they receiued for their Prince Alexander de Medices vnto whom the Emperour promised his bastard daughter Margarite In this time Tiber at Rome ouerflowed his bankes and the winde so beat back the surges and waues therof that the whole Towne was greatly terrified therewith The like and more greeuous tempest came also in Holland the Countries adioyning the sea hauing burst her banks and leuies and tooke away all it met withall the length of the flat Country Ferdinand the Emperours yonger brother the fift of Ianuary at Cullen is proclaimed king of the Romanes And the eleuenth of Aprill following crowned at Aix notwithstanding the Duke of Saxonie protested by his sonne that he would not agree there vnto The Turke returned the second time against the Towne of Vienna in Austrich but the Emperour and Ferdinand went against him in battaile and forced him to retire The eleuenth of October Zuinglius of the age of fortie foure yeares younger then Luther by foure yeares was slaine at a battaile of the petit Cantons against them of Zuric and about the ende of Nouember Oecolampadius of the age of 49. yeares passed also from this life into an other in the Towne of Basil Mary the widowe of Lewis King of Hungarie is appointed by the Emperour her brother in the gouernment of the lowe Country in the place Margarite his Aunte lately deceased A Comete appeared almost through the whole moneth of August Loyse mother of the king of Fraunce and sister to Charles Duke of Sauoy dyed this yeare A warre recommenced betwixt the Swisses namely they of Zuric and fiue Cantons but in the end a peace was concluded The Towne of Munster receiue the Gospell Christierne King of Denmarke now banished from his Countrey by the space of tenne yeares hoping to recouer his kingdome was taken by sea and laid in prison His sonne which the Emperour his vncle entertained dyed of the age able to be imployed in warlike affaires Soliman Emperour of the Turkes came with a great Armie to Belgrade and from thence drawing on the left hand he besieged the Towne and Castle of Giunte but Nicholas Iurixe being then within made him leaue his siege Iohn de Leiden a Cutler an Hollander secretly and Harman Staprede Minister Rotmans companion publikely beganne to dispearse about the Towne of Munster the seede of Anabaptisme Rotman after he had resisted him in the beginning and caused them by the Senate to be driuen out of the Towne declared himselfe to be an Anabaptist in a disputation appointed in the Towne house See the Historie of Anabap. of Munster Who would not tremble at such a iudgement of God to see such as lately professed the Gospell of the Lord to fall into so great wickednes George Prince of Saxonie for the Gospell banished three score and ten Bourgesses of the Towne of Lipsic because they would not communicate in the Sacrament of the Supper vnlesse it were vnder both kindes of bread and wine The Pope Clement signified the Councell vnto the Duke of Saxonie that it should be at Plaisance or else at Boulongne or at Mantua Imperiall Townes The Duke sent his Embassadors towards the Protestants about the last of Iune who answered by writing that they woulde haue a Councell free and wel ordeined in Almaine where the difference in Religiō might be decided by newter and equall Iudges yea and that by the bookes of holy scriptures In fauour also of the French King hee made foure French Cardinalls Odes de Chastillion Phillip de Bologne Claude de Gnyuri and Iohn the hunter In the moneth of March the Emperour of Italie sailed into Spaine There was a marriage at Marceille delt in betwixt Henry the King of France his sonne a Prince of the age of fifteene yeares and Katherine de Mecides Pope Clements Neece by the King of Fraunce his meanes and the saide Clements During the Emperours absence the Lantgraue passed into Fraunce and in the name of Vlrich Prince of Wirtemberge engaged and pawned vnto the King borrowing of him readie Siluer the Earledome of Montbeliard to the ende to restore the saide Prince his cousin into his Seignories and Countries vpon this condition that if within three yeares it were not redeemed it should remaine hereditarie vnto the Kingdome of France Henry King of England hauing put away the daughter of Ferdinand king of Spaine the said Henry his brothers wife tooke Anne Bullen wherevpon the Pope commaunded him to take againe the said Katherine See Sleidan The Pope Clement by the counsell of Curtius his Phisitian hauing chaunged the Regiment and maner of his liuing in his age dyed in the ende of September of a disease of the stomacke Iohn Baptist Folengius in his Commentarie vpon the 105. Psalme speaking of Pope Clement his death saith thus Some say that in our time Clement the seuenth Pope of Rome dyed of so dishonest a death as he was eaten with Lice Others thinke he was but poysoned In the moneth of Nouember at Paris were many Placarts fixed vnto postes in diuers places against the Masse and other Articles of the Popish Religion Wherevpon was exercised great crueltie and horrible butchery against such as they called Lutherans Paul Pope third of that name an auncient man was chosen the 11. of October and created Pope of Rome and crowned the third of Nouember He raigned 15. yeares whereof we will handle hereafter In the moneth of Ianuary the King of France came to Paris ordeined there a generall procession where the Idoll Saint Geneuiefue was carried about in great pompe there also made hee an Oration to the people against the Lutherans as they called them And for a solemne Sacrifice to appease Gods anger hee caused sixe poore Christians to be burned which confessed the name of God in sundrie places of the Towne For this cause was hee ill beloued in Almaine In the moneth of Aprill the Emperour embarking at Barcelonne went into Affricke where he tooke the Towne of Thunis and the Fort of Golete hee after made tributarie the king Muleasse Barbarosse the Turkes Lieutenant who occupied that kingdoms escaped and assembled a certaine number of vessels in Argell And the Emperour retired into Sicilie In the moneth of Iuly the King of England beheaded Iohn Fisher Bishop of Rochester and Thomas Moore his Chauncellor because they would not agree to the Edict and statute made for the abolishment of the Popes authoritie who challenged to be head of the English Church Fisher whilest he was prisoner was chosen Cardinall which nothing amended his cause with the King About the ende of the moneth of October Francis Sforce Prince of Millaine deceased without any heires The sixt of December the Protestants assembled at Smalcalde Guillaume de Bellay Lord de Langeny Embassador for the king of Fraunce came thither who the 19. of December excused the king for the executions hee had made of the Lutherans saying they were seditious people and held a farre other
at Siennes in Tuscane ruled at Rome 12. yeares and one moneth rather a Monster in nature then a man Hauing abandoned the Monasterie of Clugny where hee was a Monke and being come to Rome he insinuated himselfe into the familiaritie of Laurence an Archpriest of whom hee learned Magike Arts and Negromancie which Arts the said Laurence being yet young had learned of that diuellish Monster Syluester Pope second of that name with certaine others There was a certaine particular intelligence betwixt this Laurence Thoaphilacte Iohn Gratian and Hildebrand all Archpriests or Cardinalls of the Sinagogue of Rome Wherfore Hildebrand did whatsoeuer he would with Theophilacte whilest hee was in the Popes office vnder the name of Benet the ninth But which is more vntill he came to be Pope nothing was done vnder the other Popes but at his pleasure When hee list as Benno saith he would shake his skirtes and fire would come out like sparkes and by such miracles he abused the eyes of simple people as if it had bene some signe of sanctetie And therefore saith Benno when the diuell could not persecute publikely Iesus Christ by the Painims he disposed himselfe fraudulently to destroy his name by that false Monke vnder the shewe and colour of religion Authors rehearse that this Hildebrand poysoned seuen or eight Popes by the seruice of Gerard Brazut to the ende by that meanes he might the sooner come vnto the Papacie Yet during those great troubles he handled all things so subtilly that none doubted he by any meanes aspired to the seate And although he was not Pope by name yet in effect he was the Organe and onely Instrument of him that was ordained Pope or of all his wicked inuentions and by litle and litle he practised vnder the other Popes that which he executed in his owne Popedome This notable Hypocrite vnder the colour of Canons and a certaine pietie hee did whatsoeuer hee would although he was the most vniust and the wickeddest in the world He accused Alexander the second his Lord and Maister because he had sought succours and helpe of the Emperour against his aduersaties and said it was not reasonable according to Canons that he should enioy the Papall dignitie which had demaunded succours of a prophane Prince Hauing dismissed the said Alexander of his dignitie he imprisoned him and caused him secretly to die and incontinently vsurped the Papall seate whilest men prepared for the obsequies and funeralls of the dead He communicated his siluer and counsell with Brazut and certaine Iewes his familiars by the meanes of which he found many tongues at his hire which cried with an high voyce yea euen before Alexander was buried S. Peter the Apostle hath chosen Hildebrand and they placed him in the Papall Chaire vnder the name of Gregorie the 7. And this was done the 1000 yeare after the destruction of Ierusalem In the which yeare the 6. Vicars of Sathan began to attribute vnto themselues openly the name of God and the office and vertue of Iesus Christ true God and true man For as soone as the said Gregorie had bin declared and ordained Pope the same was proclamed that the true Vicar of Christ Iesus was chosen And also the same Gregorie appropriated vnto himselfe that which is said of Iesus Christ in the second Psal Hee ouerthrew the lawes of God in forbidding marriage to Priests and casting kings out of their seats It was he which shead out the first seeds of the warre of Gog Magog which were the most pernitious and bloudie that euer was and which his familiar Vrbain 2. of that name afterward pursued Baleus Anglus The beginning of the mischiefes and extreame calamities of Croysades against the Turkes vnder a shewe of recouering Ierusalem Benno a Crdinall rehearseth the history folowing One day saith he as Gregorie came frō Albe to Rome he forgot to bring with him a booke of Negromancie which he held very deare and without the which hee neuer went or at least very seldome Whereof remembring himselfe at the doore of Laterane hee called hastily two of his most familiars which accustomed to serue him in all his wickednesse and villanies and commaunded them that they should bring him the said booke with all expedition straightly charging them that they should not presume so much as to open the booke by the way and that vpon curiositie they should not enquire vppon the secrets thereof But the more he commanded them the more inflamed he their curiositie diligently to seeke the secrets thereof As then returning they had opened the booke and had curiously read the diuellish commaundements of that Art suddenly the Angells of Sathan presented themselues the multitude of which and the horror of them brought those two young men almost out of their wits that with much adoo could they come to themselues And as they themselues rehearsed it those euil spirits insisted strongly saying Wherefore haue you called vs wherefore haue you disquietted vs Commaund vs quickly what you will haue vs to doo else we will fall vpon you if you keepe vs any longer here One of the young men then answered cast vs downe these walles straight And saying so hee shewed thē with the hand certaine high walles nigh the towne of Rome which in a moment these euill spirits ouerthrew to the earth They then thus terrified trembling almost out of breath scantly could come to Rome vnto their maister Behold what Benno saith who was in that time Gregorie being come to the papall dignitie began incontinently to sollicite that the Canons which his predecessors had made by his cautelous Councell touching Simonie and singlenesse of life in Priests and Monkes should be obserued not to the end hee might wholy abolish the wicked and detestable marchandise which was made of Ecclesiasticall Benefices but that vnder some colour of honestie hee might take from Princes the power to conferre and bestow them and to the end that by that meane all Bishops might be reduced and brought vnder the power and authoritie of the Romane seate which because of the right of Inuesture were obliged and beholding vnto Princes more then vnto the Pope of Rome And although that the Emperour Henry were the greatest of all Princes yet this arrogant and proud marchant iudged it best first to touch and deale with him tragically for the cause of Simonie Hee assembled a Councell at Rome in the place of Laterane touching these things but the Emperour beeing hindered because of his warres could not intend to debate his right in the Sinode The Pope notwithstanding had taken the matter so at heart that for that cause he ceased not to vse both treasons and murders and that more is he stirred in many places intestine and inward warres which engendred all maner of calamities For first he laide ambushes for the Emperour hee sought by diuers meanes to cause him to die In so much as hee sought to haue slaine him euen in the Church
where he desired he subiugated almost them all by the meanes of his bastard called Valentin which of a Cardinall he made a Duke and surnamed him Besides this hee exterminated all the mightiest houses that were in the Towne so that after he feared them no more In which combat as Valerius reciteth being munited and strengthened with the succours of the French and Swisses he shead much humane bloud The Emperour Frederic the third died at Vienna the 26. of August vpon the eating as is said a great quantitie of Pompions as hee meant to refresh himselfe and was buried in the Church of S. Stephen The malladie of Naples called the French disease or the poxe began about this time Maximilian the Emperour Fredericks sonne third of that name held the Empire alone after his father and was a fautor and louer of learned people The Almaines made a great discomfiture against the French men nigh Salnis in Bourgongne The Religion and Couent of the obseruation of Lyons vpon Rosne was founded in the suburbes of the said Towne in the place of two Louers The founder was king Charles the eight and Anne of Britaine Queene of France and the said Couent was named Nostre dame des Anges That is our Lady of Angells If they had said of Asses they had said better The last day of December the King of France Charles the eight arriued at Rome and made a magnificke entry thereinto The kingdome of Granado was recouered by Ferdinand King of Spaine which had about 80. yeares before beene taken from the Christians Batazetes came into Hungarie where were slaine 7000. of them that met him Alphonsus King of Portugall fell from his horse and died and in his place succeeded Emanuel his brother The order and Religion des filles Repenties began at Paris by Friar Iohn Trisseran Religions of the obseruation of Lyons borne at Bourge in Bresse Maximilian by an Embassage affianced the Duchesse of Britaine which thing greatly displeased Charles the 8. king of France Wherefore he made warre against the Britaines and had a great victorie vpon them and incontinently after hauing repudiated Margarite of Flanders whom he had affianced as is said during his fathers life tooke Anne the eldest daughter of Francis Duke of Britaine so was the peace made with the Britaines She had by him many children all which died before their father Maximilian afterward that is the 16. of March espowsed in the Towne of Insprulz Blache Marie an honourable virgin daughter of Galeatius Duke of Millaine Alexander celebrated a Iubile Anno 1500. whereat he deliuered this grace and fauour by his Bulles to such as had made no account to come thither or such as could not come that they might gaine and obtaine the Iubile by sending thither He sought by all meanes to heape vp siluer as much as he could to satisfie his lusts Wherefore hee set vs a new Colledge of Abbreuiators to the number of 80. of which each place was folde at 750. Ducates He inuited all Princes vnto his Iubile by his Bulls and ordained that in euery Towne men might haue Stations He created in his time 36. Cardinalls amongst which were 18. Spaniards and of his kinsmen three that is to say Iohn Borgia Valentin Borgia and Francis Borgia Hee receiued the oath of fidelitie of Alphonsus king of Naples which he tooke betwixt the hands of the said Iohn Borgia touching the keeping of loyaltie to the seate of Rome and to pay him his annuall tribute He fortified at his great charge the Castle S. Angels repaired and beautified the Temple of S. Mary Maior That which followeth is extracted by Iohn Functius out of the workes of Volateranus The Cardinalls which elected him he speaketh of Pope Alexander were the first that felt his ingratitude For he oppressed them all by diuers calamities banishing some and imprisoning others He made warre vpon the Vrsins which he vanquished and tooke prisoners by the meanes of his sonnes After this hee desired nothing so much as to life vp vnto honours his bastards as Innocent had done yea this farre more For now this began to be held a thing much honourable and worthy of great praise amongst the venerable Fathers He made the youngest of his sonnes a Prince in Sicilie The second called Caesar Valentin he made Cardinall And the eldest he made a Duke in Spaine who not long after was slaine at Rome cast into Tiber. As for the Cardinall Caesar reiecting the order of Priesthood after his brothers death came into the kingdome of France with a great summe of siluer where he espowsed one of king Lewis his kinswomen of the house of Albert and there was giuen him the Duchie of Valentinois in Daulphine After this by the kings helpe and the alliance which was made with him he acquired many Seignories in Italie vnto whom also his father gaue the hand who desired nothing so much in the world as to see his sonne so great a Lord. His daughter Lucrece whose carnall company himselfe had which was an horrible and detestable thing was married vnto three Princes successiuely First vnto Iohn Sforza Duke of Pisance After being repudiated by him to Lewis the bastard sonne of Alphonsus king of Arragon Finally after hee was slaine shee espowsed Alphonsus d'Est Duke of Ferrara Men may easily knowe by her Epitaphe made by Iohn Iouian Poutanus in very elegant Latin Verses what was the chastitie sanctitie and religion as well of the father as of the daughter and sonne For shee was renowmed to haue companie of them both This also which followeth is drawne out of the booke of Hierome Marius in his booke called Eusebius Captiue What need we to recite the infamous and dishonest deeds of Alexander the sixt seeing hee made alliance with diuells gaue himselfe altogether vnto them and subiected himselfe vnto them Hermolaus Barbarus a very learned man died of griefe in exile at Rome depriued of his Church and Patriarkship of Aquilea by the ingratitude of the Venetians whom he had serued as an Orator and Embassador vnto diuers Princes of Christendome The cause wherefore he was thus handled of the Venetians was because hee had receiued the Patriarkship of the Pope without theyr priuitie Therefore not content they banished also his parents and confiscated their goods See Iohn le Maire Iohn Picus Prince de Randole a mirrour of true Nobilitie in the flower of his youth died at Florence Wee finde many things written of this Pope by notable Authors of his time as certaine excellent Latin Verses well worthy to be noted which recite the praises of this holy Father Whereof this is the sence following Alexander sells Crosses and Aultars yea Iesus Christ himself He first bought them and may well sell them Rome passeth from vice to vice and from flame to fire vnder the gouernment of this Spaniard Tarquinus was the sixt king of Rome Nero the sixt Emperour and this Pope
Popish kingdome before the time of Iulius Iohn the 24. was maruellously troubled and molested by an Owle as is afore said And as he was in the way to Constance he fell from his Charriot He was there ignominiously deposed and there was it concluded that the generall Councell had power ouer the Pope And therefore from his time and also from Paul the second the affaires of the Papacie haue gone ill and haue alwaies past from worse to worse Vnder the gouernment of Alexander the sixt the Angell which was placed in the dungeon of the Castle S. Angelo was stricken downe by a fearfull thunder and fell into Tiber. There is hardly any person which knoweth not the mischiefes which haue hapned since Iulius the second vntill this present But according to the sentence of S. Paul Iesus Christ shal shortly destroy that wicked Antichrist by the brightnesse of his comming He shall be put aliue saith the Angell speaking to S. Iohn into a poole of burning fire brimstone where he shall be tormented for euer So be it So be it Iulius the second of that name borne at Genes Nephew of Sixtus the fourth who had bene named before Iulian Reuerins of the title of S. Peter ad Vincula was chosen Pope Hee was a man of a quicke spirit and very subtill and as it were chiefly borne for warre Phillip willing againe to passe into Spaine by Sea-tempest was cast vpon England and well receiued of king Henry the seuenth yet he payed for his welcome and redeemed his departure by deliuering to the said King the Duke of Southfolke who was of the house of the white Rose and thought the nighest heiremale of the Crowne of England who by the said Phillip had bene taken in Guelders whither he was fled for feare of king Henry This Iulius plucked away by force and by excommunications many things from certaine Christian Princes And in the space of seuen yeares he was cause of the death of infinite persons yea this tyrant because of the victories which he had obtained wherein hee reioyced that hee had shead so much humane bloud gaue vnto the Swisses the title of defenders of the Ecclesiasticall libertie and with a certaine number of Ensignes of warre and priuiledges cōfirmed by his Bulls a golden sword and an hatte He very straightly besieged Rauenna which the Venetians had occupied and in the end hauing taken it he reduced it into his obedience With a litle brauerie he plucked into his hands from certaine Princes Setina Imola Faience Boulongne and other Townes which was not done without great effusion of bloud Philibert the eight Duke of Sauoy succeeded his father Phillip in the yeare 1495. He was a magnanimous and vertuous Prince and full of great beautie in so much that he was called Philibert the faire He was amiable also and courteous to euery one He espowsed Margarite the Emperor Maximilians daughter But after hee had done many things worthy of memorie he died without leauing any heire issuing of him wherfore Charles his brother succeeded him in the said Duchie Margarite for a witnesse of the loue she bare him would neuer manie againe but alwaies remained a widow Phillip returned into Spaine and died in the yeare 1506. of his age the 28. The king Lewis had sent Phillip de Rauestone as Gouernor of Genes The Towne reuolted the yeare 1507. but incontinently it was taken againe by the French The yeare 1509. there was a great contention betwixt two orders of begging Friars that is to say the Friars and the Iacobins And this was because of the conception of the Virgin Mary The Cordeliers or Friars said that she was preuented of the grace of the holy spirit so that she was nothing spotted with originall sinne and the Iacobins affirmed the contrary that she was conceiued after the manner of the other children of Adam and that priuiledge to be conceiued without sinne was onely reserued to Iesus Christ yet they saide that the holy Virgin which was the mother of the sonne of God was sanctified in his mothers wombe purged from all originall spot as S. Iohn Baptist Ieremie and certaine others were which by especiall priuiledge were sanctified before they came out of their mothers wombes The said Iacobins made themselues strong to prooue that opinion by reasons of the holy scripture as also they had enterprised to make publike disputations at Heidelberge touching the conception of the Virgin Mary but nothing was executed Afterward the said Iacobins began to prooue that opinion euen before the people by certaine false myracles and visions which they themselues had inuented But these bad people were deceiued and their lies turned on their owne heads For there was a Lay Friar simple and an Ideot which they had enterprised to seduce and deceiue by their Inchauntments who in the ende reuealed all their knauery There were foure bretheren of that order taken at Berne vnto whō the torture was deliuered which after they had confessed the matter were disgraded and finally burnt for their fraudulent and diabolicall machinations which they had forged to maintaine their opinion For they had Inchaunted with superstitious charmes a poore Nouice It was at the great instance of the Bernois that Haimo Bishop of Lansanna in which Diocesse Berne is tooke knowledge of their cause and after inquisition made therof brought it to this point that they were disgraded and deliuered vnto the secular arme and burnt the last day of May in the Meade nigh the Riuer side of Ar. There were other culpable of this deed but they escaped from the hands of the Bernois The King Frederic of Naples and the Cardinall de Ambose died In this time happened a great malladie and sicknesse in France which they called the Coqueluehe The Pope Iulius excommunicated the king of France and Iohn d' Alebret king of Nauarre and gaue their kingdomes to whomsoeuer could first occupie them Masseus in the 20. Chapter of his Chronicles reciteth that the king of France perceiuing that the Pope Iulius with the Venetians went about something against him assembled a Councell in the Towne of Tours in the moneth of September where he proposed the questions following namely Whether it were lawfull for the Pope to make warre against any Prince without cause or reason And if such a Prince defending himselfe may not assaile the said Pope and withdraw from his obedience It was answered that it was not lawfull for the Pope so to do but that it was lawfull for the Prince to do that whereof he had enquired Moreouer it was agreed that the pragmatike sanctiō should be kept through the Realme of France and if hee thundred his excommunicatiōs that they should make no account of them because they should be vniust After these things the King sent to Iulius the answere of his Councell requiring him either to agree to peace or in some place to appoint a generall Councell to dispute the said questions more
the nigh Prouinces therof of the Churches communion and societie and sent out Letters to declare them excommunicated whereof hee was greatly blamed and reprehended And especially of Ireneus Bishop of Lions by Letters which hee sent vnto him That there was great folly for the difference of a Ceremonie to breake the peace and vnion of Churches and to stirre vp Schisme therein Alleadging to his purpose that the diuersitie of Fastes neuer broke the vnion of Churches and so no more should they in this Eusebius in the Ecclesi Hist Lib. 5. Chap. 5. With this warre the tranquililtie of Churches are troubled and the doctrine of Christian libertie obscured The Romanes ceased not to molest them of Asia to subscribe to their opinion and they became so outragious therein that they which obserued the Feast of Easter the fourteenth of the Moone were called Quatorzian Heretickes condemned as Nicepho reciteth Lib. 4. Chap. 39. This Schisme gaue Montanus and other heretickes occasion and ouerture to lift vp themselues at this time in Phrygia They published certaine lawes touching Fasts Also to breake marriages Affirming that the holy Ghost had not taught all to the Apostles and that he had in himselfe the gift to conferre the graces of the holy Ghost And other such blasphemies whereby hee looked to come vnto some Primacie The Romaine Bishoppes now became more audacious to forge new Ceremonies yea and that to force them vpon other Churches The authoritie to excommunicate conuerted into abuse and so became despised because of not obseruing certaine humaine traditions The dissention touching the obseruation of Easter caused sixe principall Councells to be assembled Euseb Lib. 5. Chap. 23. Victor in his second Decretall calls himselfe Arch-bishop of the Romane and vniuersall Church Tertullian a Priest of Carthage who otherwise did well serue the Christian Church finally reuoulted and drewe him selfe vnto the enraged Prophecie of Montanus Saint Hierome alleadgeth this the occasion That Tertullian beeing ledde with enuie and hatred of the Church of Rome could not at the last endure the arrogancie thereof He held one errour touching the Kingdome of Christ and the voluptuous life of the faithfull in this world before the consummation of all things Hee maintained the superstitious and ridiculous Fastes of Montanus calling him in many places the Comforter He brought in extreame vnction after Baptisme the signe of the Crosse offering for the dead and for feasts of Natiuities and other the like dreames of the Montanists His writings witnesse that he was very desirous of Martyrdome and that a Christian man ought not only to beare it constantly but to purchase and seeke it also Ammonius the Phylosopher Origens Schoole-maister perswaded in the Christian faith euen vntill death Although Porphirius say of him that he reuolted Victor with good cause depriued of the communion of the Church an hereticke called Theodotus who was a blasphemer and prince of the heresie which afterward Antemon followed and Paule Samosathonus reuiued For hee was the first that durst say publikely at Rome that Iesus Christ was but pure man of mans seed procreated as well as others See Nice Lib. 4. chap. 21. An other Schisme or diuersitie of iudgements touching the heresie of Montanus and his companions and also of Prisca and Maximilla Prophitesses which Montanus had filled with his fury Some said they were taken with a Spirit of Prophecy and that that they said were Oracles Others maintained that contrary to the custome of true Prophets they were transported and carried away in their mindes and taken with furie and extasie they were also giuen to couetousnesse and ambition contrary to the scripture which forbids Prophets to take gold or siluer The faithfull of Asia assembled many times to examine those doctrines and so newly forged Prophecies The faithfull of Gaul writ their opinion touching the furious errors of Montanus and sent Ireneus into Asia with Letters See Euseb Lib. 5. Chap. 4. This Schisme as it was to the condemnation of Montanus and his complices so the true Church was aduertised more neerly to trie spirits whether they were of God or no. Whatsoeuer heauie chastisements the Iewes before had the Lord forgat not his mercy but gaue sufficient witnesse that he calleth his enemies to repentance He preserued Doctors and Pastors and a litle number of faithfuls in Ierusalem which honoured the true God From the sacking or destruction that Titus made vntill that of Adrian the Church of Ierusalem had successiuely 15. chiefe or high Bishops Euseb numbreth them Lib. 3. Chap. 5. After the destruction made by Adrian the Emperour there was no more any Church gathered of the Iewes at Ierusalem but onely of the Gentiles and of them were there Bishops ordeined Al the Iewes were driuen away as it is said by Adrian Marcus then issued of Gentiles was chosen the 16. Bishop the 10. yeare of the Emperour Antoninus after Cassianus the 17. Publius the 18. Maximus the 19. Iulian the 20. Gaian the 21. Symmachus the 22. Caius the 23. Iulian 2. the 24. Capita the 25. Thus dooth Eusebius rehearse it Lib. 5 Chap 12. And in this time wherein we now are that is vnder the Emperour Commodus Maximus the 2. was the 26. Antoninus 27. Valens 28. Dolichian 29. Narcissus 30. Elius 31. Garmanian 32. Gordius 33. Narcissus 2.34 or rather Narcissus the first returning from the Desart whither he withdrew himselfe for that his enemies had accused him to liue vnchastely of whom Eusebius saith that he had the gift to worke miracles and that his false accusers were punished according to the Imprecations which euerie one made As for the time of all these Bishops Euseb saith that he could not well discerne namely in what time euery one of them gouerned the Church Seeing then the Church of the Gentiles had already their habitation in this place the Lord would declare that the true Messias was come and so we need looke for no other This numeration here made of the Bishops of Ierusalem sheweth that other Churches may well number their Bishops as that of Rome glorifieth her selfe in the continuation of hers After the fift persecution raised by Seuerus against the Christians came ciuill warres amongst the Romanes Ireneus had liued long inough in the middest of so many persecutions The greatest renowne that he had was vnder the Emperour Commodus As for the contention concerning the feast of Easter the time in the which it was most lighted was the 4. yeare of the Empire of Seuerus He then bore the Office of a Minister 23. yeares The errour of the Chiliastes was attributed vnto him yet it is not expresly seene in his writings we haue at this day The manner of his death is vncertaine They which haue written of the Martyrs say that he and a great multitude of his sheepe were finally slaine for the confession of the name of Christ vnder Seuerus Leonides the father of Origenes martyred for the Faith
Hermits of S. Augustin The Emperour vsed all diligence to get fauour of the Pope thinking to liue at rest yet was he excommunicated because he had not accomplished the vow he made to goe vnto Ierusalem then had he great troubles all ouer But the Emperor hasted his voyage beyond the Seas to mittigate the Popes furie but whilest he was absent the Pope got Pouille vnder his power The Emperour Frederic vnderstanding this fraud of that subtil Foxe returned with a great Armie into Pouille droue the Popes people away and recouered that which was taken from him Then the Pope againe excommunicated the Emperor because hee had allied himselfe with the Souldane and writ Letters vnto the Souldane by which hee prayed him that he would not yeeld the holy Land vnto the Emperor as he vnderstood by a certaine vncertaine bruite that he would do Also he sent and commaunded the Princes of Almaine that they should elect none of the children of Frederic for King nor any of his house The Historiographers of France make heere mention of one called Almaricus of Chartres a learned man but an heretike who approued say they all whoredomes vnder the vaile of charitie Many of them both men and women as well Ecclesiastical as Lay-people were taken found guiltie and condemned at Paris and burnt without S. Vistors gate They say further that Almaric maintained that euery one was bound to beleeue that he is a member of Iesus Christ and that when Iesus Christ suffered death and passion we suffered with him The said Almaric after his death was condemned and excommunicated at a Councell at Rome and his bones cast out of the Church-yard and after burnt to ashes Nauclerus also reciteth that there was in his time in the Countrey of Alsatee many heretickes which maintained it to be lawfull to eate flesh in Lent and vpon Fridayes And that they themselues said that it was no sinne to haue the company of women but a naturall thing There was at Strasbourg about 80. burnt Such as are against the Popes doctrine haue bene euer flaundered and Histories haue often followed their affections when there hath bene a question of truth The Albigeois or Albiois a people which had receiued a beginning of the light of truth opposed themselues against the Idolatrie of Transubstantiation which first gaue them occasion to withdrawe thmselues from the Romane Church They inhabited the Countrey about Tholouse and d' Albi. S. Dominike Author of that new Sect of such as named themselues preachers came from Spaine and persecuted them greatly both in deed and word The Pope sent also towards them his Legate Nicholas Bishop of Tusculan who being there with 4. horses 2. Mules returned in a litle time with 50. and with great pillage hauing exercised great tirannie against these poore people vppon whom they laid enormious crimes to make them odious to all the world This Pope caused to be published a Croisado against them and gaue full indulgences and remission of sinnes to such as would make war vpon them Simon Count of Mountfort went against them ouercame a great number nigh vnto Tholouse 140. were burnt in the Diocesse of Narbone and 400. in the Diocesse of Tholouse at diuers times In this ouerthrowe of the Albigeois Peter king of Tarracon who had drawne them back and bore them fauour and amitie was slaine at the combats Simon de Mountfort pursued his victorie See Mathew de Paris an English Historiographer who was in this time In the time of Innocent was held a Councell in France against king Phillip of France after he was returned from beyond the Sea The Popes Legate had laid an interdict vpon all the Kingdome of France because the King had put away his wife Ingeberge sister of the King of Dalmatia or Morauia after some Chronicles vnder the colour that she was his kinswoman and had espowsed newly the daughter of the Duke of Boheme called Mary Against the sentence of the said Legate the King armed himselfe with appellation to a future Councel and in the meane while reuenged him of the Bishops which had consented vnto the said sentence For he cast them out of their Diocesses and Benefices and caused to be held in straight guard the said Ingeberge in the Castle of Estampes The King tooke againe his first wife Ingeberge wherevpon his second dyed of griefe The Children the King had by her were declared legitimate The yeare 1216. Innocent dyed at Pise and there was buried Hee came thither to appease controuersies betwixt the Townes of Pise and Genes Honorius Pope 3. of that name ruled at Rome ten yeares 7. or 8. moneths certaine daies and was chosen at Peruse The first yeare of his Popedome hee confirmed the order of the Iacobins which his predecessors had refused to do Honorius being admonished by a dreame confirmed it For in a Vision he thought that the Church fell that S. Dominike sustained it with his shoulders by reason hereof he sent for him and so was confirmed the third older of Mendicants or beggers Yea Honorius would needs haue him to obtaine the first place He commaunded that the Host should be kept in a place by it selfe and well enclosed That when the Priest lifteth vp the Host the people shall with all reuerence bowe as also when it is carried vnto the sicke Ierusalem was rased euen to the foundations by Gordirius the sonne of Saladin whilest the Christians were before Dimiere Supp Chron. Honorius went into Fraunce fearing Frederic and held a Councel at Lyons where he declared Frederic an enemy of the Church and deposed him of his Empire deliuering all Princes from their oath of fidelitie that they had promised him Naucl. All the cause was because he conferred Benefices Honorius then did so much with the Princes of Almaigne that Iohn King of Cactâ—le or Henry Lantgraue of Turinge was elected Emperour and after Rodolpe or William Count of Holland who raigned two yeares which obteined not the Imperiall blessing being preuented by death Histories in this place are confused The yeare 1220. or 1223. Dominike the Emperour died The yeare 1223. Honorius confirmed the Religion of S. Francis which was the fourth order of Mendicant Friars All the foure orders of the said Mendicants were confirmed by Honorius Fascic Templ The fulnesse of all Infection is come into the Church by these foure plagues of begging Monkes Frederic was reconciled with Honorius by the meanes of Iohn King of Ierusalem who gaue his daughter in marriage to the said Frederic Lewis 8. of that name Father of S. Lewis the 12. King of France raigned three yeares He made warre vpon the English men when his Father Phillip did the like vpon Otho He spake with the Emperour Frederic and renewed the fraternitie betwixt the French and Almaignes See Gaguin li. 3. All Lombardie at the perswasion of Pope Honorius rebelled against the Emperour Frederic Naucler Honorius dyed and was
things to this passe that Wencelaus son of Ottocaire should take to wife Gertrude the Emperors daughter on the other side Rodolphe the Emperour his sonne should espowse Agnes the daughter of Ottocaire Austrich also came vnto the Emperours sonne Albert. The Tartarians Till this time the Tartarians were vnknowne in Europe Now they shewed themselues and finally entred into Hungarie with fiue hundreth thousand men from thence into Polonia Schlesia Morauia See Monstre lib. 4. Some recite that in this time Haalon King of the Tartarians ouercame the Countries of Persia and tooke Babilon then called Baldaca with the great Caliphe who in the Mahumetist lawe is to bee compared vnto the Pope of Rome in authoritie and treasure This Haalon hauing the Caalipho prisoner as is said inuented and ordained in a great mockerie his death in this sort It is conuenient saith hee that that man speake of the Caliphe which loued so much gaine should be nourished with precious viands go then and place him in the middest of heaps of gold and precious stones and let him vse such meates As then he had certaine time bene kept in great affluence of gold and siluer and in the middest of these riches he died with hunger See Paralip Vrsp. Innocent Pope fift of that name borne at Burgongne after Supp Chron. and Cor. Abb. Or in Lombardie after Fasci Temp. before called Peter de Tarentaise Prior Prouinciall of the Iacobins in France Maister and Doctor in Theologie Archbishop of Lyons Cardinall d' Ostia and great Penitenciary of the Pope See how these Grashoppers Mendicants enter alreadie into power to appoint ouer them the King Abadon as is spoken Apocalips 19. Whilest this man was Bishop of Ostia and Cardinall whose office it is to consecrate the Pope Bonauenture Friar was also Cardinall and Bishop of Albe This Peter or Innocent beeing chosen Pope came soone after to Rome Where hauing bene crowned in the Church of S. Peter that hee might rest at his pleasure he sent Embassadors men of great authoritie which commaund them of Tuscane which had conspired to destroy the Pisans and the Geneuois and Venetians beeing at deadly foode to lay downe their Armes vpon paine of excommunication The Embassadors of Charles King of Sicilie were also there present by meanes of whose authoritie hee hoped things should more easily haue such issue as they desired The Tuscanes straight did what was commaunded them And aboue all the Florentines which also for that cause he declared and absolued of the Interdict which Gregorie his predecessor had published against them But the Geneuois Venetian whose hearts had of long time beene inueterated consumed one an other by losses and mutuall victories which notwithstanding Innocent would haue made consent vnto that he pretended if he had longer liued he tooke the matter so much to heart But he dyed sixe moneths and two daies after he was chosen Pope the same yeare of his predecessour Gregorie and was buried in the Church of Laterane This saith Carsulanus although he had determined to do many things yet did nothing worthie of memorie because he was preuented by death This Pope as Platina saith displeased much the secular Priests because that being at Viterbe after he had heard the processe that was betwixt them and the Iacobins touching the sepulcure of Clement the fourth hee ordeined by sentence that his bodie should be buried by the said Iacobins Rodolphe Adrian Pope fift of that name borne at Genes of the house of Tolisques before called Othobonus was created Pope at Rome in the Pallace of Lateran after the death of Innocent his vncle hauing bene ordeined by him Cardinall Deacon of Saint Adrian and sent into England with large power to leuie a great summe of money But as hee sought to appease certaine discordes betwixt the King and his Barons that hee might dispatche his businesse the more easilie hee was clapt vp in prison by the Londiners but finally deliuered againe The yeare of our Lorde 1266. hee helde a Sinode in Northumberland and an other at London whether resorted a great number of Bishoppes and Priests There after they had brought to such estate as he thought good the things appertaining to the Popedome hee published certaine lawes which in time to come England should vse in such things as concerned Popery He declared wicked all such Bishops as had rashly followed the Princes part against King Henry the third which yet were absolued by him partly by gifts presents and partly because he was constrained vnto a quicke transportation to the Pope of Rome Being then created Pope of Rome he tooke incontinently his way towardes Viterbe and sought to bring into Italie the Emperor Rodolphe to diminish the power of Charles King of Sicilie this was hee which a little before they had lifted vp into that roome against all iustice and equitie who at that time did his pleasure and as he would at Rome But Rodolphe being wrapped in warre against the Bohemians could not satisfie Adrians request As for Charles meaning to flie the enuie against him transported into Achaia all his forces which he had prepapared to make warre to the end by that meane to make a way to be Emperour of Constantinople Adrian had a will saith Platina to cause that all Seignories belonging vnto the Church should come into great assurance against such as oppressed them and to reduce into an other forme the constitution of his predecessour Gregorie touching the shutting vp of Cardinalls at the Popes election But death hindered his enterprises and opposed it selfe against the greatnes of his courage What could he do saith Wicelius Apostate of the truth that was a Pope but of fortie dayes For be deceased at Viterbe the yeare 1276. before he could be consecrated and was enterred in the Couent of Friars the fourth day of his Popedome and the seat was vacant about 28. dayes Many debates and contentions happened amongst the Bishops and Pastors against the Mendicant Monkes which troubled Churches because whether Bishops Priests would or no they would ascend into Pulpits to preach Amongst such as complained of them besides Guilliam d'Amour of whom we spake before there was Bernard the Glossator of the Decretalls Godfrey des Fountaines Henry de Gaud and many others Laurent an English man Doctour of Paris in this time maintained the opinion of Guilliam de Saint Amour and writ against the Monkes a Booke conteining an admonition against false Prophets and an other by which he defendeth the said de Saint Amour The Booke that the bogging Friars set out Of the eternall and spirituall Gospell to eâ—â—â—â—ct the true Gospell of our Lord was publikely burnt and to couer their filthinesse and impudencie they saide that a certaine Monke which long time before was dead had made it Iohn 22. of that name of Portugal borne in the Towne of Lisbone making profession of Phisicke called before Peter of Portugall of a Cardinall and
Others that they would not pay it and so was there a schisme in the Churches of Almaigne Naucler Petrarke dyed about this time So did Boccace of the age of 62. yeares Abb. Trit Simon de Cassia was in this time and S. Bonauenture whom Gregorie 2. made Cardinall and Bishop of Albe Abb. Trit Amurathes was slaine with the blowe of a Dagger by the seruant of a Christian called Seruianus For that the said Amurathes had slaine his maister Peter de Premonstre hath left by writing that in this Popes time there was a kinde or new Sect of diuellish people as well men as women which without any shame daunced hardely And he said that in the yeare of the Lord 1375. they came frō Aix in Almain into Henaut and from thence into France Some said this signified the returne of Pope Gregorie his Cardinals to Rome These thought they daunced in a flood of blood although such as were present with them saw no such thing The common people iudged that these people were ill baptized by Priests which keep whores and harlots and therefore they determined to haue risen vp against the Cleargy to slay them and pill their goods but that God remedied it by the meanes of certaine coniurations that which followeth in the said author The yeare of Christ 1375. the English men and Brytons with other people to the number of fortie thousand and more fell vpon the Countries of Alsarce and Sangania and tooke Cities and Castles and raced them to the ground violated virgins and wiues burned Churches and Monasteries and after many other tyrannies they attempted also vpon the Bernois but a great multitude of them and their Duke were slaine and discomfited by the said Bernois at Frowenbrun the rest were assailed by other Swisses and were ouerthrowne and so they all perished miserably Fascic temp The Emperour Charles sought to stretch out the limits of his kingdome of Boheme partly by siluer and partly by warres and other meanes which was cause that he gaue to Iohn Henry his brother the Countrey of Morauia to the end he might renounce the right he had in the kingdome of Boheme Long time after he also caused the Princes Electors to elect Wencelaus his sonne King of the Romanes Finally after many requests hee obtained that he demaunded the yeare of grace 1376. and gained the Princes which elected Wencelaus King of Romanes being but 15. yeares of age After his coronation he espoused Ihehanne or Iane daughter of Albert Counte of Holland and Duke of Bauiere But the yeare following Charles dyed which was the yeare of grace 1378. and of his Empire 33. Hee was an Emperour worthie of praise sauing that he regarded more his kingdome of Boheme then the publike weale of his Empire For knowing his Sonne should succeede him in the Empire hee corrupted the Electors by great and faire promises the which being not able to accomplish hee gaged vnto them the publike taxes and tributes and brought the Romane Empire into that calamitie wherein it is at this day For the Electors retaine that vnto themselues which should be the Emperours A great number of the poore of Lyon were burnt at Paris in the place de Greue The Sea of Histories The Colledge of Benuais was founded at Paris the yeare 1372. otherwise called the Colledge des Dormans because it was founded by three brethren called Dormans the one was Bishop of Beauuais the other Archbishop of Angiers and the other Chauncellour of France Wencelaus sonne of Charles fourth of that name was chosen king of the Romans beeing but 15. yeares of age at the pursuite of his Father and crowned at Aix la Chappelle with his wife the daughter of Albert Duke of Bauiere and Counte of Holland But this Wencelaus was euil made of bodie and spirit his bodie crooked and of an effeminate courage He was borne at Nuremberge and his mother dyed at his byrth Assoone as hee was made king of Boheme and of the Romanes incontinently he gaue himselfe to all Idlenes and dissolution following his pleasures caring for nothing but to make good cheare And because he vsed great tyrannie in the end the Barons of the kingdom tooke him kept him in prison the space of 4. moneths til he was brought forth by his brother the Marquesse called Iohn but he became no better His subiects then seeing that all the Country was infected with his orders tyrannies whoredomes dissolutions they complained to his brother Sigismond king of Hungarie and he was againe taken and imprisoned in Austriche but escaping out of prison he returned into his kingdome and returned to his first manners The Electors of the Empire often admonished him but hee cared not therefore he was depriued of his Empire at Bopard Baiazet fourth King or Emperour of the Turks the sonne of Amurathes after the death of his Father slewe his brother Soliman traiterously and so alone enioyed the Empire of the Turkes the yeare of the world 5335. after Christes Natiuitie 1373. To reuenge the death of his father he made war against Marke Lord of Bulgaria ouercame and slewe him and so subiected a great part of his Country A little after he ouerranne Hungarie Albania and Walachie and did great hurt tooke many Christians and led them into Thracia prisoners In his enterprises and affaires he was so hotte and so suddaine that he was called Baiazet Hildrin that is to say thunder from heauen He brought vnder as it were all Greece being aided with the goods and graces of nature both in body and spirit He besieged Constantinople by the space of eight yeares Wherevpon the Emperour sailed into France requiring succours which was graunted him yet got Baiazet victorie of the French Hungarians Almaines Syrians and Misians in one assembly against him after hee returned to Constantinople and there was no other meane to conserue the Empire of Constantinople but that Tamberlan who was Lord of a certaine Countrie of East Scythia towards Parthia hauing as it were an infinit number of people put to the sworde in one onely battaile on the Mount Stella where Pompey fought with Mithridates 2. hundreth thousand Turkes and ouercame Baiazet and bound him with chaines of Gold and put him into a Cage of Iron and so ledde him through all the Countreys of Asia and Syria In the which miserable estate the said Baiazet died He raigned twentie and sixe yeares Edward King of England who had so many victories in France died of the age of 74. yeares the yeare 52. of his raigne Charles the 4. and Wencelaus his sonne came into France to accord the French and the English but they returned without doing any thing because of the death of the Queene and her daughter Isabel The Pope Gregorie after he had done all that belonged to a good Pope as Platina saith being tormented with an intollerable paine of the blather deceased the yeare of the Lord 1378. Some say that
a S. Snairy placed it in an Abbey of theyr order called Cadoyn in the Diocesse of Cahors Annales of France How then say they it is at Chambery The Sect of white Mantles in Italie was destroyed For Boniface the 9. made take ther Rector and caused him to die Some say he was burnt See Naucler The Trinetois otherwise called the Bretheren of the redemption of Captiues which was also called the order of Inham multiplied greatly The Turelupins are persecuted they were otherwise called the poore of Lyons many were burnt in Frāce with their babes Iohn Hus. The light brought in by the writings of Wickliffe greatly profited such as came after him and aboue all to Iohn Hus who also cleansed the fountaines of the Gospell which were filled not onely with infectious clay and mire but also euen with mortall poyson which the begging Monkes and prophane Schoole-philosophie had tempered And although the vertue that God had giuen to this person meriteth a longer recitall of his beginning yet we will send the Readers to the booke of Martirs since Wickliffe and Hus. As for vs we haue chiefly to render thankes vnto God that through him and other true faithfull he hath sent vs the light of his Gospell The Pope Benet gaue to Charles the sixt king of France the tenth part of all Ecclesiasticall goods partly that the king should maintaine and defend him and partly to the end hee himselfe might bee partaker of the bootie And as hee made his residencie in his Countrie of Catalongne in a strong Castle called Pauiscole maintaining himselfe to be the true Vicar of Iesus Christ he was condemned many waies by the authoritie of the said Councell He assembled a Councell at Parpignan and created many Cardinalls Finally dying at Pauiscole the yeare of our Lord 1424. he commaunded his Cardinall that straight they should chuse an other in his place and they elected one called Giles Munios Chanon of Bercelone and named him Clement the 8. He incontinently at the Instigation of the king Alphonsus created Cardinalls and did all that which Popes are accustomed to do But after that Pope Martin the first had agreed with the king Alphonsus Giles by his commaundement renounced all the rights which he pretended in the Popedome and was declared Bishop of Maiorque and the Cardinalls created by him willingly renounced their dignities of Cardinalls The witnesse of Mathias Flactius of Esclauonia a diligent Author extracted and taken out of Theodoric of Nyem shall not bee heere impertinent who made a Chronicle of that schisme comprised in three bookes Theodoric of Nyem saith he who was a very familiar Secretarie to a certaine Pope and a good and a wise man hath faithfully described the historie of this schisme which hath bene amongst Popes by the space of 39. yeares before the Councell of Constance Good God what subtilties what fraudes what wickednesse and what straunge acts rehearseth he of those Popes and good spirituall Fathers in that Historie whereby they mocke God all Religion and the Church of Iesus Christ yea molest and do subiect it to their tirannie And surely I cōfesse that although before I had read heard and seene many of their villainies and that therefore I had conceiued in my selfe an euil opiniō of the malice of that Antichrist and of his children yet after I had read this booke I perceiued that they were ten times more wicked then euer I could haue thought before In the same booke also he saith that such are not worthy of the title of Emperour which make a countenance not to see yea dissemble the execrable wickednesse of Popes tirannies Chrysoloras of Constantinople taught Greeke Letters in Italy which 700. yeares before had not bene in vse whose daughter espowsed at Constantinople Francis Philelphe Bertholde Schwartz Monke and Alchemist was the first of Gunnes and Artillerie about this time Scotland conuerted to the Faith Wencelaus Emperour for his cowardise and couetousnesse was deposed from the Empire and his Nephewe elected Iosse sonne of Iohn Henry Marquis of Morauia who was the brother of Charles the fourth of that name Marquis of Brandebourge an vnprofitable man was chosen king of the Romanes by some before Robert as some say being now old because he was the vncle of Wencelaus yet he was neuer crowned For there passed not sixe monethes after his Election Robert or Rupert Duke of Bauiere and Count Palatin of Rhene was chosen after Frederic Duke of Brunswic and of Lunebourge This Frederic was a valiant Prince wise and exercised in Armes and truly worthy to gouerne the Empire but there was long time enmitie betwixt him and the Archpriest of Magunce For before he was crowned the Count of Waldec hauing charge of this gentle Archbishop hee slew him villainously which was cause of great hurly burly and tumult throughout all Almaine vntill the Princes Electors assembled in the Towne of Bopert where they Elected Robert Count Palatin a man well exercised in deeds of warre and a great louer of Iustice but of a small stature But willing to enter into Aix la Chapelle to be crowned the Citizens were against it saying that in that case they could not fauour Robert because as yet they were not absolued of the oath they had giuen to Wencelaus But that the election might not be vnprofitable the Bishop of Colongne crowned Robert in the Towne of Colongne After this Robert made preparation to goe to Rome the yeare 1402. to receiue the Imperiall Crowne but hee was hindred by the Venetians and Millanois and so could not execute that which he had enterprised Hee dyed at Oppenhem the tenth yeare of his Empire and was buried in the Towne of Heidelbourge Innocent the seuenth borne at Sulmo before called Cosmar de Peruse Priest Cardinall of the title of Saint Crosse all Italie beeing in great trouble was created Pope after Boniface the ninth This Pope as Platina saieth beeing yet a Cardinall vsed customably to reprehend the negligence and pucillanimitie of Popes saying that with their carelesnesse the schisme and trouble which was thē so great as well in the Romane Church as in the common-wealth tooke yet no end But being mounted into the Papall seate and in some things following the fashions of Vrbain and Boniface his predecessors which he reprehended being a priuate person not onely he did the things which he condemned so sore before but he could not so much as beare that one should speake to him thereof He gouerned the affaires in such confusiō that once the Citizens of Rome beeing come towards him to require him that they might haue their old libertie be put in possession of the Capitoll of the bridge Miluins and of the Fortresse of Adrian And that that pernitious schisme which was in the Church might be takē away wars seditions banished remonstrating that to do the same the king of France promised to deliuer his hand and that
placed in the number of Virgins Katherine de Sienes a Iacobin Because he was a very curious builder as the Papists giue him that praise he repaired the Courts of Vatican and had sooner atchieued a Castle in the Towne of Tiuoli then was thought he had begunne At Sienes where hee was borne hee builded a goodly Porch of wrought stone At a place called Corfinium he founded a Citie and named it Pientia of his owne name and builded there a vaulted Temple very sumptuous and a pleasant house and besides this a Sepulchre of Marble for his father and mothers bones See what Platina sayth thereof The Kingdome of Bosne The kingdome of Bosne stretched euen vnto Macedonia It was made tributary vnto the kingdome of Hungarie the yeare 1415. After it reuoulted from the kings obedience and made alliance with the Turke Sigismond King of Hungarie sought to chase away such as occupied it but the Turke was the stronger and reteined the Countrey of Bosne After the Hungarians got together a great Armie came into Bosne and slew the king Itrarch who was a Turke and subiected to their power all that Region and constituted a king there namely the first Christian which had yet bene There was a Prince in Ruscia called George Despot who had giuen his daughter in marriage to the Turke Hee had three sonnes Stephen George and Lazarus Lazarus succeeded his father and had but one daughter who espowsed Stephen king of Bosne who soone after his enioying the principalitie of Ruscia gouerned with a Turkish spirit full of great impietie and wicked religion But it hapned that about the yeare of saluation 1463. as hee had a great land in the higher Misia Mahomet the Turke by flatteries drew him out of the Castle where hee was and calling him to him to talke vnder the shadow of amitie laid hold on him and caused him to be scorched aliue so lost he both his life and kingdome which he had by his father By this mans temeritie and wickednesse together Ruscia and Bosne with the greatest part of Seruia fell into the Turkes obedience As the Pope Pius was at Ancone vpon his departing to goe to warre he was surprised with a slowe feauer the yeare of the Lord 1464. whereof hee died From thence he was carried to Rome and buried in the Church of S Peter One vice of Ambition saith Volaterane contaminated and defiled all the vertues of this person as he that alwaies greatly desired great estates and honours And for that cause endured hee great trauells and alwaies maintained himselfe in the fauour of Princes The warre called The publike Weale was begunne the yeare 1464. by the conspiration of the Princes of France meaning to reforme the kings affaires who tooke offices and dignities from such as had long time faithfully exercised them He greatly also vexed the Nobles and puissant of the Kingdome by demaunds The Duke of Britaine and the Count de Chaelois the Duke of Bourgongnes sonne perswaded Charles Duke of Berry to bee the chiefe Captaine and Prince of that warre and conspiration which Phillip de Commines handleth at large and truly therefore see his historie The aforesaid Pope Pius as Platina and Sabellicus recyte amongst other sentences which he vsed commonly left this in writing With great reason was marriage taken from Priests but yet there is a farre greater reason wherefore it ought to haue bene yeelded them againe He inserted also this sentence in his second booke of Councells It may be saith hee that it were not the worse if a many Priests were married For many being married Priests should be saued which in their barren singlenesse are damned He himselfe would needs abolish certaine Monasteries of S. Brigide and S. Claire commaunding them out that they might burne no more and vnder the habit of religion they should not hide whoredome saith Caelius Secundus About this time there was no small debate in Italie betwixt the Friars Minors and such as they called Bullists which of those should guard and gouerne the Nunnes there As for the discords which were betwixt the Obseruantins and the Non Obseruantins Baptista Mantuanus accordeth them in his Bucoliques in the tenth Eglogue Paul the second of that name borne at Venice the sonne of Nicholas and of Polixene called before Peter Barbe or Balbe and Nephewe of Eugenius the fourth on his sisters side beeing Cardinall of the title of S. Marke was chosen in the place of Pius and occupied the seate of Antichrist Before he was made Bope he meant to traffique as a Marchant but hearing that his Vncle Gabriel was chosen Pope he gaue his minde vnto Letters and comming to Rome he was first created Archdeacon of Bolongne after that Bishop of Ceruio consequently Cardinall and as hath bene said finally Pope and Romane Antichrist It was he who first vaunted that hee held enclosed in his breast all Lawes both diuine and humane He was a goodly man and of faire representation but of a proud spirit and very couetous to gather riches and yet more to distribute Ecclesiasticall Benefices for his owne gaine and profit As for his Popish apparell saith Platina you neede not doubt but he surpassed all his predecessors and especially in his Mitre which he maruellously inriched buying from all Countries Diamonds Saphyrs Emeraudes Chrysolites Iaspers Pearles and other precious stones of great price Thus adorned and shining he would come publikely abroad with an exceeding magnificall apparence Then would he be seene and adored of each one for that cause would he often stay Pilgrims in the towne deferring the accustomed day to shew the Snaire that at once he might be seene of more people And that hee alone might not differ from others in habits and garments he commanded by publike Edict vpon greeuous paines that none should weare redde Bonnets but Cardinalls vnto which also the first yeare of his Popedome he gaue them a cloath of the same colour for footcloathes for their Horses and Mules when they rode Platina He fought to encrease his maiestie as well by authoritie as by force of Armes All the time of his raigne he stirred great warres in Italie by his deuices and practises Hee assailed the Towne of Ariminum and others and miserably destroyed and wasted not onely the suburbes but euen the Townes themselues with Gun-shot He greatly hated the decrees and acts of Pius his predecessor and depriued also of their goods and authorities such as for their knowledge and doctrine hee should haue sought through the world and haue drawne them vnto him by gifts and promises He declared such to be heretikes as from thenceforth should but onely name an Academie or Vniuersitie eyther in sport or earnest He was of an heauie and grosse spirit and therefore loued neither Letters nor vertues As one that was giuen altogether vnto ambition dissolution and voluptuousnesse He employed all the day either in gourmandizing or waighing peeces of Gold or
Religion then that of the Protestants Moreouer if they thought good of it hee had a great desire to send Theologians and learned men into Amaigne or else if they woulde they might sende theyr learned Diuines into Fraunce to communicate together of certaine points of Religion The Senate of Auspurge receiued the doctrine of the Gospell The 24. of Iuly the Town of Munster is besieged and by might taken by the Count d'Obersten Captaine of the Armie and by their Bishop About the end of the moneth of Ianuary Iohn de Leiden Head of the Anabaptists Coipperdolin and Chrechring his companions being tyed to postes were slaine at Munster the Head alone confessing his fault and something repenting Henry King of England had by his wife Anne Bullen a faire daughter called Elizabeth The Emperour entred into Prouence with his Armie but wanting victualls for his Campe he was constrained to retyre to Gene. A great number of his souldiers dyed and amongst others his Lieutenant Anthonie de Leue. Francis the King of France his eldest sonne dyed at Tournon vpon Rosne of the age of 18. yeares Sebastian de Moncucul an Italian was drawne with 4. horses For giuing him poyson as it is said Perone besieged by Henry Count de Nassau and by Adrian d'erouy Count de Reux There arose a great sedition in England against the King For that bee had plucked downe and banished the Popes authoritie The Emperour by Sea returned from Genes ouer into Spaine Alexander de Medices Duke of Florence is slaine by Lawrence his kinsman promising him the enioying of a Ladie his neighbour of excellent beautie Iames the fift King of Scotland espowsed Magdaline king Francis his eldest daughter The Emperours Armie in Artois vnder the conduction of Florent de Bure tooke by force S. Paul besieged Terouanne but could not winne it The eleuenth of October was borne Edwarde King Henry his sonne of England of Iane Semer which he tooke to wife after Anne Bullen Anne de Mont-mourancy is created Constabled France which is a soueraigne degree of honour which office had bene vacant 15. yeares since the reuolt of Charles de Bourbon The Emperour and the king Francis assembled Nice where the Pope was to make a peace betwixt them and although they accorded not in the principall yet they concluded a truce betwixt them for tenne yearers Margarite the Emperors bastard-daughter after the death of the aforesaid Alexander is married vnto Octauian the Popes sonne in lawe Henry of England caused the Relickes of S. Thomas of Canterburie to be taken out of his Schrine and made them publikely to be burnt The Emperour and king Francis met at Aignes mortes in Languedoc and entertained one an other Charles d' Egmond Duke de Gueldres deceased very olde and William Duke of Cleues possessed his Countrey as well by the dead mans will as by the Nobilitie of the Countrey Castelubro a Towne of Illyrica in the gulfe of Ambracia is taken from the Turke by the Emperour and the Venetians allied together Touching this Pope Paul amongst a great number of his acts I will recite but this litle following that the world may know how great their sanctitie is which the Papists maintaine with an his voyce to be Peters succors and the Vicars of Iesus Christ This Paul was an Astrologian a Magician and Diuine and amongst his most familiars had one called Denis Seuila a Magician whom therefore afterward hee made a Cardinall with one named Gaurice of Portugall Cecius and Marcell Negromancians and wicked villaines Of these did hee enquire the fortune of himselfe and his bastards He got his red hatte in this maner Hee had a sister called Iulia Farnese which hee deliuered to Pope Alexander that hee might be a Cardinall and Bishop of Hostia and to finde meanes to pay his debts For those good Popes commonly are so inflamed with whoredome that they make no difficultie to promise redde hats and Bishopprickes to such as will bring them their sisters or else that which is more horrible their young bretheren to violate Many by such practises obtaine great riches fatte Benifices And as Agrippa saith there is no shorter way then that to come therevnto This murderer poysoned his mother and a Nephewe to this end that all the succession of the Farneses might fall vpon him Moreouer seeing the other of his sisters whose carnall company he had sometime had followed too openly the maners and conditions of them of the house of Farnese and that shee loued more the company of others then his hee poysoned her also Beeing a Legate in Marke d'Ancone in the time of Iulius the second hee most wickedly abused a maide issued of a noble house of that Towne For hee counterfeited and disguised himselfe feigning to bee one of the Gentlemen of the Legates house so vnder the colour of a promise to marrie her deflowred her Who after shee knew the truth what hee was and that shee was not his legitimate wife but his whore at the least by the Canon lawe shee became almost out of her wittes And of this marriage came that great Porteenseigne and Captaine of all Buggerers and Sodomites Peter Lewis As one Nicholas de Chesme found him one day adulterously abusing his wife Laurea Farnese who was the saide Pauls Neece hee wounded him so well with his dagger that hee carried the marke thereof all his life Hee slewe with poyson Bosuis Sforza the husband of his daughter Constance whom before hee had often vsed as his whore to the ende hee might more at his ease and with greater libertie enioy her This Dotard very tyrannously oppressed them of Peruse and droue from the Seignorie Ascanius Columne a very iust Prince This detestable Robber and Rouer tooke and vsurped for himselfe the Towne of Camer after hee had driuen away the Lady thereof which was a woman endowed with a rare and singular religion and prudence and did so much with his practises with Cardinalls that hee exchaunged the said Citie of Camer which was not his owne with the townes of Parme and Plaisance to the end to make his sonne Lewis Lord maister of them Which act afterward by a iust iudgement of God was cause of the death of the said Peter Lewis He often consulted with his Cardinalls how hee might hinder a Nationall Councell in Almaine and commaunded his Embassadors that they should enflame the hearts all Princes against the King of England Anne de Cleues sister of William Duke of Cleues is accorded in marriage to the king of England In the moneth of Maya Comete appeared in the ayre and almost the same day deceased Elizabeth the Emperours wife In August Castelnouo in Illirica is taken againe vpon the Emperor by Barbarosse the great Turkes Lieftenant almost all the garrison of the Spaniards slaine The Citizens of Gaunt rose vp against Mary Regent in the lowe Contries for the Emperour for which cause it was need-full for him to haste
that the Princes marched right to the Alpes to gaine the straights incontinently left all and tooke them to their feete Take counsell and it shall be dissipated speake the word and it shall not be established saith the Lord. Esay 8. Martin de Rossem conductor of the Emperours Armie in the lowe Countries pilleth and burneth Picardie Campagne and tooke Astenay The King Henry of France published in writing the causes of the said voyage and of the warre that he enterprised in Almaine namely to withdraw the Princes out of prison to bridle the Emperours ambition and to remit that Countrey into his first libertie He sendeth to them of Mets in Lorraine to prouide victualls for his armie which if they did he promised them fauour amitie but after he had takeÌ„ Toul Verdun Townes of the Empire hee drew right into Lorraine and the third of May came to Sauernes Strasbourge sent him victualls The Prince of Salerne about some dissention betweene him and the Viceroy of Naples withdrewe himselfe from the Emperours seruice and turned directly vnto the King of France King Henry his Armie entred Lorraine they conducted into France the Prince of the Country The 10 of Aprill the Constable entred Metz vnder the colour of amitie and so laid hold of the Towne The King arriued there certaine time after and constrained that people to take of him an oath The King comming againe into France in May burnt the Country of Luxembourge tooke againe Astenay got also Iouy and Danuilâ—iers The Sennois chased away the Garrison of the Spaniards and by the helpe of the King of France destroyed the Castle which the Emperour built there and set themselues at libertie Metz besieged by the Emperour the 2. of October Albert not agreeing with the king of France for his estate nor for his companies pay turned on the Emperours side The Duke d' Aumaile beeing come into Lorraine with a great company of people assayling the Marquesse Albert was vanquished wounded and taken prisoner by the said Marquesse In December the Emperor was constrained by euill weather to remoue his Campe from Metz and to withdraw himselfe into the lowe Country where the third part of his Armie dyed In this time the great Turke Sultan Solyman committed a cruell act on the person of Soltan Mustapha his eldest sonne which he had of a Slaue This man hauing bene sent with his mother from his first youth into the Prouince of Amasia which had bene giuen him was so well and carefully nourished that he acquired and got with his yeares great estimation not only in the said Countrey but through all other his Fathers Regions This his mother beeing absent Solyman called to him an other Slaue named Roze which was endowed with admirable beautie accompanied with all delicacies and entisements possibly to be in a woman He had of her foure other sonnes Mahomet Baiazeth Solim Grangier with the Wenne and one daughter which was married vnto Bassa Rostan The said Roze could so well play her part with Soliman that hee was exceedingly rauished with her that with helpe of Muchly that is the high Priest of Mahomets lawe and vnder shadowe of Religion shee was not onely made of free condition but the legitimate and espowsed wife of Soliman vnto which no other euer came Beeing lifted vp into such honour and seeing herselfe entierly beloued and fauoured shee had no greater care then to drawe the Empire vnto one of her children after their Fathers decease For shee knowing that the singular vertues of Mustapha were so contrary vnto her and that as long as hee liued shee should neuer haue rest for that hee had obtained the loue of the people of warre and that all mens eyes were vppon him for the great hope they had of his excellent courage and singular dexteritie therefore sought shee to make him odious vnto Soliman Wherevnto her sonne in lawe greatly aided her because he gouerned all affaires Her reason was that Mustapha trusted so much in the loue and fauour which he had obtained of all men by a great liberalitie hardinesse and valiancie that he burnt with such lust and desire to raigne that euery one feared that in affecting the Empire hee would aduance the dayes of Soliman as Selim had before done to his Father Therefore shee incited Soliman and besought him with teares and lamentations to take order and prouide for his safetie And although that from the beginning she had profited little and that Mustapha had discouered her impoisonments and ambushes which she laid for him ordinarily yet left she not to continue it with the helpe of a Iew a renowmed Enchantresse who hauing giuen her certaine drugges shee caused the loue of Soliman towards Roze to redouble Insomuch that she assured her selfe to end her purposes though it were long first Finally after many practises she found meanes to suborne Mustapha his gouernor and caused him to write though falsly vnto Soliman that his said sonne would marry the daughter of the King of Persia This old man stirred yea tyred with the continuall complaints of Roze and Rostan easily beleeued these newes and aduertisements Wherfore in the yeare 1552. after hee had spred a brute fame of the dissent and comming downe of the Persians into Siria he sent thither Rostan with a puissant Armie for vnder the shadow to goe meet his enemies to seaze vpon Mustapha and to bring him prisoner to Constantinople with expresse commaundement to sley him if hee could not take him otherwise But Mustapha who was aduertised of all and knewe also that the Persians were not at all in the fielde met him with seuen thousand of his most experienced Souldiers which made Rostan returne without dooing any thing Soliman being more angred the yeare following made such an other brute of the Persians and hauing leuied a great Army as if he would haue gone against theÌ„ beeing arriued in Siria he sent to his son to will him come to his Camp Mustapha knowing certainly that it was he alone they would haue although he was praied and sollicited to withdrawe some other where and to shunne the furie of his Father yet hee trusting in his innocencie and thinking it a thing more commendable and worthie of his greatnesse to dye in obeying his Father then liuing to incurre the note of infamie and Treason yea though hee might haue had the Empire of the whole worlde thinking also that without hauing made any refusall by his presence hee might haue appeased his Fathers wrath he aduentured to goe thither to him and beeing arriued in Solimans Campe hee was suddenly taken and strangled in his presence And at the same instant the head of Bassa of the Prouince of Amasia was taken from his bodie This crueltie assoone as it came to the eares of Grangier one of the foure brethren hee manfully reiected the gift and spoyle that his Father gaue him and greatly lamented the death of his brother saying A cruell Traytor
and the Prince vnto the court after stared them prisoners and handled the prince very rigorously On the other side their forces assembled on all sides to ouerrun the realme The king of Spain should enter into Bearne to ruinate destroy the queen of Nauarre and to solemnise the entry of the Estates the prince should haue bene publikely beheaded afterward straigt vpon the conclusion of the Estates the Armies marched to sacke and spoyle such as were suspected and the people were suffered and countenanced to runne vpon all such as were religious to dispatch them with out other Inquisition And to the end to leaue none aliue the King should cause all the Princes Lords and Knights of the order to sweare and seale all the articles of Sorbone sending to the fire without longer proces all such as denied it The Chancelor did the like with such as were of the order d'la longe robe about the court The Parliaments Prelates had charge to do the like with such as belonged to Iustice and to the Cleargie Likewise Ladies honorable womē were not forgotten This being done the Inquisition of Spain entred into France to begin new tragidies But as all things were vpon the point to be executed God cut the strings thereof striking the king Francis with an Apostume in his eare wherewith after he had languished certain dayes he was finally stifled and dyed the fift day of December 1560. hauing only raigned 17. moneths This death ouerthrew the disseines and purposes of the Duke of Guise and constrained the aduersaries of the reformed Church to yeeld some reliefe vnto the faithfull who had that yeare giuen them in mockery the Huguenots because of their night assemblies to muse deuise new subtilties and persecutions whereof we will God willing speake briefly in the years following but yet the Churches in that yeare prospered in all Prouinces with infinite witnesses of God his fauour towards his and of his iudgements vpon his enemies of all estates Some of the Religion were publikely executed in diuers places but for one which died there came a thousand to the doctrine of the Gospell In so much that it was incredible the great number of persons which this yeare and that following forsooke the Romane Religion to come vnto the Christian This yeare Scotland was troubled with a ciuill war by the practises of some which would needs commaund all ouer vnder the colour of maintaining the Romane Religion but they frustrated of their hope and the reformed religion began then to set foote in that kingdome by the fauour and assistance of Elizabeth Queene of England The Queene widowe of Iames the fift died in the moneth of Iune Martin Bucer and Paul Phagius whose bodies had bene buried and burned foure yeares before in England by the sollicitations of Cardinal Poole were established in their first honor and their memorie publikely celebrated the 30. of Iuly The 10. day of Aprill before died that very learned and modest person Phillip Melancton an excellent ornament of all Almaine after whose decease many wicked spirits troubled the Almain Churches which during his life they durst not haue enterprised Ioachim Camerarius a man very learned and his great friend hath described his life The moneth of Ianuary before tooke also from this world Iohn Alasco a Gentleman of Polonia one very affectionate to the aduancement of the kingdome of Chist whose memory is precious in all Churches About the end of the same yeare Emanuel Philebert Duke of Sauoy warred vpon them of the vale of Angrogne and their neighbours professing the doctrine of the Gospell which after assaying all meanes of peace to conserue it offering their Prince all that good subiects should do defended themselues though fewe in number so couragiously and were assisted of God that after many combats they were left in peace which at this present they enioy the fauour of Margarite of France Duchesse of Sauoy amongst other humane meanes seruing them greatly both then and afterwards In the same Countrey of Piemont were seene many prodigious wonders the like in France Austrich Pologne Almain At the begginning and vntill the end of this yeare 1561. the French Churches encreased openly shewed themselues Katherine de Medices Queene mother hauing all affaires in her hand was counselled by the Princes of the house of Bourbon by the Admirall and other great Lords of the Religion by meanes whereof the greatest of the Romane Religion entred into league with them and so made priuie preparation for great troubles and vexations after hapning In the moneth of Ianuary the Princes and great Lords being assembled at S. Germaine in Laye an Edict was made the seuenteenth of the said moneth which on the one side gaue some release and libertie vnto them of the Religion and on an other side curbed and brideled them After the Councell assigned on the ninth day of September following was a conference and disputation at Poissy betwixt the Doctors of the Romane and reformed Churches In that same moneth the Electors and Princes of Almaine being assembled at Neubourge in Turinge to take Councell for maintaining the confession of Ausbourge by them presented vnto the Emperour Charles the 5. Anno 1530. gaue audience about the beginning of February the Popes Embassadors which commaunded them to send their Embassadors vnto the Councel assigned at Trent to effect which they offred for the Pope their M. such safe conduct as was possible to desire The 7. of February the Electors and Princes made answer that they found it strange that the Pope being the cause of all the cōfusions then in the Church should go about to assemble a Councel to assigne it vnto them whom he had nothing to doo to command that they did not neither euer would acknowledge any soueraigntie to belong vnto the Romane seate yea they were assured that it appertained not vnto the Pope to conuocate or call a Councell And after they had shewed the orders and filthinesse of the Romane Church and that it were good to regard and looke vnto the meanes to procure a generall and free Councel they sent away their Embassadors and after they writ vnto the Emperour Ferdinand that they all with a commō aduise agreed vnto the confessiō of Ausbourge afterward they published in an Imprinted writing their causes of reculation against the Councell of Trent These Embassadors went into diuers other places to the same effect but they receiued no good answere o any King Prince or great Lord making profession of the Gospell but especially the Queene of England would not giue leaue to the Abbot Martinengue who was sent by the Pope vnto her to passe the sea to come into England The 5. day of March the Pope caused to bee strangled in the night time in the S. Angelo the Cardinall Charles Caraffe he beheaded also in an other prison the Counte of Palliane and certaine other Cardinalls the next day shewing all their bodies
Trent made great a sonne and two nephewes of his ratified the promises of marriage of the Prince of Nauarre with Margarite of France whereof his predecessor made difficultie and carefully and readily prouided for the good assurance of his temporall greatnesse The ninth day of Iune Iane d' Albert Queene of Nauarre an excellent Princesse amongst all them of her time daughter of Henry d' Albert and of Margarite d' Valois sister of king Francis the first going to Paris to giue order for diuers things requisit for the honor of the Prince her sonnes marriage fell suddenly sicke and died to the great griefe of them of the Religion and of all persons that loued the rest of France which this Princesse had procured by all meanes The 12. of Iune the Duke de Medina Coeli being sent from Spaine into Flaunders to gouerne in the Duke of Alua his place was shamefully ouerthrowne by them of Flushing lost 12. hundreth Spaniards 16. ships and foure of them were burnt in his presence hee sauing himselfe by flight The bootie was very great and almost inestimable On the 15. day an alliance was confirmed at Paris betwixt the King of France and the Queene of England who sent thither the Lord Clinton her Admirall The 16. the Prince of Orange published the causes wherefore hee againe tooke Armes against the Spaniards and their adherents in the lowe Countries The 25. certaine Gentlemen of Frise with good troupes holding the Prince of Orange his part seized vpō Dordrec and other places of Holland which ioyned themselues on that side The exercise of Religion was again set vp to the great despite of the Duke of Alua and the Spaniards Three dayes after the Prince of Orange writ at large vnto the Emperor shewing him the causes of that warre In the mean while certain Almain Lords leuied Reiters to succour the Duke of Alua. Sigismond August king of Polongne died the first of Iuly without heire-males which gaue occasion vnto Katherine de Medices Queene mother and Regent in France to send Embassadors into Polongne to the end to obtaine the Crowne for Henry Duke d' Antou her second sonne then liuing The 19. of Iuly the Emperour put the Prince of Orange to banishment from the Empire and pronounced him acquited from all priuiledges and rights and all his goods confiscated if he continued with strong hand to enter into the lowe Countries This notwithstanding the Prince pursued that which he had begun But in this moneth of Iuly 7. or 8. thousand French men marching to the succours of the besieged at Monts in Hainaut before they came there were defeated their chieftaines taken and they of Monts straighter kept in The Prince passed Rhene tooke Ruremond the 4. of August Louaine yeelded Maligues and certain other Townes were surprised After he drew towards Monts to succor his brother But the news of the pitious estate of Frāce brought such a change that the Prince was constrained to cut off his way to enter his troupes and retier himselfe into Holland whether he was called by the estates of the Countrey being accompanied with a small number of people This retrait so encouraged the Duke of Alua hauing now nothing to hinder him that the 21. of September he made himselfe maister of Monts by composition and kept promise with the Count Lodowick causing him safely to be conducted vnto the lands of the Empire After this Maligues was abandoned by them which the Prince left there and all other places before taken were taken againe into the hands of the Spaniards From Monts the Duke went towards Malines the first day of October Certaine Burgesses and all the Cleargie met him with Crosses and Banners but it serued for nothing for as much as they had receiued the Prince into their Towne he gaue the pillage and spoile of the Towne to the souldiers which tooke their pleasure there three daies slew many men and violated many women and maidens Whilest the lowe Countrie Churches sobbed thus vnder such tempests they of France which were thought should haue enioyed some long rest were rudely beaten and as it were flatly ouerthrowne by a maruellous straunge accident Wee haue before spoken of the death of the Queene of Nauarre as she came to Paris about the marriage of the Prince her son This Prince afterward called the King of Nauarre Henry de Bourbon his Cousin Prince of Conde Gaspar de Coligni great Admiral of France le Count de la Rochefoucand the Marquesse de Reinel many Lords Gentlemen and Captaines which had alwaies borne Armes against the Catholike Romanes came to the Court about that marriage at the kings request This marriage hauing bin solemnized vpon Monday the 18. of August the Friday following the Admirall was grieuously wounded with the blowe of an Hargabush shot out of a certaine window by a man then not sufficiently knowne called Maureuel a waged murderer yea one of the most execrablest manquellers of the world who afterward by the iust iudgement of God lost the same arme with which he gaue that detestable blowe The Sunday following the Admirall was most traitorously slaine in his chamber and cast dead out of the windowes vpon the pauement where he was knowne of Henry Duke of Guise After they rushed vpon the other Lords Gentlemen Captaines which were slaine also some within the Castle de Louuine others without This was done betimes in the morning All that day and morning was employed by such as they call Catholicke Romanes in sleying men and women of the Religion many not sparing women bigge with childe no nor litle children They continued this the dayes following but not in so great number because the murderers found not any more to sley The day of the wounding and the Sunday the King dispatched Letters expresly vnto the Gouernours of the Prouinces whereby he aduertised them that that disorder hapned besides his knowledge and to his great griefe by the practises and enmities of the house of Guise and that he determined to take good order therefore in the meane time hee would that his Edict of pacification should in each point be maintained Briefly he imputed the Admiralls wounding and death whom in the said Letters he called his Cousin to the particular quarels of the houses of Chastillon and Guise But meer contrary on thursday the 28. hee declared and caused to be published that that massacre and horrible murder had beene done by his expresse commaundement and to preuent a conspiration of the Admirall and his partakers wherof notwithstanding neither he nor his Councellors made it appeare nor could produce any profit although it was much prooued and desired of many Whilest great and litle were thus hungring and thirsting after innocent bloud the same Sunday the 24. of August certain Priests by Art made a great Thorn-tree in the church-yard of S. Innocent flourish at noone time of the day and cryed a myracle a myracle This
enclose them abandoned their Forts left their siege and retired away shamefully Selym Emperour of the Turkes dyed about the 15. of December after hee had ended the warre against the Walaques wherin he lost an infinit number of men and tooke peace with the Venetians His sonne and successor Amurath at his comming in caused fiue of his bretheren to be put to death and two wiues of Selym the one of which who was great with childe seeing the death of her children threw her selfe to the ground out of an high windowe Hauing thus prouided for his estate hee prepared to make warre vpon the Polonians some of which called Kosaques had succoured the Vayuoda of Watachia The 12. of Ianuary 1575. they of the Religion found meanes to get Arguesmortes a strong Towne and of great importance in Languedoc especially for Salt that comes from thence and greatly furnisheth the Prouinces The same day the Marshall d' Danuile made a league with them of the Religion and a publike and large declaration containing the causes of his doings The Duke de Montpensier tooke Fontenay in Poictou and Lusignen yeelded vpon composition This notwithstanding the Churches of that Prouince and other nigh vnto it in some sort maintained themselues euen in the middest of Armes The Duke d' Vzes sometimes affectioned vnto Religion tooke Armes against it but hee prospered not much therein The Churches of Languedoc and Dauphine redressed themselues after the King was retyred from Auignon but their vnion with the Politikes or Malcontents destroyed them within by the wicked liues of many of those Politikes badly aduised King Henry the third was sacred at Reimes the fifteenth day of February and espowsed soone after Louyse the daughter of Nicholas Count de Vandemont in Lorraine So that then and after there was nothing in the Court of France but pastimes such as there is lesse euil to conceale then profit to describe In the mean while warre continued in Languedoc well for the aduantage of them of the Religiō being assisted of the Marshall de Danuille their confederate vnto which part many enclined and ioyned themselues daily In the moneth of April a negotiation and parley was made at Paris betwixt the Kings Councell and the Deputies of Churches the Politikes without any conclusion But contrary the warre waxed hot in Dauphine Languedoc with losse on both sides but they of the religion were the stronger And since we are vpon that point we will set downe in this present Article that which was done in France during this yeare 1575. worthy of note in few words About the end of April the Duke d'Vzes besieged Bais a litle Towne vpon Rhosne and got the Towne but they of the Religion which held the two Castles constrained him to forsake it after he had lost many of his people To reuenge himselfe he burnt a part of the Towne and continued after such sackings and destructions that he became very odious In the month of May sell a tumult at Marseillis and in certaine other places of Prouince against gatherers Farmers of the kings demeasnes which were chased away And therevpon arose a band of Politike malcontents which they called les Raises shauen because they caused their beards to be shauen or some part of them to be knowne by that signe and in Prouence they of the Religion held certaine places as Riez Lourmarin Siena and others some of which soone after were taken out of their hands The 17. day of Iune le Sieur de Monbrun a Daulphenois Gentleman a wife and valiant Captaine of warre ouerthrew le Sieur de Gordes Gouernour of Daulphine who saued himselfe by flight within Gap and left 22. companies of Swisses in the field which were broken and nine hundred cut in peeces straight with Frenlich their Colonell and sixteen Captaines with 18. Ensignes carried away by Monbrun and his people which had a great bootie of Armes especially and lost on their part but sixe men Le Sieur de Gordes after that gathered great Forces and againe meeting in the field he ouerthrew Monbrun who meaning to leape a ditch to obtaine a meet passage for his retrait his horse fell and he vnder him whereby his thigh was broken and so remained prisoner hauing only lost twentie two men and thirtie eight were taken prisoners This happened the ninth of Iuly and soone after by decree of a Parliament at Grenople Monbrun had his head cut off On the other side the Duke of Vzes destroyed and burnt all the flat Countrey of Languedoc with the losse of infinite Corne. Le sieur de Lodignieres ordained Chieftain of the troupes of Dauphine in the place of Monbrun gaue order for the affaires at the beginning of August and tooke many places Vpon these actions and the sixteenth day of September Francis Duke d' Alencon and brother vnto the King conueyed himselfe secretly in the night from the Court then at Paris wherevpon came brutes and discourses maruellous straunge and diuers Two dayes after his retraite hee published by writing the causes thereof declaring that hee meant to procure a good peace and reformation in France Hee writ vnto the Princes and Lordes of the Religion to the Churches to the Marshall Danuile and to the Politikes vnto the same end Insomuch that each one assured himselfe soone to see goodly things and there remained but verie fewe which feared any hid euill as discourses after published doo shewe In the meane time the Prince of Conde tooke order Almaine to leuie an Army to enter into Fraunce and by Armes to obtaine some rest for them of the Religion and for the whole estate hee dealt fully with Duke Cassimere of all things requisite for such a good The King the Queene mother and their Councell were greatly troubled as if all had beene lost by the retrait of the Duke d' Alenson writing to all places calling as they say tag and rag they made leuies and brought troupes into the field and yet without any exployt of warre They made flie a report of souldiers from Almaine and Sueuia yet none entred France during that fourth warre to do seruice vnto the King who in the meane while demaunded siluer of his Townes and for the rest hee bore himselfe as if there had beene no appearance of warre His mother in the meane time got her towards the Duke d' Alenson as some said to make peace betwixt the two brethren and for the quiet of the kingdome In the meane while the King forbad all the nobilitie to come nigh the Duke of Alenson hee sent also certaine troupes to hinder not onely that but the comming of certaine Almaines which le Sieurs de Thore and de Cleruant ledde which were ouerthrowne by the Duke of Guise and Cleruant was taken prisoner with certaine others the tenth of October Soone after was there a truce made betwixt the Queene mother and the Duke of Alenson for sixe moneths wherewith each one was miscontented but the
King accorded them whilest the Prince of Conde leuied people in Suifferland and the Armie of Almaine whereof was the Captaine the Duke Cassimere marched composed of ten thousand horsemen sixe thousand Suissers two thousande Lansquenets three thousand French men and Wallons sixe great battering peeces and sixteene field peeces The 22. of December the Prince of Conde published in writing the causes wherefore hee brought that Armie into France in diuers places whereof in the meane while were courses and taking of Townes with notable happes and chaunges reserued vnto the generall Historie of our time To be briefe the confusion was extreame throughout all the kingdome and so much the more as almost all were blinded the Churches became very desolate and such as feared God and were of some iudgement did foresee nothing but new calamities Thus in fewe words was the estate of France this yeare 1575. The estate also of the low Countries was as followeth In the moneth of February by the aduise of the King of Spaine the Emperour sent into Brabant towards the Commaunder and from thence towards the Prince of Orange and the Estates of Holland the Count Schuartembourg to cōsider of the meanes for peace The said Count tooke so much paines therein that hostages were sent to the Prince for suerties of the Hollanders because assembly was made at Brede in Brabant where the Counte remained But because the Prince and the Hollanders persisted in their exercise of Religion the Commaunder vnwilling to consent therevnto the said negotiation came to no effect Incontinently that Towne and Castle de Bure appertaining to the Princes sonne being besieged by the Spaniards was yeelded by the cowardise of the Gouernour In the moneth of August following the Towne of Onde Water was besieged by the Spaniards by meanes wherof the Prince transported himself to Gonde to cause the dikes to be cut out wherof the Spaniards aduertised furiously beat the Towne and after a breach made gaue two assaults but receiued liuely repulses so that they returned the third time and then becomming maisters thereof they slew all the souldiers and Burgesses and burnt the most part of the Towne Amongst those souldiers there were two companies of Scots which not beeing able any more to stand vpon the breach because of the Canon and the violence of the assailants retyred into the Towne nigh the great Church where they fought the space of certaine houres very couragiously and they all dyed their weapons in their hands and neuer would yeeld themselues Foure dayes after the Spaniards besieged an other Towne called Schoonhouē The Prince quickly sent thither le Sieur de la Garde Colonell of the French companies in Holland who so wisely behaued himselfe that by capitulation he was licenced to go out with all his and their Armes and Iewels saued In the meane while the Commander practised so with certain Hollanders that he drew some to his part so that to the great astonishment of all he passed his Army through the straites of the Iles of S. Anne Phillip Lanat and Bunenlant got by assault the Fortresse of Bommene the twentie eight of September after incontinently besieged Ziriczeo one of the principallest Townes in Zeland The King of France was sommoned and required by the Estates of Poland to appeare in the Towne of Steczise the 12. day of May which he not performing they caused to be published that he was falne from his kingdome and from that time was there adiudged an interreigne as in the case of death which was published the 15. day of Iuly following at Cracouia and after in the principal Townes of the kingdome and an other day appointed for the Estates to prouide for a new election Henry Bullenger Minister in the Church of Zurich a learned Theologian of our time who with his writings hath greatly serued the Church of God hauing attained the age of 76. yeares dyed the 17. of September Rodolphe the eldest soone of the Emperour Maximilian hauing beene a yeare before crowned King of Hungarie was crowned King of Boheme in the great Church of Prage the 22. of September By the consent also of the Princes of the Empire he was elected King of Romanes and crowned at Ratisbone the first day of Nouember being then of the age of 24. yeares The estate of France in the yeare 1576. was such as followeth The 9. day of Ianuary the Duke of Alenson wrote vnto the Parliament of Paris the causes wherefore an army of Almanes for him entered into France and by them mightily threatned his enemies They ment to astonish the Parisians to the ende more easily to emptie their purses In the meane time there was sent messages vppon messages to the Prince of Conde and the Duke Cassimere to keep them from further entrance with their troupes but they aduanced into the kingdom tooke certain litle things of small importance The K. of Nuarre withdrew from the Court the 8. of February which the more augmented the hope of many touching the repose of the affaires of France But all things was so confused mingled together as it was no maruell if yet at this present things so wrinckled and knottedtogether bee impossible in regard of men to bee vntied and loosed The men of Warre were greatly outrayed Therefore they of Vuerettes by a common accorde leagued themselues notwithstāding the diuersitie of their religion to hold their Prouince in peace against all such as would enter with Armes The Duke of Alenson seeing nigh him the Almaine Armie demaunded siluer of the Churches in Languedoc but they were sucked by other horsleaches so that hee obtained nothing there nor other where but that he was aided by the King his brother Vpon these stirres the deputies of the Churches assembled at Paris vnder safe conduct to aduise vpon meanes of pacification And on the other side the Duke of Alenson ioyned himselfe vnto the Armie that Cassimere the Prince put in his hands the thirteenth day of March. Incontinently a peace was a making to cause to vanish in the aire all the strengths of them of the Religion and after many goings and commings it was accorded and so was made the fift Edict of pacification in the beginning of May agreeing vpō many things to the aduantage of them of the Religiō but they gained nothing therby but rather found themselues new to begin again The Almain Army retired without any memorable exployt The Duke of Alenson obteined much for himself Others were contented with promises and the Reisters in some sort were satisfied One of the principall articles of the Edict concerned the assembly of the States of the kingdome to take order for all affaires But it came otherwise to passe For that was the meanes which the enemies of the publike state vsed to make their leagues to breake the Edict for a newe commencement of warres and so to leaue the kingdome in more confusion then euer it was as appeared by the yeare following
the Territories of the Church whereof sixe hundred were vnder the conduct of Thomas Stukely an English man who fled out of England for treason who a litle before had obtained the title of a Marquesse from the Pope were embarked at Ciuitauechia in a ship of Genua to be transported into Ireland the which arriued at Lisbone in the time that they made preparation for the warre of Affrike The King hearing of their arriuall and that for want of money he could haue no Italians out of Tuscane desired to see them with intent to retaine them and vse them in the warre of Affricke and hauing caused them to disimbarke and to lodge at Oeicas neare to the mouth of Tagus hee went one day to view them and hauing had some conference with Stukely hee perswaded him to promise to goe with him into Affrike The Catholicke king because he would not shewe himselfe a partie would not contradict it The Pope was so farre of that before the newes could come vnto him he gaue them impresse and they remained for his seruice The 24. of Iune beeing Midsommer day Sebastian hauing a prosperous winde the whole Army set saile to his great pleasure and contentment who young and vnskilfull guided by some sinister starre or by that diuine permission which would punish this people went into Affricke to a dangerous although a glorious enterprise leaning the Realme emptied of money naked of Nobilitie without heires and in the hands of ill affected gouernours In this most fierce and bloudie battaile between the Portugalls and the Moores three kings died The king Sebastian the 4. of August when both the battailes were ioyned fought so valiantly that those which saw his valour wondred at it for although they slew three horses vnder him without any whit daunting him yet was he neuer wearie to change strike succour all parts of the Army where was greatest daunger Many of his Nobilitie which remained yet on horsback seeing the Army in rout sought the King in all parts to saue him but the Standard which was carried before him as a marke to knowe him was now taken and the bearer slaine and being deceiued with an other some what like vnto that which Edward de Moneses carried they followed the one instead of the other so as the king remained as a mā lost with some of his most trustie seruants about him and one Renegado who laboured to saue him hauing in vaine sought to flie being aduised to yeeled with his Armes he would by no means agree vnto it One amongst thē holding vpon the point of his foote a white Napkin in signe of peace went towards the Moores as an Embassador for the rest to yeeld but they either barbarous or wilfull tooke the messenger prisoner and charged the rest who being fewe in number wearied and without courage they were all slaine Some say there grew a controuersie amongst them about the Kings owne person and for that occasion they slew him They sent afterward to seeke his body and by a notable example of the inconstancie of this world they carried it naked vpon a saddle pomell into the royall Tent of Moluc where letting it fall to the ground it was carefully viewed by the Nobilitie who were there present and a publike certificate that it was he keeping it after at Alcazar-Quiuer Ieronimo Conestaggio Mulei Moluc seeing his men at the first to flie although he were sicke vnto the death mounted to horse in choller going towards them that ranne away to stay them and encourage them the shot of the Christians drawing neare he made shewe to match himselfe foremost but his fauourites came about him entreating him not to hazard himselfe But he persisting his resolution and they to stay him he grew in choller laying hold on his sword to disperse them at what time being seazed with a deadly fit of an Apoplexie he swowned and fell from his horse but being taken downe by them about him hee was laid in his Litter where putting his finger into his mouth in signe of silence suddenly or as some report before he was laid downe gaue vp the ghost Mulei Mahamet escaped his enemies hands but his too great haste to passe Mucazez and to recouer Azzill was the cause he was drowned in his passage Those whom Idlenesse had made curious did note the diuersitie of these Princes deaths for being all lost in one battaile within the space of sixe houres the one died of his naturall death the second by the sword the third was drowned Hamet was proclaimed King of the Moores Hee caused the body of Mulei Mahamet to be found out and causing it to be fleied filled the skinne with straw and carried it in triumph to the end to take from the Moores all the hope they had conceiued in him Monsieurs the king of France his brother after the example of the Arch-duke Mathias went into Flaunders there to make worke for the king of Spaine where he made a goodly entrie but an euill retreit Henry the third this yeare by the example of Lois the eleuenth to vnite great persons in concord and inuiolable amitie both for the benefite of the estate and countrie he instituted the order of the holy Ghost D. Chytraeus Of him this Anagrame was made Henricus Tertius In te verè Christus In this yeare and the next the estate of France and of the lowe Countries and of Almaine remained as before In France the Prince of Conde retiring vnto Fere a Towne vnder his gouernment of Picardie warre flamed which continued in diuers places by the taking holds on either part but more slowly then in former yeares The strongest was in Dauphine and in Guienne Fere Mouire and other places hauing bene yeelded by composition These tempests ended by a negotiation of peace In the Augustine Friars at Paris this also was done in remembrance of his birth day and the two Kingdomes of Poland and Fraunce falling to him as vpon that day expecting as then the third Crowne in heauen of which this Symbole was made Manet vltima coelo He made 26. Knights of the order before spoken of and gaue them yearely pensions out of Abbies and Ecclesiasticall liuings in despight of the Pope This yeare Iohn Fox William Wickney and Robert More English men hauing bene prisoners in Turkie about the space of 13. or 14. yeares with more then two hundred and sixtie other Christians of diuers Nations by killing their keeper maruellously escaped and returned to their natiue Countries I. Stowe The Towne of Maistricht was taken by force of the Spaniards the 29. of Iune where they slew a great number of people After the estates sought a protector and addressed themselues in the yeare 1580. to the Duke of Alenson who dealt with them The Turkes leauing Europe in quietnesse after peace made with the Venetians waged warre against the Persians and after many battailes lost especially for the Turkes they
be a body wounded to death sent their Embassadors to the K. desiring him to open his eyes to the teares his eares to the complaints of his poore subiects to heare the requests of his neighbours for his owne good the quietnes and honor of his faith his name and reputation The K. answered that he knew what was necessary for himselfe and his subiects that according to the cause and for their good and tranquillitie he had made and changed his ordinances as all Princes in Christendome vse to do and that for his part hauing the feare of God the loue of his subiects liuely ingrauen in his heart hee would do nothing against the honour of his conscience nor the fatherly care he had of his people With which answere they returned not well pleased This yeare Augustus Duke of Saxonie one of the Princes Electors new come from hunting suddenly died being of the age of 60. yeares and was buried at Friberge Genebrardus There died likewise at the same time Margarite of Austria the base daughter of Charles the fift and mother of Alexander Duke of Parma and Gouernour of Belgia Charles Count Palatine married Dorithie the daughter of William Duke of Brunswick at Cella D. Chytraeus On the fourth day of Iune L. Edward Earle of Rutland went Embassador into Scotland for a ratificatiō of a firme bond of peace betweene Elizabeth Queene of England Iames the sixt K. of Scots vpon certain causes necessary and important which was confirmed at Barwicke the 19. of Iune where the Embassadors of Scotland were likewise present I. Vowell The 16. of Iuly not farre from Barwick the borderers of both the Nations of England and Scotland assembled to determine for recompence of all such iniuries as each people offered to other at what time the Lord of Fernhurst Warden of the Scottish borders Iames Steward Earle of Arrane then Chauncelor and Syr 〈◊〉 Russell Knight Lord Russell and Syr I. Forster Knight Warden of their middle Marshes came with their company When the Wardens were set vpon the bench there did suddenly arise amongst the people a contention whereby followed at the first some small fray which beeing perceiued by the Lord Russell hee arose from the bench and called for his horse who meaning to appease the matter went amongst the prease at what time a certaine number of shot comming on him he was suddenly but most vniustly slaine with a peece amongst the rest discharged against him by a Scot borne about that place suspected by the most to be the Lord of Fernhursts brother The losse of which noble Gentleman being of so great a hope was much lamented and that especially for his vntimely death so iniuriously by the Earle of Arrane as the common report went procured and so suddenly performed hee in the 35. yeare of his age did bereaue the Realme of England of a goodly young person well stayed in gouernment bountiful wise and vertuous whose death happened the day before that his honourable father the Earle of Bedford departed this world I. Hooker Fourteene thousand Heluetians who were Catholickes and commaunded to appeare by the King of Nauarre went to the aide of the holy League but before they tooke their iourney they all receiued the Sacrament and swore that they did beare Armes onely for the defence of the Catholicke faith but if the king shuld be found to do any fauour to the Heluetians they promised to lay downe their weapons and returne Anth. Cicarella A Parliament was held in Nouember both for the continuing of the defence of the lowe Countries against the King of Spaine and as for the determining of the treacherous practises of the Queene of Scot shee was forthwith conueyed to Foderinghay Castle in Northampton Shire which sometimes belonged to the Dukes of Lancaster where being tried by the Nobles of the Realme shee was found guiltie and afterward beheaded She was crowned Queene of Scots when she was but 18. moneths old and after in the sixt yeare of her raigne called into France where at 15. yeares she was married to Frances the second then the Dolphin of France being 14. yeares of age with whom she liued three yeares After whose decease she returned into Scotland and was married to Henry Arlye at the age of 22. by whom she had one onely sonne Ieames the sixt now king This husband dead she was married the third time to the Earle of Bothuell who died in prison after this she liued 18. yeares in England Genebrardus Gulielmus Gonzaga Duke of Mantua departed this life whom his onely sonne Vincentius succeeded being of the age of 25. yeares Idem Syr F. Drake returned out of America came into Zeland the other fleete went towards India who tooke two ships out of S. Thomas I le and the Gouernour thereof The one of them perished the other was brought home a rich prize This yeare at Zutphen in Gilderland S. Phillip Sidney Englands Mars and Muse was shot in the thigh with a Musket whereof he died His body was conueyed into England and honourably buried in Powles I. Vowell Frederick king of Denmarke sollicited by the king of Nauarre for aide against Guise sent his Embassadors to Henry king of France who should entreate that the peace of the reformed Religion graunted before by the king and confirmed by oath might bee kept with the king of Nauarre and his followers D. Chytraeus At Augusta after the superintendent was cast out the estate of the Ministers of the Church waxed euery day worse For after that the Gregorian Calendar was receiued of them the pontificall Magistrate assured to himselfe authoritie and right of choosing and calling the Ministers of the Church which priuiledge the Elders and Gouernours of the Church had before with the Ministery held it by the authority of the Emperor who sent Commissioners to that end into the Citie But when the Ministers of the Church would not agree to them they were all commanded to depart the Citie before Sunne set and others of the same confession were called from Noriberga and other places and substituted in their places Whom when the people could not heare nor vse their seruice the pontificall Magistrate besides the garrison that was alreadie in the towne brought more souldiers thereby to terrifie them and bring them to obedience D. Chytraeus Iulius Bishop of Wurtzeburg began to vse great crueltie towards them of the confession of Augusta in his Diocesses banishing many of them and constraining them to sell their goods in so short a space that they left the third part to him William Lantsgraue of Hesse his neighbour disswaded him from this crueltie but following the example of Balthasar Abbot of Fulden who greatly persecuted his subiects vnder the praetext of Religion hee not only incurred the hatred of all men but was depriued of all titles and dignities Idem This yeare vpon the 27. of September Stephen Bathorus King of Poland Prince of Transiluania
Bosua who had forraged diuers of their frontiers and had spoiled and wasted Crotia and the fertile Region Tyropolia leading away many Christians captiues and that this Bassa beeing thereof explained to the Turke he was therefore bountifully rewarded and set in greater place and authoritie then he had before but at the siege of the Castle Zisekna he was driuen to flie and there receiued by death a iust reward for his trecherie This making the Turke more incensed hee made warre vpon the Christians and sent Beglerbegus of Creece who besieged the aforesaid Castle Ziseckna and forced them to yeeld it At this time also he sent diuers of his choisest Bassaes to inuade Hungarie and tooke there two Cities Vesprian and Palotta Besides hee imprisoned the Emperours Embassadour and Orator at Constantinople Caesars request therefore was that greater defence might be made against the Turkish powers and that all the Christian Princes of his Empire would conioyne to the resisting of this great enemie of Christ and Christendome Which forthwith was agreed vnto But in this Session a great dissention arose amongst the Protestant Princes the reason was for that the Elector Palatine did not so strictly and precisely keepe the confession of Augusta as the rest of them did that is to say Duke William Fredericke Administrator of the Electorship of Saxonie who in the administration of the charge of the Electors in their minoritie recalled and brought in the opinions of Flaccus Illiricus and Iacobus Andreas approoued of the aforesaid Electors and all those that withstood them or opposed themselues against either in Vniuersities Schooles or any place whatsoeuer hee cruelly persecuted and banished them as Caluinists and Zuinglians so that at Lipsia and other places vnder the pretext and colour of his execution against the Caluinists much spoile and hurt was done Many of these beeing let out of prison were receiued by the Elector Palatine and for this cause the Protestants of Saxonie would seperate themselues in this Session in the common petitions and propositions from them that held of the Count Palatine but the greater part of them desirous of peace did not consent thereto But when it was obiected to the Prince Palatine that hee was of a contrary religion to his father hee before them all made an orderly and modest confession of his faith and religion in this maner I haue not anyway digressed from the religion which my worthy father professed He whilest he liued beleeued not in S. Martin or S. Iames but in Christ The same beliefe the same grounds and principles of faith I do constantly hold and euer intend to do My father condemned the errours of Arrius Nestorius Eutychius and the Anabaptists and so do I his sonne not onely condemne them but with my soule detest and abhorre them The errours in the Sacraments which are two fold some of them who make Idolls of Sacraments and worship and reuerence the signes for the thing signed not obseruing nor considering the signification of the Sacraments other some that vnderstand them for naked and simple signes my father detested and so do I his sonne I come nearer My father reiected Caluanisme and Zuinglanisme and so do I his sonne If so be it be true that the Vbiquitaries and Flactians do faine that is to say if truth or omnipotencie or the whole presence of Christ should bee denied vpon the earth But in this errour I am happier then my father in that I know the true and right religion vnder the name of Caluine to bee defiled and scandalled by certaine seditious and ambitious persons in Germanie which my father had knowne if he had liued longer as now the two mightie Electors of Saxonie Augustus his sonne and Christian do vnderstand In this Session great consultation was had for composition for peace in the lowe Countries This yeare the Italians made great tumults in Brabant the reason was for that they were not so much esteemed of since the Duke of Parmaes death and that the Spaniards were preferred before them that they had pay daily and the Italians not regarded For this cause they left the Kings Campe and tooke the Towne of Sidien in Brabant and fortified it In this space no pay was sent wherfore they made great hauocke throughout all Brabant euen to the gates of Bruxelles Complaints were made hereof to the Gouernour the Arch-duke of Ernestus that hee was faine to send certaine companies of the Spaniards who had authoritie to bring them into order and make them obedient or driue them out of the Countrey This more incensed the Italians but the Spaniards draue them out of certaine of their holds And Graue Maurice fearing least they of enemies should become friends went to the Italians and politikely praised them and their dauntlesse spirits extolled their worthy acts and great victories that they got vnder their famous leader the Duke of Parma that the Spaniard had offered them such an iniurie and disgrace as the like was not to bee borne and therefore it behoued them to looke to their safetie and that there was no better way but to serue vnder the King of Fraunce as long as they might bee well payed The Italians mooued by his perswasion the last of Nouember wrote to the King of Fraunce humbly desiring him that he would receiue them into his charge and defence beeing in number 1023. footemen and 200. hosemen But the King commended the determining of these businesse to the States of Holland The Arch-duke Ernestus died at Bruxells as some say of a melancholy for that hee might not marrie the Infant of Spaine and that the names of his house of Austriche against the Turkes and his owne against the confederates had no better successe that he was not onely despised of the enemie but of the Spaniards and that hee had receiued no Letters a long time from the king amongst whose Councell hee had many enemies hee died of the age of 42. a very modest and sober Prince who was seldome seene to laugh This winter dyed Amurathe the 3. the 14. Emperour of the house of Othoman and the very best thereof beeing not so cruell as the other hee was much giuen to pleasure His eldest sonne succeeded him in the Empire beeing of the age of 29. yeares The Castle and Citie of Strigon by Ister after it had bene three and fiftie yeares vnder the tyrannie of the Turkish Emperour by the valour and industrie of Count Charles Mansfield was deliuered to the Christians which victorie hee sawe not for he died at the siege thereof of a lingring disease This Prince was from his childhood brought vp in martiall affaires and shewed himselfe a good subiect to the King of Spaine his maister The King of Fraunce hauing got absolution from the Pope sent by his Embassadors Letters and thankes to him and in them promised all obedience to the Apostolicke Sea of Rome Christopher Mountdragon a Spaniard Gouernour of the Castle of Antwerpe and Captaine of the