Another being not so gainefull but notwithstanding filthy detestable is that which is called the tax of the Apostolike penance when as impunitie of all sin and wickednes is so manifestly sold euery sin hauing a certaine sum of money set vppon it that euen some canonists do detest that vnsatiable couetousnes and robbery As in the glosse * where Iohn the munke c. fundamenta de elect in 6. saith that Rome being builteby Pirates doth as yet retaine of his first beginning And surely so it is that yéerely an incredible weight of gold is caried to Rome out of the most wealthy treasuries in the world which the popes and cardinals and other epicures of the same order doe spend vpon the most insatiable and bottomlesse gulfe of their lustes with great infamie of the name of Christians The names and titles of the former are infinite but of so great store these are chiefely reckoned The tribute of first fruites or vacances which is the name of the reuenues of the first yéere which the popes gather into their treasurie but these are for the most part doubled and tripled Also the tribute of preuentions resignations for fauour commendations dispensations for age order irregularitie corporall faultes Also of expectatiue graces deuolutions benefices that are like to be void priuileges exemptions for not visiting or to visit by a deputie of confessions of those that are agréed of transactions made vnder the popes good pleasure of changinges of benefices with dispensation of mandates of bishops of expeditions in form by reason of congruitie for making notories and protonotories apostolike with their coadiutors for letters of greater or lesser iustice for secular dignities for dignities ecclesiasticall for new foundations or changing the old or for reduction of regular monasteries into secular state or for restoring them againe for receiuing fruites during absence for legitimations portable altars for non obstances for indulgences of secular clerks for reuocations and reductions for Toleramus or tollerances of concubines and for rescriptions to suites Time should faile vs if we should go about to reckon vp all sorts of their vnlawfull scrapings and robberies Neither is it greatlie néedfull For there is a booke of the popes extant concerning these matters markets hauing this title The taxes of the Apostolike chancery with the Notables as they write them at this day of the church of Rome in which booke there is a woorthy saieng expressed in these words in a certaine place And note diligently that such graces and dispensations are not granted to poore men bicause they are not therefore they cannot be comforted Who is he that is so secure a contemner of God who is he altogither so voide of conscience amongst the kings counsailers whom these monsters of robberies sacrileges simonies do not mooue Who is so hard harted and such an enimie to his countrie which is not throughly touched with so great spoile of the wealth of France and with the ruin of the poore people out of whose marrowes and bowels this money is fet which the déepe lustes of the popes cardinals haue deuoured That which we are now about to say will séem a thing incredible but yet it is certaine and tried to be true When as in times past the Romane empire stoode there was such abundance of wealth and riches so great store of gold and siluer caried thither out of all partes and places of the world of the tributes and taxes of all people and nations in a maner that that citie was commonly called by the Gréeke word The little Epitomie Athenaeus li. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the whole world What if we now shew that the pope of Rome doth draw to Rome yéerely by his shifts cosenage and wicked policies out of Europe onelie which is counted but the third part of the world no lesse store of gold and siluer than the emperors of Rome did exact of all coastes of the earth for so many legions that lay euerie-where in garison Let vs heare Flauius Blondus his testimonie being a man that was an Italian a great flatterer of the popes out of his booke of Rome restored 3. Now saith he the princes of the world do adore and worship the perpetuall dictator not of Caesar but the successor of Peter the fisherman and the vicar of the foresaid emperour the chiefe and high bishop Now the whole world doth worship the senate of cardinals in Rome next to the pope What That almost all Europe sendeth to Rome tributes being greater then at least equall with the tributes of ancient times when euery citie receiueth from the pope of Rome benefices for priestes Thus writeth Blondus But we must a little more diligently frame the reason of this cruel sacrilege For Suetonius in the life of Iulius Caesar writeth thus He brought all France into the forme of a prouince and he laid vpon the same yeerely foure hundred sesterties by the name of a stipende Eutropius left this same written in a maner in as many words in the sixt booke of his breuiarie If we folow William Budeus his account we shal find that this number of sesterties is in our coin ten hundred thousand crownes or as they commonly cal it a million as the Germanes vse it ten tuns of gold This was a great tribute for France which it did yéerely pay to the emperours in such sort that yet notwithstanding there was paide out of the same to some legions that lay in garison a stipende What if we now prooue that the pope of Rome doth with his iuglings and shifts gather to Rome yéerly no lesse sum without paieng any thing out of the same Peraduenture it wil séeme to som a thing incredible and altogither monsterous as I saide before but yet notwithstanding we shall prooue by a most sure testimonie that it is most true Who is then a witnes of that so great robberie or rather sacrilege The senate of Paris that beareth chiefe rule in France which about an hundred yéeres ago presented to Ludouicus the eleuenth certaine requests for the churches of France which Francis Duarene a lawyer translated into Latine and published with the kings priuilege twise at Paris and also twise at Lyons toward the end of the booke concerning benefices For in the 72. article of the same requests it is thus written That we may speciallie and particularly shew how greatly the money of the realme is wasted within those three yeeres we must marke that in the holie bishops time there haue bin void in this realme more than twentie archbishoprikes and bishoprikes and it is not to be doubted but that as well for the yeerely tribute which we call the first fruits as for other extraordinarie costes vpon euerie bull there haue bin paide downe sixe thousand crownes which sum amounteth to an hundred and twentie thousand crownes The 68. article followeth There haue bin voide in this realme threescore abbots places whereof euerie one cost two thousand crownes
of Nauarre his kinsman and subiect For in the yéere M. DXI. at which time that war whereof we spake before waxed hot betwéen pope Iulius the second and Ludouike the 12. king of France who was called father of his countrie and that same furious tyrant went about to terrifie him with his vaine thunderbolts and had made his kingdome a praie and spoile to him that could get it Iohn great grandfateer to this our Henrie reigned in Nauarre He forasmuch as he both was in the realme of France and was neighbor to the French king and also by reason of the great fées he had in his realme was his client and vassall was requested by king Ludouike that he would aide him against his enimie according to the right of senioritie and ordinances of seruiceable clientships The king of Nauarre being not vnmindfull of his dutie toward the king hauing with all spéed mustered and gathered bands of footemen and horsemen in his kingdom he brought so great an armie into the borders of France that he left his realme in a maner naked and destitute of men Which thing being knowen pope Iulius determined foorthwith to deale by messengers with Ferdinando king of Spaine to whom he then first of all gaue the sirname of Catholike anno 1492. that with all spéede he should make readie an armie and should inuade the dominion of the king of Nauarre who was absent and he promiseth that for his part he would both proscribe Nauarre for an heretike and schismatike and would also giue him his kingdome for a reward Ferdinandus hauing gotten so fit an opportunitie to do an exploit determined not to be wanting to himselfe After the curse was pronounced and published against the king of Nauarre he assembled his forces and entering the borders of the king his neighbor being absent he tooke first the principall citie of the kingdome named Pompiopolis and then afterward the most part of the whole realm hauing as we said pope Iulius for his author a good one and without all doubt a fit one if in the rule of the law wherin it is written that He possesseth vniustly which possesseth hauing the pretor for his author it were written the pope for his author in stead of the pretor for his author Soone after the king of France being not ignorant that the senior ought to deliuer his vassall from the danger of that euent which thing euen Bellaius Langaeus somtimes a most excellent light of France doth plainely testifie in his first booke of commentaries sent his armie to recouer Pompiopolis ouer which he set as captaine Dunosius chiefe gouernor of Aquitania and duke of Longouilla But it séemeth more conuenient to defer vntil some other time what happened both at that time and many yéeres after and to set it downe in a booke written of those things For it is sufficient for vs to vnderstand at this time that the king of Nauarre great grandfather to him that now is was spoiled of his kingdome for none other cause saue onely bicause he aided as he ought the king of France his neighbor his senior being excommunicate by pope Iulius proscribed and pronounced to be an heretike and schismatike Whereof not onely the French historiographers are witnesses and amongst these Arnoldus Ferronus and Bertrandus Helias but also the Italians and Spaniards and chiefly Stephen Garibaius in his 29. book Francis Tarapha and Anthonie Nebrissensis in his booke concerning the war of Nauarre * In which places me thinks we 1. c. 1. 2. 3. should not omit the arrogancie of a Spanish peasant as we say commonly who railed vpon and slandered the most wise and moderate king of France that euer was and that in these words Ludouike saith he the French king a man most inconstant Ch. 2. after the maner of his nation being not content to kéepe himselfe within his owne little skin that is within the borders of his own kingdom set his mind toward Italie And shortly after Therefore pope Iulius the second being angrie tooke the sword out of Peters hands and drew it against the rebellious and stubborne he declareth them to be schismatiks and therefore heretiks he maketh their goodes common for the execution of which sentence he calleth vpon Christian princes chiefly vpon our prince Also chap. 3. Therefore the gouernor of the countrie of Spaine fearing the rage of the French men doth exhort Henrie king of the Britans to whom Aquitania did belong to require it againe by war and that he might haue iuster cause to aske it againe the apostolike authoritie commeth betweene whereby he depriueth the French king of Aquitania let the senators and kings counsellers in France marke and giueth it to the king of Britane to possesse and enioie And by and by in that place where he bringeth in the pope conferring with his cardinals The king of Spain saith he must be holpen We must draw out both our swords against the common enimies of all good men the kings of France and Nauarre and whiles that we whet the one that is the secular in the meane season let vs bend the other namely the spirituall against the necks of schismatiks Therfore by the common decree of the cardinals the king of Nauarre was declared to be a schismatike and therefore an heretike bicause being often admonished he was waxen stubborne and he did openly professe that he was French He was fined in his kingdome and all his goods not onely he but also his wife and his sonnes with all their posteritie and all his right of being king was translated vnto Spain The Spanish Nebrissensis saith thus in as manie words wherby we vnderstand by what right by what author and for what cause the king of Nauarre was robbed of his kingdome Indéed Guicciardin in his 11. booke of his Italian historie setteth downe his iudgement touching this matter in these words When the king of Spaine saith he could not affirme that he did lawfully possesse the kingdome of Nauarre for any other cause or by any other title he reasoned that he had possession by the right of the popes commandement and authoritie of the holie sea For the pope being not well content with things that fell out happily in Italie had a little before published a decree against the king of France wherin calling him no more most Christian but most noble he made him and all that tooke his part subiect to the penalties of heretiks and schismatiks and hauing granted power by right to take and enioy their goods kingdoms and all that they had he declared them to be condemned To the same effect also writeth Arnoldus Ferronus a most learned historiographer in matters of France and sometimes senator of the Parleament holden at Burdeaux in these words Ferdinandus saith he king of Spaine so soone as he vnderstood of the league made betweene the kings of France and Nauarre turned his forces prepared against the French king against the king of Nauarre and
Stella a Venetian written vnto the patriarch of Aquileia being cardinall priest of the church of Rome of the title of Saint Marke Last of all saith he he was made pope of Rome through the deuill his assistance Yet vpon this condition that after his death he should be wholie his both in bodie and soule by whose crafts he had attained vnto so great dignitie After this Syluester asked him how long he should liue pope He answered thou shalt liue vntill thou shalt say masse in Hierusalem Last of all in the fourth yeere of his popedome when as in the Lent-time in the solemne feast of the holie crosse he song masse in Hierusalem at Rome he knew foorthwith that he should die by destiny Wherefore repenting himselfe he confessed his fault before all the people and he praied them all that they would cut in quarters and peeces his body that was seduced by the deuils pollicie and being cut and torne a sunder they would lay it in a cart and that they woulde burie it there whither the horses should carie it of their owne accord Therefore they say that the horses came by Gods prouidence that wicked men may learne that there is place left for pardon with God so they repent in this life of their owne accorde to the church called Lateranensis and that he was buried there Thus writeth Stella the Venetian There is extant also a certaine sermon made in the Easter time by Iohn Gerson gouernour of the Vniuersitie of Paris wherin he left it written that pope Iohn the xxij did holde that the soules of the wicked are not in paine before the day of iudgement Which heresie of his the schoole of Sorbona in the same Vniuersitie did stoutlie condemne and caused that pope to recant his errour Of the same sort of impietie is that which we will set downe in the wordes of Raphaell Volaterane out of his fift booke of Geographie where speaking of pope Sixtus the fourth whose name this our Quintus tooke and whose godlines also he doth follow he writeth thus The pope being priuie and helping thereto the conspiratours come to Florence and they meete all togither in the church of S. Reparata at the masse and sacrifice in the morning In the meane while Saluiatus departing the church priuilie with his confederates being armed he goeth into the court that he might speake vnto the banner-bearer feigning that he had some other busines Yet to this end and purpose that when the murder should begin in the church he might be present and readie to set vpon the court and magistrate Therefore when the watch word was giuen in the Eleuation time marke the notable testimonie of the popes holines The watch word saith he being appointed in time of the Eleuation Bandinus did stick Iulian de Medicis brother to Laurence Antonie which was desirous to be chiefe setteth vpon Laurence on the other side behinde his backe and smote him a little below the throte When as he forthwith turning himselfe vnto crieng did auoide the stroke he fled with speed from him as he was about to strike again into the vestrie of the church that was neere to him Then the popes ambassador who gaue that watch word to commit the murder in the time of the Eleuation being caught by the citizens and led by them out of the church into the court was committed to ward and was handled as he had deserued In the meane season Saluiatus bishop of Pisa who of set purpose did protract his speech with the banner-bearer that he might see the ende was foorthwith caught and was the same day hanged vp at the court windowes which message when it came to the popes eares he did excommunicate Laurence de Medicis who as we haue said was faine to saue himselfe by flieng bicause he had laid hands on Gods priests and legate and he proclaimed open war against the Florentines Thus writeth Volateranus Whereby euerie man may sée what great account the popes vse to make of their Eucharist And yet notwithstanding they will haue all Christian religion placed in worshipping carieng about reuerencing and honoring with all maner honor the same But we must bring foorth another argument For what more certaine thing can be brought to shewe the impietie of the popes than that which is common in euery mans mouth that the order at Rome is so often as the popes go on progresse that that Eucharist being laid vpon some leane carrian iade about whose necke a bel is hanged is committed to some horse-kéeper and is sent before amongst the scullions and drudges and other cariage as a messenger to shew the pope was cōming For in the booke of the popes ceremonies 1. sect cap. 3. it is thus written After them is led by a friend of the Sextins clothed in red and carrieng a staffe in his left hand a white horse being gentle carrieng the sacrament of the Lords bodie hauing about his necke a shrill little bell Next after the sacrament rideth the Sextin who as the other prelates hath an horse all couered with buckerom c. Also sect 12. ca. 1. After them is led a white horse trapped gentle and faire hauing a shrill little bell about his necke which carrieth the coffer with the most holie bodie of the Lord. Also cap. 4. Before the pope is alwaies carried the crosse by the Subdeacon and after the crosse is carried the bodie of Christ vpon a white horse with a little bell c. And these are the ordinances of the popes pompe but they are but ordinances For those which frequent Rome do with great consent witnes both concerning the iade that is sent before and also touching the sending of him amongst other carriage There is a booke extant written by Iohn Monlucius bishop of Valentia who was often sent ambassador to Rome for the king of France which booke was written touching religion to Quéene mother whose words are these * being Pag. 101. turned out of French into Latin Quoties Papa c. So often as the pope goeth on progresse least he seeme to giue too much honor to his Eucharist he doth not carrie it in his hands but he sendeth it away before him three or fower daies before he himselfe goeth out of the citie being laid vpon an horses back wherwith he sendeth to beare it companie singers mulitors horse-keepers and other such of his garde of his court that is cookes kitchingboies and curtisans these are his words Then the pope who saith that he is his vicar followeth afterward garded and trouped with cardinals bishops and other such peeres When he commeth to the towne then that which he calleth the bodie of Christ which hath rested it selfe a while there is brought out of the towne to meet him and straightway they salute one another by becking saieng not one word And then he sendeth it before him againe but with how great honor The pope is carried into the citie vnder a rich canapie the bodie
a band-dog or Cerberus than this But as I haue alreadie said this boldnes of the pope against the king of Nauarr is not greatly to be woondered at séeing such was his vnbridled furie against the most mightie king of France Wherefore let vs heare rather other testimonies of like and the same pride for it is not for man to contend with satan in railing spéeches and it shall be sufficient to vse that curse of Michael the archangell The Lord Jude 1. 9. rebuke thee Therefore to returne to our purpose we must not passe ouer that testimonie of the same popish seruice which is reported touching the same Boniface who in the yéere 1300. when there was great concourse of people at Rome by reason of the Iubilie in the first solemne day the pope shewed himselfe to the people in his Pontificalibus the day following hauing on the attire of the emperor he commanded a naked sword to be borne before him crieng with a lowd voice I am the pope and emperor and I beare rule in earth and heauen And a few daies after hée proudly reiected Albertus created emperor by the electors of Germanie when he came to craue his confirmation denieng that the election had without his authoritie ought to be counted firme séeing he alone had the authoritie of both swords After some good space he confirmed him vpon condition that with al expedition he shuld make war against the French king whose kingdome he gaue him for a pray and reward of his victorie Which things are witnessed by Cuspianus in the life of Albertus in the chronicle of Vsperge and by the writers of the French chronicles But to what end do we prosecute these light and trifling things We haue before declared that the pope of Rome doth claime by the donation of Constantine the empire of al the west parts These be but bare words Wherefore let vs looke into the thing it selfe For we denie that there is any king in the west I meane of France Spaine Aragon Portugal Hungarie Bohemia England Scotland Denmarke Sueueland Ruscia Croatia Dalmatia whom the papacie of Rome will not haue to be vassall and feudatarie to it as if he had receiued his kingdome from him as a fée and benefit and ought for that cause to ow allegeance and to do homage to him It is much that we say and almost incredible to be spoken but the truth shall appéere by instruments that we wil bring to light and by testimonies that we will vse For we wil touch euery realme according to the order of the letters Of that of England AVgustine Steuchus the maister of the popes librarie doth witnes in his book of the donation of Constantine that in 2. pag. 138. that librarie of the popes there is extant a register of pope Alexander the 3. wherein is found an epistle to William king of England For as we vnderstand by that booke of Steuchus the maister of the librarie all the actes of euerie pope are written in seuerall registers to the which what credit we ought to giue the verie rule of the law doth show wherein it is said that a priuate writing must be beléeued but onely against the writer himselfe Therfore this was Alexander his epistle Your wisedome knoweth that the kingdome of Englande sithence the time that the name of Christ was there glorified hath bin vnder the hand and tuition of the chiefe of the Apostles For as you know full well the Englishmen were faithfull and in respect of godly deuotion and knowledge of religion they gaue a yeerely pension to the apostolike sea wherof some part was giuen to the bishop of Rome some part to the church of S. Marie which is called the schoole of the Englishmen to the vse of the brethren These things are cited out of Steuchus But I finde these testimonies in other places besides Steuchus Flauius Blondus in his 6. booke Decad. 2. Then saith he Iohn king of England fearing that he was not of sufficient force to deale with the French king fled to the mercy of Innocentius the third pope of Rome for making England and Ireland feudataries to the church of Rome by league he promised to pay for either Iland an hundred markes in gold yeerely Antonie of Florence saith * Iohn king of England of his own accord Hist. part 3. tit 19. §. quinto anno 1223. by the counsell of his princes offered and did freely grant to God and his most holie Apostles Peter Paul and to the holie church of Rome and to the lord Innocentius the third being pope all the kingdome of England and also of Ireland with all their rights and appurtenances and he hath done and sworne homage for the same kingdomes to the saide Innocentius the pope that he should hold them hereafter as a feudatarie of the said pope and his successours Whereof also Polidore Virgill maketh mention in his 15. booke By this instrument of the pope if as I said we may giue credence to a priuate writing the realme of England is feudatarie to the pope Go to let vs sée the rest Of the kingdome of Arragonia STeuchus in the selfe same booke * saith Pag. 193. Peter king of Arragonia in the third yeer of the L. Innocentius the third being pope came to Rome to the same Innocentius and he receiued from him solemnely an honorable knighthood and he offered willinglie to S. Peter and to the holie church of Rome his whole kingdome and there he had for his fee the same kingdome Also he appointed to pay a certaine summe of money for the kingdome of Sardinia Of the kingdome of Croatia and Dalmatia STeuchus in the same booke * in the register of Gregorie the seauenth we reade thus In the name of the lord of the holie Pag. 191. and indiuisible Trinitie in the yeere of the Lords incarnation one thousand seuenty sixe in the 14. indiction of the moneth of October I Demetrius which am also called Suinumir by the grace of God duke of Croatia and Dalmatia being made and constituted by thee L. Gebizus hauing the power of Pope Gregorie by the ambassage of the apostolike sea by the synodall and generall election of the whole cleargie and people in the Solantine church of S. Peter and being inuested and appointed king in the gouernment of the kingdome of the Croatians and Dalmatians by the banner sword scepter and crowne to thee I vowe and promise that I will vnchangeably fulfill all things which thy reuerend holines shall inioine me that I may keepe mine oth to the Apostolike sea in all things and that I may keepe irreuocably whatsoeuer as well the sea apostlike as the legates thereof haue or shall establish in this realme that I may execute iustice and defend the church also I appoint to pay to S. Peter yeerely in the resurrection of the Lord the tribute of two hundred Bizanties of al my consulships and primacies for the kingdome granted to me Furthermore seeing to
of king by our consecration he hath the name of emperor and of Augustus and of Caesar Therefore by vs he reigneth our sea is at Rome the emperors at Aquis nigh Arduenna which is a wood of France The emperor hath all that he hath from vs. As Zacharie translated the empire from the Grecians to the Almains so we may translate it from the Almaines to the Grecians Lo it is in our power to giue it to whomsoeuer we will being therefore set ouer nations and kingdoms to destroy and pluck vp to build plant Thus writeth the pope of the Germane empire boldly ynough as it séemeth séeing he sendeth him to Aquisgranus and into the wood Arduenna as if he were some shéepherd or neatheard Shall there be any of the Counsellers of the most victorious emperor that can abide that fierce importunate voice of that tyrant But let vs heare more Of the kingdome of Spaine STeuchus in the same second booke Gregorie Pag. 133. the seuenth saith he writing to the kings and princes of Spaine saith thus You know that of old the kingdome of Spaine belongeth to the church of Rome And shortly after out of the register of Epistles of the same pope which he affirmeth to be kept religiously in his librarie he setteth down this epistle Gregorie the bishop the seruant of the seruants of God to the kings earles and other princes of Spaine greeting We will haue it knowne to you that the kingdome of Spaine was giuen by the ancient decrees to S. Peter and the holie church of Rome for their right and propertie and so foorth Of the kingdome of Hungarie COncerning the same there is a testimonie of like sort extant in the same maister of the librarie Gregorie the holie bishop Pa. 186. the holy lord to his beloued sonne Salomon king of Hungarie greeting As thou maist learne of the ancients of thy countrie the kingdome of Hungarie is proper to the holie church of Rome being in times past offered and deuoutly deliuered by king Stephen to S. Peter with all the right and power thereof And againe The same Gregorie writing to Geusus king of Hungarie we beleeue thou knowest that the kingdome of Hungarie as also other most noble kingdoms ought to be in the state of their owne libertie and to be in subiection to none other king of any other realme saue onely to the holie and vniuersall mother the church of Rome Of the kingdome of Polonia ALbertus Krantz in Wandal lib. 8. ca. 2. Lakoldus was duke of Cracouia at this time and he that bare rule throughout all Polonia He had from Iohn bishop of Rome the crowne bicause he did 〈…〉 Lodwik lawfull emperor bicause the pope did curse and excommunicate him For the popes were now come to that maiestie which secular princes cal presumption that they made kings citing the words of him that was first pope after Christ Behold saith Peter heer be two swords Against which the princes interpret the words of the eternall bishop Put vp thy sword into the sheath of the carnall humane and secular sword as if it were not lawfull for the pope to fight with it But Lakoldus being named and consecrated king by the pope made al the kingdome tributary to S. Peter that there should be paid yeerly for euerie one a penie which pence are called Peter-pence Of the kingdome of Ruscia STeuchus in the same booke * Also the Pag. 1â—â— kingdom of Ruscia is of right and destraint of the church of Rome as appeereth by the same ancient moniments Gregorie the seuenth writing to the king and queene of Ruscia To our beloued children saith he Demetrius king of Ruscia and to the queene his wife greeting and the apostolike blessing Your sonne visiting the shrines of the Apostles came to vs and bicause he would obtaine that kingdome by the gift of S. Peter by our hands he craued it with deuout petitions hauing giuen due alleageance to the same S. Peter the Apostle affirming vndoubtedly that that petition of his should be confirmed and established by our consent if he might be rewarded with the grace and defence of the Apostolike authoritie to whose petitions we gaue consent and we gaue him the gouernment of our kingdome in the behalfe of S. Peter namely with that intention of loue that S. Peter should defend you and your kingdome by his intercession to God Of the kingdome of Sicilia CLement the fift * Againe we must not In clem pastoralis de sent reiud passe ouer with silence that the king of Sicilia himselfe being our knowne subiect and the subiect of the church of Rome by reason of the foresaid kingdome and being a liege man and vassall hath his continuall abode in the same kingdome Of the kingdome of Scotland POlydore Virgil writeth thus in his seuentéenth booke In the meane season Boniface the pope being wearied by the Scots with their petitions forbad king Edward that hee should not heereafter trouble the Scots with war bicause that realme was before committed by the Scots to the tuition and made subiect to the power of the pope of Rome And therfore he auouched that it was in his power alone to giue it to whomsoeuer he would or to take it from whomsoeuer he would Hitherto haue we reckoned vp all the kingdoms of Christian kings which the pope auoucheth they hold and possesse as a fée or benefit receiued from him By euerie one whereof and by them all in generall we leaue it to men of courage to iudge whether this séemeth to be the humilitie of a modest pastor of the church so greatly commended of Christ or rather boldnes and hawtines of a fierce and intollerable giant Also we would haue them thinke with themselues whether this so great proud speaking of the popes came not from the same spirit from whence that oration of the tyrant Nero came which is left by Seneca to the posteritie in his first booke of Clemencie Of al mortal men I was liked and chosen to serue in the place of the Gods vpon earth I am to the nations the iudge of life and death It is in my hand what condition and state euery man hath What thing soeuer fortune would haue giuen to any mortall man she pronounceth it by my mouth People and cities conceiue causes of ioy by our answer No part doth any where florish saue onely when I am willing and fauourable These so manie thousands of fencers which my power doth suppresse shall be girded at my becke It is my iurisdiction what nations ought to be quite cut off which ought to be transported to whom libertie ought to be granted from whom it ought to be taken what kings ought to be bond-slaues and vpon whose head the princely crowne ought to be set what cities shal come to ruine and which shall florish The crime of Rebellion THe fourth crime followeth whereof we said the pope of Rome was long ago not onely accused by the
and blood of Christ And in like number Ambrose in the booke of the sacraments acknowledgeth onely two baptisme and the Lords supper But the papacie addeth ouer and besides these fiue more Order Confirmation Vnction Trident. con sess 6. c. 14. sess 14. c. 1. seq Penance and Matrimonie The holie scripture teacheth vs that matrimonie is not onely comly and honorable for al men but also that it is in a maner necessarie to Heb. 13. 1. Cor. 7. auoid fornication * Therfore we read that Peter the apostle had a wife * where mention Mark 1. Matt. 8. is made of Peters wiues mother Moreouer Chrysostom * saith The Apostle Ad Tit. hom 1. stoppeth the mouth of heretiks which slander mariage shewing that it is not a detestable thing but so honorable that with it they may go vp into the holie throne euen of bishops To what end should I vse many words The pope himselfe saith * If any man shall teach In decret dist 28. a priest to despise his owne wife vnder colour of religion let him be accursed Also * Bicause it Dist. 31. is prouided that single life might not be fostered and that he should be sequestred from the communion of the faithful which doth separate himselfe from his wife bicause of ecclesiastical orders Also dist 3. c. si quis nuptias But the same pope doth in the Tridentine Councel so forbid his clerks and nunnes to marrie that he doth euen inforce them when they enter his holie orders to take an oth that they will liue in perpetual single life which Paul sheweth to be a sure 1. Tim. 4. Titus 3. marke of Antichrist The scripture teacheth that we must acknowledge that wée haue saluation and iustification by Iesus Christ from the alone mercie of God Ies 43. I I am he saith the Lord which blot out your iniquities Also Matt. 9. That you may know that the sonne of man hath power to forgiue sinnes vpon earth I say to the sicke of the palsie Arise take vp thy bed and go home But the pope saith thus in Bernardin Rosetus We can demerit eternall life with works Serm. 20. Therefore we ought to presume and hold for a certaintie that after this life we shall assuredly haue eternal life for the reward of good works Also in the Summarie de grat sanct Good works demerit three things namely eternall life increase of grace remission of punishment As if either the chastitie or holines of our flesh could be so great that we should not alwaies be accounted vnprofitable seruants or that we can do those works for our Lord and patron besides those that we of duty owe that we can merit any thing But let vs sée the rest The scripture teacheth that in the Lords supper as wel the bread as the wine must be giuen to those Mat. 26. Mark 14. 1. Cor. 11. that come thereto * But the pope will suffer the people to haue no more saue onely the bread and forbiddeth them the receiuing Concil Const. sess 13. of the cup and wine * Which inhibition we may so much the more wonder at De consecrat dist comperimus bicause the pope in his Decrées * hath left this in writing We find that certaine hauing taken onely a portion of the holie bodie do abstaine from the cup of the holie blood who vndoubtedly let them either receiue the whole sacraments or else let them be kept from the whole bicause there cannot be a diuision made of one and the same mysterie without great sacrilege The same scripture commandeth all to take eate and drinke But in poperie onely the priests take eate and drinke which notwithstanding is manifestly forbidden in the same decrée * in these words When De cons dist 2. c. peracta the consecration is ended let all communicate which will not want be put from the bounds of the Church for both the Apostles did thus decree and also the holie church of Rome holdeth this The same holie scripture doth appoint that in the Church and assemblie of the godly all things be vttered in the common language that the multitude may easily vnderstande what euery one saith and addeth a reason bicause if anie thing should be vttered in a strange and vnknowen toong the multitude could not giue their consent and answer Amen But in poperie not onely the priests but also the multitude and silly women which mumble vp certaine forms of praiers do say all in latin The scripture teacheth vs that Christ is the onely bishop and priest who did once sacrifice his bodie for mankind according to that * Christ was once 1. Tim. 2. offered that he might take away the sinnes of manie And We are sanctified by the offering vp of the bodie of Christ once made And againe Ephes 5. Heb. 9. 10. By one oblation hath he consecrated for euer those that are sanctified But the pope hath made infinite priests whom he hath commanded that so often as they say masse they should so often sacrifice the bodie of Christ both for the liuing and also for the dead Whervpon commeth that forme of Canon in the masse We pray that thou wilt accept and blesse these gifts these rewards these sacrifices which we offer vp to thee for thy Church Also vpon Easter day in the secrets of the masse Receiue the praiers of thy people with the oblations of the hosts Also out of the masse for the dead The sacrifices we offer vnto thee for the soules of thy seruants and handmaids Also O Lord we offer to thee sacrifices for the soule of thy seruant Also in the booke of the Conformities * As frier Fol. 65. Iohn was at masse and in the eleuation of the Lords bodie as he offered it for the soules of the dead to God the father he saw an infinite number of soules go out of purgatorie as a multitude of sparkles out of a firie fornace and fly to heauen for Christs merits who is daily offered in the most holy host for the quicke and the dead But let these things hitherto be spoken touching the corrupt polluted defiled and filthy religion of the popes only for examples sake For séeing this crime of the papacie hath in many and great books for the space of more than fiftie yéeres togither béen most plentifully declared and handled by the Diuines of Germanie Heluetia France and England and by others also it séemeth more commodious to come vnto the fourth crime of the papacie The crime of Sacrilege HItherto haue we spoken of the second crime of the papacie Hereafter order doth require that we intreate of sacrilege and of that wickednes which commonlie they all Simonie of Simon Magus For it is manifest that at Rome the pope kéepeth two simonie markes of those thinges which they call spirituall One is that wherein benefices are openly sold without any dissimulation and that is the most gainefull
at the least therefore the sum is an hundred and twentie thousand crownes 74. At the same time there were voide priorships deaneries prouostships masterships and other dignities which haue not the pastorall staffe for their insigne more than two hundred and for euerie one of these benefices there were paide downe fiue hundred crownes the summe therefore is an hundred thousand crownes 75. It is manifest that in this realme there be at least an hundred thousand parishes which are inhabited and replenished Neither is there any one wherein at that time some one did not obtaine an expectatiue grace and for euerie one of these they paied fiue and twentie crowns as well for the charges of the iournie as for the making of the buls non obstances prerogatiues annullations and other especiall clauses which were woont to be adioined to the graces expectatiues Also for the executorie processe vpon the same graces This summe is twentie times fiue hundred thousand crownes Thus saith the Senate of Paris Now let vs collect the totall summe of the summes We shall find that it amounteth to the summe of nine hundred six and fortie thousand six hundred thréescore and six crownes and moreouer to the eight part of one crowne which is the third part of that sum which the Senate of Paris sheweth to haue béen caried to Rome in that thrée yéeres space namely eight and twentie hundred and fortie thousand crowns or to speak plainly in our countrie spéech thrée millions of gold lacking an hundred thréescore thousand or as the Germans say almost eight and twentie tunnes of gold Moreouer we haue found out that the taxe of the vacations written in the bookes of the treasure-house of the cathedrall churches and abbaies of France being taxed onely doth euery sixt yéere amount to the summe of six hundred ninetie seuen thousand seuen hundred and fiftie French pounds besides the prelacies and other benefices that are not taxed the exactions whereof do almost arise to that summe And shal there be any in the kings Parleament of France that will confesse that he can with a quiet mind suffer this whirlepit or rather Scylla Charibdis or gulfe And will not rather so soone as he heareth this losse of so great summes detest and accurse that huge and cruell beast with all praiers And yet we will not cite this testimonie onely Lo we haue another out of the booke whose title is The Forest of common places which was published about the end of the Councell holden at Basill wherein is gathered into a grosse summe the summe of monie that during the time of pope Martin the fifts popedome was caried to Rome out of France alone which is saide to haue amounted to ninetie hundred thousande crownes And do we woonder that that same Senate of Paris did in the same requests artic 71. sore and bitterly complaine that so great a summe of gold and siluer was yéerely caried to Rome so that they were compelled somtimes for the vse of the common people of France to coine brasse monie for siluer monie But let vs heare the 62. article of the same requests Heertofore saith the Senate of Paris the people of this kingdome ran to Rome by heapes whereof some serued the cardinals and courtiers some being seruants to no man but being intised by some vaine hope did spend their owne and their parents substance other some and that a great manie went to Rome for this purpose that they might procure trouble to the rest that staied heere and that they might wring out of their hands by hooke or by crooke their churches and benefices For we find by experience that the greatest part of those which went hence to Rome was woont to die straightway either through wearisomnes and danger of the iournie or through the plague which is oftentimes very rife at Rome and those which escaped out of these dangers they procured trouble to old men sicke persons and to such like which were continually resident in their churches and benefices But it did oftentimes fall out that silly men being cited to the court of Rome when as they could not defend themselues against these false accusers were inforced to end their life through wearisomnes and sorrow 62. Most of those that did hunt after benefices did quite emptie their parents and friends bagges and at length they were brought to great pouertie and beggerie Neither did they indure so great iniuries vpon any other hope saue onely that they might somtimes bring home lead for gold and it fell out sometimes that the gaping crow was deceiued and that the lead that was bought with gold was nothing else but lead For whiles they trusted to their leaden buls there came in one between which brought at a sudden an annullation and sometimes there were ten or twelue that did gape and catch for one benefice And when the strife was once begun they must backe againe to Rome to follow the sute so that whiles all men ran to Rome from all quarters the realme was miserably destitute of hir people and subiects And this surely was the complaint of the Senate of Paris of the vnsatiable couetousnes and gréedie robberie of the popes aboue an hundred yéeres ago which was presented to king Ludouike and yet not sproong from the new and fresh robberies of the popes For there is extant a decrée of that Ludouike that was called Blessed anno 1228. which doth plainly shew how great the couetousnes of the popes was in France euen at that time The exactions Sub. tit de Talijs saith he and heauie burdens laid vpon the churches of our realme by the court of Rome whereby the realme is woonderfully impouerished or which shall heerafter be laid vpon vs will we haue to be leuied and gathered no farther foorth saue onely for reasonable godly and most vrgent necessitie and such as cannot be auoided and according to our expresse and free consent and of the church of our realme It séemeth good to me likewise to cite in this place that excellent conclusion of the Abbat of Vsperge out of the life of Philip the emperor wherby it may be vnderstood Pag. 321. how ancient this complaint was concerning the robberies of the papacie of Rome which Sixtus the fift hath determined to maintaine stoutly with all his tyrannie There scarce remained saith he any bishoprike or ecclesiasticall dignitie or parish church which was not in suite and the cause it selfe was brought to Rome but not with an empty hand Our mother Rome be glad bicause the sluces of the treasuries of the earth are set open that the streames and heapes of monie may flow vnto thee in great abundance Reioice ouer the iniquities of the sonnes of men bicause thou hast a reward giuen thee in recompence of so great euils Be glad ouer thine helper discord bicause she is broken out of the pit of hell that thou maist haue many rewards of monie heaped vpon thee Thou hast that after which
thou didst alwaies thirst Sing a song bicause thou hast ouercome the world through the wickednes of men and not through thy religion Not deuotion or a pure conscience doth draw men vnto thee but the committing of many heinous facts and the deciding of controuersies gotten by monie Let vs also heare the complaint of Theodore Nihemius being not vnlike Tract 6. c. 37. to this that the king of France his Counsellers may know how fréely many good men haue long ago detested these sacrileges of the papacie of Rome and haue detested them at the same time when the Church of Christ was oppressed with the most cruell lordship of the same papacie The popes treasure-house saith he is like to the sea into which all riuers run and yet it doth not ouerflow For so into this are caried out of diuers parts of the world thousand waights of gold and yet it is not filled wherein there is a generation which changeth swords for teeth that it may eate vp the needie of the earth and the poore from among men wherein there be many blood-suckers which say Bring Bring The officers of which treasurie are called Gentes camerae and that truly For the Gentils be barbarous nations which haue maners that are discrepant from the maners of men O most iust Gentils which shall haue their lot with the infernall furies or Harpies and with Tantalus being a thirst which neuer are satisfied Moreouer there be certaine verses of certaine Canonists extant which accurse the wicked couetousnes of the popes and amongst these of one Iohn a munke of whom we made mention a little before out of whose excellent monuments these are recited and commended Rome gnawes hir hands but as for those Whom gnaw she cannot those she hates To those that giue she listeneth Against all those she shuts hir gates That nothing giue That hellish court The mother is of euils and care Vnknowen with knowen she equall makes And beasts with those that honest are Also in another place The court doth emptie purse and chests For why she longeth after marks If thou disposed be to spare Thy purse flie popes and patriarks If marks thou giue and with the same Their chests shalt fill thou loosed shalt be And cleane absolued from all offence And vglie sinne that holdeth thee Who keepes the house Whose there It s I. What would you haue I would come in Do you bring ought No Stand at doores I bring ynough then come you in Hitherto haue we spoken of the monsterous robberies of the popes and of the former sort of the crimes of sacrileges and simonie now order doth require that we speake of the other which is commonly called the penitentiarie tax if first we adde that one thing which Francis Petrarcha an Italian left in writing touching pope Iohn the two and twentie that his heires found in his treasure house after his death no lesse than twentie times fiue thousand thousand crowns Which sum the French men expresse thus fiue and twentie millions of Gold And the Germans two hundred and fiftie tuns of gold By the which euery man may easily iudge of other sacrileges and spoiles of the like théeues Therfore the booke is extant being published at Paris anno 1520. with the priuilege of the Parleament of Paris the sixt day of Iune the same yéere the title whereof is The Taxes of the apostolike chancerie and also the holie penitentiarie taxes being likewise apostolike where fol. 36. you may sée these prices of absolutions and apostolike markets An absolution for a munke that weareth voided shooes and that weareth knit garments seuen grosses Absolution for a priest that hath ioined togither in matrimonie those that are within degrees of kindred and hath said masse before them seuen grosses For him that hath lien with a woman in the church and hath committed other euils six grosses For a priest that hath married priuily certaine persons and hath been present at secret matrimonies seuen grosses For a layman that hath taken away holie things out of an holie place seuen grosses Absolution for him that hath had any carnall copulation with his mother sister or other kinswoman or allie or with his godmother fiue grosses For him that hath defloured a virgin six grosses For a periured person six grosses For a layman that hath slaine an Abbat or another priest vnder a bishop which hath slain a munke or a clerke 7. 8. or 9. grosses Absolution for a layman killing a lay-man gross 5. For a priest a deane or clerke when the supplication is signed with Fiat gross 18. or 16. Absolution for him that hath slaine his father mother brother sister or wife or any other kinsman being a layman bicause if any of them were a clerke the murtherer should be bound to visit the apostolike sea gross 5. or 7. For an husband that hath beaten his wife of which beating she brought foorth hir child before hir time gross 6. For a woman that hath droonken any drinke or done some other thing whereby she hath destroied the child that was quicke within hir gross 5. Is not the state of Christian nations miserable and to be lamented out of whose blood and bowels so great heaps of monie are caried to Rome to be consumed foorthwith in dennes brothelhouses and gluttonie of the popes cardinals and such epicures Doth not the spectacle of the common people of France séeme lamentable and deadly séeing that in these times the persecutions of the reformed churches being so often restored and renewed we sée innumerable families cast out through hunger necessitie beg in the stréets being destroied and quite past hope of recouerie And to sée the wealthie fat epicures of Rome to be glutted with the blood of our citizens To sée the naturall countrimen of France that came of most ancient houses wander vp and down with their wiues and children in strange countries being driuen out of their own countrie and places where they were borne And to sée the Romish ruffians which are put into their place by Sixtus the fift to be intertained so courteously by those that are in authoritie O nation of France derided of all other nations that can so long beare that tyrannicall lordship of the papacie O Iesu Christ that wast crucified for vs and raised againe and art placed at the right hand of God the father what end dost thou shew vs or O thou great King what end dost thou giue vs of our labors And to the end the most famous Senators of the Parleament being lawiers may vnderstand that there were long ago of the same order learned men which haue openly detested that cruell and barbarous tyrannie I will héerafter cite some testimonies out of their bookes wherof that is the first out of D. Albericus * The presidēts l. bene a Zenone nu 18. c. de quad praescrip of the church of Rome saith he throgh their craftie suttel wisedō according to the varietie of times haue varied their
serue God is to raigne in steed of S. Peter and of our lord pope Gregorie and after him insteed of his successors in the apostolike sea I commit my selfe to thine hands and in committing my self I establish this fidelitie with an oth I say I Demetrius which am also called Suinumir by the grace of God and the gift of the apostolike sea being from this day and heretofore king shall be faithfull to S. Peter and my L. pope Gregorie and his successors that enter canonically As for the kingdome L. Gebizo that is giuen me by thy hand I shall faithfully keepe it and I shall not take away the same and the right thereof from the apostolike sea by anie meanes or policie at any time I shall honorablie receiue and honestly handle send back my L. Gregorie the pope and his successours and ambassadours if they come into my dominion and I shall humble serue them what seruice soeuer they shall appoint vnto me These things writeth Steuchus Whereby we may know what eloquent and learned scribes the popes vse to haue which cannot onely set downe in writing the déedes and famous factes of Francis and Dominic but also write the instruments and witnessed briefes of inuested feudataries Of the kingdome of Denmarke STeuchus in the same 2. booke * The Pag. 189. kingdome of Denmarke saith he doth properlie belong vnto and is the tribute of the holie church of Rome which thing the true monuments of the popes do witnes Alexander the holie bishop the holie L. to his beloued sonne Sueuis king of Denmarke sendeth greeting and the apostolike blessing We admonish your wisedome that you prouide to send to vs and our successours the tribute of your kingdome which your predecessours were woont to paie to the church of the apostle yet so that it be not laide as an oblation vpon the altar but that it be offered aswell to vs as to our successours presentiallie that it may be more certainlie approoued Of the kingdome of France THere is extant in Nicolas Gillius a french man and a Chronicle writer an excellent epistle of pope Boniface the 8 which we will set downe Boniface the seruant of the seruants of God to Philip the french king Feare God and keepe his commandements We will haue you know that in spirituall things and temporall things you are subiect to vs there appertaineth to you no bestowing of benefices and prebends and if you haue the keeping of anie that are void reserue the profit therof for the successors and if you haue bestowed anie we decree that the gift thereof is voide we count those fooles that beleeue otherwise Geuen at Laterane 4. of the Nones of December in the 6. yeere of our popedome This instrument of pope Boniface is without doubt set downe in his register according to the custome by the kéepers of the librarie but let vs heare what the other partie answereth For we shall know by the kings answer what credence and authoritie we ought to giue to these registers of the popes Philip by the grace of God king of France to Boniface that carrieth himself for the chief bishop sendeth smal greeting or none at all Let your great follie know that in temporal things we are subiect to none that the bestowing of any churches or prebends that are vacant doth belong vnto vs by our princely right and to reape the fruits thereof against all possessours to maintaine our selfe profitablie and as for those that thinke otherwise wee count them doltes and mad men These things are cited out of the Britaine Chronicles of Armorica the 4. booke ch 14. and out of Nicolas Gillius in the french Chronicles whereby we may easilie coniect that howsoeuer we grant that these furious letters aforesaid were sent vnto kings by the popes yet did they sharpelie and vehemently represse their boldnes and rashnes And yet the same Steuchus the master of the popes librarie as we haue saide trusting to his register durst in the same book of his * write thus Pag. 198. and cause it to be printed at Lyons Boniface the 7. against Philip the king of France bicause hee did exalt himselfe against the Church when the pope had vnfolded to him the old monuments whereby he taught that France was subiect to the church of Rome both in holie and prophane things for which it was necessarie that he should reuerence and worship the pope as Lord of his kingdom when he despised him he did excommunicate him Of the empire of Germanie THe same Steuchus writeth nothing touching this empire by reason of the great power of Charles the fift whom Steuchus was afraide to offend But we haue else where verie manie testimonies First in the canonists * wherin is contained c. tibi Domino dist 63. the oth of the emperor Otho which he gaue to the pope Which pope Clement affirmeth to be the oth of alleageance in c. de iureiur in Clem. which vassals do giue to their patrones when they receiue a fée Whence the Canonists do stoutly dispute and reason that the emperor is the popes vassall and that he holdeth of him his empire by the name of a fée but also pope Innocentius the 3. writeth * that the right to choose the emperor in c. venerabilem extra de elect c. 2. de re iud in 6. in c. 1. ext Ne sed vacan came vnto the princes of Germanie from the apostolike sea And * that the emperor may be deposed by the pope And * that the pope when the empire is void is emperor And héerupon rose that boldnes of pope Innocentius the second that hée painted in the Laterane church at Rome the emperor Lotharius as a vassall lieng prostrate at his féete and receiuing the imperiall crown at his hands and did write these verses vnder the same picture Rex venit ante fores iurans prius vrbis honores Pòst homo fit papae sumit quo dante coronam The king before the doores did come The cities honors first he sweares That done the popes man he is made Of whom he takes the crowne he weares The memoriall whereof is extant in the chronicles of Hirsaug in the life of the abbat Hartuing in Radeuic * And when as lib. 1. num 9. 10. the same day the emperor Friderike had reasoned with the legates of pope Adrian Radeuic writeth that they answered thus Of whom thē hath he the empire if not from our Lord the pope Moreouer there is extant in Iohn Auentine * an epistle of pope Adrian vnto Lib. 6. pa. 636. the archbishops of Treuirs Moguntine and Colen written thus The Romane empire was translated from the Grecians vnto the Almaines so that the king of the Almaines was not called emperor before he was crowned by the Apostle Before the consecration he was king after the consecration emperor From whence then hath he his empire but from vs By the election of his princes he hath the name
at length it may be said the apostolike mule and sir reuerence the apostolike pissepot and so foorth But to returne to our purpose that the difference betwéene an heretike and an apostolike man might more plainly be vnderstood Tertullian adioineth a most manifest example and very appertinent to that we haue in hand Paul saith he instructing Timothie doth amongst heretiks nip forbidders of marriage Why so Tertullian Surely bicause that inhibition is contrarie to the doctrine of the apostles who taught in plaine words that marriage is not onely comly and honorable for al sorts and orders of men but also for the most part necessarie Whereby it appéereth that the forbidding of matrimonie is not apostolike but hereticall bicause according to Tertullians opinion those are defined to be heretiks which bring in doctrine contrarie to the writings of the apostles And those are defined to be apostolike and sound and catholike which contenting themselues with the writings of the apostles do detest accurse togither with the apostle those that detract from or adde to the same Furthermore to this definition of heretiks agréeth that which S. Augustine deliuereth * He is an heretike saith he who In lib. de vtil creden for loue of gaine or principalitie doth either beget or follow new opinions Where he meaneth principalitie of faction and departing from the Church the captaine and prince wherof he professeth himselfe to be hauing as it were set vp his banner And with this selfe same mind Paul calleth Philetus and Hymeneus heretiks bicause they had not only erred from the faith but also subuerted the faith of others whom likewise in another place he calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is wanderers or straiers 1. Tim. 2. 2. Tim. 3. and such as lead others into errore also But moreouer Peter describing heretiks saith that they intrap the minds of inconstant and weake men Also in another place Amongst them saith he there shall be false teachers which shall secretly bring in heresies or deadly sects 2. Pet. 2. And as touching the forme of declaring heretiks Paul sheweth the same in these words An heretike after the first and second admonition 1. Tim. 3. auoid Vnto which forme that order doth also appertaine which Christ prescribed * that he be accused before the Church Mat. 18. and if he shew himselfe stubborne let him be counted as an heathen man and profane person And we sée that euen the schoole doctors are of this mind amongst these the maister of sentences * where he In 4. dist 18. c. 7. writeth thus that Excommunication ought to be put in practise when a man being according to canonicall discipline called the third time to amend a manifest fault and making no account to make satisfaction is cut off by the sentence of the church from the place of praier and from the partaking of the sacraments and from the fellowship of the faithfull that he may be ashamed and that he may repent being conuerted through shame of his wickednes that his soule may be saued Who if professing repentance he do repent he is admitted to the communion that was denied him and is reconciled to the Church By all which doth plainly appéere that there be thrée marks of an heretike whereby they are knowen and discerued from those that hold the truth if they bring in any thing into the Church that agréeth not with the rule of faith if they make a departure and if being solemnly admonished they do stubbornely persist But bicause this disputation doth for the most part appertain vnto the kings Senators which are lawiers it séemeth to be nothing vnappertinent to set downe another definition of heretiks out of the bookes of Iustinian For in the Nouel 115. § si quis where amongst the lawfull causes of disheriting children he reckoneth vp heresies he addeth these words interpreted by Iulian Antecessor But we call those men sound which communicate in the holie catholike church into which all the patriarks are gathered with one consent and concord and the fower holie Councels are preached the Nicene that of Constantinople the first of Ephesus and that of Chalcedon And we call those heretiks which do not communicate with the catholikes These things being thus set downe let vs now sée by what right our foresaid Princes are condemned by pope Sixtus the fift for heretiks for whether we follow the former or the latter definition the foresaid Princes do professe and declare so earnestly as they can and they call to witnes God and Angels and all men of all sorts and kinds finally heauen and earth that they do neither bring in into the Church any thing that is repugnant to the rule of faith and vsuall créede of Christians ne yet to those fower most ancient Councels but that they do with all their hart imbrace their doctrine and confession such as was cōceiued in the Nicene synod the synod of Constantinople of Ephesus and Chalcedon neither doe they depart euen an heares bredth as they say from the forme set downe by Athanasius Futhermore they professe that they neither haue made neither will make any departure frō those churches which haue continued in that rule of faith and forme of confessions such as be those churches of the most noble and mightie electors and princes of the confession of Augusta Last of all that they were neuer till this daie admonished reprehended by any church of this sort which hath perseuered in the doctrine of the apostles But and if being yoong men and terrified with the blood and infinite murders of the massacre of Paris and mooued with the sight and presence of a most mightie king and finally being hedged in with the swordes of manie armed soldiers they did and pronounced those things vnwillingly which they were commanded either to do or pronounce this must not be counted a solemne and lawful forme of ecclesiasticall admonition and such as Christ appointed and the Apostles and apostolike men haue kept especially séeing that shortly after when they had recouered their libertie they protested that they did all that they did vnwillingly and compelled with threatnings and did openlie craue pardon for that their infirmitie at the hands of God Christians in a reformed church before a great assemblie And on the contrarie they shew that the pope of Rome is condemned by the iudgement of the most part of Europe not only amongst heretiks but also as a chiefe heretike as the chiefe author and captaine of sedition First bicause he hath brought in into the church wicked fables and blasphemous touching the false miracles of munks and traditions most contrarie to those fower ancient councels such as we haue before set downe touching the feigned purgatorie the inuocation of the dead the worshipping of images the daily renuing of the sacrifice of Christ in the masse the idolatrous worshipping of the bread and chalice touching the forbidding of mariage touching the Dominicane munkes hid