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A55699 A present for a papist, or, The life and death of Pope Joan plainly proving out of the printed copies and manuscripts of popish writers and others, that a woman called Joan was really Pope of Rome, and was there deliver'd of a bastard son in the open street, as she went in solemn procession / by a lover of truth, denying human infallibility. Cooke, Alexander, 1564-1632. 1675 (1675) Wing P3244; ESTC R31913 55,061 172

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upon his bare word in this manner n quae hic Author de Johanne foemina refert in odium Romanorum Pontificum confict a fuisse ab illis quos ipse deceptus sequitur ut alios omittamus quos Onuphrius in Platinam scribens recenset testantur Marianus Scotus Sigibertus quorum quae supersunt M. S. exemplaria fraudem illorum detegunt qui eorum impressis voluminibus id inseruerunt That this which the Author hereof reports touching Pope Joan is but counterfeit stuff devised to make the Pope odious to say nothing of such proofs as Onuphrius gives in his Annotations on Platina Martianus Scotus Sigibert u Annotat in lib. 2. Kran● tii Metrop do testify whose manuscripts remaining on record discover their falshood who have chopt his tale into their printed volumes which Bellarmin nor any other durst or dare avouch the contrary being confess'd directly by Baronius x In chronico ad An. 184 Printed at Paris 1513. Sigiberts words are these The report is that this John was a woman and that one only who laid with her knew so much and that at length even in the time of her Papacy she was delivered of a Child Whereupon it is that some reckon her not among the Popes and that there is not one Pope John the more in number for her Notwithstanding this the Romanists deny that there is any such thing in the antient true and approved Copies of Sigibert and if there be any such thing found some paltry fellow as Bernartius notes hath been tampering with his writings and that Sigibert never writ it is fully witnessed by Genebrard Pray here observe the Canonists when Popes alledge Popes for proof do note that it is familiaris probatio meaning it may be as much as that in the Proverb Ask my fellow if I be a Thief But say they in the Monastery of Gemble in Flanders there is extant the Original of Sigibert which wants this Story and for proof hereof they have the oath of one Protasius a Franciscan who saw it and there as he saith Sigibert lived there he wrote this Book with his own hands there he left it after life as a Monument of his love There it is shown by the Monks to such as come thither for a piece of excellency and rarity Now judge you whether this paltry Fryer is to be believed before Trithemius who 0436 0106 V 3 says he lived not there when he writ the Book for he writ that and many others in the Monastery of St. Vincent within the city of Metensis The Monks shewing this Book as Sigiberts own to all comers is y De Scriptoribus Ecclesiasticis Sigibertus cum in Caenobio 8. Vincentio Metensi ad instruend puerosesser positus scripsit Hist lib. a very slender argument to prove that it is his for I have read of a z Vergerius Annot. in Catalog haeret Romae conflatum An. 1559 fol. 17. Monk who gave out that he had brought from the East some of the sound of the Bells which hung in Solomons Temple and * ibid. that he could shew among other reliques some of the hairs which fell from the Seraphical Angel when he came to imprint the Five wounds of Christ in St. Francis's body and I have * Bellonius obser lib. 2. cap. 33. read of others who shew the Pilgrims who go to Jerusalem a three corner'd stone assuring them it is that very stone whereof David spoak saying The stone which the Builders refused is the head of the corner Psal 118.22 Now as Monks and Papists cousen others so they are often cheated themselves for many of them do verily believe they have that which they have not Do not many of them perswade themselves that they have that Syndon wherein Christs body was lapped when it was interred wherein as they say is to be seen to this day the Picture of Christ Others think they have the Nails wherewith Christ was nailed to the Cross and in like manner are they deceived in a thousand several sorts of reliques But grant that this story of Pope Joan is not to be found in some Copies of Sigibert that does not argue that it was never writ by him it is probable it may be left out by some who have transcribed his Manuscript which we may as well be induced to believe and upon as good grounds as that the words of Aelfricus which oppose Transubstantiation were cut out of a fragment of an Epistle of his in the Library of Worcester as a Act. Monum allegations against the 6. Articles Pag. 1304. edit 1570. Mr. Fox doth prove apparently Thus is this story of Pope Joan cut out of a very fair Manuscript of Ranulfus Cestrensis which is now to be seen in the Library of New-Colledge in Oxford we need not wonder at such unjust proceedings of the Papists since they give direction that b Index lib. prohib per Clementem 8. de Correct lib. qua famae proximorum praesertim Ecclesiasticorum Principum detrahunt corrigentur atque expurgentur That such things should be alter'd or put out which tend to the Discredit of the Clergy and doth not this touch their Ecclesiastick estate to the very quick doth not Possevin advise that the c Joh. Nevison Sylva Nuptialis pag. 319. note in John Nevison the Lawyer which makes mention of Pope Joan should be razed out Dele saith he quia Johannes haec foemina Chimaera est impostura calumniatorum blot it out saith Possevin because John this Woman was a meer Chimaera and a forgery of Calumniators For further proof that this John was a meer fiction Cardinal Baronius would make us believe that those of the best Credit in History and who have writ most of her do not positively aver that there was such a Woman Pope but make their report of her with a sic aiunt or an ut asseritur but he brings no other proof thereof than teste meipso which however it may go for proof among Princes yet is no proof among Scholars and for my part without proof I will believe nothing let who will be the assertor especially if he be a Papist For as d Rerum Memorab Paralipom Hist Abbat Vrsperg annexa pag. 394. Sigismund the Emperour said of Julian the Cardinal Legate at the Council of Basil when one commended him highly to him tamen Romanus est yea but he is a Roman so I may say of any Romanist reporting things unknown yea but he is a Romanist or Papist And now I pray suppose it be so as Baronius saith it is why may it not be true though it be delivered with an ut asseritur It may be objected that Lyes and false reports are midwiv'd into the world after that manner with so some say and thus it is said I confess that many lies nay gross ones too pass in such general terms as for example Men say saith the Popish Golden Legend that St.
down that as he sits the lowest Deacon may make trial of his humanity by touching or feeling As much may be read in William Brewin who lived in the year 1470. for in Capella Salvatoris saith he In the Chappel of our Saviour there are two or more Marble Chairs with holes in them wherein in as I heard there they make proof whether the Pope be a man or no. The Romanists confess there is such a Chair but never intended for the use afore recited for say they he sits not therein in a corner but in the great Church of St. John Lateran where a vast concourse of People come to see him where he is attended by the whole Colledge of Cardinalls with many Embassadours of Kings and Princes whereas a closer place was fitter for that Purpose and they might more conveniently have made tryal of his humanity in the conclave wherein he was chosen and so they did it seemes for presently upon their electing of him before they proclamed him Pope they sate him in a Chair in their Conclave as you may read in the book of holy Ceremonies dedicated to Leo the tenth whereby you may see how idly m Lib. 3. de Rom. Pont. cap. 24. Bellarmin talks if I may be so bold to speak so of so great a Cardinal who taking upon him to clear the Point never speaks of his sitting in the chair in the Conclave but only of his siting in other Chairs at St. John Laterans as though he had been chaired only Publickly and not in private and that he himself had said sufficiently to the Point in question by proving that in Publick there was no such conclusion tryed with the Pope whereas the conclusion was tryed in secret Now should you ask the question of any of them to what end does he set in such a Chair in Publick I warrant you the reply will be that thereby he may be put in mind that he is not God but Man in as much as he stands in need of a Close-stool as well as others so says Florimondus and indeed I think he hath need to be put in mind thereof For though some Papists deny it shamefully n N. D. in his Warnword to Sir Fr. Hastings encounter cap. 2. fol. 30. yet there have been popish Parasits who have in plain terms called the Pope as St. Thomas termed Christ Joh. 20.28 their Lord and God and there are still such who give him such titles as are due to God alone and rob God of some part of his power to bestow it on him See Stapleton princip fid doctrin praefect ad Greg. 13. Plane supremum in terris numen But methinks they should not need to have set him in such a Chair to such a purpose for his own necessity would have compeld him to set himself thereon ordinarily every day and his Chamber-pot would have served to put him in mind of his humanity sufficiently thus Autigonus the elder as o Part. 2. Moral lib. de Iside Osiride Plutarch relates was convinced that he was a Man and not a God Besides methinks they should not have intended such a Mystery by such a Ceremony because they set him therein before he was in his Pontificalibus for till he be Mitred till he be Crowned till he have received the Keys whereby is denoted his power to bind and loose and a Rod whereby is signified his power to punish I say I should think there should be no fear of forgetting himself Again had it not been better think you if they had aimed at any such marke to have caused a Boy to come every morning unto the Popes Chamber door after the example of Philip King of Macedon who should have whoopt him out of his bed and bid him remember that he was mortal And now see how industrious the Romanists are by endeavouring to obliterate or remove what ever may assist the continuance of the memory of this Pope Joan for as Pius Quintus threw into Tyber her marble Image which stood in the street where she was deliver'd so by Clement the eight by the perswasion of Cardinal Baronius her Image in the Church of Siena is defaced now if the present Pope will but burne all the books too which are writ of Pope Joan all evidences then would be totally lost it would be easily for them then to prove that there never was such a Pontificial Woman I but says the Papist what if her Image had stood still is there any sence that because of such a portraiture we are therefore bound to believe there was such a Pope if we believe Painters and Carvers we should make find work indeed and so we shall indeed if we believe their Painters and Carvers For we find the Trinity painted by them in the likeness of a Man with three faces sometimes like a Man with two heads having a Dove between them both which fashions of painting the Trinity is monstrous in p Lib. 2. de Imag. cap. 8. Bellarmins opinion We find our Saviour Christ painted with long hair as though he had been a Nazarite by vow which conceit is controuled by q For Nazarites must drink no Wine Numb 6.3 yet our Saviour did Mat. 11.19 and 26 29. Holy writ We find him set on a Weather-cock on the top of the Temple of Jerusalem as though the Temple had aspire-steeple like ours which is false We find the Virgin Mary treading on the Serpents head which the Scriptures foretold Christ himself should do We find her richly apparel'd in a Gown of wrought gold whereas questionless her habit was very mean and ordinary and with a pair of beads in her hand whereas a thousand years after Christ beads were not used throughout the world Besides their Painters recommend unto us a Saint on horseback whom they call George and another on foot as big as a Giant whom they call Christopher and a She-Saint broken on the wheel whom they call Catharine and a fourth drawn in peices by horses nick-nam'd Hippolitus whereas in all antiquity there is no mention made of any such Saints Thus you see we have no reason barely to believe painting and carving but if Book-proof or Tradition concur with them we may give some credit to them p Lib. 2. de Rom. Pont. cap. 11. Bellarmin himself is of the opinion that there can be no error in substance as long as besides book-proof there are Monuments of Stone or of Brass for the proof of any antient report thus if he speak the words of truth the truth is with us for besides Monuments of Stone we have the Testimonies of many authentick Writers amongst whom Charanza a Spaniard who Florimondus says disproved the story of Pope Joan before he undertook the task himself but he belies him for these are his words t In Sum. Conc. p. 370. Edit Paris 1564. Johannes 8. Papa 105. sub Petro sedit An. 2 Mens Dies 4. de hoc ferunt quod malis
artibus Pontificatum adeptus est quoniam cum esset faemina sexum mentitus est et postea à servo compressa doloribus circumventa mortua est in English thus John the eight Pope 105. Pope from St. Peter sate 2 years 1 month 4 days They report of this Person that he got the Papacy by evil means because he feined himself to be a man whereas in truth he was a Woman who being afterwards begot with child by one of her servants fell in travel and dyed therein z. Krantius who is recommended by Pontanus for a famous Historiographer and one that writ before Luthers times and is therefore the less to be suspected for partiallity says thus Johannes Anglicus ex Maguntia mulier mentita sexum c. John English Mitrop l. 2. Edit Colon. 1574. Francof 1590. a Woman of Mentz dissembled her Sex and being of a quick wit and voluble tongue and one that could talk Scholastically she won the hearts of all men so that she arrived to the dignity of Pope no Man knowing any other but that she was a Man save one of her Servants who afterwards got her with Child they say she was deliver'd near the Colosses before she had sate too years compleat Mantuan who is commended by Trithemius for an excellent Theologist a knowing Philospher and a famous Poet the only man in all Italy in his time hath this story in his description of Hell and describing what manner of Persons were there saith he Hic pendebat adhuc sexum mentita virilem Faemina cui triplici Phrygiam diademate mitram Extollebat apex pontificalis adulter Here hangs a Woman once who past for man Who truckt for Breeches Peticoats and Fan. By her great parts she gain'd with much renown The Phrygian Mitre with the triple Crown Here hangs that Lecher too by whom 't is sed The Woman Pope did lose her Maiden-head And in the Street ' thout Midwife brought to bed Achilles Gassarus in his Epitome of all Histories and Cronicles collected out of the best Historigraphers writs thus u Achilles Gassarus in Epit. Hist c. Antwerp 1536. John the eight by Country English by calling a Pope yet by Sex a Woman sate shamefully as Pope two years and six Months Ravisius Textor in his Officina writs thus Scitum ex Chronicis à Majoribus Scriptum Johannem Anglicum ab Ephebis sexum verilem simulasse et tandem fato nescio quo aut Fortuna certè volente ad pontificatum pervenisse in quo Annos circiter duos sederit post Leonem quartum neque prius innotuerit facti veritas quam à quodam ex domesticis impregnata tandem emiserit partum It is a thing well known by the Cronicles and written by our Ancestors that John English from her youth upward deported her self in every respect like a man and at length by I know not what destiny certainly by very great fortune she became Pope and sate about two years after Leo the fourth and no body know this fallasie and deceit till she was with Child by one of her menial Servants a De dictis factisque memorabilibus lib. 8. cap. 3 Tit. de faeminis quae doctrinâ excel and deliver'd thereof and Fulgosus who was a noble and learned man and sometimes Duke of Genua affirms the same story for a truth saying that John the eight was at length detected to be a Woman Laziardus is of the same opinion so is Hartmannus Schedel a Doctor of Physick yet not ignorant of holy Scriptures nor atheistically inclined as it is bewailably common for such so to be yet by Florimondus he is accused for being one of the brood of the Hussites and lived in Nurimberge when that City was infected with Husses heresy and therefore would fain perswade his party that no credit is to be given him because whatever he writ concerning the Popedome of Joan the Woman was partial In answèr to this I rather believe Florimondus to be one of the brood of abominable Lyars for Hartmannus Schedel born in Nurimberg was b Ego Hart. Schedel Doctor Patavinus c. circa Anno 1440. f. 252. student in Padua where he was created Doctor of Physick by the great Matthiolus and he was so far from Husses opinion that in the same book quoted in the Margent he hath inserted one whole Chapter about the heresy of the Hussites and their original z Anthropologia lib. 22. pag. 503. edit Basil 1556. Volateran an Historiographer of good note makes no doubt of the reality of this story and Trithemius Abbot of St. Martins Monastery in Spanheim a reverend well read and very learned man writes thus In the same year that Pope Leo died John English succeeded for two years and five months Now some say she was a Woman and that she was known so to be but to one only who was her servant by whom at length she was begot with Child and thereof deliver'd in the open street For this cause some would not reckon her among the number of Popes disliking this villainous action with whom in matter of fact corresponds Sabellicus a man a Sabellicus vir undecunque doctissimus claret hodiè apud venetos maximo in pretio Trithemius lib. de Script Eccles of great esteem in Venice yea the most famous in his time for all manner of learning of whose books Pius the Third professed he valued as much as Alexander did Homers Iliads Wernerus Roleunick who is reckoned by Paulus Langius among the most famous of the Order of Carthusians and commended by Trithemius for a man of profound learning and singular devotion in confirmation of what is aforesaid writes thus b Fasciculus Temp. aetate 6. ad annum 854. This John by Sirname English by his Country of Mentz is reported to have sate as Pope about this time and she was a woman but went in mans apparel She profited so well in Divinity that she had no fellow and so was chosen to be Pope But after a while being great with Child as she went in publick Procession she was delivered thereof and dyed And this seems to be the Sixth Pope to this day which was called Holy and proved naught And therefore he was plagued by God as the rest before him were plagued Neither is she in the Register of Popes Hence some say because she was a Germane a Germane is not permited to be elected Pope but this is manifestly false for since several Germains have been advanced unto the Popedom Mattheus Palmerius an c Trithemius de Script Ecclesiast Italian and one of the choicest men which were at the Council kept by Eugenius the 4. against the Council of Brasil Pontifex 106. Johannes Anglicus saith he sedit An. 2. Mens 3. fama est hunc Johannem foeminam fuisse et uni soli familiari cognitam qui eam complexus est et gravis facta peperit Papa existens quamobrem inter Pontifices non