a counceller to an emperour Raskall Staphylus It is vnsitting and argueth excesse of fond and foolishe malice For yf an enemie of mean conditioÌ„ should call an Englishe counceller raskall should he not discouer therby his owne raskalitie and lacke of witt But of all other Martin Luther as the first father of all these new imppes had primitias spiritus the first fruites of this spirit in full measure euen as the Apostles had of the holie spirit to the end he might imparte due portions to his children and successors I could alleage infinite examples in this kynde but that I desire to be shorte and shall haue occasion to touche some part of the same in other places after Onelie as it were for a taste I will cite some fewe owt of his booâ—e writen against oure most noble and famouse king Henrie the eight the moste learned and wittiest prince that euer England had But yet heare what the fuâ—ious spirit of this our new prophet vttered against hym then consider whether he could be of God or no. The booke is extant to be solde in England and I will note the leafe to the ende I may not be imagined to feygne or aggrauate any thing First then in his preface of that to Sebastian Scâ—ike Earle of passune he defaceth his Maiestye intolerablie sayeing that he is an enuious madde foole babling vvith much spettle in his mouthe Then at length comming to the booke it selfe he sayeth that the king is more furious than madnesse it selfe more doltish than folie it selfe endewed with a blasphemouse and rayling mouthe with an impudent and whorishe face full of dastardie without anie one vaine of princelie blood in his bodie a lyeing Sophist compounded onelie of ygnorance and poysoned malice a damnable rotten worme whoe when he could not auoyde the venemouse poyson and Sneuell of his enuie by his lower partes sought occasion to vomyt it vp by his fylthie mouthe it were a shame for anie beastlie whoore to lye as he doeth a basilisk and progenie of an adder to whome I doe denounce sayeth he the sentence of daÌ„nation this madde buggish Thomist miserable book-maker a God latelie borne in England I saye plainlie this HARRYE lyeth manifestelye sheweth hym selfe a moste light scurrill Of this crime doe I luther accuse this poysoned Thomist I talke with a lyeing scurrill couered with the tytles of a king a Thomisticall brayne a clownish witt a doltishe head a bugge and hipocrite of the Thomists moste wicked folish and impudent HARRYE this gloriouse king lyeth stoutelie lyke a king heere now must I deale not with ignorance blockishenesse onelie but with obstinate and impudent wickednesse of this HARRYE for he doeth not onelie lye like a moste vaine scurre but passeth a most wicked KNAVE in detorting of scripture see whether there be any sparke in hym of an honest man surely he is a chosen vessell of the deuyll I would to God pigges could speak to iudge betwene this HARRYE and me But I will take asses that can speake Iudge you yee Sophists of the vniuersities of Paris Louan and Coolen what this HARRIESâ— logike is woorthe I am ashamed HARRYE of thy impudeÌ„t forhead which art no more a king now but a Sacrilegiouse thyefe against Christs owne woordes I will faygne heere certaine kindes of fooles and madde men to the ende I may sett out my king in his coulours and shew that my bedleme king doeth passe all bedlemnesse it selfe VVhat nede had I of suche pigges to dispute withall thow lyest in thy throte foolish and sacrilegiouse kinge this block my Lord Maister HARRYE hathe taughte together with his asses and pygges now he is madde and crieth foemeth at the mouthe neyther could I with all my strengthe make this miserable kinge so filthie and abominable a spectacle to the worlde as he by furie maketh hym selfe what harlot euer durst bragge of her shame as this moste impudent mouthe of his doeth this foole must haue a dictionarye to learne what a sacrifice is Oh vnhappie that I am to be enforced to leese tyme with suche monsters of folie and can not gett a learned man to contend with me I leaue infinite despitefull slaunderouse and scurrile woordes whiche this impudent apostata vseth against his Maiestie and some are so dishonest as I am ashamed to englishe them as vvhere he sayeth Ius mihi erit Maiestatem Angelicam stercore conspergere And againe Sit ergo mea haec generalis responsio ad omnes sentinas insulsissimae huius laruae Againe Haec sunt robora nostra aduersus quae obmutescere coguntur Henrici Thomistae Papistae quicquid est fecis sentinae latrinae impiorum sacrilegorum eiusmodi Sordes istae labes hominum Thomistae Henrici sacrilegus Henricorum asinorum cultus furor insulsissimorum asinorum Thomisticorum porcorum os vestrae dominationis impurum sacrilegum And a hundred moe sentences like VVhereof yf euer good or honest man and muche lesse a prophet vsed the like I am content to be of the protestantes religion but yf neuer ether ruffian or rakehell vsed suche speeche to a prince before then may we be sure that this man was no elect vessell of God whiche hathe no part of his spirit in hym I might heere repeate the like spirit of his in writing against the Caluinists and the Caluinists against hym but that I haue occasion to speake somewhat of it afterward But yet one place I will cite in stead of all the rest and that is of the churche of Tigurine against Luther whose woordes are these Nos condemnatam execrabilem vocat sectam c. Luther calleth vs a damnable and exeâ—rable sect But let hym looke that he doe not declare hym selfe an archeheretique seeing he vvill not nor can not haue anie societie vvith those that confesse Christ. But hovv maruailouslie doeth Luther heere bevvraye hym selfe vvith his deuils vvhat filthie vvoordes doeth he vse and suche as are replenished vvith all the deuills in hell for he sayeth that the deuill dvvelleth bothe novv euer in the ZuynglyaÌ„s and that they haue a blasphemouse breast insathanized supersathanised and persathanized and that they haue besides a moste vayne mouthe ouer vvhich Sathan beareth rule being infused persused and transfused to the same dyd euer man heare suche speeche passe from a furiouse deuill hym selfe Hitherto are the woordes of the Tigurine Caluinistes whiche may easilie refute M. Charks shamelesse lyes in defence of Luther as after shall be shewed And heere would I haue the reader to consider withe what conscience Charke dothe call Luther a holy and deuyne man a litle after and whittaker in his booke against M. Campian callethe hym a man of holy memorye seinge the Tigurine Caluinistes whoe saye their maisters doe call hym an archeheretique and a furious deuyll is not this open disimulation and
so But as well heere as commonlie in all other places you lay downe some inuention or addition of your owne maliceâ— against theÌ„ As for example In this place it is moste false that you affirme of theÌ„ that they take a peculiar vowe to whippe and torment them selues There was neuer any such vowe eyther taken or talked of muche lesse is it true that they take that vovve to doe it as you saye after the example of a sect called by the name of vvhippers condemned long agoe You are a greate enemye to whippers M. Charke and you think yt good sleepinge in a whole skynne I doe not blame you for it Nether are you a greater mislyker of all whippers in generall then I am in particular of those whome you heere name for they were heretiks as you may reade in prateolus and Gerson teaching that the baptisme of water had nowe ceased the baptisme of voluntarie bloode by whipping was ordeined in place therof without which none coulde be saued and therfore they whipped themselues opeÌ„lie teaching also many other heresies beside for whiche they were coÌ„demned And what doeth this make against the sober moderate chastisemeÌ„t which good men vse in secret vpon their owne bodies at such time as they esteeme them selues for mortification to neede the same was there euer honest man but your selfe wolde haue obiected so impertiment a thing in print but you make me laugh when you say a sect condeÌ„ned long agoe How long agoe I praye you M. Charke or by whome were they condeÌ„ned the storye is euideÌ„t they beganne in Italie about the yere of our Lorde 1273. vnder pope Gregorie the tenthe and were condemned bothe by hym and his successors And is this condemnation authentical with you yf it be you know Luther Caluin were condemned by lyke authoritie And thus for lack of matter you lay holde on any thing though it make neuer so muche against your selfe The last point is about the name of Iesuits against whiche for that you quarelled muche the Censure did shew that the name was not taken to them selues of arrogancie as you obiected but geuen them by common speeche for breuities sake where as theyr true name in deede by foundatioÌ„ of theyr order was societas nominis Iesu a societie dedicated to the name of Iesus Now against this you replie that I doe call them Iesuits in my booke But what is this to the purpose is it not lawfull for me to folow the common phrase of speeche or because I call them soo doeth that proue that they chalenge that name to them selues Secondlie you say that Turrian a Iesuit calleth them soo and what yf he dyd foloweing the common maner of speeche doeth that conuince that they appoint that name vnto them selues but yet you are too too impudent to attribut this to Turrian especiallie with suche vehement asseueration as you doe For I haue reade the two chapiters by you alleaged tvvise and that vvith as greate diligeÌ„ce as I coulde and albeit he doeth call them by the name of the societie of Iesus fyftie times in the same yet doeth he not once name them Iesuits VVherfore this shevveth vvith vvhat conscience you vvrite And this beinge so let the reader iudge what cause you had to crie out in these vvoordes VVhat blasphemie is this to abuse the most blessed name of Iesus for a coulour to their blasphemous practises Euerie thing is blasphemie vvith this angrie gentleman though it be but the mouinge of a stravve but heare his reason They dravv to thâ—m selues alone sayeth he the confortable name of Iesus vvhich is coÌ„mon to all No Syr vvilliam you may haue your parte yf you exclude not your selfe For vvhen any men leaueth all other cares and businesse to serue the Quene onelie for examples sake and professeth the same by some speciall name of her Maiesties deuoute seruant doeth he iniurye other subiects hereby or doth he take from them theyr interest in her Maiestie But the truthe is that malice wold haue you say somevvhat against Iesuits mary theyr good lyfe and vertue excludeth you from matter you might haue done vvell to haue consulted with Eldertons ryme vvhoe proueth that they can not be called Iesuits for that they can not rayse the deade cure the lame restore the blynde nor vvalke vppon the vvater as Iesus dyd VVhiche proueth also that they can not be called Christianes for that Christ dyd the same things and they can not Nor yet old Elderton I thinke hym selfe OF religious men and their vocation THE CENSVRE Secondlie you seeke to deface the Societie by coÌ„temptuouse deprauing of all 1. religiouse men calling them Base beggerlie monkes fryars popish orders and the like vvherein you folovv the 2. olde heretiques of the primatiue Churche vvhose propertie hath bene from time to time to hate and depraue those kynde of men aboue all others as S. Austen testifieth of the Manachies and Rufinus of the Arians And petilian the donatist folovving the same spirit scoffed at S. Austen for being a fryar as S. Austen hym selfe vvriteth in these vvordes After this Petilian proceded on with his slauÌ„derouse mouth to speake euill of monasteries and of monkes blaming me also for that I had set foorth this kynde of lyfe the which lyfe ether he knoweth not what it meaneth or else feigneth him selfe not to know it though it be notorious to all the world S. Austen saythe this kynde of lyfe of monkes and fryers and other religiouse men vvas notoriouse and knovvne to the vvorlde in his time both in respect of the famous men that had liued in the same as Anthonie Paule hilarion Basill Nazianzen Martin Austen hym selfe and others as also of the infinit bookes and treatises vvhich holie fathers of the primatiue Churche had vvritten in defence and commeÌ„dation of that kinde of lyfe as Athanasius in the lyfe of S. Anthonie the Abbote beside a peculiar treatise intituled An exhortatioÌ„ to moÌ„kes or to Monasticall life S. Basill also vvrote a great volume intituled CoÌ„stitutions or lawes for monkes beside diuers other treatises of that argument vvritten both by hym selfe and by Gregorie Nazianzen S Chrisostom hathe fouer homilies extant in commendation of the lyfe of monkes and tvvo vvhole bookes of the comparison betwene the Mounke the king vvherin he preferreth the lyfe of the monke before that of the king Also he vvrote a booke against you M. Charke intituled Against the blamers of Monkes and Monasticall lyfe Iohannes Cassianus a litle after vvrote 12. bookes intituled Of the lawes and ordinances of Monkes Seuerus Sulpitius vvrote a dialogue contaynyng the notable conuersation of the Esterlie monkes vvith S. Martin Abbot of eyghtie monkes And finallie S. Austen for I vvill come no lovver hath vvritten manie treatises of Monkes commending highly that excellent kinde of lyfe and defending it against the detractions of heretiques of his tyme. Let any
morter and aftervvard prest neuer so hard you coulde not vvringe ovvt one ovvnce of true diuinitie from them all It were infinite as I sayd to prosecute this matter of the protestants singular vnitie in the gospell and of their louing and godly speeches one to an other But the practise doeth better declare it than woordes can Looke therfore into the states where they beare rule and see how one doeth imbrace the other or rather how one doeth persecute the other In Germanie where one is superior the other maye not liue â—ferior VVithin these eight yeres all were Caluinists in the Countie Palantins Dominions while he was so hym selfe and a Lutheran could not be suffered to lyue quietlie there As appeareth by the example of doctor Heshutius a Lutherane who after his disputation in the vniuersitie of Hidelberge was thrust owt by head and shoulders and the Catechismes of Luther Brentius floung out of the Church as Lauatherus a ZuingliaÌ„ dothe reporte But now this prince beinge come backe to Lutherisme again out are thrust the Caluinists aswell there as also in other places of Germanie where the Lutheranes are gouernours The yonger princes of Saxonie and Earles of Mansfeild being Lutheranes made a publique decree against all Zuinglians the yere 1559 condemning them by the name of execrable heretiques as lauatherus also writeth And it is well knowen that the duke of Saxonie that now is named Augustus about eight yeres gone dyd cutt of the head of his cheefe counsailer called Cracouie for that he was conuicted secretlie to fauour the Caluinists and to practize their brynging into Saxonie Also the banished Caluinists of fraunce being retyred to frankeforde in Germanie a free Citie and of Lutheran religion hoped to haue license to liue according to their coÌ„science in that place But they could not with all the entreatie and frendshipp they might vse obtaine the same but were by bublike edict bearing date the two twentith of Aprill in the yere 1561 coÌ„maunded to depart the Citie or els to abstaine wholie from all exercise of their religion seing it was heresie and differing from the confession of Augusta This whole storie is set furth by one Franciscus Philippus where you may reade it at large And to gyue you yet an exaÌ„ple more neare home our Englishe Marchant venturers had great traffik at HaÌ„borough profited no doubt the citie much whereof VVestfalus was superintendent But yet by all the meanes and fauour that euer they could procure they could neuer obtaine of the Lutheranes free exercise of Caluines religion in that citie No nor so muche as to keepe a minister of their owne sect at home in their house priuatlie And that which is more the prelates of Saxonie dyd so muche detest our mens religion as wheÌ„ any English men were sick they wolde not come at them beynge requested nor beinge deade wolde allowe them anie Christian buriall in their churches or churche yeardes but caused them to be cast owt in other places and hydde vnder grounde without the presence of any one Lutherane that wolde come at yt And finallie our English men haue lost their pryuileiges there and haue abandoned the citie and are changed now to Emden This is euident and true and all Marchants in England of that companye can tell thereof And therfore what soeuer M. Charke writeth of their singular vnitie in the gospell the reader may see how he is to be credited Touching the lyfe of Caluine whome M. Charke calleth a holie Sainct and aduaunceth with a long large and copiouse commendation he sayeth it vvas the lordes good vvill that the translation of his lyfe shoulde fall into my Lorde of Londons hands and so be supressed But M. Charke it maye come yet in time not as a libell as you terme it but as a true testimonie from hym which knew the man and lyued with hym bothe in Geneua Berna and Lausanna thirtie yeres gone and more whose name is M. Ierome hermes Bolseke doctor of phisik whiche science he practized in Caluines time at Geneua and other places there aboute and of late yeres in lyons fowre and twentie myles of Geneua where he yet liueth in great credit of wisdome learning and honestie and is most readie to iustifye any thing that he hathe written to the woorlde His booke of Caluines lyfe was written in the yere of our Lorde 1577 and dedicated to Monsieur of Epinac archebyshop and Earle of lyons And in the begynnyng he hathe this protestatioÌ„ I am heere for loue of the trueth to refute Theodore Beza his false and shamefull lyes in the prayse of Caluine his Maister protesting before God and all the holie court of heauen before all the vvolde and the holie ghoste it selfe that neyther angre nor enuie nor euell vvill hathe made me speake or vvrite any one thing against the truthe and my conscience First therefore this reuerend man sheweth how Iohn Caluine was borne at Nouiodunum or Noion in Picardie the yeere of our Lorde 1509. In his youth he was an execrable blasphemour of God and coÌ„myng at length by shyftes to be a preest and to haue the cure of a certaine chappell in Noyon he was taken and conuicted of the horrible sinne of Sodomie and vvas in great daunger to haue bene burnt a lyue for the same but that the Byshope of Noyon taking compassion of the man procured the punishement to be moderated and so in steade of deathe he was burnt with a hoote Iron in the showlder whiche yron had in it the prynt of a lylly which is the marcke of the crowne of france VVhereupon for verie shame hauing solde awaye his benefice he departed from Noyon into Germanie and Italie chaunging his name from Cauuin to Caluin as Luther dyd from Luder to Luther Thus muche the whole citie of Noyon dyd testifye vnto M. Bertilier Secretarie of the Councel of Geneua vnder the hand of a publique and sworne Notarie And the testimonie is yet extant to be sene as the author sayeth whoe hathe read it with many others After he had wandered a while in Italie being assisted with some almes of the duches of ferrara he returned back to Basil Strausburge and Lausanna and beganne to play the minister and preacher And from thence he came to Geneua and there ioyning with two moste seditious ministers named FAREL CAVRALD beganne by a thowsand deuises to woorke great tumults and innouations in the citie And albeit not onelie the magistrates of Geneua but also the Lordes of Berna who haue some superioritie ouer Geneua were greatlie against hym at the begynning though Zuinglians them selues yet Caluin ceased not to vse suche excitation of the people against theÌ„ as they were fayne to banish hym oute of their terretorie And so they dyd and pronunced the same sentence of banishement bothe in theyr priue coouncell of two hundred also in their generall councell and caused it to be registred
so taken away by baptisme but that it remaynith styll to tempt vs M. Charke to deceyue the reader foysteth in this woorde synne to S. Austens text reciting his woordes thus Concupiscence is not so forgyuen in baptisme that it is not sinne By whiche addition of the woorde synne the matter seemeth to stand cleere on hys syde And this also can not be excused by ignorance but sheweth open and willfull malice in the man I passe ouer many of these and suche lyke tryckâ—s whiche can not proceede of negligence simplicitie or ignorance but muste needes be effectes of sett-malice As where he reportinge diuers vntruethes against the Iesuites owt of Gotuisus as he now sayeth concealed the author in his first booke And now though vppon necessitie he confesse the same yet fynding the things there reported in his conscieÌ„ce to be false where as his Author citeth allwayes two Iesuites bookes for proofe of the same that is CeÌ„sura Coloniensis which is not to be had in EnglaÌ„d and Canisius his greate Catechisme which euery man may haue and reade M. Chark quoteth the page alwayes in Censura Coloniensis whiche he is sure can not be seene and concealeth the page cited lykewise by his Author in Canisius for that hys reader turning to Canisius hys places should fynde the falshoode bothe of M. Charke and hys Author And Sometimes also when Gotuisus dyd not belye the Iesuites sufficientlye M. Charke without blushing will falsifie hys woordes to make them more odious as where Gotuisus hys woordes are that the Iesuites saye the scripture is as it vvere a nose of vvax M. Chark sayeth their woordes are the scripture is a nose of vvaxe Infinite such things you shall fynde in the treatyse foloweing whiche proueth manifestlye that point wherof I spake before to wytt that M. Charke is a man of no synceritie in matters of controuersie but purposelye bent bothe wittinglie and willinglie by all meanes possible to deceyue And thus much M. Chark concerning your writing As for your other behauyour towardes M. Campian in the Tower of London els where I mean not greatlie to stand vpon It was suche as myght be looked for at a mans handes of your makyng or degree The Censure somewhat noted your inciuilitie in woords which you had vttered agaynst hym before in your booke But that was nothing to the contemptuous vsage of so learned a man in open audieÌ„ce with barbarours threatenyng of that further crueltie whiche then you had in mynde and nowe haue putt in execution vppon hym But aboue all other things that was most ridiculous and fytt for a-stage whiche you thought was excellent and became you vvell and that vvas your often turning to the people requesting them to reioyse thank the Lord that he had gyuen you suche an argument agaynst the papistes as novve you had to proposeâ— And then wheÌ„ greate expectation was moued the argumeÌ„t came forth it proued not woorth three egges in Maye for that M. Câ—mpian dispatched it oftentymes in lesse than halfe three woordes These are the comedies that you exercise to get applause of the people vvithall For vvhiche cause also you had M. Norton the Rack-maister at your elbovve to repeat and vrge your argument for you to the purpose Surelie it is pitie that you durst not make these fevve disputations publik vvhere more men might haâ—e laughed and bene witnesses of your folye especiallie of that in the end when beynge now brought to a non plus in argueing and thervpoÌ„ the people beginning to depart you M. Charke caused the dores to be shutt and no man to be lett owt vntill with one consent they had ioyned with you in prayer to thanke the lorde for your victorie that daye gotten vppon M. Campian O M. Chark how greedie are you of a litle vainglorie and how vayne are the wayes by which you seeke yt thynke you that men haue no Iudgement in the woorld abrode Trow ye not that many smylde in their sleeues to beholde this hypocrisie no no yf you had parted with M. Campian but at an euen hand as you ioyned with hym with all inequalitie we should haue had books of Triumphe sett â—oorth before novv And this secret of yours all the people of England doeth knowe Doctor Fulke dyd but looke into vvisbyche castell the last yeare past and framed to hym selfe but a certaine imaginatioÌ„ of a victorie for that those learned prisoners contemned his conference and beholde he printed presentlie a pamphlett in hys ovvne prayse as after is shevved And vvhat then vvolde you and your bretheren haue done abovvt these disputations vvith M. Campian yf you had thought yt any vvaye able to abyde the vevve And yet as I sayd you knovv the inequalitie vvherby you dealt vvith that maÌ„ being but one vnbookt vnprouided vvearyed vvith imprisoâ—ment and almost dismembred vvith the rack threatned and terrified vvith deathe to come appointed onely to ansvver and neuer to oppose All this you knovve and the vvorlde bothe knovveth and meruaileth at yt abrode Mary vve meruayle not vvhoe know your purses For that vve are sure and dare auowe to your faces that you vvill neuer deale vvith vs at euen hand or vpoÌ„ equall conditions vvhile you lyue And heere M. Charke because we are now fallen into this matter I am in the name of all my felow Catholiques to renew our publike chalenge of equall disputation to you and to all your brother ministers agayne You see M. Campian is gone whome you named in this matter our onelye Champion You see also that M. Sherwyn is made awaye with hym whome you are wont to saye for more abasement of the other to haue bene farre better learned than M. Campian hym selfe But how soeuer that was bothe of them haue you dispatched and therby in your opinion greatly weakned our cause Yet notwithstanding we are the same men that we were before yea muche more desirous of this tryall than before VVherfore we request you now at length yea we coniure you either for trueth sake yf you seeke yt or for your ovvne credites sake yf ye will retayne it that you yeald vs after so muche sute and supplication some equall triall eyther by writing preaching or disputing There is no reasoÌ„ in the worlde but onelie feare that may moue you to denye vs this our request For the reason of state which you alleage M. Charke in your replye is most vayne For what can a peaceable disputation graunted vs for religion indaunger your state but onelie that you wold saye that this disputation may chaunce to discouer your errors and so make the hearers deteste your state of heresie For other daunger there can be none to your state And yf you had the trueth with you as you pretend whose propertie is the more to shew her selfe the more she is examined you should muche increase your state by this publike tryall For that you shoulde bothe gayne more to your parteâ— by opennyng the
in their recordes called the Rouge with the true causes of the same the yere of our Lorde a thousand fyue hundred thertie seuen the two and twentith of April being Easter monday Of whiche sentence Caluin vnderstanding by frendes of his where he lay secret in the towne chaunged his apparell and fledde pryuilye the same daye from Geneua to Strawsburge And this is extant vnder the publique recordes of the citie as I haue sayed though Beza hath not bene a shamed to publish the contrarie But in processe of tyme by infinite practyzes that the vsed and by the earnest sute of some noble men bothe duche and frenshe whome he had made Caluinists he was recalled to Geneua againe And theÌ„ layeing a surer plott than before by bringing in many straungers into Geneua he made his partie so strong as he became as absolute lorde of the towne while he lyued cutting of all his enemies by deuises sleights as Castellio Caroly Bernardin Ochin and Peter Morand Ministers whome he caused to be banished as also diuerse of the nobilitie and among them Perrinus chefe gouernour of the citie with Petrus VVandalus the Balthasars and others whome he made to flye for safegarde of their lyues for that he by forged letters infinite other inuentions had brought them in suspitioÌ„ of betrayeing the citie first to the king of fraunce then to the duke of Alvay gouuernour of Millan But the noble men goeing to Berna cleared them selues before the Councell there and by good happe got the Italian which suborned by Caluin had accused them of treasoÌ„ in Geneua affirming that he was seÌ„t as a spie froÌ„ the Duke of Alvay to vewe the citie to treate with those noble men for the takyng therof and hauing affirmed thus muche he was sent awaye pryuilie into Italie againe disguised in apparell and his rewarde payde hym in his purse VVhereof these noble men hauing intelligence by their secret frendes of Geneua caused the way to be layd for hym and by gods prouidence â—ooke hym at Vienna in Dolphine and caused hym to be brought back to Berna where he plainlie trulie coÌ„fessed all the matter to be forged and by whome he was induced and by what rewarde to doe yt VVherevpon the Lordes of Berna gaue furthe a publique testimonie vnder their common notaries hand of the whole matter and of the innocencie of these men But yet Caluins faction of straungers was so strong in Geneua as they could neuer be restored during his life Diuerse suche examples are shewed of the tyrannie and crueltie of Iohn Caluin against those that any waye offended hym As against Montouset a Lutheran Almner to the Queene of Nauarra Caluines cheefe benefactrix whome he made to flye Geneua for speaking a woord or two against his partiall distribution of the Queens almes sent in great quantitie to the poore protestaÌ„ts of that Citie for the moste parte imbezeled and deuoured by Caluine hym selfe as this man avowched Also against one Peter Ameau whome he made to walke throroughe the citie naked in his shirt with a torche in his hand and to aske hym openlie forgiuenesse for that he had spoken at a supper certaine woordes in his dishonour sayeing that he dyd not see why Caluin should be so muche estemed in Geneua as he was and preferred before all other that euer wrote Also against Seruetus otherwise called Michaell villanouanus doctor of phisik in Vienna of dolphinie an heretique but yet enuious of Caluins glorie vvherevpon he wrote from vienna to Geneua thirtie epistles directed to Caluin together with a litle booke in written hand the yere of our Lorde 1546 wherein he had gathered together certaine faultes escaped Caluin in his institutions VVhiche thing Caluin tooke so greuouslie as preseÌ„tlie he beganne to purpose his deathe as hym selfe openeth in a secret letter to his deare freâ—de Petrus viretus minister of Lausanna And therevpon beganne to accuse hym of heresie bnt yet disseÌ„bling his intention allured hym to come to Geneua as he there confesseth But Seruetus not trusting his woordes kept hym selfe thence vntill the yere of our Lord 1553 at what tyme meanyng to goe into Italie he thought to passe secretlie throrough Geneua to staye there but one night which was Saturday But yet being wearie and knoweing the lawes of Geneua to be that no passingers may be molested for three dayes resolued to stay there Sonday VVhereof Caluin by chaunce hauing secret intelligence presentlie sent his man Nicholas to arrest hym the next daye he sent his brother Anthonie Cauuin to enter an action of deathe against hym which action Iohn Caluin folowed bothe by hym selfe and by his frendes so vehementlye as within few dayes after he caused Seruetus to be burnt alyue in the marquet place with a soft fyar for his greater torment VVhereat many protestants were offended and greuouslie skandallized for that Caluin had set furthe a booke a litle before to proue that no heretique ought to be put to deathe for his religion Now for other behauiour of Caluin as for his intolerable ambition and pryde there are many examples geuen as that to make hym selfe famouse he deuised diuerse letters and other woorkes in prayse of hym selfe and published them vnder the name of one Galasius others and sending them to PETRVS VIRETVS minister of Lausanna to be spread abrode by hym he being well acquainted with Caluins style espied the deuise and was greatly offended therwith and wrote to Caluin that he wolde discredit hym selfe by suche doeings But Caluin answered that it was expedient it should be so done for-the credit of theyre cause and that he meant to vvrite shortlie as muche in the commendation of VIRETVS hym selfe and FARELVS also VVherwith VIRETVS was pacifyed These letters with one and fowertie more were found in the studdie of viretus after his runnyng away from Lausanna and shewed to the Lords of Berna who coulde neuer abyde Caluin after warde for this manifest declaration of his vainglorie and pryde The same Caluin after he had brokeÌ„ downe the images rased the pictures of Christ and all Saints in Geneua he caused his owne picture to be drawne and set vp in diuerse places of the citie and vsed also to gyue litle pictures and images of hym selfe to gentlewomen and gentlemen to carrie about their necks And when one tolde hym that some thought muche of this he answered he that can not abyde yt let hym brust for enuye An other example of his intolerable pryde vain-glorie is this that foloweth One called Brulle of the towne of Ostune being made a protestant came with his wyfe to dwell at Geneua and for that he was but poore he procured many letters in his commendation to Caluin for his releefe of the common purse which he obtained And being therby made a fast frende vnto hym and verie familiar Caluin on a time bracke with hym and his wyfe in a
horrible disease of lyfe and wormes whiche dyd eate his whole body ouer the moste lothesome vlcer in his fundameÌ„t and priuie members which dyd stynck so outragiouslie as no man might abyde to be neare hym And this they doe testifye whiche were about hym euen vnto the last breathe in his bodye And they add sayeth our author and doe confirme yt by diuerse witnesses that he dyed swearing and cursing and namyng the deuylls through desperatioÌ„ of his extreme paynesâ— and moste pityfully bewayling the tyme that â—uer he had studyed or writteÌ„ booke And all this hathe this author published with muche more touching the lyfe and deathe of Iohn Caluin The same author hathe set furth this present yere 1582. an other historie of the lyfe and maÌ„ners of Theodore Beza successour of Caluin in his chayre of Geneua and hathe dedicated the same booke to the honorable Magistrates counsailers and other gouuernours of the sayd citie of Geneua for that they can best tell whether most of the reportes be true or no or at leastwyse may learne the same as moste of all it behooueth them And he sayeth that he hathe done it in the time of Beza yet lyuing to the ende he may refute it yf any thing be sayd amysse First therfore to lett passe other insinite things he sheweth how Beza was borne at vezels in fraunce whose father was lyeuetenant for the king in that citie and when he came to dye seyng the moste wicked disposition of his sonne gaue to hym his curse and vnder the hand of a publique notarie and in presence of many witnesses dyd disinherit hym and disclame hym for his sonne Yet had he brought hym vp in studye of learning bothe at Paris and Orleans had procured hym to be made prior of LoÌ„giumey But he sawe that he turned all to wickednesse without hope of amendement And albeit he abounded in all kynde of vice Yet the excesse of carnall synnes dyd passe all other in hym wherwith he dyd not onely offend God hym selfe but infected also all other whose company he vsed This appeareth beside other testimonyes by an infamouse Epigrame reade in comparison of the two sinnes of adulterie and Sodomie and betwene a boye which he abused and a mans wyfe of Paris that he kept in dishonestie the boye he calleth AVDEBERTVS the harlot CANDIDA though her true name were Claudia The Epigram begynneth thus Abest Candida Beza quid moraris Audebertus abest quid hic moraris And then he goeth on examinyng which sinne he may loue best in the ende preferreth the horrible sinne of Sodomie with his boye before the pleasure of his harlot CaÌ„dida And he dyd not onelie make these fylthie verses but also dyd put theÌ„ in print the yere 1548 vnder his owne name and Robert Stephanus of Paris dyd prynte them VVhereat the Councell of Paris was so much offended that an arrest was graunted furthe to apprehend Beza VVhich he vnderstanding of fyrst of all solde his Priorie for redye money in hand and then presentlie before the matter was knowen dyd lett out the same to other fermers for fyue yeres taking also money before hand VVhen he had done this he stole awaye and came secretlie from vezels to Paris there agreed with CaÌ„dida which was a Taylers wyfe dwelling in CaleÌ„der streete she stealing what she coulde from her husbaÌ„d ranne with hym to Geneua where they were receyued by Caluin and much made of and Beza soone after placed by hym as cheefe minister and publique reader of diuinitie in Lausanna VVhen this was knowen the parties to whome Beza had solde and leased his priory fell together by the eares who shoulde haue it and muche money was spent about the sute in the court of Paris The poore Tailer whoe had lost his wyfe and some goodes besides coulde not tell which waye to looke nor where to complaine Afterward in the yere 1561 when the kyng of Fraunce had graunted a free disputation to the protestants at Poysie and safe conduct to all them that wolde come whereat Beza was also as one bothe the foresayd Tayler the buyars of his benefice came thither to meete with their Marchant But by reason of the kinges safe conduct the poore Tayler hauinge no freendes was prohibited to psâ—cute the matter against Beza so that he was fayne to lett goe his wyfe Beza keepeth her for his wife at this daye But the fermers making more freendes theÌ„ the tayler could got a hundred crounes delyuered them by the handes of one MATHEVV LAVNOY a minister one of their cheefest disputers at that tyme but sence returned to the Catholique faithe hath opened their dealinges in many bookes Monsieur Beza beyng now in credit in Geneua and reader of diuinitie in Lausanna folowed his olde manners still in seekinge newe and freshe baytes notwithstanding the presence of Candida for hauyng begotten his seruant with childe whiche was yong and fayre called Claudia fearing leste the matter should come to the magistrates â—ares feigned bothe hym selfe and the mayde to be sicke of the plague whereby none should dare to come vnto them and so obtayned of PETRVS VIREâ—VS minister also of lausanna that they might bothe be placed in two chambers of his in an vtter gardyne which was graunted And then he caused a poore yong man that was a barboure to come vnto hym and persuaded hym to take a grosse quantitie of bloode from Claudia the mayde and moreouer to gyue her a strong purgation whiche he dyd and therevpon she was soone after delyuered of her childe deade whiche they buryed in that gardyne as the same barbour afterward confessed and the authour hearde it from his owne mouthe But in this meane space whilest those things were in doeinge Beza to couer matters and to deceyue the people the more made certayne spiritual songs of the great paynes whiche he suffered by vehemencie of the plague and sent them to be printed at Geneua where as in deede he was not syck at all After this trouble of Child byrth vvas past Beza with his maister Caluin as long as he lyued and after his death he alone imployed hym selfe to all kynde of wickednesse not onelie at home but also abrode And first the conspiracie for taking the yong king of FraÌ„ce at Amboise was contriued from Geneua and one Villemongis a noble man fledde from digieon in France a litle before for counterfaiting the kings brode seale was sent from Geneua as cheefe in this matter And after that infinite treasoÌ„s appeared from Geneua as for the taking of Lions OrleaÌ„s Poytiers and other Cities whiche all or the moste part came from Beza his heade as diuerse parties executed haue confessed Also sone after he deuised the death of the noble Duke of Guise and committed the execution thereof to one Pultrot whoe dyd it in deede at the onelie motion and persuasion of Beza as he openlie protested at his