide into two periodes The first from Phocas about the yeare 600. vntill Charlamaine by the space of 300. yeares The second from Charlamaine vnto Charles the fift of that name Emperour about 700. yeares In the first periode of this second time of the Church as the Antichrist of the East thrust himselfe well forward that of the West established his Throne and then was the doore open to all errours which notwithstanding entred not at once but came by litle and litle into the Church Aboue all the opinion of purgatorie fire and of the sacrifice for the dead were the foundation of the Papaltie and of all that vermine of their Cleargie and infinite Sects of Monkes which like Grashoppers from the deepe pit came to spread themselues through Europe But it was in the second periode of the second time that Idolatrie and superstitions obtained the vpper hand Insomuch that the poore Church as it were buried had no more any spring neither appeared there any token wherevpon to cast her eye but onely the inuocation of the Father of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost in Baptisme And although from time to time the Lord made shine some flames and torches in the bowells of that darkenesse to redargue and weaken such as rotted in so heauie and palpable ignorance yet was their blindness so lamentable and their sleepe so deepe that for one which lifted vp the head and to whom Antichrist gaue no release nor leaue to approach witnesse all such as during this periode opposed themselues neuer so litle against his tyrannie an infinite remained liuelesse and altogether dead The Lord making himselfe admirable in the mercie which he shewed vpon some and renowned in horrible and iust punishment of their ingratitude which loued better lyes then truth Who can heere recyte the superstitions Idolatries of Antichrist his crafts and subtilties to establish his kingdome and tirannie vpon bodies and soule He had his seruants and instruments of all sorts to leane fasten encrease and multiply his Throne in the Temple of GOD carrying in his browe the name of miserie sitting in the Temple of God calling himselfe God yet vnknown of such as called themselues Christians which he put off vntill the end of the world and to I know not what fancie and dreame of an Antichrist which should be borne but a litle before the second comming of the sonne of God Briefly the great spiritual Babilon the murdresse of soules had her kingdome during this period tyrannizing the Israell of God hid and dispearced in a litle number and by her impostures blasphemies and impieties mocked the true God Father of Iesus Christ whose name auowed with the mouth shee trode vnder her feet by her abhominable errour But the Lord willing to make his worke admirable which was to ruinate Babilon to destroy the man of sin by the breath of his mouth and by the brightnesse of his comming presented himselfe in the third time and by the ministerie of people feeble and of small appearance yet driuen and drawne on with the zeale of his glory first brought in y e knowledge of tongues then the celestial truth maugre all the strengthes of the world and in
King of the Vandales persecuteth the Christians and dieth of vermine 472 Hospitalls 164 Hospitall of the holy Ghost builded at Rome 474 Hospitaliers called the knights of S. Iohn of Porsale 321 H. K. of Nauarre 643 Heluetians 658 Huguenots 667 H. the 3. K. of France 669 H. 4. King of France crowned 686 He is absolued of the Pope 691 Hussites do reiect all humane traditions 221. Are assaulted by Sigismond Emperour and the Pope 691 Hypona besieged by the Vandales 346 I IAcobius founded vpon Pope Honorius his dreame 351 Iacobius of Berne 494 Idolatrie finds the Pope a defender thereof 209 Idolatry of them of Gaunt 228 Idolatrie of Chaplets 362 Iohn Baptist preacheth 4 Iohn Apostle and Euangelist dyeth 27 Iohn of Antioche heretike and a Iew compiled the Alicoran 190 Iohn king of England subiected his Crowne to the Pope 227 Ignatius cast to beasts 31 Innocent the first 146 Iohn the 1. Pope 167.2.169 Iohn surnamed Teutonicus opposeth himself against the Popes demaunding of tenthes in Almaine 421 Iohn Duke of Britaine slain with a wall 262 Iohn 22. an heretike 392 Iohn de Roquetaillade martyred 421 Iohn Colunban and Frances Vincent the first Iesuites 417 Iohn Wickliffe 443 Iohn Gerson 443 Iohn Hus commendeth the doctrine of Wickliffe to the people 426 Iohn Hus and Hierome of Prage go to the Councel and are burned 442. Their death Ibid. Iohn 24. saluted of an Owle is much troubled 440. Hee flyeth from the Councell of Constance Iohn Paleoleauge Emp. of Constantinople 400 Iohn Guttenberge inuentor of Printing 455 Iohn Pusters Called Gurman and Peter Sheffert sell their printing Ibid. Iohn Huniades escapes from the battaile 372. Dyeth Ibid. Iohn Iustinian of Geneua beheaded 391 Iohn an English man burnt 479 Iohn Fissers author of the repentants order 364 Iohn Picus Prince of Miradula 297 Iohan of Orleance a maide burnt 448 Ierome died 149 Ierome Sauanaroll burned 229 Iulius Max. Emperor slaine 54 Iust. of faith 147 Iulius Philipp Emperour 57 Ierusalem diuided into 2. Sects 4 Is in sedition 6. Left of the Christians is besieged 22. Horrible famine 23 Ierusalem taken 23 Ierusalem changeth the name 34 Ierusalem taken by Cosroes king of the Persians 121 Ierusalem taken by the Mahometists 282 Ierusalem taken by the Christians 299 Ierusalem raced euē to the foundations 92 Images broken 57. Taken out of Churches 29. Restored Ibid. Taken away and burnt forbidden to honor them vpon paine of death 54. Throwne downe by Sabin K. of Bulgaria Ibid. Images and paintings abolished in Churches 223 Images set vp by Hyren 223. Impugned by Charlemaine Ibid. Imbert Dauphin of Viēna makes himselfe a Iacobin 426 Indians brought to the Romane Church promise to keepe the Sacrament of confirmatiō 439 Indulgences do penetrate euen to such as are in purgatory 498 Inuention to pray for the dead 122 Inuestatures agreed to Henry reuoked 239 Inuestatures resigned to Pope Calixtus 25 Ionathes high Priest slaine by Ioseph 49 Ioseph the Historiographer 26 Iouinian a Christian Emper. 122 Iesuites originall 417 Ireneus is slaine 50 Isaach Exarch ratifieth the election of Stephen 123 Italy and Burgoine subiected to Arnulphe 100 Italy the sea of seditions 224 Italy in great factions 427 Italy gouerned by three Cardinalls hauing the power of Senators 361 Italy afflicted by the Turkes 373 Iubile first 299 Iubile remitted to fiftie yeares 412 Celebrated at Rome Ibid. Iubile of 25. yeares to 25 yeares Iubile celebrated by Alexander the 6. 371 Iohn de Austria 623 Iohannes Basilides 649 Iames king of Scots besieged and taken 660 Innocent 9. 678 His death Ibid. Irish rebellion 630 Iewes and Leonards punished for poysoning waters 406 Iewes crucifie a Christian chude 466 Iulian Medices slaine in hearing Masse 396 Iustin Emperour 166 Iustin the Pelagian dieth out of his wits 225 Iustinian seduced by Antsenius to depart from his error Ibid. Iustinian compileth the Romane lawes 171 Dieth of phrenzie Iustinian Emperor breaketh his faith giuen to the Sarasins 222 Sent inta exile Ibid. Kisseth the Popes feet 230. His head is cut off Iul. an Emp. 100. His death 122 K KIngdome of Cyprus 473. Of Aragon made a pray by the Pope King of Bulgaria dooth receiue the faith 251 King of the Romans Emp. diuers names but of one substance 460 King Phillip 2. 635 King of Nauarre excommunicated 657 King Phillip displeased with the Pope 670 He dieth 708 King of Er◠excōmunicated 668 King of France conuerted 683 L LAntgraues 366 Lambert Bishop of Liege rebuketh Pepin for adultery 274 Lewis 184 Laudo Pope 264 Lansrancus the first author of Transubstantiation 285 Laurence Deacon of Rome suffereth Martyrdome 68 Laurentius Valla 245 Laurence de Medices excommunicated 333 Legends of Saints forged 182 Leger Bishop martyred 320 Leo Emperour burneth Images 257 Leo Emp. of Constantinople slain in his Pallace 343 Leontius and Tiberius Emperors beheaded 376 Letanies the great instituted 154 Leuites 5 Libertie to preach the Gospell in France 215 Liberius the Arrian canonized 256 Lombards raigned in Italy 262 Lombards haue the Empire conuerted to the faith 279 They occupie the Exarchate Linus 20. His death 25 Libraries 95 Licinius Emperour 81 Longin Gracian the first Exarch in Italy 176 Lotharius dieth a Monke 277 Lewis Debonaire giueth power to the Romane Cleargie to elect the Pope 345 Lewis sonne of king Phillip first came to Artois 301 Lewis S. marketh blasphemers with an hotte Iron 299 Lewis Emperour declared heretike by the Pope 297 Crowned by 2. Senators of Rome Ibid. Giueth a reason of his faith 390 Lewis Archbishop brake his neck in a daunce 154 Lewis Duke of Orleance murdered at Paris 453 Leo the 10. Pope 153 Lucian the Apostate 30 Lucius king of England receiued the faith 44 Lucius B. of Rome martired 564 Lucrece daughter wife daughter in law to the Pope 484 Luitprandus king of Lombards besiegeth Rome 297 Leopold D. of Austriche takes the King of England prisoner 322 Lupus Bishop of Troy approueth Letanies 167 Luquois entreateth the libertie of their common-wealth 312 Liuonia or Lisland conuerted to the faith 362 Lēt attributed to Telesephorus 35 First Lent in England 194 Lotharius Emperour 233 Liberius Emperour 113 Luther 106. Excommunicated 504 Lewis Beltram Friar 671 M MAhomet an Arabian a false Prophet 189. Adored after his death 221 Mahomets Alcaron 190 His Paradise lawes and ceremonies Ibid. Mahomet and the Pope conferred together 192 Mahometists take Ierusalem 282 Maister of the Synagogue 52 Mancinellus 486 Manes heretike broiled aliue 99 Manichees books burnt at Ro. 27 Manicheus againe condemned are cast out of Rome 151 Mantell episcopall 253 Marke preacheth in Egypt 15 Marke the Euangelist dyeth 19 Marcelline offereth a graine of incense to Idolls 203 Marcian heretike 40 Marcion heretike 38 Margarite Queene of Nauarre condemned to perpetual prison for fornication 375 Marriage publike 30 Mariage forbidden to Priests 91 Mary the mother of our Lord dyeth 15 Martian Emperor slaine 149 Martine Empresse hath her tongue cut out 216 Marcell Bishop