Historie lib. 9. chap. 43. and others make mention that S. Iohn Baptist reuealed his head to two Monkes which were hid nigh an house and after that the said head was transported into Edissa a Citie in Phinitia where he was honoured Monkes beare witnesse in their owne cause But how came this head from thence vnto Amiens in Picardie where hee is adored See Iohn Caluin in his booke of Relikes Leo made many Epistles euen 66. in number Saint Germaine Bishop of Anxerre Seuerus Bishop of Treners Lupus Bishop of Troy were againe sent into England against the Pelagian heresie Many Councels were held at this time after that of Chalcedone The first at Auranges a Towne in the Prouince of Narbone The second at Valens The third Councell of Carpentras The fourth at Arles The fift at Venice The sixt at Tours In the Councell of Tours the censure Ecclesiastical against Priests marriages was moderated which was to be excommunicated and depriued of the Communion which was permitted them only vpon condition they should not come to higher degree or dignitie and that they should abstaine from celebrating and administring to the people Archephali heretikes in this time which cast off the Councell of Chalcedone Eucherius Bishop of Lions in this time sent a booke conteining the praise of Hermits liues to S. Hilarie Bishop of Arles who went into an Hermitage as is said Item an other booke De contemptu mundi In this time the wisest gaue themselues to write the praises of virginitie and of a contemplatiue and monastike life The bookes of the Manicheans were burnt in Rome Theodosius dyed of the pestilence at Constantinople Earthquakes Comets and other tokens were seene in heauen Anian Bishop of Orleans Lupus Bishop of Troy Nicasius Bishop of Rhemes were martyred Valentinian the Emperour slaine at Rome of his people by the fraud of Argobastus Martian chosen Emperour raigned 7. yeares he made alliance with the Vandales It was he which was wont to say that a Prince ought not to take armes as long as it is lawfull to liue in peace Rome was taken againe by Gensericke towardes whom also went Leo and entreated of him that the Towne might not be put to fire and sword Some say hee intreated nothing at this time Orleans was besieged by Attila about this time after he had wasted Almaine and a great part of France but before Orleans his people were discomfited by Merouee King of France and there was slaine 180000. men That which is said of Geneuiesue virgin at Paris is reported of this time This is now the great Diana of the Parisians Martian the Emperour was slaine at Constanstinople by the conspiracie of his owne men Childeric the fourth King of France a Panim raigned 26. yeares a man subiect to leachery which to maintaine hee laide great taxes vpon the people wherevppon hee was reiected from the kingdome A Gouernor of Soisson and Meion of called Giles a Romane succeeded in his place and raigned eight yeares but after Childeric was restored After Childeric was called againe hee gouernerned wisely vertuoufly and valiantly hee put to flight his enemy Giles and sacked the Townes of Treuers and Coloigne and hee retyred to Treuers After also he conquered Orleans and all the Countrey along the Riuer of Loire vntill Angiers and then brought all the Countrey of Angiou vnder his subiection He tooke also the Cittie of Trect and all the Countrey along the Riuer of Rhene and greatly encreased the Kingdome of France He vsed great ingratitude towardes Basin King of Lorraine called Thoringe who had kindly entertained and maintained him all the time hee was depriued of his kingdome For hee receiued the wife of the saide Basin and tooke her for his owne wife Leo Emperour first of that name a Grecian left for his successor Leo who was of Ariadne his daughter and of Zenon He sent Basalike a warriour against Gensericke King of the Vandales Constantinople and a great part of Italie was as it were in perpetuall trouble vnder this Emperour who raigned about 17. yeares Hilarie borne at Sardes Bishop of Rome ruled 7. yeares His time was full of troubles These ordinances are attributed vnto him That no Romane Bishop should chuse him a successour And this constitution stretched to all Ecclesiasticall dignitie Naucler and Suppl Chronic. That a Clarke should receiue no Inuesture of a Laie person That none should be admitted vnto orders if he were not learned and hauing all his members In a Sinode at Rome of fiftie Bishoppes it was ordained that the Decrees of the Apostolike seate should be receiued and published vniuersally There also it was ordained that the Bishop might correct that which his predecessor had euil ordeined This Pope confirmed the domination and principalitie of the Apostolike seate He made three Epistles He depriued a Bishop of his dignitie called Ireneus because by ambition he had left his Church to goe into an other which was by Canons forbidden Remy Bishop of Rhemes and Patricius his brother was Bishop of Soissons Simplicius Tiburtin succeeded Hilarie and gouerned the Romane Church 15. yeares and more after some He declared as his predecessor that the Romane Church was the chiefe and principall He builded many Temples and dedicated them Hee instituted that in the Church of Peter and Paul there should be seuen Priestes to heare the penitents and to Baptise them In the first volume of Councells Leo the younger was left a childe successor of the Empire by his Grand-father on the mothers side and hauing gouerned a yeare he was content that his Father Zeno should raigne for him In so much that with his owne hands he placed the Diademe vpon his Fathers head That which is said of king Arthur is of this time Zenon Isaurike Emperour raigned 16. or 17. yeares He was an Arrian a cruell man He was buried aliue being drunke by his wife Arriadne The English men came farre into France The Arrians exercised great cruelties Honorius an Arrian king of Vandals persecuted greatly the Christians in Affrike more then 4976. were exiled in diuers places without sparing sexe or age afterward at diuers times and with diuers punishments were put to death Some had their hands cut off some their tongues Certain times after vnder the shadow of a Councell hee made assemble all Bishops Doctors and other Catholikes to the number of 324. after Paulus Diaconus but after others 444. he sent into exile caused the Tēples to be shut vp against Catholikes gaue them to the Arrians One Bishop called Laetus was burnt to the end to feare others The Bishop of Carthage Eugenius with more thē 500. of the Cleargy were banished But 2. yeres after Honorius died miserably of vermine And Gonthamundus succeeded him He reuoked Eugenius from exile At the request also of whom all the others were called home and the Churches opened An horrible famine in Affrike Naucler It is a
but euen our owne soules and not onely as is said in an other place to leaue their father and mother but also to hate them yea our owne liues Briefly Iesus Christ would that we should be readie to forsake all when the confession of his truth requireth it There are learned people of our age which say they haue seene foure bookes which he writ Intituled a Collection of the Catholike and Canonicke scripture He writ also a booke Intituled the fiftie markes and signes of false Prophes Hee writ against Bonauenture who then was the chiefe Buckler of the begging Friars Matheus Paris an English Historiographer writes that in this same time there was in the schoole of Paris great disputations against Monkes which by multitude would needs oppresse and oppugne all the schoole hauing forged a new booke full of errors and blasphemies which they then reiected and intituled Euangelium eternum that is the euerlasting Gospell which they would needs bring into light But to appease this tumult there were sixe delegates of all the schoole which were of the greatest estimation in all the Vniuersitie amongst which was Guilliam de S. Amour to send them to Rome vnto the Pope and shewe the insolencies and blasphemies of those Monkes The Monkes also sent thither on their part and after great contention their errors were condemned touching their eternall Gospell But the Pope with certaine Cardinals Monkes repressed nothing the tirannie of the begging Friars thinking it was needfull that such his black gard should become mightie ouer all These be the words of Matheus Paris who was in this time Wee also finde a booke written in this time intriuled de periculis mundi of the daungers of the world which the Papists attributed vnto Guilliam de S. Amour making him alone of that opinion but it seemeth to haue bin written by many and conteineth complaines against those new rising Monkes with an aduertisement vnto the Church that by them great mischiefes would follow This S. Amour was condemned an heretike wherevpon great stirres fell out amongst the schooles at Paris but to obey the Popes commaundement Guilliam S. Amour was banished from France We heare that some of his bookes are yet at this day in the librarie at Sorbone and many other Doctors haue since written the like as in our discourse shal be said Truth is alwaies banished yet still getteth the vpper hand of all Alexander being come to Viterbe to make peace betwixt the Venetians and Geneuois died there and the seate was vacant foure moneths Albert the great and other studious people were at this time at Paris An Aduertisement From Siluester the 2. that diuellish Magician vntil this time 1260. Popes haue raigned as Incarnate diuels in all trumperies deceites oppressions of the good and manifest tirannies Their Cardinalls Legates and Bishops haue come out from them as Sathans to trouble the world The greatest Monarkes haue bene tormented by their infernall furies Examples for all are the two Emperours Henry the fourth and fift the two Fredericks first and second and other Princes of the earth From henceforward from Innocent the fourth and Alexander the fourth the Popes by a new forged Armie established and priuiledged by them they wasted and destroyed all that is to say by foure Sects of Mendicant Monkes which like true Locusts deuoured and consumed by their Sophistike doctrine whatsoeuer was greene of the word of God From which like theeues which enter into the sheepfolde by breaches and mines nothing can bee looked for henceforth but thefts robberies persecutions and murthers of the true faithfull which God gaue and raised vp to maintaine the eternall veritie Vrbain Pope 4. of that name French borne at Troy in Campagne a Monke of the order of Cysteaux Patriarke of Ierusalem ruled at Rome three yeares one moneth and foure dayes The Greekes recouered Constantinople which the French had held 55. yeares Chron. of the Kings of France and the Sea of Hist. Vrbain instituted the Feast of the Sacrament and the Octaues with Indulgences whereof he was free to such as obserued the said Feast Martin fift Pope doubled them and added yet others to such as fasted the eue and as went to the Precession and Communion that day S. Thomas d' Aquin Iacopin made the office of the said feast with the Prose and the Hymne and sent it to the Pope who for a recompence of such an inuention sent him a Doue of siluer c. Naucler The yeare of Christ 1263. Vrbaine sent to S. Lewis King of France that he would send him his brother Charles Count Angiou and Count de Prouence with a good Armie then hee would crowne him King of Sicilie and giue him Pouille Calabria Hee said that the said Kingdome was held of the Romane Church and that the king of Sicilie was the Popes man Vrbain caused the Croisado to be preached in France against Manfroy who occupied the said Sicilia The said Charles came and marched in battaile against Manfroy and after against Conradin and ouercame them both and so obtained the Lands but the end was miserable For the Sicilians after in the yeare 1282. rebelled against him maintaining the quarell of the king of Arragon whom they would needs haue for their king And they marked the doores and gates of whatsoeuer houses the French men lay in in the Countrey then at an euening slew them all indifferently and opened which they knew to be great with childe with the French men and cast away their fruite that there might remaine none of that generatiō in that Countrey This occasion was afterward ordinarily called The Euensong of Sicilie In this time Bonauenture Generall of the Friers wrote two bookes against M. Guilliam de S. Amour The one of the pouertie of Christ and the other an Apologie of the poore The Bishoppricke of Ratisbone was offered vnto him but he refused it louing better to follow his studies and died of the age of 80. yeares Chron. Abb. Vnder this Pope the Idolatrie of Chaplets was inuented at Amiens in Picardie called Peter the Hermit See Peter Viret of the spring of Chapelets The Souldane made a great Armie in Siria A Comet seene 3. monethes together This Pope died at Peruse and for troubles the seate was vacant 10. monethes Clement Pope fourth of that name borne at Narbone ruled at Rome 3. yeares 9. monethes and 21. dayes before hee was called Hugo Falcodius hee had bene an aduocate and was after the king of France his Councellor After the death of his wife he was Bishop of Puy and after Archbishop of Narbone lastly Cardinall and Bishop of Sabine Finally by the Pope Vrbane hee was sent into England for the reformation of peace and being in that Legation was chosen Pope at Peruse after the death of Vrbain He caused to come info Italie Charles brother of the king of France and made him Senator of Rome and sent two Cardinalls into the Church of
the sixt of his name alwaies Rome hath bin destroyed by the sixths This was he who for the summe of 200000. Ducats which he receiued of the Turke called Baiazet poysoned Gemen his brother who fled to Rome This is he say I who being willing to maintaine his tirannie called to his helpe Baiazet Emperour of the Turkes against the king of France Charles the eight and sought to make the Kingdome of Naples yea the very Citie of Rome the Frontiers of the Turkes Empire Lewis the 12. as the nighest succeeded to the Crowne of France after Charles the 8. He sent his Armie into Lombardie vnder the conduct of Iohn Iaques Trivulse and of Sieur Aubigny which tooke Alexandria and Pauie so that then Lewis Sforza abandoned Millaine for feare and retired into Almaine The King vpon these newes passed into Italie and made his triumphant entrie into Millaine from whence hee departed hauing diminished the charges of the people and left the said Trivulse as Gouernour Lewis Sforza returned within a yeare after and againe tooke Millaine and from thence being againe chased by a new Armie from France hee tooke his flight towards Nauarre after his comming from whence being pursued by the French hee was taken and led a prisoner into France This king ordained in France that O salutaris hostia should be sung in the eleuation of the Host Friar Hierome Sauanarola of Ferrara of the order of Dominicains preached at Florence He was burnt at the instance and by the commaundement of that monster Alexander Pope the sixt because hee preached against him and his more then notorious wickednesse He composed certaine meditations vpon the 50. Psalme and certaine others See the Booke of Martyrs The Pope caused to bee cut out the tongue and both the hands of Anthonius Mancinellus a learned man because he had written a very elegant Oration against the wicked maners and villainous and dishonest life of him The warre of Maximilian against the Swissers is renowned in this time Batazetes the Turke tooke by force a Towne in Macedonia called Dyrrachium and the yeare after in Morea hee tooke Methone which belonged vnto the Venetians as also certain time before he had vsurped Naupactus in Epire. He also beheaded the Bishop of the said Towne of Methone Italie was greatly afflicted by the Turkes as soone as warre against the Venetians was on a flame Charles after Emperour sonne of Phillip Arch-Duke of Austrich and of Iane daughter of the king of Castile was borne at Gaunt on the Bissext day the 25 of Februarie on S. Matthias day The Marrhans these were Iewes which made themselues Christians fearing to leese theyr goods such are commonly in Spaine and secretly obserue the Iewish ceremonies are reconciled with the Pope hauing with great summes of money acquired his good grace Naucler The Towne of Basill the ninth day of Iune made alliance with the Cantons of Swisse in the Towne of Lucerne And the tenth of August they of Schaffusen made also a perpetuall alliance with the Cantons of the Swisses in the said Towne of Lucerne They of Noremberge were discomfited by Cassimere Marquesse of Brandebourge with great effusion of bloud nigh their Towne King Lewis the 11. tooke the kingdome of Naples vnder the conduction of Sieur d'Augbini Frederic his wife and his sonnes prisoners were carried into France He recouered Bolongue vsurped by Bentiuoli and yeelded it vnto the Pope After in proper person going against the Venetians which vsurped many Lands of the Duchie of Millaine valiantly vanquished them nigh Agnadel tooke Bartholomew Balnian the conducter of that Armie and carried him prisoner into France Hee tooke againe the said vsurped Townes and many others yeelding vnto the Pope such Townes as the Venetians had taken from him The issue of the Pope Alexander was fearefull and with manifest token of the iust iudgement of God and therefore would diligently be noted As on a certaine day he had made readie an exceeding great banket for certaine rich Senators and Cardinalls and had recommended to his sonne Valentin that he should giue wine to drinke vnto one of the said Cardinalls wherein there was poyson put It came to passe that hee that had the charge to deliuer the wine vnwittingly gaue to the Pope of that flaggon wherin the poison was who being of great age was taken with a languishment and grieuouâ— paine He had by the space of eleuen yeares and certaine monethes excessiuely oppressed Italie and troubled the world Being then deteined in his bed as Iohn Baleus saith hee commaunded one of his men called Madena which amongst all them of his Court and house was his most faithfull and familiar to goe into his gardrobe or wardrope and to bring him a certaine litle booke enriched with gold and precious stones which was in an Armorie which he specified But this litle booke conteined all maners and kindes of Illusions and Enchauntments of Negromancie whereby the old man thought to enforme himselfe to be certified of the closure and ende of his life The seruant obeing the commaundement of the Pope his maister and going vnto the place specified as after hee had opened the doore he was readie to haue entred into the chamber he sawe a certaine person sit in the Popes Chaire there who was altogether like vnto his maister At the sight whereof beeing surprised with an horrible feare astonishment and and as it were halfe dead without taking the booke ranne backe againe towards Alexander vnto whom he rehearsed what hee had seene namely that in his Wardrope hee found such a Pope as himselfe set in a Chaire Alexander after he had vnderstood the thing and seeing his seruant to be exceedingly affraide suffered him to rest a while After hee did so much perswade him that he returned into the said Wardrope to see if againe hee could finde the said Pope The seruant then being entred found in the said chamber him whom before he had seene and that more is being asked by him that sate there what cause brought him into that place and what businesse hee had there Hee being taken with a sore trembling and as it were out of breath aunswered hee came to take a certaine garment for the Pope At which words the diuell beeing then in the Chaire making an horrible noise siad what Pope I am the Pope But after that those things were reported vnto Alexander his euill began to encrease and death approached A short day after a man apparelled like a Carrier or Lackey came and fiercely knocked at the chamber doore wherein the Pope was deteined sicke saying hee must needes speake with him The doore being opened and hee admitted parley with the Pope all others drew aside and the Pope and hee spake together as two vse to doo in secret causes yet men might see a great and maruellous strife and debate betwixt them two and that the Pope was not content For hee said vnto him How goes
of the Lorde and was consumed with vermine and died miserably because hee yeelded no glorie vnto God and so the persecution ceased Heere is a second mirrour of Gods iudgement against such as oppresse the Church Saint Paul after his conuersion returned fiue times to Ierusalem At his last beeing there hee recited the Historie of his Ministerie in the assembly of the Elders of the Church His preachings were greatly spread abroad neither ceased hee to plant the Gospell wheresoeuer he went as it appeareth in the Acts. He preached at Rome by the space of two yeares although he was a prisoner Where before there was an assembly of the faithfull as the Epistle to the Romanes witnesseth Philippe the Apostle preached in Samaria where there was a Church which retired thither after the death of Saint Steuen In Azote the Church assembled from thence it went into the Maritine Townes Peter the Apostle also preached the Gospell in many Townes as is at large seene in the Historie of the Acts. Origine in his Tome vpon Genesis saith it seemeth that Peter preached in Pontus Galatia Asia Bithinia and Cappadocia to the dispearced Iewes There was also a Church in Babilon as he himselfe witnesseth in the fist of his first Epistle In Phinicia and Siria in Tyre Sidon Serentia Silicia Pamphilia Pisidia Attalia Lycaonia Also in Pontus Galatia Cappadocia Asia Bithinia Misia and Phrigia Vnto these did S. Peter write The seuen Churches of Asia are named in the Apocalips namely Ephesus Smirna Pergamus Thyatirus Sardis Philadelphia and Laodicia Aboue all the Church of Antioche was most famous where the Disciples were first called Christians Some say this was the thirtie and eight yeare after Christ others fortie Paul and Barnabas remained there one whole yeare Acts. 11. and 13. Saint Iohn the Apostle and Euangelist after hee had preached the Gospell through all Asia he finally retired into the Towne of Ephesus where he remained many yeares From thence the Church might easily spread it selfe into Europe which was nigh therevnto Now we see the beginning of the Kingdome of Christ and as it were a renewment of the world About the yeare 42. the vengeance of God fell vpon Pilate For after the Iewes had accused him of too great crueltie Lord Vitellius then Gouernour of Siria commaunded him to goe to Rome to answere the accusations that were to bee laid against him But as hee was in the way hee died Tiberius as Iosephus reciteth in the eighteenth of Antiquities Chapter fiue Eutropius in his seuenth booke saith that Pilate was nipped and pinched with so great anguishes because Caligula troubled him that striking and beating himselfe with his owne hands he sought to destroy himselfe See Eusebius in his 2. booke Chap. 7. This same yeare it is held that Saint Mathew writte his Gospell in Iudea The same yeare the Tetrach ship of Herodes was deliuered to Agrippa and a great discomfiture now the second time was made of the Iewes in Babilon See Iosephus in the last Chapter of his Antiquities Claudius the fift Emperour was chosen to the Imperial dignitie the aforesaid yeare and raigned fourteen yeares and nine moneths Herodes Agrippa the yeare 15. and the third of Claudius held the Kingdome of Iudea of the gift of Caligula and Claudius Beeing departed from Rome to come to Ierusalem hee thought good to make a shew to the Iewes that he loued their Religion and after to gratifie the high Priests he put to death certaine of the faithfull At this time Churches were gouerned by the Apostles which were instructed in the schoole of the sonne of God and therefore there is no gouernment to be compared to this Yet in this time the dwell had his instruments in Churches gouernment that is to say false Apostles and false bretheren Euen alreadie wrought he the secret of Iniquitie by his Antichrist 2. Thessa 2. and 1. Iohn 2. and 4. There were Heretickes Titus 3. Dogges Philip. 3. Wolues and men speaking peruerse things Acts 20. People which were neither hotte nor colde Apoca. 3. If at this time Sathan had such license how bolde thinke we will he be now that they are gone Amongst them which now gouerned the Church some were giuen Apostles to visit Churches Their charge was to sowe the Gospell throughout the world They had no place assigned Besides the twelue Paul and Barnabas are called Apostles Acts 14. Epaphroditus is called the Apostle of the Philippians Philippians 2. Andronicus and Iunia are called notable amongst the Apostle Romanes sixteene Prophets are they which had the gift not onely to Interpret scripture but also to apply it to the true vse S. Paul preferreth Prophecie before all other gifts Euangelistes hadde an office which came nigh vnto the Apostleship The difference was onely in the degree of dignitie Of this estate was Timothie and his like which succoured the Apostles 2. Timoth. 4.5 Philip is called an Euangelist Act. 21. b. 8. Doctors were for the conseruation of the puritie of Religion that the holy doctrine might bee kept and published Saint Luke ioyneth Prophets with Doctors Acts. 13. a. 1. Priest signifieth Auncient not for that they were of an age but because age commonly hath with it more wisedome experience and grauitie Vnder this name are comprehended as well Pastors as such as were ordeined for the Regiment of the Church S. Peter calles himselfe Priest shewing thereby that it was a common name Deacons is a general name of seruice but is taken for such as had the charge to dispence the Almesses Actes 19. a. 22. Ministers or seruants are called Adioints or such as accompanied the Apostles in their viands Timothie and Erastus ministred to S. Paul Act. 19. a. 22. Bishop and Priest was then one same name and office Saint Hierome in his Epistle to Euagoras witnesseth it But afterward whilest Schismes endured one was chosen from amongest the Priests and set in the most principall place and called Bishoppe or Superintendent And therefore the office of Bishoppe was after helde to bee higher then the Priests Saint Paul commaunded Titus to place in euerie Towne Priests or Bishoppes Titus 1. a. 5.6.7 See Acts 20. f. 28. With the good seede which was all ouer as is said dispersed there beganne also heresies to be cast into the Lords field The first and most pernitious were the Simoniaques The originall whereof was Simon Magus borne in a Towne of Samaria which Iustin calleth Triton and Eusebius Gitton a man exercised in Letters who by his Arts enchaunted many in Samaria before Philip had conuerted them As is recited in the Acts. Chap. 8. After S. Peter had discouered his wicked Hipocrisie hee went away in such despite that making a mingle-mangle of the dreames of Philosophers and Painims with the religions of the Iewes and that which he learned of the Gospell he corrupted and transferred to his owne person that which was spoken of Iesus Christ of the holy Ghost and of the saluation of man
vailable 8. q. 3. c. Salus in omnibus Galen the Phisitian flourished at this time Valentine the hereticke a Platonician denied the resurrection of the flesh Hee affirmed that Christ tooke no humane flesh off the Virgines wombe but that hee passed through it as through a conduit Cerdon the Stoike said at Rome that the holy Ghost descended not vpon the Apostles but vpon himselfe Note here the saying of Tertullian namely that the Philosophers are Patriarkes of heretickes Martian the Stoike a follower of Menander made two contrary principles This Pope seeing hee named himselfe so was a learned man and made a booke intituled De Trinitate vnitate Dei. Pius first of that name 11. Pope of Rome an Italian of Aquilia ruled at Rome a 11. yeares Some say hee ordeined that Easter should be celebrated vpon the Sunday by the perswasion of Hermes who said it had bene reuealed vnto him by an Angell in likenes of a shepheard And this ordinance was after confirmed by many Pope That hee decreed punishments for Ecclesiasticall persons which administred the Sacraments of the body and bloud of Christ negligently That is to say that he that by imprudency negligently let fal vpō the earth any of the blood of Christ so speakes he should do penance 40. dayes If it fell vpon the Aultar 3. dayes If vpon the Chalice cloth 4. dayes If on any other cloth 9. dayes And that the said bloud so falne should be licked scraped or washed and after all burnt and kept for the Sacristeres By litle and litle then the Romane seate beganne to forge ordinances Also that Virgins or Nunnes should not take vpon them the vaile before the age of 25. yeares Item that if any Ecclesiasticall person did sweare or blaspheme he should be deposed and euery Laie person excommunicated Anicetus 12. Pope a Sirian ruled 10. or a 11. yeares wise and of good life Some attribute vnto him that hee ordained the Crowne for Priests He was martyred vnder Marcus Aurelius In his time Egesippus an Hebrew came to Rome dwelt there vntill Eleutherius Iustinus a Christian Phylosopher writ a booke in defence of Faith and Religion to the Emperour Antonius Pius who also was much enclined to maintaine it He writ against Martian Policarpus Bishop of Smyrna in Ionia which is in Asia the lesse aboue Ephesus came to great age Ireneus saith that he was ordeined Bishop by the Apostles and it is likely that he began his ministery the 2. or 3. of Traian S. Ierome in his Catalogue saith he was placed there by S. Iohn the Euangelist who dyed the yeare 68. after the passion of Iesus Christ as most say Ireneus reciteth of him that one day as Marcian encountred him and said vnto him Take knowledge with vs. Policarp answered him I know thee for the first sonne of Satan And Ireneus saith further There are some haue heard him say that Iohn the Disciple of Iesus went into Bathes to wash himselfe and seeing Cerinthus the hereticke there he went out and washing himselfe saying Let vs flie from hence least this house fall vpon vs where Cerinthus enemy of the truth washeth Note how the Disciples of the Apostles had this rule not to communicate with them which falsifie the truth of the Gospell Whilest Policarpus was at Rome he withdrew many from their heresies Marcus Aurelius Antoninus Verus the brother of Antonius Pius obtained the Empire 18. yeares Lucius Verus his sonne in lawe gaue himselfe to dice and to haunt the Stewes Therfore was he sent into Siria by Marcus Aurelius and at last as some say poisoned After some he dyed of an Apoplexe So Marcus Aurelius Antoninus raigned alone The fourth persecution after Nero was stirred against the Christians by Marcus Aurelius And as Eusebius saith many euils happened in Italie great pestilence warre earthquakes Invndations of waters and a multitude of Grashoppers In the meane while by the persecutions as it were continuall the Christians affaires encreased from day to day by the doctrine of the Apostles Disciples Wherof yet many then did liue that the Christian Religion tooke strong roote being thus bedeawed with the bloud of Martyrs We must not here forget the sentence of Iustine spoken in a colloquie with Trypheus Hee saith thus Men may each day perceiue that we which beleeue in Christ cannot be astonished nor turned backe Let them cut off our heads Let them crucifie vs Let them expose vs to beasts to fires or other torments and so much more as men torment vs so much more do the number of Christians encrease Euen as when a Vine is cut it is but to make it more fertile So the Vine which God hath planted and the Sauiour Iesus that is his people cannot but multiply by torments c. Melito Bishop of Sardis writ to the Emperour for the Faith and Christian Religion Apollinaris Bishop of Hierapolis was at this time Theophilus Bishoppe of Antioche writ against Martian Denis Bishop of Corinthe Iustus Bishoppe of Vienne a Martyre for the Faith Attalus Blandina Photin Bishop of Lions a Martyr also for the Faith Persecution in Asia The end of the life of Policarpus was at this time Marcus Antonius Verus and the chiefe Gouernours of the Empire caused such a persecution that it came euen to the Christians which dwelt in the Towne of Smyrna whereof Policarpus was Bishoppe and had beene a long time and was there burnt hauing serued the Church of God about three score and tenne yeares which was the seuenth of this Emperour Some say hee was of the age of foure score and sixe yeares The Prayer of Policarpus before his death is in the Eccleciast History Booke 4. His bones taken out of the fire were laide in a Sepulchre Pionius Martyre Soter an Italian 13. Pope helde the seate about tenne yeares He endured many aduersities and in the ende was Martyred He ordained that none should celebrate without two men present That Nunnes should carry Vailes on their heads That they might not touch sacred Ornaments as Chalices Corporalles and that they should not Incense in the Temple nor about Aultars In his second Decretall he calleth himselfe Pope Hee instituted that each Priest doing his Office should haue with him an other Priest If there chaunced some suddaine necessitie to happen Hee saide that an oath made imprudenly which redounded to an euill ende ought not to be kept For it were better saith he to periure himselfe then for keeping his oath to fall into a greater crime At this time Peregrine a Philosopher did publickely at Pise cast himselfe into the fire vpon vaine-glorie At this time beganne the Cataphryges heretikes by Montanus with Priscilla and Maximilla They vsed in their Sacrifices a Childes blood which they mingled with Flowre or with Breade If the Childe whose blood was drawne out dyed they held him for a Martyr If
Imperiall gouernment and caused all Images to be cast downe in Temples and raigned aboue 7. yeares At this time a Sinode was held in Spaine in a Towne cal Eliboris or Granado where were congregated nineteene Bishops and thirtie sixe Priests Felix Bishop of Aquitaine was President there Amongst other points there was principally concluded that there should be no Images nor paintings in Churches The yeare 793. an other Sinode was held at Francford by the Bishops of Almaigne Franconia The Pope Adrian knowing this sent two Bishops Stephen and Theophilacte to vrge the Decree made for Images at the Councell of Niece by the meanes of Hirene In so much that the Sinode held at Eliboris in Spaine was at the said Francford condemned Abb. Vrsp Seeing now Iesus Christ was left to be portraied by the preaching of his pure word Images were admitted into the Temples of Christ therefore no maruell if so many contentious follow Hirene greeued to be depriued of the Empire by presents sollicited certaine Captaines to kill her sonne They watched him and put out his eyes vpon such a day as he had put out the eyes of his Vncle after Nicephorus fiue yeares before then put him in prison where he deceased fewe dayes after Hirene then his mother gouerned alone by the space of three yeares Shee also caused to be taken out of his graue the bodie of Constantine the fifth Father of her dead husband and made it publikely to be burnt and the Ashes thereof to be cast into the Sea because in his life time he had broken Images This did she at the Instigation of Theodorus Bishop who fauoured the Pope touching Images Henry Bullenger Alcuin or otherwise Albin Disciple of Beda the Venerable Monke and after Abbot of S. Martin of Tours Charlemaignes maister made three bookes of the Trinitie and many other bookes Also the life of S. Vaast Bishop of Arras Abb. Trit Charlemaine during his raigne caused 6. or 7. Councels and Sinodes to be held whereof fiue that is to say at Magunce Wormes Rhenes Tours Arles were assembled against the abuses of Ecclesiasticall persons which then were very great and did much displease the Emperour Charlemaigne Ansegisus Abbot of this time made foure bookes of the Decrees of Charlemaigne and of his sonne Lewis Amongst other things and aboue all he wold that Bishops should preach to the people the true doctrine drawne out of the holy Scriptures and not otherwise Therevpon alleadging the saying of Gregorie That the Priest which goeth without the care of preaching lightly lighteth against himselfe the wrath of the hid Iudge He also ordeined that no man should make profession of Monachisme without demaunding the Kings licence to shun many fraudes He would fewe Feasts should be ordeined He repressed the superfluitie of Priests and ordeined that they should be norished of the Ecclesiastical reuenews with y e poore He one day sharply reprehended the Archbishop of Magunce called Boniface because he had vsurped a Crosse all couered with gold and enriched with precious stones as an Imperiall Scepter For occasion thereof being offered in a publike assembly he said to him in choller Is it thus you make profession of the Crosse of Christ Do you thus feed the flock being rather in order of an Emperour then a shepheard An other which on S. Martins euen was made Bishop and for ioy therof forgetting to come the next day to the Temple was dismissed by Charlemaigne saying What wil he do hereafter when at first he is so forgetful of his office Also one other hauing receiued a great benefice for ioy being vpon horseback cast himself downe with great agilitie before the Emperour To whom the Emperour said So farre as I see you are an able man and a good horseman I haue need of you Leaue hardly this benefice to some weaker man Auentinus the Historiographer in his bookes of the Annales of Bauaria We may see by the recitall hereof that Popes had not that soueraigne power which afterward their successours vsurped The Emperours called Sinodes and proposed statutes and decrees and conferred and bestowed benefices At Francfort whilest Charlemain wintered there a Councell was held wherin the decree of the Councell of Niece held by Hirene touching Images as is saide was declared false and altogether condemned And although the Popes Factors as Vrspergensis and others do passe and dissemble it yet so is the truth And that the Pope Adrian sent thither his Embassadors Stephen and Theophilacte Bishop There also was condemned the heresie of Felix and Eliphandus which acknowledged their fault and asking pardon were restored to their dignities Charlemaigne caused a booke to be published in his name which agrreed with the Articles of the said Councell Yea and moreouer he answered two bookes which were found written by Adrian to Therasius Patriarke and to the Emperour of Constantinople By this writing Charlemaigne taxeth and couertly condemneth Adrian without naming him Idolater There was also a Councel held at Cauaillon vnder Charlemaigne wherein amongst other superstitions which were there condemned that of Pilgrimages in respect of Religion was sharply repressed in the 45. Canon Alledging that saying of S. Hierome Men should not be praised because they haue seene Ierusalem but because they haue liued well Leo the third of that name borne at Rome after he had receiued the Papall dignitie Incontinently sent to Charlemaigne the Keyes of S. Peter the Ensigne or Gonfanon as they call it of the Towne of Rome with other presents requiring him that he would doo so much that the people of Rome might yeeld themselues subiect to the Pope in deliuering him their oath of fidelitie For he feared the people one day would not stoope vnder his tyrannie But Charlemaigne willing to do a thing pleasing Leo sent a certaine Abbot called Agilbert who by the Emperours commandement constrained the Romane people to sweare fidelitie to the Pope For this cause the people conceiued such an hatred against the Pope that hauing found some which stirred them more to execute their fury and to serue them for guides Captaines as one day he went a procession hauing cast him from his horse they spoiled him of his pontificiall apparell and beat him well In which tumult none put out his eyes nor cut out his tongue as the Papists affirme teaching that straightway he was diuinely healed by so manifest lies to amplifie his authoritie but indeed hee was only put in prison in the Monasterie of Saint Erasmus as Mantuan saith in his fourth booke des Fastes Finally as Charlemaigne came to Rome the people knowing how hee was affectioned towards the Pope for the feare they had of him changed the anger they had cōceiued against Leo into fauour and durst not enterprise to proue the crimes whereof they accused him After then they had bene examined touching his life they cryed all with one voice That the Apostolike seate ought not to be iudged by a
15. yeares Lewis the young 7. of that name 40. King of France raigned 43. yeares He vpon superstition went into Spaine vpon pilgrimage vnto S. Iames. Ascalon was taken of the Christians beyond the sea Suppl Chron. Edessa a Citie of Mesopotamia was taken of Alaps a Prince of Turkie the Christians put to death and women violated vpon the Aultar of S. Iohn Baptist saith Naucler Fulco King of Ierusalem fell from his horse as he ran at an Hare and died Naucler and Chron. Euseb Baudwin 3. and 5. King of Ierusalem succeeded him Celestine Pope 2. of that name an Italian before called Guido a Priest Cardinall of S. Mark hauing ruled 5. monethes and 8. dayes died of the pestilence Lucius Pope 2. of that name borne at Boulongne before a Priest Card. of S. Crosse named Gerard ruled about one yeare This man willing by force to take away the dignitie of the Patrician from the Romanes was on the body wounded with the blowes of stones by the common people R. Barns And being oppressed with the Romanes hee sent vnto the Emperour who beeing occupied otherwhere could not succour him He did all he could to incite Christians to warre beyond the sea because he had receiued newes how the holy Land was in daunger to be lost for the Christians Iohn le Maire Some say he died in a sedition Others that he died of the Pestilence Supp Chron. and Fascic temp Eugenius Pope third of that name borne at Pise a Monke of Cleruaux Disciple of S. Bernard Abbotte and Cardinall of S. Anastasius at Rome ruled eight yeares and foure monethes He was constrained by the Romanes whom hee had excommunicated with Iordan the Patrice to flie from Rome and shaking the dust off his feete against his enemies hee got him into France not onely to shunne the feare of the said Romanes who with force of Armes chased him away but also to encourage and drawe on the French King Lewis to the succours of the holy Land He celebrated then a Councell at Vezelay in Burgoigne and there caused S. Barnard with his liuely voyce to vtter out all the mischiefe like to fall vnto the holy Land After which speech of S. Barnard the King vowed to giue succours to the Christian Princes beyond the Seas and the Queen Helionor his wife promised to follow him and with them many Princes Barons and Noble men of France Also the Emperour Conrade the third Alphonsus King of Spaine Henry King of England and many other Princes and Prelates yet in this voyage they did nothing worthy of memorie and this was the second vniuersall voyage as Iohn le Maire saith but the third expedition to goe into Ierusalem The first vnder Vrbain and the second vnder Paschal Anno. 1101. Eugenius also assembled a Councell at Rhemes and called thither Cardinalls and other Prelates of whom hee was consecrated as appertained And there S. Barnard confuted by disputation and vanquished Gilbert Poretaine Bishoppe of Poitiers an excellent Clarke who erred in touching the vnitie of the Trinitie There were made many decrees for Monkes that they should not leaue their Monasteries nor Baptise nor carrie children vnto Baptisme that they might not enioyne penance nor giue absolution that they might not visit the diseased nor assist the funeralls of the dead Briefly that they might not apply themselues vnto secular businesses but remaine sollitarie in theyr Monasteries That the husband or wife ought not to enter into Religion and the marriage should not be broken if one of the parties contradicted it nor without the consent of the Bishop if both parties accorded There was also ordained for the maintenance of schooles and for prouision of Doctors and Masters After those things done in France Eugenius returned vnto Rome where hee was honourably receiued of the people but soone after died at Tiber where he went to recreate himselfe His body was brought to Rome and buried in the Temple of S. Peter Suppl Chron. In this time raigned Gratian the Monke who compiled the Decretall Which Eugenius approoued and commanded to be read through all Vniuersities Supp Chron. Petrus Lumbardus Bishop of Paris compiled the bookes of Sentences Petrus Commestor wrote the Scholasticke Historie Auicen and Auerrois liued in this time excellent in Phisicke By the writings of Saint Barnard wee may knowe how in this time beeing so miserably corrupted he stroue against the impietie of Popes and the Ecclesiasticall sort See his 67. Sermon where he calleth them the Ministers of Antichrist In the Sermon 57. In the booke vnto this Pope Eugenius and in the 33. Sermon vpon the Cant. he often saith that Prelates are but pilates He reprooueth Eugenius that leauing the word of God he aduanced humane traditions Hugo Cardinall in his Postile vpon S. Iohn alleadgeth that S. Barnard said in a certaine place It seemeth ô good Iesu that all the Vniuersitie of Christians haue conspired against thee and they are the chiefe of the coniuration which obtaine the Primacie of the church At the end of his dayes hee shewed well that hee perfectly knew the true doctrine of the Iustification by Iesus Christ on whom only was his refuge reiecting all other sanctities and righteousnesse His writings yeeld a certaine witnesse of him The Emperour of Constantinople Emanuel sent victuals to the Christians beyond the Seas but like a traitetous wicked man hee mingled chalke amongst their floure whereof infinite people died He gaue also guides vnto the Emperour Conrade which conducted him through solitary places Insomuch that he lost all his souldiers As much also almost came vnto the king of France yet they both got into Ierusalem The Emperor Conrade the King Lewis and Baudwin King of Ierusalem being in Ierusalem determined to assaile Damas. Naucler Aluisius Abbot of Auchen and Bishop of Arras died in this iourney of the holy Land in a towne called Philopolis Simon Bishop of Noyon at Selencia Bishops Abbots and Monkes trotted then in voyages beyond the Seas Norway receiued then the faith which was then S. Barnard died of the age of 36. yeares Naucler Conrade the third Emperor returning from his voyage of Ierusalem died at Banberg 1152. Frederic first of that name surnamed barbarous sonne of Frederic Duke of Souanbe who was brother of the said Conrade was chosen Emperour This was a Prince of a good spirit hardie of great stature and faire of face his haire and beard was redde affable and gracious After his election hee ledde seuen times his Armie against the Italians which rebelled against him Anastasius Pope 4. of that name a Romane Abbot ruled the Romane Church one yeare or two 4. monethes and 24. daies They qualifie him a great Almes-giuer of many priuiledges vnto religious people of Challices very sumptuous and of repairing Churches Adrian 4. of that name borne in England a man learned before called Nicholas-breakspeare the sonne of one named Robert a Monke and Priest of the Temple of S. Albons
deeds remained not long vnpunished and it is profitable we should knowe the issue worthie of such a Tyrant Iosephus in the 8. booke of Antiq. Chap. 17. describeth it thus The kings maladie encreased and God shewed openly that he would punish his impietie For he was burned with a slowe heat yet without none could perceiue it only he felt it within because it grated wasted his entralles He was so hungry that he tooke no leisure to chawe his meate but deuoured all that entred into his mouth and so still some must cast meat into his mouth His entralls were wounded and vlcerated and he was tormented with collicke passions His feete were swelled with flegmaticke humours through which you might see the day His shamefaste parts were rotted and full of wormes his breath was stinking that none durst approach vnto him And in the 21. Chap. of the first booke of the Iewes warres the same Historiographer writeth thus All his bodie was taken with a disease and hee was tormented with diuers dolours He had a burning and intollerable heate in him The Chollick tormented him incessantly his feete were swelled betwixt the skinne and the flesh he sought to aduance his owne death and calling for a knife lifted vp his right hand but Archilaus his cosen-germane perceiuing it ranne to him and held his hand hee died 5. dayes after he made his sonne Antipater die hauing enioyed the kingdome the space of 34. yeares after he had caused Antigonus to die and 37. yeares after hee was declared King by the Romanes In all other things he was happie yea if euer King were for a man of so base condition to acquire that Kingdome and keepe it so long a time and at last leaue it to his children But concerning his domesticke affaires none could be more vnluckie c. Hitherto Iosephus This Historie is worthie of memorie that all that read such a vengeance of God may learne to feare his iudgements After the death of this Herod the Iewes not being able to support the ruling of a straunger sought to raise vp seditions but they were repressed by Archilaus But whilest Archilaus and Herod Antipas pleaded one against an other in Rome againe other troubles arose in Iewrie In so much as Augustus diuided Herods kingdome He constituted Archilaus the Tetrarch of Idumea Iudea and Samaria and the reuenew of those Regions amounted yearely to sixe hundreth Talents He diuided the other part into two Tetrarches He gaue also to Herod Antipas Galilie and Perea out of which Regions he had yearely 200. Talents And to Philippes he gaue Bathania Traconite Aucanite Calcide of which places the reuenew came by yeare to an hundreth Talents This Archilaus was chased from Iudea and finally banished to Vienne which is in Gaul nigh to Lions where he dyed At this time the administration of the Kingdome was againe chaunged in Iudea The Romanes placed Gouernours there one after an other as Coponius Marcus Anius Rufus Valerius Gracchus Poncius Pilate Tiberius succeeded Augustus his father in lawe and raigned 33. yeares He gaue himselfe to Idlenesse and drunkennesse so that in mockerie he was called Claudius Biberius Nero in place of Claudius Tiberius Nero. See Suetonius and Cor. Tacitus Historiograph Iohn Baptist began to preach the presence of the Redeemer shewing with his finger the Lord Iesus he reprehended the false seruices inuented by men so that persecutions began to arise The most enraged persecutors were the Pharisies I meane such as were great in the Church of Ierusalem These crimes they laid against him namely that he vsurped the Ministerie to teach without the will of such as had charge in the Church That he brought a new doctrine diuerse from the vse of the Sinagogues That he shewed a Messias who had no appearance of a King but abiect and poore That hee vsed hard and sharpe words and affirmed that the gouernment of Moses was come to an ende and that they must haue a new Religion That he foretold the reiection and ruine of the Iewes and the vocation of the Gentiles Mat. 3. Luk. 3. Iohn 3. But because the people came euery day in great multitudes to him and was held for an excellent Prophet his enemies were brideled But he endured an other persecution of Herodes Antipas the first king Herods sonne the Tetrark of Galilie who tooke Herodias his brother Philip Herods wife and made him die to please the appetite of that Herodias and her daughter Salome after she had daunced at a banquet As it is Mark. 6. There were amongst the Iewes at this time three Sects namely Pharisies Saduces and Esses as appeareth All the Nation of the Iewes had but that onely Temple which was in Ierusalem called the Temple of God Mat. 21. It was 46. yeares in edifying Ioh. 2. Nabuchodonoser pilled and burned the stately Temple of Salomon and rased it by Nabuzardam Generall of his Armie when the rest of the people were carried into Babilon Cyrus the first of that name King of the Persians at the perswasion of Daniel gaue leaue to reedifie it And the second yeare of Cyrus raigne the Iewes began to build it but they had great hinderances The death of Cyrus followed Cambises followed him a man full of impietie and crueltie hee caused the building to cease Darius Hislaspes succeeded after him who made an end of the Temple And this was the cause it was so long in building This Temple was situated in an imminent and high place therein was great magnificence and great gifts were giuen for ornaments thereof as may be gathered in the 24. of S. Math. Mark 14. Luk. 21. See Ioseph in his last chap. of the 15. booke of Antiquit. The Ecclesiasticall gouernment of the Iewes was this They which held the preheminence in the Church of the Iewes were called principall high Priests It was ordained of God that there should be one high Priest who might remaine in that office vntill the end of his life after his death an other was substituted Exod 29. Nomb. 20. When Christ came all was confused all was solde for money or by deceit and stealth As Iohn 11. It is said that Cayphas was chiefe Priest that yeare After the high Priest there was a great troupe of other Priests which were distinct amongst themselues For Dauid distributed the successors of Aaron into 24. orders Therefore it is said Luk. 1. that Zacharie was a Priest of the Family of Abia which had the eight Lot 1. Chro. 24. There were after Leuites whereof is spoken Iohn 1. and 10. Chap. There were also Scribes which were Doctors of the Lawe Luk. 5. There was the Maister of the Sinagogue who was the principall Doctor Mark 5. Luk. 13. There were they which were called Rabbi or Maister which was an estate or office of teaching Iohn 3. Art thou a Maister in Israel and knowest not these things The Elders of the people were they
which they chose from among the people hauing charge of things which belonged to the Temple to Iustice and the gouernment of the Church When Iesus had chased from the Temple the buyers and sellers the next morning the high Priests and Elders of the people came to him asking by what authoritie he did those things Math. 21. About the 20. yeare of Christ and the fift of Tiberius as Eusebius saith in his Chronicle thirteene Townes of Asia were ouerthrowne by an Earthquake namely Ephesus Sardis Mesthenes Megechiere Cesarea Magnesia Philadelphia Hincel Tenus Cume Mirthina Apollonia Diahyrcania Such iudgements of God ought to serue for aduertisements and instructions vnto vs. Our Lord Iesus Christ exercised his Ministerie and office the space of three yeares three moneths and tenne dayes and the beginning is taken from his thirtieth yeare because in S. Luke it is said that Iesus began to be about thirtie yeares of age He suffered death and passion the yeare 34. according to the supputation of many authors Caius Caligula was an horrible Monster who by his wicked life despited heauen and earth vttering his furie through all the iurisdictions of the Romane Empire and by his Edicts would needs make himselfe a God But finally he was taken with a straunge death Iosephus maketh a singular recitall thereof in the 1. Chapter of the 20. booke of Antiquities Chareas Sabinus Aquila and others which of long time had conspired his death slew him cruelly after he had raigned three yeares tenne monethes and eight dayes His body as Suetonius rehearseth was secretly carried to the Gardens of Lamius and being halfe burnt was couered with a litle earth He was of the age of 24. yeares Such a Tirant who had prouoked both God and men against him could no otherwise end his daies Caligula banished Herod the Tetrarch who went to Rome at the perswasion of Herodias the yeare 40. into the Towne of Lions in Gaul where he died in pouertie with the said Herodias his harlot The same yeare the Iewes endured great afflictions One was at Alexandria vpon this occasion Caligula had ordained that through all the Iurisdiction of the Romanes there should be builded vnto him Temples and Aultars where they should worship him as God The Iewes alone resisted his impietie Then were there many Grecians in Alexandria who wished death vnto the Iewes therefore then they tooke occasion to make them odious vnto the Emperour except they obeyed his ordinance When it came to proofe the Iewes resisted it strongly and the sedition about it was such that many were slaine on both sides The cause was finally debated at Rome and Caligula a peruerse man made chase away Philo the Iewe who pleaded the Iewes cause Who then said It behooueth vs whom the Emperour hateth to take courage For it is necessarie that God should helpe when humane succours faileth Caligula vsed to say Would to God the Romane people had but one Head The Iewes also were greatly afflicted in Babilon of the Chaldeans and in Seleucia of Siria There were two brethren Iewes of base condition the one named Asniens and the other Anileus the which being Robbers and Theeues they gathered together a great number of Rake-hells and disordered persons Artanabus seeing this euill encrease thought good to remedie it But it was too late And finally mooued with the prowesse of these two yoong men receiued them into amitie and gaue them the gouernment of the Kingdome of Babilon See Ioseph in the 18. Booke and last Chapter Iesus Christ ascended visibly into Heauen to confirme his Resurrection the better and the glorie of his Kingdome 40. dayes after his Resurrection His Disciples yet dreamed of an earthly kingdome of Messias asked of him if he would not begin it But Iesus Christ after he had spoken of the eternall Kingdome and had blessed them was lifted vp aloft and a bright Cloude receiued him into Heauen where he sitteth at the right hand and power of God Now then we must consider what aduancements and encrease the Primitiue Church made by the Apostles and their Disciples that all the faithfull may know that Iesus Christ the King of glory remaineth not Idle in Heauen but by an admirable manner maintained gouerneth and aydeth his that his Gospell may be sowne through the world But as God shewed that honour to the Land of Canaan as to giue it the promises touching the Redeemer so there also by his death he obtained saluation vnto mankinde Aboue all Countries Asia the lesse had at that time the most flourishing Churches After the Ascention of Christ there was an excellent Church in Ierusalem In the first of the Acts it is recited that there were about sixe score persons at the beginning The holy scripture calleth Churches the publicke assemblies of many faithfull Tenne dayes after the Ascension was the Feast of Pentecost The Lord Iesus then raigning in Heauen at the right hand of his Father powred visibly and sensibly the holy Ghost vpon the Apostles which then were assembled at Ierusalem The word of the Lord tooke his course and the number of the faithfull by litle and litle encreased in Ierusalem by the preaching and miracles of the Apostles Behold the booke of the Acts for the first preachings and the persecutions which came after the death of our Lord. The 34. yeare after the Natiuitie of Christ and the 19. of the Kingdome of Tiberius after the death of S. Steuen the high Priests of Ierusalem stirred more and more grieuous persecutions against the Church Saul which is also Paul was chosen to persecute the faithfull for before his conuersion he burnt with false zeale espying into each house and drawing into prison all he could catch S. Ierome reciteth that S. Paul his parents dwelt in Sischal a Towne of Iuda but when the Romanes tooke the Countrie they went into Tharsis which is in Cilicia where Paul was borne His father was a Iewe of the Tribe of Beniamin and a Burgesse of Rome Act. Chap. 22. Many then were Martired others were constrained to retire themselues into Countries adiacent which occasioned the Gospell to be further spread abroad About the yeare fortie and fiue after the Natiuitie of our Lord Iesus Christ and twelue yeares after his Resurrection the third yeare of Caligula a great persecution was stirred by Herode Agrippa against the Christians wherein Iames the brother of Iohn was beheaded Peter put in prison but the Angell of the Lorde drewe them out most miraculously Soone after the Lord reuenged the death of his For it happened that this Herode went to Cesarea The cause was for that hee hadde enterprised a warre against the Tyrrians and Sidonians which they preuented by gaining the Chamberlaine Blastus and demaunding of a peace One day Herode sumptuously adorned sate downe in Throne and spake to them and the people made an acclamation as if GOD himselfe hadde spoken vnto them But Herode was incontinently strooken by the Angell
one seditious guiltie of treason was giuen in charge to 10. souldiers or rather tormenters to be led to Rome and be put to Lions wherof Ignacius himselfe saith I haue had to fight with beasts from Siria to Rome by sea by land night and day amongst 10. Leopards c. Ireneus in his fift booke speaking of Ignacius beeing condemned to beasts he said saith he I am the wheat of Iesus Christ and shal be grinded with the teeth of beasts to the end I may be made the bread of God Alexander the 7. Bishop of Rome was a Romane and gouerned 10. yeares namely from the 12. yeare of Traian til the third of Adrian Many things are spoken of the integritie of his life wherby many of the Romane Senators were drawne to the Christian faith seeing in him vertues truly Episcopall yet it is attributed vnto him that he should first bring in new ceremonies of the Church as the holy water so keepe in houses and Churches against the diuell and for remission of sinnes Also to mingle wine and water together at the Lords supper Also the Asperges vpon the people Also that Bread should be without Leauen and not commō bread as before They make him the first which by decree excommunicated them who resisted Apostolicke messengers He ordeined that no Clarke should be accused and drawne before a secular Iudge he is said to be the first which added to the Lords supper Caena pridie quà m pateretur made that ouerture to his successors to adde thervnto which haue not since ceased vntill the whole Supper of the Lord was corrupted and chaunged Also he ordeined to celebrate but once a day Note heere generally for the Bishops which were first at Rome that many Epistles haue bene attributed vnto them which mention greater number of Ceremonies then there is in other Churches and such as were vnknowne to them which writ in that time which made them then suspected For the Popes which came after haue made those first Bishops their buckler for authors of their lyes and dreames Alexander receiued the Crowne of Martirdome vnder the Emperour Adrian by the commaund of his Gouernour Aurelian who demaunded of Alexander why hee held his peace when the fire was lightned about him to burne him He answered that he was speaking to God signifying that he prayed and therefore it was not lawfull for him to speake vnto men Honorius and Nauclerus Dion rehearseth of the Emperour Traian that before he died his members were retracted and al his body senslesse His sences also were dulled and after that he became to be full of the dropsie and greatly swelled He finally died in Selinion a Towne of Cicile Some say his body was brought to Rome and deified by the Senate after his death after the maner of the Romanes Although this Prince had great politicke vertues yet is he to be placed in the third ranke of the cruel enemies and persecutors of the Church of God Adrian the 16. Emperour raigned 22. yeares gentle and cunning in all knowledges He persecuted the Christians But when he knew the truth of their life he caused the persecution to cease Quadratus Bishop of Athens the Apostles Disciple presented an Apologeticke booke to the said Adrian in defence of the Christian Faith Aristides a Philosopher of Athens a faithfull man made a like Booke wherevpon Adrian sent to Minutius Fundanus Proconsul of Asia that he should no more persecute the Christians But if they did any thing against lawes he would that he should therein deale according to the qualitie of the crime And if any slaunderoufly accused them he commaunded such should be chastised for their malice Nicomedia and Nice were ruinated by an Earthquake and afterward restored by the liberalitie of Adrian Euseb Chro. All euils which came to men were laide vpon the Christians saying they came all for their cause whether they were Earthquakes warre or other calamities Sixtus or Xistus a Romane 8. Bishop of Rome ruled about 10. yeares He decreed that none should touch the consecrated ornaments Vessels Challices c. vnlesse they were Church-men He added to the Communion of the Eucharist Sanctus Sanctus Sanctus Dominus Deus Sabaoth He graunted this priuiledge to Clarkes that they might appeale from their Bishop to the Apostolicke Sea In his Decretalls he is called Arch-bishop of the Romane Church Item vniuersall Bishop of the Apostolicke Church About this time those words Arch-bishop Metropolitane and Clergie beganne to be vsed in Epistles He appointed certaine punishments for Priests or Ministers that were negligent in baptizing Children before their deaths At this time the Supper of the Lord was called Eucharist The words Sacrifice or Masse were not yet brought in And although Ireneus sometimes called the Eucharist Oblation hee declares his meaning therein in his 4. Booke and 34. Chapter We make vnto him an Oblation saith he not as to him which stands in need thereof but as giuing him thankes for the good he hath done vnto vs. And againe he willes also that we giue offerings at the Aultar and often and without ceasing But the Aultar is in heauen saith he and thither must we addresse our prayers and Oblations It may well be that then this word Oblation was in common vse because the custome then was to offer Loaues of bread in great abundance for the vse of the Supper wherewith the Ministers liued and the poore were nourished The Iewes surprised with a new rage beganne againe to take armes against the Romanes Dion saith the occasion thereof was for that Adrian had builded there a Temple to Iupiter and placed there Idols of the Gentiles The Iewes chose for their Captaine Barrochabas who named himselfe the sonne of the Starre This man exercised great crueltie against Christians because they woulde not ioyne with the Iewes But Adrian repressed those seditious people and famished them and tooke away their waters and finally discomfited them nigh to Bethera a little Towne by Ierusalem and in one onely battaile hee slew fiftie eight thousand men After Nicephorus Ancelme speaketh of fiftie thousand Iewes slaine fiftie holdes taken and nine hundred eightie fiue Villages destroyed as well by famine as by fire and bloud and all the rest of the Iewes miserably driuen from Ierusalem into far Countries and sold ouer all the world The Emperour Adrian would not that the Citie of Ierusalem should any more retaine his auncient name but hauing againe made it he called it by his owne name Aelia Capitolina Honorius and Eusebius say that hee made Edicts be published whereby it was not lawfull for the Iewes no not so much as to regard a farre off their Country of Iudea The first so terrible a destruction might haue sufficiently taught them that the kingdome was taken from them as the Prophets had foretold But God would that a second time they should feele a punishment almost as horrible
medowes and possessions and their goods should be common and distributed to nourish Ministers the poore and Notaries called Protonotaries which writ the Acts of the Martyrs Origines the tenth yeare of the Empire of Alexander fled from Alexandria into Cesaria of Palestine for a popular sedition there Some say hee was marteried vnder Alexander For although Alexander fauoured the Christians yet were many martyred by his Officers For he made no Edict to prouide for the affaires of the Christians Pontian a Romane Bishop of Rome ruled 6. yeares or nine after Damasus Two Decretall Epistles are attributed vnto him which haue this common argument with many others not to molest nor accuse Priests By Damasus it is attributed vnto him that hee should ordaine sixe Priestes 5. Deacons and 6. Bishops Martian the Scottish Historiographer saith that Pontian was sent into exile into Sardinia the first yeare of Maximin At this time at Rome were 36. Priests Cardinalls that is to say eminent and principall amongst others which especially had care of the saluation of soules Of which they say Marcellius ordained 15. to bury the dead and to baptise Children Our Cardinalls of this time would heere take their originall But indeed they beganne in the time of Innocent the fourth about the yeare of Christ 1244. Iulius Maximin borne in Thrace 26. Emperour without authoritie of the Senate but by the Souldiers because he was a great and puissant man he raigned about three yeares A man inhumane and furious he was slaine of the souldiers at the age of 60. yeares with his sonne of the age of 19. yeares and their bodies cast into the Riuer He raised the sixt persecution against the Christians and especially against the Doctors of the Church for hatred to Manea the mother of Alexander his Predecessor of whose death he was culpable and with his owne hands murdered the houshold seruants of the said Alexander The Romane Senate for hatred it bare vnto Maximin chose new Emperours to maintaine the Common-wealth namely Pupian Balbin and Gordian The two first were slaine in the Pallace at Rome by a sedition of warriors and Gordian remained alone Emperour In this time some Historiographers of small authoritie say that Syriacke was the successor of Pontian as Fasciculus tempo Henry de Hereford Bergomensis and Naucler yet is there not one approoued Author or Historiographer which makes any mention of this Siriake They say that he occupied the state a yeare three moneths and 13. dayes and that after he went to Almaigne into Colongue with a great number of Virgines and that there he was Martired with them And the reason why he was raced out of the Catalogue of the Bishops of Rome they say it was because that willingly he forsooke his dignitie against the will of the Cleargie Let euery one iudge what faith such Historians merite or such authors or forgers of Decretall Epistles attributed to Romane Bishops Celsire an Epicurian Philosopher writ then a booke which he Intituled The Truth wherein hee pursued the Christians with villanies lies Origen writ eight bookes against him Anter Damasus saith that by Nation he was a Grecian Isnarda writeth that he came to be Bishop of Rome because Pontian going away substituted him There is great difference in the supputation of the time of his gouernment Euseb giueth him a moneth Damasus 12. yeares and a moneth A Decrerall Epistle is attributed vnto him vnto the Bishops of Betique and Toledo wherein hee pronounceth it lawfull for Bishops to remoue from one place to an other if necessitie require it and the profit of the Church he was Martired vnder Maximin Fabian Bishop of Rome after Anter. a Romane gouerned 13. or 14. yeares His election is described too miraculous namely by a Doue See Eusebius 51.6 Chap. 19. Three Decretall Epistles are attributed vnto him that the Constitutions of the seuen Sub-deacons which ought alwaies to be with the Notaries which gather together the deedes of the Martyrs Hee was Martired and his wife Darfosa vnder Decius vnto whom he was married before his being Bishop Gordian chosen by the Senate was a Prince of a noble heart wee finde not that hee made any cruell Edicts against the Christians After he had raigned sixe yeares he was subtilly slaine by Phillippes which succeeded him Many heresies which rose vp in former times renewed at this time At Rome Proclus mainteined the heresie of the Cataphrygians Berillus who otherwise was an excellent Doctor in Arabia fell into the heresie of Artemon which denied Christ to haue bene before his Incarnation Origines disputed against him Vnder Gordian there was so great an Ecclips that the day-light seemed an obscuritie as darke as the night There was also so terrible an Earthquake that some whole Townes were swallowed with the ouerturne of the earth Gordian obteined many victories against the Persians and chased Sapor King of the Persians euen to Antioch which then was held of the Persians He recouered both Cares and Nisible and by this meanes came it to passe that the East was brought subiect vnto the Romane Empire Iulius Capitolin rehearseth it in Gordians life To confute Berillus a Councell was held vnder Gordian at Philadelphia in Arabia where Origenes was who ouercame him and brought him into a good way M. Iulius Phillippus an Arabian with his sonne also called Phillip succeeded Gordian in the Empire They were Christians conuerted vnto the Faith by Pontian or Pontius a Romane Senator and baptized by Fabian Hee his mother Seuera and his sonne Philip desirous to resort into the company of the Christians Fabian would admit them vnto the last Vigiles of Easter although he had great desire to persist in the congregation and prayers of Christians vntill he had confessed his sinne which was a murder as is thought and ioyned himselfe with them of whose sinnes Inquest was made and so placed amongst the Repentants Eusebius Lib. 6. Chap. 34. This Philip refused not to do but accomplished whatsoeuer was enioyned him by the Bishop In the raigne of this Philip there were Heretickes in Arabia which mainteined that the soules die with the bodies and that together they shall rise at the day of Iudgement Origines went towards them beeing sent thither and confounded them There are at this day certaine Anabaptistes which say that when man dyeth his soule sleepeth vntil the day of iudgement which is an execrable heresie There were other Heretickes called Helchescites as Eusebius saith Lib. 6. Chap. 38. or Elsecians after Epiphanius and Saint Augustine which dwelt in Arabia in the Region of the Moobites They reiected the Epistles of Saint Paul and mainteined that in the time of persecution it was no sinne to renounce the Faith with the mouth if so bee the heart remained faithfull This Heresie was before sowne by Basilides and confounded by Agrippa Castor an excellent Doctor O what great hurt this wicked heresie hath
of the poore he caused the vessells vailes and other precious things of the Temple to be solde Sozomene lib. 4. cap. 25. And Hierome ad Rusticum accuseth Bishops which vsurpe and make proper that which is common If the liberalitie of Emperours failed the Churches defrayed the charges of Bishops and all others that went to Sinodes Theodoret. lib. 2 cap. 16. Libraries The bookes of the holy scripture which for the most part were lost during the persecutions at this time by the benificence of the Emperour Constantine were written in great dilidence and with magnificence worthy of such an Emperour By the witnes of Athanasius it is plain inough that in the Chrians Temples there were Libraries and therein he accuseth the impietie of the Arrians which tooke out these bookes burnt them Hierome against Rufin makes mention of the Librarie at Cesaria It appeares by the Acts of a Romane Sinode held vnder Siluister that the Romane Church mainteined certaine Notaries to write the acts of the Martirs Schooles There were also Schooles of two sorts Ethnicks or Philosophicall and Ecclesiasticall Nazianzenus in the death of his brother Cesarius makes mention of the Schooles of Palestine wherein he learned Rhethoricke Lactantius held that of Nicomedia Ephiphanius a Sophister kept that of Laodicea That of Cesaria in Cappadocia was renowned bicause Constantius caused Gallus and Iulian his children to be taught there But aboue al that of Alexandria was most famous for blind Didimus who ruled there Rufin Lib. 2. Cap. 7. And Basilius calleth it a goodly shape of all doctrine In Europe that of Athens because of letters was of most acount wherin Iulian had for condisciples Basile and Gregorie Nazianzenus as the said Gregorie witnesseth in his Inuectiue against Iulian. Victorinus Affrican taught at Rome Rhethorike See Hierome in his Treatife of Illustrious men The Salarie or reward was to professors payde after the lawe of Constantine conteined in the title de profess med in the Code At this time there was a man called Arrius a professor in the schoole of Alexandria in Egipt whose Heresie did miserably torment and distract the vnion of the Church He was a man swelled with ambition and presumption One day hauing heard in the congregation of the faithfull Alexander Bishop of Alexandria subtilly and learnedly disputing of the diuine essence after he had shewed that the vnitie thereof was in a priuitie Arrius Logician rather then a Theologian began to dispute and vomit out the pâ—ison he had long time gathered Epip Lib. 2. Tome 2. Necesie 69. rehearseth that Arrius was now found in an errour that Melitius a Bishop in Thebaide accused before Alexander his Bishop who after that looked to him more narrowly and tooke heed to his subtilties Such a care had Bishops at this time one of an other that no euill should goe forward Arrius maintained the Sonne of God to be a creature and the holy Ghost created of him But with what arguments and babble of words he vsed to confirme his error it should be superfluous to rehearse There are long Epistles of Arrius to Alexander and of Alexander to all Churches by which one may more at large know the spring of all this infection Alexander at the beginning sought to stop this euill by silence But seeing that Eusebius Bishop of Nicomedia tooke vpon him the cause of Arrius in hatred of the Church of Alexandria Alexander not onely published the Apostasie of Arrius but also excommunicated him and his adherents as Heretickes and Schismatickes which would maintaine that God was sometimes without being Father and that the Sonne was a creature and made who knew not perfectly and exactly the Father It is straunge how so cursed an errour should in so litle time subuert so many Bishops yea the most learned not onely of the East Church but of the West also Epiph. saith that Arrius being chased away went into Palestine But Alexander hasted Letters euery where to the number of seuentie to aduertise the Bishops of Arrius his doings who was receiued of his Protector Eusebius Arrius in the meane time sent Letters to Alexandria naming him Pope and his Bishop The great Councell of Nice Anno domini 320. These debates and contentions brought great dolour and care vnto the good Emperour Constantine and incontinent to giue order therefore seeing this euill from day to day got the vpper hand sent Hosius Bishop of Corduba in Spaine to Alexander a man of great pietie and authoritie with his Letters Patents to the Church to finde meanes to extinguish this fire whose flames were blowne all ouer Eusebius reciteth the Tenure of Constantines Letters full of all pietie in the life of the said Emperour Lib. 2. Hosius furnished with these Letters came into Egipt and did all that he could to agree Alexander Arrius but in vaine Whereof the Emperour being aduertised was more grieued then before at the request of the Bishops and instance of Alexander as witnesseth Rufin lib. 1. cap. 1. ordained at his owne charge an vniuersal Sinode at Nice a town of Bithinia the yeare of Christ 320. after some and the yeare of his Empire 17. At which Sinode from all the parts of the earth came Bishops and the number was 250. after Socrates li. 1. ca. 8. besides Priests Deacons A colites other multitudes Theodoret. li. 1. ca. 7. saith 318. Bishops and this is about the number wherof the most part of the Elders agree that haue written thereof Some say that the Emperour before he assembled this generall Sinode had caused Arrius to come vnto him and in the presence of some Bishops hauing enquired of his heresie Arrius with an oath answered that he bred no heresies then straight the Emperour in the presence of all said If thou hast sworne with a good conscience that thy oath be made with a full faith then departest thou an Innocent But if falsly thou callest God to witnesse let him whom thou hast offended take vengeance So many spake for him which he before had gained Notwithstanding the Emperour writ large Letters that men should take heede of Arrius that they builded not their Faithes vpon his heresies These letters beganne with these words Constantine the great Augustus c. The place for the Sinode was in the Emperours Pallace wherein hee had placed seates couenable and conuenient for each state and degree The Emperours seate was in the first ranke and it was couered with Golde as Eusebius saieth in his life Liber 3. Hee himselfe made the first exhortation to enter into the matter wherevnto by consent of all Eustachius Bishop of Antioche had charge to answere The Emperour the better to agree with them proposed the great crueltie and tirannie of the persecutions passed that now peace was open vnto them and that it should be a straunge thing the outward enemies being vanquished to stirre vp warres within Theodoret. Lib. 1. Cap. 7. Amongst the Bishops which were there assembled
saith that the Towne was dedicated by him the yeare of his Empire 28. and as he had taken the Empire diuided and vnited it in his person so he diuided it againe as a paternall heritage and made a partition thereof amongst his children whom whilest he liued he created Cesars one after an other that is to say Constantine his eldest sonne Anno. 10. Constantius the second Anno. 20. and Constans the youngger Anno. 30. Whose Empires were very turbulent and endured but 24. yeares 5. moneths 12. dayes according to the Chronicle of Hierome Constantine the Father died at Nicomicha after he had liued 66. yeares and raigned 31. yeares Pompon Laet. Licinius the sonne of Constantia sister of Constantine the great and Crispus sonne of the said Constantine the great with his said son Constantine the eldest were created Caesars the yeare of the Lord 316. But the wickednes of Fausta the wife of Constantine the great caused the death of Licinius and Crispus and many other noble personages See Aure. Victor and Pompo Laet. Crispus was instructed by Lactantius Constantine the eldest sonne of Constantine the great was Emperour with his two brethren after the father the yeare of our Lord 338. The Empire was thus parted namely that Constantine should enioy Gaul Spaine and England Constance should haue Italie with Slauonia and Greece And Constantius should holde Constantinople with the East This partition contented not Consantine hee raised warre against his brother Constance being proud of his Army of Gaul but warring more couetously then warily was ouerthrowne by an ambush nigh to Aquilea and being wounded in diuers places dyed there hauing raigned but three whole yeares and liued 25. See Bapt. Egnat and Pomp. Laet. Constance after he had vanquished his elder brother passing the Alpes came to make warre in Gaul and in two yeares with great difficultie conquered the Countrey which his brother had in partition He at the beginning gouerned well but after gaue himselfe to pleasures and at last became odious to all men So that in the end they conspired against him as he was at hunting and was slaine by the deuice and treason of Magnentius who vsurped his Empire yet he had saued this Magnentius his life Constance liued thirtie yeares and raigned fourteene See Pomp. Laet. Constantius had for his part the Empire of Constantinople with the East Hee vanquished Vetranio who made himselfe Emperour in Hungarie after the death of Cōstance Moreouer to reuenge the death of his said brother Constance hee made great warre against Magnentius In the first battaile there were slaine of one part and the other 53000. fighting men Magnentius had the worst And againe making head was ouercome nigh Lions Constantius was suspected vpon enuie and ambition to haue made away Dalmatius his Cousin-germain a vertuous man who better resembled Constantine the great then his owne father and who was appointed for a copartner with the said Constantius when he had his partition But Constantius liued not long after For as he was going the second time against the Persians vnderstanding that Iulian had made himselfe Augustus he tooke a Feuer and dyed the yeare of his age 40. and of his Kingdome 24. See Eutrop. Aurel. Vict. Pompon Laet. and Bapt. Egn. The Sinode of Sardis in her Sinodall Letters calleth Iulius their friend and companion Theodoret. lib. 2. chap. 8. It followeth that the Bishop or Archbishop of Rome had not the pretended superioritie It seemeth that Iulius was dead when Constantius hauing tamed the tyrannie of Magnentius and Syluanus hee was in Italie to appease the discordes of Athanasius his cause Liberius borne in Rome his father being called Augustus succeeded Iulius the yeare of Christ after S. Hierome 352. about the 12. yeare of Constance Empire his confession was agreeing vnto the Catholique faith and writ to Athanasius very Christianly of God the Father God the Sonne and God the holy Ghost as may be seene in his Epistle which is affixed to the workes of Athanasius Athanasius in the Epistle to them which leade solitary liues rehearseth how Liberius was subuerted The Emperour Constans sent to Rome one named Eusebius an Eunuke with Letters wherby he threatned him exile and on the other side tempted him with presents to induce him to cōsent with Arrius and to subscribe to the condemnation of Athanasius Liberius despised both his menaces and gifts as a sacrifice of blasphemie Whereat the Emperour being exceedingly grieued found meanes to get him out of Rome and being come to him threatned him with death But Liberius manfully answered I am ready to endure all rather then of Christians we should be accounted Arrians Why what art thou said the Emperour that with one wicked man troublest all the world The word of Faith said Liberius dependeth not vpon multitude He was then banished by this Emperour Constans into Berrea which is a Towne in Thrace Where after hee had bene two yeares he was called home as saith Theodoret his restitution after some was accorded by the Emperour at the request of many Romanes and of the Westerne Bishops The same saith Athanasius in the before alleadged Epistle Also that Liberius after his two yeares exile feared with threatnings and apprehension of death sealed to the condemnation of Athanasius Ruffin saith the same and Hierome as Baleus saith writeth that by ambition Liberius fell into the heresie of Arrius being once fallen from the integritie of faith We finde some constitutions of Liberius namely not to make noises in fasting time that times of fasting and Lent bee not polluted by the act of marriage that in time of famine and pestilence men should appease the Lords anger by fasting almes and prayers An aduertisement The principall felicitie and ornament of the Church of this time was the multitude of excellent Doctors which by their doctrine sought so farre as in them lay to conserue multiply the puritie of doctrine But this felicitie was greatly obscured partly by the multitude of heretickes and partly by the rage of seditious people and schismatickes In so much that since the time of the Apostles there was no Church that hath endured more dissentions combats and diuisions within it then that of this world Wherevpon by good right Basile the great in a certaine poeme writing of the iudgement of God complaineth saying I haue liued the age of a man and I haue seene great concord amongst the Arts and Sciences But in the Church of God alone for which Iesus Christ dyed I haue obserued so many dissentions that it is altogether dissipated and wasted And comming to the cause As I searched saith he the cause I remembred the place of the booke of Iudges where it is written That then euery one did whatsoeuer hee thought good in his owne eyes Great persecutions were vnder Constantius after the death of Constans against the Catholike Doctors and Bishops by the Arrians Many were put to death euen within the Temples others
but really Iulian was instituted in his youth in pietie vnder Eusebius Bishop of Nicomedia as Laetus saith but after he had tasted the Schooles of Philosophie and Rhethoricke vnder Libanius the Sophister and Maximus the Philosopher whom Valentinien the Emperour after caused to be executed for exercising Magicall Artes all that godlinesse which he had learned was chaunged into Ethnike superstition yea Eutropius saith that Iulian in his youth was a Reader in the Church of Nicomedia Moreouer he was a man learned in humane Letters and exercised in deeds of warre ambitious and cruell which he shewed hauing bin cause of the death of his brother Gallus Ierome in the Epistle to Nepotian saith that Iulian denied Iesus Christ in France Beeing then altogether revolted from Religion hee was surnamed the Apostate Hee first forbad Christians to keepe no schooles of humane Letters nor bookes of Philosophie or Poesie For he had often this word in his mouth These Galleleans so called he Christians will make warre vpon vs with our owne writings if they be once armed He liked better to proceed against Christians by long torments and insupportable griefes then by great effusion of bloud For he knew well inough that the former persecutions were the cause of the multiplication and glory of Christians Socrat. lib. 3. chap. 13. Theodoret. lib. 3. chap. 8. The chief persecution that he could deuise was to doo the same in the Temples of Painims that the Christians did in their Churches at their ordinary assemblies in Churches Lectors prayers releeuing of poore hospitalls and such like things which he opposed in the name of Painim Gods Valentinian entring one day into the Temple of Fortune with Iulian being angry at the casting of certain holy water vpon him saying that it rather defiled then clensed him strooke him that cast it But Iulian would haue constrained him to sacrifice vnto the Idolls but he chose rather to forsake all then to commit such a villanie Iulian then banished him the Court alleadging this for a shewe that he had negligently gouerned his souldiers For Iulian the most that he could dissembled that the crueltie he exercised was for the Christian Religion He tooke from Christian Churches all their goods Immunities honours and the prouision of reuenewes which Constantine had assigned thē He destroyed their churches tooke away their treasures and vessels and caused the Temples of the Painims to be repaired he suffred not them to dwell in townes but banished them vnto the extreame and outward parts of the Empire and gaue licence to vse vnto them all contumelies and shames Wherfore in Ascolon and Gaza townes in Palestine great outrages were done vnto them For Christians there were beaten euen to death They of Gaza stoned many of the faithfull opened women and filled their bellies with barley then made them be eaten with swine Theoret li. 3. cha 7. The sacred virgins were exposed naked and after they had shewed vnto them all kinds of reproaches they were cut in peeces and then cast to beasts In some places the Christians were laid aliue sacrificed vpon the Aultars of the Painims It is recited by Nicephorus li. 10. chap. 13. And when the Christians by their embassadors would haue shewed these iniuries vnto Iulian to take order therefore they had no audience allowed And if at any time he made a countenance that he would chastise them that did such outrages by countenance again he rather incited then repressed them Sozom lib. 5. chap. 15. Yea he fell into such impietie and malice to vexe the Christians that the fountaines in Antioche by his commaundements were dedicated vnto Idols in sacrifices and oblations thinking thereby to pollute the Christians and to make them to bee partakers of such abhominations whensoeuer they vsed these fountaine waters yea the flesh that came to the Butchers stall bread fruites and other such like things which were necessary for life hee made them bee sacrificed to Idolls by the Priests The Christians with great sorrowe were constrained to see a detestable and abhominable prophanation yea and to vse these fountaines and viands thus infected and polluted beeing instructed by the doctrine of S. Paul to take with a good conscience whatsoeuer came to the Butchery and that which is necessarie to the common life These were two excellent Captaines Inuentius and Maximianus who at a certaine banquet deploring this prophanation of the goods of God applyed the complaint of the captiue children in Babilon to the time of Iulian. Lord thou hast deliuered vs vnto a wicked King and wee are made slaues vpon the earth c. Which thing beeing reuealed vnto the Emperour he made them come before him They there declared their iust complaint more at large then before seeing they had the meane giuen them to speake vnto him The Emperour condemned them to grieuous torments not as Christians but as iniurious and offering opprobry and shame to his Maiestie for he greatly enuied that word and honor of Martyr And this enuy made him assay all means to torment them before hee would come to execute them by iudgement Iulian burnt with desire to goe against the Persians who had cruelly afflicted the East and affected the name of Partrike But before he enterprised that Act which was his last he promised his Gods that at his returne from this expedition he would yet commit more greeuous things against the Christians then before Ruffin Lib. 1. Chap. 36. Doret Lib. 3. Chap. 21. Of this euill will he shewed sufficient witnesse for in the middest and as it were in the heate of this Persian warre hee tooke leisure to vomit out seuen bookes against Iesus Christ although before he contented himself to write against Christians as Eutropius saith And indeed being in this expedition he prepared a Skaffolde in the Towne of Ierusalem at his returne to place there the Bishops Monkes and the faithfull of these places and to expose them vnto beasts Basile and other good Doctors did all their duties to goe hither and thither to comfort exhort Christians both publikely and particularly nor did meddle nor pollute thēselues with the abhominatiōs of the Gentiles but to detest them yea the gifts and honours which the Emperour proposed to such as renounced Christianitie Here we must not forget the Prophetike answere which a Schoolemaister in Antioche made to Libanius a Sophister when Iulian went against the Persians Libanius demaunded of him mocking Christ What thinkest thou doth the Carpenters sonne at this time The Schoolemaister answered O Sophister the Creator of al things whom thou calledst the Carpenters son makes a coffin to enclose Iulian. Soone after newes came that Iulia was slaine But behold what was the end of this cursed Apostate Iulian After he had passed the Sea Bosphore he wintered in Antioche As soone as the Spring came passing by Hierapolis hee went into Mesopotamia and after he had passed the floud hee fought against the
the Gothes Viscoths Huns and Scyths who hauing passed Danubia ran vpon Hungaria Epire and Thessalia endammaging much the countrey and burning certaine Townes He was ouercome and flying was wounded with a Dart and so fell from his horse and was put in a litle strawe-house to be healed Alanus the Victor pursued him the house whereinto he went was burnt none knowing he was retired thither This was the reward of his tirannie and crueltie against the faithfull And this came to him three yeares after the death of his brother hauing raigned fourteene yeares This battaile was the beginning of great warre that the Romane Empire after sustained Gratian sonne of Valentinian raigned eight yeares with his Vncle Valens three and with Theodosius 4. But his true Kingdome began after the death of Valens the yeare of our Lord 380. Hee reuoked from Exile the Catholique Bishoppes and put backe the Arrians He made Valentinian his litle brother on the fathers side his companion of the Empire Hauing called Theodosius out of Spaine hee gaue him part of the East Empire establishing him as a Ram-part against the Gothes and Huns which occupied Thrace and Daceas as their hereditary countreys Theodosius handled them hardly At his comming he obtained a great victorie against the Almaines But as he cherished too much some of those barbarous Nations which hee caused to come with him hyring them with Gold his owne souldiers bare him euill will insomuch that Maximus was chosen Emperour in England and passing into Fraunce with the Romane Army ouercame Gratian at Paris who fled to Lions where he was taken and killed trayterously by Androgius See Pomp. Laet. Aurel. Vict. Bapt. Egn. lib. 1. Paul Diac. lib. 1. and Oros lib. 7. chap. 33. Theodosius began his true Kingdome after the death of Gratian the yeare 386. He was of the line of Traian who was also sent by the Emperor Nerua to help the Common-wealth Theodosius maintained and amplified the Empire hee put to flight the Huns and Gothes in diuers battailes which came very farre into the Empire hee also graunted peace to the Persians Valentinian the second of that name the brother of the aforesaid Gratian on his fathers side being chased from Italie by Maximus with Iustin his mother Arrian which had wrought great troubles to Ambrose fled into the East towards Theodosius who receiued him and gaue him part of the Empire after hauing shewed him his fault and that because he rebelled against religion and persecuted the Catholiques he fel into this perill Valentinian was strangled seuen yeares at Vienna in Fraunce by his Chamberlaines at the suggestion of Eugenius and of Arbogastes So that it seemed he had strangled himselfe Theodosius tarried not long before hee ouercame Maximus vsurper of the Gaulois and Victor his sonne and Androgius their Coronell which caused Gratian to die Auenging the death of Valentinian he ouercame Eugenius the Tyrant and Arbogastes his companion in a notable victorie For the time the windes the snowe and hayle ranged themselues on his side who had fewe people in respect of the Armie of Eugenius Claudians Latine verses with exclamation witnesse it saying O welbeloued of God who gaue thee a winter armed for thy successors and made come to thy wages the Tempests and the windes c. The said Iustin hauing drawne into her errour Valentinian her sonne sought also to haue deceiued Ambrose but in vaine One day she sent a sort of souldiers to enuiron the Temple to make Ambrose come out who spake to them and said hee would not so easily forsake his place and that to wolues hee would not expose the sheepfolde nor the Temple to blasphemers And that if they determined to sley him let them do it within the temple and so should death please him Theodo li. 5. chap. 13. Reliques The beginning of adoration of Reliques may be reduced to this time Ruffin writeth of Theodosius before hee enterprised warre against Eugenius the tyrant himselfe went with the Priests visiting the Churches and before the Sepulchres of the Apostles made his Orisons and Praiers The contention betwixt Hierome and Vigilantius prest Bishop of Bercolne in Spaine doth sufficiently shewe that superstition was then come forward By the writings of Hierome which are stuffed rather with iniuries outrages then sound reasons out of the holy scriptures we may know that Vigilantius had reason to oppose himselfe to such Idolatry rather then veneration of the Martyrs The words of Hierome writing to Riparius are Thou saist that Vigilantius openeth againe his stinking mouth and spitteth his infection against the reliques of holy Martyrs calling vs which receiue them Cendrier Idolaters which do reuerence vnto dead mens bones And in the booke which he perticularly writ against Vigilantius saith One Vigilantius is risen vp which with an vncleane spirit against the spirit of Christ denieth that we must honour the Sepulchres of Martyrs condemneth Vigils c then addeth And thou sayest in thy booke that as long as we liue we may pray one for an other but after we be dead that the prayers are not heard and yet they pray for the vengeance of their bloud and cannot be heard In which thou proposest vnto me an Apogrypha Booke which thou and the like readest vnder the name of Esdras where it is written that after death none dare pray c. And thou darest out of the gulfe of thy brest vomit so filthy a mockery as to say the soules of Martyrs then loue their owne ashes and flie about them for being absent they cannot heare a poore sinner who by chance resorteth thither c. Briefly he alleadgeth for great meruailes whatsoeuer Vigilantius said but refuteth it not Hee addeth also that Vigilantius heretike saide that Alleluia should not be sung but at Easter That continencie of single life commaunded is heresie and the seede of whoordome It is also reported vnto me saith hee that against the authoritie of Paul vnto whom Peter Iohn and Iames gaue the right hands who commaunds to remember the poore thou forbiddest that any should send any comfort of money to Ierusalem for the vse of the Saints and maintainest that they doo better which vse their owne and which by litle and litle distribute fruites of their possessions then they which hauing solde their possessions giue all at once He saith yet Thou fearest and turnest away viperous tongue Monkes from their application and studie and sayest by way of argument If all men should shut themselues vp or goe into solitude who should celebrate Churches or who should gaine and winne seculer men c. Wee may know by this rehearsall that Vigilantius and other good Doctors of this time maintained that the adoration of Saints was drawne from the Ethnike superstition of the Gods into the Church of the Lord. The abuse came first from the too great praise of Saints It encreased afterward by the false perswasion of the intercession confirmed by signes and lying miracles The
Pope of Rome gouerned the Romane Church a yeare fiue moneth and 12. dayes Naucler He was by force promoted to his dignitie by Theodatus King of Italie who corrupted by siluer constrained the Cleargie to chuse Syluerius without the consent of the Emperour Theodora the wife of the Emperour Iustinian at the instigation of Vigilius Deacon required Syluerius to call again from exile Anthemius and to restore him to the dignitie from which he had bene cast and depriued for his heresie and so to put out Mennas Syluerius would not do this Bellisarius had commission to depriue him of the Popedome and to appoint vnto it Vigilius who subborned false witnesses which affirmed that Syluerius had intelligence with the Gothes and that he would haue deliuered them the Towne of Rome Wherefore Syluerius was constrained to giue place and goe into exile In the second volume of Councells At this time Italie was greatly afflicted with an extreame famine Maurus a Romane and Faustus an Italian Disciples of Saint Benet were sent into France to teach the Monastike life and at the request of the French men who sent messengers to S. Benet to the Mount Cassim Amator a Bishop sent some siluer to Siluerius to maintaine him in exile Syluerius gaue sentence of excommunication against Vigilius The Feast of Purification was at that time instituted in Constantinople to appease a great pestilence Abb. Vrsp. This is Candlemas which then was called Hypapanthy that is to say an encounter or meeting For then Simeon founde Christ whom hee hadde so long attended Liberius made fiue bookes of the Incarnation of out Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ and a booke against the Bishops of Affrike Iustinian compiled the Romane lawes first the Code containing 12. bookes Secondly the Digestes Thirdly the Institutes Fourthly an Epitome of Lawes The warre in Italie against the Ostrogothes by Bellisarius Leonard Attelin Iustinian in his new Constitutions ordained that all Bishops and Priests should celebrate the prayers of Baptisme and of the Lords Supper with an high voyce and with words vnderstood of all Christians to the end that the spirits of the Auditors might be lifted vp with greater deuotion to sing praises vnto the Lord. Vigillius borne at Rome gouerned the Romane Church 14. yeares after Naucier or 8. yeares 6. moneths and 26. dayes after others hee entred wickedly into the papacie It was hee also that ordained that the Masse should be said towards the East Rome was taken and burnt by Totila at this time The first vniuersall Councell was now held at Constantinople of 165. Bishops by the commaundement of Iustinian the Emperour and at the request of Vigilius against Anthemius Seuerus Peter of Antioche Zona and other heretikes who said that the Virgin Marie brought forth Iesus Christ onely Man and not God and man There againe it was agreed that it is well said Marie the mother of God The yeare of Christ 551. Rome was taken the second time of the Gothes by Totila the scourge of God before whom came Vigilius or after Nauclerus Pelagius In this time besides the warre and famine which was in Italie there was also a sore plague in so much that houses were inhabited by sauage beasts Benet the younger was cast into a burning furnace by the commaundement of Totila Herculien Bishop of Peruse had his head sawne off by the same In this time were held the Councels of Orleance the second and third or fourth and fift after some In the 10. Chapter of the second Councell it was ordained that a Christian should not take a Iewe to wife nor that a Christian woman should marry a Iewe and such communication was vnlawfull and if they were ioyned they ought to bee seperated In the third Councell wherein Honoratus Arch-bishoppe was President Chapter 2. it was ordained that no Priest Deacon or Subdeacon should haue the company of his wife otherwise that he should be deposed from his office and remitted into the communion of Lay-people In the 16. Chapter it was ordained that the Deacon before 25. and the Priest before 30 yeares should not be ordained Many in this time were infected with the Priscillian heresie abstaining from eating flesh A Councell held now at Auuerne Vigillius being come to the Popedome by the deceit and subtilties of the Empresse Theodora shee commaunded him to come vnto Constantinople and to restore Athemius as hee had promised but hee refused to doo it saying that iustly he was cast out by Agapetus and Syluerius and that therefore he was not bound to keepe his promise which hee made against all right and reason Theodora very angry hereat sent an Embassage to Rome to drawe Vigillius into Lawe for the iniurie done by him in casting Syluerius into exile Item for the plot by him laid for the death of a young man of the chiefe Nobilitie called Asterius and of one which was his Secretarie Vpon these matters the Embassador arriuing at Rome was aided of the Romanes and they tooke Vigilius and lead him to Constantinople and as hee embarked the people cast stones at him with these Imprecations A famine bee with thee a mortalitie be with thee thou hast done a thousand mischiefes to the Romanes euill enough maiest thou finde where thou goest Doo said hee what you will vnto mee for I haue well deserued it And as he approached nigh vnto Constantinople a great multitude of the Cleargie mette him and conducted him into the Towne Theodora in the meane while ceased not to sollicite Vigillius of his promise and to restore Anthemius To whom Vigilius saide that hee would rather endure all things whatsoeuer then doo it He was grieuously afflicted iniuried and outraged and drawne out of the Temple of S. Sophie or Euphemie whereinto hee was fledde for safetie and refuge One put a rope or corde about his necke and ledde him all ouer the Towne from morning till night This done hee was put in prison fed with bread and water and finally sent into exile with the Cleargie which accompanied him at his entrie After the death of Theodora hee was called againe with all such as went with him at the request of the Captaine Narses but in the way he fell sick and died in Sicile at the Citie of Siracusa Denis Abbot a Romane made the great Pascall Cicle in this time Item a booke of the reason of the Feast of Easter Abb. Trit Arator a Subdeacon at Rome wrote the Acts of the Apostles in Hexamiter Verses Radegonde Queene of Fraunce the wife of Clotharius who was King of France after the death of his brother Hildebert Pelagius a Romane gouerned the seate 12. yeares hee was accused to haue bene the principall cause of all Vigilius his euills But in the presence of the Cleargie and people and in the presence of Narses he mounted the Chaire and publikely swore that he neuer did any euill vnto Vigilius and so escaped and was absolued It is hee who
Romane ruled at Rome 10 moneths He was humble and soft Naucler He restored at his great charges the Churches of S. Peter and S. Laurence of S. Valentin and S. Marie aux Martyrs Supp Chron. and gaue to the said Churches many Vessels of Golde and Siluer and many vestments and ornaments The election of the Pope taken from the Emperour The Emperour Constantine mooued with the Popes sanctetie ordained that the election of the Pope from thence forward made of the Cleargie and Romane people should bee stable and sure without any more attending the authoritie of the Emperour or of his Lief-tenant Exarche of Italie without whose authoritie before it was not ratified Naucl. and Supp Chron. Iohn Pope fift of that name of Antioche in Siria gouerned the Romane Church a yeare a man moderate and subiect to diseases He was consecrated as also was Leo the second by three Bishops of Ostia Portensis and Veliterus And this maner was alwaies after obserued The Bishop of Ostia as hee sung Masse put the Crowne on his head Before hee was onely ledde to the Chaire of S. Peter and beeing there set he was holden the true Pope without other ceremonie The Emperour Constantine died at Constantinople hauing raigned 17. yeares Conon Pope borne at Rome gouerned the Church of Rome one yeare Fasci temp After the death of Pope Iohn the fift there was great contention about the Popes election for the people or the Cleargie elected one called Peter Archbishoppe The Romane Gendarmie corrupted by siluer did chuse Theodorus a Priest a pernitious man After long strife betwixt these two Conon by all their agreements was confirmed He fell sicke incontinently after his election wherevpon he died Some said he would neuer occupie himselfe in secular matters Iustinian or Iustin Emperour second of that name sonne of Constantine the fourth began to raigne of the age of 16. yeares Hee gouerned himselfe so ill that after tenne yeares of his raigne hee was banished See the Sea of Histories Quilian an holy Scottishman preached in Franconia He conuerted Gosbertaine Duke of the same Countrey who kept Ceilam Sillam or Gelana his brothers wife And for that he preached that he ought to leaue her she made him secretly be slaine Fasci temp and Sigeb Beda the Venerable in this time made many bookes and wrote the liues of many Saints Abb. Trit Sergius Pope a Sirian ruled at Rome tenne yeares after Chron. Euseb a noble restorer of Churches There was a great contention and debate for the election of the Pope after the death of Conon Some had chosen Theodorus a very rich man Others Pascall Arch-deacon who had promised a great summe of money to Iohn Platina Exarche if hee were chosen Each of them maintained his election ambitiously But the Cleargie and Romane people seeing that this sedition would cause effusion of bloud tooke counsell to remedie it Wherefore they chose Sergius reiecting the two others The said Sergius was carried into the Church of Laterane and hauing broken the gates they cast out the factious and constrained Theodorus and Pascall to salute Sergius Pope and approoue his election Pascal accused and conuicted of Art Magicke was sent to a Monasterie and there died obstinate Naucler It is attributed vnto him to haue founded a good part of the holy Crosse which euery yeare they worship at Rome Nauclerus Beleeue this who list For in the time of Heraclius the Emperour it was carried to Constantinople The Church of Aquilea not wholly approouing the first after Naucler Chron. Segeb. Paul Diac. or sixt after Fasci Temp. Councell of Constantinople was reduced by Sergius In this time the Saxons yet Painims receiued the Christian Faith by the meanes of this Sergius After Suppl Chron. The yeare 688. Ebroine a French Tyrant was slaine in his bedde Theodoricke the King of Franc was buried in the Abbey of S. Vaast of Arras whereof hee was founded with his wife called in her Epitaph Doda Clouis third of that name King of France 16. raigned 14. yeares Sergius sent Vmbred to the Frisons to conuert them to the faith Rabed their Duke would not accord thereunto alleadging that it were more meete to followe many then fewe But afterward beeing vanquished in warre by Pippin Grand-maister of Fraunce the Frisons receiued the Faith beeing instructed by Willibrot Bishoppe or Clement after some The Emperour Iustinian broke his faith giuen to the Sarrasins and fought against them wherein he was not happie And after without necessitie brake the peace which his father hadde made with the Bulgarians and entered into the one and the other Misia where hee put all to fire and sword but the Bulgarians ceazed vppon the passages and straights and shut them in so well that they constrained them to doo what they would Hee beeing returned to Constantinople did so many euils to the Christians that euerie one hated him so that they conspired against him and chased him away Leontius vsurped the Empire tooke Iustinian and cut his nosthrills and sent him into exile into Pontus and raigned three yeares Some call him Leond second Emperour 68. The Sarrasins seeing such troubles among the Christians came into Affrica Childebert second of that name 17. King of France raigned 18. yeares Hee founded the Abbey of S. Albane in Angiers Lambert Bishop of Liege was reuoked from exile but because hee reprehended the adulterie of Pippin hee was cruelly slaine by Dodon brother of the Adulteresse The saide Dodon and his complices perished miserably within a yeare Hubert succeeded the Bishop of Liege The Histories of France Absimarus otherwise called Tiberius borne at Constantinople was chosen Emperour by the Souldiours for the negligence which they sawe in Leontius that no aide was sent vnto them for the guard of Affrike which they had recouered of the Sarrasins Absimarus then came from Constantinople and tooke Leontius and cut off his nose and imprisoned him in a Monasterie He raigned seuen yeares Naucler Abb. Vrsp. Iohn Pope sixt of that name a Grecian ruled at Rome 3. yeares After the maner of other Popes he was very curious to repaire Churches to adorne Aultars and redeeme captiues with the papall treasure Some write him a Martyr vnder the kings of Lombardie for defending the rights of the church Fasci temp The Venetians at this time beganne to haue a Duke to hinder quarells and disorders of such as gouerned and the enuie which the Lombards bare to their libertie but after as it were repenting themselues they caused many of their first Dukes to die Moreouer the Dukes ornaments differed not from those of a King and all the Senates Letters the publication of them were in the Dukes name yet he had not the bridle loose for a full authoritie Westfalia after some was conuerted to the faith about this time Iohn Pope 7. of that name ruled at Rome two or three yeares diligent to adorne and repaire Churches
Laie person By which answere Charlemaigne being appeased after also that Leo had affirmed by an oath that he was not culpable he declared him absolued and innocent The Pope for these benefites willing to yeelde some pleasure on Christmas day assoone as the King was come from the Church he put the Crowne on his head and pronounced Charlemaigne Emperour of the Romanes without that he had aspired to receiue the Imperiall Crowne And all the Romane people cryed saying Life and victorie be to the thrice Christian Charles alwaies August Crowned of God great and peaceable Emperour And whereas before they vsed to call him by the name of Patrician he was called Emperour the yeare of his raigned 23. and of our saluation eight hundreth and three Hirene Empresse of Constantinople hearing what had beene done at Rome sent three Embassadors towards Charlemaigne to confirme the peace Charlemaigne on his side also sent his Embassadors towards the Empresse for a greater confirmation of peace demaunding her in marriage wherevnto she had consented but for the hinderance by ambushes laid against it as if she would haue solde the Empire by her marriage to strangers Nicephorus then was crowned Emperour and Hirene chased away who passed the rest of her life in exile Nicephorus sent his Embassadors to Charlemaine to renew the alliance vpon those conditions That both should be called Augustes and bretheren together the one of the East and the other of the West That in Italie which is on the side beyond Naples and on the other side beyond Sipont namely all that which stretcheth towards the Sea should belong vnto the Greeke Emperour and the rest to the French Emperour That Venice should be in the middest and as the limitte and border betwixt those two Empires and acknowledge the Maiestie of them both That the Venetians should be subiect neither to the one nor the other but should vse their owne lawes and be the friend of both whether in peace or warre Some say that the Emperour after his Coronation said that if he had knowne the Popes enterprise he would not that day haue entred into the Church Aduertisement Although successiuely there were alwaies Emperors of Constantinople which kept the Romane Empire vntill the Towne was occupied by the Turkes yet because the true brightnesse and Maiestie of the name and of the tuition of the Empire and of Italie was in Charlemaine and his successors we leaue in Nicephorus the Greeke Emperours because they haue not bene like these Therefore leauing the East namely that of Constantinople we will set downe in order the Emperours of the West namely of Rome Charlemaigne then deliuered the Romane seate from all molestations of forraine Princes and atchieued that for which principally hee came into Italie that is to say at the siege of Pauie hauing constrained Didier the last King of the Lombards to yeeld himselfe hee got possession of all Lombardie And to the ende they should no more molest Italie hee droue them away as seditious persons and sent Didier Captiue with his wife and children into the Towne of Liege Paul Diaconus an Historiographer and Secretarie to the said Didier was ledde with him and from that time Charlemaigne made his the Kingdome of Lombardie leauing all the Townes of Italie in theyr accustomed libertie to the ende hee might giue no occasion of trouble vnto the Greeke Emperour About this time Acayus the 65. King of Scots made the first alliance with King Charlemaigne and with Fraunce which hath endured euer since and yet at this present is maintained betwixt these two Nations Tassilo Duke of Bauiere moouing warre against Charlelemaigne lost his Countrey and was put in a Monasterie with his sonne and although hee was Charlemaignes kinsman yet for his faith before violated hee vsed this seueritie towardes him Nicephorus raigned at Constantinople eight or nine yeares whom the Romanes would not acknowledge for Emperour wherevpon there rose great enuie and hatred betwixt them of the East and of the West A Schisme betwixt them of the East and of the West Whatsoeuer agreement was made there was stil enuie and enmitie betwixt the East and the West Emperours and they could not suffer one an other yet this dissention hapned not onely betwixt them but also betwixt the East and the West Churches wherof altogether the Pope was cause in intent to withdrawe and exempt himselfe from the obedience of him of whom he held all his good Charlemaigne inriched many Churches Abbeys and Bishoppricks especially in Almaine the Bishoppricks of Magunce Strasbourge Colongne and Treuers giuing them great priuileges Briefly there were fewe renowmed Churches in Germanie nor in all the two Frances which hee endowed not with some goods and reuenewes Iohannes Scotus a Monke of S. Benet a Disciple of Beda and a companion of Albin or Alcuin Charlemaignes maister wrote vpon S. Mathewe three bookes and other things Abb. Trit Hinmarus Bishop of Rhemes before Monke of S. Deuis wrote two bookes of the life of S. Remy Bishop Tritem Charlemaigne at the last got the vpper hand of the Hungarians and tooke great riches from them for it had bene two hundreth yeares that they did no other thing but pill and spoile all other Nations without beeing pilled themselues After he tamed the Bohemians hauing ouercome their King called Lechon And so in the ende Charlemaigne was peaceable of Italie France Almaine Hungarie and Bohemia So oftentimes the Lord sends puissant Monarkes to repaire things confused as also to represse the insolencie and disordinate dealings of great persons dispersed on the earth Charlemaigne of the age of 72. yeares died at Aix in Almaine of a Feauer and a Plurisie the yeare of his raigne 46. of his Empire 14. and the yeare of Christ 814. hauing instituted the Vniuersitie of Paris and Pauie Lewis Charlemaignes sonne by his wife Hildegarde surnamed Le Debonaire because he was of a soft and gracious spirit was after the death of his father pronounced Emperour by the chiefs of the Kingdome Stephen fourth of that name a Romane being substituted in the place of Leo three monethes after went into Fraunce towards Lewis Debonaire the Emperours to the ende to purge himselfe concerning his election for that against the decrees of Adrian and Leo his predecessors hee had beene chosen and confirmed Pope by the Cleargie and the people of Rome without the counsell and authoritie of the Emperour Wherein we see that the Romane seate is so faithfull an obseruer of her owne lawes and ordinances that the first that succeeds him which made them breakes and transgresseth them But to the end that this flatterer vsing hipocrisie might the rather for a time abuse Lewis hee set on his head a faire Crowne which hee brought with him and an other on the head of the Queene Hirmingarde calling her Auguste or Empresse But the subtil Foxe being recompenced by the Emperour returning and the
for Monkes that for necessitie they might not be withdrawne from holy things There was also graunted Franches and libertie to Monkes Clarkes and Priests that they should not be subiect vnto temporall Lords c. The body of S. Marke was transported from Alexandria to Venice Naucl. After this Councell there were ambushes laid for the Emperor Lewis euen his owne children angry at the second marriage of their father with one called Iudith an audatious woman He sent them farre from him namely Lotharie into Italie Pippin into Aquitane and Lewis into Bauiere Notwithstanding he was imprisoned in the Monasterie of S. Modard at Soissons Iohn le Maire declareth this Historie as followeth In the time of Gregorie the fourth saith he was held a Councell at Campaigne which was detestable and pernitious by the disordinate Prelates of France who grieued that at the former Councell the Emperour had corrected their pompes and disordered superfluities hauing caused them to leaue their Rings they conspired against him and caused the children to take Armes against their father and to take him and hold him in straight guard at Soissons the Pope Gregorie aiding in this exploit Moreouer at the said Councell or rather conuenticle and monopole the said Bishops and Prelates coniured condemned their soueraigne Prince and Lord to lay away Armes and his militarie Girlde and to dispoile himselfe of his Imperiall dignitie and in the place therof to take the Monkes Coole or Frocke O false wicked and Pharasaicall Priestly hypocrisie saith he This is not the first time that thou hast conspired in great disdaine against such as reprehend and correct thee For thou begannest at the head that is at our Lord Iesus Christ But afterward this said Emperour was againe established into his Kingdome by an other better Councell of Bishops and Prelates of France and by the conduct of certaine good Barrons and loyall Captaines of his kingdome being nigh touched with his troubles and griefes His sonnes which had imprisoned him demanded pardon for their fault and villainous enterprise and obtained it See Iohn le Maire Ebdo Archbishop of Rhemes and many other Prelates which had conspired against the king were deposed from their dignities condemned and banished out of France Chron. Sigeb Gregorie the fourth instituted the Feast of All-saints vpon the first day of Nouember Rabanus first Monke of S. Benet and Abbot of Fulden after Bishop of Magunce flourished at this time He expounded all the Bible as well the olde as the new Testament and made many other bookes Strabus a Monke of Fulden a Disciple of Rabanus was the first which made the ordinarie Close which after was augmented Tritem Bertramus Priest a learned man and well instructed in true pietie made a booke of Predestination and an other of the body and bloud of the Lord wherein he speaketh very properly of the Lords Supper He serued for a light to illuminate others in this darke time Turpin Archbishop of Rhemes wrote two bookes of the actes of Charlemaigne Abb. Trit Lewis Debonaire died of the age of 64. yeares hauing raigned 26. and was buried at Mets in the Sepulchre of his mother Hildegarde After his death rose vp a cruell time for whilst his children Lotharie Charles and Lewis were in debates and warres the Sarrasins on the other side lifted vp themselues as also the Saxons with others At a battle giuen at Fountenay a Towne of Auxerrois Lotharie fled to Aixle Chapelle and and from thence to Vienne Lotharie or Lother obtained the Empire 15. yeares The felicitie of that Kingdome acquired by Charlemaigne soone finished in this man whose Empire was diuided He had such debates with his bretheren that one day at an Easter Feast almost all the Nobilitie of France perished at a combat wherein Charles had the victorie Finally there was meanes found of agreement namely that Charles surnamed Le Chaune should be King of France Lewis King of Germanie and Lotharie who was then the eldest should haue Gaul Belgique Prouince and that portion of the Countrey which of his owne name was called Lotharinge that is to say Lorraine He already possessed Italie Lothaire left three sonnes Lewis Lotharie and Charles vnto which he made a partition to Lewis the Empire with Italie to Lothaire Austrasia and Lorraine and to Charles the youngest the Kingdome of Prouince This partition was during his life in the presence of the greatest of his Kingdome After he tooke him to a Monasterie Sergius Pope the second of that name a Romane ruled three yeares His election was confirmed by Lewis the Emperour Lothaires sonne who sent to Rome for that purpose and the said Lewis was crowned King of Italie by Sergius Nauclerus This Sergius was before called Swines Snowte and therefore chaunged his name and so gaue first occasion to his successors to chaunge their names in their election He then and they which followed esteemed more of the name which they receiue at their cursed vnction then that they receiue at their baptisme wherein there is an apparant marke of Antichrist Some there are which by reason of certaine misteries and secrets which were then reuealed count the number of the Beast from this change of the name vntill the 7. yeare of Iulius the second of that name who casting S. Peters keyes into Tiber tooke Saint Pauls Sword whereof wee shall speake in his place This Pope had a brother called Benet who outragiously vsursped to himselfe the Church goods and there was so great couetousnesse at Rome by the carelesnesse of Sergius that Bishopprickes were publikely solde to him that would giue most and no man in authoritie sought any remedie for such an enormitie which they said came because of the Sarrasins comming into Italie Yet hee was very diligent to adorne and repaire Churches and to place many holy bodies in them Supp Chron. He builded a Monasterie nigh the Church of S. Siluester Supp Chron. He added to the priuate Masse the breaking of bread into three peeces Leo Pope 4. of that name a Romane ruled 8. or 9. yeares Hee was presently chosen euen before his predecessor was buried Hee repaired many Temples which the Sarrasins had destroyed He ordained that no Lay-man should presume to enter into the Quier of the Church nor to come nigh the Priest when he sung Masse vnlesse it were to the offering For that place is ordained for them which doo diuine seruice Chron. Euseb Hee also made many Collects and Orisons as Deus cuius dextra beatuÌ„ PetruÌ„ ambulantem in fluctibus c. Item Deus quibeato Petro collatis c. Item Deus quiab ipso huis mundi principio c. Item Presta quaesumus omnipotens misericors Deus c. against the assaultes of the Sarrasins and Earthquakes He builded the Castle of S. Angelo at Rome repaired the walles and gates and builded fifteene Bulâ—arkes for the defence of the Towne And he himsefle went to warre against the
or 10. yeares 6. or 7. moneths and 8. or 10. dayes after the diuersitie of writers In this time Crescentius Momentanus a Consull of Rome had vsurped rule ouer the Towne of Rome and perswaded the Romanes Italians to take againe the Empire Hee so persecuted this Pope Iohn that hee was constrained to flie out of Rome and to soiourne in Tuscane and Lombardie But when he heard that the said Iohn had now the third time sent for succors of the Emperor Otho he sent messengers towards the said Pope to recall him At whose request the Pope returning Crescentius demaunded pardon of him Otho desiring to haue the Emperial crowne hauing gathered together a great army and before hee entred Rome hee made a peace betwixt the Duke of Beneuent and the Duke of Capuae from thence hee came to Rome and was crowned by Gregorie 5. of that name his cofin before called Bruno son of Duke Otho of Saxonie whō he made Pope in the place of Iohn maugre the Romans and by him was crowned Emperour Certain time after Crescentius Conful of Rome corrupted with auarice procured y t the Bishop of Plaisance who was a Grecian by nation a very pernitious man was constituted Pope was called Iohn 18. and held the seate 10. months Gregorie then retyred towards the Emperour to bee reuenged of the iniurie was done him The Emperour sore mooued at that outrage with great power returned to Rome Crescentius vnderstanding of his cōming not trusting in the Roman people caused the Castle de S. Angelo to be fortified And as these things were in doing the Emperor besieged the towns The Romane people more meet for seditiō then to fight desired pardō of y e Emperor opened the gates vnto the Almains Crescentius Pope Iohn being destitute of Councel retired into the fort of the said Castle Some by treason promised them assurance if they would demand pardon of the Emperor They then came downe as they came were surprised Pope Iohn after his eies were put out his mēbers mutilated he was slain Crescentius was set vpō a Mare his face towards the taile his nose eares being cut off hee was led before the Towne for a spectacle vnto all Some say he was hanged without the towne others say his head was cut off R. Barns Therfore Gregory being restored into his Bishoprick seeing the troubles y t in time past had bin for the electiō of Emperors and the variable issues therof assembled a Councel wherein the first ordinance establishment of Electors was decreed to the end the dignitie Emperial should no more remain in one house family by successiō of line This electiō then was giuē to the Germanike natiō which yet holdeth it at this day Sixe Princes were established three Ecclesiasticall that is to say the Archbishoppe of Magunce of Treuers and of Colongne the three other secular were the Marquesse of Brandeberge the Duke of Saxonie and the Counte of Palatine vnto which was giuen the right and power for euer to elect the Emperour With them was ioyned the Duke of Boheme Boheme then had not obteined the title of a kingdome as the seuenth to accord them if peraduenture they were euen in yeares If it be demaunded wherfore so high a dignitie of election was not rather committed to other Princes which then were puissant namely he of Bauieres Sueuia and Franconia Historiographers make no mention thereof But if it be lawfull to set downe some appearance of cause it is certaine that Boheme was a Country meete to maintaine the right of election as a Countrey inuited by nature Saxonie had that honour because the Emperour descended out of that house as also for that it is a very large and puissant Country The Country of Brandeberge held then also on the house of Saxonie and it is likely the Emperour Otho desired to aduaunce that which was of his owne house The Counte Palatine sued to haue that prerogatiue by reason of the posteritie of Charlemaigne For the Countie of Palatine was then of the line of Charlemaigne After that this election was thus established the Italians stirred many troubles against the Emperour new matter of sedition wanted not therevnto Whilest Iohn 18. ruled at Rome and that Gregorie the fift was absent and deiected as is said one called Odillo a Monke and afterward the Abbot of Clugni instituted in his Monastery the day of All-soules the next day after All-saints which institution was incontinently receiued and approoued by all the Church The occasion hereof was that this ignorant Monke had vnderstood of an Hermite returning from Sicilie that great noyses and lamentations were heard in the Mountaine Aetna who hee thought were the soules of the dead which suffered paine in Purgatorie therefore hee thought they might be helped by Orisons and prayers See Iustine in his booke 3. Chron. Sigeb and Polyd. Verg. lib. 6. cha 9. The house of Sauoye issued from the Dukes of Saxonie as is said is raised into a Counte The Emperor Otho espoused the daughter of the King of Arragon a very intemperate woman who maintained a young man in womans array as one of her Chamber-maides but the thing discouered the adulterer who was burnt aliue and by intercession of friends the Empresse was reconciled but for all this she desisted not from perseuering in her incontinences often requiring men before she were required In the Towne called Modena in Italie she was imbraced with the loue of a Count very faire and of good grace and sought by all meanes to cause him to condiscend to her luxutious desire which he would not fearing the losse of his estate She accused him to the Emperour saying he solicited her of dishonour The Emperour angred hereat in his furie caused him to be beheaded But the truth afterward being knowne she was burnt aliue and foure goodly places were giuen to the wife of the saide Counte in recompence Ammonius a Monke of Fleury in this time wrote a booke of the myracles of S. Benet and Herigerus Abbot of Lob wrote an other of the dissonance of the Church an other booke of the diuine office Also of the bodie and blood of the Lord and others Abb. Trit Robert 36. King of France raigned 34. yeares a learned and very studious man He went to Rome vpon deuotion The Sea of Histories Constance his wife founded the Abbey of Poissi wherin she was buried The same Siluester Pope second of that name of the Countrey of Aquitane called before Gilbert or Gerbert a Magician Nigromancer as hath bene saide came to the saide seate by the art of the diuel vnto whom he had done homage that all his affaires might goe after his wish In his youth he was a Monke of Fleury in the Diocesse of Orleans but for the ardent desire hee had of learning left his Abbey got him to Siuile in Spaine which then the Sarrasins held and gaue himselfe to
the Pope Clement in fauour of the king noted them of heresie and infamie wrongfully and vpon enuie Paral. Vrsper Some thinke that the kings of France of England and of Spaine conspired against them for the possessions and Castles which they had in their kingdomes The yeare 1309. the Sarabits Monkes which came out of Egipt began in England Their garments were of Oxe and Swines skinnes and they were tyed with cordes Iohn Clyn Hybernus The order of Paulins entred into England and placed thēselues at Glocester the yeare 1310. Chron. Caletense This Pope Clement in a well leaded Bull which is yet at this day kept by Copie at Vienna at Limoge and at Poiters in the Coffers of priuiledges commanded the Angels of Heauen to carrie into the Ioyes of Paradice and draw out of Purgatorie the soule of him whosoeuer should die in the way going in Pilgrimage to Rome Moreouer saith he we will that the paines of hell shal no way be inflicted vpon them Agrip. de vanit sciēt Iean wife of Lewis king of Fraunce after the death of her husband went to Rome and resigned the kingdome of Naples deliuering it into Pope Clements hand who after made a gift of it to Lewis duke of Angiou brother of Charles the fift king of France sauing the profits to the vse of the said Iean for her life But he enioyed it not for he died with fiue thousand men in conquering it against Charles Nephew of the said Lewis King of Hungaria who occupied the kingdome and held it foure yeares and left a sonne called Ladislaus who raigned 29. yeares at Naples by the helpe of Pope Vrbain the 6. This Pope condemned the Beghards or Begnins which would not worship the Bread of the Eucharist He commaunded that the great Maister of the Templers should be burned at Paris with one of his cōpanions in the presence of Cardinals made certain ordinances against the insolencies of the Iewes after hauing confiscated their goods He ordained that oathes deliuered by Princes were not oathes of subiection but of fidelitie and commanded that the goods of the Church should not be alienated Hee ordained that Clarkes which occupied temporall traffiques and wore precious garments should be punished and forbad Monkes all kinde of huntings as well of beastes as birdes He confirmed the Feast instituted in the honour of the bread of the Eucharist which the Papists commonly called La feste dieu God his Feast He gathered in his volume the Constitutions called Clementius and pronounced that the reliques of Saints ought to be greatly honoured He gouerned the affaires of Italie by Neapolion and Pelagura Cardinalls his Legates and added Celestine the fift to the number of Popish Confessors He set in order the constitutions of Monkes and againe declared the rule of Friars Finally this Clement being tormented one while with a flux of the belley and an other with a paine of the stomack sides deceased in a Castle called Rocquemaure vpon Rosue the yeare of the Lord 1314. his body was carried into Gascoin and the Papall seate was emptie euen till the third yeare This yeare it selfe that he died as Henry of Lucembourg Emperor determined to draw to him by force of Armes the kingdome of Sicilie vnto which he was called hee was traiterously brought to death by a wicked Monke called Bernard du Mont Polician of Domcastre who was of the conspiration of the Guelphes and yet made a countenance that he was the Emperours friend He gaue a poysoned host to this good Prince who as soone as he felt the mischiefe aduertised this traitor Monke to flie away saying vnto him Away away for if the Almanes perceiue any thing and such as doo affect mee you shall die So this wicked Iudas withdrawing himselfe to Sienes receiued the siluer that had bene promised him for the reward of his treason but hereby hee deliuered not his bretheren Iacobins For many of them perished by fire and sword with their houses as wel in Tuscane as in Lombardie and many other places The Vniuersitie of Orleance was instituted in this time Chron. of the Kings of France The yeare at Crist 1313. the King of Fraunce Phillip le bel became a Leper and therefore he caused all the Leapers of France and Flaunders as well men as women to bee burnt For he vnderstood that they had infected the waters And the Chroniclers of Almaine say that the said king became a Leper because he made the Templers die Arnold de Villa Noua an excellent Phisitian and Mathematician some say of Chalon others of Narbone was iudged an heretike because he said that Sathan had made all Christian people stray from the truth Item that the faith of Christians of his time was no other then such as diuels haue Item that such as are in Cloisters are out of Charitie and condemne themselues in falsifying the doctrine of Iesus Christ leading Christians into hell Item that the Theologians haue maliciously mingled the Dreames of Philosophers with the holy scripture Item that in the sacrifice of the Aultar the Priest offereth nothing to God and that Masses profiteth neither quick nor dead He prooued by Daniel and by Sibilla Erithra that Antichrist in a full tirannie should persecute the faithfull after the yeare 1300. Besides his Phisicke bookes he writ against the Iacobins that it was lawfull to eate flesh The cutting sword against the Thomistes The admonition of Iesus Christ to Christians Of the subtilties of false Prophets Of the misterie of the Churches Cymballs Of the consummation of the world and other bookes He was iudged an heretike by the Iacobins at Tarraeon Finally being sent to the Pope by Frederic king of Sicilie he died in the way and was buried at Genés a true champion of the Lord. Margarite Queene of Nauarre daughter of the Duke of Burbon Iean daughter of the Count of Bourgongne and wife of the Count of Poiters Blanche second daughter of the said Count of Bourgongne wife of the Count de la Marshe were taken by the kings commaundement and condemned to continuall prison for their fornications and adulteries against them manifestly prooued Yet afterward Iean Countesse of Poiters returned with her husband For it was knowne that she was not culpable of all that which was imposed on her The Adulterers that is Phillip d'Annoy which kept the Queene and his brother Gualter de Annoy which kept the said Blanch knights were scorched there genitories cut off and they drawne and hanged Schisme in the Empire There was a diuision amongst the Electors some did chuse Lois the fourth of that name Duke of Bauiere others Frederic Duke of Austrich and the one had warre against the other eight yeares In the end Lewis obtained alone the Empire and raigned 24 yeares after the Chron. of Euseb which make 32. yeares The Sea of Hist Loys Hutin sonne of Phillip le bel succeeded in the Kingdome and is
the 46. He had before succeeded Iean his mother in the kingdome of Nauarre Enguerrand de Marigni Count de Longueuille great Generall of the Kings reuenewes being accused to haue robbed the King was hanged and his Image throwne downe the Pallace stayres This king raigned almost two yeares and died in the wood of Vincennes and was buried at S. Denis Iohn Pope 23. of that name French by Nation sonne of Arnold d'Ossa before called Iames de Cahors Cardinall Bishop du Port after the space of two yeares during which time as hath bene touched the seate was emptie for the difference happening amongst the 23. Cardinalls was declared Pope at Lions departing therfore frō thence with his Court and comming to Auignon he created 8. Cardinals of the number of which were Cahors the younger his Nephew and sisters sonne and Iohn de Gayete of the house of Vrsins He deliuered into the hands of the Iudge Hugh Gerard Bishop of Cahors after hauing taken from him his Pontificall ornaments hee was disgraced and giuen to the tormentors who put him to death most cruelly Iohn le Maire Phillip le Long 47. King of France and of Nauarre brother of Lewis Hutin the former King succeeded in the Kingdome the yeare 1316. This was by meanes of the lawe Salike He was called Long because he was tall slender During his raigne he could neuer get either of the Church or of the people tributes Impostes or borrowe that which he damaunded Some say that during his raigne the Leapers poysoned the water pits at the suggestion and perswasion of the Iewes whereof followed a great pestilence but the Iewes and Leapers were greatly punished The King determined to make that in all his kingdome there should be but one maner of waight measure and money but he could not bring to effect that which was his will for he died soone after He raigned fiue yeares without hauing any warre and was buried at S. Denis See Emil. lib. 8. and Gogin lib. 7. This Pope Iohn caused to be published the constitutions of the Councell of Vienne called Clementius and sent them into the Vniuersitie of Boulogne vnder a faire leaded Bull commanding they should bee vsed in all Schooles Vniuersities and iudgements from thence forward The Sea of Hist Birger king of Denmarke hauing inuited his two bretheren to dinner with him tooke them and with Irons laid them in prison where they died The same A Prouost of Paris called Henry Carpenel for a false iudgement that he had giuen was hanged on a gibet This Pope Iohn condemned the constitution of Pope Nicholas which was of the order of the Friars Minors and began Exijt qui seminat and forbad vpon paine of excommunication that none should glosse or dispute vpon it See the Decree 6. in the title 12. de verborum signifi Charles le Bel brother of Phillip le Long and sonne of Phille Bel king of France and Nauarre 48. raigned 7. yeares Iohn 23. made a Constitution which beginneth Ad conditorem Canonum against the Friars Minors See the Extrauagants of this Iohn 23. in the title 4. de verborum signifi This Pope Iohn canonized S. Thomas Bishop of Erford and S. Thomas d' Acquine Chron. Euseb Loys Duke of Bauiere and Frederic Duke of Austrich with his brother gaue battaile the one against the other where were slain as wel on the one part as of the other foure thousand horse men Lewis obtained the victorie Frederic was prisoner with his brother Henry Naucler Leopold his other brother came late to the succours See the Chron. of the Emperorus This Pope receiued into the safegard and protection of S. Peter the Carmes exempting them from all subiection of ordinary Iudges to the end they might be subiect onely to S. Peter as his well beloued children and mooued many of them to Episcopall dignitie As Guy de Parpinan Iohn Claran. both of Catalogue and some other Nations For before he was Pope he had a maruellous vision or rather diuellish illusion as he witnesseth in his Bull namely that as the Cardinalls were in a great debate the Virgin Marie deliuered them and made him Pope yet vpon this condition that he should exempt from the paines of purgatorie his good bretheren This Iohn here taught certaine errors and amongst others that soules so soone as they were dispoiled of the body should not see God before the last iudgement For as Masseus witnesseth his father had so taught him being seduced and abused by the visions of a certaine Irish man called Tundalus He sent to Paris two Monkes the one a Iacobin and the other a Friar who preached the same heresie but Thomas Walleis a Iacobin an English man resisted the Pope but he thrust him into prison Thus also did Durand de S. Porcin William Caleth and others He corrected at his pleasure the orders of Churches and changed them and distributed into a certain number the Colledges of the Scribes which for certaine prices writ such Letters as by him would be dispatched He made many constitutions which were called Ioanninies condemned Iohn de Pouilly a Theologian because he taught that men must not cōfesse thēselues to begging Friars yet he constrained the Monkesses or Nuns called Beguines to marry and to detest painting He held also for certain articles of the faith that Iesus Christ gaue not to his Apostles any other rule to liue wel but that he gaue to other Christians That the Apostles neuer vowed the vow of pouertie and that vowes serue for nothing to perfection This Pope writ to the Grecians at large that there was but one Church alone whereof he was chiefe and the Vicar of Iesus Christ The Grecians answered him in fewe words We beleeue surely that thy power is very great ouer thy subiects We cannot endure thy extreame pride nor satisfie thy couetousnesse The diuell be with thee for God is with vs. By which breuitie of words they shewed what was the Popes maner of life and estate Iohn de Mandeuile rehearseth it in his 6. booke This Pope declared Lewis de Bauiere to the Church a rebell schismatike and heretike because that after he was chosen by the Princes he tooke the gouernment of the Empire without any oath to the Pope of subiection Hiero. Marius saith thus Iohn pursued with a sharpe hatred Lewis de Bauiere partly because being chosen king of the Romanes by the Princes hee disdained the name and title of Emperour at the Popes hands as Clement the 5. had ordained it partly also because he maintained and defended against him certaine Monkes which hee had condemned as heretikes and therefore Iohn held the said Lewis for an heretike Lewis comming into Italie placed in all the Imperiall Townes Vicegerents as reason required and after came to Millaine and because he desired to appease the Popes rage hee sent Embassadors vnto him euen to Auignon where he resided who demaunded that according to the
first day of Aprill They of Magdebourge opposed themselues with might and maine against them of Wirtemberge and Leipsic and taxed and reprooued them greatly for that concerning indifferent things they had made a way and entry for the Popes doctrine The 10. of Iune the Queene of France was crowned at Saint Dennis In the said moneth of Iune Henry king of France made his entry into Paris commaunded a generall procession and dedicated it with the blood of certaine poore Christians which hee made to be burned for Religion See the booke of Martyrs Le sieur de Veruin for yeelding Bullen to the English men was beheaded at Paris and le sieur de Biex his Father in lawe was condemned to perpetuall prison The Cantons of Basil Schaffuse in Swissia made alliance with the King of France whereof euery one greatly maruelled because he persecuted their Religion with fire and blood Zurie and Berne refused that alliance Sedition in England partly for the chaunge of Religion and partly for common grounds occupied by Gentlemen for their priuate vse there was great bloodshead In the meane time the King of Fraunce tooke certaine holdes about Bologne whereby he put the English in great distresse The fault of all this was laid vpon the Duke of Somerset and therefore he was imprisoned at London This Pope Paul of the age of 82. yeares dyed the 10. of Nouember On all sides Cardinalls ranne to Rome to elect a new Pope Iulius the third of that name borne at Aretio called before Iohn Maria de Monte who was President in the Councell of Trent and Bolongne was chosen Pope the 10. of February after that the Cardinalls which were in great number had long time debated in the cōclaue Some say that this Pope promised by oath vnto the Ferneses to leaue Parme to Octauius Bernese Whilest the Cardinalls were in the Conclaue to chuse the Pope Iulius certaine Letters came into the handes of some of them which were written the 26. of Ianuary by an houshold seruant of the Cardinall of Mantoue called Cornelius Oliue to a friend of his called Hanniball Contin and with them certaine verses made in the vulgar Italian language wherein speaking of his good affection towards him the desire he had to see him he vseth so infamous and dishonest words that hardly can any recite them without shame blushing Hereof came the taunt of such as said it signified that some infamous dishonest Pope should come out of that Conclaue from whence such proceeded They which read these Letters saide as well in Italie as in Almaine they neuer read any more villanous detestable Hereby Reader maist thou iudge what the spirit is which the Papists vaunt so much to haue in their Masses in the election of their Popes The 22. of Frebury Iulius is crowned Pope by the Cardinall Cibo two daies after he had opened the gilded gate with a golden key and celebrated the yeare of Iubile which his predecessor Paul the third had so much desire to see And because of an auncient custome the new Pope might giue his red hat to whom he thought good he made Cardinall a young boy called Innocent whom he had sometimes abused whē he was Legate at Bologne notwithstanding the other Cardinalls approoued it not yea resisted it Moreouer hee receiued him into his house into the number of his Domestickes and familiars A brute went through the towne of Rome yea it was divulged by certaine diffamitorie Libells that Ganymedes was entertained by Iupiter although he was not faire This Pope himselfe dissembled it not but customably in a maner of pastime would account his follies therein Paulus Vergerius hath left in writing this Historie Pope Iulius saith hee determined to make a young youth called Innocent a Cardinal who not only came frō a father and mother of base condition but that was of a most wicked and dishonest conuersation Wherfore as on a certain day he had made this motiō in the presence of the Cardinalls that there was no man which resisted it not but that more is as certaine Cardinalls said freely I pray you what finde you in this young man who deserueth that we should doo him that honour Iulius answered And I pray you what found you in mee to doo mee that honour as to make mee Pope without any desert aduance this young man and hee will merit it The Masse which had bin banished Strasbourge the space of 21. yeares was set vp againe in three Churches the first of February A great number of children ran thither to see so straunge and new a thing The Priests were affraied at it and complained vnto the Emperour The Emperor and the King of France one after the other made publish each in their Countries very cruel Edicts against the Lutherans as they called them About the ende of May the Emperour with Phillip his sonne departed from Bruxelles to come to the Iourney at Auspourge and brought with them the Duke of Baxe captiue leauing the Lantgraue in prison at Malignes In the time of this Pope was Iohn de Case a Florentine Archbishop of Beneuent and Legate of the seate in the territorie of Venice This man who made so magnificall a profession of Popish singlenesse was not ashamed to make a Booke in Italian Rime wherein he praiseth and exalteth that horrible and detestable sinne of Sodomitry yea euen to name it a diuine worke and affirmeth that he tooke great pleasure therein and that he knew no other kind of palidiarzing or whoredome The booke was Imprinted at Venice by one Traian Naun Behold notable Archbishops of the Papall seate with such Iudges doo the Pope and his maister the diuel serue themselues in their Consistories to condemne as heretikes such as teach and write the truth with puritie In a Catalogue of bookes prohibited which he made whilest he was Legate he comprehendeth no other therein but such as make profession of the pure Euangelike doctrine Francis Spiera as is abouesaid fearing the tyrannie of tormentors renied the veritie of Iesus Christ and dyed in extreame dispaire Sleidan also makes mention of the Sodomitike booke aboue spoken of It would be here too long to rehearse the gests and deeds of Iulius the third concerning the Iubile which was in his time the Councell of Trent the confirmation of that Idol de Laureto the debate which he had with the Bishop of Aremin his Steward for a Peacock and many such like things Amongst other viands hee greatly delighted to eate the flesh of Swine Peacocks But his Phisitian had aduertised him that hee should take heed that he eate no swines flesh because it was contrary vnto the Gowt wherewith hee was often tormented but yet hee would not abstaine therefrom The Phisitian secretly aduertised the Clarke of his kitchin that no porke flesh should be serued As then there was none serued the Pope perceiuing it demaunded of his Steward where his dish of
maiestie And euen as he was receiuing them for his farwell a yong stripling named Iohn Castil of 18. yeares of age a Drapers sonne of Paris who was got into the Chamber amongst the preace drew neare vnto the King before he was almost perceiued of any bodie and suddenly would haue stabd him into the bodie with a knife but by reason that his maiestie was very readie to take vp the Lordes which were on theyr knees before him in his stooping hee strooke him on the face on the vpper iaw on the right side therewithall cutting out one of his teeth Wherevpon hee was apprehended by the Captaine of the Garde to whom the King commanded after hee had throwne his knife to the ground to let him goe saying that he freely forgaue him But afterwards vnderstanding that he was a Scholler to the Iesuites hee sayd and must it needs be that the Iesuites should be confounded by my mouth This villaine being brought vnto the Bishops prison freely declared the circumstance of his trayterous intent and that he was perswaded thereto by his maister a Iesuite who said that it was lawfull to kill him that hee was excommunicate of the Church that hee was not to be obeyed nor to be taken for the King vntill such time as he was allowed by the Pope For this he was executed and the Iesuites of Claremount with whom this fellow was brought vp and all other throughout the whole Realme of France were commaunded within three dayes to depart their Colledges and after 15. dayes to leaue the realme D. Chytraeus In the beginning of this yeare Amurathes the third Emperour of the Turkes the sonne of Selim in the 48. yeare of his age ended his life and Empire with much blasphemie and impatience Whom Mahomet the third beeing thirtie yeares of age succeeded who before hee performed his Father Funeralls hee caused eighteene of his brethren borne of diuers Concubines to bee strangeled and most honourably to be buried with his father in the same monument He suffered his 27. sisters to liue in Teragliuun And that no more might bee borne hee comaunded tenne of his fathers wiues to be throwne into the Sea and hauing richly furnished his owne mother he sent her to dwell in a farre Countrie Genebrardus This Mahomet is the thirteenth Emperour from Othoman Ferdinand Arch-duke of Austria the sonne of Ferdinand the Emperor and brother of Maximilian the second departed this life The one and twentieth of February likewise dyed Ernestus his brothers sonne Archduke of Austria Gouernor of the Prouinces in the lowe Countries being 42. yeares of age Idem Some of the Deputies of the Court which were sent to search Cleremount Colledge which belonged to the Iesuites hauing seized vpon many papers found among them certain written bookes made by a Iesuite Priest named Iohn Guiguard since the generall pardon giuen by the king at Paris there was written in these bookes many vile matters as well against H. the 3. as against H. the 4. now liuing containing nothing but traitorous practises for the which the Iesuite being sent for auouched by meanes whereof he was found guiltie and therefore executed The K. of France proclaimed open warres against Spaine and the Spanish Army is ouerthrowne by the Marshall of Bouillon in the Duchie of Luxembourge The King after two yeares suppliant intreaties to the Pope at the length was absolued by the Pope at Rome and receiued into the lappe of the mother Church and declared the most Christian king of France The conditions propounded were these That the king should receiue the Councell of Trent and giue commaundement that it should be kept throughout all his Realme but and if in some of his Prouinces he could not do it without danger of new seditions he should aske leaue of the Pope That hee should within the compasse of one yeare remooue the young Prince of Conde being 9. yeares of age from the company of heretikes and to bring him vp in the Catholicke Apostolicke Romane religion That he should restore all the reuenewes and goods which he had taken from his Bishops and Abbies Lastly that he should by his Letters certifie all Catholicke Princes of his conuersion and detestation of all heresies After this the Church of S. Peter which before was shut was now opened Then the Pope said to the Orators of France that as hee now opened againe to their King the doore of the Church Militant vppon earth so should his Maiestie endeuour likewise by a liuely faith and good workes to make his way into the triumphant Church of heauen D. Chytraeus Vpon the Church doore were placed the armes of the K. of France with this inscription Henricus 4. Galliae Nauarrae Rex Christianissimus Whilst Camerac is besieged by the Spaniards Phillip king of Spaine created Albertus Arch-duke of Austria and Cardinall of Toledo Generall of all his Forces in Belgia Hee was the sonne of Max. 2. Emperour and Mary the sister of Phillip King of Spaine the fift in order after Rodolphus the Emperour that now is borne in Nouember the yeare 1559. Genebrardus The D. de Maine seeing the Spaniards take other course then was accustomed his Forces slaine his credit crackt his destruction at the doore though late yet at last he sought by mediators the kings fauour which he obtained vpon this receiued grace the D. wrought the yeelding vp of Soisson Pierfont and other places to the King The Duke of Aumale who onely remained among all the chiefe Leaguers lawe being prosecuted against him in the Parliament of Paris he was found guiltie of treason in the highest degree so that his Image of likenes being made it was drawne in peeces with foure horses and his goods and lands confiscate to the King The most famous Poet and Orator of all Italy Torguatus Tassus died this yeare at Rome The Garrisons of Peronne Amiens and other places that he held for the king began againe in Ianuary their former courses against the enemies Countrie still killing and sleying certaine Spaniards and Wallons Marseill is brought to the kings subiection George Lantgraue of Hesse the sonne of Phillip a vertuous wise and religious Prince departed out of this world leauing his sonne Lodowicke to succeed him Albert Arch-duke of Austria and Gouernour of the lowe Countries entered Bruxelles with great pompe accompanied with the Dukes of Fere and Aumale and Philippus Wilihelmus the Prince of Orange his sonne Before his comming there was great hope of peace but after his arriuall he made no mention of peace for that he foresawe there would be none graunted D. Chytreus In the beginning of March the Cardinal gaue such order that the besieged within the Towne of Fere were succoured with some munition and for his first exployt against France in the beginning of Aprill did so dispose of his Armie at that time most mightie so pollitikely and secretly that in fewe dayes hee besieged assailed and
Ierusalem Horrible famine The taking of Ierusalem Rom. 10. Titus Linus Naucler Cletus Chro. Euseb Anacletus Domitian Euseb Fasc Tem. The second persecution against the Christians Notaries and pronotaries The death of S. Iohn the Euangelist The Chron. of the Emper. Clement Eusebius The third persecution Suppl Chro. Singing of Psalmes auncient Fasci temp Anacletus Naucle Now none but the Priest communicateth Suppl Chro. Sinode In the first volume of Councell Heretickes Suppl Chron. S. Aug. Eusebi Sup. Ch. Eusebi Histo Ecclec Lib. 3. cap. 26. Euaristus Anno. Christ 121. Euseb Fasci Temp. marriage pub like Euseb Lucian Alexander Euseb De cense dist 2. cap. in Sacramento Dist 10.102 to Si quib 10 Dist cap. Relatum The first addition to the Lords Supper Adrian 2. Tess 2. de conse dist 2. cap. Sufficit The Popes afterward forged their decretalls Anno Christ 101. Suppl Chro. Sixtus Not to touch Challices The word Oblation The last destruction of the Iewes Barrochabas the Iewe. Telesphorus Heresies in the Church Epiphanius Gnostiques Adrian A Buggerer worshipped as God The death of Adrian Torments and cruelties against Christains Pius An. Christi 123. In the booke he writ to Strapula Higinius Pope De conse dist 1. ca. Lignae 36. Hom 10. cap. 1. Si qua nud S. August Anicetus Supp Chro. Easter celebrated vpon a reuelation made to Hermes Swearing and blaspheming Priestes Crowne Marcus Aurelius The company of heretickes daungerous Chro. of Emper The fourth persecution Soter Anno Dom. 169. Montanus Not to touch Chalices 7.9.1 ca. Illud Diuini 22. q. 4. ca. 51 quid Cataphryges S. Augustin The vse of things indifferent Alcibiades Anno Domi. 179. Commodus Lucius Naucle Chroni Euseb Naucler Chron. of the Empe. Chro. Euse Sup. Chro. Edict Imperiall Persecution Pertmax Didius Reconciliatiō Seuerus Seuerus Ireneus Bishop of Lions Quatorzians In the volume of Councells Of Tertullian A Schisme by the occasiō of Montanus The Bishops of Ierusalem The Church of the Gentiles in Ierusalem The fift persecution Zephyrim The death of Ireneus Bassianus Execrable Incest Macrin Heliogabalus Calixtus A place of S. Paul euill Interpreted Alexander Porphirius Maximin Wodden Priests Notaries and Protonotaries Pontian The beginning of the Cardinals The sixt persecution Celsus the Heretick Fabian Gordian Proclus an hereticke Sapor King of the Persians The Councell of Philadelphia Phillip The first Christian Emperours Helchesites Heretickes The death of Phillip The cause of this seuenth persecution vnder Decius Alexander Bishop of Ierusalem The torments of the Martyrs The death of Decius Gallus This persecution counted the eight The death of Gallus The Romanes tributaries Lucius Decretalls examined Decretalls attributed vnto Lucius Noetus and Sabellius The Art Magicke ouerthrew Valerian Lucian The miserie of Valerian Lucius Ed. 9. The death of Saint Ciprian The death of Lucius Athenodorus Gregor of Neocesaria The heresie of Sabellius buried Paul Samosatane The end of Origenes Stephen Suidas counteth this of Origen and Nicephorus after him The fall of Origenes The differēce of rebaptizing heretikes The death of Denis Bishop of Alexandria Sixtus Chiliastes renewed Laurence a Deacon of Rome The history of Laurence Denis The Councell of Antioche Married Bishops Hist Eccle. Lib. 5. cap. 15. Claudus Quintilius Aurelian Aurelian The ninth persecution Tacitus Florian. Probus Felix Probus Numerian slaine Carinus Dioclesian Marcelline Dioclesians pride Kissing of shooes The tenth persecution Dioclesian The Empresse Martyred Cōstantius The death of Dioclesian The ende of Galerius Constantin the great The death of Maxentius The issue of Maximinian Maximian chose his owne death Apocal. 1. li 16 Apo. 1.2 Epist ad Rusticū Momacū Vigills The Eucharist giuen to sicke persons Abuses of the Supper Ceremonies in administrating the Supper The word Messe vnused Martir Temple Donation of Constantine 96. Dist c. Cōstantinus c. Fundamenta De. electio Lib. 6 12. q. 1. c. Futuram Bizantium Constantinople Bishops Priests Cleargie Clarkes Metropolitanes Patriarke The office of a Bishop Ministers Vicars or Bishops particulers Deacons New degrees Diaconesses Diuers sorts of Auditors Prayers Confession taken from the common people Ceremonies inuented Feastes The Immunitie of Clarkes beganne Building of Temples Edicts for the Christians Reuenewes assigned to the Church The vse of the goods of the Church Immunities The poore Libraries Notaries at Rome Reward of profess Arrius a professor Arrius Hist Eccle. Li. 10. Chap. 4. Spiridian Pathuntius Hist Eccle. Lib. 10. cha b. Prouinciall Councels each yeare Catechumenes Vnlawfull gaine Ordinances against Arrius Arrius giueth in his confession Sinode of Ierusalem A tumult of the Arrians The names of dayes Donatist 3. Images chap. 60 Athanasius called to the Sinode Temples builed in Palestine Constantin the second The death of Constantine the great Constance Cōstantius 53000. slaine The cōstancy of Liberius Heretickes cruell Monkes at this time Liberius Hilarie Bishop of Poiters Eusebius Bishop of Verceil Iulian. The death of Constantius A Sinode in Alexandria Essentiall Substance Subsistence Iulian instituted in pietie Humane Letters prohibited Holy water Extreame cruelties 1. Cord. 10. fol. 25. Iulians enuy for the name of Martyr Iouinian The horrible death of Iulian. A Christian Emperour Athanasius came from exile Councell at Antoiche Peace with the Persians Two kindes of Monkes Valentiniā Cenobites Anachirites Remoboth Europe had not yet receiued Monkes Valens Monkes A Prophetike Dreame Heretikes Adolatrie at Arras Vulphilas Hist Trip. lib. 8. The electiō of S. Ambrose Gratian. The constancie of the faithfull The death of Valens Damasus Apoc. 6 2.10.11 Theodosus Translation eleuation of the bodies of Saints Vigils or watches of Saints Obseruation of dayes Obseruation of Letters Three arguments against false religion Slaunders against true doctoctrine Accōmodatiō Such Princes as opposed themselues against Paganisme S. Hieromes Translation Syricius The successors of Siluester had not the rule of Rome The right of choosing and crowning the Emperours Monicha S. Augustines mother The Papist hold that it was vpon Thursday Fastes of Angaria Arcadius Honorius Singing receiued into the Westerne Church Singing receiued in assembly from the time of the Apostles In his Commentary vpon the Iudges Contenti somno qui a missa vigiliarū vsque ad lucem conceditur ctc. Remissa peecatorū for remission of sinnes Euergumenes Missas facere to let goe Catechumenes which were not yet baptised Auditors Competitors Radagastus Rome taken by Alaricus The Kings of Spaine discēded of the Gothes Antiphonae Anhemes Orders Iohn Chrysostome Monasteries Pelagius the heretike Iustification of faith Arcadius Henorius Francion The fourth schisme The beginning of Venice The introitus of the Masse Valentiniā Abb. trip Naucler Supp Chro. Blund lib. 2. Naucler Sureties Inuention of Letanies The sea of histories Valentiniā 1. Volume of Councels Martin Abb. trip Naucler The sea of Histories Childeric Annualls of France Leo the first Suppl Chro. Leo. Zenon Zenon Denise Victoria Churches began to become rich Visigots Dedication In the first volume of Councells Anastatius Anastatius Quaternitie Naucler Gelasius Bread and wine of