of her husband But whan Ulrich Duke of Wirtemberge hard of the misery of Brentius all be it he him selfe was in great daunger yet gaue he relief secreatly to him and his family Furthermore the Cities of Sweuia following all for the moste parte the Emperoures authority promised to accomplish his commaundement Wherfore the preachers euery where remoued out of diuers places least they should commit any thing vnworthy their profession Andreas Osiander for this cause leauinge Norinberge wente into the lande of Prusse Spire and Woormez had but ether of them one which fled also to saue them selues William the Earle of Nassowe suffred Erasmus Sarcerius to depart for the same cause Moreouer the Duke of Wirtemberge in whose country were garrisons of Spaniardes euery where as hath bene saied whan the commaundement came from the Emperour caused the Boke setforthe to be recited in the Pulpit and commaundeth that no man do any thing to the contrary and if any man wil say Masse he geueth them liberty and chargeth his subiectes that they disturbe no Priest and putteth awaye those Ministers of the Church which would not allow the boke Amonges whome was Erardus Schueffius The Emperoure by Granuellane and the bishop of Arras moued the Duke of Saxon captiue to obey the decree and followe the doctrine of the Boke setforth And albeit they assaid him with fair promises and shewed him some hope of deliueraunce yet he perseuered constante in his opinion And the laste yere saithe he amōges the condicions whiche the Emperoure propounded this was wrytten also that I shoulde approue the decrees that shoulde be made by him and by the Counsell concerning Religion but whan he perceiued that I coulde not be induced through the terroure or feare of any pearill to assent he released the same condicion and after that neuer moued any thing to me concerning religion Whiche certenlye I toke than in steade of a great benefite and being cased hereof as of a most waighty burthē al the other conditions which the Emperoure at his pleasure determined on my parson and all my goodes I suffered the more easelye and with the better wil trusting that from henceforth I shoulde be permitted to kepe my Religion free but now for so muche as he vrgeth me againe and commaundeth me to subscribe I do heare protest that I was so brought vp in my youth and after by the reading of holye scripture so confyrmed that I do beleue this doctrine to agree throughly with the wrytinges of the Prophetes and Apostles neyther can it be conuicted of any erroure For the whiche cause verelye bothe my father I and certaine other Princes exhibited in times past a confession of the same doctrine comprised in wrytinge and referred it to a lawful counsel considering therfore that God hathe illuminated me with the knowledge of his word it is not lawfull for me to forsake the truthe knowne vnlesse I woulde purchase to my self euerlasting dampnation Wherfore if I should nowe admit thys decree forasmuch as the same dothe in manye and moste waightye places dissent from the holy scripture I should condempne the doctrine of Iesu Christ which I haue professed hitherto And in word and speach should allowe that I know to be naughte and wicked But what thinge els were this than with painted and glosynge wordes to delude the deuine Maiesty and the Emperoure also Than the which thing what more wickednes can be committed For this is that same sinne against the holy ghost wherof Christe hath so diligently warned vs which shall neuer at any time be forgeuen And seinge it is so and that my conscience is tied with these bondes I most earnestly and for the mercy of God which he gaue vnto mankinde through the oblation of his sōne pray and beseche that the Emperoure would not take in displeasure this my refusal For where as I do reteine the doctrine professed at Auspurge I do it for my soules health and setting all other thinges a parte do imagine howe after this miserable life I may be made partaker of the life and ioy euerlasting I heare say moreouer howe it is reported to the Emperour by diuers as though I nothing regarded religion but sought for a vaine glory and what thing els I know not I beseche you what thing coulde happen to me in this worlde more to be wished for especially being thus grose of bodye then liberty then to retourne to my wife and children than quiet and rest at home And I take God to witnes and than will also what time he shall take an accompt of vs all for our doinges that I respected nothinge els than that throughe the true worshippinge of God I might enioy the inheritance of the heauenly kingdōe Which thing I hartely desire that the Emperour would certainly beleue and be fully perswaded of me In all other thinges my will hath bene alwaies ready to gratify him and euer shal be and the infidelity and promesse which I haue made him that will I kepe as becommeth a iuste man and borne of noble parentage Furthermore I beseche him to remit all displeasure and at the lengthe to deliuer me from this continuall captiuity That I be not reported the first of all other Princes that should lead his life with him prisoner Where he perseuered thus constant and immouable they began to hādle him somwhat more hardly and toke from him his bokes of Scripture and was commaunded on daies forbidden to abstaine from fleshe The same preacher also whome by the Emperours licence he kept vntil this time whan he sawe present daunger hanginge ouer his head he chaunged his apparel and conueied him self awaye priuely At the same time came abrode out of the Emperoures court letters which the Lantzgraue was saide to haue wrytten to the Emperoure In those he saieth he hath commaunded his wife and coūselloures that they should fulfil all the reast of the conditions and satisfy such as complaine for the warre past Againe he saieth how he hathe the boke wrytten of Religion And albeit there be manye thinges which he doth not wel vnderstand and the which he cānot affirme by the scriptures yet for somuch as they ground their thinges of antiquitie and authoritye of holy fathers he will not make him self wiser then they and doth both allow that wryting and wil deuise also that his subiectes shall obserue the same After this he offereth him his faith and seruice whether he shall warre with the Turke or with the Bishop of Rome or any forain kinges or with the Swishes or els wil vse him in Germany but he besecheth him for the loue of Christ and all saintes that he would lay awaye all displeafure and set him at liberty For now hath he bene deteyned prisoner a whole yeare and suffred punishmente inoughe and is brought to extreme misery Moreouer for a further assuraunce he will geue his two sonnes pledges vntill he be fullye satisfied And whatsoeuer way
the Austen Freres desiring hym to cause them to be sent to the byshop of Rome And he him self in the moneth of Iune wrote vnto Leo the tēth partly complayning of his pardoners whiche through their owne auarice abused his auethoritie And partly purging him selfe knowing for a suertie that they had complayned on him for the same matter but affirmyng that they did hym wrong For he was inforced by reason of the fonde Sermōs bokes of the Collectours to set vp certain questiōs only for the matter of disputation whiche he woulde now more playnly declare beseching him to geue no credit to sclaunderous reportes alledging that Duke Fredericke the Prince electour of Saronie was a man of suche wisdome honour that in case suche thinges had been true that his aduersaries reported of him he would not haue suffered his countrey to beare such an infamie And that the vniuersitie of Wittenberge was of lyke consideration and so submitted vnto him both all his workes and his lyfe also not refusing death if it should seme good vnto him For whatsoeuer should procede from him he would take as an oracle that flowed from Christe him selfe Amonges others of Luthers aduersaries Iohn Eckius wroote a little booke against him at the same tyme. To the whiche Luther aunswereth that he neyther bringeth Scripture for hym nor any thinge out of the auncient Doctours but certein dreames of his owne receiued of scoolemen by an vnallowable euill custome After Eckius one Siluester Prierias a freer Dominicke master of the holy palace as they terme it wrote against him a dialoge with the preface to Leo the tenth right stoutelye saying that he woulde proue whether Luther be so inuincible that he can not be confuted or vanquished For if he can answer this thē wil he set forth greater thinges with moste exacte diligence Then speaketh he vnto Luther exhorting him to amende and before he commeth to his disputation he propoundeth certain Themes that the Byshop of Rome is head of the whole churche and that the churche of Rome is the firste and chiefest of all others and can not erre in matters of faythe and religion Neyther that the generall counsell can erre where the byshop of Roome is present Moreouer that the holy Scripture taketh all his force and authoritie of the churche and byshop of Rome as of a moste certain rule And he that beleueth other wyse to be an heretike This foundation ones layd he beginneth to debate the matter Afterward doth Luther make answer to the same boke And in his preface to this Siluester saith that he wōdreth at his questions rather than vnderstādeth the same Then takyng of him example for the defence of his cause putteth forth also certen themes but suche as are taken out of holy scripture wherin he sheweth that we ought not to geue credit to euerye doctrine of man but to way euery thing exactely and to embrace that thing only whiche is consonaunt to goddes worde And none other doctrine to be receiued but that which is left vs by the Prophetes and Apostles although it haue neuer so goodly an apparence Neuerthelesse thautoritie of those writers whiche were next after them to be allowed but for the rest to be well ware what they wryte And as concerning the indulgences that it is not lawfull for the Collectours to inuente anye newedeuise herein but to followe in the same the order of the Canon law After this he obiecteth that he alledgeth no testimony of scriptur but reciteth only the opinions of Thomas of Aquyne who treated in a maner of al things at his pleasure without thauthoritie of scripture Wherfore he reiecteth both affirming that he doth the same not onely by the commanndement of saint Paule but of S. Austen also Emōgs the Ciuilians it is commonly sayd that it is not lawfull to pronounce any thyng but after the prescript of the lawe Much lesse in diuine matters ought that thing to be suffered that is spokē without the testimony of scripture It is S. Paules precept that suche as be appointed to instruct the people should be furnished not with Syllogismes or sondry decrees of men but with holsome and sounde doctrine lefte vs by godly inspiration But for so muche as many haue contemned this precepte great blyndnes hath been induced and an innumerable sorte of vnprofitable questions hath flowed ouer the worlde What tyme he hath thus made his waye he commeth to the confutacion and aboute th ende therof sayth howe he is nothinge affrayed of his manasinge wordes which are set forth for a brauery For albeit he shuld dye therfore yet Christe liueth and is immortall vnto whome all honoure is dewe And therfore if he list to come to a further trial in this matter he must fight with stronger weapōs or els his authour Thomas and he are lyke to goo by the woorse Againe this Syluester writeth Luther an aunswer and saythe it deliteth him muche that he submitteth hym selfe to the iudgemēt of the byshop of Rome wyshing also that he spake it with his harte vnfainedly Luther had charged him with ambition and fllatterie but he purgeth him self therof as muche as he may And defendeth right stoutly the doctrine of Thomas affirming it to be in suche sorte receiued approued by the churche of Rome that it ought to be preferred aboue all other writinges And blameth him sore that hath spoken of so worthy a man so vnreuerently accomptyng it an honour to him selfe to be called a Thomiste Notwithstanding he sayeth howe he hath red other mens woorkes also whiche shall hereafter appere After this preface he setteth forth a little booke wherin he cōmendeth exceadinly the aucthoritie of the byshop of Rome in so much that he clerely preferreth him before all counselles and decrees affirminge that all the strength of Scripture dependeth vpon his authoritie This Thomas comming of a Noble house gaue him self wholy to learning And leauing Italy went first to Collyn and after to Paris and proued best learned of al men in his time wryting diuers workes in the whiche he treated of matters of diuinitie and Philosophie He was a blacke frere the disciple of Albertus Magnus Whan he was dead Iohn byshop of Rome the .xxii. of that name made him a sainct about fifty yeāres after he lefte his lyfe He was a great mainteiner of the byshop of Romes authoritie For he attributed vnto him the supremacie ouer all other byshops kynges and churches vniuersall with both Iurisdictions aswell sacred as ciuile affirming it to be a necessary thyng vnto saluation that all men be subiect vnto him that he hath full authoritie in the churche and that it appertaineth to him to call counsell and to confirme the decrees made there Moreouer he sayeth howe men may iustlyappeale from any generall counsell Finallye he ascribeth vnto him all thinges onely this he excepted that he can not make newe articles of
Religion that excepte their Bybles all other Bookes shoulde be burned This was in the yere of our Lorde a thousande fiue hundred and ten Reuchline which was both a lawier and right skilful in the Hebrewe tongue when he had receiued the Archbishoppes letters he wrote againe his mynde and said how the Hebrewes bokes were of three sortes there were Histories Bookes of Phisicke and of Prophecies and these laste to also of dyuers sortes in the whiche albeit there were many fonde and supersticiouse thinges yet are they for this purpose profytable for that they will serue well to confute their Errours and their dotages This his opinion he sente to the Archebyshoppe sealed After that Phefercorne knewe this he made not a lytell a doe but set oute a Booke agaynste him callinge hym the fautoure and defendour of the Iewes Reuchline in the defence of his estimation aunswereth him with another by the which he offended certein vniuersities but especially Collen in the which were then of moste reputation Iames Hogostrate and Arnolde Tōgre who wrot an Inuectiue against him in like case as Phefercorne had done dedicating the same to thēperor Maximiliā And after that they wente to the lawe with him before the Archebyshoppe of Mentz and Hogostrate was plaintife whome Reuchline as his ennemy resused And first aunswered the vlatter by attourney and in fine came him self to Mentz accompanied with diuers gentlemen and other learned men whiche Ulriche Duke of wirtemberge had sent with him but after they had soughte meanes to haue quieted the matter and coulde not he appealeth vnto Rome The Bysshoppe of Rome committeth the hearyng therof to George Palatine Bishop of Spires commaunding that no mā els shoulde medle with all This notwithstandyng they of Colon condēned Reuchlines boke and burned it in the moneth of February in the yere M.D.xiiij This did the Bishoppe of Spires take in maruelous euil part And because the Plaintife beynge called at seuerall tymes as the maner is appered not he geueth sentence with Reucline approuynge his Booke to be good and condemneth this Hogostrate in costes and domage But he to the intent to make this sentence frustrate trauayleth to Rome In the meane time his fellowes at home labored and wrot to Paris and to Lewis the Frenche kinge by the mediation of Erarde Marchiaue Byshoppe of Liege who was at the same tyme greate with Lewis the twelfeth Wherofore the Uniuersitie of Paris after longe debatynge of the matter condempned the booke also as worthye to be burnte and the author to be dryuen to recant and those Hebrews bokes to be brent in like maner as they haue bene in times past This was in Auguste followynge The Duke of Wirtemberge had intreated them by his letters And Reucline him selfe wrote vnto them gentely for that he had bene there studiēt and sent them the Copie of the Sentence pronounced by the Bishoppe of Spires but all was in vaine When this Hogostrate had sued at Rome three yeres and could not preuaile he retourneth home againe as he wente For diuers of the Cardinalles vnto whome Leo committed the hearynge of the matter loued Reuchline intierlye for hys excellente learnynge and amonges others Adrianus that wrote a booke of the Latin tounge He was also commended vnto them by Erasmus of Roterodame whose Epistles in hys behalfe do yet remaine Before the menne of Louaine hadde publyshed theyr sentence of Luther they tooke theyr aduise of Adriane Cardinall of Derthuse in Spayne a Hollander borne and brought vp amonges them at Louaine by whome they were boldned to do it Wherefore when Luther had so manye and so greate ennomyes he wrote an Epistle to the newlye created Emperoure Charles the fifte and fyrste crauynge pardone that beinge a manne of so lowe degree he shoulde attempt to write to so highe a Prince he saithe the matter is weightye that causeth him to doe it and altogether suche as appertaineth to the glory of Christ signifying how he had written certaine bokes whiche had procured him the displeasure of manye through no desert of his for he was broughte into this contention by his aduersaries agaiust his wikhe had muche rather haue setten still but this hath bene his chief and only studye that the pure doctrine of the go spell might appere against the false traditions of men and that many good and excellent learned men can beare witnes of the same And this to be the cause of all the hatred disdaine reproches pearils and displesures that he hath bene in these thre yeres that he had done as much as lay in him that the matter might be taken vp But the oftner that he sought quietnes the more were his aduersaries offended and where he hath oftentimes required them to shew him wherin he had erred and to teach better thinges hitherto they haue aunswered in maner nothing but by railing wordes and cruell iniuries sekinge only how to quench both him and the doctrine of the Gospell For the which causes he is now constrained to vse the last remedy and after the ensamples of Athanasius to flie vnto him for succour besechynge him to take vpon him the tuition of the christian doctrine and to defende him againste all violence and iniurie till the matter be further knowen that he will desyre no defence in case he be proued to maynteyne an euill cause but desyreth onely that the thing may be tried and knowen and nothing to be determined before That this apperteineth to his office and for this cause hath he this highe power geuen him of God to minister Iustice and to mainteine right and equitie And to defende the pore and weake agaynst the iniuries of the stronger In like effect he writeth after that to all the states of the Empire reciting in fewe wordes howe vnwillynge he was to fall into this contention howe desyrous he hathe bene to haue it taken vp what conditions he hath offered and yet doeth the same Not longe after he writeth to the Archebishop of Mentz Cardinall with greate submission beynge sory as he saieth that he is complained vpon to him by suche as were wont to praise his doinges But he admonisheth him to gyue no credit to talebearers and to beware of Flatterers by the example of kynge Dauid disceaued by the flatteter Siba that he would set a part all sinistrall suspicion of him and of his workes vntill suche time as he had leasure to reade them him selfe for there were two kindes of men that condemned his writinge one was of them that neuer red them another of suche as read them in dede but with a malicious minde these did depraue his doynges wherin if any man coulde fynde any errour and teache him that were better he woulde be glad to folowe it and hathe oftentymes so protested And for asmuche as he trusted well in his great humanitie and was borne and brought vp in the same prouince that he hath cure of he coulde not but write thus vnto hym The
alwayes and to take hede that there be not such a flamme kyndled that shall set all Germany on a fyre For certainly our offences wherewith we haue styrred gods wrath agaist vs are so manifest that we ought to be afrayde of euery lyttle sturre muche more whan so great a number of ennemies are assembled to offer battell Lenytie and gentlenes can tourne you to no losse and if it should yet after it wyll restore you the same with the aduauntage but if you go to it by force it shal peraduenture be in great hasarde And where as you may preuayle more by other meanes why wyll you venter with so great daunger Their requestes be twelue wherof some be so agreable to reason and equitie that you maye haue good cause to be ashamed They demaūde first of all that the minister of the churche may be ordeyned lawfully suche as can preache gods worde And albeit they haue a respect herein to their owne priuate commoditie in asmuche as they would pay hym his stipende of other mens tythes Yet is it against reason it shold be denied for it is lawefull for no magistrate to keepe their people from the doctrine of the Gospell Others that concerne seruices droictes and such lyke thinges are grounded also vpon reason For it is not the parte of a Magistrate to vexe orpille the people but rather to maynteine and preserue their wealth and substaunce But now there is no ende of pillage and howe should this continue Certainly ye ought to leaue this exaction and refraine your prodigalitie and riot that the poore maye haue some thyng more to releue their great mysery When he had thus admonyshed eyther parte seuerally he wryteth an epistle common to both And for so muche as eyther partie maynteyneth an euyll quarel he aduyseth them to laye downe their weapons and put it to arbitrement declaryng vnto the Magistrates howe cruell euer and howe bloudy the ende of Tyrauntes hath ben and agayne to the people how vnfortunate and myserable hath bene the successe and wyndyng vp of commotioners whiche haue taken armure and standen in a defence with the hyghe powers One thynge he lamenteth exceadyng that seing they warre on eyther syde with an euyll conscience the Princes to establyshe their Tyranny the others sediciously to accomplyshe their wycked desyre they should lose their owne soules so many as peryshe in this warre After he bewaileth the state of germany which through this ciuile warre should vtterly be destroyed for to begyn warre is an easy matter but we can not so wel ende the same when we wolde He admonysheth them therfore to absteyne and not to leaue to their poste ritie the state of the common wealth so full of trouble bloudshed by force of armes can nothing be done to continewe by the amendemēt of lyfe very much he exhorteth them to committe the whole matter to the hearyng and determening of certayn good mē chosen for the same purpose That the Princes would remitte somewhat of their ryght that the people againe should followe good coūsell and leaue out some of their demaundes This to be his aduise and counsell whiche vnlesse they woulde folowe he would gyue them the lokyng on for to be on eyther syde were vnlawfull seyng the people moue warre agaynst their Prynces as the oppressours of their wealth and ryches And the Princes agayne with the people as with theues and murtherers that do also iniury vnto the name of Christ In this ther obstinate fiercenes he wyll praye vnto God that eyther he would shewe some waye to accorde them or els to subuerte their counsell and all their enterpryses Howe be it after all these wonders he feareth that the wrath of God shall no we no more be mitigated than what tyme he declared by Ieremy that his wrath and displeasure should not be aswaged no not at the instaunt prayers of moste holy men but that he woulde plage the Iewyshe nation wherefore he would wyshe for nothyng more than that they would amende and serue God in feare and tremblyng that at the lest wyse the plage hangyng ouer vs myghte be differred and aswaged Whylest he endeuoured thus to appease the tumulte they that were in Franckony and indiuers other places marchynge forewarde sodainly warred not only against the papistes but against the nobilitie also and did muche mischief as is she wed before Then Luther in an other wrytyng exhorteth all men that they would come to destroye these wycked theues and paracides in lyke case as they woulde come to quenche a commen fyre who haue moste shamefully broken their fayth to their Princes taken other mens goodes by force and cloke al this abomination wickednes with the couer of Christianitie which is the vylest and moste vnworthiest thing that can be imagined And after that he hath confuted their reasons as is before rehersed he byddeth the Princes not doubte nor feare to set vpon and destroye that seditious Rabble for it apertayneth chiefly to their dutie and not they only but also euery pryuate mā may kylle a seditious persone by what meanes he can for that there can be no more pestilent thyng in the publique wealth than sedition so long as they protested not to be obstinate but to be reformed by the testimonies of Scrypture or by them that coulde instructe them with better thynges he durst not be bolde to condempne them but nowe sythe the thinge it selfe declareth that they dyd nothyng but dissemble he must also chaunge his style And therfore he ryngeth a larme and admonysheth all men to set vpon thē and destroye as if they were so many wylde beastes This booke dyd many discommende in all places as to earnest and cruell but he aunswereth in the defence therof maintaining his opiniō that none of them ought to be pardoned no not they whiche were cōstrayned by others if they haue done any thynge sediciously sauynge those only whiche beyng ones admonyshed were content to rendre yelde them selues I tolde you before howe the Emperour by his letters sent out of Spayne did inhibite the assemblye of the Empyre that shoulde haue bene the laste yeare in Nouembre at Spyres but nowe hearyng of the trouble some state of Germany and of the great preparation that the Turke made to inuade Hongary he sent his letters agayne from Toleto appoynting a counsell of the whole Empire at Auspurge to begynne the first daye of October for the causes aboue mentioned but chiefly for ayde agaynst the great Turke sygnifyinge that in case he can not be there present hym self he wyll appoint others to supplye his place whiche letters beyng wrytten the .xxiiij. of May were not delyuered in Germany tyll the .xiij. of August wherfore by the aduyse of Ferdinando and others it was differred tyl saint Martyns daye the .xj. of Nouembre that suche as dwelt farre of might prepare them selues to come in dew reason Carolostadius dissenting frō Luther and
be first heard to make their purgatiō especially seyng they make alwayes offer that if they maye be more ryght instructed by the scriptures they wil do nothyng obstinatly or against their dewty Wherfore they desyre hym to accepte thē in to his defence and protection and as shortly as may be to aunswer them mercyfully and louyngly by wrytyng And because the whole matter can not be declared by mouthe as he hath also commaunded therfore haue they comprehended in wrytyng what thynge so euer is nedefull for the further knowledge of the matter whiche they delyuer vnto him the Emperour aunswereth them by an interpretour that he hath heard what their sute is and lyketh well also the obsequiens seruyce that they offer in theyr Prynces behalfe wherfore whan he hath talked with his counsell he wyll make them an aunswer reasonable Fynally the twelth of Octobre he gaue them an aunswere in writing as their request was That he vnderstode by kyng Ferdinādo his brother and the residue in commission with hym of the decree made at Spyres before thei came to him and howe he is ryght sory for the dissention that is amongest them And for as muche as it is his dewtie to forsee that suche thynges happen not or at the leste whan they are chanced to see them refourmed therfore after longe delyberation had with priuie counsell of the whole matter he findeth howe the same decree was made to the intent nothyng hereafter should be altered that there should be no place for any newe secte from henceforth as there be many al ready euyll fauoured enough and that peace and concorde myght be had throughout the Empyre Therfore the Duke of Saxon and his fellowes ought of ryght to haue consented to al these thinges for both he and other Prynces set as muche by the healthe of theyr soules and tranquillitie of their consciences as they doe And he for his parte no lesse desyreth a generall counsell for a staye to the common wealth than they do whiche not withstandyng were not all together so nedefull if the lawes and decres as that of Woormes and others whiche are made by comon assente of all states myght be obserued as they them selues wyll graunte that suche decrees oughte to be fyrme and stable Whiche thynge considered and seyng that the vse and custome is that loke what the more parte of the states of the Empyre do decree the same may not be disolued by a fewe persones therfore hath he in his letters to the Duke and his fellowes commaunded them that they doe accepte this decree as ratisfied and attempte nothyng against it but obeye the same vpon theyr allegeaunce that they owe vnto hym and the Empyre If not it wyll come to passe that for aucthoritie and examples sake he must punyshe them extremely but he supposeth that his letters be already delyuered vnto them or wylbe shortelye and that they wyll obey his cōmaundemēt wherof he wold be ryght glad especialy at this tyme wherin he is credibly infourmed howe the great Turke the common ennemy of christendom is at this present marchynge through Hongarye with all his power into Germanye Wherfore it were now requysite to haue domestical concorde to the intēt this myghty and cruell ennemy myght be repulsed against whome he intendeth so sone as he shal haue stayed all thynges in Italy to bende all his force and power wherfore he trusteth that they consyderyng well the daunger wyll doe that whiche they are bounden of dutie What tyme the Ambassadours had red this aunswere they delyuered an appellation whiche was ready made to Alexander Schneissie callyng wytnes to the thyng as the maner is Who at the fyrst would not receyue it but in fyne he was content to take it and caried it to the Emperoure and the same daye at after none he retourneth and hauyng ended his other talke he sayeth howe the Emperour commaundeth them not to styre one foote out of their Inue that they wryte nothing home nor sende any of their men til he bring them further newes in payne of for fayting life goodes if they should do other wyse Why left this charge was geuen it fortuned that Michaell Cadene was not within his lodging and being hereof immediatlye certified by a seruant he wryteth the whole matter to the Senate of Norinberge and dispatcheth awaye his letters with great expedition for he was not bounde vpon fidelitie as his fellowes were At the length the last daye sauyng one of Octobre at Parma whether they were cōmaūded to folowe Nicolais Granuellane who executed the office of Cardinall Mercurine lieng sicke she weth them that all be it The Emperour taketh in euyll parte the appellation that was sent hym yet doth he neuerthelesse permytte them to retourne home in to their countrey But he commaundeth Michaell Cadene to remayne styll vnder payne of death if he disobeye the cause wherof is this The Lantgraue when he came forth had geuen hym a booke fayre garnyshed whiche conteyned briefly the somme of the Christiane doctryne to the intent he should delyuer it to the Emperour He vpon an occasion when Cesar went to Masse did present it and the Emperour agayne delyuered it to a certen Spanyshe Byshop to vnderstande what it was He fortuned to lyght on the same place where as Christ warneth his Disciples that they desyre not soueraignitie for the same is not theyr profession but the kynges of the gentyls doe vsurpe vnto them such authoritie that place had the authour emōges other things expounded declaryng the dutie of suche as be ministers of the church but he lokyng vpon it superficially when the Emperour asked hym what it was he made aunswere as though the booke toke away the authoritie of the sworde from the Christian Magistrate and permitteted only the Gentyls to vse it whiche were farre from the Christian Religion And for this cause was he stayed Granuellan sayde this moreouer howe the Emperoures pleasure was that he shoulde delyuer the lyke booke to the Byshop of Rome And where he sought to excuse his doynges and receyued no pleasaunt aunswer perceyuyng by the wordes of Granuclane what dannger he was in he tooke his horse priuely and roode to Farrare in poste and from thence goyng to Uenyse retourned home When the Senate of Norenbergh had receyued Cadenes letters before mentioned immediatly they certified the Duke of Saxon the Lantgraue theyr fellowes therof the. xxiiij of Octobre the matter being debated they agreed to mete at Smalcaldia about the ende of Nouēbre Thyther came the Duke of Saxon and Iohn Frederick his sonne Erneste and Frances brethren Dukes of Lunenburgh Philip the Lantgraue and certen counsellers of George Markes of Brandenburgh moreouer these cities Strausborough Norinberge Heilprune Rutelynge Constance Menynge Campodune Ulmes and Lindaue It is mentioned before how the Prynces and certen of these Cities differed in opinion touchynge the Lordes supper wherfore they of Strausborough had already made
after deliberation make hym 〈◊〉 full aunswere by wryting IN the first assembly at Smalcalde this emōges other thynges was agreed vppon that for as muche as their aduersaries did aggrauate the cause and profession of the Gospell with manye sclaunders and broughte it euerye where in to great hatred they shoulde wryte pryncipally to the kynges of Fraunce and of Englande that they would not credite nor be perswaded herin Wherfore the .xvj. daye of February the Protestauntes wryte their seuerall letters to them both of one effecte How they knowe vndoubtedly of the olde complaint that hath bene of long tyme concernyng the vice and faultes of the clergie whiche many notable men and of late memory in Fraunce Iohn Gerson and in Englande Iohn Colet haue sore noted reprehended the same thing hath happened of late yeares in Germany For where as certen freers wēt about with indulgences pardōs whiche they so highly cōmended to the great contumelie of Christe no lesse daunger of mens saluation that they got a shameful an vnreasonable gayne therby And being gētly admonyshed by certen good wel learned men that thei should not so do did not only abstayne from suche vsage but also cruelly condempned them for Heretykes whiche gaue them good counsell in so muche that they were constrayned to stande in the defence of the trewthe vpon whyche occasion many other thynges were espyed and reprehēded but the aduersaries whiche through their impudent marchādise gaue occasion of offence woulde neuer be in quiet tyll this doctryne whiche reuealyng their crafty iuglyng was without dewe examination condempned for wycked And to the intent they might wholy oppresse it haue brought it into great hatred with the Emperour and other kynges Neuerthesse the truthe breakyng out lyke the sonne beames discouered the faultes moste manifestly whiche of euyl customes and preposterous iudgementes were crepte in to the churche in so muche they could not be denied by the byshop of Rome hym selfe whē they had bene exhibyted before to the Emperour by the states of the Empyre in the assemblie at Wormes and after had bene treated of in all assemblies of the Empyre all men iudging for certentie that for reformation therof there were no waye better than a free and a lawfull counsell wherewith the Emperour was also content But at his commyng out of Spayne into Germany through Italy he was addicted wholy at Auspurge to quiet the matter without a counsel And so thei discourse the whole treaty at Auspurge as hath bene before rehersed and howe for the sore decree there made they were compelled to appeale to a free and Godly coūsell lest they should both haue hurt theyr conscience and offended God moste greuously Afterwardes thei confute the false opinions and sclaunders that theyr aduersaries ascribe vnto them to bryng them into hatred with all men and chieslye that the doctrine whiche they do professe is against the authoritie of Magistrates and dignities of lawes but their confession exhibited at Auspurge doth fully aunswere this matter wheren is the office and state of a Magistrate by theyr doctrine declared to be of Gods ordinaūce and agayne the people taught to owe all due obedience to the Magistrate for Gods cōmaundement and for cōscience sake so that it may be truly sayde that the learned men of this tyme and doctrine haue more hyghly commēded the dignitie of lawes and Magistrates than any former age hath done for els seing they are also appointed of God to haue rule and gouernment of others What madnes were it for thē to permitte that doctrine whiche should geue licencious lybertie take awaye obedience and styre vp the people against them Wherfore after this and dyuers other thynges they saye howe that for so much as these sclaunders are reported by them and howe it forceth very much for the cōmon wealth of christendome that they beyng kynges of such wysdome and authoritie should be ryghtly infourmed in the matter therfore haue they thought good in their owne purgatiō to wryte this much vnto them earnestly desyring them to geue no credit vnto sclaūders nor to conceaue any sinistre opinion of them but to keepe theyr iudgement in suspence tyll they may come to the place where to make theyr purgation openly whiche thing they chiefly desyre they beseche them also to exhorte the Emperour that for the weyghty importaunce of the matter and the profit of the whole churche he would call a godly and a free counsell in Germany so shortly as myght be And that he woulde worke no extremitie against them vntyll suche tyme as the cause may be lawfully decided determyned For hitherto haue they alwayes done their duty to the common wealth of the Empyre and nowe that they professe this doctrine they are brought in daunger of no selfe wyll nor obstinacie but for Gods worde and glory whereby they haue the better hope also that they wyll graunte to theyr requestes herein For it were hyghe prayse worthy if they coulde throughe theyr aucthoritie and mediation bryng to passe that these controuersies be not decided by force of armes but that an vpryght iudgement be had that abuses maye be remoued the Churches reconciled and no force or violence done vnto mens consciences Finally if they maye vnderstande by their letters of theyr good wylles towardes them it shall be to theyr great cōforte In February the Duke of Saxon summoneth all his fellowes to be at Smalcade the .xxix. of Marche to cōsulte howe to resiste the force of their ennemies if any thynge be attēpted againste them those were the Prynces and cities before mentioned But the Duke being discrased sent thether his sonne Iohn Frederick At the former meting it was agreed to sollicite Fredericke the kyng of Deumarke and the cities by the sea coaste of Saxonie touchynge their league And nowe that they met agayne rehersall was made what had bene done in the meane tyme and what aunswere euery one made And the kyng in dede saide howe he fauoured the doctrine of the Gospel but in his realme were so many bishoppes of great power and aucthoritie by reason of their rychesse clientes and noble kyndred that he coulde not enter into this league as kyng but as concernyng his other countreis lieng within the Empyre he was contēt Henry the Duke of Megelburge excused the matter for that his deputes had subscribed to the decree of Auspurge notwithstandinge he would be no ennemy to them Berninus Prince of Pomerane was not against it but that his elder brother had as yet in maner that whole gouernment They of Lubecke refused not but for as muche as they had bene at great charges in the warres they desyred that the same myght ve consydered And if it fortuned that Christerne kyng of Dēmarke whome thei had holpe to dryue out of his realme should warre against them they desyred to knowe what ayde they should looke for agayne at theyr handes The citie of Lunenbourge sayde that
free and Godly counsell for to haue the controuersie decided by waye of disputation rather then by that sworde lyke as theyr requeste is so semeth it vnto him also to be both more honeste and profitable for the common wealth whiche shall suffer great misfortune in case the matter come to handstripes Where he speaketh of the familiaritie and alliaunce betwyxt Fraunce and Germanye thus it is The Germanes of Franconie bordering vpon Swaues in times past makyng inuasiō into Gawles subdued the people about Treers Gelderlande Cleauelande and so down to Terwen and Tourney and vanquyshed Amiens Beanuois and the Soissons setlinge them selues at the last in that parte of Gawles which is yet called Fraunce vnto this day the chief citie wherof is Paris And where as many of their kynges there reigned and enlarged their dominiō at the last the gouernemēt cam vnto Pipine also to his sonne charles which was after for his worthy actes called Charlemaigne All people saluted hym with the tytle of the Emperour Auguste he possessed Germany Italy and Fraunce Afterwarde his sonne Lewis and his ofspryng were kinges of Fraunce Wherunto kyng Fraunces doth ascribe his originall and sayeth howe he is lineally descended of the stocke of Frankons The same perswasions vsed he also what tyme after the death of the Emperour Maximilian he did seke the dignitie of the Empyre For knowyng that by an aūcient lawe no straūger myght attayne the crown imperiall he went about also to proue hym selfe a Germayne But in dede the laste kynge of Fraunce of the heyremales of Charlemaigne was Lewys the fifte who died without isshewe in the yeare of grace nyne hōdreth foure score and eyght whan that possession of that kingdome had remained in the same familie two hondreth and eight and thyrty yeares After his death the succession had descended by ryght to Charles Duke of Lorayne vncle to kyng Lewys But Hughe Capet Erle of Paris as they reporte whose mother fetched her petygrewe from great Charles discomfiting and takynge the Duke of Lorayne prysoner vsurped the kyngdom and left it to his sonne Robert whose heyres males continued afterwardes vntill kyng Fraunces Some there be that saye howe that this Hughe Capet was of lowe and base hyrth but the moste parte of the wryters of Frenche Cronicles recite his originall as I haue sayde heretofore Henry the eight kyng of England writeth to them agayne the thyrde day of Maye That he hath red their letters to his great cōtentation for as muche as they be inclined and bent that true religion remayning styll saufe and peace conserued the faultes and abuses of the churche and clergie maye be refourmed and all suche thynges redressed as haue bene eyther by the wyckednes or ignoraunce of men corrupted and depraued Moreouer howe he toke great displeasure to reade ouer the whole discourse of their procead inges That a reporte in dede went of them that was not very good as though they should maynteine certen franticke personnes whiche sought to disturbé and tourmoyle all thynges vpsyde downe But he gaue therunto no credite first for because that Christiā charitie doth so requyre secondly knowyng for certentie that suche kynde of sclaunder can take no place in mē of suche dignitie Nobilitie and wysdome And all be it he would neuer haue beleued anye suche reporte before he had certenly tried and knowen it to be true Yet for as muche as they haue thus pourged them selues he is glad for thys cause that he was not disceaued in his opinion and iudgement And where as they desyre a refourmation in that they doe agree with his mynde and the opinion of all other good men For the state of worldly thynges is after suche a sorte that lyke as mans body so also in the cōmune wealth and publique administration there is nede of continual remedies wherfore they deserue great prayse that can lay to such medicines as wyll so heale and cure the disease that they doe not brynge to an outrage the matter And doubteth not but that their endeuoure tendeth to the same ende Notwithstanding howe they had nede to take diligent care of that sorte of men who seke alterations woulde haue all men a lyke and brynge the Magistrate in contempt For he hath had certen of that secte within his Realme whiche came thether out of Germany And for because in their letters they mētioned of the obedience vnto Magistrates therfore he thought good to admonishe them at fewe wordes that they geue no man ouermuche lybertie For if they beware of this and seke a reformation they shall doubtles doe hygh seruice vnto the common wealth Howe he also desyreth chiefly a generall counsell besechyng God to styre vp the hartes of Prynces vnto this desyre And hath so good an hope of them in all thynges that there is nothyng that he wyll not ve glad to doe for their sakes And wyll be a peticioner for them to the Emperour that meanes of peace and concorde may be founde and wyll worke so herein as they them selues shall from tyme to tyme thinke best for theyr purpose When the daye came of their assemblie at Franckefourth the Ambassadours of the Cities as it was agreed vppon declare what they thought touchyng the creation of the kyng of Romanes And after long consultation they founde that it was not expedient for the title style of king Ferdinando to enter in to any sute or trouble For so long as the Emperour lyueth or is within the lymites of the Empyre the whole power is his And in his absence it commeth in dede to Ferdinando but as to the depute or lieutenaunt of the Emperour They haue at sondry tymes promysed to do what so euer laye in their power And nowe in case they should resiste the creation of the kynge many woulde iudge that promesse to be vayne and therfore would beare thē the lesse good wyll and woulde also worke against them whiche els woulde haue done nothyng at al against the cause of Religion It is also to be feared lest suche as would haue ioyned them selues vnto this league wyll be affcayde nowe of this and withdrawe them selues For that which cause they may not be against the election of kyng Ferdinando but holde it indifferent as it is But if Ferdinando shall commaūde any thyng cōtrary to Gods worde they wyll not obeye it or if he attēpte any force then wyll they worke after the prescripte of the league and defend to the vttermoste of their power But the Prynces wrote vnto the Emperour and Ferdinando that they could not allowe that thing which was done against the custome and lybertie of the Empyre nor attrybute vnto hym the tytle of kyng of Romaynes The Duke of Saxon in his letters to the Emperour added this moreouer that if the matter might be lawfully vsed he would not be vnlyke his auncestours As concernyng the Swycers whome the citie would gladly haue receyued into
their league the Duke of Saxon answered by his Ambassadours that for as muche as they were of a contrary opinion touchyng the Lordes supper he myght haue no fellowshyp with them Howe muche they were to be estemed for their strengthe and power he was not ignoraunt but he myght haue no respect vnto that lest it shoulde come to an euyll ende as the Scripture witnesseth to haue chaunced vnto those whiche for their defence haue not cared what ayde they haue sought Durynge this assemblie letters were brought from the Duke and Lantgraue to the Ambassadours of the other Princes and cities pourportyng howe the Archebishop of Mentz and Lewys the Palsgraue had leaue of the Emperour to treate of a peace and had requested them by letters to graunte also to the same For then woulde they appoynte a tyme to mete After deliberation had the Ambassadours aunswere that they be contended Wherfore when the Duke the Lantgraue had made reporte agayne howe they misliked not the so that the processe in the lawe myght cease in meane tyme They hauing first obteyned this of the Emperour appointed the daye the last sauing one of the moneth of Auguste Wigande byshop of Bamberge had certen yeares before complayned to his fellowes of the Sweuicall league of George Marques of Brandenburge for certen wrōges and iniuries whiche he had done vnto hym as hynderynge his ecclesiasticall iurisdiction and lyuing and compellinge the priestes to thys false kynde of doctrine and if they refused erpulsynge them and imployinge the churche goodes to prophane vses And for as muche as this was contrary to equitie and iustice and against the decrees both of the bishop of Rome and the Emperour he requyreth that according to the league they would ayde and assiste hym herein Wherfore this yeare in the moneth of Iulye a daye was appoynted at Norlinge for the hearynge of this matter whether came at the request of the Marques the Ambassadours of the Protestantes And of the byshops side were the byshops of Auspurge Wircinburg and Aester as his coadiutours and counsellours When the plantife had propounded charged him with iniuries requiring the iudges to procede and gyue sentence after the prescripte of the league The defendaunt in thinges cōcerning religion and iurisdiction ecclesiasticall put in an appellation wherein he appealed from their decrees and iudgement to a generall counsell The iudges sayde howe they would not admitte theyr sentence geuen This cause did not concerne the Marques George only but also his nephewe Albert whiche was his worde In the meane tyme the Emperour calleth a counsell imperiall at Spyres at the Ides of Septembre for the appeasyng of the controuersie in Religion But the eleuenth kalendes of Septembre came vnto the Duke of Saxon the Erles of Nassowe and Nuenar men of great authoritie nobilitie and vertue and by the Emperours priuitie moue a reconciliation and to treate with hym of fyue thynges the Lordes Supper the cerimonies of the churche the churche goodes the ayde nedeful against the Turke the Election of king Ferdinādo And where it appered by their wordes how the Emperour was perswaded that he allowed the doctrine of Zwinglius the opinion of the Anabaptistes he aunswereth that what kynde of doctrine his is and what his ministers doe preache and teache is ryght well knowen by his confessiō exhibited at Auspurg in the which he pourposeth through Gods grace to remayne duryng his lyfe and that he had neuer to do with Anabaptistes nor greatly with the Zwinglians And desired thē to pourge him herein to the Emperour They sayd how they knew it before this to be so neuerthelesse they woulde declare it so to the Emperour who no doubt would be glad and ioyfull to heare it For the reste of theyr demaundes they were agreed they should be differred vntyl the next assemblie of the Empyre whether they desyre hym eyther to come him selfe or to sende his sonne He sayeth howe he woulde be glad to gratifie the Emperour in all thynges but he is now aged and vnhable to trauayle and besydes that there be certen weyghtie causes for the whiche he can neyther come hym selfe nor sende his sonne vnlesse the Emperour wyll graunte a saufe conduicte for hym and his trayne Agayne where so euer he shall become he can not want the preaching of Gods worde nor haue prescribed hym a certen kinde of meate furthermore if the disputation shall be touchyng Religion it is requysite that he bryng with hym Luther and others whiche muste also haue saufecouduicte Fynally howe he hathe oftentymes made suite to the Emperour to be inuested in his owne Dukedome after the custome of the Empyre and for other thynges whiche he coulde neuer obtayn all be it he made many fayre promyses And nowe in this laste assemblie at Auspurge Fridericke Palsgraue aunswered him so in his name as it did easely appeare that the Emperour is sore offended with hym vpon whiche consyderations he can not come vnlesse he maye through their mediation obtayne the Emperours saufe conduicte in dewe season And than he wyll come without fayle About the later ende of Auguste the Ambassadours of the Archebyshop of Mentz and the Palsgraue mette with the Ambassadours of the Protestauntes at Smalcalde speakynge muche of the loue and zeale that theyr Princes bare to theyr countrey who seynge that they coulde not agree at Auspurge and consyderynge the great daunger that myght ensue of that dissention would neuer reste tyll the Emperour had graunted them leaue to treate of peace Wherfore they thought it good to call agayne in question suche thynges as coulde not be agreed vpon at Auspurge and to begynne where they lefte there The others saye agayne howe the Protestauntes knewe not what thynges should be propounded and therfore gaue them no certen commission to determyne any thyng but wylled them to sende home in wrytinge sealed that whiche shoulde be propounded and so they must do and none otherwyse And whan after much altercation in wordes they could not otherwyse cōclude at the last it was agreed that they should mete at Spyres at a daye whiche the intercessours should assigne after that the pleasure of the Duke and the Lantgraue herein were knowen who ought in dede so shortly as myght be in the name of them selues and their fellowes to signifie their mynde therin This was decreed the seconde daye of Septembre And in the beginnyng of Octobre the Duke and the Lantgraue wrote to the Archbyshop to the Palsgraue repetinge the treaties of the Ambassadours before sayde they declare howe there coulde be no good done therein without diuines And howe they continewe iin the same Religion styll whiche they professed at Auspurge And where as in all assemblies both when the Emperour was absent and nowe also of late being present a counsell was promysed whiche shoulde forthwith be called and commenced they trusted that the Emperour would shortly procure one in Germany wherein
of Romaynes in cases of the Prynces of the Empyre take vpon them any authoritie of determining but suffer the same to be lawfully decided in place where they ought to be That suche thinges as shal apperteine to the honour welth and preseruation of the Princes and of the Empyre and suche as the Emperour hath promysed vpon his fidelitie to obserue he doe maynteyne and in case any thynge be otherwyse done to refourme it and bynde the kynge of Romaynes by a lawe to obserue the same And if the Emperour woulde after this sorte expounde and confyrme the lawe of Charles the fourth the Duke of Saxon woulde not faile to doe his dutie when so euer the common wealth should requyre any suche consultation But in case the intercessours coulde not obtayne these thynges of the Emperour that they woulde not refuse any lawfull hearyng of the matter Yet so that in the meane tyme king Ferdinando should neyther take vpon him nor vsurpe any gouernement of matters of the Empyre nor authoritie namely ouer thē ouer Williā and Lewys brethren Dukes of Bauier And if this wyl not be graūted them that then the Emperour would heare thē openly in the coūsayle of the Princes and other states where they wyll declare vpon how weightie and iuste causes they disalowe this election And for so muche as for the refusall of the same they perceyue how they incurre not only with the Emperour but also with foreine kinges and natiōs in to the suspicion of rebellion they desyre muche that the Emperoure would not take it displeasaūtly that they should make theyr purgatiō as well within Germany as also without the lymites of the Empyre for this must they do of necessitie Where amonges other thynges it is sayde that the Electours should sweare after the ordre prescribed in the Caroline thus it standeth What tyme they be comen to Franckeforth when masse is done they go vp to the Aultar and there lay their handes vpon the holy boke as they call it and certen wordes beynge spoken take a solempne othe by the fayth that they owe to God and to the Empyre that they wyll chose a newe and hyghe Magistrate suche a one as they shall thynke moste worthy mete and necessary for that office so farreforth as thei can coniecture by their wytte and iudgement without any compacte bribe rewarde or promyse Where they accompte the Dukes of Bauier to be of their numbre this is the consideration They also misliked the election of kyng Ferdinando takynge their counsell herein entred into league with the Duke of Saxon the Lantgraue and the Frenche kynge to defende the lybertie of Germanie And indede the kyng of Fraunce delyuered into cucustody of the two brethren Dukes of Bauer an hondreth thousande crownes to be alwayes in a readines if nede requyred The Prynces that were intercessours make aunswere hereunto the .xx. day of April Howe they treate of these matters for a concorde neyther had they thoughte that they woulde haue propounded these thynges For in that they haue chosen a kynge of Romaynes the Emperour yet lyuyng they haue moste weightie causes whiche were at the same tyme declared to Iohn Fredericke his fathers deputie there and if nede requyre may be yet more playnely expounded but synce this matter cōcerneth not them only but the Emperour also and the kyng and residue of their fellowe Prynces they wyll not make many wordes therof but leaue it alone to the intent they may come more easelye to the reconciliation of the rest Neuerthelesse if they be constrayned to make aunswere for their doinge they wyll not refuse iudgement herein and doubt not to approue their doynges in suche sorte that nothinge can iustly be layde to their charge But in case these thynges should be reported to the Emperour they feare muche that it should not only take no place but also let and hynder the whole treatie of peace Wherfore that both truce may be taken and a reconcilement may be had as wel for Religion as for the Election and that neyther be separated from that other they ernestly beseche bothe the father and the sonne Dukes of Saxon that they would consyder the thyng and forsake their opiniō And in so doing they doubte not but that the Emperour and the king woul put them in good assuraunce that this election shoulde not be hurtfull to them nor to their heyres and woulde shewe them besydes all the pleasure they coulde as well in matters of Religion as otherwyse For that Religion shoulde haue peace graunted and the matter of election remayne vndertermined they feare muche that this coulde not be obtayned Thus verely doe they frendly counsell them and requyre them to take it in that parte and so vse thē selues that they may perceyue their aduise is regarded and their diligence well imployed Hereunto aunswereth Duke Iohn Fridericke the fourth daye after that he loked for no suche aunswere of them For where they sayed lately amonges other thinges that the kyng of Romaines was elected for the welth and dignitie of the Empyre they oughte of necessitie to to aunswere to this poinct for the satisfiynge as well of his father as his fellowes who are perswaded that this electiō is not good nor profitable to the Empyre And where as they susteyne the persones of intercessours he had thought certenly that they woulde neuer haue defended the matter but haue left the same doubtful and vndetermined for such thinges as they haue spoken do not concerne them that be intercessours but ought to be referre dvnto that time whā these things shall come in comon consultation In dede at Collon what tyme the Emperour desyred to ioyne with hym his brother Ferdinando in the fellowship of the Empyre he adledged certen causes why it ought so to be But those semed not to be so great as therfore the lawe Caroline the ryght and libertie of the Empyre ought to be infringed At what tyme he and other of his fathers Ambassadours did aunswere them why it ought not so to be done Wherfore the thynge that was spoken in the last place nowe they repete agayne also that in case the Emperour wyll not admitte theyr requestes that then the matter determined in lawfull iudgement where the reasons of theyr refusall may be heard And seyng they treate of equitie he supposed they wold also in this case haue founde out some way and honest meane and profitable for the Empyre But in as muche as it is not so done in this cōtrouersie he wyll no further moleste them herein But vndoubtedlye his father and his fellowes wyll declare yet to the iniury of no man howe the lawe of libertie of the the Empyre are by this meane infringed he trusteth also that for so much as these thynges concerne the honour and preseruation of the common wealth the Emperour wyl not take them displeasauntly In the reste of theyr demaundes that same first poinct whiche is touching the
Emperour his vncle The chiefest consultation in this assemblie was about the Turkyshe warre And whan newes came daylye by letters messengers howe the Turke had sent before great bandes of horsmen to the Ryuer of Danubius and also the Ambassadours of Austriche and of other countreys nere had declared in what daunger they werein they decreed to geue their ayde so as al the states of the Empyre shuld ayde not with mony but with soldiours Wherfore the .xxvj. daye of Iuly ended this assembly and al men prepared them to warre At the Ides of Auguste the Duke of Saxon Prynce electour ended his lyfe and Iohn Fridericke his sonne did succede him Whan Solyman the Emperour of Turkes was come to Belgrade he taketh the waye on the left hande and attempteth the towne and castell of Giunte in vayne being manfully defended by Nichas Iurixe after that he sent forth Captaine Cason with fiftene thousande horsemen to spoyle the countrey who inuaded the countrey as far as Lintzie aboue Uienne and destroying all farre and nere leaueth no kynde of crueltie vnpractised but in his retourne he fel in to the lappes of our horsemen which were made out to kepe hym from the spoyle and so beyng fought with in sondry places to his vtter destruction at the lengthe hym selfe was slayne Solyman tournyng more and more on the left hande marcheth vnto Gratin a towne of Stiria Whiche thynge ones knowen the Emperour beyng than at Lintze taketh aduisement what was beste to be done At the last it was determied that he should encampe with his whole armie at Uienna abydyng his ennemie there Thus in fyne Solimā retyreth without any notable exploict done The Emperour had intreated the Frenche kyng for ayde but he made him aunswere as the Emperour that tyme reported that Germanye was able enough to resyste the Turke alone The kyng of Englande also wrote agayne somewhat doubtfullye The byshop of Rome Clement sent hym ayde by the conduicte of Hipolitus a Cardinall of the house of Medices The Swycers beyng requested by the Emperour would not for all that styre one fote This yeare was sene a blasyng Starre in Septembre and Octobre before the sonne rising After the Turke was retyred with his armie the Emperour mislykyng their aduyse that thought good to pursue the ennemye dischargeth his armie for that wynter was at hande and from Uienne toke his iourney into Italy And being at Mantua he appointeth in his letters wrytten to the states of the Empyre that his brother kyng of Romaines shall gouerne the cōmon welth in his absence he was for weightie causes gone in to Italy and there woulde treate with the byshop of Rome concerning a counsell as it was decreed at Ratisbone He wylleth all menne therfore to maynteyne the peace whiche was of late proclaymed and be as obedient to his brother as they would be to him selfe Departyng from thence to Bononie he entred into talke with Clement the seuenth deuysynge amonges other thynges of Religion and a generall counsel He maketh also a legue with hym and with the resydue of the Prynces in Italy in wordes to mayntayne the peace and quiet of Italy But in verye deede to kepe out the Frenche men The Embassadours of the Frenche kyng were sore against it but the byshop admonished them not to be so ernest priuely signifiyng that it should not long endure for the Emperour had brought with hym a great nombre of Spanyardes which the byshop wold fayne haue dispatched out of Italy And for this cause made the league obser 〈…〉 g the occasion of tyme. The Emperour shortly after sayled into Spayne in the moneth of Marche And not longe after that the byshop of Rome sendeth a legate into Germanye Hughe Rangon byshop of Rhegio And whan he came to the Duke of Saxō accompanied with the Emperous Ambassadour he made a long oration the effect wherof was this How after muche and long conference had betwene the byshop and the Emperour about the controuersie that is in Religion in fyne they concluded that for the remedy therof there is no waye better thā a generall counsell wherof they perceiued the Prynces of Germany to be also very desyrous And this to be the cause of his message euen to declare vnto hym and the other Prynces how both the byshop and the Emperour are determined to haue a counsell free and common for all men suche as the olde fathers were accustomed to haue in tymes past whose myndes vndoubtedly were gouerned by the holye ghoste prouided alwayes that suche as shall repare thyther make faythfull promesse to obserue the decrees therof for els should all their labour be spent in vayne if they should make lawes whiche none woulde obserue and kepe As concerning a place both for holsome ayre and plentye of victuall commodious the byshop thinketh either Placence or Bononie not vnmete for the purpose or els Mantua whiche is a citie of the Empyre nere vnto Germany of a goodly situatiō and plentiful of all thynges necessary of the whiche thre it shall be lawfull for them to chose one Whereunto if the kinge of Romaines he and other Prynces of Germany woulde make some reasonable aunswere Than the byshop consulting also with other kynges would cal the same within this halfe yeare to begynne within one yeare after to the intent suche as dwel very farre of may prepare thē selues to take their iorney Whan he hadde spoken this and more he deliuereth certen Articles comprysed in wryting to the Prynce Electour from the byshop of Rome Afterwardes the Emperours Ambassadour speaketh on this wyse For as muche as in al former assemblies the recōciliation of religion hath bene hetherto attēpted in vayne is supposed that by a coūsel the matter might be pacified therfore hath the Emperour of late obtayned that same of the byshop of Rome that is to say that it be holdē after the same maner time place as his Ambassadour hath declared And therfore is he sent of the Emperour to beare witnesse that the byshop of Rome is content to haue a counsell and because his Ambassadour hath spoken sufficientlye of the whole matter he nedeth to saye no more but to desyre hym to credite his tale and make hym a frendly aunswere The Duke of Saxon sayeth that because the matter is weightie he wyll take delyberation this was at Weymer After a fewe dayes the Duke aunswereth that where the Emperour and the byshop haue agreed vppon a counsell he is exceadinge glad for the state of the common wealth doth chiefly requyre such a one as oftētimes the Emperour hath promised the Germanes wherin the cause may be duely examined according to the prescripte of Gods worde Whiche if it might be he would nothing doubte but that all thinges should go wel he wil both pray vnto God to graunt this and also admonishe the people vnder his iurisdiction to do the lyke he will applie his whole studie hereūto
not alter their purpose they were bannyshed the town Luther in his letters to them of Lipsia called Duke George the Apostle of Sathan whiche thinge breade muche trouble For Duke George did accuse hym before his cosyn the Electour of Saxon howe he had not only rayled on hym but had also styred vp his subiectes to rebellion The Prince Electour in his letters charged Luther withal and amonges other thynges sayth that vnlesse he can make his purgation herein he must of necessitie punyshe hym Wherfore vpon this occasion Luther wryteth a booke wherein he confuteth this accusation declaryng howe he gaue them counsel not to resiste their Prince commaunding them not to doe wickedly but rather to suffer death or exile whiche concerneth no rebellion For that is to be ascribed vnto them that teache howe the Magistrate shoulde be resisted by force of armes and they are sedicious in deede of whome also Peter the Apostle hath prophecied but this belongeth to the profession of the Gospel to be condempned as seditious Christ hym selfe was for this cause put to death moste vnworthy as though he would haue bene kyng of Iewes and haue made the people to rebelle against the Emperour After to the same booke he adioyneth an epistle wherwith he doth comforte those banyshed men of Lipsia admonishyng thē to take their exile paciently and also to geue God thankes whiche hathe graunted them his constancie of mynde and perseuerance I shewed you of the league concluded betwene the Emperour and Clement the seuenth but when the Emperour was retourned into Spayn Clement at the request of the Frenche kyng toke shipping and arriued at Marceilles in haruest tyme and for the more intier frēdship he marrieth his niece Katherine Medices vnto Henry the kynges sonne Duke of Orleans a younge Prynce of fiftene yeares of age And because the occasion serueth I purpose here to speake a litle touching the house of Medices and Syluester Euerarde Iohn were the first accompted of that name whiche were all Senatours of Florence but the fyrst that ennobled that house was Cosmus who was the rychest marchaunt not only of his owne citie but also of all Italy His sonne Peter had two sonnes Laurence and Iulian. And Iulian had a sonne borne after he was dead called Iuly who was afterwardes Clement the seuenth Not withstanding that they reporte diuersly touching his byrth Lawrēce had the sonnes Peter Iulian and Iohn Who was made byshop of Rome Leo the tent Iulian had no chyldrē Peter expulsed out of Florence and at the lenght drowned in the mouth of Lyre by reason of a tēpest left a sonne named Lawrence who married Galla of the house of Bolonois and by her had this Katherine of whome here mention is made Clement which made his abode at Marseilles a moneth and somewhat more to gratifie the kyng and his nobles made foure frenche Cardinalles whome he perceiued to be moste in fauoure with the kyng Odet Chastilion Philip Bolon Claude Gifrie and Iohn Uenerie byshop of Lisiens No man doubted but this affinitie pretended an alteration of the state of Italy and many marueled at the vniqualitie of the mariage In so muche that Clement hym selfe as the report goeth was doubtfull and woulde not beleue that they ment good ernest before the mariage was solempnised Within a fewe monethes after the Lantgraue goeth to the French king the cause wherof was this In the yeare of our Lorde 1519. Ulriche Duke of Wirtemberge was driuen out of his countrey by the confederatours of the Sweuicall league for takyng of Rutelyng a towne imperiall whiche was in confederacie with them Which Prouince first the Emperour had of the rest and after in the diuision of the inheritaunce Ferdinādo receiued it of the Emperour In the assemblie at Auspurg certen princes were peticioners that the Duke whiche had bene eleuen yeares in exile might thā be restored But it was in vayne for the Emperour reciting the causes from the beginning for whiche he was exiled dyd create his brother Duke there openly of that countrey Wherfore the Lantgraue being a dere frende and a nere kinsman to Duke Ulriche thought to attempte some thing at this present but being disapoynted by certen which had promysed theyr ayde he differred the matter vntyll better oportunitie serued And nowe in the Emperours absence cōsidering how the Sweuicall league made for eleuen yeares was dissolued he goeth into Fraunce and layeth to pledge the Countrey of Mount Pelicarte vnto the kyng for a summe of mony in the name of Duke Ulriche vpon condicion that if he redeme it not within thre yeres to be than the inheritaunce of the realme of Fraunce Besides this some of money the kyng also promysed him to lende hym another som in hope that the lande should not be redemed At this tyme fortuned a wonderfull alteration in Englande and the occasion was this Henry the seuenth kyng of Englande had two sonnes Arthur and Henry Arthur maried Katherine daughter to Ferdinando kyng of Spayne diyng without ishewe Henry the father who coueted much that this alliaunce with the Spanyarde myght continue by the lycence of the byshop of Rome Iuly the seconde deuyseth to marrie this Katherine to his other sonne also whiche was kyng after him who departed the yeare of grace 1509. Wherfore Henry the eight of that name after he had maried her his father beyng dead and he nowe of manye yeares sufficiently establyshed in his kyngdome propoundeth this scrupulositie of his conscience to certen byshoppes and calleth in questiō whether it were lawfull to marrye his brothers wyfe and of longe tyme abstayned from her company The byshoppes hauynge priuate talke with the Quene by the kinges assignement declare vnto her that the byshop of Romes lycence was herein neyther good nor lawfull She aunswereth that it is to late nowe to examyne the licence whiche so longe synce they had allowed She had dyuerse tymes miscaried of chylde and brought forth none that prospered sauynge one daughter called Marie The byshop of Rome committeth the hearynge of the matter vnto two Cardinalles Campegius whome he sent into Englande and the Cardinalle of Yorke After longe and muche debatyng whan the kynge was put in hope from Rome that sentence should be geuen on his syde Campegius in maner at the same instant that iudgement should haue passed by the byshop of Romes admonyshement began to drawe backe and fynde delayes The cause wherof as men suppose was that through the death of the Duke and captaine Lawtrech and distruction of the Frenche armie about Naples that Androwe de Aurie the moste experte man of the sea forsakyng the Frēch kyng was fled vnto the Emperour All the whiche thynges chaunced so at the same tyme that the byshop was afrayde to offende the Emperour being nephewe to Quene Katherine whiche had suche lucky successe in all his assayes in Italy Wherfore Campegius in fyne retourned without
mother holy churche An therfore the people beleue that there is nothynge more hurtfull and wicked in all the worlde than this kynde of people And it is cōmonly seen there that whan they are burning in flammes of fyre the people wyll gnashe theyr teeth at them and euen in the myddes of theyr tourmentes wyl curse and deteste thē as wicked and vnworthy to loke vpō the sonne And where as the Turkes Ambassadours were at the same tyme in Fraunce and the kyng hymselfe had heard that he was for this same cause brought into hatred and suspicion throughout Germany And that this fyryng had offended manye the first day of February he addressed his letters vnto all the Prynces and states of the Empyre excusyng both the commyng of the Turkes Ambassadours into Fraūce by the example of others whiche haue sent receyued Ambassadours from the Turke in lyke case And also the burnyng of Lutherians saiyng that he was constrayned to be seuere against his owne nature wyll by reason of the rashenes of certen whiche vnder the pretence of Religion intended the destruction of the common wealth and so excuseth the matter as though it had bene for rebellion and not for Religion that these men were executed At the first beginning of the spring tyme the Lantgraue went vnto king Ferdinando as in the yeare before it was agreed vpon for a full reconcilement and there founde he Peter Paule Uerger newly come thither from Rome Who vpō this occasion did his message to the Lantgraue concerning the counsel before mentioned but he taking deliberation made him none other aunswere After that Uerger traueling to the rest of the Princes applied his busines with diligence And a fewe monethes after the Lantgraue Duke Ulriche also went vnto kyng Ferdināde For where as it was conuenaunted that they should both come and aske him pardon commyng at seueral tymes it was easely graunted Howe beit Duke Ulriche was sore offended both with the Lantgraue and also with the Duke of Saxon that they had consented that he shoulde holde his landes of the house of Austriche and was of long tyme doubtful whether he woulde ratifie the peace made or no at the lengthe by the perswasion of his frendes he went to Ferdinando according to the conuenauntes In the moneth of Aprill the Emperour tooke shippinge at Barchin and transported his armie into Barbarie And whan he had wonne the citie of Tunnes and taken the castell of Golete he restored the kynge of that countrey Muleasses being of Mahumetes Religiō whome Barbarossa the Turkes admirall had before expulsed byndyng hym to paye him tribute and after he had fortified the Castell with a strong garnyson he sayleth into Sicilie Unto this warre byshop Paule sent certen Galleis furnyshed by the cōduicte of virginie Ursine also did permit him to take tenthes of the clergie in Spaine Barbarossa through our mens negligence and ignoraunce steppynge asyde escaped And first he fled to Hippon and from thence to Argiers where he repared his nauie and returned to Constantinople In Englande were two notable men Iohn Fysher byshop of Rochester and syr Thomas Moore knyght both very well learned For the fyrst wrote sondrye bookes against Luther and Moore also whilest he was Chauncelour whiche is the chiefest office there extremely punished suche as were suspected to be of Luthers doctrine They neither approued the kings diuorsemēt much lesse the act of Parlamēt which denying the byshop of Romes supremacie affirmed the kyng to be head of the church of Englād wherupōbeing both apprehended wher they perseuered obstinatly ī their opininiō th◠yere in the month of Iuly they were beheaded The byshop of Rome had made Rochester Cardinall whylest he was prysoner in the Towre which thyng was supposed to haue kyndled more hatred against hym Afterwarde about the ende of Octobre Fraunces Sfortia Duke of Millan died without issewe whiche gaue the occasion of a newe warre as shal be shewed hereafter In the meane tyme the Emperour came out of Sicilie vnto Naples and in his letters written the laste daye of Nouembre to the Protestauntes he sayd in dede that he wold obserue the peace of Norinberge notwithstandyng he was informed howe thei had taken churche goodes and did withholde the same and whan iudgement was geuen that they should make restitution they refused alledging the pacification of Norinberge which appereth vnto hym vnreasonable and can not but discontente and offende hym About this time also went the prince Electour of Saxony vnto kyng Ferdinando in Austriche and hauing dispatched his busines for the whiche he went thether in his retourne home at Prage the chief citie of Bohemy met him the byshoppes Legate Peter Paule Uerger who declared vnto hym his message touchyng the generall counsell whiche the byshop Paule intended as he sayed to holde at Mantua free Godly and lawfull without any condicions whereunto al other Prynces had consented for he had bene with them all namely in Germany Wherfore if he should nowe refuse it men woulde suppose that nothinge could contente hym When both the Emperour and kynge Ferdinando are willyng with the thing and the place and the byshop so ernestly desyreth the same that vnlesse he brynge it to passe he wyll doubtles be wery of his lyfe Therfore nowe the tyme requyreth that he should declare howe muche he loueth the aduauncement of Gods glory and the common wealth willing him not to let passe this presēt oportunitie whiche he should hardely at any tyme hereafter recouer And albeit he woulde nothynge further the counsell yet neuerthelesse should it procede and Christ they trusted would not fayle them Wher vnto the Duke of Saxon sayd whā he had deuised with his fellowes he wold make him an answere requiring him to deliuer vnto him such thinges as he had spoken in wrytinge Wherfore at the kalēdes of Decembre exhibiting a wryting he declareth thinges more at large and otherwyse than he had spoken before howe other Ambassadours were sent vnto other kinges and he vnto king Ferdinando the Princes of Germany how Mantua is the place agreed vpon by the Emperour other kynges that Germany is ful of Sacramētaries Anabaptists and suche other sectes that it is to muche daunger for other nations to kepe a counsell emonges them for they are for the moste parte Franticke and without all reason Agayne such as supposed that the byshop woulde gyue place in his ryght that hath bene of so longe time confirmed to be farre disceaued And they also that beleue howe the Emperour can holde a prouinciall counsell of Germanye agaynste the byshops wyll are as muche abused And where as they talke of a saufe conduicte and pledges for theyr commyng into Italy there is no cause why it should so be For Mantua is a Citie of the Empyre nere vnto Germany and nexte the dominions of the Emperour and the Uenetians wherfore there is no daunger Finally he
the Ambassadours had sent these requestes vnto the king going than to Wittemberge they passed away the rest of the wynter there And in the meane whyle reasoned with the diuines there of certen articles but their chiefe controuersie was about the mariage of Priestes the Lordes supper the Popyshe masse and monasticall vowes But their chief desyre was that the diuines would approue the kynges diuorsement but they sayde they coulde not do it by the scriptures And whan they had alledged many thinges to perswade the matter and this one chieflye that the byshop Clement varied in his sentence and had declared to the Frenche king in priuate talke what he thought The diuines answered that in case it were so the king had great cause so to do But where they vrged theÌ„ to say the cause was most iust to that would they not grauÌ„t And now when letters were come out of Englande pourporting the declaratioÌ„ of the kynges mynde herein the Ambassadours do aduertise the prince Electour hereof And the .xij. day of Marche at Wittemberge whether the Duke was at that tyme come speaking first many thinges of the kynges great good wil declare how the most part of the requestes do content him if a fewe might be amended And albeit that in England all thinge is quiet neither is there any cause wherfore the kynge should feare any man and if happely any cause hath bene the same is now taken away by the death of his wyfe forsaken neuerthelesse to recouer and mayntayne the true doctrine he doth not refuse to deâ—ray the somme of money whiche they requyre so that the league goe forwarde and hereof wyll treate more at large with theyr Ambassadours And where they offer vnto hym this honour that he shoulde be defendour and paîrone of the league he geueth them great thankes and acknowledgeth their good wil. And although he vnderstandeth with howe muche enuie and displeasure the same is annexed yet for the common wealthes sake he could be contente if they can agree vppon the fyrst and seconde demaunde For vnlesse there be an vniformitie in doctrine he supposeth that this charge can not be greatly to his honour But he would chiefly wyshe that the learned men of his Realme and theirs myght be wholy of one opinion And where he seeth well that the same wyll not be vnlesse certen places of the confession and Apologie of their doctrine maye before through priuate talke be some thynge qualified Therfore he desyreth them instantlye to sende their Ambassadours and amonges them some one that is excellently learned whiche may conferre with his diuines of the whole doctrine and ceremonies and determine the matter And where he sheweth him selfe so lyberall vnto them he requyreth agayne that in case anye man attempte warre againste hym fyrste they wyll ayde hym eyther with fyue hondreth horsemen or els with ten Shippes well manned and fournyshed for foure monethes Further more that vpon his own charges they shall prouyde hym two thousande horsemen and fyue thousande fote men Finally that the sentence whiche the diuines of Wittemberge prononced touchinge the diuorcement made they wold approue also and defende in the next counsell The Duke aunswereth that for as muche as the whole matter concerneth his consortes he wyll make them priuie to it and vse their counsell in the same After the foure and twenty daye of Aprill was assigned for all to mete at Franckeforth both for this and other causes And firste they prescribe there a fourme for their Ambassadours to followe whiche should be sent into Englande wherein it was prouided amoÌ„ges other thinges that whan they shall come thether perchaunce coÌ„clude vpoÌ„ a league that in al thinges they do except by expresse wordes the Empire the Emperour vnto whom they are bounde by their othe fidelitie Ambassadour for the citie was appointed Iames Sturmius and the diuines were Melanchthon Bucer and George Draco In this assemblie were receyued into the league Ulriche Duke of Wyrtemberge Bernine and Philippe brethren Dukes of Pomerane George and Ioachime bretherne Countes of Anhalde Moreouer the cities of Auspurge Franckeforte Kempten Hamborough Haunobria they treated also of other thynges appertayning to the league and defence therof of the iudgement of the imperial chaÌ„ber It was decreed moreouer to sende messengers and letters to the Emperour thereby to aunswere to the Epistle sent them froÌ„ Naples And where as George Duke of Saxon for the exceadyng hatred he bare to Luthers doctrine was oftentymes at great coÌ„tention and sute with the Prynce Electour of Saxon this mans father and at the last an agrement was made and nowe broken againe by the sayde Duke George diuerse wayes The Prynce Electour declaringe the whole matter by his Ambassadours to his consortes in this assemblie requestyng to be assisted with their ayde and counsell in case he attempte anye force or violence After the assemblie brake vp the tenth day of May. And in the begynning of Iune the kynge of Englande hauyng coÌ„dempned his wyue Quene Anne of adultrye and inceste but vniustly as it is supposed and proued synce causeth her head to be stryken of after that she had borne hym a daughter calleth Elizabeth And with her were executed certen Gentlemen of the kynges priuie chaumbre Noreis Weston Brewton and one Markes whiche contrary to his conscience as it is reported for hope of preferement subscribed to a byll whereby he condempned both hym selfe and all the reste For where the Lorde Admirall Fizt Williams that was after Erle of Southhampton sayde vnto hym subscribe Markes and see what wyll come of it he subscribed and receyued therfore a rewarde vnloked for And also the Lorde of Rochforte the Quenes brother through the false accusation of that errant strompet his wyfe whiche afterwardes suffered therfore accordynge to her desertes Whiche doulfull tragedie toke cleane awaye the Ambassade that should haue been sent into Englande Whan the warre was hotely begonne betwene the Emperour and the Frenche kyng Paule the thyrde publisheth a wrytinge vnder his Bulles of lead the somme wherof is to call a counsell at Mantua against the .xxiij. day of May in the yeare followyng commaunding al Archbishops and byshops other heads of churches to be there at the same day vnder the penaltie by the ecclesiasticall lawes prescribed for disobedieÌ„ce Furthermore he chargeth desireth the Emperour kings and princes al others which either by lawe or custome haue interest to be there for the loue of Christe the coÌ„mon welthes sake to come in persone or if they be otherwyse letted thaÌ„ to send their Ambassadours with their full authoritie to remayne tyll the ende of the counsell that the churche may be refourmed heresies weded cleane out and warre attempted against the ennemies of ReligioÌ„ This was the effect therof whereunto subscribed sixe and twenty Cardinalles The seuenth of Iune kyng Ferdinando sent Iames Sturcelly a Ciuilian Ambassadour from Insprucke to the Swycers I
of life cleane abhorre that vice But in that he endeuoureth to reduce him agayne into the waye which deceiued by flatterers was strayed farre out of the ryght pathe he geueth hym a great benefite Kynge Henry had brought him vp in his yought in good letters and done very much for him But whan this alteration was in Englande whiche I haue spoken of and he myslyked it Paule the thyrde through the commendation of Contarene made hym Cardinal and sent for hym to Rome They that are familiarly acquaynted with him say how he knoweth ryght well the doctrine of the Gospell and suppose the cause to haue been why he wrote so against kyng Henry to auoyde the suspicion of Lutheranisme He caused the booke to be printed at Rome of his own coste and charge as they reporte And taking to him selfe all the Copies gaue it to reade only to the byshop him self and to the Cardinalles and others of his dere frendes for vnto such he wold be commended and feared on the other syde leste if it should be red openly of all men he should incure the rebuke and obloquie of them that had oftentymes heard hym speake the contrary ✚ The eleuenth Booke of Sleidanes Commentaries concerning the state of Religion and the common Weale during the reigne of the Empyre of Charles the fyfte ⧠The argument of the eleuenth Booke THe Protestantes hauing declared to the Emperour by ambassade three poyntes Heldus cōming to Smalcald maketh them answer to the which they reply and vrge a fre counsel such as was promised vpon this the Pope sendeth the Bishop of Aste The Protestants set forth an Apologie vpon the refusal of such a counsel and writ therof to the French king The king of England writeth against this coūsaile of the Pope I Spake of the Citie of Auspurge in the nynthe booke and of the chaunge of Religion there for the whiche cause the Clergie being for the moste parte of noble house forsoke the citie Wherupon the Senate in a writing directed to the Emperour kyng Ferdinando and all the states of the Empyre declareth the cause of their doynges howe frendly they dealte with them how many thynges they suffered and howe scornefully they behaued them selues and howe often they went about to stire vp sedition in the citie Whereunto not long after Christopher the byshop aunswered for him selfe and the reste and after many contumelious wordes exhorteth the Emperour and Princes that for as muche as the daungers concerneth aswel them as him self they would loke to it in time You haue heard in the last booke of the Ambassadours which the Protestauntes sent to the Emperour in Italy to whom they gaue commaundement chiefly thre thynges to treate of First to confute the brute whiche was raysed vp that they shoulde haue made a league with the kynge of Fraunce and of England secondly that the Emperour would restrayne the iudgement of the counsell chaumbre thirdly that suche as were come into their league since the composicion of the peace at Norinberge myght inioye the same peace Whiche requestes the Emperour in dede hearde but being wholy occupied with warelyke matters he sayde howe he woulde sende his Ambassadour into Germany who should make them aunswere Wherfore at his departure from Genes into Spayne he sent Matthie Helde his vicechaūcelour into Germany Whan the Protestauntes vnderstode that by their Ambassadours nowe retourned they appoynte a generall metyng at Smalcalde the seuenth daye of February And because the daye of the counsell approched nere neyther was there any doubte but that the Emperours Ambassadour would haue some talke of the same they were agreed also to bring with them their chiefest diuines Wherfore at the daye assigned besydes the Prynces Ambassadours of the cities came thether Luther Melanchthon Bucer Osiander and diuerse other Whan the Ambassadour was come to Smalcalde the fyftene daye of February he speaketh thus before them all Howe the Emperour had commaunded hym to doe his message only to the Duke of Saxony and the Lantgraue But for as muche as they haue thought good to make their consortes also partakers of the same he is contente to followe their mindes herein he saith in dede that he knoweth not al the Ambassadours of the league wherfore in case there be any amongs them whom this answere of the Emperous doth not concerne there is no cause why they shoulde suppose that any treaty is made with thē but chiefly they of Auspurge which haue oftentymes sollicited the Emperour both in Italy and Spayne about Religiō and nowe also lately at Genes by their Ambassadour Unto whome the Emperour sayde howe he would sende his Ambassadour into Germany whiche shoulde make them an aunswere And they not abyding his commyng haue altered the state of Religion not without both the contempte and also making of the Emperour Therefore whan he came to Auspurge beinge constrayned of necessitie to chaunge his purpose he treated with them nothynge at all and hath wrytten to the Emperour the whole matter as it standeth After whā he had exhibited the testimoniall of his Ambassade he procedeth And where they had so diligently pourged them selues of the Frenche and Englysh league the Emperoure was ioyfull to heare it whiche doeth both credit them also cōmendeth their vertue that they haue so wittely eschewed the Frenche practises full of disceirfulnes Afterwards discoursing the warre of Sauoy and speakynge many thinges of the Frenche kyng sayde that he was not only a lette vnto the Emperour that he could not bende his whole power against the Turke but also that he consulted with the Turkes prouoked thē to inuade Cristendome And that this is also his daily practise to styre vp stryfe and ciuile warre in Germany and nowe endeuoureth al that he may to perswade them that the Emperour wyll not kepe promyse with them He desireth them therfore not to credite his crafty counselles For the Emperour to be of suche honour and vertue that he wyll not shrinke from his promyse And that may they well perceiue by mo experimēts than one As touchinge the iudgement of the imperiall chambre The Emperours commaundemēt was they should meddle with no cases of Religion But they aduertised him by their letters that there was oftentymes controuersies whiche partely concerned religion partlye not And therfore the Emperour cōmaunded thē that of such matters as thei supposed were sequestred from religiō thei should iudge indifferently For it were pitie but the lawe should haue his course And seyng the Emperour hath commaunded them to surcease from determining matters of Religion they ought to be contente there with And if the iudges haue done ought contrary to the Emperours decre they shall not escape free but shal be punished according to the lawe made at Regenspurge But the Emperour againe admonished them that they would do nothing rashely neither prescribe the imperiall chambre For this thinge is neither lawfull nor voyde of seditiō and
the king of Romains but stode to the conuenaūtes of Cadame Uienne that same Archebyshop of Londe was a Germayne borne and counsellour to Christierne kyng of Denmarke who beyng expulsed was also exiled and lost his byshopryke than came he agayne into Germany attended vpon the Emperour and afterwardes was made byshop of Constaunce Whylest this treaty was at Frankefurte certen bandes of Souldiours were assembled in Saxony and were commaunded by their gouernours to go lye in the countreis of the citie of Breme of the Duke of Lunenburge and others of the same Religion and there to remayne tyll the campe remoued It was kept very secrete at the first by whose conduicte or aucthoritie they were leuied but at length it was certenly knowen that they were mustred by Henry Duke of Brunswycke and his brother Christopher Archebyshop of Bremen They that were i 〈…〉 ried by them complayned in dede to the imperial chāber but it was in vayne The Protestaūtes afterwardes through their industrie lest they should do any more harme procured the same men to serue them whome notwithstanding they vsed to the iniurie of no man At the request of the Princes that wer intercessours Stephen Faber was set at libertie by the Lantgraue who gaue him passeporte He had sayde of his owne accorde that he woulde not retourne to his Prince for that he trusted hym no more But whan he was released he went streight way to him In this assemblie William Duke of Cleue by his Ambassadour did exhibite a wrytinge to the Protestauntes wherin he declared by what ryght tytle he possessed Gelderlande And prayed them that they would be meanes for him to the Emperour and to commende his cause also to the Emperours Ambassadours there The Frenche kyng had aduertised Ulrich Duke of Wirtenberge by his Ambassadour that he heard saye howe he through the motion of his confederatours was determined to make warre vppon certen Byshoppes in Germany But this pourpose did not he alowe and for his good wyll he beareth hym doth admonyshe hym that he do it not For if he did he should offende the Emperour and kyng Ferdinando vnto whome he was lately reconciled and bryng him selfe and al that euer he had into great Daunger The Duke geuyng him thankes for the good admonishement sayth he is sclaundered and howe he supposeth the same to be reysed vp by the Dukes of Bauier who hathe fasly sowen a lyke bruite of hym in Germany he desyreth hym to geue no credit to it For it is neither his entent nor yet his fellowes to styre vp any trouble or to attēpte any thyng by force of armes vnlesse they be constrayned And doubteth not also but when they shal heare therof they wyl pourge them selues herein Wherfore whan he had declared this to his fellowes at Franckefurte the Duke of Saxon and the Lantgraue the .xix. daye of Aprill addresse their letters to the kynge And saye howe they vnderstande by Duke Ulriche what reporte of them was made vnto hym but to be a sclaunder forged by their ennemies and euill wyllers For they entende to make no warre and how muche they desyre peace that can the Princes tell that were intercessours For albeit they are more wayes than one prouoked albeit theyr fellowes citie is outlawed and a league made of dyuerse for the defence of vniusle decrees though bandes of Souldiours by them hired for great and vnaccustomed wages are nowe spoyling the countreys of their league frendes yet are they quiet and styre not one whytte for they loue their natiue countrey and remitte all iniuries for the cōmon wealthes sake But their aduersaries are lead with a certen impudent hatred and followe no temperate wayes nor wyll admitte no lawefull reasonyng but seke only that Germany maye swymme with ciuile bloud And seyng it is thus they desyre hym not to credit these false reportes but to geue his ayde that the churche maye be quieted by godly meanes For this is properly the dutie of kynges to maynteine truthe and innocencie And where as they defende the cause of Religion it is done of none euyll pourpose but of a certen Godly dutie for they doubte not but that the doctrine whiche they doe professe is agreable vnto Gods worde whiche they maye in no wyse forsake About the ende of this assemblie the .xxiiij. daye of Apryll died George Duke of Saxony without chyldren For his two sonnes were departed before without issewe whereof the one had maried Elizabeth the Lantgraues syster and the other one of the house of Mandesfielde Wherfore Duke George by legacie maketh his heyres his brother Henry and his sonnes Maurice and Auguste vnder this condition that they alter not the state of Religion Whiche vnlesse they shall perfourme he geueth his whole landes to the Emperour and to kyng Ferdinando vntyll suche tyme as eyther he or his sonnes or the nexte kynsman of that familie doe accomplyshe this condition This wyl of his so made he sheweth first to the Nobilitie and cōmons of his countrie beinge nowe olde sickly and wylleth them to confirme the same by an othe neuer to alter this his last wyll But they fearyng leste it should be the occasion of warre betwene the kinsmē intreate him that he would be content to sende to his brother Henry For they truste that he wyll consente to alter nothing in Religion Whereupon Ambassadours were sent to perswade with him and whan they had alledged sondry reasons and especially sayd how there was muche ready Money and a great quantitie of Plate and goodly stuffe whiche should come wholy to his handes in case he would obeye his brothers wyll He aunswered them by and by thus Certenly your message semeth vnto me to resemble the same that is writtē in the Gospel what tyme Sathan promysed Christe the kyngdomes of the whole worlde so that he would falle downe and worshyp hym Doe youthynke that I sette so muche by any ryches that I would therfore forsake the truthe and pure religion Assuredly you are farre abused if you so thinke Wherfore whan they had this answere and were departed without their purpose before they came at home Duke George had lefte hys lyfe His brother Henry going immediatly to Dresda and other townes bindeth the people to hym by an othe which was the more easely done by reason he was in league with the Protestauntes Moreouer the Prince Electour of Saxony hearyng of his death hasteth home with all expedition that if nede were he myght ayde Henry The Princes of the Popysh parte for the losse of so sure a pyllour and so lucky successe of the Protestauntes were sore agreued especially the Archebyshop of Mentz and the Duke of Brunswycke as hereafter you shal heare Thus had Duke George a successour and heire cleane contrary to his wylle And he whome he hated moste of all men duryng his lyfe tyme namely Luther was sent for by the new Prince to Lipsia to preache and to alter the
these matters of the maner of the othe of the nōber also of the disputers and of geuing of voyces they had a longe altercation For when the catholickes perceyued that the counsellours of the Paulsgraue the Marques of Brādenburg electours also of the Duke of Cleaue were inclined towardes the Protestants fearing lest they shoulde be ouer coōmen with voices of a set pourpose differred the matter from day to day tyll such tyme as they had other worde from themperour as herafter I shall declare And the second daye of Ianuary they doe propounde new and straunge condicyons that of the whole nomber ther should be chosē two diuines to reason the matter that the scribes should wryte theyr argumentes and delyuer them to the presydentes that the lesse parte shoulde not bee bounden to followe the opinion of the greater vnlesse themperoure and the states of th empyre shoulde thynke it expediente that the notaryes shoulde not write all the talke of the reasoners but the bare sentences whether they wer agreed vpon or left in controuersie that the decree of Auspurge and such other lyke shoulde neuertheles be of force But the Protestantes agayn require that forasmuche as ther bee .xxii. on bothe partes appoynted to conferre euery man mighte speake hys mynde And that not only the bare sentences but also the Argumentes and reasons with the probations of the same be committed to wrytyng They declare also that it is vnreasonable in this most holy cause of al others to follow the opinion of any part not rather the prescripte of gods worde or to compell any man that he shoulde eyther thynke or speake against it Whilest the time was thus prolonged the Protestantes oftētimes cōplain thereof and desire that the disputation of the doctrine propounded at Auspurge may accordinge to the decree of Hagenawe be forthewith commenced especially consyderyng the same to be a frendly disceptation and not captious to th entent a certen way vnto concorde might be prepared The diuines also which were there very many required the same as Melancthon Capito Bucer Osiander Brentius Caluine Alesius a Scot sent thither by the marques of Brandenburge diuers others vnto whom wer annexed Symon Grineus and Iohn Sturmius At the last aboute the Ides of Ianuary the catholickes choose Iohn Eekius and thothers Melancthon to dispute together And first of all to th entent they might procede in order they Reason of originall synne by course in open consistory but beholde the thirde day after the disputation began Themperours letters wer brought to Granuellan and to the rest of Ambassadours wherin he differreth the whole matter vntill the assemble at Regenspurge commaunding chiefly the Protestantes to come thither Granuellan to repare vnto hym with all syede These letters beyng red in the consistorie the xviii daye of Ianuary Granuellan exhorteth them to obey themperoure and come vnto Regenspurge for he is very desyrous of peace And yf he him self by occasion of talke hath spoken any thyng roughly he desyreth them not to take it in euell part and promiseth to beare hys good wyll towards the publyke weale Whereunto the Protestantes say how they are ryght sory that the disputation had not begō a great whyle souner and that they cānot now procede further therin but for asmuch as themperour doeth so commaund they must obey Wherfore they wyll now retourn home to declare howe all thinges stande and doubte not but their Princes and cities will gratifye thēperour herin Notwithstandyng in case it be longe or euer they come or sende they ar to be holden excused by reason the time is but shorte In thys assemble was also Peter Paul Uerger bishop of Iustinople in worde as for the Frenche kyng but sent in dede by the Bishop of Roome who supposed that he myght serue hys tourne better beynge there in another mans name he made an oration of the vnitie peace of the churche and settyng it foorthe in prynte he gaue it there to dyuers Wherein he goeth about chiefly to proue that we maye not ones thynke vpon a counsell prouinciall for that same Assembly dyd represente a certen shew of the lyke thyng and semed to prepare the waye for the Byshop coulde abyde nothynge worse and Uergerius knewe hys mynde full well By hym therefore and by suche others of the bisshops ministers the thynge was letted and at the lengthe dyssolued For in tractyng of the tyme fyndyng of delayes they seeke startyng holles and wayes to escape In the begynnyng of Ianuary themperoure takyng hys Iorney from Brussels came vnto Mentz the head citie of Lorayne from thence by Spires he goeth to Regenspurge by the way sent those for sayd letters to Grāuellā he traueled by Norinberge whiche citie he had not sene before and was receyued with moste sumptuous preparation The eleuenth day of Februarye Philyp Schabotte Admirall of Fraunce a man of great honour beyng brought into suspicion with the kynge for not acquitinge himselfe in the warre of Sauoye beefore mentyoned after longe and mooche inquisityon of hys demeanoure was condemned of extortyon and treason and depriued of al his honour dignities which he had most ample without all hope of restitution and was committed to prison at Uincen not farre frō Paris William Poiet Chaūcelor of Fraūce gaue this sentence at Mellon at the which Iudgement were all the notable men and Iudges in the lawe in all Fraunce Albeit that sentences geuen after this sort are wont euer to be dissolued or altered yet by the kynges authoritie not longe after he was cleane released as ye shall heare afterwardes About this time also Maurice the son of Henry Duke of Saxonie maried Agnes daughter to the Lantzgraue In the moneth of Marche diuers Princes and states resorted to Regenspurge when themperor had taried for them a certen space Thither came also the Lantzgraue with a great company almost atthende of Marche And the nexte daye wente to themperor with his garde about him of whom he was receiued right gentlye The duke of Saxonie sent thither a most honorable Ambassador and Diuines among whom was Melanchton From the Bishoppe of Rome also came Caspar Contarene a right famous Cardinall There were present the prince Elector of Brandenburg Friderick and Otto Henry Paulsegraues William and Lewis dukes of Bauier Henry duke of Brunswike Charles duke of Sauoie George marques of Brandenburge Philip Duke of Pomerane moreouer the Bishops of Mentz Salisburg Breme Bamberg Spires Auspurge Eistet Constance Hildessene Brixie Passaw Aboute this time came forth and was brought to Regenspurge a boke of Martin Luthers very vehement written in the vulgare tounge against the Duke of Brunswycke In the last boke before this I mētioned of this dukes inuectiues against the Duke of Saxon and the Lantzgraue And where in a booke set forth of late he called the Duke of Saxō Heretike rebel Cain Monster Eesope hauing nether vertu or qualitie of body
Palle was made breede matter of contention And nowe is the same so fast wrought and of suche strength that the Bishoppe of Rome is in daūger to be strangled withall And seyng it is so let thē impute the fault to them selues which so impudently and excessiuely handled the matter I maye well laughe in my sleue For he that dwelleth in heauen hath strikē them and would not suffer so great wickednes to raigne any longer and hath brought his people out of that darkenes of Egipte into the most cleare light and pleasant syght of the sonne This Palle so often here mentioned is geuen onely to Archbishops and as a syngular benefite to a fewe other Bishoppes of the whiche numbre the Bishop of Bamberge in Germany is one And it is made with thys Ceremonie In the Feast of S. Agnes the Uirgyn whiche is the xxi day of Ianuary what time they come to Agnus dei in the Messe two white Lambes are laide vpon the Aultar which afterwarde are deliuered to the Subdeacon of S. Peters churche And they put them forth to pasture and whan shering time commeth do clippe them of the which Woll mingled with other woll whan it is sponne into fine threde are made these Palles which are not past three fingers brode and hange downe from the shoulders to the midde breast and to the Reines of the backe like a stoale and at eche ende are thinne plats of leade of the same breadth Beyng thus wouen and wrought they are caried to the bodies of Peter and Paule and there certen prayers beyng said ouer them they are left there al that night The next day the subdeacons receaue them againe and keps them diligently vntil such time as some Archbishoppe that hathe nede of one or his Proctor do sue for it And than it is deliuered with many ceremonies they that haue the cariage therof are inioyned that they remaine not aboue one night in a place This ware whiche is neither costely nor curiouslye wrought do the Archebishoppes redeme of the Bishoppe of Rome for a wonderfull some of money For it is not lawefull for him to weare the same that his predecessor did but euery one of them is bounden to purchase a newe for him selfe at Rome Againe in case he become Patriache or Metropolitan of another churche throughe promutation or any other meane althoughe he had bought one before yet must he of necessitie bie another againe Of suche kinde of pillage greate complaintes haue bene often made of all nations as I shewed you in the fourth boke but chiefly in Germany And in the yeare of our Lorde a thousande fyue hundreth xviii what tyme Leo the tenth in the assemblie of Auspurge by Cardinall Caietan exhorted Maximilian and the Princes to the Turkish war and went about that all states should pay money and the Cleargye for theyr partes the tenthes Answer was made him that there was no hope to obteine that of thecclesiasticall persons who were so manye waies and by newe policies pilled and poled by the courte of Rome And the people if anye thinge shoulde be imposed woulde make great exclamations that they haue so oft geuen theyr money for thys purpose and maruell how it is consumed or whither that money goeth that is gathered yearly in Germany I tolde you before of sundry fyers that were kindled of late in Saxonie Whan diuerse of the malefactours were apprehended and taken in sundry places and examination had they testified howe they were hired for money by the captaines and officers of Henry duke of Brunswike and set on by them to do it And this they affirmed to the last breth For this cause therefore and for other matters the Lantzgraue and thambassadours of Saxonie accuse the duke of Brunswicke to the Emperor at Regenspurge and exhibite in writyng the seuerall confession of euery one of these make fyers And ioinetly with them did William of Brunswik accuse his brother Henry sore who had kept him many yeares in pryson Whan all the most part were commen together they began to sit the fyft day of Aprill And in thēperours name as the maner is was propounded what trauaile and paine he had alwayes takē that the publike weale might be well established And after a longe discourse of all that he had done aswell for the appeasynge of the controuersye that is in Religion and reformation of the churche as also for the defence of th empyre against the cruell inuasions of the Turkes In fine themperor demaunded of them all but chiefly of the Protestauntes that they would geue him leaue to chose out certeine to conferre and herein to trust him who will do nothing that shall not concerne the preseruation of the countrey Whan they had this graunted him the xiij day of Aprill he appointeth by Friderike the Paulsgraue to thys talke Iulius Pflugius Iohn Eckius Iohn Gropper Philippe Me lanchton Martin Bucer Iohn Pistor that they should treate of the oppinions that be in controuersie and after make reporte and bringe them to him and the princes Againe the two and twentie daye of Aprill he calleth them vnto him and gyueth them a great charge that in the handling of this matter they should giue nothing to affections but that all pertialitie set apart they should onely haue respecte vnto Gods glory They full modestly do excuse themselues and require al that other more mete might be appointed sauing Eckius For he said he was well prepared and fournished but where themperor dyd instant them to take it vpon them they were content and also intreate him that he would assigne some to be as presidentes of the disputation others to bee as witnesses and hearers of the matter And so he commaundeth Fridericke Palatine and Granuellan to bee as governours and willeth Theodorycke Countie Manderschit Eberhart Ruden Henry Hasie Fraunces Burcarte Iohn Figius Iames Sturmins to be there to beare witnes And when all these came together the xxvii day of April Fridericke the Palsgraue admonisheth the Collocutours that they should seriously go to the matter and conferre together frendly After Granuellan exhibiteth a booke written which he sayd was delyuered to themperour of certayne good well learned men as fit for a reconcilement and that themperour woulde to th entent they might haue a lawful argument and matter to treat of that they shoulde reade ouer the same booke also and waye it and looke what they shoulde all allow therein to commende and the rest to correcte This booke contayned these articles following of the creation of man and before the fall of the integritie of nature of freewill of the cause of synne of originall synne of the iustification of man of the church and of the tokens and authoritie of the same of the notise of the woorde of repentaunce after the fal of the authoritie of the churche in discerning and interpretyng the scripture of the sacramentes of order baptesme
of so great a mischiefe and wickednes Unto this Oration he annexeth a maner of praying against the Turkysh fury and about the ende discoursing the vice that reigneth in this our tyme in all sortes of men he sheweth howe Germany whiche is so corrupted and wholy infected can not longe continewe in prosperitie And this fourme of prayer he prescribeth Oeuerlasting father we haue verely deserued to be sore afflicted but punnyshe vs thyne owne selfe Lorde not in thy wrath and displeasure but according to thy great mercy for it is muche better for vs to falle in thyne than into the handes of men and our ennemies for thy merci is vnspeakeable and infinite we haue certenly offended the and transgressed thy commaundementes but thou knowest O heauenly father howe the deuill the Byshop and the Turke haue no rightnor cause to punyshe vs for we haue trespassed nothyng against them but thou vsest them as a scourge to whippe vs which haue mo ways than one al our life time styred the vp against vs. They I saie haue no quarell against vs but would rather that we should euer after their example offende the moste greuously that through idolatry false doctrine lyes disceiptfull and craftye iugglynge with murther thefte and extortion fornication adultery and sorcerie we myght offende the maiestie of thy name This is the thing that thei most wishe for and because we confesse and honour the God the father and thy sonne Iesus Christe our Lord and the holy spirite one and euerliuing God that same is our offence and wickednes for the whiche they so greuously hate and persecute vs. If we should forsake this fayth and fal vnto their lore thā should we loke for no displeasure at their hāds Uouchesaufe therfore to loke vpon vs O God the father and to send a remedy for they be more thyne aduersaries than ours whan they doe tormente vs they tormente the for the doctrine that we professe is not ours but thyne And Sathan can not abyde it but wylbe worshipped in thy place and thy worde set asyde goeth about to feede vs with lies And the Turke also in the steade of thy sonne Iesu Christ wold place his Mahomet Nowe yf thys be synne that we professe thee the father and thy sonne and the holy ghost to be the trewe and only God certenly than arte thou a synner whiche so teachest vs and requyrest this dewty of vs and whā they for this cause persecute vs they do hate and afflicte thee also Awake therfore my God and take in hande thy selfe to aueuge thy sacred and holy name which they defyle and deface neyther suffer thou this iniurie at their hande which punnishe not our synnes and vices but seke to quenche thy worde in vs and doe what they can that thou shouldest not reigne at all neyther shouldest haue any people whiche might serue and honour thee Nowe touching the ofspringe encrease of the Turkes because many haue written it nedeth not to note any thing therof in this place of a smal beginnyng they haue had a maruelous encrease Their first Emperour is accompted Othomanne aboute the yere of our lord a thousand and thre hōdreth whom after succedeth Orchanes Amurathes who fyrst transported his armye ouer the sea of Hellesponte into Europe and inuaded Thrace Than Baiazethes Cyriscelebes Moses Mahoniethes Amurathes Mahomethes Baiazethes Selime Solyman About this same tyme Alphonse Marques of Piscare before mentioned sendyng a booke to the princes of Germany accuseth and blameth the frenche kinge whiche in so troublesome a tyme of the comon welth goeth about to styre vp stryfe to thentente he might hinder the most noble enterprises of themperoure and al the states pretendeth a lyght and a forged matter for Anthony Rincon Ce. Fregose that should be intercepted vnto whom what thing hath chauuced he could not after long and diligent searche fynd out The Frēch Kinge whan he knew thereof declareth that he had an exceadinge great iuiurie done him to haue his Ambassadours so cruelly destroyed of this thinge hathe he ofte complayned sore to the Bisshop and to themperoure and hath requyred that he might be satisfysed herin but it was in vayne And seing it is so vnworthie an act he can not without the greate shame and dishonoure of his name neglecte it After the second of Maye addressing hys letters to the Senate of Paris to th ende sayeth he that god maye illumine our heartes and graunt vs the constancie of fayth and bring again those that ere into the way of saluation and sende vs peace throughe recompence for the iniuries that we haue susteyned by the vsurping of our right and the outrage donne to oure messagers and ambassadours or if in dispayre to haue peace we must nedes haue warre that he would graunt vs victorye our request is that the people go a prosession and pray in all churches And that by some fyt preacher the cause therof be recyted to the cōgregation Moreouer in case any ther be that thinketh not rightly of oure fayth and religion neither will promise amendement we commaund that he suffer openlye for his offence Not longe after he sendeth the Duke of Longuill to the prince of Cleaue who leauing ther a power in the somer season by the conduicte of Martyn van Rossen looked for an occasion to doe some exploicte In the meane season at the kalendes of Iune the bisshop appoynted a connsell at Trente agaynste the fyrst of Nouember at the which time he commaundeth to repayre thither Patriarches bisshoppes abbottes and suche other lyke which eyther by right or priuiledg haue interest to be presēt at counsels and are permitted there to speake their minde He exhorteth also themperoure and the French kyng that eyther they wolde come them selues or send theyr proctours to commaunde their bisshoppes to be there but the bisshops of Germany he inuiteth aboue all others for that for theyr cause chiefly and at theyr requeste is all this payne and trauaile taken In the moneth of Iuly the Frenche kinge with moste hatefull woordes proclaymeth warre against themperoure and in a wryting publysshed geueth his subiectes libertie to spoyle and distroy his contries by sea and lande by what meanes so euer they might A littel before the Duke of Longeuill and Martyu Rossen had made an inuaston into Brabant and were a wonderful terrour to men vnprouided and commyng vpon the sodayne had lyke to haue taken Andwerpe Louayne but wantyng thinges necessarie for munition they could make no battery and marching forewarde whiche way so euer they wente they diftroyed al before them with fyer and sword and extorted many And thus making theyr waie by force in August they ioyne themselues with the kinges sonne Charles Duke of Orleans which warred that tyme in the land of Luke In this force were foure hondreth horsemen sent by the kynge of Denmarke Besydes Danuillier Uirton and Iuey was taken also Lucemburge the chiefe
many thinges of the Roades invasions of the Turkes craueth aide After this immediatly the Duke of Saxon the Lantzgraue with their confederates addressing their oratiō to thēperour you know saye they moste victorious Emperoure howe we haue offered oure selues euer syns the beginnynge to declare before this moste honorable Senate the cause of our defence taken agaynst Henry of Brunswicke And be yet also of the same will and mynde doubtyng not but when the matter shal be hearde there shall appeare vnto you weyghty and iust causes wherfore we were dryuen to it of necessitie and that it is not lawfull for hym to be present here in the counsell of Princes Howbeit because we see hym put hymselfe in prease to occupie a place in thys most noble consistorye moche agaynste oure willes in as moche as we can or maye we doe protest that wee neyther take hym nor acknoweledge hym for a Prynce of Thempire neyther will that any right of oures shoulde through hys presence be diminished Wherunto the Duke of Brunswicke aunswereth streyghte waye by hys Chauncelour The Duke of Saxō sayeth he the Lantzgraue and theyr fellowes breakyng both gods law and mans law infringing the statutes of thempire and the faythe publicke by violence and open wronge haue spoiled me of my countrey For the which cause I haue accused thē to the Iudges of the chāber And seeyng it is so they ought to haue no place in the Senate of Thempire and yf they had any they haue nowe lost the same by committing that acte and are worthye whose companye all men shoulde eschewe But if it so be that I muste nedes syt by thē in comon counselles I protest that I do neyther attribute this place vnto them nor will therfore that the same should be preiudicial to my case The Protestantes were verye desyrous euen than to haue recited the cause of theyr enterpryse and the whole matter in wrytynge leste hys complaynte shoulde appere to be trewe or settle in mennes heartes But Thēperour by Fridericke Palatyne and by Nauius required them forasmoch as the day was farre spent that they wold differre it affirming also that he wolde assigne thē a day for the pourpos and so they followed hys mynde And because as the Princes sat in counsell it fortuned that the Lantzgraue sate next to the Duke of Brunswicke the Prince of Palatine Iohn Suner for the auoyding of stryfe arryseth out of hys place and sytteth downe in the myddes betwixte them bothe protestyng before that the same shoulde bee no preiudice to hym or to his familye Yt was thought he did it at Thēperours request The day before the Duke of Saxon and the Lantzgraue had intreated Fridericke the Paulsegraue and Iohn Nauie that they wold so deuise with Themperour that the Duke of Brunswicke might not come in the comon assemblie but it could not be obtayned Themperour alledging that he might not be excluded vnlesse the causes were fyrst declared The Frenche kyng knowing for certētie that Themperour wold make a greuous complaynte on hym to the Prynces determineth a most honorable Ambassad Iohn Bellaie Cardinal Fraunces Oliuer chauncelour of Alensō Affricane Malley presydent of Diuion whan these wer commen to Nance a Towne in Lorayne they remayne there lookyng for Themperours saufcondict For the king had sent before to Spier an Heraulte for the same cause with letters to Themperour and seuerall letters also to the Princes Electours wherin he required saufe conduite for hys Ambassadours And when he came to Spier about the ende of Februarye in hys rich cote of armes as is accustomed he was stayed by Granuellan vnto whom he delyuereth the kyng his maisters letters written to Themperoure whan he myghte not otherwyse doe and declareth the cause of hys comyng requyring that Thambassadours which are not farre of maye accordyng to the law of Armes haue saufconduite beyng cōmaunded to tary within and dilligētly watched that no man should come to speake with hym the fourth day after he was dismissed with most sharpe wordes that he had played a fond part and was in daūger to haue lost hys head whych durste presume to come thyther For the kynge beyng enemy to Germany hathe not to doe with in the lymites of Th empyre neyther is he worthy to enioye the law of Nations let hym retourne home therfore and tell the kynge thus Howe ther is no cause that herafter either he or any other may comefor him And nowe in dede this fault is forgiuen and perdoned more of themperours clemencie than of his desert but let him take hede from hēceforthe or els he wil not escape vnpunnisshed For he hath don against the law of armies neyther was it laweful for hym to haue comen into Themperours habitation without his leaue and permissiō And touchyng the letters whyche he sayeth he hath the kyng hath so well deserued of the Christen publicke weale and chefely of Germanye that in thys present state of thynges Themperour neyther wyll nor ought to receyue them lest by hys accustomed maner of writing and promises eyther he or also others myghte be disceaued This aunswer was delyuered vnto hym wrytten in Frenche And thus was he sent back with the kynges letters wrytten to Themperour and Prynces and certen horsemen were sente with hym to conduite him to Nance To this were not the Princes made priuie And many thoughte it was done agaynst the custome of th empyre Thys thyng knowen the Ambassadours were in a pecke of troubles and toke great thought how to retourne home without daunger and vsing the counsell of Authony Duke of Lorayne they went a waye secretly in the nyght season and so retourned into Fraūce Whylest they yet remayned at Nance Christine the Dukes daughter in lawe was sente to Spier that the thing which neither he could nor certen others that might she which was Themperours Nece by his sister through her intreaty teares and by a certen commendation of her kind obtayne but yet was this in vayne For Themperour was wholy bent to haue warre And hys counsellours sayde he muste so doe to mayntaine hys estimation and dignytie The Duke of Lorayne albeit he was addicte to neyther had long syns couenaunted with them both that he myght be a newter yet for asmoche as the warre was to be kepte vpon hys frontiers and sawe howe that coulde not be done without hys greate losse domage was verye carefull for peace The .ix. daye of Februarye certen Priuces through Themperours motion wryt letters frō Spire to the Bisshop of Roome partely commendyng hym for that the laste yere he adioyned hys force with Themperours to rescue the Castell of Nice partly requiring him that for as moch as the enemye is now reparyng his nauie at Tollone to repare agayne to Nice and to win that Castell which shoulde be a greate shame and a sore anoyeaunce vnto Italy the Churche of Roome all the common welth he which is the
inioye theyr commodytyes on eyther partie and parte of those goodes to be imployed to the fynding of the mynisters of the Churche of free Schooles and the poore the iudges of the Chamber shall kepe theyr place vntyll the tyme prefixed whan the same shal be expired than shall all be receyued into that nomber indifferently without respecte of relygion The decre of Auspurge and all actions commenced agaynst the Protestantes for doctryne sake the case also of Goslarie and Minden to hang in suspence vntill the nexte treaty The Anabaptistes to suffer punishement long synce for them determined Yet shall the magistrates assigne learned and godlye men to shewe them theyr errour and call them agayne to amendemente The Catholickes mislyked thys decree and resisted it withal theyr force But when the byshopes of Collon Munster held with the Protestantes also the duke of Cleaue and the Marques of Baden referred althinges to thēperours pleasure which after lōg disceptation had deuised thys way as a meane tollerable for both parties They being wel shortned of their nūbre say that certēly they wil not assent to it howbeit they will not prescribe themperour nor resyst hys authorytie but are cōtent to suffer it Friderick the Paulsgraue the Marques of Brandenburge Princes electours had intreated that it might be thus decreed The protestātes desired also that the duke of Brūswickes case might haue ben cōprised in the same decree but it could not be obtayned themperour vrged thē that eyther they should restore him or els permit vnto him the prouince by sequestration til the matter be tryed And therof he treated with the Duke the Lantzgraue when they were present and after theyr departure moche more with theyr deputies The Cities at the fyrst refused the ayde of the French warre by reason of theyr intercourse and trade of Marchandise But what tyme the Prynces had assented and the Frenche kynges cause was full of hatred they subscribed also thoughe sore agaynste they re willes especyally that were nere vnto Fraunce The Ambassadours of the Dukes of Luneburge and wirtemberge refused also but they were admonysshed priuately and chastened in woordes that they alone shoulde not lette the good will of the residewe Whan the Lātzgraue was ready to goe home and came to take hys leaue of Themperoure he had most gentle intertaynement And Themperoure said howe he wolde not trouble hym at thys tyme to serue agaynste the Frenche Kynge for thys cause only that he wolde not bringe hym into hatred but whan thys warre is doone he wyll goe streight waye agaynste the Turke and than wyll he make hym hys lyeutenaunte and generall of all the warre And whan he with a certen modestie excused and abased hymselfe as vnmete for suche a charge you haue done righte well or euer nowe sayeth Themperoure bothe for youre selfe and for the others And we doubte not but that you can doe vs also ryght good seruice with these wordes taketh hys leaue of hym moste Frendely He beyng full of good hope and ioyefull that he had Themperoure so moche hys good Lorde whan he had declared the same to certen of hys Frendes retourneth home Touching the sequestration after longe and moche pleadinge they agreed that all the landes of the Dutchie of Brunswicke should be committed to Themperoure as to the hyghe Magistrate tyll the case were heard and determined eyther frendely or by ryghte and lawe And that Themperour shoulde committe the gouernement of the Contrye eyther to the Paulsgraue or to the Electoure of Brandenburg moreouer to Duke Maurice or the Duke of Cleaue They that shall not abyde thys ordre to suffer the penaltye of breakynge the Publycke Peace That Themperoure doe aduertyse the Duke of Brunswicke to obeye the same yf not to punish him according to the lawes of thempire These condicions at the last Themperour propounded herin perseuered Thā did the protestantes ratifie the same as shal be declared herafter The assēblie being ous finsshed thēperour goeth frō Spier to Mētz Nowe was all his armie assembled in Lorayne vpon the borders of Fraunce And about th ēd of May he had recouered the citie of Lucēburg by cōposition In this warre ther serued thēperour duke Maurice of Saxonie the Marques Albert with ether of them a thousand Horsemen moreouer Counte william of Furstemburge Captayne of the footemen and Sebastian Sherteline all of the Protestantes relygion Whylest Themperour was at Mentz there was takē in Lorayne Huberte Erle Richlynge a Germane that serued the Frenche kynge beyng brought to Mentz he is condēned to suffer The Coūtesse hys wyfe whan she was comen thither and fel downe prostrate at Themperours feete coulde fynde no fauoure And nowe were all thynges prepared for the executiō At the length was procured Maximylyan the sonne of kyng Fernando whom Themperour had lately receyued he in th ende obtayned hys pardon and saued hys life In the meane tyme Barbarousse eyther for that hys bufynes requyred so orheyng perswaded by the kynge or els fearyng leste the Frenche Kyng should conclude a peace with Themperoure retourneth home and what so euer places by the Sea syde apperteyned to Themperoure or thempire he inuadeth and spoyleth But from the Bisshop of Romes landes he refraineth as it is most lyke by the French kinges perswasion Themperours armye marchynge forewarde taketh the Towne and Castell of Lyney three myles from Barrey And from thence goeth to Sandesyre a Frenche Towne standyng vpon the riuer of Marne which was kept with a stronge garrison ouer whom Mounser Landren was Captayne who so valeauntely the yere beefore had defended the Towne of Landersey from Themperour and from Thenglishemen Whilest these thynges are thus a woorkynge Anthony the Duke of Lorayne departeth out of this lyfe not so moch for age as for thoughte and care he tooke for thys nere and almoste domesticall warre whom Fraunces hys sonne succeded whiche had maryed Themperours Nece Christine as before is sayde In thys meane whyle the Kyng of England sendeth ouer the Sea to Caleis the Duke of Northfolke with one Armye who marchynge throughe Bollonois went and beseged Moustrell here Maximilyan Countiede Bure by Themperours accorde serued the Kynge of England And immedyately after sente an other stronge Armye with the Duke of Suffolke who layed sege to Bollogne and thyther came the king in person The Frenche Kynge had appoynted Gouernoure there Mounser Ueruyne a man of honoure Whan Themperour had enuironed Sādesyre with his army he maketh the Batteri the Bretch onse made geueth thassault at that Ides of Iuly but where the townes men stode to theyr owne defence moste valeauntelye Themperialles were repulsed and fyue hondreth Soldiours slaine Fynally in the seconde moneth what tyme Landrey the gouernoure was slayne with the fall of an House and the Gunners wanted pouder the Towne was rendred Durynge thys seege Renate Prynce of Orenge beeynge stryken with a greate Peece
relygion lyke as you haue hearde before After those places of scripture which the Bisshop doeth vsurpe to establyshe hys supremacie he confuteth moste aboundantly and applyeth them to make agaynst hym Before the booke he set a picture whych by and by declareth the sōme of the argumente The Bysshop sytteth in an hyghe chayre with hys handes ioyned and stretched out in solemne apparel but he hathe asse eares And aboute hym are many deuelles of diuers shapes wherof some set a triple crowne vpon hys head with a tourde in the toppe of it others let hym downe by cordes into hell vnder neth hym hortyble to be holde some bryng wood and colle others as ryght seruyceable staye his feete that he may descend rightly and softely Not longe after came foorthe certene theames of hys whyche he had heretofore disputed of the three gouermentes Ecclesiasticall politycke and Oeconomike Whiche he sayeth God hathe ordeyned agaynste the furye of the Deuill but he vtterlye excludeth the Bysshop from all these for that he condemneth and oppresseth the Gospell for that he bryngeth vnder hys subiection all lawes and euen the ciuile lawe And in asmoche as he forbiddeth matrymony to whom it pleaseth hym Therfore he calleth him the beast which is named in Germany of the beare and the wolfe together There is nothynge sayeth he more fierce and cruell then she Wherfore when a token is geuen and that she is once hearde of streyghte wayes all men get them to theyr weapons to the intent they maye kyll her And yf hapely she should take a caue or anye inclosure and gouernour or Iudges of the soyle wolde exempte her or also defende her she shoulde be persecuted notwithstanding and he that should let or disturbe the hunters myght be slayne lawefully After the selfe same sorte must the Bisshop be resysted if he doe attempte and moue warre lyke a wyld and a rauenyng beast with what aide someuer he is mayneteyned For they that wil serue or helpe a theefe ought to looke for the rewarde of the thynge which they deserue Thā did he also sende foorth an other picture very fonde in dede but yet as it were a prophesye of the thyng to come The Bisshop in hys prelates apparell sitteth vpon a greate sowe with manye dugges whyche he diggeth in with his spurres hauyng two fyngers of hys ryght hand nexte hys thume stretched ryghte vp as the maner is he blesseth suche he chaunceth to mete with In hys lefte hande he holdeth a new smokinge tourde at the smell wherof the sowe lyfteth vp her snowte and with her wyde mouthe and nose thirlles catcheth after her praye but he in derysion blamyng the beast full bytterly I shall ryde thee saieth he with my spurres whether thou wylt or noe Thou haste troubled me longe aboute a counsell that thowe myghtest rayle on me at thy pleasure and accuse me franckelye Beholde nowe thys same is that counsell that thou so greatlye desyrest by the sowe he sygnifyeth Germany These tryfles of hys many mentaunted as vnsemely for hym and not verey modest But he had hys reasons whye he did so was thought to haue had a greater foresyghte in thynges And certenly in hys bookes are diuerse and sondry prophecyes wherof the ende prooved some trewe the residew as yet are in the hande of God In the meane season Themperoure taketh order with Granuellan and Nauius to be in hand with the protestantes touching the counsel and the Turkish warre but after longe decision nothyng could be concluded Grinian the french Ambassadour for because he vnderstode not the latyn tounge conprysed hys matter in wrytyng and vttered it by an interpretour the .xx. daye of Iune the somme of thys oration was to exhort them al to the counsell This Grinian was a nere frende to the Cardinall of Tournon who is thought to haue ben the occasyoner of thys Ambassade for he had ben with Themperoure at Brusselles as I sayde before and had treated of matters concernynge the counsell And than was it thus agreed that the kinge should sende an Ambassadour to exhorte them to the counsell whych Themperoure and he had already approued for thys was thought to bee a meane to make the Protestantes affraid At this tyme dyeth Fraunces Duke of Lorayne leauing behynde hym a yonge sonne Charles a chylde of two yeres olde The Duke had a brother called Niclas Bisshop of Mentz betwene him and the childes mother Christien Themperours Nece arrose a contention aboute the wardeshyp Al the Nobilitie fauoured hym more and lothed the womans gouernement but through Thēperours mediation they were bothe appointed gardins yet so as the mothers authorytie was chiefest In those dayes also departeth the Daughter of Ferdinādo which was maried two yeres before to the son of Sigismunde king of Polle But out of Spayne was brought glad tydinges of the birth of Charles Themperoures Nephewe the sonne of kynge Philip for the whyche cause the Spaniardes made greate Ioye at wormes But a few dayes after came worde that the mother of the childe was dead To Themperoure being at Wormes came the Marques of Piscare and broughte with hym certen of the chiefe inhabiters of Millan It was thought how Themperour was than determined to marye the Daughter of Kynge Fernando to the Duke of Orleans and therfore had sent for these men to vnderstande the state of Lumbardie whiche he had promised to geue hym for her dowarye Whylest Themperoure helde this assemblie the Duke of Brunsewicke goeth to the Frenche kinge That time did Fridericke Rifeberge leuie a certen power of footemen in the Borders of Saxonie for the king of England Henry of Brunswicke espying that occasion promyseth and perswadeth the frenche kyng that incase he wyll geue him monie he shall easely fynde the meanes to scatter thē again And so getteth of hym certen thousandes of Crownes but he neyther letted Rifeberge and cōuerted the monye receyued to warre against the Protestantes as shal be declared herafter Unto this conuentyon came no Princes as I sayde before but after Thēperoure was there the Paulsgraue Electoure came also and at the request of the Protestantes maketh intercession But whan Themperour saw how they wold graunt nothyng to the Turkisshe warre vnlesse they obteyned theyr requeste concerning the counsell and the chamber he sendeth an Ambassadoure to the Turke for trewes Gerarde Ueltuniche a man verye well learned and experte in toungues Duryng thys conuention the Senate of Mentz maketh inquirye after suche as by the olde custome had not receyued at Easter and banisshed them the Towne that were founde herein culpable I shewed you before howe the clergie and Uniuersitie of Collon had appealed to Themperoure and bisshop that they myght hereby hynder thenterprises of theyr Archebisshop but where he stil proceded and wolde not displace the preachers and ministers of the church whyche thyng they chiefly requyred they renewe theyr sute to Themperoure making of hym a greuous
I doe vnwisely sayeth the Lantzgraue to reason of so weightie matters my fellowes beyng absent notwithstanding by cause the matter is not handled to any preiudice I wyll procede I suppose that Themperoure made the decree of Spier for a good inteÌ„t and where the aduersaries of the same were then content to suffer it and so promised they maye not nowe go backe with theyr wordes Agayne inasmuch as we gaue Themperoure stronge ayde agaynst the Frenche kinge we truste surely that the thyng that was then agreed vpon and confirmed with seales shal not be broken Moreouer there is nothyng that ought to let a prouinciall counsel For we professe the same faythe that the Apostles the counsell of Nice Athanasius did and oure diuines are agreed vppon the chiefe and principall articles ther was in dede a controuersie amonges them coÌ„cernyng the lordes supper but the same is nowe appeased for there is none but confesseth that the body and blud of Christ is there truly receyued There be anabaptistes Dauidians and I know not who besydes whom in dede we doe punnish Therfore is it not nedeful that foreine nations shulde be present when these thinges shal be determined neuerthelesse if they gaue themselues to the knowledge of the trueth it were chieflye to be wished for That certen meane opinions shuld be establyshed that by men of honour I doe not greatly resist but I thinke that caÌ„ hardly be donne with out diuines but if the sincere preaching of the gospel and the whole supper of the Lord and the marriage of priestes might be permitted as in tyme paste Paphuntius perswaded in the counsel Nicene I suppose a concorde might be establisshed I know no place where men be constrayned to come to oure religion we do not suffer a contrary and a sondry doctryne in the selfe same place but we compell no man kyll no man nor spoyle hym of hys goodes And in case men of our relygion myght remayne harmeles in your dominioÌ„s and might haue theyr Churches seuerally assuredly I coulde be contente for myne owne parte to suffer youres to haue theyr Churches in lyke case with in my rule and dominion but for asmuche as you wyll not graunt to the same we desyre also to haue oure doctryne equiualente Therefore looke what I sayde before of the decree of Spier and the prouincyall Counsel of Germanie the same doe I take to be best now also If there bee any man sayeth Granuellan in all the worlde that loueth peace assuredly it is Themperoure who indede for the Bishop of Roomes pleasure wyll not swarue one heare breadthe from equytye He hath kept also the decree of Spier not without the greate offence of the other partye and also of the Bisshop â—ea Nauius and I doe sustayne no smal displeasure for the same cause In a Counsell prouinciall I cannot see who shuld be Iudge For al men doe not vnderstand the scripture after one sorte And because that in the Conference of learned men there appereth smal hope doubtles som other meanes muste bee founde Some Articles are indede accorded but agayne there be moe yet in coÌ„trouersie Moreouer those that be accorded Bucer doth interpret more largely than the thyng it selfe permitteth and yf they shoulde nowe reste here it were easy to iudge what wolde be the state of Th empyre at the lengthe I lyke it righte well sayeth the Lantzgraue that you saye howe Themperoure hangeth not of the Bisshop his sleue And wolde God he myghte brynge the Bisshop to hys dutye In tymes paste Bisshoppes of Roome did honour Themperour as theyr supreme Magistrate And now Emperours ar bounden to them by an othe In all controuersies Gods woorde oughte to be chyfe iudge whyche is not obscure so that che minde of men wolde frame themselues accordynglye For it sheweth vnto vs synne prouoketh vs to repentaunce and amendemente of lyfe and preacheth vnto vs Chryste who hathe taken a waye the synnes of the worlde in whose name also God the Father is to be called vpon that he woolde graunte vs hys holye spiryte Uerelye thys faythe and Doctryne hathe euer been and styll remayned in the Churche as the Lordes Prayer the Crede of the Apostles And dyuerse Songes beesydes accustomed in churches doe instructe vs of the benefite of Chryst neither must we here consyder what the greatest multitude weneth but what the trewthe is For at Ierusalem also what time diuerse of the Apostles and disciples wolde haue had the heathen people that had receiued the Gospel circumcised Peter and Paule Iames and Barnabas were of a contrary opinion the errour of the residew shewed did abrogate that yoke of the lawe At the whyche tyme the greatest parte of that congregation gaue place and obeied the iudgement of a few that were in the right We verely doe not prescribe other nations but couet only that the Germanes might agree within themselues to treate of meane waies I could be coÌ„tent so that they swarued not from the decre of Spier concernyng the establisshment of the peace and lawe and in other thynges it is to be sene what may be establysshed by Gods woorde and what maye not But I wold haue also my cosen and frend here the Paulse graue who hathe ben at many assemblies and knoweth muche of matters past to speake hys opinion herin Then he speaking of Themperours good will and disposition sayeth howe the conference had at Regenspurge was well and to muche purpose begonne And if it were renewed and the articles already accorded no more decided he thinketh they myght come to some tollerable agrement in the rest Themperoure sayeth Granuellan desyreth acoÌ„corde verie muche as hath ben ofte repeted And excepte that be establysshed it will surely redounde to the dammage of the publycke weale And albeit Themperour hath not thus muche profyt by th empyre albeit he hath not hys health also yet for the loue of Germany hathe he taken his iorney He hath taken no secret counsell eyther with the French king or with others neyther commeth he to craue ayde but to prouyde generally for all men Bothe Fraunce Englande leuie great force of men whiche is greatly to be suspected Moreouer TheÌ„perour hath to doe in Spayne by reason of the death of hys Daughter inlawe Yet all these thynges set a part he goeth to the assemblie But yf no Princes come thither what shall he doe there alone There is much calling and crying on hyn to refourme thinges and yet wyll they not come to the place appoynted for consultation Therfore it should doe well my Lordes speaking to the Paulsgraue and the Lantzgraue if you whiche are two of the chiefest wolde goe thyther Albeit sayeth the Lantzgraue that Themperoure hathe no greate reuenewes out of Thempire yet in asmuche as he hathe ayde alwayes thence agaynste the Turke agaynst the Frenche kynge and others And for that the dignitie of Thempire getteth hym great authorytie amonges other kinges and that he
restrayned wold take them cleane a waye I am constrayned to attempte war that I may reduce them to theyr dewtie And for as muche as I heare saye how they goe aboute all that euer they can to allure you others to their fellowship I commaund you fyrst that throughout your whole prouince you let proclame and doe foresee that no man serue in this war vnlesse he serue me and my captaynes suche as shall haue commission to shewe secondly yf any be gonne foorthe already to serue that you call them againe immediately and commaund them to tary at home and attende vpon our commaundement And suche as will not obey that you punnish them extremelye so demeane youre selfes that I maye perceyue that you loue the quyet of Germany except you thus doe know for certentie that it shal be to your great daunger losse of all that you haue These letters whan the Archebishop had receiued he published in all places and commaunded they shuld be obeied Besydes he gaue commaundement that they shulde praye in Churches that God of hys mercy wolde tourne awaye the greate daunger that nowe hanged ouer Germany At the same tyme the Protestantes sēd their ambassadours to the kinges of Fraunce and England newely reconciled making suite to them for ayde After the Duke the Lātzgraue had wrytten thus to Themperoure priuately as before is sayd at that Ides of Iuly they set forth a publicke writing also wherin they declare howe thys warre is made againste Religion and this to bee Themperours intent that vnder a serten pretence of rebellyō and as though he wolde punnysh but a fewe he myght plucke awaye the fellowes of the league one from an other and so muche the more easelie at the length subuert them all And hereof they bryng manye proues and reporte what kynge Fernando what Granuellan what Nauius and others spake priuately at Regenspurge verelye that the contempt of the counsell was cause of thys warre Moreouer they saye howe Themperoure sent commaundement to them of Rauensburge whyche had lately receyued the doctryne of the Gospell that within a few dayes they shuld for sake theyr enterpryse or els wolde he geue theyr Citie and Landes to be deuyded amonges the Soldiours but the Messager was called backe with the letters by the waye leste it shuld come forthe a brode that the war were agaynst relygion Forasmuch also as the byshop of Rome hath geuē sentēce against I the Archbishop of Collon for the reformatyō of doctrine hath depriued him of hys dignitie for that Thēperoure in a maner doeth threatneth the same doeth not that sufficiētly declare the cause of the war For it is a cōmon brure how theyr drift is that the Cardinal of Auspurg who hath set this matter a fyre shall throughe violence be substituted in hys place It is reported moreouer that when they bee vanquished bandes of Soldiours shal be placed in all partes of Germany whych in Themperours name shall see the decrees of the counsell concernyng relygion maynteyned and put in execution Furthermore it is wrytten by dyuers men howe the Archebysshop of Toledo chiefly and such other prelates in Spayne do geue a great summe of monye to thys warre which they wold not haue donne if it had not ben for religion It is wel knowen also what maner of decree was made at Auspurge .xvi. yeres synce what tyme Themperoure protested that he could not abyde thys secte and doctryne of Luther but that to distroye the same vtterly he wold bestowe all hys force treasure lyfe and blud also For yf they were once oppressed as God forbid than shuld it quickely appere whether they wolde spare thys religion and wolde not rather slaye the ministere of the churche inforce theyr wyues and their children and restore Monkes and Freers and all that relygious rabbell But Themperoure may not lawfully worke force agaynst any state nor bannish any man before his cause behearde nor bryng foreyn soldiours within the bondes of Germany or chaleng to hym self any inherytance or succession belonginge to thempire For he is bounden to these condicions and hath confyrmed them by an othe For yf it were lawful for him to doe otherwise the state of the publycke weale could not long endure And what cause of displeasure shulde haue agaynste them they cannot in the worlde perceiue For touching me saieth the Duke of Saxon what so euer dissention was betwene him his brother Fernando and me it was wholy quenched two yeares paste at Spier and for a nerer frendship the lady Elenore daughter to kynge Ferdinando was promised freely to my eldest sonne so that we could agree in religion The same did Themperoure than cōfyrme what tyme I shoulde retourne home from that assemblie he sent to me into my owne lodging Granuellan Nauius with moste large wordes offered all good wil and frendship to me and my children my whole countrey And what great cryme haue I commytted synce that time that he should intēd this crueltie against me But doubteles the matter is euē so as we haue shewed you before because we refuse the bisshoppes counsell we incurred displeasure But reason wolde that he shulde not imagine these thinges againste the house of Saxon For he knoweth how after the death of Maximilian mine vncle Duke Fridericke hauing the crowne imperiall offered hym through hys voyce and meanes gaue it vnto hym to omitte in the meane tyme many other benefites which the house of Saxon hathe imploied on the house of Austriche And in case he were offended for putting Iulius Pūugius from the Bishopricke of Nunburge I haue in bookes setfoorthe declared my ryght and tytle of Patronage and if Themperour wold appoynte indifferent iudges offered to abyde theyr iudgment Nowe concerning my owne parte sayeth the Lantzgraue I was throughly reconciled to hym fyue yeres synce at Regenspurge And for that I intended a fewe yeares past to haue warred on certen Bisshops and for that afterwardes I did helpe my cosyn the Duke of Wirtemberg to recouer hys owne all thys and what so euer I had haply don besydes agaynste the lawe wrytten or decrees of Thempire eyther priuely or apartely it was for geuen me and wrytinges made therof cōfirmed with handes and seales Therfore can not I deuise or imagin what should be the cause of thys grudge Againe whan I spake with him nowe lately at Spyre he shewed hym selfe so frendelye bothe in wordes and countenaunce that I could perceyue no sparke of displasure And it was couenaunted fyue yere synce at Regenspurge that if he shuld attēpt any thyng herafter agaynst the Duke of Cleaue that I shuld not meddle in the matter After he moued war agaynst him and I kept touche and promise And than what time he receyued the same Duke agayne to hys fauoure whiche was before Uerlone he perdoned all that had serued or assisted hym with ayde But yf he should take in euill parte our absence that we
dominiōs extremely and therby haue purchased no small hatred to our selues But lately that innocent man Iohn Diazius was so cruelly and detestably murthered as neuer man was from the beginning of the worlde vntyll this day That Fratricide his brother apprehēded and accused Certen Princes made request that so horrible a fact myght be punyshed but what insued therof the matter it selfe declareth He imputeth the cause of all displeasure and trouble vnto vs But his decree of Wormes was cause of all together wherunto our aduersaries cleaued as to a moste sure foundation especially the Duke of Brunswick whiche made a confederacie with diuerse before the conuentiō of Auspurg where as what maner of decree was made it is openly knowen Certenly those cruell and fierce wordes ther pronounced caused vs to make the league and cōfederacie that we are in at this daye The Byshops adherētes haue bene euermore busy with vs in al assemblies and would haue compelled vs to the choise of meates and holy dayes of their owne makyng Moreouer we permitted the Emperour at Auspurg whan he promysed vs faire and largely that he should appoint preachers But it is knowen wel enough how wicked and how ignoraunt men he assigned to that office It is an auncient custome of thempire that whā any Prince is minded to retourne home from thassemblie he may do it by the Emperours leaue How be it my father sayth the Duke of Saxon what tyme he was at Auspurg could not obtaine licence of him to departe and heard it also reported that in case he prepared to goe he should yet be stayed against his wyll And albeit my vncle Friderick had done muche for hym yet would he neuer as long as my father liued confirme hym in his own Dukedome only because of the decree of Wormes and Religion Seing therfore that the cause of this warre is manifestly knowen we desyre all men to geue no credit to the contrary and defende with vs their common and natife countrey As for our own subiectes and clientes whom he hath released of their allegeaūce which they owe vnto vs we doubt not but they wyl do their duty vnto vs as they are bunden The protestaūtes letting slippe that occasiō of fight at Ingolstad as before is sayd and remayning there thre dayes after whan the Emperour in the meane season had fortified his Campe strongly the fourth day of Septēber they remoued thence that they might encountre with the Erle of Bure or stop his passage Notwithstanding that some were against it and said how they nede to go no further to seke the enemy which was in sight and before their eies They pitched the next tyme at Neuburg which they had fortified with a garnison before two days after they marched to Donauerd The tenth day of September they encāped besydes Uending a towne of the Erles of Oeting sending from thence espialles to bring them some intelligence of the Erle of Bure That perceiuing the Emperour sent aduertisement to the Erle who turning out of his way and marching from Norinberg to Regenspurg came to the Emperour at Ingolstad in safitie Wherfore the Protestauntes being frustrated of their hope the third day after returne vnto Donauerde Hether came vnto them Christopher Counte Oldenburg and Friderick Rifeberg with two legions and the Erle of Bichling with fiue enseignes of fotemē In the meane tyme the Emperour remoued his campe to Nuburg And whan no aide came the souldiours of the garnyson rendred the towne The Emperour pardoned them al taking stipulation of them that they shoulde no more weare armure against him Than the report went how the Emperour would to Auspurg Wherfore the Germaines passe ouer Thonawe to let him of his iourney But whan he leauing a garnison at Nuburg marched toward Marxeme they returne back into their former campe I tolde you before how they had sent Ambassadours for ayde both into Fraunce and Englande but that was in vaine And the king of Fraunce in dede excused the matter for that hauing made peace with the Emperour he sayd he could not How beit for that he would not haue the Emperours power increased he desyred Peter Strosse a Florētine a man of war and exceading riche to lende them thre hondreth thousand crownes and to the intent he might the easelier doe it he payeth a great somme of money that he ought him He was content for asmuche as they of Strasburg Auspurg and Ulmes became suerties goeth forth with Iohn Sturmius that was sent Ambassadour into Fraunce to the Princes in their campe at Donauerde Whan he came thither he was honorably receiued and departed in suche sorte as he would assuredly defray the money but when the tyme came that he shuld disburse it he could no where be found in all Fraunce Many men suppose that this was wrought by the policie of the Cardinall of Tournon Who for the hatred he bare to Religiō wyshed all aduersitie to the protestauntes and was than chief in authoritie with the king About th ende of September the protestauntes write again to them of zurick Bernes Basill to the Schafusians and shew them what themperour intēdeth what daunger they shal stand in also in case he get the victory and will them to consider whether it be not wisdome for thē to declare them selues ennemies to the Emperour and byshop of Rome after to inuade the Emperours countrie next thē If they wyll so doe they promyse them all ayde and fidelitie Wherunto they make aunswere Howe not they only but all the rest of the Swysses in lyke case haue a league by inheritaūce with the house of Austriche and Burgundy out of the whiche countreis they haue all their wyne and bread corne Whiche league if they should them selues infringe the Swisses their fellowes whiche be of a contrary Religion should haue iuste cause to assiste the Emperour and kyng Ferdinando and to opē the strayte passages in the Alpes whiche they haue through their great labour shut vp and closed and so ioyne with their ennemies Moreouer wynter is now at hande so that albeit they would neuer so fayne yet can they do no great thing this yeare and if they should leaue their owne countrey naked it is to be feared leste others would take possession in the meane season Therfore it is muche better that they tary styl at home For so shall not their fellowes styre as they haue already declared It is not vnknowen that they beare them ryght good wil and wyshe them to prosper after their owne hartes desyre howebeit they thinke it not mete for thē to enter into so great daunger And therfore desyre them to take it in good parte The Emperour remoueth from Marxeme to Donauerde but fyndyng no place conuenient to encampe in he tourneth on the left hand and the thyrde daye of October marcheth to Monheyme It fortuned than to be a great myste and the escoutes that were sent
is the Emperours minde which maketh the warre Wherfore seing that Religion is assured he seeth no cause why he should not obey themperour in al other thinges For Christ commaundeth to geue both to God and also to the Emperour that whiche is his What trauell and payn he hath taken that this matter might without ciuile warre haue ben pacified it is not vnknowen to the Emperour to kyng Ferdinando and to diuerse others But where as no peace could be graunted and the Emperour sent out streight cōmaundement to sease vpon the landes of Iohn Friderick and that also kyng Ferdinando hauing leuied the forces of Hongary Boheme and Austriche was ready to inuade and would not be intreated but sent in his armie and had taken already certen syluer mynes whiche were common betwene his cosin and hym he was dryuen of necessitie to prouide that they got not the resydue or inuaded further And what his purpose was he first declared boeth to the Lantgraue to the Duke his Cosyn and also to his Sonne And seing it is so he desyreth that no man mistake his doyng nor credit suche thynges as shall haply be reported by hym For in mainteyning of Religion he wylbe constant and hath none other respecte in this thinge than that the landes and dignities of the house of Saxon shuld not come into straungers handes About this tyme began again persecutiō in Fraunce There is a town in those parties called Melda ten miles from Paris the byshop therof in former yeares was Williā Brissonet Who being desirous of purer doctrine appointed good preachers instructours of the people excluding al freers And what tyme for the same cause the diuines of Sorbone procured him some daunger he shewed no constancie but refused his enterpryse Notwithstanding the remnaunt of that doctrine remayned in the mindes of many and this yeare about thre score townes men consulting of the matter chouse them selues a preacher of the worde and assembling in priuate houses whan the Sermon was ended on certen dayes they receiue the Lordes supper after the order of the Gospell and Christes institution This thing could not long be kepte secret especially sythe that dyuerse also came to them out of the countrey Wherfore beyng taken whan they were all together they are put in pryson and after their examination caried to Paris in cartes There receyuing sentence of death and caried home agayne fourtene of them bounden to seuerall stakes were burnte quicke all at one tyme the residewe were whypped and bannished As they were retournyng home warde from Paris one commeth runnyng to them out of the next village and exhorteth them to perseuer to the ende Wherfore beyng apprehended he suffered lyke punyshement as the others did Before ther were brent they were put on the torture to the intent they should vtter the fellowes and followers of theyr doctrine but they could extorte nothyng out of them Many supposed this to be done of pourpose to breake the amitie that was than in knitting betwene the kynge and the Protestauntes Duke Maurice letters of defiaunce to the Duke of Saxon were delyuered in the Campe the syxt daye of Nouember In the fourmer booke I haue shewed you howe the Byshop the .xvi. daye of Apryll gyuing sentence agaynst the Archbyshop of Collon depriued hym of al his ecclesiasticall offices Nowe where he heard fyrst therof for any certentie the fourth daye of Nouember as he hymselfe mentioneth a fewe dayes after settyng forthe a wryting and declaryng the causes why he can not acknowledge the Byshop for hys iudge who is accused already both of heresy and idolatrie he appealeth from that sentence vnto a lawfull counsell of Germany and whan the same shall begynne he sayeth he wyll persecute his suite against the Byshop The Protestauntes Ambassadours whiche I shewed you before were assembled at Ulme aboute the ende of October whan they could not agree in sentences in the moneth of Nouember they went to the Campe at Gienge that the consultation might be the easier There is propounded for so muche as some fellowes of their religiō geue no ayde of their cōfederates they of Luneburg Pomerane certen others and again the rest of the States and cities in Saxonie helpe not muche and nothyng is brought out of Fraunce and by reason that the soldiours doe dayly slippe awaye for the tyme of the yeare and other discommodities the armie is deminished they must chouse one of these thre thynges eyther to geue the battell or departe the field retyring the soldiours into places where they may wynter or els make peace and truce The matter being debated they condescended to make mention of peace and they assigned Adam Trotte who through the cause of the Electour of Brandenburg had accesse to Marques Iohn his brother to breake the matter But where as the Emperour whiche by espiall knewe throughly before all their case and discommoditie and had lately receyued glad tydiuges out of Saxony propounded verey harde conditions it is determined that all the reste of their force beyng led into Saxonie a thousande horsemen and eight thousande fotemen should wynter there in certen places at the coste and charges of the Duke of Wirtemberge and the cities of the vpper partes of Germany After the thre and twenty day of Nouember they retyre makyng fyrst a decree that an other Ambassade should be sent into Fraunce and Englande And at the two and twenty daye of Ianuarye to mere agayne at Frankefurte And thus was the warre gouerned nothyng luckely of the whiche misfortune this was thought to be the the principal cause that the matter was not wrought by the order and wyll of one For where the Duke of Saxon and the Lantgraue were in authoritie egall it chaunced that many goodly oportunities through disceptation were omitted The same whiche was also decreed of placyng their Soldiours came to none effecte whan many refused to be contributaries any longer After the Emperour had intelligence of theyr departure he maketh forth horsemen immediatly to vnderstande of their iourney And shortly after commaundeth the Duke of Alba and the Erle of Bure to followe and he him selfe also goeth forth with the Horsemen of Germany leauing the fotemen and cōmaunding them to remayne The moste part of the protestātes were already in their campe where they should reste al nyght But the Lantgraue albeit he led the forwarde the same day yet he taried with the Duke of Saxon and either of thē had ten guidons of horsemen only and about fiue hondreth gūners With these they stayed vpon an hill and plāted redy such field pieces as they had with thē And thus abiding their ennemies whan it was almost darke night the Emperour calleth his mē back and than went they also softely forwarde tyll they came to their Campe be besydes Heydenem in the lande of Wirtemberg escapyng moste present daūger For if the Emperour had geuen the charge they whiche were so fewe
contrary to faith and promyse some greater mischief should be wrought against him the Cardinall with a small trayne goeth to Creme sendeth for Hierome to come speake with him But he fearyng treason came not before he knewe assuredly that it was the Cardinall Whan thei had talked and conferred together and the Cardinall promysed largely to trauell in his cause they take their iourney both together And the Cardinall sent one or two of his company before to aduertise the Duke of their comming Than doth he cōtrary to that Octauius had signified sende playne worde howe he can not restore him And albeit the messengers sent being men graue witty spake many things to mitigate his fury yet perseuered he styl in the same Wherfore the Cardinal whan he had brought Palauicine agayne to Creme retourneth to Trent Nowe had certen of the Nobilitie before this whiche hated hym also conspired his death They hiring certen desperate murtherers wayte an occasion and many tymes seuerally come abroade with the same garde after them and eche of them pretende to do it for their priuate enemies And in the meane season euery of them demaunde of their men priuely whether thei wilfaith fully take their parte in reuenging a wrong done vnto them as they sayd by the Dukes Stewarde Who promyse their seruice not only in that but also to kyll the Lorde himself About this same tyme his father Paule the third wryteth vnto him that he should take hede to him selfe the tenth daye of December For the starres do prognosticate vnto hym some great misfortune the same day For the byshop was much geuen not only to Astrologie but also to Negromancie as it is certenly affirmed Whan the Duke had receiued his fathers letters he was in feare and carefulnes And whan that day was come he goeth out of the castell in his horse litter with a great company to view the fortification of the towne that he had begone The conspiratours were there also but whan they coulde not there accomplishe the thing desired they staye and whan he retourned home wayte vpon him and as it had bene of duty goe before him to the nombre of .xxxvi. And whan he was come with his horselitter into the castell they plucke vp the drawe bridge immediatlye that no mo shoulde followe after there by and by they approche him with their swordes drawen and calling him bitterly tyraunt sleye him within the horselitter and murther at the same tyme with him his chaplayne the maister of his horse and fiue Almaines of his garde After they runne vp and downe the castell and spoyle altogether finding great treasure and sommes of mony whiche he had appointed for the fortificatiō of the citie In the meane time was a great concourse of people about the castel inquiring what the matter ment that they heard suche noyse and crying within They make aunswer from aboue that they haue kylled the tyraunt and recouered the aunciēt libertie of the citie But where they could hardly make them to beleue the thing whan the citezens had warraunted their liues and assured them of pardon they hange out the dead body by a chaine ouer the walle and after they had swynged it a whyle to and fro they let it fall into the ditche The people came running to it iobbed it in with their daggers spurned it with their fete So great and mortal hatred they bare him After cōsulting of y◠matter they aduertise Ferdinādo Gōzage by their letters sent in post what was chaūced geue thē selues wholy to thēperour tuitiō desire to haue ayde sent thē with al spede Who sending thither a garrison in hast taketh the citie sweareth thē to be true to themperour After he writeth of al things to themperour desiring to know his pleasure herein They of Parma wer also moued to submit thēselues vnto themperour But they sending letters to the Byshop of Rome say they wyll stil remaine vnder his obeysaunce and refuse not the Father being slayne to doe homage to his sonne Octauius and acknowledge him for their Prince This is the somme of the newes which were reported to be sent vnto the Emperour and wherof the states were made partakers But others declare y◠matter to be far otherwyse saye it was pourposly done that a fewe howres after y◠the murther was cōmitted Gōzage was at the gates of the citie with a garrison but I can affirme nothing How soeuer the matter was al mē confesse that Peter Aloise was a very wicked a mischeuous fellow there be bokes in Italiā which recite his vngracious detestable lustes amonges the whiche this is one of all others moste notable wherby he is saide to haue enforced buggered with Cosmus Cherie Byshop of Fanen by the ayde of his seruaūtes that helde him Whiche filthie acte so inwardly greued that other caytif that shortly after he died for sorow and shame of the very thing And some do suppose that he gaue him poison that he should not vtter that wretched dede to themperour The Bishop notwithstanding loued his sonne derely and applied his whole study to auaunce him in honour And where oftentimes he heard of his lewde prankes he toke it not very greuously as it is reported and wold say this only that he learned not these vices of him I shewed you before how the fathers of the counsell leauing Trent remoued to Bononie And the same did the Emperour take in high displeasure And cōming to Auspurge caused the Senate of Princes to wryte to the Byshop herein Wherfore the .xiiii. day of Ianuary sending him their letters they declare the perillous state of Germany whiche they saye might haue bene eschewed if a remedy had bene founde for the disease in time that is to wite a general counsel for the which themperour hath oftener than ones ben a suter that he might haue procured the same within the precincte of Germany to the intent the byshops of the same countrey whom it chiefly cōcerned might there be present For where their iurisdictiō is gret it is not expedient that they shuld especially at this tyme be far from their own charge At the lēgth through themperours industrie whan no man wold come at Mantua nor Uicēce a coūsell in dede was called and begonne at Trent without the borders of Germany which rather belōgeth to Italy For the which cause also few Germanes came there Neither could they especially in time of war whan al wayes passages were stopped closed vp But now that this tempest is blowen ouer and the shippe at the hauons mouth all men were brought into a very good hope besides al expectaciō that the counsel shuld thus he remoued or rather diuided wherin the preseruatiō of the cōmon wealth consisteth it greueth them not a litle because of the daūger that is like to ensue therby For these .xxvii. yeres hath Germany ben tormoyled with newe pernicious sectes opinions
made with his father And although the Emperour by letters and intermessēgers did greatly disswade them yet they neuerthelesse for that they thought it more expedient for their pourpose assente ther unto first in dede those that are of the Romishe Religion and the Lepontians and Ualesians and after also they of Basill the Schafusians wherat many men marueled greatly by reason of those forsayd proclamations and executions For moste men supposed that they ought not to enter into league and societie with him whiche so cruelly persecuted the true Religiō and cōdemned their churches and doctours by name But they of Bernes and Zurick followyng the counsel of Zwinglius as I haue shewed you in the third and sixt boke abstained frō this league The conuocation of Lipsia is before mentioned But where many sayd and complained that the Romish Religion was by litle and litle restored Duke Maurice the fourth day of Iuly addressing his letters to his lieftenauntes sayeth how he heareth that ther be many which partly for ouermuch carefulnes partly being so perswaded by others feare least the olde errours should one after an other be restored And that certen ministers of the churche with other busy braines and troublesome persones are not fre from this sclaūder He hath verely at sōdry times heretofore declared by opē wryting what his minde and purpose is and for those sclaunders doth repete the same againe to the intent he may shewe testifie that he hath an especial care of Religion Wherfore he desireth those which either for lightnes of belief or through the perswasiō of others do feare an alteration to lay al feare aparte and geue credit to this his wryting and testimonie And as cōcerning them that bring vp suche reportes let them not thinke to escape vnpunished if they so continue Howbeit out of the decree lately made at Lipsia were gathered certen chapters by his commaundement which should be taught and preached Let them inquire therfore and learne to vnderstand whether the ministers of the churche do followe this fourme or whether they reprehend the same in their sermons What so euer it be he commaūdeth thē to aduertyse him and if any doubtes shall aryse to repare to that diuines of Wittemberge and Lipsia and that these thinges be declared vnto the people In these daies departed the Lātgraues wyfe mother in lawe to Duke Maurice whiche pined awaye through care sorow for her husbandes imprisonment About this time the people rebelled in England for two causes One was for landes cōmons enclosed For the people complayned that the Nobilitie had taken in much groūd whiche before lay cōmon had inclosed imparked the same for dere for other priuate vses The others in Deuonshire demaūded thesame also but they were chiefly offēded with thalteratiō of religion wold haue the syx articles wherof is mētioned in the .xii. boke to be restored What tyme therfore they flocked together in armure and the matter was ful of daunger neither would admonitions take any place The kyng and his coūsel though moste vnwilling sende forth a force against them and disconfite thē in sondry places and certen thousandes were slayne The French King espiyng this occasion which gaped after Bolain that was lost prepareth an army spedely and partly by force partly by surrendrie taketh certain castels and fortes by sea coaste betwixt Bolain and Caleis and by that meanes putteth the soldiors of Bolain to an extremity The Lordes of England toke this misfortune most greuously and because the Lorde Protector the kinges vncle had the gouernmente the whole faulte was imputed to him that he had not in time furnished the places with things necessary This blame and enuy increasing daily the protector in the beginning of Octobre was by common assent of the nobles appreheded at Windsore where the king was at the same time and brought to the Towre of London prisoner The Lords afterward declare vnto the people the causes charge him with euil gouernement of the common wealth and setforth a proclamation of the same in Print wherunto for a further testimony euery mā subscribeth his name amonges the which Ihon Earle of Warwicke was principal In the meane while that the French king attempteth these thinges against the Englishmen themperour leadeth about his sōne throughe Flaunders Henault and Artois and sweareth the people to be true and loyall vnto him After they both retourne to Andwarp about the .viii. daye of Septembre There was themperors sonne receiued with Pageauntes and showes most sumptuous not only by the Townes men but also by marchaunts straungers Spaniardes Italians Germanes and English men After this accōpanied with his aunt the regent he goeth also into thother prouinces receiue theyr fidelity by an oth I tolde you before of the Senate of Strausburge how they sent an ambassadour to the Emperour to abate the controuersy they had with theyr Bishop wherefore by themperors permission there were chosen certain arbitrers on bothe parties Whan they were met in the monthe of October after long disceptation the Senate permitteth the Bishop .iii. Churches that he may establish therin Religion according to the decree lately made Moreouer he receiueth the Cleargye into his faithe and tuition The Bishop againe couenaunteth and graunteth to the Senate the Colledge of Saint Thomas for the maintenaunce of the schole and the rest of the churches The Cleargy also payeth to the Senate an yerely tribute some of mony in other thinges they obtain their immunity and fredome The Emperour setforthe proclamations against them of Maydenburge as I haue declared before and called on the states in Saxonye for aid many refused not so that thother states not only of Saxony but also of thempire would do the same The menne of Lubecke and Luneburge by consente of themperors deputies going to Maidenburge assaied to make a reconcilemente but all in vaine At that tune did no man impugne them openly but for so much as they were outlawed they were euermore in daunger nether might they withoute pearill of life and goods depart out of that city For it was lawful for euery man to trye fortune against them Therfore the Senate where they had before cōplaind of thiniuries of their neighbors by publicke letters Now they setforth another wryting vnto al men in general but chiefly to their next neighbors and say how they are selanderously reported as though they should arrogantly and proudly demeane thē selues against themperor thempire and that they should forsake peace wryte many contumelious things but herein they sustain great wrong for they do acknowledge Charles themperor for theyr supreme magistrate and haue opēly proclaimed that nothing be said a misse against him or any state nether is there anye other cause of displeasure say they than that we professe the Gospell and word of God for thother slaunders are deuised and forged by theyr enuemies howe desyrous they be of peace it
is reported that through his aide they might auenge thē selues but this do they deny as shall be declared hereafter And their archbishop Ihō Alberte was lately departed wherfore they promised him the gouernment of the hole prouince in case he could subdue it by wrytings laid to pledge to him iii. principal castels Thus he marching first through the coūtry of Halberstat cam after into the prouince of Maidenburge ther practising slaughter spoyling burning surpriseth the towne of Wancelebe spoyleth setteth it on fire and whan he had there attēpted the castel in vain lost diuers of his mē he marcheth forward which way so euer he wēt did exceding much harm Wherfore the people of the country villages whē they saw their goodes cattel taken and driuen away come to the Senate of Maidēburge crauing their aid succor and declare how they wyll refuse no peryl nor coste herein The Senate therfore assigned them a daye wherin they shoulde be all in a redines That was the .xxi. daye of September Than went out of Maydenburg together with the husband men the citezens iointly and the soldiours of the garrysons with thre bandes of horsemen with field pieces and other furniture and reste that night two myles from the citie In the mornyng before daye lyght auauncing their campe they marche streightwaye towardes their ennemie and when they came into his syght put them selues in order of battell In the forewarde where was thought moste daunger stode the citezens and soldiours After them were placed the countrie people The Duke of Megelburge perceyuing this order sodenly tournyng about his rankes inuadeth the husbandmen a kynde of people neyther well armed nor exercised in feates of warre and that vpō suche a soden that he gaue the charge before the others coulde tourne them selues with their ordenaunce or be able to rescewe them So therfore they casting awaye their weapons fled who myght runne fastest and breaking the rankes of their fellowes make the waye open for the ennemy to get the victory The moste part of thē all what at the geuing of the charge and what after in the chase were slayne Of the citezens and soldiours were not many loste but dyuers taken The gunnes carriage and al warlyke furniture came into the handes of the ennemies In the meane season the Emperour was very instant that both decrees made at Auspurge should be obserued and maketh a greuous complaynt of the cities of Maydēburg and Breme For they only of all the cities remayned constant albeit the Bremers were not outlawed But the Princes make intercession and require that they myght haue the hearyng of the matter And whan the Emperour had cōsented they adresse their letters to eyther citie the .xxii. daye of September and cite them to appere at Auspurge the second day of Nouember and by saufe conduicte to come aunswere in their cause sendyng their Ambassadours with full power and authoritie to conclude There was a certen woman at Auspurge a citezen of the towne who seing the priest passe by who caried the hoste to a sycke man with lyght borne before him as the maner is maruelyng therat demaunded of hym why he caried that lyght at noooe dayes For so saying she was apprehended and in great daunger of her lyfe but through the great intreaty of women and finally at the intercession of the Emperours syster beyng pardoned of her lyfe was bannyshed For Mary Quene of Hungary Regent of Flaunders was come thither boeth for other matters and also for this cause chiefly that the proclamation lately set forth in Flaūders and those parties myght be mitigated For vnlesse it were so she sayde it would come to passe that Andwarpe whiche is nowe the beste frequented marte towne in the whole worlde shoulde fall in decaye and lose her former beautie Moreouer that ther was great daunger in all places of an iusurrection in case the thinge should be put in execution The Emperour very hardly acconsented at the laste and altering those thinges that concerned marchauntes straungers taketh away the name of inquisitione abhorred of all men the residue he commaundeth to take place to be obserued Whylest the letters were cōueyed to the Bremers thē of Maidēburg the Princes states inquire of the Emperour vpon what condicions he will accorde with them Wherfore he propoundeth for the Bremers these that they submit them selues vnto his power humbly craue pardō forsake al leagues make no cōfederacy wherin he his whole familie be not comprised That they obey the chāber imperial and be contributaries to the charges therof for their portion That they agre with their Archbishop if they can not to stand to the arbitrement of suche Umperes as he shal appoint That they accorde also with the whole clergie That they restore the munition taken from Duke Erricke and recompence hym for the harmes done That none within their iurisdiction serue in the warres against him That they paie vnto him an hondreth and fiftie thousand crownes and deliuer .xxiiii. pieces of ordenaunce furnished That they obeye the decree of the former cōuention and suche as shal be now decreed And to them of May denburg he imposeth in maner the same lawes This was added moreouer that they should aunswere all men to the lawe and obeye the sentence geuen That from the tyme of theyr rebellion they commence no action against any man That they Rase their fortifications and bulwarkes That they receyue into their citie hym and his Lieftenauntes at any tyme with what power someuer they brynge without any condicion That they paye two hondreth thousande crownes That the publication of theyr goodes be ratified and the Possessours thereof not disturbed The reporte of the battell of Maydenburge was immediatly sowen abroade farre and nere and within syxe dayes was brought to the Emperour at Auspurg And where as many men thought they had now bene almoste vndone beholde they publyshe a wrytynge the fyrste daye of October wherin they recite the whole matter and saye that they haue not lost aboue two hondreth of their Citezens and souldiours And they whiche appered to nede comfort do them selues confirme others For God say thei would by this meane trie our constancie And of his infinite goodnes towardes vs we doubt nothing And albeit it be his will that we shal thus wholy perish be oppressed yet can there be no euil therin For how much better were it to abide thextreme peril than forsaking the profession of the truth to reuolte to the Romish Antichrist For such as either for feare or for a certen couetousnes ambition do relent submit them selues to the coūsel of Trēt and do admit allowe that wicked decree made at Auspurge there is no doubt but that they both in this life in the life euerlasting shall suffer most greuous tourmentes except they retourne to amendemēt We know also that God hath appointed our aduersaries boundes
treated of penaunce and extreame vnction Than also the electoure of Brandenburge Ioachim sending his ambassadour Christopher Strasie a doctour of the ciuill law offered his duety and obeisance And certainly thāmbassadour spake manye thinges at large of the great good wil of his Prince They answer again how they haue taken much pleasure to hear his whole Oration especially that part wher the Prince submitteth him self wholy to the counsell and saith that he will obserue the decrees of the same For their truste is that the thing which he hath nowe presently spoken that same will he perfourme in dede After the deathe of Ihon Albert whiche had the Archbishoppricke of Maidenburge both wealthy and large the gouernement was committed to Fridericke sonne to thelectour of Brandenburge whome the Colledge had desired for their archbishop but the matter was impeached and could not be broughte to passe at Rome And because thelectour Ioachim was before of the Protestantes religion as it was openly knowen that same was a great let Wherfore to auoid the suspicion this ambassadoure was sent who fawning vpon the Prelates omitted no poynt of exquisit diligence Ther was peace concluded at Wittenberge And all beit the siege was not leuied immediatelye yet were there frendly metinges betwene them the xii day of Octobre And the self same time Duke Moris constraineth the Chats a people in the countrye of Hesse which wer iii. yeres past by themperours sentence taken frō the Lantz graue being prisoner to be sworne vnto him by the consent of the Lātzgraues sonne by reason of the league of inheritāce as he saith which is betwene the house of Hesse and Saxon so that for default of heirs males the one house should succede thother And no man doubted but this concerned the iniury of themperor that had geuen the sentence and some new commotion and all mē marueled what would be th end therof but in the Emperors court was in a manner no talcke of it and made as they knew not therof At this time was the Duke of Somerset vncle to the kinge of Englande apprehended the seconde time and with him the Lorde Paget the Lord Gray and certain others Than had Ihon the Duke of Northumberlande the chiefe rule and gouernemente The cause of his apprehension was as it is reported that the Duke of Northumberland said howe the other laid wait for his life For this by a law newly made was deathe amonges them About the eight day of Octobre the Bishop of Rome created Cardinall George Martinuse bishop of Wardin of high authority in Hongary the common people named him Monke because he was of thordre of Paule the first Hermit How the French ambassadour was commaunded to attend for an answer at the xi daye of Octobre so that the king would acknowledge the counsell I haue tould you before Certes he came not but yet in the Counsels name was setforth a wryting to the king First they recken vp how they loked for most ample things at his hands and that for sondry causes but at the comminge of this messenger and after they had red his letters they conceiued an inward sorow for that they are fallen from their expectation and yet forsomuch as they are neither touched with the gilt of conscience nor haue geuen none any occasion of displeasure they haue not yet laid aside thold hope they had of him wherfore thopinion which he hath conceiued as though this counsel were called for the priuate profit of a few can least of all take place in so worthy a Sinode For the causes of calling this Counsell were propounded not only of this Bishop but also of Paule the thirde verelye that heresies mighte be roted oute the schole of Discipline amended and peace be restored to the Church is not this plaine inoughecan ther be any more godly or Christianlike thing be done For now are heresies spredde not only throughout Germany but in manner in all Countries which great calamity the counsell is in will to redresse This is the very cause and this is also the end of all theyr doyng and all thinges are referred to this poynt Let him therfore permit the Bishoppes of his realme to further so godly a busines For he neaded not to feare least they might not be suffred to speake frely that they thought For lately was his ambassadoure bothe quietly and patiently heard whan he told no ioyfull newes Than seing a priuate man was heardwith such a lei tie why should any man beleue that the same shuld be denied vnto publike parsons such as are placed in so high dignity how be it though he send no man yet shall the counsell neuertheles haue bothe his dignitye and authoritye for that it was lawfullye summoned and now for iust causes restored And where he signified that he would vse the remedies that his progenitoures had done before they supposed he would neuer procede so farre as to reuoke those thinges which were taken away abolished in times past to the great commodity of the kinges of Fraunce and seing that god hath so highly auaunced him and indued him with so great benefites they truste verely that he wil do nothing wherby he shuld seme vnthankeful ether towards God or to our mother holy church let him only haue a respect to his progenitors to that same title and surname of most christen king Finally to his father king Fraunces who honoured the former Sinode by sending thither his bishoppes and ambassadors Men of most excellent learning he oughte to walcke in these fotesteps which are both fresh and domestical and follow this exāple and remit priuate displeasures for the common wealthes sake Themperor and the Bishop had exhorted the Swisses that they shuld be at the counsel but it was in vaine and the Bishop in dede treated with them by Hierome Francke as before is saied but the French king gaue charge vnto Morlet that was his ambassador there that he shuld indeuor to perswade them all that they send no man thither Morlet fineding some difficultye herein sendeth for Uergerius an expert man in such affaires out of Rhoetia and axeth his counsel He both furnished him of argumentes and shortly after setforth a boke of eschuing the counsell Morlet beinge thus instructed came vnto thassemble of Baden and there alledgynge his reasons perswaded not only them which had longe sence forsaken Papistry but also all the residue of the Swisses euen as he desired Wherfore none of them came to Trent Out of Rhetia cam thither at the Bishop of Romes commaundement Thomas Plāt bishop of Chur but whan the Rhetians vnderstode by the aduertisement of Uergerius what the bishop of Rome intended howe he would by him recouer his authority amonges them he was called home againe The Spaniardes which wer in the land of Wirtemberge were sent for about this time by themperor and sent into Italy to serue in the warre of Parma By theyr departure
daies before that he went to Rome by his letters sent to the Senate of Princes Ambassadours sheweth that he desireth in dede peace by al meanes but in any wise to cōsent that the dignitie of the Sea Apostolique or the olde religion should be defaced he will neuer permitte In the meane time they of Sene who nowe by the space of eight moneths to wit euen from the time that Peter Strosse receiued the ouerthrowe as is shewed in the last boke were besieged with the power of themperour of Cosmus Duke of Florence driuen for want of all thinges where no ayde appered the xxi daye of Aprill yelde thēselues to thēperour are ruled by a garrison of soldiours lieftenaunt of themperours armie was the Marques of Marignane twyse famous by the policie of war Thre yeres since what time by thayde of the French king the Spanyardes beinge discomfited they Rased the Castell they of Sene sending Ambassadours gaue the kinge as harty thankes as they could deuise and from that time forewarde cōmended to his tuition them selues and all that they had Marcellus the second newly created Pope the xxii daye of his creation in the night that goeth before the first of May chaūged his life for death Alitle before wercome to the citie forduties sake and to salute him Hercules Duke of Farrare Guy Ubalde Duke of Urbine For they had preuēted others who neuerthelesse should haue come The Cardinals assembled in the Conclaue the .xxiii. day of May proclame Cardinal Theatine Pope Thesame was Iohn Peter of Naples Deane of the College a gentleman borne of the noble house of Carastes a man of aunciēt yeares notably learned Chaunging his name he called him self Paul the fourth Paul the third had chosen him into the nomber of Cardinals And he is the self same that began a certen new secte of those whiche are called Iesuites and haue nestled not in Italy only but also in certen places of Germany Not lōg after he created his nephew his brothers sonne Cardinal the same was a man of warre and that a chief captayne seruing for the moste part the Frenche Kyng I shewed before in the last boke how Poole thenglish Cardinal went to themperour French king to sollicite moue thē to peace and handled the cause both by wordes writinges amongest other thinges which he vsed to perswade them Whilest you saith he kepe ciuile war the Turke doeth very much to inlarge his dominion And hauing wonne by Sea land two strong holdes Belgrade the Rhodes hath made him a way open to Offen hath the possession of Tonowa And if God had not stired vp the king of Persia to be his aduersary it is to bee thought that he might haue already subdued to him self al the prouinces of Christendom By this selfsame occasion haue euil Christiās also increased in sondry places with so much a deprauation corruptiō of al discipline aswel ecclesiastical as ciuile that now your power is not great inough to suppresse thē For this declare welenough so many rebellions which are stired vp euery where the duties of religion neglected heresies scismes which in the meane time spring vp are increased After in an other place ye ought to consider saith he that you ar the Princes of the Christen Beligion And albeit that God hathe permitted Sathan thauthour of all euil which is altogether in this that he might sift the churche wynnowe it like wheate to styre vp war amongst you which are two of the chiefest moste noble mēbers of the church yet hath he not suffred his wickednes further than to prophane and ciuile matters For in Religion he hath kept you sounde of one and the same opinion and annexed to the body of the churche For els coulde there hardly be made againe any concorde betwixt you And where as so many other Princes haue reuolted from the churche and that thennemy of mankinde hath attempted so many thinges yet hath God moste benignely loked vpon you and hath made his enter prises frustrate Wherby as by a moste certen token of his goodnes and clemencie towardes you he sheweth that he wil at the length vse your ministerie wil ioyne you both together with his vicar in earth to the intent verely that such hurtful dissentions may be taken a way and that as well in the state ciuile as sacred peace may be restored to al mē Many such like thīges brought Poole threatening them also with the wrath and vēgeaunce of God vnlesse they leaue and releaue the miserie of the afflicted people And although he preuailed than nothing yet whilest the matter went forwarde in Englande he holdeth on And the matter at lēgth was brought to this point that both the Emperour and the Frenche king refused not to sende Ambassadours to the treatie of peace But the Quene of Englande who was a meane in this matter appointeth a fit and mete place in the myddes of the playne betwyxt Caleis Arde and Grauelyn Townes of the Englyshe Frenche and Flemishe dominion set as it were a treangle and intrenchynge the same rounde aboute wyth Ditches buylded there foure Pauilions Sommer houses in deede but yet fyne and fitte for the pourpose In this place therfore the .xxiii. daye of Maye this yeare the Ambassadours mete from the Emperour amongest others came the Byshop of Arras From the Frenche kyng the Cardinal of Loraine and the Conestable Out of England came as peacemakers Cardinall Poole the Bishop of Wynchester Chauncelour the Erle of Arondell and the Lorde Paget This brute blowē abroade far and nere styred vp diuerse expectations and iudgementes of men amongest the chiefly vnto whome the controuersies were not vnknowen For there came in question the Dukedome of Millan Burgundy Sauoye Piedmont Corsica Nauerne Loraine the lande of Luke the cities of Tully Uirodone and Metz. The matter being long much debated where amongst other thinges at the last the Englishe intercessours sayde how certen of these controuersies ought to be referred to the hearing of the generall counsell they departed and nothyng finished Kyng Ferdinando and the states of the Empire sendinge their letters to the Emperour the fourth Ides of Iune had praied him that in the treatie of peace he would haue consideratiō of those thinges whiche the kyng of Fraunce had taken from the Empire Where therfore nothing was done the Emperour wryting againe to the states the .xv. day after your duty saith he is to me ryght acceptable that you are so moued with the calamities of those thinges whiche both mine and also the publique ennemy of the Empire hath afflicted Doubtles I was very careful that suche thinges might be restored to their fourmer estate And before your epistle was deliuered me I had inioyned mine Ambassadours chief counsellours sent to treate of peace that amongest other thinges they should handle this same moste diligently nother should they
howe those whiche take vpon them the title of olde and Catholique Religion not without the great dishonour of God handle Religion and abuse the churche goodes Neuerthelesse to establishe a peace they do permitte that they may kepe styll their lawes Rites and ceremonies and inioye all their goodes landes and possessions customes rightes and priuileges tyll suche tyme as the dissention in Religion be accorded Wherfore they can not allowe that they shoulde prescribe that condition to the Byshoppes For so should it come to passe that they them selues shoulde be bounde to impugne the approuers and felowes of their owne Religion And to theyr great dishonour they shoulde condemne their owne cause For this were saye they to graunte our Religion and doctryne not to be worthy of the Churche goodes and that the same goodes haue bene hetherto applied amisse to our Churches and Ministeries We should also confesse theyr wicked doctrine and ministerie to be grounded vpon Goddes worde and that the Churche goodes are consecrated to this fylthie lyfe of theyrs Lawes and Ceremonies But howe greate an assence woulde this thynge ingender yf we shoulde maynteyne the cause and lyuynges of them whyche doe perfourme no profitable nor necessary dutie to the Churche And shoulde betraye them who for the same Religion oughte of vs to bee moste set by The aduersaryes amonges other thinges saide this if the Clergie should be permitted to alter their Religion it would come to passe that Byshoprikes and suche other like colleges should be made prophane and by litle and litle being plucked away from the churche should come into the handes of Princes and be made their inheritaunce But they affirme that this was neuer their intēt But to haue had a respect to this only that being called again to their olde foundation they might be imployed to the true vses and that the same goodes might be annexed to the same churches for euer And to take awaye all doubtes they promise to put in good assuraunce that in what Byshoprikes or Colleges soeuer Religion shall be altered no part of their goodes to be alienated and that after the death or resignation of the byshop free election and administration should be permitted to the College But where after muche reasoning they could not agree they exhibite on both partes to kyng Ferdinando their reasons comprised in wrytinge and requeste hym that he wold fynde some waye This was after the Ides of Iune For they proceded very slowly The cause wherof many thought to be that the conclusion of peace betwene the Emperour and the Frenche kyng was loked for For that the same was thought to make not a litle for either parte But the Papistes made as it were an extraordinary wryting vehement and byting to the intent they myght the more set forth their matter And firste saye they the protestauntes haue propounded fiue conditions First that the catholiques should allowe that doctrine which many yeares past in this our time also by by so sone as it sprāg vp of the ordinary magistrate hath bene alwayes condēned Secondly that the sacrileges which they by the space of these .xxx. whole yeres haue cōmitted should be ratified allowed that neither by law nor by other godly lawful meanes the church may recouer that same goodes But they wold also haue peace to be made with them where notwithstāding it is forboden to haue any cōpany with them Moreouer that thei might place in the colleges churches of archbishops of other prelates wicked ministers to set forth dotestable condēned doctrine to abolish the true seruice ceremonies of the church to bring in new wicked in their place that they may norish those false preachers of the churche goodes directly against tholde lawes custome of the churche Further more that it should be lawefull for all persones as well ecclesiastical as ciuile which as yet followe the catholique religiō to reuolt frō their true religion to come and followe their lore Finally when any of the Princes or Byshops do reuolt to their syde that it shall not concerne the same persone only but must apperteine to the people also that are subiecte to his gouernement and to the goodes and the whole ecclesiasticall iurisdiction Nowe although these thinges do striue with the lawes of God and man albeit thei be contrary to the othe both of themperour and of the king and of al the Prelates in so muche that the catholiques may not conueniently receiue them vnlesse they would breake both their fayeth and promesse yet for as much as they sticke obstinatly to their pourpose and threaten force also the catholiques at the length are contented so farre forth as they ought to do by the pacification of Passawe and haue declared the same sufficiently in the Senate of the Empire shewyng how they can not graunt that libertie of chaunging religion indifferently to all men For so should it come to passe that the Empire shoulde be broughte to desolation and that hyghe top of dignitie taken away from Germany For it is the dutie of Archebyshops and other Prelates that not only they do not permitte any Religion condemned but also that they should admonishe and put in feare Byshoppes and suche others yea the vnlearned that are ready to reuolte and suche as continue in their errour to present to the Catholique and Romishe churche For this maner hath euer since the tyme of the Apostels bene obserued as it is to be proued by sondry testimonies of counselles but chiefly by that of Calcedonie Neyther ought any man to thinke that suche as do reuolte should be left to their owne conscience For in thinges that concerne our fayth euery man ought not to be permitted to haue his cōscience free But when any departeth from the commō consent of the churche he ought to be punished and restreyned And in case he obeie not he must be excommunicated after the example of those counselles whiche are accompted the chief whiche condemned Arrius Macedonius Nestorius Eutyches And in dede the counsell of Calcedonie deposed Dioscorides the maynteyner of Eutyches from his Byshoprike For where it is sayde that euery man ought to haue his iudgement and conscience free And that neyther Christe nor his Apostles did euer compelle any to beleue yea when many went awaye from Christe there was none holden against his wyll this same verely is grounded vpon no foundation And is confuted by Saint Augustine at large in the two hondreth and fourth Epistle For if it should be free for Byshoppes forsaking the catholique Religion to reuolte to an other they wyll not relinquishe theyr Byshoprike for they wyll saye that they can nōt doe it with a saufe conscience but they wyll desyre ayde of the Protestaūtes that they wyll assiste them in mainteining their state and keping of the people in their Religion If this be done there is no doubt but these wyl take in hande to defende them
set before their eyes and to remember the same tyme. For bothe the wyckednes of that deuiser was detected where as euery Prynce for his parte denied the thing by open wryting and the sclaunderer afterwarde loste his head as he deserued Whiche I truste shall nowe come to passe also that euen God beyng reuenger the authours of so wycked a deuise may be disclosed For my parte I praye God to sende them a better mynde and to confounde theyr counselles that they redounde not to the distruction of the Countrie For seinge that thys is a lyke sclaunder as that furmer was it may be easely perceiued that the authours haue forged it of the selfe same mynde that the other dyd or after the imitation of hym to haue attempted this to the intente verely that they myght nowe bringe to passe that thynge whiche he than coulde not finishe But for as muche as the intente of this Sclaunderer is that he myght perswade that the Pope and the Emperoure woulde by force of armes breake that decree made for peace in Religion and that the kyng of Englande and the Byshoppes of Germany would also ayde them herein I proteste that it is wyckedly forged and inuented for this intent verely that mens myndes beyng exasperated and displeasures increased all places myght swymme full of ciuyle bloud And although I doe not doubte but that the Emperoure and other Princes to the iniurie of whom this seditiouse and famouse libelle apperteineth wyll them selues defende theyr cause yet for duty sake I can not omitte but that I must also pourge the highe Magistrate Unfaynedly all the tyme that I remained at Rome in my presence or to my knowledge ther was not one worde spoken at Rome of that same peace of Religion It is falsely therfore ascribed to the Pope as though he should applie all hys Counsell to force and violence as though he went about to perswade hereunto the Emperoure and other kynges It is falsely I saye imputed to him neither can it be proued And seing that is so it is like wyse false that is wrytten of the Emperour For since there was no cōference nor treatie betwene them for this matter howe coulde they determine vpon warre or make a compacte betwene them for the recoueryng of the ecclesiasticall iurisdiction or subduinge of Germany This defamer sayth that truce was made betwyxt the Emperour and Frenche kyng to the intent that the soldiours being of either discharged might be led to this warre What the cause of the truce was the copie of the same declareth Againe those soldiours were not reteined of any Prynce but so many as kyng Ferdinando commaunded to be taken vp and sent thē into Hongary against the Turke those also excepted whome they of Auspurge and of Norinberge and the Byshoppes of Bamberge and Wirtemberge hired least haply they should be oppressed vpon the soden This part therfore of their deuyse falleth touchyng the Pope the Emperour and of the other Byshoppes Nowe as concerning my selfe I haue verely hitherto followed the olde trewe and catholique Religion and as it becommeth a Germayne borne I treade in the footesteppes of my elders and perseuer in the same communion of the churche that I was brought vp in as also in the last counsel imperiall I declared both by my letters and counsellours In this mynde I pourpose through Gods grace to perseuer Neither am I mynded to doe any thynge that may striue with honestie or consideration of my dutie And yet neuerthelesse I couet to be at peace with all men But where it is sayde that I haue had secret conference with the Pope with the Emperour with the kyng of Englande and with other States of the Empire and and with certen priuate men about the framyng of this war Agayne that same of the Paulsgraue the Duke of Wirtemberge and the Marques of Brandenburge to be moste false neyther that it can be proued of any man Yea they that bringe vp suche tales of me whether it be done by woorde or wrytinge I saye they be sclaunderers and ennemies of the common countrie And touching Counte Palatine thus standeth the matter The maner and dignitie of my vocation requyreth that I should maynteyne the ryght of my Byshoprike and kepe the people committed to my charge in the olde and Catholique Religion And beynge aduertysed that Otto Henry Prince Electour went aboute to make certen Townes of my Byshopryke of his Religion and had placed Preachers in them I toke this doubtles in euyll parte and had cause why I should defende me by the lawes Therfore my counsellours in my absence howbeit yet by my commaundement brought the matter in to the chāber imperiall where the matter dependeth as yet so Otherwyse not so much as in worde I neuer hurte his name nor estimation muche lesse haue I attempted any thyng against his countrie But if I coulde doe any thyng that might tourne to the commoditie of hym selfe his countrie or people I would omitte nothing and I suppose that the people of his coūtrie can beare witnes of this thing for they knowe what I haue done for them in tymes paste in their great aduersitie Moreouer I haue euermore loued the house of Palatine being readye to gratifie them by what soeuer meanes I myght And the same wil is neuer a whit chaūged In semblable wyse am I affected towardes Christopher Duke of Wirtemberge a good man wyse skylfull a louer of peacei And haue euer synce the tyme we were fyrst acquaynted borne hym great good will and haue studied also to perfourme the same in dede But that eyther he or the Paulsgraue should be dryuen out of theyr countrie the same not only came neuer into my mynde but also in case I had knowen any suche matter as myght haue tended to the losse of their estimation or goodes I would both haue bene ryght hartely sory for the same and woulde haue letted it also to the vttermoste of my power that no suche thinge should haue chaunced And hitherto in dede I haue so demeaned my selfe alwayes that I suppose they haue founde nothyng so shal I also vse my selfe from henceforth that I shall geue them a more occasion so to thynke vpon this hope verely that for as muche as I haue geuen no cause to be offended they wyll beare me the lyke good wyll And howe muche I lamented the chaunce of Marques Albert he is not ignoraunt hym selfe for what haue not I assayed what haue I not proued that this discorde myght bee taken awaye and quietnes be restored to the Empire Doubtles my trauell in that thyng hath bene so muche and my industrie so great that although I regarded herein the common wealth yet came I in suspition with many that I tendered his commodities ouermuche and sought to hynder others But howe vpryghtly I handled the matter my letters wrytten to hym can shewe Seyng therfore I am of this mynde towardes thē neyther is there any duty wantyng