skirmishes there were killed a thousand of their enemies and scarce fortie persons of their owne Triniteus the Captain by the counsell of Truchetus an expert Warriour thought meet to besiege the Castles of Convallenses but God fought against them in all their enterprises and the Convallenses came vpon them suddenly as they were besieging a certaine Castle and slew a great number and Truchetus himselfe was first sore wounded with stones afterward was slaine with his owne sword by a poore Shepheard that was keeping cattell in the fields In the end when Triniteus was out of all hope to subdue the Angronians and their complices he advertised the Duke of Sauoy how all matters went and peace was granted to the Convallenses with libertie to vse their owne Religion providing they should render all due seruice and obedience to the Duke of Savoy their Soveraigne Lord and Master To returne againe to France After the disputation at Rossie the number of the Protestants daily increased and rumours of sedition vprores were in the mouths of all the people The Queene mother willing to prouide timely remedie for repressing of ciuill and intestine warre assembled the estates of the land at S. Germane where the edict of Ianuarie was made bearing that the professours of the reformed Religion might assemble themselues together to heare Preaching of the Word provided those assemblies were kept without the towns without armour This edict was published throughout all the land and sore grieued the hearts of the adversaries namely the Duke of Guise the Constable Mommeraunce and the Marescall Santandreus who consulted together how they might haue this act vndone againe but no way could be found out to bring this matter to passe except first the King and Queene mother were in their hands to the end that the force of the Lawes which they feared might be turned against their enemies when as they had the Law-makers in their owne hands This was also thought to be an high attempt and dangerous to be enterprised so long as the King of Navarre was their enemie and a fauourer of the reformed Religion for this cause all meanes were sought out to divert the affection of the King of Navarre from his foresaid Religion The Cardinall Ferrar being the Popes Ambassadour in France put him in hope that by the Popes trauailes with Philip King of Spaine the kingdome of Navarre should be restored to him againe if he would turne to the Catholique Religion Thus was the heart of the King of Navarre stolen away from his Religion to the great encouragement of the Duke of Guise and his complices who without further delay put hand to worke The first fruits of his martiall deeds after he raised his armie was the cruell Massacre of poore vnarmed people assembled to heare the Word of God at Vassiace a towne in the borders of Champaigne and neere vnto his dominion Those poore people to the number of a thousand and fiue hundreth being occupied as is said vpon the Sabbath day the Duke of Guise came vpon them suddenly and compassed the Church wherein they were with armed souldiers that none might escape also the Duke himselfe stood in the entry with a drawne sword in his hand and sent in his souldiers who most cruelly without compassion of sex or age martyred the poore members of Christ for hearing of his Word After this the Duke of Guise addressed himselfe toward Paris where he was receiued with ioyfull acclamations of the people and from thence he marched forward to Fonteblew where the King was and seased himselfe of the King and the Queene mother and for greater securitie transported them both to Paris On the other part the Prince of Condie went to Orleance to whom resorted a great number of the Nobles of France namely the admirall Castilion Andelot Princeps Porcianus Rupsfocald with many others who all bound themselues together to set the King and the Queene mother at libertie from captivitie wherein they were deteined by the Guisians as also to defend the true professours of the Gospell of Christ that according to the act of Ianuarie they might without molestation assemble themselues to heare the Word of God The Prince of Condie was chosen to be their Chieftaine to whom the Queene mother sent many secret Letters declaring that she was deteined by the Guisians against her heart And if the Prince of Condie could set the young King and her selfe at libertie shee would neuer be vnmindfull of so great a benefit Thus in the beginning of the Warres the Queene mother fauoured the Prince of Condie and stirred him vp with many Letters and secret advertisements to procure her and her sonnes libertie for greater euidence whereof the Letters themselues are inserted in the French Historie Many great townes in France were taken and fortified by the Protestants as namely Orleance Lion Valence Granoble Roane Bourgos Towers Poictiers Montpellier and Nimes Many of those townes were recouered againe by the Guisians namely Bourges and Roane At the siege of Roane the Prince of Navarre was slaine and receiued a iust reward of his inconstancie and leuitie And Augustinus Marlorart a faithfull seruant of Christ and Preacher of the Gospell was taken by the Guisians and afterward hanged Many great cruelties were designed against those of the Religion in this first Warre namely in Tullus Aurange Burges Roan Sens and diverse other places In Montargis belonging to the Ladie Rence daughter to Lewis the twelfth Dutches Dowager of Ferrar fell out a very remarkeable matter This Ladie was a retrait to diuers families of the Religion notwithstanding the threatnings of the Duke of Guise sonne in law to the said Ladie who sent thither one Malig corne a new Knight of the order to sease vpon the Towne and Castle who begun to threaten the Ladie with Canon shot to batter her Castle wherin were diuers of the Religion But the Princesse answered him that there was not any man in the realme except the King alone that had power to command her And if he would proceed to such boldnesse as to batter her Castle with Canon shot shee would first stand in the breach her selfe to try if he durst be so bold as to kill the daughter of a King Those words caused Malicorne like a Snaile to pull in his hornes and presently to depart Afeer this the Prince of Condie perceiuing that great preparation was made against him and the Queene mothers affection was turned away to the Guisians thought meete to send for ayde to the Queene of England and the Prince of Condie willing to ioyne himselfe with the English armie marched forward to Normandie but the Duke of Guise followed after him with so great celeritie that the Prince of Condie was compelled to ioyne Battell with the Guisians at Dreux in Normandie before he was supported of the English armie This battell was fought with vncertaine victory for on the one part
father Ludouicus Pius Hee augmented the liturgie of the Masse with the addition of Agnus Dei and ordained that the Hostia should be diuided in three parts To Sergius the second succeeded Leo the fourth and ruled 8. yeares 3. months He was a man of many trades a builder a warriour and a Bishop He compassed the Vatican with a wall and made it in the similitude of a Towne and builded bull-warkes in the passages of Tyber as it issued from the towne He was a warriour fought against the Saracenes against whom also he preuailed And finally at some time he was a Bishop and he gathered a Councell of 47. Bishops in the which Athanasius a Cardinall Presbyter was damned for negligence in the worke of his calling This is the first time in the which mention is made of a Cardinall in the Historie for the Decretall Epistles as I haue alreadie declared are but fabulous lying writings In this Popes dayes Edelwulphus King of England came to Rome for performance of a vowe that hee had made He was courteously accepted by Pope Leo for which cause hee ordained a tribute yeerely to be paide to the bishop of Rome to wit a pennie Sterling out of euery house in England that kindled fire It is well remarked by Philip Morney that Leo the fourth in a certaine Epistle written to the Bishops of Britannie derogateth credit to all the Decretall Epistles assigned to the bishops of Rome preceding the dayes of Pope Siricius except onely to the Decretall Epistles of Pope Syluester So all the authorities that are alleadged by the Romane Church out of the Decretall Epistles for the space of 384 yeeres are of none effect by the confession of Pope Leo the fourth After Leo the fourth succeeded Pope Ioane the eight an English woman borne in the towne of Mentz She went to Athens cloathed with the apparell of a man accompanied with a Learned man and she profited in learning beyond her fellowes When shee came to Rome shee was regarded for her learning and was promoted to the dignitie of the Popedome and ruled two yeeres fiue months and foure dayes About the yeere of our Lord 854 being Pope she played the Harlot and by the prouidence of God this villanie of the Roman church which cannot erre was manifested to the whole world For in the time of a solemne Procession as she was going to the church of Laterā she trauelled in birth died and was buried without honour Onuphrius the Aduocate of all euill causes cannot ouer-passe this matter with silence but he bringeth an argument from the authority of Anastatius a writer of Chronologie to infringe the credit of this historie in this manner Anastatius saith hee liued about this time knew best who succeeded to Leo the fourth he maketh no mētion of Ioane the eight but of Benedictus the third as successor of Leo the fourth To this Philip Morney answereth That an argument taken from authoritie negatiuely hath no force Anastatius maketh no mention thereof ergo it was not done It followeth not for he bringeth in the testimonie of Ranulphus declaring the cause wherefore Anastatius omitted the name of the foeminine Pope to wit Propter deformitatem facti that is For the deformitie of the fact The nature of a short Compend permitteth me not to insist but let them who are desirous accurately to trie out the veritie of this matter reade that worthie Booke of Philip Morney called Misterium iniquitatis Then followed Benedictus the third and ruled two yeeres six months and nine dayes A man in honouring the Funeralles of the Clergie with his presence ready at all times and desirous likewise that the Funerall of the Bishop should bee honoured with the presence of the whole Clergie To Benedict the third succeeded Nicolas the first and gouerned seuen yeeres nine months and thirteene dayes He subdued the Bishop of Rauenna to his obediēce He suffered the Emperour Ludouicke the second to light from his horse to leade his bridle vntil he came to the Campo which was the space of a mile He permitted diuorcement betwixt married persons for Religions cause without consent of parties And that persons in spirituall offices should not be subject to the justice seates of ciuill Magistrates Hee ordained also that no man should receiue the holy Sacrament from a married Priest And that the Emperour should not be present at Ecclesiasticall Conuentions except when questions concerning Faith should bee intreated Likewise hee ordained That the seruice of God in all countries should be celebrated in Latine dispensing in the meane time with the Solauonians and the Polonians to haue the seruice of God in their owne Vulgar Language He added vnto the Liturgie of the Masse Gloria in Excelsis Hadrianus the second succeeded to Nicolas the first and ruled 5. yeeres nine months and twelue dayes He vsed Antichristian authoritie not onely against Hincmarus Bishop of Rhemes but also against Carolus Caluus king of France whom hee commanded imperiously to present one Hincmarus Bishop of Laudunum and nephewe to Hincmarus Bishop of Rhemes to the ende that his cause might bee judged by the Apostolike seate The King tooke these letters in a very euill part and writ vnto the Pope That the Kings of France had euer beene Soueraigne Lordes in their owne countrie and not vice-gerentes vassales to Bishops and That hee would not permit any man who had beene damned in a lawfull Councell in his owne country to wit in the Councell of Acciniacum to make appellation to Rome In this Popes time the eight generall councell was assembled whereof I shal speake in its owne time God willing Ioannes the ninth succeeded to Adrianus the second and gouerned ten yeeres and two dayes This is he who for rewardes crowned Carolus Caluus to be Emperour and was cast into prison because hee was more affectionated to Ludouicus Balbus sonne to Carolus Caluus and king of France than to Carolus Crassus king of Germanie Neuerthelesse hee escaped out of prison and fled to Ludouicke king of France whom also hee crowned to be Emperour But Balbus after his coronation incontinent died and Pope Iohn the ninth must seeke new acquaintance because his olde friends were gone therfore he crowned Carolus Crassus to bee Emperour This was the first Pope who in time of his Popedome crowned three Emperours Martinus the second ruled one yeere and fiue months Hadrianus the third succeeded to Martinus the time of his gouernment was also short for he continued not aboue one yeere and two months yet neuerthelesse men who are busie may make much stirre in short time He perfected that worke which his predecessours had beene busied in bringing to passe many yeeres preceding namely That the Clergie and people of Rome should not attend vpon the allowance of the Emperour but they should freely choose whom they thought meetest to bee Pope Hee tooke
sixt a man of Holland and Schoolemaster to Charles the fift Emperour He endevoured to correct some abuses of the Church of Rome in maners but not the abuses and errours of Doctrine for hee also sent his Ambassadour Cheregatus to Germanie with menacing letters to the Duke of Saxonie because hee maintained Martin Luther But his time was short for hee died before hee had ruled two yeeres in his Popedome To him succeeded Clemens the seuenth and ruled ten yeeres ten months and seuen daies Hee was a man verie inconstant in his friendship to the Emperour Charles the fift but secretlie boūd vp friendship with the king of France but this deceitfull doing redounded to the Popes great hurt For Charles Duke of Burboune chiefe Captaine to the armie which the Emperour had in Italie besieged the towne of Rome and tooke it and albeit the Duke himselfe was slaine yet the rest of the armie invaded the Towne slew great numbers of men defloured women spoyled houses and temples and besieged the Pope himselfe and his Cardinalls seuen months till at length the Pope was free from his Captiuitie by commaund of the Emperour About this same time of the Popes besieging Charles the Emperour was banqueting and reioycing for the Natiuitie of his sonne Philip but hee stayed all banqueting playing and reioycing when the tidings of the Popes besieging was carried vnto him and commaunded to set him at libertie Manie great sinnes are imputed to him by writers and amongst others that hee destroyed the liues of manie by poyson and that in end hee receiued the same recompence himselfe After him followed Paulus the third who ruled fifteene yeeres and twentie nine dayes It grieued him to see the Gospell take so deepe roote and to be ouerspred in many nations and namelie in England by king Henry the eight who abrogated the authoritie of the Bishop of Rome in England called himselfe supreme governour ouer Christ in all Ecclesiasticall causes within the bounds of his owne countrie The Pope being destitute of all other revenging weapons drew forth the old accustomed weapon of the chaire of Rome against Princes and cursed king Henry the eight This Pope ratified the order of the Iesuites and appointed a generall Councell to bee kept in Trent a Towne of Italie bordering neere to Germanie This Councell beganne to be kept in Trent in the yeere 1546. but hereafter was transferred to Bononia as shall be declared God willing The Protestants of Germanie were desired both by the Emperour and the Pope to bee present at the Councell but they would not acknowledge it to be a lawfull generall Councell wherein the Pope or his deputie did sit as a iudge who was indeede partie and whom they were to accuse of false and erroneous doctrine of abusing of the Church of God and vsurping the honour which was onely due to Christ before this Councell ended hee concluded his dayes Iulius the third succeeded in his place who ruled three yeeres one month and sixteene dayes Hee reduced the generall Councell of Bononia backe againe to Trent where it began but the sudden report of the armie of Maurice Duke of Saxonie who tooke armes against the Emperour Charles for detaining the Lantgraue of Hesse his father in law in prison dissolued the Councell againe for a time because they feared lest the Dukes armie should haue come to Trent and set vpon them In this time the Church of England returned backe againe to the Popes obedience in the raigne of Queene Marie and the Pope sent Cardinall Poole to England to absolue that countrie from that curse and interditment which was layed vpon it in the dayes of Paulus tertius After him succeeded Marcellus the second and ruled twentie two dayes After him followed Paulus the fourth and ruled foure yeeres two months and twentie foure dayes Hee was verie contentious and hated the Emperour Charles and brought into Italie 1000. footmen and 2000. horsemen of the french nation vnder the conduct of the Duke of Guise Also hee brought into Italie an armie of Swizers Notwithstanding the Emperour had sent to Italie the Duke de Albe who had taken a great number of townes belonging to the Pope before the Duke of Guise entred into Italie And in the ende the Pope was well content to accept conditions of peace and to receiue backe againe the townes which hee had lost in the warre In his time the Emperour resigned the Emperiall crowne to his Brother Ferdinand entered into a Monasterie where hee concluded his daies but the Pope neither approued nor ratified this election of Ferdinand and Ferdinand on the other part made light account of the Coronation which his Predecessours had receiued from the Pope and was obeyed in Germanie although he wanted the Popes blessing and coronation After him ruled Pius the fourth who continued fiue yeeres two months and fifteene dayes In his time the councell of Trent which was begun in the dayes of Paul the third was finished He sent an Ambassadour to England to invite the learned men of that countrie to the Councell but Queene Elizabeth would not permit the Popes Ambassadour to enter into her Realme Likewise hee sent Ambassadours to the Dukes of Germanie professing the reformed Religion They entertained the Ambassadours honorablie but sent them backe with this answere that they marueled how the Pope could send an Ambassadour to them who acknowledged not his authoritie in such matters From the first meeting of this Councell to the dissolution thereof intervened the space of eighteene yeeres but the time of meeting consultation and sitting of the fathers of that Councell was onely the space of fiue yeeres namely vnder Paulus the third two yeeres vnder Iulius the third one yeere and vnder Pius the fourth two yeeres In this Popes time the reformation of religion in Scotland began images were broken and burnt altars cast downe Monasteries dimolished and the masse abolished The noble men who were the principall authors of this reformation were assisted by Elizabeth Queene of England and defended from the intended persecution of the Frenchmen This Pope made a bloodie massacre in a Towne of Italie called Montalto against a number of Christian people secretlie met together for hearing of the word of God so that one after another were drawne out of the house where they met and their throates cut with a knife in the hand of a bloodie executioner In this massacre were martyred 80. persons and not one of all the number for the feare of death did forsake the true fayth of Christ. In this Popes time was the Isle of Malta invaded by the Turkes but they were strongly resisted and left the siege of the Isle after they had lost 23000. of their number in that siege The disputation of Poissne and grieuous commotions in France after that disputation began in this Popes time whereof is spoken before After him followed Pius the fift
his hand they put frankencense into his right hand thinking that hee would haue scattered the incense vpon the altar and sacrificed but hee endured the torment patiently saying the words of the Psalme Blessed be the Lord who teacheth mine hands to fight In the end Licinius made warre against Constantine and being diverse times ouercome both by sea and land hee yeelded himselfe at length and was sent to Thessalia to liue a private life where hee was slaine by the souldiers So Constantine obtained the whole Empire alone Here end the ten Persecutions CENTVRIE IV. Constantine THE Church of Christ flourished in time of the ten Persecutions as a Palme tree groweth vnder the burthen and spreads out her branches by increasing growth toward heaven Satan on the other part that piercing and crooked Serpent who striues against the militant Church of God both by might and slight when his might faileth it is time to try his slight which he did by the canker-worme of hereticall doctrine Now therefore let vs entreate of the Arrian and Eutychian Persecutors in the three subsequent Centuries Other Heretiques albeit they were fierce and cruell such as the Donatists yet their crueltie was like vnto the stighling of a fish when the water is ebbed and shee is not covered with the deepenesse of over-flowing water the more stirre she maketh the nearer shee is vnto her death But the Arrian and Eutychian Heretiques found Emperours favourably inclined to the maintenance of their errors such as Constantius and Valens protectors of the Arrian heresie Anastatius and Heraclius favourers of the heresie of Eutyches This support they had of supreame powers strengthened the arme of Heretiques and made them able to persecute the true Church of Christ. Notwithstanding betwixt the ten great Persecutions and the Arrian persecution a short breathing time was granted by God vnto his Church who will not suffer the rodde of the wicked perpetually to lie vpoÌ„ the righteous lest they put out their hand vnto inquity The dayes of the raigne of Constantine were the breathing daies of the persecuted Church Men banished for the cause of Christ by the Emperours edicts were returned from their banishment restored to their offices dignities and possessions which duely belonged vnto them The heritage and goods of such as had suffered death for the cause of Christ were allotted to their neerest kinsmen and in case none of these were found aliue then their goods were ordained to appertaine vnto the Church These beginnings of an admirable change of the estate of persecuted men wrought in the hearts of all people a wonderfull astonishment considering within themselues what could bee the event of such sudden and vnexpected alteration The care that Constantine had to disburthen persecuted Christians of that heauy yoke of persecution that pressed them downe so long was not onely extended to the bounds of the Romane Empire wherein Constantine was soveraigne Lord and absolute Commander But he was carefull also to procure the peace of Christians who lived vnder Sapores King of Persia who vexed Christian people with sore and grievous persecution so that within his Dominions more then sixteene thousand were found who had concluded their liues by martyrdome Among whom Simeon Bishop of Selentia and Vstazares the Kings eldest Eunuch and his nurs-father in time of his minority Pusices ruler of all the Kings Artificers Azades the Kings beloved Eunuch and Acepcimas a Bishop in Persia all these were men of Note and Marke who suffered martyrdome vnder Sapores King of Persia. While the cogitations of Constantine were exercised with meditation by what meanes the distressed estate of Christians in Persia might be supported by the providence of God the Ambassadours of Sapores King of Persia came to the Emperor Constantine whose petitions when he had granted hee sent them backe againe to their Lord and Master and hee sent with them a Letter of his owne intreating Sapores to bee friendly to Christians in whose Religion nothing can be found that can iustly bee blamed His letter also bare the bad fortune of the Emperor Valerian the eight persecuter of Christians and how miserably hee ended his life and on the other part what good successe the Lord had given vnto himselfe in all his battels because hee was a defender of Christians and a procurer of their peace What peace was procured to distressed Christians in Persia by this letter of Constantine the history beares not alwayes his endevour was honest and godly In Constantines dayes the Gospell was propagated in East India by Frumentius and Edesius the brother sonnes of Meropius a man of Tyrus This History is written at length by Ruffinus Theodoretus Sozomenus and many others Likewise it was propagated in Iberia a country lying in the vttermost part of the Euxine Sea by the meanes of a captiue Christian woman by whose supplications first a childe deadly diseased recovered health and afterward the Queen of Iberia her selfe was relieved from a dangerous disease by her prayers made to Christ. The King of Iberia sent Ambassadours to Constantine craving of him that hee would send Preachers and Doctors to the countrey of Iberia who might instruct them in the true faith of Christ. Which desire also Constantine performed with great gladnesse of heart Now to returne and to speake of the Dominions subiect to the Romane Empire Constantine the sonne of Constantius Chlorus began to raigne in the yeare of our Lord 310. and hee raigned 31. yeares hee gaue commandement to reedifie the Temples of the Christians that were demolished in the time of the persecution of Dioclesian This commanmandement was obeyed with expedition and many more large and ample Churches were builded meet for the conventions of Christian people Likewise the temples of Idols were locked vp better they had beene demolished and equalled to the ground then had it beene a worke of greater difficulty to Iulian the Apostate to haue restored againe Heathen Idolatry Many horrible abuses both in Religion and manners were reformed by the authority and commandement of the Emperour such as cubitus mensuralis called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Egypt whereunto was attributed the vertue and cause of the inundation of Nilus by the Egyptians therefore by the Emperors commandement this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was transported out of their Temples In Rome the bloody spectacle of Gladiatores that is of Fencing men with swords killing one another in sight of the people was discharged In Heliopolis a towne of Phoenicia the filthy manners of young women accustomed without controulment to prostitute themselues â—o the lust of strangers vntill they were maried this filthy custom I say by the commandement of the Emperour Constantine was interdicted and forbidden In Iudea the Altar builded vnder the Oke of Mambre where the Angels appeared to Abraham and whereupon the Pagans offered sacrifice in time of solemne Faires for buying and selling of
seditious Monkes On the other part a great number of Syria Caua came to support the troubled estate of Flauianus For these things as if he had beene a contentious man he was banished and Senerus a notable Eutychian heretique was placed in his roome this is he of whom I haue mentioned diuers times that Alamundarus prince of Saraceus deluded his messengers and sent them backe ashamed and confounded The next attempt was against Helias Bishop of Ierusalem against whom this quarrell was forged that hee would not subscribe the Synodicke letter of Seuerus and damne the councel of Chalcedon and by the Emperours commandement Olympius the captaine came to Ierusalem expelled Helias and placed Iohn a familiar friend of Seuerus in his roome This Iohn by the perswasion of Sabas a Monke of Palestina forsooke the fellowship of Seuerus and was cast into prison by Anastatius the Emperours captaine but when he was brought foorth out of prison againe he disappointed the expectation of Anastatius the captaine for he openly auouched the foure generall councels and anathematifed the followers of Arrius Macedonius Nestorius and Eutyches In doing whereof he was mightily assisted both by the people and the Monks so that Anastatius the Emperours captaine fearing popular commotion fled and returned againe to the Emperour but Seuerus Bishop of Antiochia moued with wrath against the Monks of Syria set vpon them and slew 300. of them and gaue their carcases to the foules of the heauen and the beastes of the earth such mercie was and is to bee found in headstrong heretiques In all this desolation the courage of Cosmas Bishop of Epiphania and Severianus bishop of Arethusa is to be admired who wrote a booke conteining a sentence of deposition of Severus Bishop of Antiochia which booke Aurelianus a deacon of Epiphania clad in a womans apparrell deliuered vnto him in Antiochia and afterward conueyed himselfe away secretly The Emperour was highly offended against Cosmas and Severianus and he wrote to Asiaticus gouernour of Phoenicia that hee should eiect them out of their places but when answere was returned to the Emperour that it could not be done without blood the Emperour left off further pursuing of them Many counted Anastatius a peaceable Emperour because he would haue setled controuersies in the Church as eiuil controversies at sometimes are settled namely by a law of oblivion but there is no capitulation betwixt darknesse and light but darknesse must yeeld vnto the light of God In Africke moe then 900. were crowned with martyrdome vnder the raigne of Anastatius as Magd history recordeth out of the first booke of Regino de Anastatio Platina writeth that he was slaine with thunder Iustinus the elder AFter Anastatius succeeded Iustinus a godly Emperour and governed nine yeeres and three dayes Hee restored the Bshops whom Anastatius had banished Hee banished also Arrian Bishops who were found within his Dominions Severus Bishop of Antiochia a vile Eutychian Heretique and a bloody Foxe hee displaced and caused him to be punished by cutting out of his tongue as some affirme Theodoricus King of the Gothes obtaining domion in Italy persecuted true Christians with great hostility and sent Ambassadors to the Emperour Iustinus to restore the Arrian Bishops whom hee had banished else he would pursue the Bishops who were in Italy with all kinde of rigour And because the Ambassadors returned not backe againe with such expedition as he expected hee put hand to worke and slew two noble Senators Symmachus and Boetius Likewise when the Ambassadors were returned hee cast in prison Iohannes Tuscus Bishoppe of Rome and his companions whom hee had before imployed to goe on message to the Emperour Iustinus The Bishop of Rome died in prison for lacke of sustentation but the Lord suffered not this barbarous cruelty of Theodoricus to be long vnpunished for the Lord strake him with madnesse of minde so when he was sitting at table and the head of a great fish was set before him hee imagined it was the head of Symmachus whom he had slaine and was so stupified with feare that anon after hee died In the dayes of this Emperour Iustinus was a terrible earthquake the like whereof hath not beene heard at any time before wherewith the towne of Antiochia was shaken and vtterly ruined With the earthquake fire was mixed consuming and resolving into ashes the remnant of the towne which the earthquake had not cast down In this calamity Euphrasius Bishop of Antiochia perished The good Emperour mourned for the desolation of Antiochia and put on sackcloth on his body and was in great heavinesse whereof it is supposed that hee contracted that disease whereof hee dyed When he found his disease daily encreasing he made choyce of Iustinian his sisters sonne to be his colleague who governed foure moneths in equall authority with his vncle and then Iustinus ended his course Iustinianus A After the death of Iustinus Iustinianus his sisters sonne governed 38. yeares Hee would suffer no faith to be openly professed except the faith allowed in the foure generall Councells Notwithstanding the Empresse Theodora his wife was a favourer of Eutyches heresie This Emperour was bent to recover all that was lost by his predecessors in Asia Africke and Europe and hee had good successe through the vertue and valour of his Captaines especially Belisarius and Narses Belisarius first fought against the Persians who had overcome not onely Mesopotamia but also many parts of Syria Antrochena and Cava Hee overcame them in battell and compelled them to goe back beyond Euphrates Next he was employed to fight against the Vandales in Africke who possessed great bounds of the Romane dominions ever since the dayes of Gensericus King of the Vandales And it is to be marked that the time was now come wherein the Lord wil declare that the blood of his Saints is precious in his eyes For since the dayes of Dioclesian that bloody persecuting Emperour no race of people persecuted Gods Saints with so barbarous cruelty as the Vandales did for zeale they had to the Arrian heresie wherewith they were infected After Gensericus Hunericus and Amalaricus and Trasimundus who closed the doores of the Temples of Christians and banished their Bishoppes to Sardinia Childericus would haue shewed some favour to Christians and reduced their Bishoppes from banishment for this cause the Vandales did slay him and gaue his kingdome to Gillimer Now the Lord remembred the grones of his owne prisoners and would not suffer the rod of the wicked perpetually to lie vpon the lot of the righteous Belisarius fought against the Vandales prosperously recovered Carthage and all the boūds pertaining to the Roman Empire possessed by the Vandales Also he tooke Gillimer their King and carried him captiue to Constantinople It is worthy of remembrance that Iustinian would not receiue into his treasure the vessels of gold which the Emperour Titus when hee burnt the Temple of Ierusalem
many followed him When Pope Alexander came to Rome the Townes of Italie were in great â—â—ope of libertie and rebelled against the Emperour they reedefied the towne of Millan which the Emperour had sacked and ruinated and they builded a towne called Alexandria in contempt of the Emperour and in honour of the Pope When the Emperour Frederike came to Italie hee besieged this new builded towne called Alexandria but was betraied by Henry Duke of Bauaria and Saxonia so that he escaped hardlie in the habit of a seruant and returned to Germanie The Emperour renewed his forces againe and pierced into Italie with a great armie Pope Alexander fled to Venice Otto the Emperours sonne on the other part with a well appointed nauie pursued after him hauing receiued a commandement from his father to attempt nothing against the Venetians vntil his owne comming But the young man more hardie then circumspect encountred with the Venetians and was ouercome and taken prisoner The father for relieuing of his sonne from Captiuitie was content to come to Venice and in Saint Marks Church to craue absolution from Pope Alexander When hee kneeled downe at the Popes feete the proud Pope set his foot vpon the Emperours necke and abused the words of holy Scripture Super aspidem basiliscum ambulabis conculcabis leonem draconem that is thou shall walke vpon the Lyon and the Aspe the young Lyon and the Dragon shalt thou tread vnder feet The Emperour answered non tibi sed petro that is not to thee but to S. Peter but the proud Pope replyed Et mihi petro that is both to me and to S. Peter to wit thou doest this homage The Emperour not willing to giue any further occasion of offence held his peace and so was absolued and his sonne relieued with whom hee departed from Venice After this some affirme that he led an armie to Palestina to fight against the Turks and that hee prospered vntill at length he was drowned in a certaine riuer The Christians in Ierusalem had their last helpe and refreshment from Philip king of France and Richard king of England These two besieged Acon and conquered it But there was kindled betweene the two kings a feruent heat and indignation euerie one of them enuying the honour of another so that Philip returned to France and king Richard after hee had conquered Ioppo returned also to England But by the way hee made ship-wracke and hardly escaped the perill of drowning And albeit hee disguised himselfe putting on the habite of a seruant yet he was knowne and taken prisoner by the Duke of Austria and was brought to the Emperour Henry the sixt where hee was detained vntill hee paied the ransome of 10000. pounds money After Baldowine succeeded Amalricus the sixt king of Ierusalem And after him his sonne Baldowine the 4. the 7. king of Ierusalem Hee was sickly and not meet for governement Therefore he committed the gouernement to Guido and Raimundo Count of Tripoli The discord and debate betweene Raimund and Guido presented occasion to Saladin king of Turkes to recouer againe Ierusalem and other Townes possessed by Christians for the space of 88. yeeres Henry the Sixt. AEter the death of Frederike the first his sonne Henry the sixt was declared Emperour who raigned 8. yeeres hee was Crowned by Pope Caelestinus the second who tooke Constantia the daughter of Rogerius out of a Monasterie and gaue her in marriage to Henry the sixt and both Sicils were bestowed to him in way of dowrie paying alwayes to the Bishop of Rome the fee duely that was accustomed to bee paied out of those parts Henry the sixt tooke Trancredus the young king of Sicile put out his eyes and thrust him into a Monastery and vsed great cruelty against the Bishops and other inhabitants of the Isle of Sicile So that Pope Caelestinus did excommunicate him for his Barbarous crueltie but hee went to Rome acknowledged his fault and obtained pardon together with a confirmation of the kingdome of Sicile The Pope sollicited also the Emperour to lead an armie to Asia for support of distressed Christians which thing hee performed albeit he went not thither in his owne person for he sent the Bishop of Mentz the Duke of Saxonie the Duke of Austria and the Duke of Bauaria and the Lantgraue of Thuringia with many other noble persons and with a well appointed armie But the yeere following their arriual at Palestina the report of the Emperour Henries death caused them to returne backe againe to Germanie leauing the Christians in a verie desolate care CENTVRIE XIII Philippus AFter the death of Henry the sixt Philip his brother by the helpe of the Bohems Saxons Bauaroies and Sueuians tooke on him the Emperiall authoritie contrarie to the minde of Innocentius Bishop of Rome and reigned 10. yeeres In his time the country of Germanie was tormented with most cruell wars for the Pope of Rome did excommunicate him and caused the Bishop of Colen and other electors to make Otto Duke of Saxon Emperour betweene whom and Philip were fought diuers battels But Philip defended himselfe so couragiously that by force hee held the Emperiall Crowne all his life-time against the heart both of Otto and the Roman Bishop who oftentimes had threatened that either hee would pull from Phillip the Imperiall Crowne or else that Phillip shold take from him his triple Diademe so meek was this gentle Byshop In the end the Countrey of Germanie being wearied with continuall warres entreated for peace betweene Philip and the Pope which was obtained vpon these conditions that one of Philips daughters should bee giuen in marriage to Count Richard the Popes Nephew and another of his daughters should be giuen in marriage to Otto Duke of Saxon who should for that cause denude himselfe of the Emperiall dignitie Not long after this peace was concluded the Emperour was cruellie murthered in his owne chamber by Otto Count Palatine In this Emperours daies began the kingdome of the Tartarians who came from the mountains of India with their wifes and children in 〈◊〉 1202 and began to spoyle the Prouinces nerest adiacent to themselus afterward they ouerhaled the Parchians Medes Assyrians Persians Armenians and Sarmatians and in the end setled their dwelling place at Meotidis Paludes a barbarous and fierce people practising great crueltie against all nations both of Christians and others Otto Quartus AFter the death of Philip Otto Duke of Saxon was Crowned Emperour by Pope Innocentius the third Now it was the custome that hee who was crowned Emperour vsed to distribute gifts to the Romans which custome being neglected by Otto the Romans made some commotion and tumult wherein they abused the Emperours seruants He therefore departing from Rome with great discontentment invaded certaine townes belonging to the Chaire of Rome whereby hee incurred such hatred at the Popes hands that hee was forth-with excommunicated and although the Pope hated the of-spring of Henry the sixt
yet when the Electors of Germanie condescended to make Frederike the sonne of Henry Emperour the Pope agreed thereto because hee had a more deadly hatred at those who touched the apple of his eye that is S. Peters patrimonio as they call it then at any other sort of people In the East Alexius Ducas otherwise called Murzulfus raigned a short time for hee was taken by the Venetians and Frenchmen who had restored againe Isacius to his kingdome and they threw him headlong ouer a steepe place because hee had murthered his Master for ambitious desire of his kingdome These Venetians and Frenchmen set vp Baldwine Count of Flanders to bee Emperour of the East Thus was the Empire of the East translated to the French nation for a time as the Empire of the west had beene before in the dayes of Charles de maine After him raigned Henry his brother 2 yeeres who hauing no male children left the kingdome to Petrus Antisiodorensis his sonne in law who was cut off by the fraud of Lascharis after hee had raigned two yeeres After him his sonne Robert raigned 7 yeeres hee was crowned Emperour by the Bishop of Rome as the Germane Emperours were accustomed to be To him succeeded his young sonne Baldwine in whose time the Empire returned againe to the Grecians And Theodorus Lascaris sonne in Law to Alexius Commenus who plucked out the eyes of Isacius was saluted Emperour and raigned eight yeeres after whom Ioannes Ducas his sonne in Law raigned 33. yeeres Fredericus Secundus AFter the death of Otto Frederike the second sonne to Henry the sixt obtained the Empire and râ—igned 38. yeeres Hee was by inheritance king of Naples Apulia Calabria and Sicilia His father obtained shortlie after he was borne of the Princes Electors that they should choose his sonne Frederike Emperour after his death which they did crowning him Emperour at Aquisgraue when he was about 20. yeere old From thence hee passed with his nobles and Princes to Rome and there with great solemnitie was consecrated called Augustus by Pope Honorius the third After his consecration he gaue by his charter to the Church of Rome the Dukedome of Fundanuus for by the insatiable couetousnesse of the Roman Bishops this wicked vse and custome grew that except the Emperours Elected and crowned would giue vnto them such great and large gifts they could not obtaine of them their consecration and confirmation which for that intent they deuised Furthermore the said Emperour willing to shew himselfe more bountiful towards the Church of Rome gaue and admitted those constitutions which the Pope himselfe would desire by which doing he gaue a sword in their hands to cut his owne throat for hee did grant to the Canon of proscription devised by the Pope and his adherents that whosoever were excommunicate for diminution of the liberties of the Church and so continued a yeeres space that this person should be within the danger of his proscript and should not bee relaxed before hee had made satisfaction and was admitted by the Pope to the Church and Congregation of good men againe But this liberty of Fredericke was well required by Hononorius for soone after his returning to Germany hee heard of certaine who begun to raise and make new factions against him amongst whom were found Thomas Richard the brethren of Innocentius the third Earles of Anaquinos that held certaine Castles in the kingdome of Naples against him by force which Castles hee besieged and beat downe Richard also hee tooke and sent him prisoner to Sicilia But Thomas escaped and came speedily to Rome where hee was not onely received by Honorius but also when the Emperor began to expostulate with him for the vnseemlinesse of this deed the Pope was so chased that without further delay he thundred out against him like a tyrant his cursings and excommunications After this fell out a ground of a new debate between the Emperour and the Pope For the Christians that were in Asia were so weakened that Iohn surnamed Brennus King of Ierusalem came himselfe to the Emperour and to the Pope to seeke helpe for the distressed Christians who were in Asia This Iohn gaue his daughter Ioel in mariage to the Emperour with the title of the Kingdome of Ierusalem in dowrie with her The Emperour on the other part promised that with all possible expedition hee would leade an armie into Asia against the Turkes wherevpon and by the meanes of Iohn King of Ierusalem the Emperour and the Pope were reconciled againe But before the Emperour tooke his iourney to Asia Honorius died in whose roome succeeded Gregorius the ninth who excommunicated the Emperour a new againe because hee was compelled by sicknesse to come backe from his iourney to Asia and to remaine a space in Europe for the recouering of his health againe The next yeere after to stop the mouth of the slanderous and cruell Pope and to declare to the world that the last yeere hee did not leave off his iourney by his owne voluntary will but by necessity hee set forward with a great army and arrived at Ioppa The Saracens were so troubled with his arrivall that they were content to render to Fredericke the towne of Ierusalem with all the possessions that were scituate betweene it and Ptolemaide and the greatest part of Palestina and the Cities of Tyrus and Sydon which were in Syria and all other territories which Baldwin the fourth at any time had occupied there Also they were content to set at liberty all the prisoners who were in their hands and finally to conclude peace for the space of ten yeeres In the meanetime while the Emperour is thus occupied in Asia Pope Gregory the ninth in the Emperours absence made it knowne to the whole world for what cause he was so earnest to chase him away to the East not that he cared for the welfare of the distressed Christians in Asia but to the end hee might worke him some trouble in his absence as appeared by all these subsequent practices For hee invaded the kingdome of Naples and the rest of the dominions which pertained to the Emperors inheritage and subdued a great part of these dominions to himselfe Likewise he had a secret dealing with Henry the Emperours son to stirre him vp against his father and prevailed so farre in this divellish treason that by the Popes counsell hee put from him his trustie Counceller Ludovicus Duke of Boioria whom his father had ordained to be guider of his sonne in his absence Likewise when the Emperour sent letters out of Asia declaring the good successe that God had given him and therewith desiring the Pope and Christian Princes and people to give thanks to God for the same These letters so grieved the Popes minde that hee rent them in peeces cast them vpon the ground and trode them vnder his feet to the great admiration of the Emperours Legats Againe to colour the rage of his impotent minde with some
excuse who could not bridâ—â— the fury of his malicious heart pretending this to be the cause of his anger because the Emperour amongst other conditions of peace bound vp betweene the Christians in Asia and the Saracens hee had licensed them to come alwayes without armour to the place of the holy grave Also hee made rumours to passe through Italy of the Emperours death to the end the townes which were vnder his dominion might be faint-hearted and resigne over their cities into his hands As likewise the souldiers who returned home out of Asia he caused to be cut off left by their reporting the truth and the good successe of Fredericke the townes vnder his obedience might be encouraged The Emperour being advertised of all these practices done against him in his absence left in Asia Renaldus with his garisons coÌ„manding all the other bands to be vnder his appointment And with all speed came with certaine gallies to Calabria and within short space tamed his enemies and recovered all his holds and dominions againe Also he sent to the Pope to entreate for his favour notwithstanding all the iniuries he had received at his hands but was not heard nor accepted into favour vntill hee had paied an hundred and twenty ounces of gold for his absolution After this great rebellon was stirred vp in Germany against Fredericke for his owne sonne Henry Caesar began to vtter the fruits of that old traffique that was betweene him and the Pope and caused Ludovicke Duke of Boiaria of whom we did speake before not onely to be put from his Court but also most cruelly to be murthered The Emperour thought it no time to sleepe wherefore entâ—ing into Germany hee assembled a Councell in the citie of Nâ—urburg where the conspiracy of Henry Caesar was manifestly detected whereof the Pope was the chiefe author and â—ee by the iudgement and sentence of 〈◊〉 Princes condemned of high treason And being commanded by his father to be bound was as a prisoner brought to Apulia where not long after hee died in prison In whose roome hee ordained his third sonne Conradus Caesar by consent of all the Peeres and Princes Also Fredericus Austriacus his sonne was proclaimed for an enemy to the Common-wealth from whom were taken Austria and Stiria and brought againe vnder the Emperours obedience and fidelity who having set Germany at quietnesse left there Conradus Caesar his sonne and with his army returned to Italy to punish such as with Henry his eldest sonne had conspired against him whose treasons were all detected at the condemnation of Henry Caesar and chiefly the Popes who vnderstanding that the Emperour with warlike furniture marched towards Italy albeit hee fained himselfe to be reconciled and a friend to him yet was hee notwithstanding to him a most secret and intestine enemy For hee sent to those cities who had conspired against the Emperour admonishing them that they should ioyne themselues together and that they should furnish strongly their cities with garrisons and send for aide to friends and that with all their force they would prepare themselues for warre Also hee sent Ambassadors to the Emperour to forbid him and his army to come forward vnto Italy and to say vnto him not by way of entreaty but imperiously that what cause of controversie hee had against the Longobards the same hee should commit to him and stand to his arbiterment The Emperour nothing regarding this foolish interditement prosecuteth his purpose and marcheth towards Italy where he brought vnder his subiection those cities that rebelled against him as Mantua Verona Ternisium Patavium and others and then hee afterward set vpon the great Hoast of Mediolanenses the Brixians the Placentines and other confederats of whom hee tooke a thousand prisoners and also their Generall being the chiefe Magistrate in the citie of Mediolanum Petrus Tenopolus the Dukes sonne of Venice and slew diverse Captaines moe and tooke all their Ensignes The Pope perceiving the overthrow of his confederates could no longer cover his malice but did breake out in open fury and rage against the Emperour and pronounced a sentence of proscription against him depriving him of all his dignities honours titles prerogatiues kingdoms and whole Empire Also calling vnto him the Venetian and Genuan Legats made a peace betweene them for they had beene at variance for certaine causes about their Sea coasts and covenanted with them vpon this condition that vpon their charges they should rigge and man 35. gallies which should spoyle and burne all along the Sea coasts of the kingdomes and dominions of Fredericke But when hee saw the good will and fidelity that the Duke of Venice bare vnto the Emperour who notwithstanding the displeasure he tooke by the imprisonment of his sonne yet would he not make warre against him For which cause the Pope had recourse to his old practises whereby his predecessors had trodden all Princes vnder their feet And so hee put forth an edict at Rome to the vniversall Church and people the beginning whereof is Ascendit de mari bellica bestia wherein hee declareth the causes wherefore hee curseth the Emperour to the divell of Hell and deiecteth him from his Princely dignity charging him with treason periury cruelty sacrilege killing of his owne kindred and all impiety and accuseth him as an hereticke schismaticke and miscreant And this edict of the Emperours cursing he commanded all Bishops Prelats and others of the Clergie that they should solemnly recite the same in their Churches in stead of a Sermon And furthermore charged them and all other Christian men vnder paine of cursing and damnation that they neither helpe the Emperour nor yet so much as wish him well Moreover by meanes of Albertus Bebauus his Legat hee stirred vp great rebellion against the Emperor in Germany For hee drew Otto Duke of Boiaria from the Emperours obedience and with him Venceslaus and Belus Princes of the Hungarians and Henry Duke of Polonia To whom also Fredericus Austriacus the Emperours sonne because he was proscript or out-lawed of his father was easily adioyned The Emperour was at Patavium when these newes were brought to him Therefore hee commanded Peter de Vineis his Secretarie vpon Easter day to make a narration to the people of his great munificence to the Bishoppes of Rome and againe of their iniuries towards him in recompence thereof of his innocencie also in all the heads whereof hee was accused by the Pope and finally of the vse of Ecclesiasticall censure and of the errors and abuse of the Church of Rome By which Oration of his he so remooved the clowds of blinde superstion from mens hearts and the conceived opinion of holinesse of the Church of Rome and also of their vsurped power and subtle perswasion that both they saw and plainely perceived the vices and filthinesse of the same At the same time the Emperour as faith Albericus writ to the Pope these veres Roma diu titubans longis erroribus
Saint Peter himselfe were aliue and did rebuke the lewdnesse of their conversation they would not spare to take Saint Peters life also Moreouer hee sayd they were full of vncleannesse and were blinde guides leading the people headlong to Hell but the Lord would haue in remembrance their iniquities and call their wickednesse to account Thus the hatefull indignation of the Clergie being kindled against him for preaching the truth they layed waite for him secretlie and tooke him and drowned him Platina alledgeth that this fact displeased the Pope alwayes there was no inquisition to know the authors of this fact not punishment of malefactours who shed innocent blood in secret that manifested vnto the world the Popes indignation About this time was a booke written called Opus Tripartitum the author whereof was vnknowne but it is supposed to haue beene compiled by Arnulphus It contained great complaints of the manifold abuses of Church-men After Honorius succeeded Innocentius the second and ruled fourteene yeeres seuen months eight dayes Hee was a man of a militarie spirit albeit not fortunate in warfare For he made warre against Rogerius Duke of Sicilie whom hee besieged also in a certaine Castle But William Duke of Calabria Rogerius his sonne not onely relieued his father but also laid hands on the Pope and his Cardinals and made them Captiues and prisoners Rogerius delt friendly with the Pope and his Cardâ—nals and set them at libertie and obtained at the Popes hand whatsoeuer hee pleased except the name and title of a king At this time when the Pope was busied in warrefare the Romans advanced one called Peter the sonne of Leo a man of noble birth in Rome to be Pope And when Innocentius adressed himselfe to Rome hee did finde the faction of his Competitor to be strong and mighty therefore he sayled to Pisca and from thence to Geneua and from thence to France where hee assembled Councels at Clermont and at Rhemes and deliuered his Competitor to Sathan In the end hee was restored to his chaire againe by the Emperour Lotharius the second In his time the Towne of Rome being wearied with the tirâ—nnie of the Popes tooke resolution to be gouerned by Consuls The Pope to obviat this conceite of the people made an ordinance that whosoeuer did violently put hands on any person of the Clergie hee should be excommunicate and no man should haue power to absolue him but onely the Pope After Innocentius succeeded Coelestinus the second Hee was chosen Pope without the consent of the people as witnesseth Onuphrius he ended his course in the fift month of his Popedome To him succeeded Lucius the second and gouerned the Pestilentius chaire as the Magdeburg historie recordeth in a time when the Pestilence had great vpperhand in Rome Hee concluded his course in the eleuenth month of his Popedome After Lucius succeeded Eugenius the third sometime disciple to Bernard and ruled eight yeeres foure months and twentie dayes He so bestirred himselfe against the Senators of Rome that partlie by cursings and partly by force hee brought them in subiection and compelled them to receiue such Senators as the Pope by his authoritie pleased to assigne vnto them But it came to passe that hee who was desirous to be terrible and awfull to the Romans hee feared them in like manner that they were conspiring secretlie against his estate Therefore hee fled to Tybur and from thence to Fraunce to leade an armie to the East for the support of distressed Christians But this voiage had no good successe notwithstanding that the Popes blessing and Bernards Councell who was Abbot of Clarauall and much regarded at that time were both interposed to advance this often reiterated warrefare against the Turks When the Pope returned from France to Rome accompanied with great forces the people of Rome were affraid but the Pope soone after concluded his course at Tybur Anastatius the fourth succeeded Eugenius who continued in his Popedome one yeere foure months and twentie foure dayes To Anastatius succeeded Pope Adrian the fourth a Monke of the English nation employed by Pope Eugenius to goe to the people of Noroway whom hee brought vnder the Roman superstition and therefore was advanced by Pope Eugenius to the dignitie of a Cardinall and after the death of Anastatius the fourth he was promoted to the Popedome Hee would not goe to the Church of Lateran to be consecrated vntill Arnoldus Bishop of Brixia was driuen from the Towne of Rome because hee had counceled the Romans to claime to the auncient gouernment of their Towne to be guided by consuls and Senators But the proud Pope insisted so seriouslie against Arnoldus and the Romanes that hee compelled them by the force of his multiplied curses not onely to expell Arnoldus out of the Towne of Rome but also to submit themselues absolutely to the gouernment of the Pope The proud cariage of this Pope towards the noble Emperour Fredericke the first his bad successe in warrefare against the Duke of Sicilie and his miserable death in the Towne of Anagnia hath all beene touched in the historie of the life of Fredericke He ended his course after hee had ruled foure yeeres and ten months After Adrian the fourth succeeded Pope Alexander the third who had great debate against his competitor Victor the fourth called before Octavianus in respect the Emperour and the Princes of Germanie and a great number of the Clergie of Rome adhered to Pope Victor And on the other part to Pope Alexander adhered the kings of England France and Sicilie And this scisme indured a long time for remouing whereof the Emperour Fredericke appointed one councell at Papia and another at Diuion To the first hee would not appeare because hee thought the Pope should be iudged of no man To the Second he should not appeare because the councell of Diuion was not assembled by his owne authoritie but by the commandement of the Emperour This Litigious decertation tooke this effect that the Emperour and Bishoppes conuened at the foresaid Councels decreed Victor who appeared and was ready to submit hâ—s cause to the iudgement of a lawfull assemblie him I say they decreed to be Pope lawfully elected Pope Alexander fled to France and in the councell of Clermont hee excomunicated both the Emperour and his Competitor Victor these were the weapons of their warrefare against the Emperours and all others whom they supposed to be their aduersaries After the death of his Competitor Victor Pope Alexander being at Rome the Emperour Fredericke came with a strong armie thereto and Pope Alexander fled to the Venetians What Tragedie fell out in Venice forcing the noble Emperour to stoupe vnder the feete of the Pope for excessiue loue that hee caried towards his sonne hath beene declared in the Historie of the Emperour Frederickes life In this Popes dayes was Thomas Becket Bishop of Canterburie slaine Henry king of England purged himselfe to the Pope that
per viam expedientiae that is although it be not lawfull by way of iustice yet is it meet to doe it as a thing expedient to be done He exercised his tyrannie and power of excommunication against Andronicus Paleologus Emperour of Constantinople declaring him a schismaticke and heretike because hee neither would nor durst suffer the Grecians to make their appeale from the Greeke Church to the Pope neither would acknowledge him for his superior For the Grecians euer constantly refused to be subiect to the Romane bishop except in that short time wherein the Frenchmen had the Empire of the East and in the time of Michael Paleologus who in the Councell at Lyons submitted himselfe to Gregorie the tenth whereby he procured vnto himselfe such hatred that after his death the Grecians denyed vnto him the honour and place of buriall as hath beene declared In like manner hee excommunicated the Venetians for preferring Azada to the estate of Ferrare yea Francis DaÌ„dalus Ambassador from the Venetians to the said Clement for pacifying his furie and obtaining that absolution suffered a chaine of iron to be tyed about his necke and to lye downe vnder the Popes table there like a Dog to catch the bones which fell from the table vntill the Popes furie was assuaged And lest he should be inferiour to his predecessors in subduing all powers vnder his feet hee ordained that the king of the Romans should not enioy the title and right of an Emperour without confirmation giuen by the Pope Next to Clement followed Pope Iohn the two and twentieth After that the chaire of Rome had beene vacant for the space of two yeeres and three months hee ruled nineteene yeeres foure months and was verie much giuen to heape vp riches so that hee proclamed them to be heretickes who affirmed that Christ and his Apostles had no possessions in the world He would not condiscend to the Coronation of Lewes the fift Duke of Bauaria to be Emperour because hee vsed the Empâ—â— all dignitie in Italie before hee was authorised by the Popeâ—â— which cause Lewes tooke his iourney to Rome and theâ—â— crowned by the Cardinalls and set vp another Pope in 〈◊〉 called Nicolaus the fift against Iohn who was then residâ—â— at a Auiniogue in France and so the church of Rome 〈◊〉 begun to haue two heads Pope 〈◊〉 the twelfe followed and ruled seuen yeeres 〈…〉 and seuenâ—â—eene dayes 〈…〉 Pope Clement the sixt and ruled ten 〈…〉 twentie eight dayes hee reduced the 〈…〉 was kept on the hundred yeere to the fiftieth yeere and to allure men to goe to warre for recouering of the holy land hee set forth blasphemous bulls commaunding the Angells to convey euerie mans soule to Paradise who died by the way giuing also power to all and singular persons signed with the Crosse to deliuer three or foure prisoners whom they pleased best out of the pains of Purgatorie After Clement the sixt followed Innocentius the sixt and ruled nine yeeres eight months and six dayes Hee imprisoned a certaine frier called Ioannes de rupescissa because hee Prophecied of the fall of the Pope and his Cardinalls by the parable of a bird cloathed with other birds fethers which in respect of her pryde were all plucked from her After him succeeded Vrbanus the fift and ruled eight yeeres and foure months In whose time the order of the Iesuits begun Next to Pope Vrban succeeded Gregorie the eleuenth who reduced the Papacie againe out of France to Rome after it had continued there aboue 70. yeeres moued hereunto vpon this occasion Hee had reprooued a certaine Bishoppe who stood by him from long absence from his charge to whom the Bishop replyed againe that the Bishop of Rome himselfe who ought to be a patterne to all the rest was longer absent from the place where his Church did tye him whereby the Pope tooke occasion to remoue his court from Fraunce to Rome When hee returned hee found the estate of Italie greatly disquieted with cruell warres and specially betwixt the Venetians and the Genoans whom the Pope threatned with excommunication if they both desisted not but before hee was able to accomplish this worke he ended his life after he had ruled seuen yeeres fiue months after whose death followed a great schisme in the Church of Rome For the Cardinalls of Italie choosed an Italian Pope whom they called Vrbanus the sixt and the Cardinalls of France choosed a Pope of the French nation whom they called Clemens the seuenth This scisme continued for the space of 38. yeeres vntill the generall Councell holden at Constance during which time were found at least two Popes raigning at one time the one in Auiniogue and the other in Rome In the dayes of this Pope Vrbane sprang vp Iohn Wickliffe in England of whose doctrine somewhat shall hereafter be spoken God willing whom Pope Vrbane such was the prouidence of God could not attend to suppresse being otherwise busied in suppressing his Competitor Clement the seuenth insomuch that this litle sparkle which begun in England enkindled forth with flames in the kingdome of Boheme and many other places to the great hurt of Antichrists kingdome To Vrbane after hee had ruled vnhappily as Platina writeth a eleuen yeeres and eight months succeeded Bonifacius the ninth and ruled foureteene yeeres and nine months hee was impudent in selling of Pardons that hee brought Peters keyes into great contempt After him succeeded Innocentius the seuenth and ruled two yeeres Of other Doctors IN this age God raised vp manie witnesses of his truth as also made the knowledge of letters the studie of tongues to spring vp againe after it had bin suppressed many yeeres in the Roman church for some learned men of the Grecians fearing the crueltie of the Turke fled vnto Italie by whose fruitfull trauaills learning begun againe to reuiue and spread it selfe thorow all parts of the West Of this number was Emmanuell Chrysoloras of Byzantium Theodorus Gaza of Thessalonica and Georgius Trapezuntius with many moe whose names are worthie to bee kept in good remembrance because they brought a good treasure with them out of Grecia where with many afterward were enriched Amongst those witnesses of the truth Marsilius Patavinus is iustly numbered who taking the defence of the Emperour Lewes agâ—inst the Pope who did excommunicate him affirmes in his booke called defensor pacis that the Pope hath no authoritie ouer other Bishops much lesse ouer the Emperour Secondly that the word of God ought only to be iudge in all causes Ecclesiasticall Thirdly that the Clergie and Pope should be subiect to Magistrates Fourthly That the head of the Church is Christ and that hee neuer appointed any vicar or Pope ouer his vniuersall Church Fiftly That Bishops ought to be chosen by their owne Church and Clergie Sixtly That the Mariage of Priests may be lawfully permitted Seuenthly That S. Peter was
the tenth part of all Ecclesiasticall rents for the space of six yeeres should be payed to furnish out an army to fight against the Infidels for recovering of the holy Land and a full remission of sinnes was promised to all them who would vndertake a part of this war-fare CENTVRIE XIIII IN the yeere of our Lord 1311. Pope Clement the fift bearing rule a generall Councell was assembled at Vienna wherein he set forth a booke of Papall decrees called Liber Clementiarū which was received allowed and ratified by the Councell And albeit as Nauclerus witnesseth Clemens himselfe before his death repented the setting out of this booke and commanded it to be burnt yet the Popes succeeding him and namely Iohannes the two and twentith confirmed and authorized the sayde booke againe together with the Decretals of Gregorius and Bonifacius because these bookes most highly advanced the seat of Rome exeeming the Bishop of Rome from subiection to generall Councels and attributing power to him to receiue or to reiect the Emperour after hee is chosen comparing the Pope to the Sunne and the Emperour to the Moone finally counting it a thing necessary vnto eternall life that every person bee subiect to the Bishop of Rome In this Councell it was ordayned that the feast of Corpus Christi should be kept with many indulgences granted vnto them who should celebrate this feast Likewise it was Decreed that the way to reduce Infidels to the true faith was not by armour and shedding of blood as the preceeding Popes had done for the space of three hundred yeeres though in vaine but by preaching of the Word of God to gaine their soules to the Lords Kingdome And for this cause it was ordained that Schooles should bee erected and forraine tongues should bee learned namely the Hebrew Chaldaicke and Arabique languages Finally it was ordained that the name and remembrance of the order of Templaries should be rooted out and this Decree was put in execution by all Christian Princes who in one day vtterly rooted out the sayd order of Monkes as formerly hath beene declared CENTVRIE XV. IN the yeere of our Lord 1414. the Emperour Sigismund and pope Iohn the 23. gathered a generall Councell at Constance for pacifying of a Schisme which was between three Popes striving for the Popedome to wit Pope Iohn whom the Italians set vp Pope Gregorie whom the French-men set vp and Benedict whom the Spaniards placed In this schismaticall ambitious conflict every one defended his owne Pope to the great disturbance of Christian Nations This Councell endured foure yeeres space The first beginning of it as the manner was is with a masse of the holy Spirit As they were singing according to their custome the Hymne Veni sancte spiritus there was at the same time a certaine paper set vp in the Church by some well disposed persons as it seemed wherein was contained these words following Alys rebus occupatinunc adesse vobis non possumus that is wee are otherwise occupied at this time wee cannot intend to come to you In this Councell was not onely Pope Iohn the 23. deposed for many grievous and haynous crimes obiected and prooved against him but also Gregory and Benedict sustayned the like censure and Pope Martin was chosen as hath beene declared Many wicked things were decreed and done in this Councell as namely in the eight Session thereof a sentence of condemnation was given out against the doctrine of Iohn Wickliffe and for the hatred of his memorie his bones ordained to be raysed out of his sepulchre and to be burnt In the thirteenth Session it was ordayned that no Priest vnder paine of excommunication should communicate vnto the people vnder both kindes of bread and wine In the 15. Session the Sentence of Iohn Husse his condemnation was read and published and he was deliuered to the secular power to be burned In the 19. Session it was decreed that notwithstanding the safe conduct giuen by the Emperour and kings inquirie may be made against a man for heresie by a sufficient iudge and processe to be made according to Law In the 21. Session a sentence of condemnation was pronounced against Ierom of Prague and hee was deliuered to the secular power to be burned And finallie nothing was decreed in this Councell or enacted worthy of memorie but this only that the Popes authoritie is vnder the Councell that the Councell ought to iudge the Pope yet albeit Articles were giuen in to the Councell crauing reformation of the Corrupt life of the Clergie and namely of the Court of Rome and Ioannes Gerson Chaunceller of the vniuersitie of Paris himselfe gaue in 75. abuses which hee willed to bee corrected and amended no reformatiō was obtained because the chiefe gouernors of the Councell themselues being men of corrupt and filthie conversation hated aboue all things the Articles of reformation But on the other part this new Pope Martine although hee could not finde time and leasure to reforme the abuses of the clergie yet found he time to deuise a cruell bloody inquisition against the true professours of the Gospel whom hee called Heretikes and for repressing of the Hussites hee deuised a strict inquisitiō which afterward followed in many Countries and namely in the countrie of Spaine IN the yeere of our Lord was gathered a generall Councell at Basil which as it indured longer then any other Councell before celebrat and holden in the Church for this continued almost 17. yeeres so likewise was it most troublesome in respect that Iulian Cardinall and Deacon of S. Angel being appointed president of the Councel by Pope Martin the fift and after his death being also approued by his successor Eugenius the fourth This Iulian I say suffered a certaine question to be reasoned freely in the Councell touching the authoritie of generall Councells after which reasoning it was concluded that the generall Councell is aboue the Pope and that all persons ought to be subiect to the generall councells as children are subiect to authoritie of their mother This conclusion grieued the Pope the more that this matter being once concluded in the Councell of Constants alreadie was now againe ratified and more amply discoursed in the Councell of Basil for this cause he would haue transported the Councell to Bononie But the Emperour Sigismund who was a great fauourer and protector of the Councell with aduice of the fathers of the Councel admonished Eugenius that hee should not onely leaue off his intended purpose of transferring the place of the Councell but also by his owne appearance before the Councell of Basil ratifie his subiection to the same which if he refused to doe they would proceede against him as a person contumacious obstinatly rebelling against the voyce of the Church The Pope was so dashed with this admonition that he was constrained to dissemble for a time and to confirme the