bishop of Rome albeit the Councel was holden in Italy But what forceth it to alleage so many Councels sith in one Councell this question was heard and determined and both parties heard also The bishop of Rome with the title of Patriark tooke vpon him much authoritie ouer the Churches of Affrique So that the Sismatiques of Affrick as to a refuge retired vnto him For this cause the Councell of Maleuant wherein was Saint Augustine and a great number of fathers pronounced al those excommunicate which should appeale to parts beyound the seas The Bishop of Rome grudging here at sent his Legates to the 6. Councell of Carthage wherein also was S. Augustine present to defend his right This question in this Councell was truly handled Zozimus Boniface and Celestine successiuely being Bishops Aurelius Archbishop of Carthage where the Councell was holden and not the Legates of the Pope albeit they were three and present namely Faustine Bishop Philip Aselias presbiters there gouerned These had the Bishop of Rome sent to the Councel of Carthage to defend the authoritie which the Nicen Councell said they had giuen to the Bishop of Rome to wit that appeale might be made to the Bishop o of Rome from the sentence giuen by any metropolitaine whatsoeuer One Daniell a notarie red the whole 5. chap. of the Councel of Sardice which the Bishop of Rome said but very vntruly was of the Councell of Neece The Pope like a good apothecarie when it is for his profit well knoweth to giue quid pro quo All the Bishops and Archbishops much marueyled and said that such a thing was neuer read in the Councell of Nice and so the same Councell of Nice which they had then in writing they commaunded to be read which beeing read and no word of such appellation found yet did the Romane Legates insist that it was so Needefull it was then to send certaine men to Constantinople Alexandria and also to Rome it selfe that they might bring other copies of the Nicen Councell Within one yeare were they brought and the originall it selfe chiefly which was kept in Constantinople Read they were and no mention nor ought else that might giue suspition of this priueledge which the Romans alleaged to haue bene graunted them in the Nicen Councell was at all found in any of these coppies A letter then was written by consent of the whole Councell of Carthage to the Bishop of Rome wherein no such thinge said they but the contrary rather was found in the Councel of Nice that the Bishop of Rome as did other Popes and metropolitanes should medle within his owne limits and boundes And that therefore if he were wise hee should thenceforth be content with his owne dioces and bishorick not intrude vpon an others possession This letter was subscribed by 230 fathers and among them the Popes selfe same three Legats before named If the Pope and his Legats when they vsed not such tyraÌ„ny as now they vse did dare to falsifie a Councell in almost a thousand two hundred and so many yeares passed after this Councell of Carthage vnto this yeare 1598. What shall they not haue done Quien haze vn cesto hara ciento He that maketh one basket wil make a hundred And no wonder it is that they haue dared to falsifie the Councels seeing they haue shamelesly taken from the law of God the 2. Commandement Thou shalt not make to thy selfe any image c. And seeing but 9 Commandements of the tenth commandement Thou shalt not lust c. haue they made two commandements as in the beginning of this Treatise we haue noted Our Spanish Caranâ—a in his Summa Conciliorum setteth down no one of so many Cannons in it of this 6. Councell of Carthage the cause is least he shuld therein haue discouered the falshood of the Bishop of Rome in alleaging of the Nicen Councell that which the Councell neuer but the contrary rather determined A Summarie onely he made and verie briefe saying that the Councell determined what the Nicen Councell demaunded of the Easterne Bishoppes but saieth not vnto what purpose O great subtiltie This Councell of Carthage albeit it was generall called he prouincial So also calleth it Panuinus notwithstanding they both coÌ„fesse that there were found there present 217 Bishops and three legates of the Pope what letteth it then to be generall The Papists what they may wil forget this sixt Councell of Carthage albeit saith Panninus it was confirmed in Trullo Gracian also interpreting the words of the Councell vseth the same malice That none appeale saith he to partes beyond the sea except it be to the Bishop of Rome The cause why it was commanded in this 6. Councell of Carthage that no appeale should be beyond the sea was for that the sismatikes of Affrike condemned by the good Bishops of Affrike appealed to Rome Therfore commanded the councel they should not appeale but that the businesse without seeking further should be concluded in Affricke And so was the conclusion of this Councell That the Bishop of Rome should not receiue those that were excommunicate by the Bishops of Affricke nor accept their appellations which had in Affrike bene condemned and those that appealed to him should be for the same matter excommunicate The reasons whereuppon this Councell was founded sent by it to Celestine Bishop of Rome be these That in no CouÌ„cel was any such thing determined But that the Nicen Councell contrariwise gaue the charge of the Bishops and Ecclesiasticall persons to the Metropolitane The grace of the holy Spirit saith it will assist euery prouince to iudge controuersies that each one which felt himselfe greeued might appeale to a prouinciall Councell For it is more to bee beleeued that God will rather inspire manie Priests in a Councell assembled then one only man c. By that which wee haue alleaged of the sixt Councell of Carthage it clearely appeareth how false is that which the Pope said that in the Nicen Councell the primacie was giuen him and yet want there not some in our times also which renewe this falshood And so D. Illescas vpon the life of Boniface 3 in the marginall note saith these words Phocas de clared by the Law that the Roman Church is head of the Church vniuersall Also he saith This superiority of the Roman Church hath euer sithens bene and by all faithfull and Catholike Christians is holden for a thing proued without dispute as the Councell of Neece chap. 6. and Raimundus Rufus against the heretiks of this time for louers of nouelties c. most plainely proueth In the seuenth Councell of Carthage the matter of the primacie was also debated The cause was this That Iohn Bishop of Constantinople seeing himselfe fauoured of Maurice the Emperour called himselfe Bishop of Bishops and vniuersall bishop And this because he was Bishop of the citie where the Emperour was resident Mauricius willing to aduaunce his citie and abase Rome did
without consent of the Emperour was made Pope The Emperour leuied a great hoste against Rome Gelasius fearing him went with his partakers to Gaeta When the Emperour was come to Rome hee made another Pope whom they called Gregorie the eight Archbishop of Braga which done the Emperour departed from Rome Gelasius hearing the same came secretely to Rome and boldly went to say Masse in the Church of S. Praxâ—idis where those of the contrary faction did so assault him that he hardly escaped their hands and so fled to Pisa and from thence into France where after he had a yeare and some dayes bene Pope he died In Colonia he held a Councell albeit not present there himselfe where the Emperour was excommunicated He ordained in this Councell that his successors the chiefe Bishops of Rome neither might nor ought to be iudged of anie In the 1119. yeare he died and Don Alonso reigned in Castile In the place where Gelasius died was Calistus the second a Burgoignian by some of the Cardinals that went with him chosen which election some Cardinals abiding in Rome and Italie did also approue He thus made Pope went to Rome where most honorably he was receiued thence sent to command his Legate as then at the Councell to continue the excommunication against the Emperour Who fearing the like should happen to himselfe as did to his father admitted albeit wicked the conditions of peace Gregorie as yet liuing whom he had made Pope This peace concluded Calistus bent himselfe to persecute Gregorie Gregorie seeing his part ouerthrown fled from Rome to Sutrio whither followed Calistus tooke him and with great ignominie brought him to Rome put him into a Monastery This Calistus the more to confirm idolatrie and the better to intertaine superstition made the Church of S. Iames of Galicia an Archbishoppricke and a booke also of S. Iames his miracles In the 1124. yeare he died and Don Alonso 7. reigned in Castile Honorius the second a Bullonist entered not saith Platina rightly into the Popedome For more by ambition then the consent of good men he obtained it The Cardinals chose for Pope Theobald Cardinall of S. Anastasia whom they called Celestine the secoÌ„d This was the 25. Sisme The people sought to haue the Cardinall of Saint Stephen to be Pope There was theÌ„ in Rome a very rich maÌ„ called Leo who so much wrought both with the Cardinals and people that neither the Cardinall of S. Anastasia nor he of Saint Stephen but whom he himself listed called Honorius 2. was Pope Honorius sent into England Iohn of Crema Cardinal of S. Grison his Legate which Cardinall in a Councell by him held in London condemned married Priests and was taken the night following with the theft in his handes with a wicked woman they caught him which as saith Mathew Paris gaue no small scandall to the Church Such be these as were the Pharisies of whom the Lord saith that they binde heauie burthens and hard to beare and put them vpon the shoulders of men but they themselues wil not moue them with one of their fingers Honorius died in the 1130. yeare and Don Alonso 7. reigned in Castile Innocent being Pope shewed great hatred to Rogero king of Sicilia against whom he went forth in battell And as he carried him away vanquished behold the sonne of the king came and tooke the Pope and his Cardinals Now did the Romans make another Pope whom they called Anacletus the second this was the 26. Sisme which Innocent hearing compounded with the king and minding to go to Rome but durst not attempt it He went into France and in Claremount held a Councell where he condemned Anacletus and went to see Philip king of France then Henrie the first king of England and afterwards Lotharius king of Almaine to the end they should restore him to his Popedome Lotharius with a great campe came vpon Rome put to flight Anacletus and in his seat placed Innocent which Pope to shewe himselfe gratefull crowned Lotharius Emperour This Innocent ordained that whosoeuer wounded any Priest or ecclesiastical person should ipso facto be excommunicate and none might absolue him but the Pope himselfe Concil 17. q. 4. Siquis In the 1143. yeare hee died and Don Alonso the seuenth reigned in Castile Lucius 2. was made Pope In whose time the Romans vnable to beare longer the violence and tyrannie of the Popes elected one Patricio a noble man of Rome called Iordan This Patricio demaunding the rights of the citie of Rome aswell within as without the walles said that this right by reason of his office perteined to him which the Pope by meanes of Charles the Great suppressing al the Patricios had so long time vsurped to himselfe He commaunded that the Pope as his predecessors had done should content himself with the first fruits tenths and oblations The Pope seeing himselfe so disquieted by the Romans sent his Ambassadors to the Emperor Conrado requesting him to come into Italie and aide him which Conrado could not do The Pope seeing there was no remedie to be expected by the Emperour vsed this subtiltie He awayted his time when all the Snators of Rome and the Patricio with them were together in the Capitol This oportunitie found the Pope like a good Captaine vtterly to destroy that Senate went with many souldiors in person to the Capitol The bruit of the Popes pretense flue presently through Rome the Romans took armes and fought brauely against the Pope who receiued in the battell so many blowes with stones that thereof shortly after in the 1145. yeare not hauing yet fulfilled a yeare in his Popedome he died Don Alonso 7. reigned in Castile In the time of this Don Alonso 7. and whiles Eugenius 3. successor of Lucius was Pope Don Alonso 1. after he had 27. yeeres bene Earle of Portugal hauing conquered fiue Moorish kings was made king of Portugal and so continued king 46 yeares Anastasius 4. was not so wicked as his predecessours In the second yeare of his Bishopdome he died In his time saith Mathew Paris was William restored to his Archbishopricke of Yorke in England who the same yeere of poyson which in saying Masse they put into the Chalice died Don Alonso 7. then reigned in Castile When Adrian an Englishman and son of Robert a Monke of Saint Albons was chosen he wold not be consecrated vntill Arnold Bishop of Brixta was cast out of Rome This Arnold had perswaded the Romans to recouer their liberty of chusing their magistrates gouerning their common-wealth but the people would not graunt what the Pope demaunded for which cause the Pope did excommunicate them Arnold in the end was expulsed Rome and the Consuls renounced their office At this time came Fredericke the Emperour to Rome the Pope and clergie met him in Sutrio The Emperour
they are worthie of perpetuall memorie I will here recite them Hardly saith he remayned any bishopricke or ecclesiasticall dignity which entertained not strifes whose cause but not with emptie hande was caried to Rome Be glad mother Rome because the sluces of treasures doe open in the earth that the flouds and riuers of money may come to thee in great abundadnce Reioice ouer the wickednes of the sonnes of men because for recompence of so great wickednes the price to thee is geuen delight thou with discorde thy helper which issued from the pit infernall that many rewardes of money might be heaped vnto thee Hold that for which thou hast thirsted Sing to sing because by the malice of men and not their godly religion thou hast ouercome the world draw men vnto thee not their deuotion but the committing of great abhominations and the deciding of strifes for reward Hitherto the Abbot who so now would say thus should be an heretike a Lutherane In the 1198. yeare died Celestinus Don Alonso 8. reigned in Castile Innocent 13. whom the Historians call Nocentissimus bare so great hatred to the Emperour Philip because against his liking he was chosen by the Germane Princes that he said these words Bishop either take the crowne and kingdom from Philip or Philip take from the Bishop his Bishopdome And so stirred he vp Otho a great and rash warriour against the Emperour Much bloud he shed for the Popes cause vntill another Otho and great taitor slew Philip and so his Competitor Otho came to Rome and for his good seruice done to the Pope was crowned Note that which before we haue said vpon Alexāder 3. against the Emperour but long lasted not the friendship between Innocent Otho For Otho willing to recouer that which the Popes had vsurped of the Empire was by the Pope excommunicated all whosoeuer should call or hold Otho for Emperour were accursed And so the Pope procured the Princes to choose for Emperor Frederike king of Cicil. The Popes be like vnto stumpets which no longer loue their ruffians then they do them seruice In the time of this Pope which was in the 1212 yeare some of the Nobles of Alsacia as Huldericus Mucius reporteth condemned the Pope for wicked because he suffered not the Priests to be maried And because certaine men said it was lawfull for euerie Christian to eate flesh and marrie at any time of the yere the bishops burned in one daie a hundred persons If this be heresie then Saint Paule was an heretique 1. Timothie 4. 3. where he calleth them that forbid mariage and meats which God hath created c. apostatates from the faith This Innocent 3. vnder colour to recouer the holy land did celebrate the Councell of Laeteran but his principall intent was to excommunicate and depose the Emperor because he had taken some citties of the Patrimonie of Saint Peter The Pope in this Councell brought forth auricular confession He was the first that imposed this charge vpon christians He was the first that forbad the laitie as they call them the cuppe in the communion This prohibition was confirmed in the Councell of Constance Almericus a learned man he condempned for an heretike and cōmaunded his bones to be burned in Paris and all those that held his opinion This did the Pope saith Friar Domingo Soto in one of his sermons because Almericus had taught that Images should be cast out of the Temple Seest thou not ô Pope that God forbiddeth that which thou commandest and comandeth that thou forbiddest with great reason doe men call thee Antichrist The Councell of Eliberis celebrated in Spaine at the same time almost with the first Councell of Nice comaundeth that that which is reuerenced or adored should not vpon the walles be pictured as in the beginning of this Treatise we haue said This Pope ordeined that when the princes disagreed in election of the Emperour such election should remaine to the arbitrement of the pope Concerning the election of the Emperour and the authoritie of the 7 electors reade Carion lib. 5. fol. 3. and 5. Therewith hath the Pope nothing to doe He commaunded the God Pan the wheaten God should in the Churches be kept And that when they carried it to any sicke person a little bell and light should be borne before it Hee ordained that the Pope ought to correct the Princes of the whole world And that none bee holden for Emperour which shall not bee crowned by the Pope If this be true it followeth that Don Fernando in our Countrey of Spaine nor Maximilian his sonne nor Rodulph his nephewe that nowe is Emperour were no Emperours seeing that none of these three besides other more were crowned by the Pope In the 1216. yeere he dyed Thomas Cantipratensis a Dominican as recounteth Friar Iohn de Pineda lib. 21. cap. 26. ¶ 7. writeth that this Innocent after his death burning in cruell flames appeared to the holy Virgine Lutgarda and said vnto her that so should he goe vnto the end of the world and that for three sinnes hee had deserued euerlastingly to bee condemned but that the glorious mother of God and of mercie fauoured him because he had built a Church in honour of her holy and sweete name And this Authour saith that Saint Lutgarda tolde him what sinnes they were but that hee for the Popes honour would not write them O yee Church-men that for true prelates confound the Churches God grant ye become not worse then Innocent Thus farre Pineda Open thine eyes ô Spaine and vnderstand at last what a one is the Pope whome as a God on earth thou adorest Don Alonso the ninth then reigned in Castile Honorius the third against the excommunicated Otho the fourth and Henry the first crowned Frederick second sonne of Constantia the Nunne of whom we haue spoken in the life of Celestinus the third which Fredericke because he sought that which was his in Sicilia and Pulla the Pope did afterwards excommunicate This Honorius forbad the Ciuill lawe to be read in Paris In the time of this Pope and the 1223. yeare did one Adam Bishop of Cathan in Scotland excommunicate certaine men for not paying their tithes against whome the citizens were so muche offended that they burned him in his kitchin So much did the Pope stomacke this matter that he staied not till the king of Scotland called Alexander did it but 400. of them he caused to be hanged and their sonnes to be gelded that their name shoulde not remaine in the earth Cruell and reuengefull is this beast In the 1227. yere he died Don Fernando surnamed the Holie which wan Seuill Cordoua and a great part of Andalusia reigned in Castile Gregorie 9. the Nephew or to speake better the sonne of Innocent 3. bare great hatred against Fredericke and so he confirmed the sentence of excommunication which Honorius had giuen against him The
Sodomit c. Wherfore Iohn changing his garmeÌ„t fled from ConstaÌ„ce went to Friburg but by coÌ„mand of the CouÌ„cell after he had 5. yeares poped he was depriued of his Popedome euery other office He was sought for found caught imprisond in the castle of Hidelberga in Germany where he was 3 yeares prisoner in great affliction for that his kepers were Germans simple rude which neither vnderstood Latine nor yet Italian the miserable Pope neither spake nor vnderstood Duch From this prison he afterward escaped The questioÌ„ whether the Pope be aboue the CouÌ„cel or the Councel aboue the Pope was in this CouÌ„cel debated And in the 4. 5. SessioÌ„s coÌ„cluded as Caranâ—a himselfe saith that a general Councel lawfully assembled which represeÌ„teth the catholike church millitaÌ„t had it authoritie imediatly of Christ which Councel euery person of what estate dignitie soeuer yea the Pope himselfe ought to obey in matter coÌ„cerning the faith c. This decre of the CouÌ„cel of CoÌ„staÌ„ce is confirmed in the 3. and 18. Sessions of the Councell of Basile In the Councell of Constance was Iohn Gerson a famous diuine present who not onely with wordes but also with writing approued and extolled this decree that the Pope was to be subiect to the Councell This decree he saith deserued to be fixed in all Churches and in all publike places for a perpetuall remembrance He saith that those which brought this tyranny into the Church that the chiefe Bishop ought not to obey the Councell and that the Councell neither ought nor could Iudge the Pope were pernicious flatterers As though the Councell receiued all that power and dignity of the chiefe Bishop and could not be assembled but at the will of the Pope As though there were no law for the Pope nor account to be demaunded of that which he did Such monstrous words saith he ought to be far from vs as those that be contrary to lawes equitie and reason He saith that all authoritie whatsoeuer the Church holdeth the same holdeth the Councell and that apleales from the Pope ought and may be made to the Councell He saith that they which demaunde whether the Pope or Church be greater Doe no lesse then they that demaunded whether the whole or parte bee greater The Councell saith he hath authoritie and right to chuse Iudge and depose the chiefe Bishop All which with the Councell of Constance Gerson confirmed This Councell Iudged the causes of three Popes Gregorie 12. Benedict 13. and Iohn 24. and finding them all there faulty deposed them and elected Martin 5. Eneas Siluius afterwardes called Pius 2. was present in the Councell of Basill and wrote all whatsoeuer was there debated extolling to the clouds that was there decreed but afterwards being Pope he changed his opinion saying that the Councell ought to be subiect to the Pope The vniuersitie of Paris a few moneths before Luther handled the question of Indulgence from Leo 10. appealed to the Councel This decree of the Councels of Constance and Basill did not nor yet doth please the Popes flatterers who against their owne consciences make the Pope God in the earth absolute Lord of all Iohn Wickeliffe an Englishman before in England deceased for freely preaching the euangelical Doctrin which discouereth hypocrisie and false papisticall doctrine was in this Councell condemned For the same also were Iohn Hus Ierome of Prage who suffered their Martyrdome with great constancie and ioyfulnes condemned and burned Pius 2. saith that Iohn Hus was greater in age authoritie but Ierome was greater in learning and eloquence And a little before he saith both suffered death with a constant mind as if they had bene inuited to some banquet they prepared themselues to go to the fire When the fire began they sung a Psalme which the flame rushing in of the fire could hardly hinder None of the Philosophers with such constancy fortitude of mind is read to haue suffered death as these men endured the fire Eneas Siluius albeit an enemy thus speaketh of them Vnder safe conduct came these two to dispute maintaine their cause as they did in the Councell But neither faith nor promise regarded they against all law and reason were condemned and burned The reason which the Papists yeeld for this deed doing is because no faith is to be kept with heretiques This faith-breach was cause of great bloodshed in the great warres which afterwards happened in Bohemia as Siluius himselfe reporteth Great praise worthy are the Bohemians that with great constancy haue continewed in the good Doctrine and reformation which these holy martirs of Iesus Christ taught them And so much the more is their praise by how much the more they haue suffered troubles persecutions for almost 200 yeares yet by the mercy of God doe they stil vse this good doctrine and reformation which from thence hath crept to Morauia and Polonia the bordering regions In our time hath God stretched the same through Germany from theÌ„ce spread throughout al Europe and hath further passed the great Ocean sea and gone to India all the lets of Antichrist by meanes of his Inquisitors notwithstanding and the more they shall burne the more will it spread abroad because as before we haue said of Tertulian The bloud of the Martirs is the seede of the Gospell Carança in his Summa Conciliorum noteth 45 errors as he calleth them of Iohn Wickelife and 30 of Iohn Hus who listeth to knowe what Iohn Hus taught let him read Carion lib. 5. When Iohn 24. had as we haue said escaped out of prison he came to present himselfe to Pope Martin 5. who was chosen in the CouÌ„cel of Constance to Florence came he prostrated himselfe at the feet of Pope Martin acknowledging him to be Pope kissed his feet Martin moued with this humilitie within few dayes after made him Cardinal Bishop of Tuscan read Friar Iohn de Pineda lib. 23. cap. 20. ¶ 3. O. what a Cardinal O what a Bishop if that be true as it was which was obiected and proued against him in the Councel of CoÌ„stance But no new thing it is that the Popes Cardinals bishops should be as he was But a few moneths after Iohn in his Cardinalship of very griefe is supposed in the 1419. yeare died Friar Iohn de Pineda saith that it was suspcted they gaue him poyson And saith that most solemnly was hee buried in the chappel of S. Iohn Baptist Don Iohn 2. theÌ„ reigning in Castil Martin 5. was made Pope in the Councel of CoÌ„sance of whose electioÌ„ Sigismund the Emp. much reioyced so thaÌ„ked the Councel for chusing such a Bishop And prostrating himselfe before the Pope kissed his feete This pope embraced him as his brother gaue him thankes that by his meanes and trauell the Church was quieted after so great a Sisme But for all this
and lyars will the Lord abhorre Returne we now to Paul the third who approued sanctified aduaunced and extolled such monsters in nature Paule 3. hauing Poped 15 yeares in the 1549. yeare dyed In whose time Don Charles the Emperour raigned in Spaine Iulius 3. an Aretinian after great discord had among the Cardinals was chosen who for that by the ancient custome he might giue his hat where his listed gaue it to a youth called Innocent whom he had fauoured being Legate in Bologna so made him Cardinall and receiued him to his ancient office This pleased not the Cardinals And albeit one of them spake freely vnto the Pope saying what saw your holinesse in this young man for which he ought to be placed in so great dignitie The Pope answered what saw yee in me that ye elected me chiefe Bishop So that seeing it is the play of fortune which aduaunceth whom she pleaseth as your aduaunced me without desert of mine we aduaunce this young man and make him Cardinall and so he was This Innocent the Romans called Ganimedes and the Pope they called Iupiter The Fable of Iupiter and his Ganimedes is filthy and therefore will I passe it ouer When the same Iulius was merry he said of his Innocent that he was very laâ—ciuious c. O what a vicar of Iesus Christ ô what a holy father D. Illescas albeit the Popes parasite vttereth these wodes Iulius 3. gaue his hat with the tittle of Cardinall de monte to a youngling of 15 or 16 yeares whom he held with him and mostâ— strangely affected him He shortly made him rich Caesar holpe him with sufficient pensions and all this to gaine the fauour of the chiefe Bishop that the Councell should eftsoones returne and be holden in Trent hitherto Illescas vpon the life of Iulius 3. Iulius was a great blasphemer very filthie in his wordes and much more filthie in his deedes the same blasphemyes he vsed that the desperate souldiers and horsekeepers are accustomed to vse which for that it is so much against the maiestie of that good God that with so great patience suffereth the blasphemy of him who boasteth to be his vicar calleth himself most holy father A sathanicall father I call him I omit to write them Swines flesh peacoks he greatly loued which flesh is euill for the gout therefore his Phisitions forbad them to be set on the table but notwithstanding he would haue them And when vpon a time they failed to set them on the table the Pope missing them demaunded where the porke was become And when the steward answered that the Phisitions had commanded not to set it on the table he cursed with his cursed mouth dispiting God with the same words which ruffians villaines in Italie blaspheme saying that they should bring him the porke Another time as he was eating they brought vnto him a peacocke which was vntouched and the Pope commanded they should reserue it for supper And when he saw not at supper that cold peacoke albeit he had hot peacokes he was terribly enraged blasphemed as he was wont A certaine Cardinal which supped then with him said Let not your Holinesse be so angry for a thing of so small importance whom Iulius answered If God would be so angry for an apple that he cast our first pareÌ„ts out of Paridice why shall it not be lawful for me that am his vicar to be angry for a peacocke seeing a peacocke is a thing of greater importance then an apple If this be not to profane the scripture what shal be So wicked was Iohn of the house of Florence Archbishop of Beneuent Deane of the Chamber Apostolike and this Iulius his Nuncio in Venice that he compiled a booke in prayse of the wicked sinne which booke was printed at Venice in the house of Troyano Nauo Behold if the abhominations of the Ammorits be come to the height Awake Lord remember and iudge thine owne cause behold for thy Churches sake that swine doe destroy her Qual Abad Aizen tal Monazillo such Abbot say they such nouice An abhominable Sodomite was Pope Iulius an abhominable Sodomite was his Nuncie which sat to Iudge the cause of Christians Open thine eyes O Spaine Vpon the money made by Iulius he put this circumscription Gens quae non seruierit tibi peribit The people that will not serue thee shall perish Wherein Iulius 3. appeareth to be another Nabuchadnezzer K. of Babilon of whom these words are spoken Ier. 27. 8. In the 1555. yeare he died In whose time the Emperour Don Charles reigned in Spaine Marcellus 2. a Tuscan changed not his name who being meanely learned in humanitie was made maister of Grammer and afterwards Paul 3. made him tutor of Alexander his grandchild whom he had made Cardinall being a youth of 12 yeares old What a pillar of the Church was this Thus by little and little came Marcellus to be Cardinal afterwards to be Pope He was one of the three Legats whom Paul 3. sent to the CouÌ„cell of Trent This man as he whom the Pope most trusted the Pope commaunded that nothing in the Councell shoud be suffered to be spoken which might any way preiudice the Maiestie of the seat Appostolique that all those which any such thing attempted should be expulsed the Councell and when Iacobus Nachiantes Bishop of Clodia Fossa said that he could not approue the decree which said That traditions ought to be receiued and kept with the same Godly affection and reuerence as the Gospell which was written This Marcellus was the cause that the said Bishop was expulsed the Councell and when Gulihelmus venetus a Dominican Friar said in the CouÌ„cel that the Councel of Constance was aboue the Pope This Marcellus sent for him and most sharply reproued him and when the Friar answered that experience shewed the Councell to haue bene aboue the Pope sith it desposed him Marcellus answered it is not so For that the Pope willingly depriued himselfe said moreouer that this he could proue by a bul of lead and so commanded him to depart the Councell Petrus Paulus vergerius Bishop of lustinople was at this time come to the Councell some held this man suspected in doctrin For that he had bene often the Popes Legate in Almaine The other two Cardinals Legats of the Pope Poole monte the Cardinall of Trent himselfe and Pachecus would haue permitted the fore named Vergerius to haue entred the couÌ„cel this lest in should be said the Councell was not free if they chased away Vergerius a man well knowne in Germany But Marcellus the Popes third Legate neuer stayed vntill hee saw him forth of the Councell Many Bishopes hearing that the purpose was to expulse Vergerius The Councell agreed to write to the Pope that in no wise he should suffer such a thing to be done because many would say the Councell was not free
seeing that the Bishops were expulsed the same Ierâ—nimus Vida Bishop of Cremona had in the name of the other Bishops indited the letter to the Pope Which knowne to Marcellus with most vehement words he warned Vida in no wise to send the letter to the Pope For that it should be a thing euill in example that the Bishops assembled in the Councell should write such letters to the high Bishop as though they would seeme to prescribe him a law which would be so great a mischiefe that they should be holden for suspected Vida vanquished with this saying so tempered with the other Bishops that the letter was not sent When Vergerius was to departe the Councell he went to speake with Marcellus and among other thinges that he sayd vnto him he demaunded for what cause he did cast him from the Councell and what Articles he could obiect why he would exclude him from the company of the other Bishops To this answered Marcellus because I haue heard thou hast sayd the Legends of Saint George and Saint Christopher were not true Vergerius answered so it is I sayd so and so I say still For I relie vpon the authoritie of Pope Paul 3. who hauing commanded that both the one and the other Legends should be spunged out of the Roman Breuiarie In the preface of the said Breuiarie he had commaunded saith he the Legends which were not true to be taken away Marcellus thus caught answered that they ought not to be holden for good men that seeme in the least thing to consent with the Lutheranes and so said he vnto him depart then from our Councell This haue I said that it may appeare what hope is to be had of the Councelles where the Pope and his Legates gouerne If there be any that will speake with good zeale of Gods glorie his mouth they will stoppe and if he will not yet be silent cast him out of the Councell Behold how free is that Councell where each one is not suffered to speake that is meet Such a one was Marcellus before he was Pope and such and worse being Pope would he haue bene had not God taken him from the world when he had Poped but twenty three dayes and some say that hee dyed of Poyson Paul 4. a Neapolitane before called Iohannes Petrus Carafa Cardinall Chietino or Theatino in the 1555. yeare with ful consent of the Cardinals who desired to please Henry the French king was chosen Pope He being in Venice before he was Pope with his hypocrisie and fayned holynesse did Institute or reforme the new order of the fellowship of diuine loue which of him that was Bishop of Chiety was called Chietinos or Theatinos as we haue said vpon Paul 3. He forsooke this order by him instituted or reformed and being ready to depart Venice his religious consort demaunded whither he went Whether I goe answered he can ye not come giuing them to vnderstand that he went to Rome to be Pope if he might He gaue it out before he was Pope that he nought else desired but reformation of the Church and so of this argument wrote a booke which he dedicated to Paule the third But when he was Pope he for nothing lesse cared Who listeth to read this booke shall see that almost he confirmeth those Articles whereof we accuse the Papists To wit that so ruyned is the Church among them that it is not now the Chuch of Christ but of the diuels The Popes saith he hauing itching eares haue heaped vp Maisters which entertaine them in their lustes and concupiscence That through the Cardinals and Bishops the name of Christ is blasphemed among the Gentiles That the power of the keyes serueth onely to â—ake together money That wicked men are ordeyned That nothing but Symony is seene in the Church That the Prelates bee verie ambitious and couetous That in monasteries are committed enormious offences That Rome is full of whores These thinges and other such doth this booke conteyne of wicked customes and life it onely speaketh but not once intreateth of the false doctrine Idolatrie and superstition which is taught in Rome nor yet of the tyranny of fire bloud wherewith such are handled as indeauor to serue God in spirit and truth doth it speake But when he was Pope how did he amend it As did Benedict 13. Pius 2. Pius 4. his predecessors and others who before they were Popes much spake of the dutie of the Pope but being Popes did the like or worse then the rest euen so did he For the cause of Religion certaine Augustine Friars many Bishops and a great nomber of the faithful he imprisoned tormented and did them in the end what euill he could Not for that they were adulterers nor Incestuous persons Simonists nor blasphemers was all this but for the Christian religion which they professed Reformation then cast aside he was occupied in the warres against Don Phillip our king and the Spanish blood Deny him then O Spaine for father who from the sonne taketh the cloake The which this Paul from the king Don Phillip and Clement 7. from Don Charles the Emperour indeauoured to take as in the life of Clement 7. we haue before declared This Paul being a Neapolytan and so vassall to the king was to him a traitor teacher taking part with Frauncis his kinges enemy His great seruant Panuinus saith that ayded by the French Swizzars he raised great warres against king Phillip and renewed the old hatred For the Spanish name had he long before detested that as saith Panuinus for publique and particular Iniuries and so the Neapolitanes he well hoped would haue risen against their king When he was Cardinall he perswaded Paule 3. to warre against the Imperials in the kingdome of Naples promising him his seruice and the ayd of many Neapolitans of whom he had many friends said he within that kingdome But Paul 3. was more wise and refused his Councel Then Duke Dalua vnderstanding that this Pope Paul 4. conspired against the king to take Naples with a great camp came vpon Rome and sent a letter to the Pope wherein he shewed all that sithens he was Pope he had practized against the king c. and vehemently exhorted him to peace warning him that if hee said not and that quickly what he would doe touching warre or peace that he should be assured the warre was proclamed To the Colledge of Cardinals he wrote also to the same purpose and after fifteene dayes when the Duke perceiued that the Pope prolonged the time he entred vpon the Church lands and very many of them tooke which he kept said he for the Church and the succeeding Pope All this notwithstanding would not the Pope yeeld to peace vntill he heard newes of the great victorie which the king in the yeare 1557. hadhad against the French at the taking of Saint Quintanes wherein all the nobilitie almost of France and Saint
young maidens also This was the first occasion of the warres This warre ended others much more great had they wherein they so much increased and inriched themselues that not contented with Italy they made warres also vpon forreigne nations and leauing their owne limits they inuaded Affrike and Asia Thus were they dayly increasing vntill another Prince and Lord arose vp in Rome thrusting himselfe into the same seat of the Empire and at the side as it were of the Roman Emperour This new Prince at the first made no shew that he purposed ought to diminish the authority of the Emperor but only took care of the affaires of the Church wherein whiles he was so employed the strength of the Emperour Empire flourished But afterwards he began to thinke how to benefite himselfe of that opinion of religion and holinesse which he held and to attaine hereunto he doubted not to intreat the Emperour that by his authority he might hold the souereignty ouer all Churches The cause that this new Prince alleaged was that Rome was alwayes the Lady of the whole world and therefore was it meet that the Bishop of that city shuld go before other Bishops in degree dignity To obtaine this was a thing most difficult For albeit that the Emperour let it slip yet did the Bishops of other nations confidently gainesay him alleaging lawfull causes why they withstood him vnwilling to acknowledge the Bishop of Rome otherwise then for a brother companion and in power equall with them Notwithstanding all this he of Rome forslowed not but continually vrged to attaine to his purpose vntill he obtained of Phocas the Emperour who murthered Mauricius his good Lord and Emperour that which he would and so called himselfe vniuersall Bishop and what besides he best pleased Here may ye see that olde Rome was founded vpon one murder and the new which is the Popedome vppon another In this concerning the primacie was the Pope merely oposit to Christ who sharpely in his disciples reproued the like strife and ambition But the Pope mounted to this height by the benefit of the Emperours did nowe further dare to promise to himselfe greater matters yet long time proceeding with great dissimulation A hundred yeares almost after the death of Constantine the great was the Empire much weakned it lost Fraunce England and Almaine The Hunnes held Italie the Vandals Africke Such was the dissipation that the Emperours leauing Rome which is in the West went to Constantinople where they made their abode The Bishop of Rome seeing the scattering of the Empire minded not to let slippe occasion but armed a question for his parte against the Emperour The chiefe cause was that the Emperour commaunded all statues and Images to be taken out of the Churches So greatly did the Pope withstand this commaund that hee dared to excommunicate the Emperour so much nowe was the horne increased At this time in the East arose vp Mahomet who tooke many landes form the Empire The Emperours notwithstanding would haue it vnderstood that all the dignitie power and Maiestie which the Pope did hold depended vppon them The Pope then to bee freed from this subiection and the warres which the king of Lumbardie made in italie deuised a notable policie and this it was To aduaunce of himselfe another whom he liked and to name him Emperour of the Romans Who accknowledging the benefit should deeme himselfe happie to please and serue him in all that he would And so Charles the great he elected and declared Emperour who had chased out of Italie the king of Lumbardy and enemie to the Pope This caused great anger and strife betweene the Easterne and Westerne Emperours and not betweene them onely but the Churches also of both the one and other partie of all which the couetousnes and ambition of the Pope of Rome were the cause Much contention was there afterwards among the Italians French and Almaynes about the election of the Emperour But in the end when Otho the third Duke of Saxoni◠was Emperour and Gregorie 5. an Almayne Pope order was giuen that seuen electors should choose the Emperour as in the life of this Gregorie the fift we haue declared And this was done to exclude straunge nations that none but an Almayne should be Emperour Great garboyles arose afterwardes betweene the Pope and the Emperour who could no longer endure the vnmeasurable arrogancie and ambition of the Pope Reade the Histories of Henry the third and fourth and of Frederick the first second and to come neerer our time those of the Emperour Charles 5. whose host in the 1527. yeare sacked Rome tooke Pope Clement 7. and held him prisoner This Clement as sang the Spaniardes at the Popes windowe whiles hee was prisoner would haue taken away the cloke from the Emperour as vppon the life of this Clement we haue before declared So also sought Paule the fourth to take away the cloake from our king Don Philip the second The kingdome of Naples would he haue taken from him but the host of the king whose captaine was the Duke Dalua put the Pope into such a straight that he was contented to make peace and chiefly hearing of the taking of Saint Quintans which was in the 1557. yeare as vppon the life of this Paul the fourth before we haue said So proud is the Pope become that he hath made the forme of an oath the which he causeth the Emperour to sweare being in time past his maister and Lord and so Saint Gregorie called Lord the good Emperour Mauricius but now is he his seruaunt and vassall This forme of oath conteyneth that the Emperour by all possible wayes keepe increase and defend the goodes of the Roman Church and chiefe Bishopes their dignitie priueledges and decrees And so no Emperour but if he would be holden infamous a faith breaker durst in any thing contradict him The oath which the Emperour Charles 5. made to Clement 7. or 8. in the 1530. yeare at the time of his Coronation will I here put downe Ego Carolus Romanorū rex c. That is to say I Charles king of the Romans which by Gods assistance hold to be Emperour promise protest affirme and sweare to God blessed S. Peter that I will henceforth be protector and defendor of the chiefe Bishop and of the holy Church of Rome in all their necessities and profits keeping and preseruing their possessions dignities and rightes c. When he had made this oath was Don Charles made king of Lumbardy and after he was king of Lumbardy another oath in this forme hee made Ego Carolus c. I Charles king of the Romanes and Lumbardes promise and sweare by the father sonne and holy Ghost and by the word of the liuing flesh and by these holy reliques that if the Lord permit mee to come to be Emperour I shall to my power aduaunce to holy Romane Church the holinesse thereof and her
shall it be if Christ in the end be not wroth with thee founded in chast and humble pouertie liftest thou vp thy hornes against thy founders Shamelesse strumpet where hast thou put thy trust In thine adulteries in so great abundance of euill gotten riches c. If Petrarch 260 yeares and more sithens with great reason and truth said this against the Pope and his Court papall what shall be said now when the malice tyranny vngodlinesse and idolatrie of the Pope and his court are come to the height Danter an Author more ancient then Petrarch and Bocace of the same time with Petrarch as litle flattred the Pope other things as much as Petrarch say they Dante in his 7. song of hell accuseth the Pope of couetousnesse In the 11. song and 6. circle he accuseth him of heresie In the 15. song he accuseth him of sodomie And in the 19. he accuseth him of simonie These bee the foure cardinall vertues which are found in the Popes Couetousnesse heresie sodomie and simonie Bocace in the second Nouell of the Iornada of his Decameron in the name of a Iew called Abraham saith that generally all the Court of Rome from the greatest to the least dishonestly sinned in the sinne of whoredome and not naturally onely but also sodomitically without any bridle without any remorse of conscience or shame c. They haue not saith he either holinesse deuotion or good works c. And in manie other places doth he the same These three Dante Petrarch and Botace bee ancient writers Italians and fathers of the Italian tongue and well experienced in the affaires of the Pope and his Court Sanazaro the most excellent Italian Poet of our times speaking of the Pope thus saith in his Epigrams In vaticano noster latet hunc tamen alto Christe vides coelo proh dolor pateris To wit In the Vaticano which is the pallace of Saint Peter in Rome our Barbarian lieth hid but yet thou Christ from the high heauen beholdest him ah griefe doest thou suffer him What more could Luther or Caluin or the rest of the late writers which haue written against the Pope and his Romish court say then these his Italians haue said Petrarch calleth it wicked Babylon mother of errors he wisheth fire to fall from heauen and consume it such abhominations had seene therein he calleth it a neast of treasons c. gluttonous and luxurious God cannot saith he longer be patient with her c. Idols he saith shall be throwne to the ground c. Hee calleth her the fountaine of griefe harbour of wrath schoole of errours temple of heresies c. Behold if the Pope may erre in faith And it is to be noted that Pope Pius the fifth as in his life wee haue said hath spunged all these places by vs alleaged out of Petrarch and Bocace The cause is least men should know their wickednesse abominations and impieties but may hold him for holy and for God vpon earth Great shame was it for the Pope that so famous Italian Authours that Italian books and printed in Italy should so roundly tell the wickednesse of him his About the 1430. yeare liued Thomas Rendon a Carmelite of whom in the life of Eugenius the fourth we haue before made mention He said in his sermons which in Italy France he preached that in Rome were committed great abhominations c. For which cause Pope Eugenius 4. did cause him to be burned in Rome Aboue a hundred yeares is it sithens Laurencius Valla Patricius a Roman opposed himselfe to the Pope and called Rome Babylon for which cause he was banished but the king of Naples receiued and very honorably entertained him Ieronymus Sauanarola a Dominican Friar preached in Italy the Pope to be Antichrist c. For this that our cursed Spanish beast Alexander 6. as in the life of this Alexander 6. we haue said did cause him in Florence most cruelly to be burned Within these 80 yeares space haue bene infinite numbers that in Almaine France Italy England yea in Spaine and other nations also haue written against the Pope and his Popish doctrine let their workes be read and their reasons agreeing with the word of God considered which is the true and onely squire rule whereby euery life and doctrine ought to bee ruled and confirmed Returne we now to the Primacie which the Pope as another Diotrephes of whom speaketh S. Iohn in his 3. catholike Epistle loueth to hold and so doth vsurpe it A history wrote S. Augustine very wel declaring the equality which hath the Bishop of Rome with other Bishops Donatus saith S. Augustine de casas negras of whom the Donatists take their name had grieuously accused Cecilianus Archbishop of Carthage Constātine the Emperour the cause being simply ecclesiasticall committed the same to Miltiades Bishop of Rome other certaine Bishops of Italy France and Spaine Had there bene ordinarie iurisdiction no commission from the Emperour nor to appoint him associates had bene needfull But listen a litle Donatus was condemned by them aboue named who seeing himself condemned appealed to the Emperour the Emperour remitted the appeale to the Archbishop of Areletum either to allow or disallow of the sentence which the Bishop of Rome and his associates had giuen Where then was the Primacie of the Pope his iurisdiction his sentence without any appellation his knowledge hearing of all appeales his fulnesse of power whereof he so much glorieth And the Emperor wil they not say was an infidel or tyrant for it was Constantine the Great who by their owne reckoning spoiled himself of a good part of the Empire to giue it vnto them That Constantine the Great appointed Miltiades iointly with the rest for Iudge to heare the cause of Cecilianus Onuphrius Panuinus in his note vpon Platina in rhe life of Miltiades doth witnesse the same and confirmes it with Optatus Mileuitanus in his first booke and with that which saith Eusebius in the tenth booke and fift chap. of his ecclesiasticall historie But Panuinus as a Flatterer of the pope maketh no mention of the appeale we haue spoken of because it impeached the authoritie which the Popes haue vsurped As touching the calling of the Councels the Emperours called the General the Patriarks and Metropolitans called the Nationall or prouincial Councels The Patriarkes and not the Bishop of Rome did gouerne in the Councels which they held in their Patriarkedomes for all being equall and vnder one head Christ the Bishop of Rome did not exceede them either in dignity or power So saith Athanasius writing to Liberius Bishop of Rome All the Apostles saith he in honour and power be equall Saint Cyprian likewise more ancient then Athanasius There is not saith he but one bishopricke through the world wherof euery bishop holdeth his part Also that none in his time was called or made Bishop of Bishops nor had by
ninth Session Where in as little then did they For the Spaniards and the rest except the Italians stayed at Trent willing to end the Councell where it was begun The 10. Session was held in Bologna wherein was nothing done For those of Trent there abode expecting them of Bologna and those of Bologna expected them of Trent And so in this 10 Session was there no other thing done but a prolongation to the 15. of September Which day being come they did nothing also so the one and the other for a long time brake vp the Councell In this time died Paule 3. and Iulius 3. succeeded him who at the importunity of the Emperour being much displeased at the translation and discontinuance of the Councel commanded that the Session following should the first day of May 1557. be holded at Trent wherein nothing else was concluded but that the twelfth Session should be holden the first day of September which day being come As little was ought done For the prelates were not yet come In the thirteenth Session were found fourtie Bishops and fourty two diuines In the 15. Session was there nothing done In the 16. Session no other thing was concluded but the suspension of the Councell for two yeares And so Iulius 3. Marcellus 2. Paul 4. Pius 4. was elected in whose time the rest of the Sessions were holden The number of Bishoppes then increased the Councell was ended and confirmed by the Pope For knowe this that all is nought woorth whatsoeuer the Councell decreeth if it bee not confirmed by the Pope Knowe also that so subiect was this Councell to the Pope that it made a decree Wherein it was ordayned that all whatsoeuer was in the Councell ordayned was intended So that it nothing derogated from the Authoritie and commodity of the Pope and the Councell was not only subiect to the Pope but to whatsoeuer other Bishops also And so in the 18 decree it was ordayned that the Bishops and the rest to whom it should appertayne might dispense with whatsoeuer decree or decrees of this Councell so that he knew the cause commoditie so required This decree was it which gaue most content to the Ecclesiasticall persons For by vertue of this decree each thing remayneth polluted as before and so nothing reformed So that the ecclesiasticall Lordes take courage reioyce because if there be any thing in this Councell that seemeth ouer harsh hard or bitter irksome they reioyce I say For that by vertue of this decree shall they easily for money haue dispensation of the Bishop or of the Pope Which dispensation will make them so tender and so as a peece of soft bread and so sweete as the honie Moreouer this Councell was not admitted of the kings of England and Denmarke nor of the Protestant princes nor of the common wealthes of Germany All these be one good part of Christendome inhabiting in Europe But they will say vnto me that these which I haue named be heretiques Whereunto I answere that if they hold them for heretiques for the same cause are they to be suffered to speake freely that which they thinke in the Councell Their sayings being heard they ought to dispute with them and conuince them by the bookes of holy scripture And by that which the Doctors and auncient Councels gouerned by Gods word belieued and maintayned And now that they say the foresayd protestants to be heretiques What will they tell me of kings of Fraunce whom the Pope himselfe calleth most Christian for the great seruice they haue done to the seat Apostolique which tooke not this of Trent for a generall Councel nor lawfully called And so Frauncis 1. sent not of all his kingdome one prelate or diuine to the Councel No more did his sonne Henry that succeeded him in his kingdome he tooke it not for a generall Councell As by the protestation which this king in the 1551. yeare by his Embassadours made in the Councell was proued The report is this Iames de Annot Abbot de Bellosana Embassadours of the king came sodainely vnto Trent presented to the Councell a letter from his king The superscription whereof sayd To the assembly of Trent Asmuch to say As to the meeting at Trent This superscription being read the Spanish Bishops spake saying that such a letter was in contempt of the Councell and that it ought not to be read nor yet opened But notwithstanding the rest of the Councel after they had well debated the buisines concluded that the letter ought be opened and read presupposing that most Christian king had not vsed such a superscription either for contempt of the Councel nor to derogate from it authority and so was it read The some of this letter was that he protested as before he had protested in Rome that he could not send to Trent by reason of the warres the Bishops of his kingdome He said also that he held not this Councel for general or lawful but for a particular meeting calnot for the publique good of Christendome the which ought led togither for the profit cōmoditie of some particular persō to be the principal cause of the calling togither of a Councel That he thought neither himselfe nor his subiects bound to obserue the decrees that there in should be made But that concerning the same he will vse if need should be the remedies which his progenitors had in the like cases vsed c. And the king of Fraunce not contented to haue made this protestation in Rome and in the Councell but passed yet further and sent an Embassadour called Marlot and of his Councell to the assembly which the Cantons of the Swizers held at Bade to persuade them not to take this of Trent for a Councel nor to make any reckoning thereof Whereunto he persuaded also the same Cantons which were papists The Grisons also which had sent Thomas Planta their Bishop to the Councell nor approuing the Councell caused him to returne home They will not say Frauncis and Henry his sonne kings of Fraunce to be Lutherans but most Christen as our aduersaries the papists themselues cal them which hold not for a Councell the Councell of Trent but an assembly of particular persons for their particular profit The same account then that so many Nations kings mightie princes and great States of Europe not of the protestants onely but also of the papists without passing to the Christians of Affrique and Asia none of whom doe I know or haue read to be found in this Councell made of this Councell make wee also so demand we a Councel general lawfull free where each one may freely speake his opinion Let the Councell and not the Bishops onely who only with a deliberate voice haue tyrannically lift vp themselues examine iudge what euerie one shall say according to the word of God Were there such a Councell God we trust would giue vs speech and wisdome to maintaine defend
147 Liberius 27 Linus 23 Lucius 2. 72 Lucius 3. 79 Marcellus 26 Marcellus 2. 165 Martin 1. 36 Martin 2. 50 Martin 4. 91 Martin 5. 118 Miltiades 222 Nicholas 1 49 Nicholas 2. 64 Nicholas 3. 91 Nicholas 4. 92 Nicholas 5. 101 Pascall 1. 42 Pascall 2. 68 Paul 1. 38 Paul 2. 124 Paul 3. 15â— Paul 4. 16â— Saint Peter 20 Pelagius 1. 37 Pelagius 2. 32 Pius 2. 1â—3 Pius 3. 143 Pius 4. 187 Pius 5. 19â— Sabinianus 33 Sergius 2. 4â— Sergius 3. 50 Sergius 4. 59 Siluerius 3â— Siuester 1. 25 Siluester 2. 57 Siluester 3. 61 Symachus 30 Siricius 29 Sistus 4. 126 Sistus 5. 195 Stephen 2. or 3. 21 Stephen 4. or 3. 39 Stephen 5. or 4. 4â— Stephen 6. or 5. 50 Stephen 7. or 6. 50 Stephen 9. or 10. 63 Vrban 2. Vrban 3. 7â— Vrban 4. 88 Vrban 5. 105 Vrban 6. 106 Frban 6. 200 Victor 2. 63 Victor 3. 68 Victor 4. 75 Vigilius 31 Vitellanus 36 Zacharias 37 FINIS Idolatry Exod. 32. Deut. 9. 14. The cause why the Israelites worshipped the molten calfe 1. king 12. 28. The first captiuity of 400. yeares Gen. 15. 13. Act. 7. 6. 2. Captiuitie of 70. yeares Ierem. 25. 12. Ca. 29. 10. 3. Captiuitie of infinite yeares God for vnbeleefe punisheth the Iewes vntill this day Iudges 2. 19. 20 Iudges 5. 8. Two kind of Idolatrie S. Gregorie forbad the Image worship Habakuk 2. 18. 19. Epiphanius Epist ad Hieron Petrus Crinilib 9. de hone sta disciplina Esa 1. 12. Exod. 20. 4. Deut. 5. 8. A true deuision of te ten Commandements The Church of Rome is accursed of God and the cause Deut. 23. 18. Deut. 4. 12. The dutie of a good magistrat to forbid idolatrie Numb 21. 8. The brasen serpent was the image and figure of Christ A Popish distinction betweene Idol Image Pesel what it signifieth Ambrose Erasmus Lactancius Instit lib. 2. cap. 19. Aquinus The argumâ— of both Treâ—tises The argument of the Epistle to the Hebrewes The reason prouing the Pope to be of greater authotie then the Masse Read the booke Ceremon Pontifie 1. Sect. cap. 3. also Sect. 12. cap. 10. 4. Gen. 4. 4. Hebrew 11. 4. Pope Many wordes in old time taken in good part which are now taken in euill Euery Bishop or Minister in old time was called Pope Tome 2. Epist 7. lib. â— The Bishop of Rome seeketh nothing more then to be called Pope Diuision of the Bishops of Rome into 3. orders The first order Saint Peter was not Bishop of Rome Gal. 2. 〈◊〉 This proueth S. Peter was nduep at Rome Rom. 15. 20. Linus Mal. 2. 6. 7. 300 years good bishops in Rome 1. Sisme The 2. order Archbishops Patriarks Liberius an Arrian Felix 2. 2. Sisme That which one Pope doth another vndoeth The Pope erreth in faith Damasus The 3. Sisme 384. Siricius Concerning the forbidding of mariage read afterwards in Gregorie The Pope erreth in the interpretation of the Scripture Boniface 1. Sisme 4. 420. Gelasius 1. Anastasius 2. an heretike Anno 417. the Gothes began to reigne in Spaine Symachus The 5. Sisme 498 Hormisda the the first Patriarke 520 He excommunicated the Emperour Anno. 523. Iohn 1. Ambassadour 6. Sisme Boniface 2. 530. Vigilius The 7. Sisme Pelagius The Primacie of Rome The Cannonists agree not with the Pope The 7. Canonicall houres Iohn 3. contrary to his predecessor Pelagius 2. saâ—â—sfieth the â—mperour 590. The first pardons and indulgences The soule of TraiaÌ„ brought out of Hell Gregorie 1. a great enemy to the Primacy Seruant of Gods seruant Marriage forbidden and againe permitted to priestes 6000. heades of young children in a pond The fruites of Popish single life The saying of Pope Pius 2. agsing constrayned single life Note before vpon Siritius and after in Paul 2. 604. Sabinianus One Pope being dead killed another 605. The 3. order 2. Thes 2. 8. Boniface 3. the 1. Pope Phocas granted Rome to be head of the Churches The fall of the Empire The Pope and Mahomet arise Boniface 4. The false donation of CoÌ„stantine Anno. 613. Deus dedit Godfathers The Gâ—dfather should not marry with the Godmother Boniface 5. The Church a refuge for euill doers Anno. 622. Martinus 1. Crownes Baruc 6. 30. Holy oyntment Vowe of Chasttitie Anno. 653. Vitelanus Diuine seruice in Latine Anno. 672. Agathus 1. Popish constitutions be Apostolicall Mariage to the Greeke priests permitted Anno. 682. Sisme 8. The 9. Sisme Constantine 1. The first Pope that gaue his feete to be kissed Images Anno. 716. dissipation of Spaine Gregorie 2. Gregorie 3. Leo the Emperor excommunicated 731. 741. Zacharias The Church vestments decked with gold c. Making and vnmaking of Kings The king of France most Chrsten and why The donation of Constantine Anno. 752. The king of Spaine Catholique Stephen 2. The donation of Constantine Pipin kissed the Popes feete c. Anno. 757. Paul 1. Exod. 20. A notable lie Anno. 767. The 10. Sisme Constantine 2. a lay man without any order was made Pope The Councell deposeth the Pope The 11. Sisme Stephen 3. Adoration and censing of images Anno 772. Adrian 1. Images Most Christian Anno. 795. The second Councell of Neece Images worshipped The cruelty of a mother Irena an Idolater and a murtherer Leo 3. Two Emperors one in the East another in the West The Popes decrees of more authority then the writings of all the Doctors The Crucifixe of Mantua A most subtill craft to aduaÌ„ce Images Anno. 816. Stephen 4. The Popes excuse for not seeking the consent of the Emperor Anno 817 Pascal 1. was Pope without consent of the Emperour Anno 824. Eugenius 2. The 12. Sisme Gregorie 4. Confirmation of the Emperour Anno 844. Sergius 2. first changed his name Anno 847. Leo 4. promiseth paradise 72 witnesses to condemne a Bishop The Papal crosse A Monke made king S. Peters pence in England Anno 855. Iohn 8. a whore Adout the yeer 1550. An. 852. Pope Ione was chosen The Pope turneth aside and the cause A seat and for what cause A statue in Rome of Pope Ione The ceremonie of the seat now not vsed and the couse A rare example the father son Grand-child Popes none of them either good or honest The Pope is of the common of two genders or els that is worse the boubtfull Rom. 20. 17. Ioh. 14. 26. The faith of the Colliar 1. Pet. 3. 15. Faith is compared to a lampe and why Benedict 3. The 13. Sisme Nicholas 1. The whole driâ—t of this Pope to free himselfe the Clergie from obedience to the Magistrate The Pope called God The diuine office in Latine Blasphemie Read aboue Siricius Gregorie 1. afterwardes Paul 2. and Pius 2. The Masse of a weÌ„ching priest not be heard Anno 867. Martin 2. without consent of the Emperour Anno. 884. Adrian 3. The Emperour lost his right in Rome 885. Stephen 5. The statutes of the Church of Rome necessary to saluation Anno 891.
the Masse Gen. 14. 18. Malachy 1. 11. Our aduersaries first reason and our answere The Masse is no sacrifice The difference betwene a sacrifice and a sacrament Christ alone the expiatory sacrifice The sacrifice Eucharisticall Mal. 1. 11. Rom. 12. 1. Hebr. 13. 6. Hosea 14. 3 Hebr. 13. 15. Phillip 4. 18. Luke 17. 10. The second third reasons of our aduersaries and our answer Christ did not institute the Masse neither did the Apostles say it The Romistes raise vp false witnesses against Christ S. Peter S. Iames c. 1. Chr. 11. 23. Goncilium Vercelense Priuate Masses forbidden A reason prouing that neither Christ nor his Apostles said Masse Confiteor Hymnes Collect Respons gradu prefac verè dignum Gloria in excelsis Commemoratio defunctoruÌ„ Antif introit Kerie-elison Alleluia c. Agnus Dei Quorum Soleâ—â—itas Sequeâ—ces Sanctus pax Orate pro me Deo gratias Sanctum Sacrificium Hanc igitur Offertorie Vnleauened bread Water put into wine Qui pridie quaÌ„ pateretur Teigitur Commnâ—icaÌ„tâ— Nobis quoque peccatoribus The Masse patched like a beggers cloak The 4. Reason of our aduersaries and our answere Deut. 32. Exod. 23. 3. 4. Esaie 6. 9. Ieremy 25. 1. kings 19. 10. The Church Councel chiefe Bishop may haue erred in the faith Matth. 23. 37. How the church being the piâ—lar of truth may erre 1. kings 19. 18. Esay 53. 9. 1. Pet. 2. 22. Esa 40. 8. Psal 119. 105. The 5. reason our answer Sermone de lapsis The Communion in both kinds in the time of Saint Cyprian Drinke sanctified in the bloud of the Lord. Two sorts of miracles Mat. 3. 16. Ioh. 1. 29. False miracles Mat. 24. 24. â— Thes 2. Sermone de defunctis The sixt reason and the answer All whatsoeuer is in the Masse is poysoned The 7. reason the answer Gen. 14. 18. Heb. 7. 1. c. Epist ad Euagrium tom 3. Heb. 7. Melchisedech in three things was the figure of Christ Heb 7. Psal 110. 4. pssalm 110. 4. Rom. 10. 19. Deâ—â— 32. 21. Esaias 65. Malach. 1. 10. Mar. 16. 15. The calling of the Gentiles Iohn 4. 24. The 8 reason of our aduersaries our answere The propfits of the Masse 7. domages the Masse causeth The 1. domage The 2. domage Rom 10. 4. Ioel 2. 23. Ieremy 2. 13. prayer psal 120. Ioel. 2. 23. Act. 2. 21. Rom. 10. 13. Heb. 12. 17. The third Domage Tim. 2. 5. Heb. 8. 6. 9. 15 12. 24. Rom. 14. 23. Heb. 11. 6. 1. Ioh. 2. 1. Saint Iohn saith not we haue aduocates but an aduocate psal 51. The legend of S. Christopher after the pope himselfe is fabulous Ier. 2. 28. 11. The priest which saith the Masse and the people which heare it commit idolatrie The authority of the popish Priest Scotus super 4. sent Three reasons wherewith they confirm Transubstantiation The answere to the first reason wherwith they confirme transubstantiation Act. 3. 21. The heresie of the Papists The second confirmation of transubstantiation Two maners of eating Christ The one carnall the other spirituall Read the recaÌ„tation which Nich. 2. commanded Berengarius to make which we wil place a litle beneath in answering to the Councels Ioh. 6. 63. Ioh. 6. 60. Ioh. 6. 63. An obsnrditie of transubstantiation The spirituall eating in two sorts 1. Cor. 1. 9. Ephes 5. 30. Iohn 6. 36. Iohn 17. 21. Origin Ierome The sacrament Consisteth in 2. thinges the one earthly the other heauenly Origin snpper Matth. cap. 15. 1 1. Cor 10. 16. 23. 1. Cor. 10. 17. 4 1. Cor 11. 27. 5 1. Cor. 11. 28. Math. 26. 29. Mar. 14. c. Luke 22. 18. 1. Cor. 10. 16. 1. Cor. 11. 27. 1. Cor. 11. 28. It is no sacrament but when it is taken and eaten Rom. 10. 2. Athanasius Mark 16. 6. Act. 3. 21. The hetesie of the papists The hetesie of the papists These crosses with the papists haue their mysterie Blasphemi of the Priest The third confirmation Ireneus Tertullian Origen Ciprian Ambrose Chrystome Augustine Hillary Leo. Damascen Theophilact Auselme Hugo Ricardus de sancto Victore The Councell of Ephesus The Conncell of Veceill The Couucell of Lateran Another councell of Lateran The Councell of Constance Trident Councell Transubstantiation cannot be proued either by Seripture or reason Common consent of the Fathers against Transubstantiation Ireneus Tertullian Origen Ciprian Ciprian Athanasius Basil Dionysius Ambrose Ierome Crisostome Augustine The wicked eat not the body of Christ Leo. 1. Ciril Hesychius Gelasius Gregorie 1. Bertram Two maners of the body of Christ Bernard Theodoret. 363 Bishops in the Councell of Chalcedon Dialogue Iohn 15. 1. Iohn 6. 51. Ciprian What Consecration is Three causes why the fathers haue giuen the name of things figured to the figures Ireneus Tertullian Origen Cyprian Ambrose Chrisostome Augustin Hillarie Damaseen and how much his authority is to be estemed Sermone de de functis purgatory confirmed with wonders Gen. 9. 4. Lib. 4. cap 25. Orthod fideâ— Leo. 1. Transubstantiation can neither be proued by Scripture nor by reason The Councell of Ephesus The Councell of Latâ—ran The Councell of Lateran The Councell of Constance The Councell of Trident. Great wonde In the end of the Treatise shal ye see how the Councel of Trent was celebrated The manner of celebrating the Popish Councels There was neuer mutual coÌ„sent of the Church touching Transubstantiation The 5. domage of the Masse purgatory Masses sold for money according to the prouerbe No peny no Pater noster Thus doing they do contrary to that which the Apostle saith Euill is not to be done that good may come of it Rom. 3. â— The. 3. Credes containe the some of that whicha ChristaÌ„ is to beleeue The. 6. Domage Mar. 14. 23. The heresie of the Papists 1 Cor. 10. 20. Tertullian lib. de resurrect Cyprian Serm De lapsis Chrisostom vppon 2. Cor. â— Ambrose The sacrament taken with handes and in both kynds Ieorme Augustine Gregorie Gelasius The papists be Superstitious Sacrilegious The 7. Domage 1 Gor. 14. 40. 1 Cor. 14. Leuit 11. 3. Deut. 14. 4. Psal 〈◊〉 Iosua 18. Absurdities which the Masse causeth The faithful only receaue the body and bloud of Christ The first absurditie Transubstantiation is the cause that the papists beleeue the mouse c. to eate the body of Christ 10. 6. 53. Tractat. 59. in Iohannem Origen super Math. 15. 11 Saint Ierome vppon Esay Chap. 66. The 2 absurdity The papistes which heare the Masse Communicate not are ex communicate by their owne Cannons The Nouices commonly are little villaines The 3. Absurditie The 4. Absurditie The estimation wherein the pope holdeth his God the Sacrament The pope cast the Hoste into the fire the cause The pope erreth in faith Victor 3. poisoned in the Chalice Thh Archbishop of Yorke poisoned in the Chalice The Emperor poisoned in the Sacrament Impietie The legat by the Popes commandement gaue the eleuation
thee beholde it is layd ouer with gold and siluer and there is no breath in it In like manner The stocke saith Ieremie is a doctrine of vanitie Againe Euery man is a beast by his owne knowledge Euery founder is confounded by his grauen Image for his melting is but falshood and there is no breath therein They are vanitie and the worke of errors c. wherefore well said Athanasius When a liuing man cannot moue thee to knowe God how shall a man made of wood cause thee to know him Epiphanius Bishop of Cypres comming into a Church and seeing a veyle wherein the Image of Christ or some other Saint was pictured cōmanded to take it thence and that the veyle should be imployed for the buriall of some poore vsing these wordes To see in the Temples of Christians the Image of Christ or any Saint pictured is horrible abhomination Of this moreouer wrote he to Iohn Bishop of Ierusalem vnder whose Iurisdiction was that people of Anablatha where the veyle was to prouide that no such veyles which be contrary to that which Religion permitteth should thenceforth be had in the Church of Christ So greatly did this epistle please Saint Ierome that he translated the same out of Greeke into Latine The same Epiphanius said Remember my beloued sonnes that you place no Images in the Church nor churchyardes but carry God euer in your hearts and yet say I further permit them not in your houses For to be fixed by the eyes but by meditation of the minde c. is vnlawfull for a Christian c. The most ancient Councell of Eliberis holden in Spaine as now we will declare and many other ancient Councels condemned Images and manie Christian Emperours haue forbidden them And for that purpose wrote Valens and Thedosius to the chiefe Gouernor of the Councell house saying As our care is in and by all meanes to mainteine the religion of the most high God so permit wee none to purtrayt engraue or picture in colours stone or any other matter whatsoeuer the Image of our Sauiour Moreouer we commaunde that wheresoeuer such an Image can bee founde it be taken away and all those to be chastised with most grieuous punshment that attempt ought against our decrees and commaund Seeing then the Christian Emperours Doctors and ancient Councels yea and that which is all the scripture it selfe to forbid Images let not our Aduersaries be obstinate Let them not thinke it to be nowe as in time passed when the blind led the blind and so both fell into the ditch Blessed be God we nowe see and neede not them which be more blind to guide vs. Where or when I demaund hath God commaunded to doe that which they doe Let them giue me one only example of the olde or newe Testament that any of the Patriarches Propetes Apostles or Martyrs of Iesus Christ did that which they doe adored or honored God or his saints in their Images They will not giue it Then let them not be more wise then they Let them take heede least God say vnto them Who required these thinges at your handes This is not the worship by God appointed but humane and diuelish inuention And so shall God punish them as hee punished Nadab and Abihu Leuit. chap. 10. ver 1. that offered strange fire which he neuer commaunded them Hold we fast that which God hath commaunded Thou shalt not make to thy selfe any grauen Image c. And so shall we not erre The Church of Rome hath taken away the second commandment and hath but nine commaundements But to fill vp the number of tenne of the tenth commandement which forbiddeth lust in generall and afterward the chiefe kind and partes thereof hath shee made two But the Hebrewes and ancient Doctors Greeke and Latine do not so who place that of Images for the second commaundement Some thinke saith Origen hom 8. vpon Exod that all this together meaning the first and second commandements is one commaundement which if it so should be taken there wold want of the number of ten commaundements and where then should be the tenth of the Decalog of ten commaundments but deuiding it as afore we haue distinguished the full number of the ten commaundements will appeare So that the first commaundements is Thou shallt haue no other Gods but me And the second Thou shalt not make to thy selfe any grauen Image c. hitherto Origen Chrisostome hom 49. vpon Saint Math. Exposition 2. Athanasius in Synopsi Seripturarum Saint Ambrose vpon the sixt chapter of the epistle to the Ephesians and Saint Ierome vpon the same place all these Fathers place as we doe that against Images for the second commaundement And for the third Thou shalt not take the name of the lord c. For the 4. Remember thou keepe holy c. for the 5. Honor thy father and thy Mother c. and for the tenth that we shall not couet any thing of our neighbors c. Iesephus in his 3. book of Antiquites chap. 6. and Philo in his booke which he made of the tenne comandements deuide them in like manner with vs. If this be the true deuision of the Decalogue as it is and by the expresse word of God Thou shalt not make to thy selfe any grauen Image as by the Hebrew Greeke and Latin Doctors we haue proued Hereupon it followeth that the Church of Rome is accursed of God because she hath dared to diminish and adde any thing to the most holy eternall and inuiolable lawe of God whereunto being perfect full and entire no man ought to adde or take away according to that which the same God saith Thou shalt adde nothing to the word which I commaund thee neyther shalt thou take ought therefro but keepe the commaundements of the Lord your god which I commaunde you Deut. 4. 2. Deut. 12. 32. Prouerb 30. 6. If the Church of Rome heere in a thing so cleere so notable and of so great importance hath so apparantly and without shame dared to adde and diminish what will they not dare Let vs looke more neerely The belly say they hath no cares These things will not the Romists heare Images in the Popedome fill the bellies and the chests Great is the treasure that is giuen to Images Oyle waxe perfumes silke siluer gold cloth of gold and precious stones wherein Theeues and wicked women are most liberall The Pirestes and friers doe clothe and decke their Images with the giftes of strumpets wherein they transgresse the commaundement of God which commandeth that none shall bring the hier of an whore into the house of the Lord c. because God who is iust and pure abhorreth robbery and detesteth that which with sinne and filthinesse is euill gotten And the Glosse in Decret dist 90. Cap. Oblationis determineth that no gaine of a whore be offered in the Church And that the suprestitious vulgar sort may giue the more they make them beleeue
or of the diuell And to make that more manifest whereof we intreat let vs deuide into three partes or orders all the Bishops that haue bene in Rome The first shall conteyne all those that from the beginning were Bishops vntill the time of Saint Siluester The second all those which were from Siluester vnto Boniface 3. The third all those that haue bene from Boniface 3. vnto Clement 8. who this yeare of the Lord 1600. doth tyrannize in the Church Come we now to the first order The common opinion hath bene that S. Peter was the first Bishop of Rome the which by holy scripture can no way but the contrary rather be proued Many haue handled this argument to whom I referre those that would knowe it For my part that which our aduersaries say concerning this matter to me seemeth impossible First they soy that S. Peter â—â—ued after after Christ passion 38. yeares which they count in this maner That he was for a time in Iudaea after at Antioch where he was Bishop 7. yeares So saith Bartholmew Caranza in his summa Conciliorum But if that be true which they say that S. Peter liued but 38. yeares after Christ the Epistle of S. Paul to the Gal. sheweth this to be impossible Saint Paul also in 1. chap. of his said Epistle declareth that after his conuersion he went not to Ierusalem but into Arabia and thence turned to Damascus and that 3. yeares after he came to Ierusalem where he found Peter with whom he abode 15. dayes not to learne ought of him but to confer with him 14. yeares after this as he saith in the chapter following he came againe to Ierusalem where those that were pillers of the Church Iames Cephas which is Peter and Iohn gaue him the right hand of fellowship These yeares were 18. at the least 3. saith he and afterwards 14. and the time which passed from the Passion of Christ vntill S. Paules going to Arabia After this they both were at Antioch where S. Paul reproued S. Peter for his dissimulation If there he was seuen yeares and twenty fiue yeares afterwardes at Rome ioyned with the eighteene yeares before mentioned shall make fiftie yeares at the least Then shall it be vntrue which they say that Saint Peper liued thirty eight yeares after the death of Christ as saith Caranza in his summa Conciliorum And much more vntrue shal be that which Humfridus Panuinus in the Chronicle of the Roman Bishops and in his annotation vpon Platina in the life of Saint Peter saith that Saint Peter was martyred 34. yeares 3. moueths and 4. dayes after the passion of Christ Count thus the yeares the S. Peter liued after Christ From the death of Christ vntill the 2. yeare of the death of Claudius were 10. yeares all which time Saint Peter abode in and departed not once from Iudea This time passed he came to Rome where he abode 4. yeares from whence by Claudius Edict against the Iewes he departed and returned to Ierusalem from Ierusalem he went to Antioch and there abode 7. yeares in which time died Claudius and Nero succeeded him in the Empire In the beginning of Neros reigne S. Peter returned to Rome whence after some time he departed and trauelled almost throughout all Europe which peregrination being ended he returned the third time to Rome From Saint Peters first enterance into Rome vntill his death were 24. yeares 5. monethes and 12. dayes which ioyned with the 10. yeares before passed in Iudea make 34. yeares three moneths and 4. dayes All this saith Panuinus Herein he contraieth his owne authors which affirme Peter to haue bene 7. yeares in Antioch and 25. after at Rome And Gracian in a certaine decree saith that Saint Peter by reuelation passed or translated his seate from Antioch to Rome And so Fryar Iohn de Pineda in the 3. part booke 20. chap. 5. Sect. 1 following this opinion saith In Antioch before Rome had S. Peter his seate Papall Caranza in his summa Conciliorum speaking of S. Peter counteth thus He sate saith he in the bishops chaire at Antioch 7. yeares and departing thence came to Rome in the time of the Emperor Claudius where he sate in the Bishops chaire 25. yeares 2. moneths and 3. dayes We see now the count of Caranza and Panuinus to be false In this they agree that he was crucified at Rome Betweene the death of the Lord and the death of Nero were 37. yeares The said Panuinus saith that S. Peter was crucified in the the last yeare of Nero then shal it be 37. yeares and not as he saith 34. yeares after the death of Christ The Legend and Cannon say that Saint Peter and Saint Paul were in one selfe same yeare day and hower beheaded at Rome Saint Ierome saith that Paul was killed with a sword and Peter crucified Eusebius saith that the one was beheaded and the other crucified We demaund and chiefly of our Spaniardes which so much beeleeue these thinges when came Saint Peter to Rome how longe there stayed he when and of what kinde of death and where dyed he who was his successor for some say Linus others Clement we shall finde great confusion and disorder amongst them as already we haue seene and how deale they so with Christians whose faith is to be founded vpon the word of God The Popes Supremacie to be Peters successour they sell for an Article of our faith insomuch as saith Boniface 8. it was de necessitate salutis necessarie to saluation and who so beleeued it not could not be saued behold vpon what holy scriptures it is founded vpon a legend of mens sayinges disagreeing among themselues The cause taken away the effect ceaseth If Saint Peter were not Bishop of Rome it followeth that all whatsoeuer is sayd touching the succession Primacie of the Pope is meere lyes and fashood Also Saint Peters Commission was to be Apostle of the circumcision among the Iewes and that of Saint Paul of the vncircumcision among the Gentiles Gal. 2. 7. Saint Paul to the Romans themselues also saith that he preached the Gospell where none had once made mention thereof and giueth a reason Beast he should seeme to build vpon a straunge foundation Whereupon it followeth that Saint Peter was not at Rome Also in the Epistles which he wrote being prisoner in Rome he sent salutations from the faithfull which were then in Rome without any mention made of Saint Peter And had he bene in Rome it is to be thought he would haue named him Read the 4. chapter of the Epistle to the Colossians from the 10. verse vnto the 14. where he saith Salute Aristareus and Marke and Iesus called Iustus which be of the circumcision These onely be they that assisted me in the kingdome of God and were a comfort vnto me Whereupon it followeth that Saint Peter was not at Rome seeing he neither did assist nor comfort him This Epistle was written from Rome And in
Frederick the Emperour Detrahamus illis nocentes diuitias hoc enim facere opus est charitatis Let vs take away speaking of the Pope and clergie the riches which so much hurt them for this to do is a worke of charitie Here it is to be noted as reciteth Panuinus in his chronicle 30 Sismes to haue bin and that which happened in the yeere 252. betweene Cornelius and Nouatus is counted for the first and the same only hapned in the first order wherin were good all the Roman Bishops except Marcellinus who offred incense to Idols but touched by God he greatly repented so came into the Councell holden at Sessa in the kingdom of Naples where were present as saith D. Illescas three hundred Bishops and thirtie Presbiters or as saith Platina 180. Bishops and there asked he with teares God and them pardon of the most grieuous sin which he had coÌ„mitted FroÌ„ Sessa he went to Rome and there did chide Dioclesian for compelling him to sacrifice to Idolles wherefore Dioclesian commanded to kill him When Marcellinus was dead the seate was voide 7. yeeres and a halfe as saith Illescas and 25. daies or as saith Platina 25. daies The second order conteineth the bishops of Rome from Siluester 1. vnto Boniface the 3. These neither in life nor doctrin agreed by far with the bishops of the first order For persecution nowe ceassing they gaue themselues to idlenesse and pleasure and made Cannons and Decrees wherby they prepared the seate of great Antichrist Those of the second order were called for the space of 200. yeeres Archbishops It is to be vnderstood that from the yeere 320. vnto that of 520. afterwardes from the yere 520. vnto that of 605. they were called Patriarks S. Siluester was then the first Archbishop whome Marcus Iulius 1. and Liberius succeeded Liberius in the beginning of his Bishopdome thought well of the diuinitie of the sonne of God and for ought the Arian Emperour Constantius did would not be drawne to condemne Athanasius for which cause he was banished Rome Theodoretus lib. 2. ca. 16. of his historie reciteth the conference that passed between him and Constantins when he was banished wherein Liberius shewed himselfe verie constant Three yeeres saith Platina and others say lesse was Liberius banished The Romans at this time held a Councell wherein they chose for bishop Felix second This Felix as saith Platina was a very good man and so by his liking and consent of 48. bishops Vrsacius and Valens which held part with Constantius the Arrian Emperour were deposed These two went to Constantius and complained vpon Felix praying the Emperour to restore againe Liberius who wearied with the trouble of his banishment and nowe changed his opinion through ambition and the counsell of Fortunatus Bishop of Aquilea His banishment pardoned and Liberius restored to his Bishoprike in and by all things as saith Platina he agreed with the heretikes This restoring of Liberius and deposing of Felix caused great tumult in Rome so that the matter came to blowes and many Priestes and Ecclesiasticall men euen in the Churches were murthered This was the second Sisme In that which I haue said of Liberius and Felix I haue followwed Platina who vpon the life of Felix saith that faulting in nothing which became a true and good Christian he was caught with manie more good Christians and so by the aduersaries murthered Athanasius in an Epistle written to such as led a solitarie life saith plainly that Liberius after two yeares of his banishment passed being threatened wrth death changed his opinion and subscribed against Athanasius Ierome in his Chronicle saith that Liberius ouercome with disdaine of banishment subscribed to that wicked heresie Tome 1. Concil It is said that when Liberius was entered Rome he agreed with the heretike Constantius The same saith Damasus in his booke de Pontif. And Platina and Alonso venero in his Enchiridion of times and Iohn Stella and others Bale saith With ambition Gigas saith that Liberius moued with the martyrdome of Felix and fearing the like agreed with the Arrians approued their doctrine No mention is made of Liberius repentance therefore he is counted among the Arrian Popes Damasus his successour for this cause condemned Liberius al that he did But Gregorie 7. that abominable Pope as afterward in his life shall appeare canonized notwithstanding this Arrian Liberius and coÌ„manded saith Card. Benon his feast to be celebrated Panuinus the Popes great parasite in his chronicle of Bish cals him S. Liberius Behold if that which is said be true that many bee holden for Saintes whose soules are burning in hell Behold if the Pope may erre in â—aith To write the life of this Liberius hath cost me some trauell and diuersity of opinions the cause Some hold him for a Catholike others for an Arrian and both the one and the other say truth For in the beginning of his Bishopdome he was as we haue said a Catholike but after without repentance an obstinate Arrian Note we here what an euill beast is ambition He that standeth let him take heed lest he fall It sufficeth not to begin well but to end well is needfull He that continueth to the end saith the Lord shall be saued God giue vs grace to tame our ambition which we all haue need of For there is none which reputeth not himselfe for a demi-God and giue vs strength in afflictions which for his name we suffer Remember we Liberius But what speake I of Liberius Remember we Salomon that so well began but how proceeded he afterward The Lord gouerne vs vnto the end In the time of this Liberius and in the citie of Tagasta in Affrike was borne the great Doctor and light in the Church Saint Augustine and on the same day they say that Pelagius the heretike was borne in great Brittaine Oh the great mercie of God that prouided an Antidote against the poison of Pelagius Damasus a Portugall as we haue sayd condemned Liberius Damasus was verie deuout and ceremonious Panuinus in his Chronicle noteth that all the Bishops of Rome vntill Damasus were chosen and consecrated vpon one selfe same day But afterwards saith he this was not so obserued Vpon the day of Consecration now called coronation is a solemne triumph holden in Rome So much haue increased the riches power ambition and pride of those which call themselues the Fishers successours In this time flourished Saint Ierome and was a deare friend of Damasus as by their writings appeareth Betweene Damasus and Vrsinus was the third Sisme But in the 367. yeare Vrsinus renounced and was made Bishop of Naples Damasus died in the 384. yeare and Siricius succeeded him Siricius as saith Gracianus dist 82. was he that first forbad mariage to the Westerne priests which ordination many nations and chiefly our countrey of Spaine nothing esteemed Wherefore Hymerius then Bishop of Tarragona wrote to Siricius that the priestes
which another vndid one commanded that another forbad In his time the Armenians became Christians and Athanagilda now raigned in Spaine After Iohn 3 succeeded Benedict and Pelagius 2. Pelagius 2. a Romane the citie being inuironed contray to the wonted custome and without the Emperours commaund was made cheife Bishop For which cause he sent Gregorie who after him was Bishop to Constantinople to satisfie and appease the wrath of the Emperour In the 590. yeere died Pelagius and then Leonogildo reigned in Spaine Gregorie 1. a Romane was of best life and more learned then any of the Patriarkes his predecessors yet very ceremonious as by so many suprestitions by him brought into the Church appeareth He was the first that granted Indulgences to such as at certaine times wold come to the church Pardons he granted but sold them not as his successors for money He brought backe from Hell saith Damascen the Soule of the vnfaithfull Emprour Traian O horrible lie Pero Mexia vpon the life of Traian saith that which is said of the soule of Traian to be a fabulons Iest Illescas vpon the life of Gregorie 1. holdes it for a very trueth and condemneth Pero Mexia In the following treatise of the Masse wil we speake of this matter This good did Gregorie that both by wordes and deedes he was mortall enemy to the Primacie and so wrote against the name of vniuersall bishop as we will afterwardes declare against which he called himselfe the seruant of Gods seruants which title haue his successours but hypocritically holden seeing that calling themselues seruanth they haue made themselues lordes of the worlde and kinges Emperours and Monarkes kisse their feete and if the Pope will doe them that grace and fauour they holde themselues happie Gregorie much complained that in the worlde were so many Priestes and so few prachers of the Gospel Of this S. Gregory Huldricke Bishop of Augusta in an Epistle sent to Pope Nicholas 1. reciteth a notable historie the summe whereof is this That Saint Gregorie commaunded priestes should not marry but afterwardes vnderstanding they secretle committed great filthinesse and for that cause much murder ensued by commaunde he disanulled his decree affirming it better to marry then to giue occasion of murther Wherfore sending vpon a time to fish they found in a fishe poole or pond 6000. heads of young children that had there bene drowned Which Gregorie seeing to proceede of constrained single life sorowing and sighing from his hart he then reuoked his decree For that not only as saith the same Huldricke they had not abstayned from maydes and married women but defiled themselues also with their kinred with males and brute beastes Such are the fruites of Popish chastitie and their Angelicall life These thinges considered by Pope Pius 2. with great reason said he he forbad Priestes marriage but with much more reason he ought to restore it them againe And in another place It shall not happilie be worst that the greater parte of priestes doe marry for many are saued in their marry priesthood which in their barren priesthood are cōdemned The same Pius 2. as witnesseth Celius 2. supressed certain Monasteries of Nuns of Saint Bridgit and S. Clares order commaunding them thence to depart and no longer to burne in lust lest they shrowded a whore vnder a religions habite In the 604. yeares dyed Saint Gregorie at this time Leonigildo the Arrian that martyred Herminigildo his sonne raigned in Spaine Sabinianus successour of Gregorie 1. was the last Patriarke of Rome a man very simple and so much hated Gregorie his predecessour that he caused his bookes to be burned Onely will I here set downe a fable of the death of this Sabinian reported by Bergomenso for a very truth Saint Gregorie saith he being dead three times appeared to Sabinianus and sharply reproued him for seeking to defame him but his speach could nothing a mend Sabinianus which seeing S. Gregorie he gaue such a blowe vpon the head of Sabinianus that he made him die miserably Mon. eccl part 3. lib. 17. cap. 10. ¶ 1. hereof is made mention If this be true then one Pope killed another In the 605. yeare dyed Sabinianus This Sabinianus saith Illescas was the first that set an order in prayer deuiding the Office into the 7. Canonicall houres the same said he of of Pelagius 1. At this time reigned in Spaine Recaredo king the Gothes who destroyed the Aryan heresie which most parte of the Gothes maintained The third and last order conteyneth those Bishops which we properly call Popes and be very Antichristes As Boniface 3. began this order vntill Clement 8. who now tyranizeth hath continewed and in the last Pope shall take end Whom Christ will destroy with the spirit of his mouth as he destroyed his prodecessours And so shall the end come The Bishops of the first order were the Angels of God holy in life and Doctrine These of the second were men subiect to falling but these truly of the 3. are diuels incarnate Not by any figure Hiperbole or exaggeratiō but plainely doe I speake this I know it to be so as by their liues we will afterwardes proue Boniface 3. and first in this Catalogue was a most ambitious deuill And being Patriarke of Rome was made Pope by meanes of Phocas the Emperour who was an adulterer murtherer and tyrant A murtherer I call him for that to make himselfe Emperor as he did he murthered Mauricius his Lord and Christian Emperour This Boniface 3. by many requestes and giftes which breake the very rockes much more Phocas obteyned of Phocas that the Roman seate should be called the head of all Churches Three miserable thinges at this time happened the most noble Empire began to fall the Popedome to arise and Mahometisme to spring vp Of the ruines of the empire these two beastes arose which so much haue harmed the Church of Christ And by how much the more the Empier decayed by so much the more these two beasts increased It is now almost 1000. yeares since that by superstition and false Doctrine the light of the Gospell began to be darkened This miserable first Pope before a yeare of his Popedome was fully ended went to visite the Diuell the Father of ambition and with him there remayneth And albeit this first Pope was so ambitious and in his Ambition obstinately dyed Yet Panuinus calles him Saint Boniface notwithstanding At this time in Spaine the most Catholique Recaredo 1. reigned Boniface 4. succeeded Boniface 3. who as saith Platina obteyned of Phocas the Emperour the Temple which they called Pantheon to wit of all the Gods because it was dedicated to Sibylla and all the others Gods This Temple did Boniface dedicate vnto the blessed virgin and all the Martyrs which now is called S. Maries the round And thus far Platina Don Alonso of Carthagena Bishop of Burgos vpon
Bishop of Rome and Pope vniuersall in the Church of God and in that seat ruled two yeares and thirtie and so many dayes And albeit placed in this throne yet liued she not chastly but vsed priuate familiaritie with her slaue in whom she much trusted and by whom she was great with child yet so diligently she cloaked it that no other but himselfe knewe it And as God would not suffer so great wickednesse to rest any longer vnpunished so it happened that vppon a day being the time of her child-birth as she went with accustomed pompe to visite Saint Iohn de Lateran of a secrete sinne it pleased God to shew an open punishment and comming to a certaine place betweene the Church of Saint Clement and the Theater which they call improperly Coliseo with extreme paine shee brought forth a creature to the wonderfull amazement of those that were present and therewithall sodainly died and without honour or pompe was buried For this so strange accident in this place happened it is commonly sayd that when the chiefe Bishops go sithence to the Church of Lateran comming neere vnto it they turne aside go not that way in detestation of so horrible a chance And lest happily another such like woman might worke the like deceit there is now in the sacred palace a seate open below that it may secretly be seene if it be a man that is chosen The Romans now ashamed at the ceremonie for which his seate was inuented call it a dunghill imploy it to other purpose Another like seat there is or was if it be not thence taken in the Monasterie de Monte Cassino where in olde time they chose many Popes The same Author proceedeth In that way saith he is also a statue of stone representing the child-birth and death of this bold woman Thus farre Pero Mexia That which he saith of the statue and the cause of it there being is most true But it is to be vnderstood that the ceremony of the seate to knowe whether it be man or woman is not now vsed because those which are chosen for Popes haue so honestly liued that wanting lawfull wiues amongst their concubines whores and strumpets which they keepe and by whom they haue had he or she bastards they haue shewed themselues to be men Sergius had a bastared by a notable strumpet called Marozia as saith Luithprandus an ancient Writer in his secend booke and thirteenth chapter and in his third booke and twelfth chapter This sonne of the Pope was Pope also called Iohn the twelfth This Iohn the twelfth had a bastard which also was Pope called Iohn the fourteenth Innocentius 8. had 8. sonnes and as many daughters But leauing out the auncient let vs come to our later Popes How manie hee and she bastards had our Spanish Alexander the sixth Of Leo the tenth it is sayd that he had bastardes and that Clement the seuenth was his sonne of whom the Bishop Paulus Iouius counteth manie abominations Paule the third had bastardes among whom was one and Pero Lewis his name the most abominable Sodomite of his time and for the same was put to death Pope Gregorie the thirteenth not long since deceased before and when he was Pope had also bastardes Iohn Pannonius giueth the like reason with vs in these verses Non poterat quisquam resorantes aethera claues Non exploratis sumere testiculis Cur igitur nostro mos hic iam tempore cessat Antè probat sese quilibet esse marem The Church of Rome then hauing such certaine proofes a seate now is not needfull Friar Alonso venero in his Enchiridion of times speaking of the vnhappines of these times saith thus What greater euil thē a woman by her subtiltie worldly learning dissembling her sexe and nature to vsurpe the Pontificall seat of Christ Friar Iohn de Pineda par 3. lib 18. cap. 23. ¶ 6 saith This deede caused great admiration that a woman did dare to be the vicar of God sith the holy virgin Marie for being a woman is held irregular for any ecclesiasticall act or holy gouernment soeuer c. So long haue I dwelled vpō this historie of Pope Ione and with so many to wit 12 authors at the least confirmed it to confound some papists of our time which seing the disorder of this Pope this shee Pope I saie because the Pope is oft of the common of two genders to auoide the same very maliciously denie any such Pope to haue bin and the more to fortifie their vntrueth they are not contented to speak but also to write and print the same Amongest whom Onuphrius Panuinus of Saint Augustins order as they call it is one who among many other notes vpon Platina concerning the liues of the chiefe Bishops speaking of this Pope Ione maketh one verie large note wherein he absolutely or rather dissolutely denieth any such Pope to haue bene And his chiefest argument drawne to confirme his opinion is that such a one and such c. writing of the liues of the chiefe Oishops doe not once mention this Pope Iohn 8. whereupon it followeth as he concludeth that there was neuer any such Pope To this I answer that the Authors by him alleaged either by forgetfulnesse or ignorance or which is more credible mallice or else at least for shame haue made no mention of him As a Logitian I further answer that an argument taken ab authoritate negando is nothing worth For example Cicero vsed not this word therefore it is not Latine but if any other Latine authour as Caesar Liuius Salust c. vsed it it shall be Latine though not vsed by Cicero I now likewise answer that albeit those Authors by him alleaged make no mention of this Iohn the eight others and manie more such also as Pero Mexia calleth faithfull Authours haue done it An argument taken not ab authoritate negando but affirmando is good Of this Pope Mautuan in his third booke vpon Alphonsus speaking of hell thither saith he Iohn the eight descended Hic pendebat adhuc sexum mentita virilem Foemina cuitriplici Phrygiam diademate mitram Et tollebat apex pontificalis adulter Here will we make to the Papists and with much more reason the same demaunds that we did speaking of Constantine the second What will they say of those Bishops Archbishops and other Ecclesiasticall persons by her or her authoritie ordained Take away the cause and the effect ceaseth As she by their owne Cannons was not Pope so all those that she ordained were not Priestes nor did celebrate nor consecrate And all the people in hearing their Masse committed idolatrie Who then was head and vniuersall Bishop of the Church Who Saint Peters successour Who the Vicar of Christ A woman and that a whore both before she was Pope and after Pero Mexia hereof aduising answereth that albeit neither she nor any other woman be capable to receiue any character of ordination nor to ordaine
Councel of Rome after the said three Popes were deposed Clement 2. an Almaine by commandement of the Emperour was chosen He crowned the Emperour Henry and caused the Romans by an oth to renounce their right in election of the Pope For cofirmation of this renunciation I will here declare what Frier Iohn de Pin. pa. 3. lib. 19. cap. 24 ¶ 2. Blundus saith he holdeth that Clement 2. for the auoyding of Sismes depriued the Romans of the election of the Popes But Crancius Saxus say that in the Sutrian Councell it was forbidden them and granted to the Emperour And Naucterus and Sigebertus write that Henrie the Emperour bound the Romanes by an oth not to intermeddle with the Popes elections Thus farre Pineda The Romanes not regarding their oth after the Emperours departure from Rome poysoned the Pope whereof hauing bene Pope nine moneths he died Stephen they say who succeeded him in the Bishopdome and called himselfe Damasus the second prepared for him the poison Don Fernando 1. reigned in Spaine Damasus the second of Bauara without consent either of the Clergie or people of Rome by force held the Popedome For then as saith Platina was the custome that he which most could he had the Popedome But he enioyed not his bishopprick so ambitiously gotten but 23 dayes for he was poisoned The cause therof was that there was thē in Rome a man called Gerardo Brazuto who vsing a certaine deceitfull kind of friend ship in the space of 13 yeares dispatched with poison 6 Popes whose names be these Clement 2. Damasus 2. Leo 9. Victor 2. Stephen 9. Nicholas 2. The Romanes seeing themselues in such Sismes and seditions by the blacke elections of the Popes sent their Embassadors and besought the Emperour Henry to giue them a pope who sent vnto them Leo 9. Leo 9. comming to Rome encountred by the way with the the Abbot of Clunia and Hildebrand that afterward was Pope who seeing him Bishop-like attired perswaded him by no meanes so to enter Rome because not the Emperour but the Clergie and people of Rome had authoritie to make a pope Brunon before so called did as they aduised him came to Rome confessed his offence so they made him pope When he was pope Hildrbraud he made Cardinall and was with him very familiar granting all whatsoeuer he demaunded And so was Hildebrande of a poore Monke made a rich Cardinall Hildebrand reconciled with Pope Leo his old Lord and maister Theophilact before deposed from the popedome and now hipocritically reconciled In Verceles held Leo a Councell wherein he condemned the doctrine of Beringarius because he would not worship the cōsecrate bread for that it was bread not God Frier Ioh. de Pineda par 3. lib. 19. ca. 26. ¶ 2 of Berengarius albeit an enemie touching doctrine reporteth great vertues Beringarius saith he was a man of good learning quicke and mercifull and S. Antoninus addeth humbled whereof I much maruell c. And a little lower Most chast was he also so that he would not enter where any woman was This Leo 9. and partly at the instigation of that good peece Hildebrandus wholly forbad mariage to to ecclesiasticall persons Of this Leo 9. reporteth Carion lib. 4 of his historie that being Pope he went with the Emperour into Almaine And when the Emperour had called a Synod which was held in Maguncia the Pope being in the Councell would haue preferred himselfe to the Bishop of Maguntia But the Bishop alleaging his right defended the same and so was the Pope constrained to giue place For albeit the Popes had oftentimes attempted the tyrannie to be preferred before other Bishops yet had they not preuayled The which in the time of Henry the fift they obtained Fiue yeares was he Pope and the 1054 yeare of poyson which Brazuto gaue him he died Don Fernando 1. then reigned in Castile Victor 2. was Pope two yeares and somwhat more but Brazuto with poison dispatched him Don Sancho 2. reigned in Castile Stephen 10 or 9. fulfilled not one whole yeare For Brazuto dispatched him quickly in the 1058. year Don Sancho 2. reigned in Castile In the absence of Hildebrand was Benedict 10. or 9. But Hildehrand who then was the holy Spirit which ruled the Court of Rome did much stomacke this election and accusing him that by force bribes he had attained the Popedome so wrought that Benedict was deposed Wretched Hildebrand and how was he afterwards and his predecessors before him The old saying in this Benedict was fulfilled Para los desdichados se hizo la horca For the vnhappie was the gallowes prepared In the 1059. yeare Benedict vnwillingly renounced And Don Sancho 2. reigned in Castile Benedict deposed Hildebrand laboured the Clergie to choose Gerrard whom they called Nicholas 2. But vnable with his safety to make him in Rome they went to Sena and elected him there Nicholas seeing himselfe Pope called against Benedict the 10. a Synod in Sutrio This was the 21. Sisme which Benedict perceiuing who was a peaceable man leauing the Popedome he fled from Rome and so died not of poyson This Nicholas 2. held another Councell in Rome which they called the Councell of Lateran wherin he commanded that whosoeuer either by money fauour popular tumult or warre without the mutual consent of the Cardinals attained to the seat of S. Peter should not be holden for Apostolicall but Apostaticall To the Cardinals Clergie and Laity he gaue power to excommunicate and curse as a thiefe such a chiefe bishop and to call a Councell for deposing of such a Pope And if they could not in Rome yet in some other place they should call it Behold if his successours kept this decree Nicholas 2. poysoned by Brazuto in the 1061 yeare dyed Don Sancho 2. then reigned in Castile By the crafty subtiltie of Hildebrand and without consent of the Emperour was Alexander 2. made Pope for which cause the Lombards in the Diet holden at Basil where the Emperor was present elected Honorius Cadolus This was the 22. Sisme Honorius came with a great host and besieged Rome but he his were destroyed and so Alexander 2. gotte possession This Alexander commanded that the Cardinals only should choose the Pope Great alterations haue bene in chusing of the Pope First by the Senate Clergie and people of Rome with consent of the Emperor he was chosen then was he chosen of the Clergie and people of Rome one while with the Emperours consent another while without afterwards he was chosen by the Clergie now only by the Cardinals and is not to be chosen except he be Cardinall present in the Conclaue when the election is made The holy Spirit that gouerneth in the Popes election is euery day more wise and better aduised Hildebrand cast this Pope Alexander into prison aduancing himselfe with the papall
then lighting from his horse led the horse of the Pope and held his left stirrope for the Pope to alight The Pope derided the Emperour because he held not the right stirrop with this dirision was the Emperour somewhat angrie and smilingly answering him said That he neuer had bin horse boie The daie following came the Pope to the Campe of the Emperour who corrected with his former reproofe by holding the right stirrope better perfourmed his office This done the Emperour would be crowned but the Pope wold not crowne him till he had cast from Pulla Willam king of Sicilia and this at the proper charge of the Emperour The Popes resolution vnderstood the princes answered that a greater Campe was needefull that then he should crowne the Emperour who wold returne with a greater host and performe that which he commaunded and so was he crowned the daie following when the Emperour was departed the Pope seeing himselfe destitute of his assistance excomunicated the king of Sicilia and absolued all his vassals of their oath and allegeance but seing this nothing preuailed he incited against William Manuel Emperor of Grecia William seeing himselfe so greatly straighted demaunded peace promising to make full restitution but by the counsaile of some Cardinalls which gained by the warres the Pope would not grant it William seeing the cause to be desperat leuied a great armie wherwith he put to flight the Emperour he besieged Beneuente where was the Pope with his Cardinals and put them to such a straite that they craued peace which William graunted and so the Pope declared him king of both Sicils At this time commaunded the German Emperour that if the Pope sent his Legats into Almaine they should not be receiued but commanded to returne The Emperor also cōmanded that none shold appeale to Rome in letters placed his owne name before the name of the Pope wherwith the Pope was highly offended as by a letter which he sent cōplaining of these things which the Emperor had cōmanded appeareth Whereunto the Emperor very Christian-like among other things answered saying that Iesus Christ cōmāded to giue vnto Caesar that which was Caesars that the Pope being his vicar should do the like He shewed the cause why his Cardinals were not admitted for that they were saith he not preachers but robbers but when they performe their duty office then will we not let to ayd them D. Illescas in his hist Pontif. vpon the life of this Adrian 4. setteth downe the letter of the Pope but craftie as he was he set not downe the answer of the Emperor recited by Nauclerus In the end he excommunicated the Emperor but no further could the Pope shew his malice for that he swallowed a flie and in the 1159 yeare thereof died This Pope granted the Henrie 2. king of England the seignory of Ireland In this yere 1159. died Don Alonso 7. who reigned 51 yere in Castile Alexander 3. was made pope with great sedition for 9 Cardinals which tooke part with the Emperour made the Cardinal of S. Clement whō they called Victor 4. Pope Victor being dead in his place was chosen Pascal then Calistus and afterwards Innocentius All these one after another opposed themselues to Alexander This was a much greater Sisme then the 27 was The last which was Innocent vnwillingly renounced All the time that Alexāder was Pope which was 22 yeres indured this sisme Frederick the Emperor in the time of this Sisme held a Diet in Pauia where he cōmanded that Alexander the Pope his aduersary should appeare that the cause might be examined and he Pope alone which had most right to be Pope Alexander scorning the messēgers of the Emperor proudly answered The Bishop of Rome ought not to be iudged of any thē wrote his letters to the christian Princes excōmunicated the Emperor Victor the Pope To the Cardinal his vicegerent in Rome sent he great presents to gaine the good wils of the Romans that they might chuse such Consuls as shold take part with him To him Philip king of France gaue great assistance The Emperour seing the obstinacy of Alex. leuied a great host came into Italy whē the Emperor was come to Brixia Harmā Bish of that citie who had bin Secretary to the Emperour perswaded him that by the coūsel of Alex. whō he feared to passe with this gret host into the holy land there make war with the Turke The Emp. moued with this exhortatiō of Hermā supposing al waters were cleare and that there was no deceit departed to make warres with the Turkes of whom he had many victories and gained many cities and among them the citie of Ierusalem Aelexander hearing of such and so great victories beganne newly to feare lest the Emperour at his returne into Italie would newly assaile him To preuent so great a mischiefe by all possible meanes he practised to destroy and cause him to be killed Then sent he for a painter which should picture the liuely purtrait of the Emperour which picture or purtraite the Pope sent to the Souldan aduising him by his letters that if he coueted to liue in peace he should kill him by deceit whom that picture represented The Souldan taking the counsell of this diuellish Pope sought all wayes possible to kill him and vnable by force of armes by fraud and subtiltie The Emperour and his campe then marching in Armenia and the season being verie hot he resolued to go bathe in the riuer and none to accompanie him but one of his Chaplaines being thus alone he was taken by such as the Souldan sent to watch him and taken was through the woods and groues carried to the Souldan without the knowledge or suspition of anie of his followers His people on horseback all that day and the next sought him and not finding him it was bruited through the host that the Emperour was drowned And supposing that he was drowned they returned to their owne countries When the Emperour was presented to the Souldan he fained himselfe to be the porter of the Emperour but the Souldan well knowing him by the picture which the good Pope had sent him commanded the purtrait and letters sent by the Pope to be brought forth which in his presence he caused to bee read Then was the Emperour apalled and seeing that his deniall nothing auailed confessed whom he was and craued mercie The Souldan seeing the great goodnesse and wiseof the Emperour with great gentlenesse vsed him and so it happened that he gaue him libertie with this condition that an euerlasting peace should be betweene them and that he should pay an hundred thousand duckets for his ransome for the which his Chaplaine taken with him should remaine vntill it were paide The Couenantes thus beeing made the Soldan dismissed the Emperour and giuing him many presents and prouiding all things necessary for his iourney he caused 34 horsemen to
attend him so came he to Brixia where he abode The Gemane Princes hearing of the Emperours arriuall came to kisse his hands and giue him the welcome-home The Emperour rewarded the Souldans people that had attended on him and sent them backe to their Lord againe This done the Emperour held a Diet in Norinberge where he recouÌ„ted that which had hapned the great treason of the Pope read the letter sent by the Pope to the Souldan which seene the Princes promised their aid both for performance of his promise to the Souldan and also for the chastising of Pope Alexander A great campe he leuied without any let passed through Italy and went towards Rome The Emperour sent Ambassadors to Rome by whom he required without mentioning the receiued villanies and iniuries by Pope Alexander that the cause of the Popes might be heard examined that he which had most right might be Pope and so the Sisme cease Alexander seeing his part vnfurnished fled by night to Gaeta and from thence to Beneuente and there attiring himself in the habite of his Cooke in the 17. yeere of his Bishodome came to Venice where he was made Gardiner of a Monasterie from whence by commandement of Sebastian Duke of Venice with great pome he was taken and very pontifically carried to the Church of Saint Marke This historie is cited by Nauclerus Barnus Funcius and others The Emperour hearing that the Pope was in Venice requested the Venetians to deliuer so pernicious a man his enemie vnto him which denied by the Venetians the Emperor with an Armie sent Otho his sonne commanded him not to fight before his comming The young Prince desirous of fame sought with the Venetians against the commandement of his father of whom he was vanquished and carried prisoner to Venice This was a notable victorie for the Generall of the Venetians called Ciano brought but thirie Gallies and Otho 75. I will here recite that which Frier Iohn de Pineda lib. 25. cap. 7. ¶ 3. saith Glorious Ciano entered into Venice c. and somewhat lower The Pope gaue him the glorie of the victorie a little gold ring he also deliuered him saying he gaue him that in token he graunted him the segniorie of the sea which he had gotten and would he should cast it into the sea to bind the sea thenceforth as his wife to be alwayes kept vnder the Venetian Empire And that all the after Dukes should vpon some speciall day celebrate this ceremony euerie yeare And somewhat after the ceremony passed was vpon the day of the Ascension and the Pope granted in that Church vpon such day full remission c. for euer Thus farre Pineda Alexander growne proud with this victorie would not make peace with Fredericke vntill he himselfe should come to Venice at such day as the Pope would appoint The father for the loue he bare to his sonne did all whatsoeuer he was commanded He came to Saint Markes where the Pope before all the people commanded the Emperour to prostrate himselfe and craue mercie which the Emperour there did Then trode the Pope with his feete vpon the necke of the Emperour who was prostrate on the ground and with his mouth that spake blasphemies said It is written Thou shalt go vpon the Aspe and Basiliske and vpon the Lyon and Dragon shalt thou treade The Emperour herewith ashamed made answere Not to thee but to Peter Whereat the Pope stamping vpon the necke of the Emperour said Both to me and to Peter Then was the Emperour silent and so the Pope absolued him of his excommunication Another such like thing as this to the Emperor Henry of whoÌ„ we haue spoken in the life of Gregory 7. hapned The conditions of peace were That the Emperor shold hold Alexander for rightfull Pope restore all whatsoeuer that during the war he had taken The peace thus made the Emperor with his sonne departed Robert Montensis in his historie reporteth that Lewis king of France and Henry king of England going on foot and holding the bridle of the horse whereupon this Alexander rode the one with the right-hand and the other with the left with great pompe they led him through the citie of Boyanci which is vpon the riuer Luera In the time of this Alexander God to reproue the pride and tyranny of the Bishop raised vp the Waldenses or as other call them the poore of Lyons in the yeare of the Lord 1181. in which yeare this beast died and Don Sancho 3. reigned in Castile Lucius 3. who purposed to abolish the name of Consuls in Rome by the commoÌ„ consent of the Cardinals was chosen For which the Romans much offended expelled him from Rome disgraced with diuers kinds of reproches those of his part and some of them also they killed In the 1185. yeare he died and Don Sancho 3. reigned in Castile Vrban 3. whom for his troublesomenesse they called Turbano as saith Albertus Crantzio in the 6. booke and 52. chap. of his Saxon historie determined to excommunicate the Emperour because he was a let vnto him and wold not permit him to do what he listed but he did it not because in the 1187. yere he died before he would Don Alonso 8. reigned in Castile and at this time the Moores tooke Ierusalem Gregorie 8. before he was two moneths Pope died When Clement 3. was Pope he incited the Christian Princes as had done his predecessours to warre beyond the seas which did the Popes not so much for the increase of Christendom as for their own peculiar intents commodities as vpon Alexander 3. we haue already declared because the Princes being so farre remote and intangled with warres against the Infidels the Popes might do and did whatsoeuer they listed The Danes this Pope excommunicated because they would their Priestes should be married and not concubine keepers In this 1191. yeare he died Don Alonso the eight then reigned in Castile The next day after Celestine 3. was made Pope He crowned Henrie 6. and much repining that Tancred the bastard son of Roger whom the Sicilians had chosen for king William their king being dead without heire should be the king of Sicilia The Pope married the Emperour with Constantia the daughter of Râ—gero taking her out of the Monasterie of Panormo where she was a Nunne vpon this condition that expelling Tancred who then possessed it He should demaund for dower the kingdome of both Sicils and for being king of Sicilia should pay his fealty to the Pope which was the cause of much bloudshed When this Emperour Henry was dead great sisme arose in the Empire such and so great was the discord that hardly one parish agreed with another By these coÌ„tentions amoÌ„g the priests the Pope greatly enriched himselfe because in Rome they were to be ended as noteth Conrado Lichtenao Abbot of Vespurg whose words for that
to be murdered For Conradino the sonne and heire of Conrade king of Sicilia sought to defend his right but Charles ouercame and tooke him prisoner together with Fredericke Duke of Austria neere vnto Naples and by the counsell of the pope did behead them For Charles wrote to the Pope what he should doe with Conradino his prisoner The Pope answered The life of Charles the death of Conradino c. After him Adrian 5. against this Charles demanded aide of Rodolph the Emperour The kingdome of Naples by meanes of this cursed Pope came to the French and the Dukedome of Sueuia tooke end In the 1270. yeere this butcher died The seat of Sathan was long time to wit two yeeres and nine moneths and two dayes voide And Don Alonso 10. then reigned in Castile Clement the fourth being dead the Cardinals which were 17. number to chuse a new pope assembled together Amongst whom so great discord arose that in almost three yeeres space they could not agree for euery of them pretended to be pope Philip king of France and Charles king of Sicill hearing of this great discord came to Viterbo where the Cardinals were and prayed them to dispatch and chuse a chiefe bishop but so great was the ambition of the Cardinals that all this trauell and sute of the two kings were to no purpose so they returned without any thing done When they were in the election inuocating the holy spirit bishop Iohn Cardinall Portuensis seeing the great forwardnesse of the Cardinals said vnto them My Lords let vs vncouer this chamber for the holy spirit through so great roofes cannot enter vnto vs. When the same Cardinall vnderstood that Gregory was Pope he cōpiled these two verses Papatus munus tulit Archidiaconus vnus Quem patrem patrum fecit discordia fratrum To wit an Archdeacon attained to the Popedom whom the discord of brothers made father of fathers All this reporteth Panuinus an Augustin Frier Behold here what the Romists thēselues report of the elections of their Popes behold here Ambition the holy spirit which in their election gouerneth Gregory 10. thus elected in the yere 1273. at Lyons in France did celebrate a Councell where Michael Paleologus Emperour of Constantinople who approued the doctrin of the Romaine church his predecessors hauing 12 times done the like as many times more reuoked the same was present In this councell it was ordeined that the Pope being dead the Cardinals shold shut thēselues in the Conclaue And that moreouer which Panuinus in the note vpon Platina vpon the life of this Gregory 10. saith He renued a fresh the warre of the holy land And in 5 yeres that he poped neuer saw Rome In the 1276. yere he died and Don Alonso 10. reigned in Castile Innocent 5. a Burgonion was the first begging friar that was made pope for which cause he much fauored his dominicks And hauing poped 6. moneths 2. daies the same yere with his predecessor he died Adriā 5. a Genoway was the nephew or as is thought the son of Innocēt 4. whē he was Pope he went frō Rome to Viterbo frō whence he wrote to Rodulph the Emperour to aide him against Charles king of Sicilia which Charles had the former popes against all right made king of Sicil as in the life of Clement 4. we haue noted but the Emperor occupied in the wars of Bohemia could not succor him He poped but one moneth 7 daies then died Iohn 22. or 21 or 20 before he was pope called in latin Petrus Hispanus was born at Lisbon by professiō a Phisition Albeit this mā was holden for very learned yet was he very vnskilfull to gouerne And as saith Platina wrought more domage thē profit to the popedom Many things he did which shew his folly lightnes One good property he had that whē he saw a yong man inclined to study with benefits money he would aide him This mā foolish as he was promised by the stars long life to himselfe so would tell it to all men But it farre otherwise happened to him for a certaine chamber which Valerius calleth a sporting chamber Estella calleth it a precious bed chamber which he had builded for his pleasure in the pallace of Viterbo at the end of 4. dayes fell suddenly to the ground the Pope was found betweene the timber the stones who hauing poped 8. moneths and 8. daies at 7. dayes end in the 1277. yere died Six moneths after the death of his predecessor was Nicholas 3. chosen for the Cardinals could not agree at the end of which time Charles king of Sicilia ruling as a Senator in the Conclaue Nicholas 3. was chosen who after he was pope began thē to persecute Charles he tooke frō him the vicaredge of Hetruria he tooke frō him also the power of Senator giuē him by Clement 4. he forbad that no king or prince thenceforth should dare to demand or administer that office tooke it to himselfe But Martin the 4. his successor did restore it vnto him For so agree the Popes that that which one doeth another vndoeth This Nicholas with great wars vexed Italy And the better to effect his purposes he perswaded Don Pedro king of Arragon to demand the kingdom of Sicilia seeing it was his in the right of his wife Constance This counsell much pleased Don Pedro which was afterwards the cause of much bloodshed In the yere 1381. died Nic. Martin 4. a Frenchman Panninus cals him 2. with great humanity receiued Charles king of Sicilia and restored him to the dignity of Senator that moreouer which his predecessor had taken frō him He excōmunicated Don Pedro king of Arragon who leuied a great armie to inuade Charles in Sicilia gaue his kingdome for a prey to the first that could take it absolued all his vassals from their oth to him made as their king c. yet Don Pedro of al this made no reckoning but passed into Italy aided by Paleologus Emperor of Constantinople wan Sicilia The Sicilians for their pride luxuritie bare great hatred to the French so that they conspired against Charles his frenchmen toulling the bels they issued out killed all nor sex nor age regarded yong old men and women albeit great with child they destroyed These be the Euensongs which the Sicilians call so famous After this Charles with his armie comming to Naples was vanquished taken as saith Platina sent into Arragon This Pope Martin tooke the concubine of his predecessor Nicholas 3. when Martin had 4. yeares and one moneth poped in the 1285. yeare he died of whom saith Platina that after his death he wrought great miracles Don Alonso 10. then raigned in Castile Honorius the fourth following the steps of his predecessor Martin 4. confirmed the excommunication and interdiction against Don Pedro which held
the kingdome of Sicilia In the 1288. yeare and the second yeare of his popedome died Honorius Don Sancho the braue raigned in Castile When ten moneths and eight dayes of the vacation were expired Nicholas the fourth was chosen In this time were great tumults in Rome So that in the 1292 yeare for very griefe and sorrow say they he died When Nicholas was dead the Cardinals for more quiet election of a new Pope went from Rome to Perusio But notwithstanding so great were the discordes among them that in two yeares three moneths two dayes they could not agree together Don Sancho 5. raigned in Castile After so great a vacation Celestine 5. by the fauour of Charles king of Naples of Cardinall Latinus was made pope This pope in his first Consistorie as sayth Christianus Masseus willing to reforme the church for example vnto others began the reformation of the ecclesiastical persons resident in Rome for which the church men were so offended with him that they called him blocke and foole among whom was a Cardinall named Benedict or to speake better Maledict which after being Pope was called Boniface 8. He I say placed a certaine person in a chamber of the pope which person many nights thorough a trunke should say these words Celestine Celestine renounce for the burthen is greater then thou art able to beare Celestine being a good man without deceit and not malicious as Maledict was supposed it was an Angell that spake to him by night and so for discharge of his conscience began to treat of renouncing which heard of king Charles he besought him with great instance in no wise to renounce And all the people did the same but Celestine answered he would doe that which God willeth In the end being exhorted by many of the Cardinals and chiefely by Maledict that succeeded him hauing first made a decree by consent of all the Cardinals that the pope might renounce after he had 6. monethes bene Pope he renounced and so Boniface was made Pope who when hee was Pope fearing as saith Colemucius in his Neapolitaine historie the holines of Celestine laid hand on and tooke Celestine after he had renounced and in the way to Yermo where before he was Pope he had liued Celestine thus taken in the thousand two hundred ninetie fiue yeere died Boniface like a subtill and craftie man yeelded albeit but friuolous his excuses Be it as it wil be saith Platina this is notorius that verie vngratefull and craftie was Boniface seing by his ambition he deceaued so holie a man caused him to renounce his Popedome and going to Yermo tooke him and put him into a Castle where before the time of a yeare and fiue moneths after he was made Pope he caused him to die Of this Celestine saith Genebrardus by authoritie of some hiostories as Pineda lib. 22. cap. 7. 5. 3. reporteth it that this holy Pope comaunded that thenceforth neither Popes nor Cardinals should ride but on Asses as rode Iesus Christ and he him selfe whiles he was Pope as writeth Papirus c. Don Sancho the braue reigned in Castille Boniface 8. of the Spanish race through his great ambition and deceipt was pope as in the life of his predecessor we haue declared So arrogant he was saith Platina that he no man regarded some of the Cardinals complained of him to the kings and Christian princes accusing him of Ambition that against all right and reason by deceauing and causing Celestine to be taken with that moreouer which before we haue recited he had made himselfe pope So greatly this pope hated the Gibilins that vpon a time being the first wednesdaie in lent Prochetus Archbishop of Genoa kneeling at his feete to take ashes the pope in steed of saying Remember that thou art dust ô man and to dust thou shalt returne he said Remember man that thou art a Gibiline and with the Gibilins into ashes shalt returne and in stead of putting ashes vpon his head he cast them into his eyes and depriued him of his Archbishoppricke albeit afterwards againe hee restored him This Pope excommunicated Philip king of Fraunce because hee would not suffer him to draw money out of Fraunce and banned him and his race vnto the fourth generation He would not confirme Albertus the Emperour albeit two or three times he had requested him except Philip deposed hee would make him king of France And so on a time as by ouermuch ambition and pride he was besides himselfe hee girt vnto him a sword put a crowne vpon his head and gloried that hee was Emperour and chiefe Bishoppe and so denied the confirmation of the Emperour But of himselfe afterwarde for the hate he bare to the French king did he offer it The cause of this hate recounteth Carion lib. 5. He adunaced the excommunication to Don Peter king of Arragon euer sought to entertaine discord in Italy gloried that hee was porter of heauen and that he might be adiudged of no man he was the first that appointed the Iubile promising full pardon and remission of sinnes to such as should visite Rome The Fraticellians which saide that the Clergie ought to imitate the Apostles he condemned He compyled the Sexto of the Decretals and commaunded them publiquely to be read in all Vniuersities Of the Decretals read aboue vpon Gregorie the ninth He canonized Saint Lewes king of France and vncanonized Harmon of Ferrara commaunded him to be vntombed and after hee had beene buryed thirtie yeeres to be burned Of this Hermanus saith Histor Pontific vpon the life of Boniface the eight that more then twentie yeeres they helde him for holy in Ferrara and then was he verified to haue beene an heretique of those which were called Fraticellians Of this Boniface saith Cornelius Agrippa lib. de vanitate scientiarum cap. 62. This is that Boniface the great which did three great and wonderfull things The first that with deceipt and a false Oracle he perswaded Celestine to renounce the popedome The second he compyled the Sexto of the Decretals and affirmed the Pope to be Lorde of all The third hee instituted the Iubile and market of Indulgences and he the first that stretched them out euen vnto Purgatorie Thus farre Agrippa Of the Iubile afterwardes vppon Nicholas the fift and Alexander the sixt and Carion lib. 5. The ende of this beast was thus some which for feare of him had hid themselues in the mountaines and woods holding the wilde beastes not so cruell as he that was Pope came to Anagnia where secure was the Pope in the house of his father and breaking the gates they tooke and caried him to Rome where fiue and thirtie dayes he remained after which time hauing poped eight yeeres nine monethes and seuenteene dayes in the 1304. yeere of very griefe and sorrowe hee died Frier Iohn de Pineda speaking of this Boniface 8. lib. 22. cap. 11.
offended because Apius Claudius had chosen himselfe of the Decemuiri and Lucius Furius Camillus to be Consull and they were pagans and to be named Pope he being a Christian held it no let c. Such like vnto him was this Iohn 24. that elected himselfe This Pope depriued Hugh Bishop of Catura disgraded and deliuered him to secular power to be tormented embowelled and burned till he were dead The cause of his great crueltie was this that the said Bishop he said had conspired against the Pope This Iohn much affected nouelties of one Bishopricke he made 2 and contrarywise of 2 one Of an Abotship he made a bishoprick and of a bishoprick he made an Abbotship Caragoça he made an Archbishoprick and fiue bishopricks of 11 in the Prouince of Taracona hee gaue it for suffraganes The Knights of Christs order as they call it to fight against the Moores he instituted in Portugale and by consent of Don Alonso king of Portugal gaue them the goods of the Templars Those he condemned for heretiques which said Christ and his Apostles had nothing proper He forbad this question in the vniuersities to be disputed He condemned one Peter a Franciscan Friar because he exhorted men to follow Christs pouertie For which cause many were condemned and burned This Pope so cruell against such as he called heretiques erred in the faith and was an heretike For hee taught that the soules seperated from the bodies saw not God nor reioyced with him before the day of iudgement For so as saith Masseus deceiued by the visions of one Tundall an Irishman had his father taught him By that saying of the Lord to the theefe vpon the Crosse This day shalt thou be with mee in Paradice Luke 22. 43. and by the speech which he vttered concerning Lazarus whose soule saith he was in Abrahams bosome Luke 16. 22. by that which saith S. Stephen Act. 7. 59. Lord Iesus receiue my spirit imitating therein his maister who being vpon the crosse said Father Into thy handes I commend my spirit And by the saying of S. Paul Phil. 1. 21. To me Christ is gain whether in life or death and verse 23. I desire to be dissolued and to be with Christ and that he saith is better for him Also Eccle. 12. 7. And dust returne to the earth c. the spirit returne to God that gaue it Also Matth. 22 23. the Lord speaking of Abraham Isack Iacob who were dead as touching the body saith that God is not a God of the dead but of the liuing And Luke 16. 9. Make ye friends of the vnrighteous Mammon that when ye shall haue neede to wit when ye shall die They may receiue you into euerlasting habitation And 2. Cor. 5. 8. we loue to be out of the body and to be with the Lord is this heresie confuted Whereupon it followeth that the soules of the faithful which die in the Lord see God and at the parting from their bodies enioy his presence in these two thinges to see God and enioy his presence our happinesse consisteth To teach and preach this heresie this Pope sent 2 Friars to Parris the one a Dominican the other a Franciscan vnto whom Thomas Vales an English Dominicke opposed himself for which the Pope cast him into prison many others likewise opposed themselues In conclusion the vniuersitie of Paris ayded by the fauour of their king Phillip the faire who had withdrawne himselfe and all his kingdome from the Popes obedience compelled the Pope as he did to recant not without sound of trumpet for feare of loosing his Popedome as Iohn Gerson in the sermon of Easter doth witnes The errors of this Pope which now we will reckon are according to the papists errors but according to Christian religion perfect truth He commaunded the Nunnes called Beguinas to marry He could not abide to see pictures nor Images He affirmed that Iesus Christ gaue no other rule to his Apostles then that which he had giuen to all faithfull Chistians The Apostles said he neuer vowed Chastitie And that vowes make not them perfect which vowe them nor put them in the state of perfection We will now returne to his wonders Iohn Mandeuell lib. 1. cap. 7. reporteth this Pope to haue written a large Epistle to the Greciās saying That there was but one church whose head he was the vicar of Christ Whereunto the Grecians in few words answered thy power ouer thy subiects we verily beleue to be great thy excaeding pride we cānot suffer thy couetousnesse we cannot satisfie the deuill be with thee for the Lord is with vs. In this Laconismo or breuitie well declared the Grecians the whole state of the Pope This Pope Iohn proclamed the Emperour Lodowicke of Bauiera for a Rebell Sismatique and heretique The cause was as saith Ieronymus Marius for that the Emperour being elected by the Princes without othe of subiection to the Pope as Clement 5. had commanded tooke vpon him the administration of the Empire The Emperour to auoyd contention sent his Embassadours to the Pope being then at Auignon requesting at his hands the authority and title of the Emperour But so farre of was the Pope from graunting this that he sent home with a mischiefe and verie euill intreated the Ambassadours peremptorily cyting the Emperour himselfe personally to appeare in Auignon and submit himselfe to the decrees of the Church But the Emperour knowing the tyrannie which the Pope vsurped in the Church and perceiuing that he had receiued onely of God his Emperiall Maiestie would not as a seruant subiect himselfe nor come to Auignon Affecting peace notwithstanding he eftsoones by Embassadours did gently request him to graunt what he demaunded The Pope was still obstinate and for the hate which he bare to the Emperor excommunicated the Vicounts whom the Emperour had placed to gouerne Millan When the Emperour sawe his obstinacie he came to Rome where he was very magnifically receiued and demaunded of the Romanes that which the Pope had denyed him The Nobles of Rome hearing this sent their messengers to the Pope beseeching him to come to Rome and graunt that which the Emperour desired which if he denyed to doe they would doe said they according to the law and auncient custome of the Romans yet for all this was the Pope nothing moued but rather much more incensed and cast them from his presence with many iniuries and threatnings When the people of Rome saw this they determined to graunt that which the Emperour demaunded and so the Senators Stephen and Nicholas by commaundement of the Clergie people crowned the Emperour with his wife the Emperesse This knowne to Pope Iohn he made great processe against the Emperour calling him heretique and saying he had committed high treason he depriued him of all that he had excommunicating him a new with a most cruell excommunication Thus farre Ieronymus Marius Diuines and lawyers in those times
Gregorie went to Arimino and Benedict to his land of Cataluna Thus at this time were there three Popes Benedict 13. made in Auignon Gregorie 12. made in Rome and Alexander the Cretian made in the Councell of Pisa Poets do feigne Cerberus the porter of hell to haue three heads which fable we see now verified in the Popedome whose porter which is the Pope hath three heads and as touching the kingdome of Antichrist as well the one as the other was the head Gregorie cast Nicholas de Luca downe from the pulpit and for punishment to him and example to other put him in prison because in his preaching for the good of the Church he exhorted him him to vnitie The fathers in the end and the 1415. yeare assembled in the Councell of Constance wrot vnto him to come or at least to send some in his place to the Councell who seeing their desire was to haue him renounce forthwith there renounced but shortly after for very griefe and sorrowe dyed Petrus de Luna was alwayes called Benedict 13. against whom Iohn Gerson a famous diuine often said in the Councell whiles Luna liueth there shall no peace be in the Church but neither the authoritie of the Councell nor the threates nor requests which they vsed could cause him renounce and so till he died which was aboue thirtie yeares was Pope In the 1424. yeare he dyed Alexander 5. a Cretian was made Pope in the Councell of Pisa as before we haue said An Alexander he was in giuing and so was he accustomed to say merily of himselfe that he had bene a rich Bishop a poore Cardinall and a begging Pope So haughty was his humour that being in the Councell of Pisa Ladislaus king of Naples of whō we haue made mention in the life of Vrban 6. he depriued of his kingdome This Pope ordeyned that all Christians should beleeue as an article of their faith that his Saint Frauncis had the 5 woundes which Christ imprinted vpon him and commaunded solmnely to celebrate the feast of the woundes of Saint Frauncis Herein did Alexander shew himselfe to be very Antichrist seeing he vsurped authoritie to make new articles of faith which whosoeuer would not beleeue should for the same be condemned Saint Paul doth teach vs that if any albeit an Angel from heauen shall preach another Gospell vnto vs then that which he had preached vnto vs he should be anathematized cursed and excommunicate such a one then was Pope Alexander This Alexander which afore time called himselfe Petrus de Candia being as reporteth Theodoricus of Nyem at the point of death said that he neuer knew father nor mother nor brother nor any of his kindred that when he was yong he liued by begging for Gods sake from dore to dore He said that a Franciscan Italian Friar tooke him from that course of life and taught him Grammer afterwardes made him Friar of his orders and carried him with him into Italic And that from Italic he went into England and in Oxeforde studied and after he had continewed many yeares in this vniuersitie he went to Paris where he was made maister in diuinitie from thence he went into Lombardie where by the meanes of Duke Iohn Caleaço he was made bishop of Vincentium and afterwardes Archbishop of Milan then Cardinall and in the end Pope In the 1411. yeare he died The cause of his death as saith Baptista Panecius in his 6. sermon was poyson which his Phisition Marcillias of Parma corrupted with money by Cardinal Baltassar Cossa who sought to be pope as he was gaue him D. Iohn 2. thē reigned in Castil Iohn 24. as Platina calleth him or 23. or 22. for the causes before mentioned with the poyson which he caused to be giuen to Alexander his predecessor was made Pope Hee better knew how to manage armes then bookes and so as noteth Friar Iohn de Pineda lib. 23. cap. 10. ¶ 5. a man he was notable for matters of the world but ignorant in spirituall things a very good beginning for confirmation hereof he aleageth Leonardus Aretinus Blundus Flauius Pius 2. More by violence thē free election as the papists themselues do witnes was he made Pope For when Alexander was dead the Cardinals assembled to chuse a Pope in Bologna he being Legat in Bologna and hauing like a good captaine many souldiars very much threatned the Cardinals except they should chuse a Pope according to his wil. For this cause named they many saying wilt thou haue this wilt thou haue this other but with none of thē was he pleased And when they praied him to name whom he would haue Pope Giue me said he the mantle of S. Peter and I will put it vpon him that shal be Pope And when they had giuen it he put it vpon himself said I am Pope This is like that which is reported of Don Fernando grandfather of Don Charles the Emperor king of Spaine maister for maister this let it be so casting vpon him the habit made himselfe maister of S. Iames. The like election to this was that of Pope Iohn 23. as before we haue declared This deed of the Pope displeased the Cardinals Yet thought they it best to dissemble with him and for that he was so terrible a man to passe with the election In this man saith Platina was more fiercenes boldnes then besemed his profession all his life almost was soulderlike such were his customes that many things vnlawfull to be spoken of he thought it lawfull to doe And such were his abhominations that Platina shamed to speake them When he was Pope he wrote to the Emperor Sigismund that he would crowne him He began to hold a Councell in Rome whereunto when the Emperor and diuers nations could not freely come by reason of the discord that the Pope had raised in Italy at the request of almost all nations the Pope apointed Constance the 1. of Nouember in the 1414. yeare In which Councel he himselfe would be present And albeit that some did coūsel him not to go to the Councell lest he thence returned without his bishoprick yet went he notwithstanding carying with him subtil aduocats to defend him if ought were obiected against him Thē begā the general Coūcel by cōsent of pope Iohn Sigismūd the Emp. other Christian princes The night of the natiuitie the Emp. as a Deacon sang the Gospel which began Exijt edictum à Caesare c. When the Coūcel was set licence of free speech to each one giuē they obiected and proued against Pope Iohn in the presence of the Emp. more then 40. hainous offences he was then cōstrained by the Coūcels cōmand to renounce The causes were for that to make himselfe Pope he had caused poyson to be giuē to Alexander 5. because he was an heretique Symonist a liar an hipocrite a murtherer a witch a gamester an Adulterer a
friendship the Pope secretly departed from Constance as saith Volateranus against the will of the Emp. and so came to Florence where taking his pleasure he 2 yeares remained Before he departed from Constance the Emp. and other Princes exhorted him to giue some good order for reformation of the ouermuch libertie euill customes of the Clergie Whereunto Martin answered That this was with time nature consideration to be done and for confirmation of his answere hypocritically aleaged the saying of S. Ierome that euery prouince hath it customes maners which could not sodainly be abolished without great trouble and damage How much better should he haue put his hand to the worke begun to reforme himselfe and his court of Rome To speake of reformation to the Popes is to speake or preach death vnto them And this is the cause why they cannot brook to heare tel of a Coūcel because they then know that each one tam in capite quà m in membris Aswell in the head as in the members wil begin to speake of reformation They remēber that the Councels haue deposed Popes and placed others They remember that in the Councell of Pisa celebrated in the 1410. yeare 2 Popes were deposed and Alexander elected that in the Councell of Constance in the 1416. yeare were 3 deposed and Martin chosen And in the Councell of Basil in the 1432. yeare Eugenius was deposed and Amadeus chosen For this cause would the Popes haue willingly no Councels And albeit for shame they cannot but graunt that a Councell shal be the Pope feareth as to eate poyson to be present therein but sendeth his Legats which accustomably as in the last Trident Councel which buried so many Popes and none of them appeared in the Councell was seene The Popes doe feare as before we haue said least the like to them as to the others Popes should happen in the Councels For these causes made Martin a decree that no Councel after that of Constance before 5 yeares passed should be holden after that Coūcel ten yeares should passe before another Coūcell were holden See here the reformation which the Popes desire If any Pope in maners be lesse wicked for in Doctrine be they al Antichrists in his Roman Court wisheth practiseth some reformation then doubtlesse ensueth some conspiracy against him that they giue him a morsel wherewith they dispatch him An example we haue in Celestine 5. whō his Cardinal that after him was Pope dispatched in Adrian 6. as afterward we wil declare It is said of this pope Martin that he dispensed with one to mary his own sister After 2 yeeres he went frō Florence to Rome The cause of this going was for that the pages as saith I. de Pineda sang in his disgrace a Sonet which began El Papa Martino no vale vn quatrino Martin the Pope is not worth a rope Whē he came to Rome saith Pineda his face shewed him to be quite chāged for before he was pope he was demed a man gētle simple vnwise wāting that gētlenes that was suposed to be in him was afterwards discouered to be most wise And a litle lower So scraping he was couetous a mony-gatherer that he gaue great cause of slander chiefly because what he euilly got he worse spēt c. whē he was come to Rome he gaue himself to repaire not the true Church of Iesus Christ which is his mēbers but the wals of the citie Churches he adnulled the decrees of the Popes passed in the time of the Sisme he depriued Dex Alonso king of Arragon of the kingdom of Naples gaue it to Lewes And in the 1431. yere died D. Iohn 2. reigned in Castile Eugenius 4. a Venetian after the death of Martin his predecessor was elected in Rome In so great a straite was seene this Eugenius that to saue his life being Pope be left his owne garments in a Friers habit put himselfe with his companion in a fishers boate which he found certaine Romanes which perceiued his flight cast many stones and arrowes at him In the end he scaped and went to Florence where some yeeres he abode and for his better defence made 16 Cardinals In the 1432. yeare was the Eugenius cited by the Councell of Basil But he knowing that the Councell would be aboue the Pope and that vpon appearance he should answere the exhibited accusations against him would not appeare Eugenius not appearing was deposed by the Councel Amadeus Duke of Sauoy who had made himself an Hermit and now called Felix 5. was elected in his place yet for all this would not Eugenius leaue to be pope And so to defeat the Councel of Basil hee assembled another Councel in Ferrara frō thence went to Florence Don Iohn 2. king of Castile albeit he had sent his Embassadors and learned men to the Councel of Basil yet fauored this Eugenius Eugenius incited Lewes the Dolphin of France with an host to go to Basil and breake off the Councell whereof ensued great mischief This Eugenius was the cause of the vnfortunate death of Ladislaus king of Hungarie in counselling him to breake his faith word giuen to the Turke which counsell this poore yongling but of 22 yeares tooke so set vpon the Turke when by reason of the peace betweene them he least suspected The Turke seeing this vnfaithfulnes reinforced himselfe returned vpon him In which battel the king with Cardinal Caesarinus the Popes Legate was slaine his host destroyed It hath wontedly bene argued whether faith and promise giuen to an infidell might lawfully be broken wherunto I answer that which Frier Iohn de Pineda lib. 26. cap. 28. ¶ 1. to this purpose saith There is no doubt saith he but faith is to be kept aswel to an enemy albeit he be an Infidel as to a friend Christian the reason which he giueth is this because the bond to obserue it issueth from the law of nature which is indispensable God hauing bin put for witnes of the truth that each one promiseth to another c. So that Eugenius the fourth was wicked indispensing and Ladislaus was periured against God notwithstanding the Popes dispensation Wickedly did the Councel of Constance which brake faith with Iohn Hus and Ierome of Prage Much better did the Emperour Don Charles who being but young of 21 yeares sent with safe conduct for Luther who appeared before the Emperour at Wormes and publikely gaue an account of his faith and the Emperor keeping with him his word sent him backe albeit the Spaniards did incite him to kill him Much better did the Captaine Mondragon in keeping the faith which he had promised to the Prince of Orange whose prisoner he was This Eugenius most cruelly burned a Frenchman called Thomas Rēdon a Carmelit for saying that in Rome were committed great abominations that the Church had need of great reformation and that
the truth written and manifested vpon men in the olde and new Testament meete it is as saith Saint Paule that they should beleeue lies The report that the Duke of Ferrara against the will and consent of Sistus had made peace with the Venetians caused the death of Sistus For so highly was he offended thereat that within fiue dayes in the 1484. yeare he died In whose time reigned in Castile Aragon Don Fernando and Dona Isabella Innocent 8. a Genowey before called Iohannes Baptista Cibo when he was Pope conspired against Don Fernando king of Sicill taking part with the Nobles that rebelled against the king But his enterprise not succeeding as he supposed vnable to doe more he made peace with the king with this condition that he should haue his tribute the rebels their pardons but the king performed neither the one nor the other The Pope after this gaue himselfe to pleasure which accustomably bringeth draweth with it vanities delights pastimes pompes rioâ— glutony whoredoms other such vices sins He was of like beautiful fair body wherof he much esteemed as was Paul 2. he was also like vnto Paul 2. in hardnes of vnderstanding not giuen to learning Eight sons so many other daughters he had without mariage as by these verses of Marcellus appeareth Octorecens pueros genuit totidemque puellas Hunc meritò poterit dicere Roma patrem Spurcities gula auaritia atque ignauia deses Hoc octaue iacent quo tegeris tumulo To wit eight sonnes he begot and so many other daughters For this cause with reason might Rome call him father Filthinesse gluttony couetuousnesse and negligent slothfulnes lye ô Octaue in this sepulchre With riches and dignities he shamelesly aduaunced his children He was the first Pope that without any circumstance colour or titles of Nephewes or Neeces as others had accustomed to doe dared publikely to doe this Wicelius notwithstanding doth commend him for his holy life learning and eloquence He was much inclined to lucre and when neither his plenary Indulgences nor his Iubile nor was against the Turke could suffice to fill his hands a new inuention he found to draw out money And this it was hee had found in a wall said he the title of the crosse of Christ Iesus of Nazareth king of the Iewes written in three tongues Hebrewe Greeke and Latine and withall the iron of the speare which pearced the side of Christ Friar Iohn de Pineda lib. 26. cap 3 3. ¶ 1. saith that Baiazet sent him the Iron of the launce c. that he should not permit Zizimus his brother to moue wars in Turky This is he which now I will shewe to haue bene called Geme c. This Geme flying from his brother Baiazet retyred to Rhodes afterwardes was he brought to France then to Pope Innocent 8. and then to Naples in the time of Pope Alexander 6. c. Of this Geme will we make mention in the life of Alexander 6. Behold what great thinges can couetousnesse effect A great drinker he was and in his time all the offices in Rome men might haue and had for money In a certaine place called Polo he condemned for heretiques 8 men 6 women the Lord of that people because they said that none of Peters successors had bene Christs vicar but those only which had imitated the pouertie of Christ In the 1492. yeare died Innocent Don Fernando and Done Isabella then reigning in Spaine Alexander 6. a naturall Spaniard borne at Valencia was so abhominable and shamelesse that his papistes themselues doe openly speake it Panuinus an Augustine Friar vpon his life and not without cause saith filthie thinges of him and albeit he said much euill of him yet left he much vnsaid He saith then that Alexander aided by certaine Cardinals corrupted with blind ambition and auarice a good beginning attained to such great dignitie who afterwardes perceiuing the great vnfaithfulnesse of this vngratfull Pope receiued the Chastisement for selling of their suffrages that their seruice deserued the chiefe of these Cardinals was Ascanius Esforcia who sold it for great giftes and promises which Alexander made and principally that Alexander promised he should be his Chauncellor which office very few yeares he enioyed The rest suffered moreouer great misery and calamities some liued in banishment others were imprisoned others violently murthered And that moreouer which of him writeth the forenamed Panuinus among other things he saith Some fathers there were in that election which prophesied and were not false Prophets that a Spaniard was foolishly chosen who was a man that would smother wickednes a great dissembler and one that in the end would be a totall reine to all c. The olde Spanish prouerb in these miserable Cardinals is verified Plaze la traycion mas no eltraydor The treason pleaseth but not the Traytor Ieronymus Marius in his Eusebius speaking of this Pope saith who can reckon the foule neuer heard of deeds of Alexander 6. He made a couenant with the deuils He gaue deliuered himself wholly vnto them So that by their meanes and artes he might attaine to the Popedome which when the diuels had promised and performed so holily Alexander ordered his life that he neuer attempted to doe any thing but first he consulted thereof with the diuell In the 1500. yeare he graunted the Iubile not to such onely as should come to Rome but also to those that would not or could not come thither prouided that they gaue a certaine summe of money Pope Boniface 8. in the 1300. yeare graunted the Iubile from 100 yeares to 100 yeares Pope Clement 6. in the 1350 yeare graunted it from 50 yeares to 50. yeares Pope Sistus 4. in the 1475. yeare graunted the fame from 25 yeares to 25 yeares But it benefited him nothing if he came not personally to Rome Our Alexander moued with that spirit that made him Pope did grant it not to those onely which should come to Rome but to those also that abode at home conditionally to giue money as before we haue said And seeing we now intreat of the Iubile it shal be good to recite here the ceremony which is vsed in Rome Among many other Churches which are in Rome seuen principall there are where pardons are obteyned euery one of these seuen Churches hath one gate or wall at the least fast closed so that none can goe in nor out thereby but in the yeare of Iubâ—le The Pope set in a chaire borne on mens shoulders and clothed with red goeth to S. Peters the principall Church there And being brought to this shut gate saith the 9. verse of Psal 24. Atollite portas principes vestras ' c. Lift vp your heads ye gates c. this saying with a golden hammer which he holdeth in his hand he giueth a blow at the blow giuing in a moment the earth bricke morter which
deliuer vs from it The Bubos a disease vntill then vnknowne in Spaine they brought with them which returned from the Indies wherewith God did punish them for taking the wiues that were not theirs This filthie and contagious disease hath spread it selfe so greatly throughout all Europe that they make now almost no reckening thereof And he is not holden for a gentleman which hath not had two or three times the bubos as they call them Other nations call them the French euill The Frenchmen call them the disease of Naples A disease it is wherewith God punisheth such as liue in that filthie single life dispising mariage which God in Paradice the state of innocencie ordeined and Iesus Christ with his first miracle as saith Saint Iohn at a mariage in Cana of Galile confirmed albeit the popish votaries call it filthie c. Returne we to Alexander 6. Of him saith the Enchiridion of times that many thinges in his time did he license which neither for his person his estate nor for Rome being that it ought to be were lawfull and honest Machauell lib. de Principe cap. 18. of him saith Nought else but deceiue men did euer Alexander the sixt nor euer did hee thinke vppon other thinges and found meanes suficient to effect it and neuer had man more efficacie in striuing to affirme and with greater oathes would promise a thing and lesse performe it notwithstanding his deceit did alwayes prosper with him c. Guicciardine a graue author and of much credit as faith Doctor Illescas in the life of Alexander 6. ¶ 2. lib. 2. of his Historie giueth this notable testimonie of him The most vile nature saith he of the bishop made what wickednesse soeuer in him credible Who listeth to know further of this abhominable Alexander 6. great shame of our countrie of Spaine let him read Paulus Iouius In the 1503. yeare Alexander with poyson as before we haue said died Don Fernando and Dona Isabella then reigning in Spaine Pius 3. of Sena nephewe of Pius 2. was thus chosen when Alexander was dead Caesar his sonne which murdered his brother c. aduanced with al the treasure and iewels of the Pope and with twelue thousand men garded the Vaticano a place where the Cardinals vse to assemble for a new election And this he did that the Cardinals should make Pope whom he best pleased But to another place they went called Minerua which when Caesar vnderstood he sent thither his people and beset thē about Then ran the report through Rome that the Cardinals were prisoners and that there was nothing but death to be expected throughout all Rome So great was the feare that it only seemed Haniball was eftsonnes to enter Rome Caesar in the end at the request of the Romans and the Embassadours of Spaine and Fraunce And for that his purpose he saw would not preuaile with all his people departed from Rome And so the Cardinals went to their Conclaue where after long contention they elected Pius 3. who being Pope he presently conspired against the French which occupied a great part of Italy But he proceeded not further for hauing Poped but 27. dayes in the 1503. he died Iulius 2. a Genowey nephew of Sistus 4. by his great and subtill wit obteined great dignties and in the end to be Pope A man he was naturally inclined to warres which inclination albeit he were Pope yet mortified he not but holding rather absolute power as the Popes faine to haue put the same in execution He had great warres with the Venetians the king of France the Duke of Ferrara the Bentiuolians and other Princes This Iulius in the space of 7. yeares that he warred with his excommunications and armes he tooke many things from Christian Princes In which seuen yeares through the intollerable tirany of the Pope ther died by the sword aboue 200000 men And yet nothing at all he grieued imitating therein the cruell Nero who hauing caused Rome to be fired reioyced to see it burne as saith the Spanish song Mira Nero de Tarpeya A Roma como se ardia Gritos dan ninos y vieios Y el de nada se dolia Tarpeyan Nero did behold Rome Citie how it burned Yeeld shrikes and cries did young and old His heart yet nothing turned This Iulius was the cause of that so cruell and bloudy battell of Rauenna betweene the Spaniards and Frenchmen wherein both the conquerors and the conquered remained loosers He seeing himselfe vnable to vanquish the French king by armes attempted another way and so excommunicated him and also with him the king of Nauarre which tooke part with France he gaue their kingdomes for a pray to such as could get them By vertue of this excommunication Don Fernando the king that wanne Granada entered into Nauarre and in the 1512. yeare by force of armes tooke it Guicciardine in his 11. booke of his historie speaking of this taking of Nauarre saith these words The king of Nauarre being vnprepared and hopeles of power to make resistance fled to Bierna on the other side of the Piren mountaines The kingdome of Nauarre being abandoned except certaine forts kept for the fled king without any cost or difficulty and this more through the reputation and neerenes of the English then his owne force came into the power of the king of Aragon who vnable with other title to auouch his lawfull possession alleaged the occupation thereof to be rightfully for the seate Apostolique The noble Acts of king D. Fernando be summed vp in this Sonnet Iunté Aragon con Castilla Gané à Nauarray Granada Puse in Napoles mi silla Conquiste desde Sevilla Otro mundo con miarmada Castile with Aragon I ioyned I wanne Nauarre and tooke Granada In Naples my seat I placed Another world from off Seuilla I conquered with my Armada In this selfe same yeare 1512. as Frier Alonso Venero in his Enchiridion of the times reporteth died Pascall Bishop of Burgos In this Bishopricke he ordeyned that no vigils should be kept in Churches for the dissolute behauiour dauncings and other thinges much offensiue to God which there passed and oft times whordomes and other grieuous sinnes Thus farre Venero fol. 117. For the same causes in all Spaine were they also taken away for Pilgrimages were commonly turned into whoredoms Doctor Illesoas vpon the life of Eugenius 1. saith that in the time of this Eugenius was celebrated the Councel of Cabilona c. In which it was cōmanded that in Churches hermitages other houses of deuotion where it is accustomed to goe on pilgrimage to make watches no dauncing nor vauting should be vsed c. alittle lower This is a thing that requireth remedy I hold it for good if the prelates should cōmand to shut by night the houses of deuotion that there should not be in thē the crie small deuotion the other inconueniences which we
dominican Friar whose wordes be these In the time of Leo 1â— Martin Luther an arch heretique arose vp in Germany who first preached and wrote against the Indulgences of the Pope afterwards against the Primacy of the Roman Church then against constraned single life and other rites and customes of the ancient Church Carança our aduersarie doth herein witnesse what was the cause that moued Luther to speak against the Church of Rome Who listeth to know this let him read Sleidons Historie Eckius tooke part with the Pope and Luther and Eckius in the pulpits preached the one against the other When Leo 10. heard of these rufflings he condemned Luther for an heretike which condemnation vnderstood by Luther he apealed to the first General CouÌ„cel wherin he did imitate the vniuersitie of Paris which a few moneths before had appealed froÌ„ the same Leo to the CouÌ„cel In Rome Leo caused Luthers bookes to be burned which when Luther vnderstood he burned in Wittenberg the Cannon Law which is the decretals and Popish decrees saying as they haue done vnto mee So haue I also done vnto them VVho will not wonder and be astonished at so great a courage and daring boldnesse that a poore begging Augustine Friar should dare to doe such a disgrace and to giue such a blowe and to whom thinkest thou to the Pope Was not the Pope he whom in times past the potentates Princes kinges and Emperours fell prostrate vnto and worshiped How commeth it then to passe that a meane man of no esteme gaue him such a blow that hee left him for dead Not Luther but God it was that chooseth the low thinges to confound the most high Tâ—e stinke of the villainies and abhominations of the Popes Clergie was gone vp to heauen now were the iniquities of the Amorites come to their height And God cast downe the pride of the Pope a second Lucyfer God gaue vs the grace that acknowledging such a benifit we may be thankfull and in holines and righteousnes serue him all the dayes of our life By this meanes hath God brought vs out of darkenesse into light and out of thralldome into libertie And Luther not content here with came to Wormes or Wormacia where Charles the Emperour held his first Dyet presenting himself before the Emperour so many Papists as were with him he disputed mainteined his cause and in the end departed the Emperour better keeping promise with him then it had formerly bene kept with Iohn Hus and Ierom of Prage in the Councell of Constance One thing here I cannot leaue to speake of that Luther going to wormes his friend aduised him in the way before they came at wormes to beware of going thither because they would doe to him as they had done to his bookes which they had burned Whereunto Luther with great courage answered that albeit he knew there were so many diuels against him in Wormes as there were tyles vppon the houses yet for all that would he not let to appeare there and giue account of his faith in so solemne an assembly And so he dyed In the 1522. yeare Leo 10 hearing that the Frenchmen by the Imperialls were vanquished slaine taken and cast out of Italy and that through his assistance died by his excessiue ioy and laughter his soule departed from him but of poyson that they gaue him as Panuinus supposeth An Atheist he was thought there was after this life neither heauen nor hell And so he died without receiuing the sacraments He could not saith Sanazaro receiued them because he had sold them And so almost no chiefe bishop as noteth Panuinus vpon the life of Pius 4 receiued them His Atheisme plainely appeared by an answere which he made to Cardinall Bembus who had alleaged vnto him a passage of the Gospell Whereunto in these wordes he dissolutly aÌ„swered what profit this fable of Christ hath brought to vs and our company All the world knoweth Leo by this answere well shewed himselfe to be Antichrist Obey him then Spaine and hold him for Chists vicar Paulus Iouius wrote the life of Leo 10. where among other thinges he saith these words Leo had also an euill report because it apeared that he affected vnhonestly some of his chamberlaines which were of the greatest nobles of all Italic hartely and freely played with them It is not Luther his enemie that saith this against him but his friend an Italian and Bishop Paulus Iouius Albeit that such a one was Leo as the historians of his time doe paint him yet so great is the flattery of D. Illescas that vpon his life ¶ 12. these words of him he saith After that he came to the Bishopdome his care was alwaies to eate litle of meats but meanely hot because they should not prouoke him to dishonesty Hither to Illescas In the time of this Leo Charles the Emprour reigned in Spaine Adrian 6. a Hollander was tutor to Don Charles the Emperonr and by his meanes came to be bishop of Tortosa Cardinall and ioyntly with Don Francisco Zimenes Archbishop of Toledo gouernour of Spaine being resident in Spaine after the death of Pope Leo was in his absence elected when he was Pope he promised to the princes by his letter to cause the court of Rome which had giuen occasion of commiting great wickednesse to be first of all reformed amended to the end that that which had giuen cause of the malady should giue also the beginning of the medicine health but all was but words For Adrian following the steps of his predecessor the Antichrist of Rome gaue himselfe to persecute Luther Ecolampadius other godly ministers of the word of God He changed not his name nor yet in customes life was so wicked as the other Popes for not being so wicked many say he was dispatched with poyson in the 1523. yeare dyed In whose time Don Charles the Emperour reigned in Spaine Clement 7. or as after some others 8. or 9. for the cause we haue spoken of in the life of the other Clement 7. Florentine was nephew or as others say the sonne of Pope Leo 10. Panuinus saith he was the sonne of Iulianus de medices and of another not certenly or manifestly his lawfull wife D. Illescas vpon the life of this Clement ¶ 5. saith It is a thing much to be noted that Clement hauing all his life time bene most liberall and a spender here with al affable and well spoken exceeding discreet and a great Negociator when he came to be Pope he was not knowne for he wholly changed his conditions and became most sparing and remisse So great is the change which dignities honours doe often make c. In the time of this Clement was great war betweene the Spaniards and French which this Clement did much kindle to his owne shame and Infamie And this by his vnconstancie for now
their religioÌ„ One Pope doth that another Pope vndoeth The first Iubile Indulgences The Pope cannonizeth and vncaÌ„nonizeth Boniface stretched his pardons to purgatorie Anno 1304. Entered like a Foxe c. Benedict 11. Anno 1305. Poyson Clement 5. In the 1305. yere the Court of Rome passed into France there remained almost 74. yeers The Templars dissolued The Fraticellians Begardians and Begninians condemned Anno 1314. Poyson in the Sacrament wherewith the Emperor dieth The Dominicans and their monasteries destroyed and the cause The Pope a Simonist A great vacatioÌ„ Iohn 23. au heretique cruel Iohn 23. elected himselfe The terrible crueltie of the Pope Caragoca an Archbishoppricke The knights of the order of Christ in Portugal Note why the Pope coÌ„maunded men to be burned The Pope erreth in faith touching the estate of soules departed The heresie of the Pope confuted Luke 24. 46. True happines consisteth in seeing of God and enioying his presence Pope Iohn 23. disalowed Images The Grecians answere to the Pope is well to be noted Nothing is giuen by the Pope to the Emperour The ancient custome of Pope choosing renewed Nicholas 5. Sisme 28. Anno 1335. The Pope recanted Benedict 12. The Emperor is Emperour without confirmation of the Pope The County Palatine and not the Pope gouernour of the Empire One Pope vndoth that another hath done The sister of Petrarca the Popes minion Anno 1342. Clement 6. The Pope a Tyrant The Pope causeth poison to to be giuen to the Emperour Iubile from 50 yeares to 50. Anno 1350. The Pope coÌ„mandeth the Angels The Pope speaketh blasphemy What thing a Bull is Anno 1352. Innocent 6. Don Gill Carillo of Albornoz The yeere began at the incarnation Anno 136â— Vrban 5. The institution of the Rose sent by the Pope The Archbishop of Colonia maried The heads of S. Peter and Paule lost and found Anno 137â— Poyson Gregorie 11. In the 1376. yere the Pope returneth to Rome Anno. 1378. Vrban 6. a most cruel Pope Two Popes The 27. Sisme lasted 50 yeeres A cruel Pope Anno 1385. A cruel hatred Poyson Anno 1390. Gunnes Clement 7. Anno 1387. was the question of the conception Anno 1392. The Popes titles Bonifâ—ce 9. 2 Popes First fruits Benedict 13. Two Popes Anno 1424. Clement 8. 2 Popes Theodoricus de Nyem Innocent 7. Two Popes Anno 1407. Gregorie 12. 2 Popes The Councell of Pisa deposed both Popes elected Alexander a Cretian Anno 1410. three Popes Anno 1415. Anno 1424. Alexander 5. An article of faith that S. Fraunces bare the fiue wounds Gal. 1. 2. Libr. 3. Ch. 15. Lib. 3. cap. 53. Anno 1411. Poyson Iohn 24. a notable villaine A stratagem to be Pope A notable election of the Pope The Councell of Constance 1414. The Emperour is a Deacon The Pope by the Councell deposed The Popes customes The Pope an heretique The Counce is aboue the Pope Notable saying of Gerson As the whole is greater then part So the Councell is greater then the Pope Historia Bohemia cap. 36. The Constancie of Iohn Hus and Ierome of Prage The BohemiaÌ„s Constancie Iohn 24. for his villanies depriued of the Popedome is made Bishop Cardinall Anno 1419. Martin 5. The Popes will heare no man to speake vnto them of reformation The Councels haue deposed Popes and elected others The Popes enemies to the Councels lib. 23. cap. 20. ¶ 4. Anno 1431. Eugenius 4. Anno 1432. The Councell of Basil Felix 5. Two Popes A miserable example for such as keepe not their faith albeit to an Infidel Thomas Rendon Anno 1446. Felix 5. Two Popes The 30. Sisme Anno 1439. Anno 1447. Anno 1549. Nicholas 5. Platina One Mule the cause of 200 mens deaths more S. P. Q. R. Constantinople lost Anno 1455. Calistus 3. The Preachers of Buls called Carmerants The Pope forbiddeth appellation to the Councell Anno 1458. Pius 2. The tyranniâ—â— of Pope Pius Anno 1464. Note for this purpose the following life of Paule 2. Paul 2. The Pope a Simonist The red had Pope against Pope Gregorie 1. Nicholas 1. Pius 2. Paule against forced single life Anno 1471. Sistus 4. 300000 duckets euil spent 40000 duckets the Pope hath yearely of the Curtisans The Iubile froÌ„ 25 to 25 yeers The Rosary inueÌ„ted by Saint Dominick Anno 1200. after wards renewed Anno 1470. Blasphemous dishonesties If this be not to make a mock of the death of Christ what shal be The mother of Sistus dreame Papisticall religion founded vpon dreames false miracles 2. Thes 2. 11. Anno 1484. Innocent 8. most luxurious Sixteene sons and daughters of the Pope The Pope found the title of the crosse Iron of the speare Anno 1492. Alexander 6. abhominable Alexander vpoÌ„ condition to be Pope gauehimselfe to the deuill Anno 1500. The first Iubile conditional The ceremony of the yeare of Iubile The holy gate The Iubile by God instituted The Symony and sacriledge of Alexander The Pope calleth the Turke against the French king Poyson Anno 1503. Anno 1499. Sauanarola his life doctrine Sixe notable things happened to Spaine about the yeare 1492. 1. A Spanish and abhominable Pope The taking of Granado 2 3 The discouerie of the Indies Iohn 4. 23. Gen. 2. 24. 4 The InquisitioÌ„ 〈◊〉 The manner of the Inquisitors teaching sheweth the spirit that moueth them 4 The InquisitioÌ„ is the cause of the reuolt of the low countries 1. Pet. 2. 14. Apoc. 6 9. 5 The Brotherhood The 3 holy sisters of Spaine 6 The Bubos a disease called the French pockes Iohn 2. 11. Anno 1503. Pius 3. Anno 1503. Iulius 2. a warriar 200000. men slaine by occasion of Iulius 2. Anno 1512. Nauarre taken Anno 1512. Vigils prohibited in Buâ—gos The Councell of Pisa Anno 1511. The Pope periured The Councell of Lateran Anno 1512. Esaias 5. Anno 1513. Leo 10. An Atheist Matâ—h 16. Martin Luther What the cause was that moued Luther to speake against the Church of Rome Lnther burneth the Cannon Law 1. Cor. 1. 26. Charles the Emperor kept his word with Luther The magnanimity of Luther Anno 1522. Leo dyed for ioy Poyson The Atheisme of Leo. Adrian 6. Poyson Anno 1523. Clement 7. The king of France prisoAnno 1525. Rome Sacked Anno 1527. The Coronation of Don Charles Anno 1530. The confession of Augusta for which they are called protestants He that of a theefe doth steale 100 daies pardon doth not saith The vertues of the Pope The Pope is Diotrephes 3. Iohn 9. Anno 1534. Poyson Paul 3. accursed Poyson Poyson 40000 Curtesanes in Rome Henry 8 made no reconing of the Pope Anotable villany done by the Franciscan friars at orleans The Franciscans deceiue the people with false apparitioÌ„s Iesuites Anno 1537. began the Iebusites or Iesuites The Duke of Gandia a Iesuite Iesuites attempt to kill the Queene of England Iesuites attempt to kill the French king The cause why the Iesuites banished France The Citie Geneua in
when Christs glory was in question the Popes excommunication ought not to be feared Antoninus part 3. tit 22. cap. 10. maketh mention of this Thomas And Baptista Mantuanus in the last chapter of his booke de vita beata giueth him an honorable testimonie calling him holy and a martyr This Eugenius as reporteth Platina was verie vnconstant in his life In the beginning of his popedome guided by euill counsell he troubled things diuine and humane This Eugenius celebrated a Councell in Florence to match with that which was holden at Basil He compelled in this Florentine Councell Iosephus the good Patriarke of Constantinople to translate the bible after the vulgar latin editiō which is that which the Roman Church approueth into Greeke that this translation might among the Grecians as the other among the Latines be esteemed In many things did the Greekes conforme themselues in this Councell with the Latines but could in no wise be induced to admit of transubstantiation notwithstanding did the Councell and Pope allow them for faithful as speaking of Transubstantiation in the Treatise of the Masse we will hereafter declare After he had bene Pope almost 16 yeares in the 1446. yeare he died This Eugenius as is reade in the 16. and 17. Sessions of the Councell of Basil declared the same Councell to haue bene and from the beginning to be lawfully assembled and so adnulled reuoked the Buls geuen out to dissolue it Don Iohn 2. reigned in Castile Felix 5. is not accounted of the Papists for Pope In the Councel of Basil he was chosen after that Eugenius who wold not leaue to be Pope was deposed The 30. Sisme was this 9 yeres endured in which time al Christendom was deuided into 3 parts some were for Eugenius others for Felix others were Neuters which neither tooke the one part nor the other Such as tooke part with Felix said the Councell to be aboue the Pope and those of Eugenius part denied it when Eugenius was dead those of his part chose Nicholas 5. in whose time and the 1447. yeere Felix 5. renounced so the Sisme ceased For this renunciation Nicholas 5. to stop his mouth from further barking made him Cardinall of S. Sabina and Legate in Almaine and Fraunce Iulianus Taboecius in the genealogie of the Dukes of Sauoy proclaimeth this Amadeus for a Cannonicall Pope and holy man Two yeres after he had renounced and in the 1449. yeere died Felix Don Iohn 2. reigned in Castile Eugenius being dead Nicolas 5. was made Pope who in one selfe same yere was Bishop Cardinal Pope He gaue the Hat to Amadeus which renounced the popedom He celebrated the Iubile in the yeere 1450. Boniface as in his life we haue said was the first inuenter of this Iubile frō 100 to 100 yeres These Iubilees the Popes did willinglie celebrate for the great profit therof arising Of this Iubile it is reported that as the people vpō a time came from Vaticano to the citie they encountred a Mule of Cardinall Barbo And when the number was verie great of cōmers goers stumbled vpon the vnhappy Mule which with the multitude was fallen to the ground ouer whom fell many more that it seemed they plaied the play which children vse called Crescael monton more sacks on the Mill and cast one vpon another so great was the presse that 200 men were squized stifled with the waight And for that this hap befel as they cal it on Adrians bridge others fell into the riuer See here the effect of foolish zeale without discretiō or true religion For how many of these had it bin better to haue staied and wrought in their houses for maintenance of thē their wiues children But S. P. Q. R. Stultus populus quaerit Romam to wit foolish people go to Rome but the wise abide at home The Turk in the time of this Pope took the most noble city of Constantinople This Pope was much giuen to drink and edifie not soules but wals Platina recounteth his buildings He approued that which the Basile an Councell and Felix the fift had done and also admitted the Cardinals which Felix had created In the 1455. yeare died Nicholas In which selfe same yeare or a little before died Don Iohn 2. king of Castile In whose time liued Iohn de Mena the Spanish Poet as appeareth by the beginning of his poesie which he dedicated saying To the most potent Iohn c. Calistus 3. a naturall Spaniard of Valencia in Aragon before he was Pope called Alonso de Boria who studied and read the Lecture in Lerida an Vniuersite of Spaine was a most learned Cannonist When he was Pope all his care he bent to make warre with the Turks For which cause he sent many Echacueruos or deceiuers in Spaine so commonly called to preach his mockeries pardons and incited against the Turke the Armenians Persians he caused certaine countreymen to be strangled for that they mocked at his mockeries and Buls he commanded that none should appeale from the Pope to the Councell and more of these things would he haue done had he longer liued Ouer much libertie he gaue to his Nephewes and chiefly to Rodrigo de Boria whom he made his Chancellor and which afterwards was Alexander 6. Calistus for very age in the 1458. yere died In whose time Don Henry 4. reigned in Castile Pius 2. before called Eneas Syluius was a Notary Apostolike in the Councell of Basil In his Orations and Epistles he spake against the authoritie of Pope Eugenius but after he was made Pope he changed his copie When he was Pope he treated of making warre against the Turke but nothing did because he speedily died He wrote two excellent bookes of that which was debated in the Councell of Basil which when he was pope he endeuored what he might to hide and obscure as vnwilling to remember what before he had written for he pretended ambitious as he was to magnify greatly aduance his authority papall Estella Veneto speaking of him saith that they neuer saw him feare either kings Captains or tyrants he tooke part with D. Fernado bastard son of D. Alonso whō dispossessing Iohn the son of king Renato with force of armes he made king of Naples He excommunicated Sigismund Duke of Austria because he chastised for his robberies his Cardinal Nich. Cusanus He excommunicated Gregorie of Hamburg a most learned lawyer He tooke from Dirtherus Enseburgus the Archbishopricke of Maguncia put in his place Adulphus de Nassao because he thought euill as he said of the Roman Church The chiefe causes of the deposing of Dirtherus was for that he constantly opposed himselfe to the Popes vniust exactions wherewith they robbed the prouinces vnder pretence of war against the Turke This Pius made a young man bishop because he was nephewe of the duke of Burgonie and brother of the duke
of Burbon as noteth it frier Iohn de Pineda this election was cause of great mischiefe He depriued the Archbishop of Beneuente He cited George king of Bohemia vpon paine of loosing his kingdome to appeare many bishops deposed he for mony celebrated a councell in Mantua where he disabled the lawe Pragmaticall which was made in France as a thing pernicious to the Roman seate gaue himselfe much to build made Corsiniano the place where he was borne a cittie and after his owne name called it Piencia imitating therein Alexander who after his name called a Cittie Alexandria and Constantine who called Bizantium Constantinople In the 1464. yeare he died Platina and Sabellicus say that Pius 2. was accustomed to say that matrimonie with great reason was forbidden to the Priests but with greater reason it should be restored to them againe dna that moreouer mentioned in the life of Pope Gregorie 1. done and said by this Pope touching this matter Don Henrie 1. reigned in Castile Paul 2. before called Petrus Barbus hearing that his Vncle Gabriel called Eugenius 4. was Pope he changed his estate of liuing For leauing merchandise which he professed he applyed himselfe to learning but he was of hard and dull vnderstanding and so neither loued learning nor vertue To Rome hee went to his Vncle and so was made Cardinall and afterwards Pope Of him saith Platina that in Pontificall habite and chiefly the Miter hee exceeded all the Bishops his predecessours wherein hee consumed much money buying where and for great price hee could Diamondes Sapphires Emeralds Chrysolites Pearles and other most precious stones furnished and adorned wherwith like another Aaron he went forth to be seene and worshipped Great diligence hee vsed to gather gold and sold benefices also He commanded that none should beare the red hatte except he were a Cardinall In the first yeare of his bishopdome he presented red cloth to the Cardinals wherewith they might couer their horses or mules when they rode abroad hee endeuored with armes to entertaine his maiestie Papall Very wickedly he dealt with all the decrees and acts of his predecessour Pius exceeding ambitious he was and as saith Volateranus gaue himselfe to pleasure Estanislaus Reuthenus reporteth that this Paul 2. reading certaine verses compiled against him and his bastard daughter wept and complained to his friendes of the cruell law of constrained single life seeing that he which ought to be not onely Prelate of the Church but an example of chastitie sawe his daughter with great shame in the mouthes and eyes of all the citie who although she was most beautiful yet he grieued said he she should be thought to be a bastard knowing that by the law she should haue bene borne in lawfull matrimonie had not vnhappy forced single life hindered it So that he purposed say they to restore mariage to Ecclesiasticall persons which he could not do because he died Against forced single life note that which Paphnucius in the first Nicen Councel that which we haue said vpon Siricius Gregory 1. Nicholas 1. and Pius 2. This Paule 2. promised long life vnto himselfe but hauing supped well to his liking in the 1471. yeare vnseene of any he sodainly died D. Illescas Hist Pontif. of him saith A most great eater he was of fruits and chiefly of Melons and they in the ende killed him for one night finding in himselfe a strong appetite he lusted to suppe vppon both flesh and fish and eate infinitely of all and afterward did eate two whole Melons with many other thinges of ill disgestion and a little lower And halfe an hower after a chamberlaine entered and found him fallen to the grounde and dead that he neuer spake more Carion lib. 5 of his historie saith Paule 2. was openly infamous and execrable for his most filthie and vnaturall lust the report was publique that he was strangled of the deuill and his neck broken in the verie act of his abomination Notwithstanding that such a one was Paule 2. yet did D. Illescas praise him for most liberall an almes-giuer charitable and pitifull to the diseased a friend of iustice and verie mercifull But who so listeth to know what a one he was let him reade Platina At him ended Platina his liues of the chiefe Bishops of whom he receiued notable losses and iniuries he depriued him of his goods and dignities cast him into prison and caused him to be tortured as Abbot Iohn Tritemio reporteth Platina remained in prison vntill Paule died Don Henrie 4. reigne din Castile Sistus 4. a Genowey on the day of his coronation was in great perill of his life for as they carried him in his horslitter to Saint Iohn de Lateran there arose great tumult against him among the people that they hurled stones at him So liberall he was that what he had promised to one he wold promise also to another and so to many if many did demand it He was ouermuch addicted to his kinsfolkes and chiefly to his Nephew Pedro Râ—irio a Franciscan Frier whom he made Cardinall a cursed filthy and ryotous person This Seraphicall Minorit consumed with fleshly delight at the age of 28 yeares died Many make mention of this cursed Nephew of the Pope Iohn Rauisius Textor saith that when Sistus 4. was chiefe Bishop Petro Presbitero Cardinall consumed in two yeares and that in vanities three hundred thousand duckets Iohannes Riuius Baptista Mantuanus and Baptista Fulgosus report fearfull monstrousnesse of this beast For he made no reckoning to walke by his house clothed with cloth of gold the couerings of his beddes were of cloth of gold the basens wherein he did his necessaries were of siluer that he caused the shooes of his friend Teresa to be couered with precious stones All this is nothing Baptista Mantuanus in his Alphonso lib. 4. bringeth in Pluto that gaue him the welcome to hell Sistus this Pope much coÌ„sumed in wars which to entertain he inuented sold new offices A solemne stewes he builded in Rome where enormious and wicked sinnes were committed What Pope or what incarnate diuell is this Euery whore in Rome did paie vnto him as nowe also they doe to the Pope a Iulio which is euery weeke a ryall which then came to 20000 duckets But the reÌ„t say they is now increased that it is brought to 40000. duckets of yearely rent Horrible things of this Sistus Fryer Peter his Nephew writeth Mantuan A great warriour also was this Pope and that vniustly as Volateranus witnesseth he made warres against Vitellius Tiphernatus against the Florentines Venetians Colonnists against Don Fernando king of Sicillia and Duke of Callabria and against nations and Princes He sought to hold at his command kings and Christian Princes whom hee aduaunced or put downe as himselfe listed He moued the Swissars to make wars with the Lombards whom he had excommunicated He caused the Iubile to be from 25 yeeres to 25
Rector and that by my will Councell consent nor exhortation he shall loose neither life member nor honour which he holdeth And I shall not make in Rome any decree or ordynation of all that to his holinesse or to the Romans perteyneth without your consent And all that of Saint Peters landes which shal be in our power we shall then restore and to whom soeuer I shall deliuer ouer the gouernement of Italiâ— I shall cause him sweare to be an ayder of his holinesse to defend to his power the landes of Saint Peter as God me helpe and by these holy Gospells of God c. After this 2. oath Don Charles was made a Chanon of Saint Peter and after a knight of Saint Peter These two oathes shall ye find in the Historie and 10. booke of the marquesse of Pescara Here may yee see how the world goeth contrary The Pope of a subiect to the Emperour hath made himselfe his Lord. This which I haue sayd touching the originall and growing vp of the Pope in an information presented to the princes and states of the Empire in the time of Don Charles the Emperour our king and Lord is handled more at large Hence will we conclude that the authoritie which the Pope boasteth to hold is neither by diuine nor humane right but diabolicall with subtilty he thrust himselfe into it with straunge force as saith Daniell he doth and shall maineteine the same vntill God destroy him with the force and power of his word By which saying it appeareth that the Popedome built as it is vppon hypocrysie craft auarice ambition and tyranny is not builded vppon the firme rocke which is Iesus Christ whom Saint Peter confessed saying Thou art the Christ the sonne of the liuing God And if the Popedome be not founded vpon Christ much lesse is the Pope the head or vniuersall Bishop of the Church of God but of the deuill And that he is not vniuersall Bishop I will confirme it prouing with short and apparant reasons that Saint Peter whose successor they say the Pope to be was not vniuersall Bishop of the Church The first reason Saint Clement Bishop of Rome writing as say our aduersaries to Saint Iames called him the brother of the Lord Bishop of Bishops Gouernour of the Church of Ierusalem and of all others through the whole world If this be true it followeth that so was not Saint Clement albeit he were Bishop of Rome 2. Also in the first Christian Councell whereof Saint Luke in his Historie maketh mention not S. Peter as vniuersall Bishop but S. Iames gouerned Who heard each one and among them S. Peter and when all had spoken Saint Iames as President concluded in the 19. verse saying wherefore my sentence is c. Read the chapter and you shall see that which I say to be truth Notwithstanding all this D. Illescas the Popes parasite in his part 1. fol. 20. saith That Saint Peter as chiefe Bishop was president in this Councell 3. Also the Apostles as reporteth Saint Luke hearing that Samaria had receiued the doctrin of the Gospell to teach and more fully instruct them sent Peter Iohn thither But who shall now send the Pope to preach Suerely the Counsell wil not be so bould and though the CouÌ„sel so should yet would not the Pope do it saying he is Immediate from God The Apostles sent Peter and Peter as a faithfull member of the. Church obeyed went and preached 4. Saint Paule reproued Saint Peter because faith Saint Paule he so deserued Saint Peter listened thereto and allowed the reprehension That he was imediate from God that he was vniuersall Bishop and therefore greater then he answered he not neither did he answere that none ought nor could reproue him nor yet demaund account of him why he did so or so as the Popes nowe and many yeares also to kings Emperours yea and generall Councels haue answered So shamelesse are some of our aduersaries that notwithstanding Saint Paule saith that beeing come to Antioche I withstood Peter to his face c. And verse 14. hee saith whom when I saw that they walked not rightly according to the truth of the Gospell I said to Peter before all c. yet say they that Saint Paul reproued not S. Peter but another which was called Cephas Read D. Illescas part 1. fol. 21. Whose words be these Before that S. Peter say they came to Rome he held equality with S. Paul in Antioch c. Illescas beleeueth not that which S. Paul witnesseth of this equalltie and therefore as one doubting saith They say what credit shall we giue to such a one that doubteth of that which Saint Paul affirmeth That Antichrist whosoeuer he shal be which Saint Paul calleth the sonne of perdition man of sinne shall sit in the temple of God and as addeth S. Iohn in the citie situate vpon 7 mountaines This citie as S. Ierome and many others declare is Rome Only the Pope sitteth in the Temple of God in the citie of seauen mountaines which is Rome Therefore onely the Pope is that Antichrist 6. Also in the first Councell of Nice assembled by Constantine that good Emperour to confound and destroy the heresie of Arrius who with this blaspheamous mouth tooke away the diuinitie of Iesus Christ the Legats of the Bishop of Rome not in the 1. 2. nor 3. but in the 4. place did sitte Ergo the Bishop of Rome was not then head nor vniuersall Bishop of the Church In this Nicen Councell the Limits of the Patriarkes were bounded to whom the same authoritie ouer their Churches was giuen as held the Bishop of Rome ouer his neighbour Churches The Papists as they knowe which haue read Histories haue endeauoured what they could to falsifie this decree Reade for this purpose the sixt Councell of Carthage whereof we will afterwardes make mention Cardinall Cusanus alleaging the Nicen Councell shewed the rialtie of the truth saying as followeth The Bishop of Rome of the ancients is often called Patriarke or Archbishop and like authoritie was giuen him in the Councell of Nice as to the other Patriarkes Here wee see what great authoritie hath the Pope newly in our times vsurped more then that which the holy and ancient constitutions gaue him and all this by continuance and custome of slauish obedience Neither Iuâ—us who then was Bishop of Rome nor his Legates which were in this Councell gaine sayd this decree And that which more is the same decree was afterwareds in the Councell of Antioche and in the Councell of Constantinople confirmed In the first Councell of Ephesus Cyrillus In the 2. Dioscorus Patriaches of Alexandria did gouerne albeit the Legats of the the Bishop of Rome were there present In the 5. CouÌ„cel of CoÌ„stantinople Menas as patriarke of the city where the Councel was holden gouerned In the General Councell holden in Aquilea S. Ambrose bishop of Milan was president not the
our cause which is his because it is the vndeceiueable truth which his maiesty in his holy Scripture hath reuealed Concerning the lies false doctrine of the authority of the Pope the holines of the Masse which our aduersaries maintaine persecuting with fire bloud all those that beleeue it not nor worship it therefore trouble they the world as at this day we see it troubled We assuredly know that it shall perish According to that which the Lord saith Euery plant which my heauenly father hath not planted shal be plucked vp by the roote And we haue the axe which is the word of God put to the root of the two trees the Pope the masse to cut them downe I beseech the Lord our God Christian reader which hath giuen thee a desire and will to be informed to know the causes why we subiect not our selues to the Pope nor wil heare his Masse but rather detest and abhor the one the other that he would please to lighten thine vnderstanding that thou maist comprehend what in these two Treatises haue bin said confirmed not with the sayings of men but of God himselfe of his holy Scripture giue thee such a mind and strength that thou maist wholly depart out from this wicked Babylon which is Rome deliuer thee from all the enormities abominations horrible superstitions and detestable idolatries which Rome hath inuented among which the principal is the Masse These idolatries without doubt be the chiefe cause original and fountaine of all miseries calamities and warres where with they that are called Christians be at this day afflicted For if God in the primitiue Church plagued with infirmities death the Corinthians for the abuses which they had brought into the holy supper the Apostle S. Paul yet liuing which he reporteth in his first epistle that he sent them what shal we say this selfe same Lord wil now do when the malice impiety superstition idolatry haue so greatly increased that the holy supper of the Lord which he instituted and commanded vs in remembrance of him to clebrate haue they wholy conuerted into the prophane Masse of the Pope Truly the abuses of the Corinthes as touching the Supper had no agreement by far with the erronious intollerable abuses which those that are called Christians commit at this day in their Masse And notwithstāding all this Saint Paul speaking to the Corinthians saith vnto thē For which cause many ef you are infirmed and weake many sleepe he wold haue sayd are dead We are not then to maruel if God strong iealous of his honour do chasten at this day such an idolatry as is that which in the Masse is committed with such great warres famine pestilence and which is worse and lesse perceiued a reprobate sense And no other mean there is Christian reader to obtaine pardon for these superstitions passed idolatries to get and keepe the grace of God of whom thou oughtest not only to expect all prosperity goodnesse but to endeuour by all possible meanes to serue him honour him applying thy selfe with all thine heart to all that which pleaseth him which is that which his Maiestie hath ordained and instituted in his holy word flying contrariwise all whatsoeuer may displease offend him and especially all kinds of idolatrie which he more detesteth abhorreth then all other sinnes abhominations and as such doth punish it as in the beginning of the first Treatise we haue declared Such is the Masse fly then from it follow the holy institution which Iesus Christ our king prophet and onely high Priest ordained This is the holy Supper as the Euangelists and S. Paul do shew Do this thē which Iesus Christ ordained commanded vs to doe in remembrance of him as by the mercy of God with all simplicity without all superstition or idolatrie is celebrated in our reformed Church and thou shalt walke aright All they that do otherwise erre God giue thee grace to walk aright that thou be not with this world coondemned And this do he for the vertue merit of the sacrifice with our high and only Priest Christ one onely time offered vnto him To whom who liueth and reigneth with the Father and the holy Spirit be euerlasting glorie and perpetuall power Amen A SWARME OF FALSE MIRAcles and Illusions of the diuell wherewith Maria de la visitacion Prioresse de la Anuntiada of Lisbon deceiued very manie and how she was discouered and condemned Anno. 1588. FOr confirmation of that which in these two Treatises so often I haue said that the Papists confirme their religion with false miracles inuēted by their ecclesiasticall persons or wrought by the Art of the diuell I will here set downe a most true historie deliuered in two popish bookes which by the prouidēce of God came to my hands Out of which with all faithfulnesse as he that must appeare before the iudgement seat of Christ giue an account not only of that hee hath done and said but of that also which he hath thought I haue taken that which I will deliuer Hee that will not beleeue me let him reade the two bookes from whence I haue taken that which I say I name the Authours of these bookes the Printers the yeare and place where they were imprinted as a litle after you shall see Our Aduersaries I wot well would haue buried all these thinges for they open a dore to men to seeke to vnderstand and the truth And that they may vnderstand it I haue put it in writing The Lord which knoweth my desire blesse my trauaile Our Aduersaries hauing no sound proofe to confirme their new articles of faith which they haue made as in very truth there is none haue confirmed them with dreames with fained apparitions and visions of Phantasmes of spirits and of soules come as they say from another world Now I hauing met with a new great and thicke swarme of such things which I found in a Portugal hiue me seemed I should do well by a new familiar and domesticall example which be they that most moue and that none can denie seeing it happened in our countrey of Spaine in the yeare 1588 truly to manifest the same that all the world and chiefly my countrimen the Spaniards for whom I haue taken this paine may hasten to know them and knowing them may abhorre them so may turne to the holy catholike faith true religion of Iesus Christ which is written in holy Scripture This hiue is Maria de la Visitacion Prioresse of the Monastery de la Anunciada in Lisbon who was held so certainly for holy whose hypocrisie false miracles were discouered publikely condemned as we shall after see I hearing much talke of the great holinesse admirable life and maruellous miracles of this womā whom for excellency they called The holy Nunne aduised my countrimen the Spaniards in a booke which I published in the