fire to the Citie and burnt it to dust The Citie being taken the Priests Monkes and Clerkes came forth of the great Church of Beziers called St. Nazari with the Banner the Crosses their holy-water bare headed attired with the ornaments of the Church and singing Te Deum laudamus as a signe of ioy that the Towne was taken and purged of the Albingenses The Souldiers who had receiued command from the Legat to kill all ranne in vpon them brake the order of their procession made the heads and armes of the Priests to flie about striuing who should doe best in such a manner that they were all cut in pieces To excuse this crueltie disallowed by some of those that were spectators they haue inserted into the Historie these reports that is to say That the Pelerins were incensed against the inhabitants of Beziers because they had cast ouer the walls of the Citie the booke of the Gospels crying vnto them See there the Law of your God whereupon the Souldiers grew to this resolution to kill all those they should find within the circuit of Beziers that so they might be sure not to spare those that had thus blasphemed But how could the Albingenses doe any such thing so impious against the Gospell of our blessed Sauiour considering that one of the principall causes for which they had forsaken the Church of Rome was because the Gospel of Christ Iesus was as it were buried amongst them the people forbid to reade it And besides one of the great crimes which they laid to the charge of the Earle Remond was because hee carried alwayes about him the New Testament To this they added a miracle and that was that Beziers was taken vpon the day of Marie Magdalen because say they heretikes speake ill of Magdalin in their law The Treasure of hist in the taking of Beziers In the hist of the Monke Pet. of the Valleis Seruey of the Albing ch 18. Thus speakes the compiler of the Treasure Now this imposture is so deuillish that I hardly durst commit it to paper and yet notwithstanding the Monke of the Valleis Seruay sets it downe at large without doubts or scruples though the very thought thereof would make the haire of any man that hath but the least sparke of pietie to stand on end Now the citie being burnt razed and ransacked the Pilgrims who thought they merited Paradise by this sacceige and effusion of bloud were speedily conducted to Carcassonne before the forty daies of fight which they had vowed to the Church of Rome were expired because then they were permitted euery man to depart to his owne home CHAP. V. The Siege of Carcassonne the taking of the towne or Borough of Carcassonne An assault and generall Escalado giuen to the citie A great number of the soldiers of the Crosse slaine The Intercession of the King of Aragon for the Earle of Beziers to no purpose A stratagem for the taking of the Earle of Beziers The flight of the people of Carcassonne by what meanes The taking of Carcassonne THe Earle of Beziers when he saw that he could obtaine nothing of the Legat in fauour of the city of Beziers hauing left this charge to the Bishop to make triall whether he by any meanes could obtaine pardon for those poore inhabitants and in the meane time because he knew very well that hauing taken Beziers he would not suffer the city of Carcassonne to continue in peace because being strong by nature the Legat knew there was no store-house for the warre nor better place of repose for the Soldiers than that was he was counselled to retire himselfe thither and speedily to cause it to be furnished with whatsoeuer was fit to maintaine a long siege He put himselfe therfore into Carcassonne being accompanied with his most faithfull attendants He was followed as it were foot by foot by the Legats armie vnto which there came new Croises or soldiers of the Crosse that is to say the Bishop of Agenois the Bishop of Limoges of Bazades of Cohors and the Archbishop of Burdeaux euery one with the Pilgrims of their owne Diocesse There likewise arriued the Earle of Turaine Bertrand de Cardaillac and the Lord of Bastlenau of Montratier who conducted the troopes of Querci and of all these troopes the chiefe Leader was the Earle of Dunoy There came also a great number of Prouenceaux Chassagnon in his hist of the Albing lib. 1. pag. 112. Lombardes and Germaines and that in so great a number that the army of the Legat Milon rose to the number of three hundred thousand fighting men when he came before Carcassonne The situation of Carcassonne is in this manner There is a city and a Bourrough or towne The city is seated vpon a little hill enuironed with a double wall the towne is in the plaine distant from the citie about two miles At that time the city was accounted a place of great strength and in this city there dwelt a great number of Albingenses The Pilgrims thought to haue taken it at the first sight for they ran with great violence vpon the first Rampier and filled the ditch with fagots but they were beaten backe with such courage and resolution that the ground was couered with the dead bodies of Pilgrims round about the citie The young Earle of Beziers Lord of Carcassonne wonne great honour in this first daies encounter encouraging his subiects and telling them that they must remember the vsage of those of Beziers that they were to deale with the same enemies who had changed the siege not the humour nor the will to extirminate them if they could That it was farre better for them to die fighting than to fall into the hands of so cruell and mercilesse enemies That for his owne part he made profession of the Romish Religion but yet he saw very well that this warre was not for Religion but a certaine robbery agreed vpon to inuade the goods and lands of the Earle Remond and all his That they had greater cause to defend themselues than he who could loose no more but his goods and his life without change of his religion but they might loose that and besides the exercise of their religion too That he would neuer abandon them in so honourable an action which was to defend themselues against the inuasions of their common enemies masked with an outward appearance of pietie and in effect true theeues The Albingenses being much animated by the speech of this young Lord swore vnto him that they would spend their goods and their liues for the preseruation of the citie of Carcassonne and whatsoeuer did concerne the said Lord. The next morrow the Legat commanded an assault and generall escalado to bee made vpon the Borough of Carcassonne The people that were within very valiantly defended themselues but the ladders were so charged with men and so neere the one to the other that they touched one another insomuch that they forced those within from
them odious to the people as if they had preferred the peace with the Turke before that with the Church the kingdome of Christ affirming that they maintained that the Pope did mortally sinne when he sends an expedition of souldiers with the badge of the crosse vpon their Cassockes or Coatarmour against the Sarazens For their iustification herein we must obserue In the booke of the causes of their separation frō the Church of Rome p. 235 that they complaine not of the enterprise of warre against the Turkes but of those spoiles that the Popes make of the goods of the Church and other diuine graces vnder the pretence thereof abusing the ignorant people with their Buls and Benedictions who too willingly receiue their lies and inuentions buying them at a deare rate As also they thinke hardly of it that the Pope should send out his Croisades his crossed souldiers being strangers to pursue them as heretickes before they be heard or conuinced to be such But they are not the onely men that condemne this auarice which the reuenging spirits of the Popes haue shewed by their Croisades Paulus Langius a Germane Historiographer layes an imputation vpon Leo the tenth Paul Lan. in his Chronicle of France 1513. See the examination of the Councell of Trent lib. 1. c. 5. that he leuied great summes of money vnder a pretence of warre against the Turkes which he bestowed shortly after vpon thirtie Cardinals which he had newly created Guicciardine noteth in his Historie that the selfe same Pope imposed great exactions vpon the people the bene fit whereof fell into the lap of his sister Magdalen and that all that leuie of money was but to satisfie the auarice of a woman and that the Bishop of Aremboldo was thought by him a commissarie worthy such an action to put it in execution with all manner of extortion Alexander the fourth conuerted the vow of Hierusalem to the vow of Pouille that is to say A part of Naples whose inhabitants are held very dangerous the vow of reuenge For he gaue power to his Legats to absolue the King of England Henry the third by name dispensing with his vow of the crosse for Hierusalem vpon condition that he should go to Pouille to make warre against Manfred Frederic Emperour not long before It is the Historiographer Math. Paris Math. Paris in his Historie of England See the first booke of the examination of the Councell of Trent cap. 5. In the booke of the causes of their separation frō the Church of Rome p. 125 that setteth downe the complaint that then was made that is to say that the tenths imployed for the succour of the holy Land were taken away and conuerted to the reliefe of Pouille against the Christians The eight calumnie was that they vsed no reuerence towards holy and consecrated places holding that that man sinned not more grieuously that burneth a Church then he that breakes into any other house They say that neither the place nor the chaire make a man the more holy and they haue maintained that they deceiue themselues much that comfort themselues or presume the more because of the dignitie of the place for what place more high then Paradise what place more secure then heauen and yet neuerthelesse man was banished out of Paradise for sinning there and the Angels were throwne from heauen to the end they might be examples to those that came after and to teach them that it is not the place nor the greatnesse nor dignitie thereof that makes a man holy but the innocencie of his life Against the ninth calumnie that is to say that they defend that the Magistrate ought not to condemne any to death they say That it is writtē In the booke of the Waldenses entituled The light of the treasure of faith fol. 214. that we are not to suffer the malefactor to liue and that without correction and discipline doctrine serues to no purpose neither should iudgements be acknowledged nor sinnes punished And therefore iust anger is the mother of discipline and patience without reason the seed of vices and permitteth the wicked to digresse from truth and honestie True it is that they haue found fault that the Magistrates should deliuer them to death It appeareth by the complaint they made to the King Ladislaus King of Hungary and Bohemia without any other knowledge of the cause then the simple report of Priests and Monkes who were parties and iudges insomuch that hauing discouered the abuse which they brought into the Church they condemned them for heretickes and deliuered them to the secular power so they call their Magistrates Now this seemed vnto them a cruell simplicitie in the said Magistrates to giue faith to persons passionate and not indifferent such as the aforesaid Priests were and to put to death so many poore innocent people neuer hearing them or examining the cause The tenth calumnie was to make them odious to Kings and Princes that is to say that a lay man in the state of grace had greater authoritie then a Prince liuing in his sinnes Against this imposture they affirme In the booke of the causes of their separation frō the Church of Rome p. 41. that euery one must be subiect to those that are in authoritie obey them loue them be at peace with them honour them with double honour in subiection and obedience and readinesse paying vnto them that which is their due The eleuenth calumnie was grounded vpon that assertion of the Waldenses that the Pope had no authoritie ouer the Kings and Princes of the earth who depend immediatly vpon God alone For from thence they take occasion to call them Manichees as appointing two Princes Against this imputation they say In the booke of the treasure of faith art 2. We beleeue that the holy Trinitie hath created all things visible and inuisible and that he is Lord of things celestiall terrestiall and infernall as it is said in S. Iohn All things are made by him and without him nothing is made The beginning of this calumnie was taken out of the Extrauagantes of Pope Boniface 8. who subiecting the authoritie of Emperours vnto his saith of his owne Quicunque huic potestati resistit Dei ordinationi resistit nisi duo sicut Manichaeus fingat esse principia De Maiorit obedientia Can. Vnam sanctam l. 1. tom 8. The twelfth calumnie imports thus much that they held that whatsoeuer is done with a good intention is good and that euery one shall be saued in whatsoeuer is done with the said good intention To this imposture we need no other answer then that which the Monke Raynerius who was alwaies their back-friend saith elsewhere Rain lib. de forma haeretic art 38. that is that they maintaine that euery man is saued by his faith which he cals a Sect. It is very necessary that a lyer should haue a better memorie then to affirme things contradictorie And to shew that
that they are content to say Masses for Sorcerers fitting them with sacrifices consecrating their parchments putting rings vpon their grauen tombes or other the like things vpon their altar or vnder the linnen of the altar when they said Masse Iohn Vuier Phisitian to the Duke of Cleue Iohn Vuier in his booke of diuels l. 4. chap. 3. fol. 303. though he made profession of the Romish religion writes as followeth If the Pastors of the Churches did stop vp the windowes of false doctrines and other impieties they should certainly haue saith he a wholsome preseruatiue for those that are vnder their charge against the subtle practises and impostures of the diuell whereby they that are most vnaduised should not be so often intangled as commonly we see them to the great hurt and detriment of their soules which cometh to passe not onely by the negligence of the Priests whom it most concerneth whose charge it is to looke vnto it but also by their pursuite counsell peruerse doctrine and deceitfull working by which they allure and draw the simple people to haue recourse to vnlawfull remedies as often as they are any way afflicted with sudden long knowne and vnknowne maladies proceeding from naturall causes or from those which are aboue nature which turneth to the great scandall of the Church considering that they make profession to be Ecclesiasticall persons and for the most part they are Priests or Monkes whom men thinke to be such that it is a great wickednesse to haue the least ill thought or opinion of them since they should serue for an example to their flocke and considering they are Doctors and teachers But perhaps saith he these Magicians thinke that this art belongs vnto them by a speciall prerogatiue and that they haue right thereunto by an hereditarie succession because the Priests of Egypt of whom Pithagoras Empedocles Democritus Plato haue learned their Magicke were Negromancers Now I thinke not saith he that they that will take vpon them to defend these Priests and the practise of their enchantments are so audacious as to obiect vnto me diuers Popes of Rome skilfull in the Magicke art affirming that they haue put it in practise to their great profit comfort such as Siluester 2. was Platina in the life of Siluester 2. fol. 218. printed at Paris ann 1551. who as Platina and Nauclerus affirme obtained the Popedome by that meanes and such as Benedict 9. in the yeare one thousand three hundred and two who before was named Theophilact and after Maledictus because of his wickednesse Such also as was Iohn 20. and Iohn 21. Iohn Maire in his Historie of the Schismes of the Church saith that all the Popes here spoken of were Sorcerers Magicians and Negromancers as Cardinall Benno writeth who aided themselues with their familiar friends Laurentius Gratian and Hildebrand all culpable of these enchantments For all the Popes that were after Siluester 2. vnto Gregory 7. who was a great and a famous Magician and who as Benno writeth as oft as it seemed good vnto himselfe would shake his sleeues in such a manner that sparkles of fire should come forth of them whereby he blinded the eyes of the more simple and lesse subtle as if they had bene miracles and signes of sanctitie Such were all these Popes as it is set downe in their liues where you may also reade many execrable examples whereby they wonne women to their loue and were much giuen to offer abhominable sacrifices vnto diuels in forrests and mountaines The Magicians then of our times saith Vuier must not thinke to couer themselues vnder this mantell and pretence But we haue reason to deplore the miseries of these times wherein we can hardly finde any men more wicked and lesse punished then they that do alwayes admonish the simple people that the euils that happen vnto them are sent by the permission of God Moreouer he complaineth that these coniuring Priests dare to vse infinite blasphemies enriched with diuerse crosses figured with their cursed and sacrilegious hands As also of that vse they make of their holy water of their exorcised salt their consecrated tapers at Easter their candles and tapers at Candlemas against the diuell with which he mockes them as also the fumigations of holy bowes vpon Palmesunday and of herbes stuck vpon the doores vpon the day of Saint Iohn the Baptist and the sprinkling of holy water at the feast of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary Moreouer such Priests saith he abuse the sacrament of the Eucharist to commit their villanies He likewise complaineth that Theologie and Physicke are polluted with coloured exorcismes by their mumbling of barberous words in an vnknowne tongue by abusing the word of God by bands neck-laces and charmes all which conspire and procure the vtter ruine and damnation of men Moreouer he saith that the Priests haue very apparently made vse of diuerse apparitions of Sathan affirming themselues to be the soules of this or that man and faining to be in the paines of Purgatory for their owne particular profit And when the diuell hath not sufficiently furnished them they haue counterfeited themselues to be spirits to draw the liuing to more frequent oblations donations and dotations to satiate their auarice Lauater saith as much Lauater in his booke of the apparition of diuels Chap. 14. 7. and relates at large the history of the false spirit of Orleans and of the Iacobins at Berne which amongst others were the most famous impostures of Monkes The famous Parliaments of Aix Grenoble haue condemned vnto death diuerse Priests that were sorcerers as namely at Aix a certaine Hermit adored of the people for a Saint And Lewes Godfrey that famous Magician beneficed in the Church of Acoules at Marseilles who was burnt in Prouence the last of Aprill 1611. And at Grenoble Nobilibus a Monke and a certaine Priest in the Diocesse of Ambrun who baptized infants in the name of Baalzebub And therefore we may conclude that forasmuch as in these venerable Parliaments they haue condemned sorcerers to death which is not done elsewhere they are to haue the blame that do it not of which fault Rubis would seeme to taxe the States and Cities without exception More modestie becomes a man then was in this passionate Rubis for it is great reason that among Priests such should be excepted as God hath not so farre forth abandoned as to suffer them to adhere to the sorceries of Satan This pratler should haue thought that either soone or late this calumnie would be retorted to his owne shame He should haue contented himselfe with his reprochfull speeches against the Waldenses of whom he hath belched many false reports carried by the violence of his owne humour and not haue laid aspersions on the liuing yea he should blush to thinke that he hath giuen vs iust occasion to retort vpon himselfe and his wicked Priests that which he would lay vpon those that make profession of the Gospell
and discipline of our mother the holy Church yet neuerthelesse some religious Mandians who call themselues the Inquisitors of the faith and others thinking by vexations and troubles to extort from them their goods and otherwise to molest them in their persons haue been desirous and still are to lay false imputations vpon them that they hold and beleeue certaine Heresies and superstitions against the Catholike faith and vnder this collour haue and still doe vex and trouble them with strange inuolutions of proces both in our Court of Parliament in Dauphine and in diuers other Countries and iurisdictions And to come to the confiscation of the goods of those whom they charge with the same offence many of the Iudges yea and the said Inquisitors of the faith themselues being cōmonly religious Mandians Mandians vnder the shadow of the office of Inquisitors haue sent and euery day do send forth proces against those poore people without reasonable cause putting some of them to the racke and calling them in question without any precedent information and condemning them for matters whereof they were neuer culpable as hath bin afterwards found and of some to set them at liberty haue taken and exacted great summes of money and by diuers meanes haue vniustly vexed and troubled them to the great preiudice and hinderance not onely of the said Suppliants but of Vs and the Weale-publicke of our Country of Dauphine Wee therefore being willing to prouide against this mischiefe and not to suffer Our poor people to be vexed and troubled by such wrongfull proceedings especially the Inhabitants of the said places affirming that they haue alwates liued and will liue as becommeth good Christians and Catholikes not hauing euer beleeued nor held other beleefe then that of our mother the holy Church nor maintained nor will maintaine or beleeue any thing to the contrary and that it is against all reason that any man should be condemned of the crime of Heresie but onely they that with obdurate obstinacy wil stubbornly maintain and affirme things contrary to the sincerity of our faith Wee haue by great and mature deliberation and to meet with such fraudes and abuses vniust vexations and exactions granted to the said Suppliants and doe grant and of our certain knowledge and speciall consent full power and authority royall Delphinale VVe haue willed and ordained and doe will and ordaine by these Presents that the said Suppliants and all others of our Country of Dauphine be freed from their courts and proces and whatsoeuer proces any of them shall haue sent forth for the causes aboue mentioned We haue of our certaine knowledge full power and authority royall and Delphinale abolished and doe abolish made and doe make of none effect by these Presents and we will that from all times past vnto this day there be nothing demanded of them or wrong offered either in body or goods or good name Except neuertheles there bee any that will obstinately and out of a hardned heart maintaine and affirme any thing against the holy Catholike faith Moreouer we haue willed and ordained and doe will and ordaine that the goods of the said Inhabitants Suppliants and all other of our Country of Dauphine that for the causes aboue mentioned haue been taken and exacted of any person in any manner whatsoeuer by execution or otherwise shall by the ordinance or command of our Court of Parliament of Dauphine or any other whatsoeuer as also all bils and obligations which they haue giuen for the causes aboue said whether it be for the paiment of fees for the said proces or otherwise shall againe bee restored vnto them vnto which restitution all such shall be constrained that haue in any thing either by sale or spoile of their goods moueables or vnmoueables by detention or imprisonment of their persons any way wronged them vntill they haue restored their goods and things aboue mentioned and obeyed otherwise to bee inforced by all due and resonable meanes requisite in such a case notwithstanding all appellations whatsoeuer which our will is in any manner be deferred And because that by reason of those confiscations which haue heen beretofore pretended of the goods of those whom they haue charged and accused in this case diuers more for couetousnesse and a desire of the said confiscations or part of them then for iustice doe and haue put many people in sute and to come to the end of their confiscations haue held diuers tearmes against iustice VVe haue declared and doe declare by these Presents that we will not from hence forward for the said cause haue any confiscations taken leuied or exacted for vs or by our Officers and whatsoeuer right may come vnto vs we doe acquit our selues off and remit vnto the children or other inheritours thereof against whomsoeuer shall pretend a right to those confiscations As also to meet with those fraudes and abuses offered by the said Inquisitors of the faith we haue forbid and doe forbid that any man suffer any of the said Inquisitors of the faith to proceed from hence forward against any of the said Inhabitants of our country of Dauphine nor restraine any of them for the cause aboue mentioned without expresse letters from our selfe touching that matter Moreouer we haue forbid and doe forbid for the cause aforesaid and the like any of our Iudges and Officers of our Subiects to vndertake any iurisdiction or knowledge but all causes and proces in the said case to be sent vnto vs and those of our grand Counsell to vs to whom and not vnto others wee haue reserued the hearing and determination Wee therefore command and directly enioyne you that our Letters be put in execution from point to point according to the forme aboue said and not other waies as in such case is requisite For it is our pleasure it should bee done and to doe it we giue you full power and authority and commission and speciall commandement We charge and command all our Iustices Officers Subiects Commissioners and Deputies to giue their assistance for the due obedience thereunto Giuen at Arras the 18 of May 1578. The Arch-bishop of Ambrun ceaseth not to proceed against the accused yea he was much more animated then before grounding himself vpon that clause of the aforesaid Letters If there bee not any found rebellious and refractary and that obstinately harden themselues in their opinions And therefore he pretended not to doe any thing against the aforesaid Letters because they that had obtained them made not their appearance in iudgement for their iustification verifying that they were neither obstinate nor rebellious Moreouer the Arch-bishop extorted from the one part of the Inhabitants af Frassiniere Argentiere and the valley Loyse a disclaiming of those requests presented to the King declaring that there were no people in Dauphine lesse free from Heresie then they that were most forward to purge themselues before the King He caused information againe to be made and that which we haue
downe all trees that bare fruit plucked vp the Vines by the roots at what time the President of Ageues came forth of Toulouze with a great number of the inhabitants thereof who seeing them to spoile their possessions ranne vpon the Pilgrims with violence scattered here and there through the fields and slew a great number of them On the other side the Earle of Foix conducting some troopes of horse and foot slew as many as hee met with The Earle of Bar held his troopes in better order and seeing the disorder especially of those that were flying away hee cryed out a Bar a Bar which the inhabitants of Toulouze vnderstanding charged them so brauely before any of them could gather themselues vnto him that he was discomfited with the rest The Earle Remond retired his troopes into Toulouze and commanded solemne thankes to bee giuen vnto God for so admirable a victorie ouer his enemies The fame of the Earle Remonds victories being spread abroad there came vnto him diuers succours from all the parts round about him for they were all weary of the troopes of the Pilgrims and willingly offered both their goods and their liues to driue them out of the Countrey Chass lib. 3. chap. 14. pag. 169. The Earle Simon being in some scarsitie of victuall because the wayes whereby they should be releeued were stopt was constrained to raise his siege And besides the Earle of Chalons the Earle of Bar The Monke of the Valley Sernay Chap. 79. and certaine other Germaine Earles retired themselues their quarantaines or fortie daies being expired but yet he would not bee altogether idle that Autumne Hee therefore marched into the Countries of the Earle of Foix to refresh the rest of his Armie and to possesse himselfe of some places Hee went as farre as the Towne of Foix made spoyle of all that was about it and then set fire to the Towne Being at Panies the Legat tooke the one halfe of the Armie to accompanie him to Roquemaure where hee went to passe the winter and in his way being in the Earledome of St. Felix of Caraman he tooke the Tower of Cassas and about one hundred men therein and caused them all to be burnt aliue and laid the place leuell with the ground In the meane time the Earle Simon ruinated the Countries of the Earle of Foix as long as the said Earle kept his bed being visited with a grieuous sicknesse during the which his seruants that were about him durst not tell him of his losses that is to say of Pamies Sauerdun Mirepoix and Prissant which had beene likewise battered a place very strong neere Carcassonne Being recouered of his sicknesse and vnderstanding what hauocke the Earle Simon had made of his houses and what ruine his poore subiects had endured he went to the Armie and desired to speake with the Generall and thus hee deliuered his minde vnto him The inconstancie of tottering fortune my masters and most renowned Lords is the cause why I am not astonished to see my selfe thus infinitely afflicted by this cruell Step-mother Hologoray in his Hist of Foix. pag. 133. I haue heretofore braued mine enemies fought in the field amongst those that would resist my power entertained the great and mightie Monarches as my friends None haue threatned me much lesse offended me neither could my sword euer beare it I haue beene imployed in publike negotiations which carry with them as their attendants infinite discommodities neither haue I gotten any dishonor thereby and I should haue held my labor ill imployed if they had not bin vpon worthy occasions neuer hauing desired to bee accounted an honest man by those vnworthy and vniust meanes that some men purpose vnto themselues For he that is not an honest man but because other men should know him to bee so and that hee might be the better esteemed after knowledge taken thereof he that will not doe good but vpon condition that his vertue may be knowne by other men he is not the person from whom any great seruice can be expected Wee must saith the Maxime goe to war out of dutie and attend the reward which is neuer wanting to all honorable actions be they neuer so secret yea euen our vertuous cogitations being the onely contentment which a conscience well ordered receiueth in it selfe for well doing Hauing therefore my masters and friends my courage still lodged in a firme and assured place against all the assaults of Fortune my conscience cleere in this that I neuer gaue you any occasion to rise vp against me I haue made no doubt to appeare before you in this assembly and to bring with me my head not my treasures to expose them to the mercy of the Souldier or my commodities to plant them as Barriers about my lands and territories which you haue begunne without reason to bring into a lamentable estate to be iudged by your Counsell and according thereunto to condescend to that which shall be determined For I had rather neuer to haue beene borne than to suruiue my reputation neither can I suffer that honor and glory which in my yonger yeeres I haue iustly wonne to be extinguished Haue you euer knowne me to be an enemie to the Realme of France If it be so let me lose both life and honour with shame and dishonour And who dares speake it to my face Haue I conspired against the Church What haue I done that any man should haue that conceit of me And doe you thinke that for the poore remainder of this fantasticall imaginary life which I haue to liue I will lose the essentiall life and purchase to my selfe to please any mans appetite an eternall death The wise men of the world haue proposed to themselues a more honourable and iust end to so important an enterprize There is no man of honour that chooseth not rather to lose his honour than his conscience It is that which I hold to bee the dearest Iewell within my Cabinet Keepe me I pray you in that range which the Kings of France haue giuen mee that is to bee thought faithfull as they haue heretofore censured me when they haue had occasion to deale in the affaires of my House to the end saith he that being offended I be not constrained to defend my selfe and to offend you which shall bee much against mine owne will and intention And this by oath I vow vnto you Roger the sonne of the Earle of Foix was much afflicted with the submission of his father as being an action too base for the greatnesse of their house The King of Aragon did likewise distaste it For notwithstanding he were allied to the Earle Simon yet hee did not feare to let him vnderstand that he could not approue of his vsurpations vnder the pretence of religion The Earle Simon on the other side Holag pag. 133. said with a loud voice That the conquests were iust and lawfull that he had his right from the Pope that there was
armes he had recourse to his ordinary wiles and subtilties hoping to worke his ruine vnder a pretence of amitie He caused therefore the Legat Bonauenture to write vnto him that he had compassion on him for that he was so obstinate in so great a warre to his great charge and the losse of the bloud of his Subiects which if he would he might end in a short time by taking his iourny to Rome declaring his innocency to the Pope that he would giue him his best assistance as far forth as possibly he could to procure the restitution of all his Lands But yet it was very necessarie that the Church should haue some gages of his fidelitie that is that he should deliuer into his hands the Castle of Foix the one onely meanes to take away all shadow and shew of false play and that incontinently after his returne turne it should be restored vnto him with the rest of his houses He suffered himselfe to be cheated and gulled by these promises deliuered vnto him the Castle of Foix and tooke his iourney to Rome but if he went a foole thither a foole he returned For the Legat had written to Rome to the Conclaue and to the Pope that the Earle of Foix was one of the most dangerous Heretiques that was amongst the Albingenses a man of great courage and valiant and most to be feared that if he were subdued the Earle of Toulouze would be much weakned that he had gotten from him the meanes to doe any hurt by obtaining by faire words those places which the Church would neuer haue gotten by armes namely the Castle of Foix and that they were to take heed that they made no restitution of his lands which if they did it would bee impossible that the Church should euer bring the Albingenses to their vtter ruine The Pope was willing enough to ioyne in his ouerthrow but because hee came vnto him with submissions he feared least it might bee a meanes to hinder others from euer putting any confidence in the Pope He was prodigall of his Crosses his Bulls and his Words but in effect he commanded his Legat that he should not restore vnto him those places vntill hee had giuen good proofes of his obedience and iustification Presently vpon his returne hee addressed himselfe to the Legat to enioy the effect of his faire promises The Legat gaue him to vnderstand that his hands were bound by the Pope because there were some clauses in his Bulls that did binde him to a new proceeding and to know in good earnest what his innocency was but yet he should assure himselfe of his affection and that he should not attribute to him if he receiued not his full content and that he would doe his best endeuour to make loue and friendship betwixt the Earle Simon and himselfe The Earle of Foix by little and little with-drew himselfe fearing to be arrested walking about the fields and houses of his Subiects as for his owne they were all in the hands of the Earle Simon There he cursed his owne facilitie to suffer himselfe to be gulled by a Priest bites his singers for anger to see himselfe so blockishly abused after so many trickes and stratagems plaid against him The Earle of Toulouze and the King of Aragon resolue to make a leuy of their Subiects and presently to build a Fort at Montgranier a place very strong by nature In a few daies they made it a place of defence by the means labours of their poore subiects who bewailing their own miseries their Lords trauelled day night very willingly to bring the work to an end This place being built he put therin a garison left there his son Roger. The Earle Simon besieged it in the end took it by famine The cōposition was that Roger should not beare armes for one whole yeare against the Church An Article that troubled much this valiant Lord. For he withdrew himselfe for the same yeare into a house where he counted the moneths and the daies till the time was expired wherein he might either die valiantly in fight or vanquish his enemies And to this purpose he many times conferred with the sonne of the King of Aragon lately slaine how he might carrie himselfe to finde a meanes to be reuenged of his Fathers death The Legat Bonauenture in the meane time vseth the same subtletie with the Earle Remond of Toulouze He perswadeth him to goe to Rome to determine his affaires with the Pope more peaceably than with the Earle Simon The Monke of the Valley Sernay Chap. 133. especially because he was charged with the death of his owne Brother the Earle Baudoin taken in the Castle d'Olme in the Country of Cahors because he had there borne Armes against him an action that had made him odious both to God and men and which his enemies did exaggerate to the end they might stirre vp the Pilgrims to take vengeance on him saying That at the very point of death they had denied him a Confessor and that the said Bodoin prayed vnto God that he would raise vp some good Christians to reuenge the wrong done vnto him by his brother as by another Caine. The son of the Earle of Toulouze named also Remond vnderstanding that his Father was to take his iourney to Rome he went with letters from his Vncle the King of England to the Pope intreating him to doe iustice to his brother in Law The young Lord had beene brought vp vntill then in England where he could no longer spend time seeing his Father oppressed with warres and continuall trauels he therefore resolued to vse his best endeuours for his deliuerance either by composition or by armes The cause of the Earle Remond was debated before the Pope There was a Cardinall that maintained Idem Chap. 152. that great wrong had beene offered those Lords who had many times giuen of their best lands to the Church to witnesse their obedience The Abbot of St. Vberi also tooke their part with great courage and resolution The Earle Remond likewise defended his owne cause charging the Bishop of Toulouze with many outrages and that if hee had beene constrained to defend himselfe he must accuse those that had driuen him to that necessitie for had he not made resistance he had long agoe beene vtterly ouerthrowne That the Bishop of Toulouze had many times caught vnto him the fairest of his reuenewes and being neuer satisfied did still continue to vex him parting his goods with the Earle Simon of Montfort and that their onely auarice had beene the cause of the death of ten thousand men of Toulouze and of the pillage of that faire and great Citie a losse which could neuer be repaired The Charterie of Lion did also shew vnto the Pope that the Bishop of Toulouze had alwaies kindled the fire and warmed himselfe at the flame Arnaud de Villemur did also present himselfe before the Pope demanding Iustice for that the
Roger de Leni The Earle of Comminge his lands which one named Ioris detained from him An aduantagious encounter for the Albingenses in Lauragues Expeditions of small effect after the death of the Earle Simon The Prince Lewis tooke Marmande and returned into France hauing summoned Toulouze to yeeld it selfe THe Earle Remond followed the victory making himselfe Master of the Castle of Narbonnes and fortifying it against the Pilgrims which hee knew very well would come the yeere following in the meane time hee sent his sonne into Agenois who brought vnto the obedience of his father Condon Holagaray in his history of Foix. 162. Marmande Aguillon and other places adioyning On the other side the Earle of Foix besieged Mirepoix summoned Roger de Leni to restore it vnto him telling him that hee was not now to hope any longer in the Earle Simon for he was dead that it must content him that he had now long enough and vniustly kept that which was his That if he changed his patience into furie he would lose both his life and Mirepoix altogether It troubled much the Marshall of the Faith for that was the vaine title which the Legats had giuen him to yeeld vp this place but in the end he deliuered it into the hands of the Earle of Foix. The Earle of Comminge had also his right of one Ioris to whom the Legats had giuen all that the Souldiers of the Crosse had taken in his Countries for he tooke them all from him yea life and all At the spring of the yeere following 1219. Almaric or Aimeri of Montfort came into Agenois with some troopes of Souldiers of the Crosse to recouer that which his father had there possessed and for this cause hee besieged Marmande The young Earle Remond of Toulouze went to succour the besieged when the Earle of Foix writ vnto him that hee had gotten a great bootie in Lauragues both of people and beasts but he feared hee should not bring it to Toulouze and not be fought withall by the way by the Garrison of Carcassone and therefore hee entreated him to succour him Young Remond tooke his iourney towards him and came in so good an houre to the Earle Foix that being vpon the point of losing his booty being followed by the Vicount of Lautrec and the Captaines Faucant and Valas. Being come to the combat Chass lib. 4. chap. 13. the said Foucant and Valas encouraged with a loud voice their Pilgrims saying that they fought for Heauen and for the Church The young Earle Remond hearing it cryed vnto his as loud as he Courage my friends for we fight for our Religion and against theeues and robbers vnder the name of the Church They haue robbed enough let vs make them vomit it vp againe and pay the arrerages of their thefts which they haue heretofore freely committed And hereupon they gaue the Charge The Vicount of Lautrec fled Foucant was taken prisoner and all their troopes cut in peeces Seguret a Captaine and professed robber was taken and hanged in the field vpon a tree Thus victorious and laden with bootie they came to Toulouze with their prisoners and cattell The siege of Marmande continued but vnprofitably and without any aduantage For Almaric hauing caused a generall assault to be made the inhabitants defended themselues with such valour and resolution that the ditches were full of the dead bodies of the Pilgrims This was at that time when the great expedition of Prince Lewis arriued who brought with him thirtie Earles An expedition for the leuying whereof the Legat Bertrand writ in these termes to King Philip Faile you not to be in the quarters of Toulouze for the whole moneth of May in the yeere 1219. with all your forces and powers to reuenge the death of the Earle Montfort and I will procure that the Pope shall publish and preach the Croisade or expedition of Christians throughout the world for your better aid and succours Thus you see how the Legat commands the King of France His sonne arriued at Marmande and summoned those within to yeeld They compound with him and he promiseth them their liues Almaric complaines thereof saying that they were not worthy of life that tooke away his Fathers He assembleth the Prelats declareth vnto them the discontent which he receiued by this composition in that life was granted vnto those who were the murderers of his Father The Prelats were all of opinion that notwithstanding the word giuen they should all die Prince Lewis his will was that the composition should hold Almaric neuerthelesse caused his troopes to slip into the Citie with charge to kill all men women and children They doe it whereat the Prince being offended departed from the Legat and Almaric and passing along summoned those of Toulouze to yeeld They defend themselues against him Hee receiueth newes of the death of his father which caused him to retire Thus you see all the effects of this great expedition which should haue buried all the Albingenses aliue and vanished without any assault giuen CHAP. IIII. The warre of the Albingenses changeth countenance because of the death of Pope Innocent the third of the change of the Legat the death of the Earle Remond of Toulouze of the disease of Remond Earle of Foix and the Lady Philippe de Moncade mother to the Earle of Foix and of the Monke Dominick THe Legat Bertrand Bonauenture being weary of the long labours of this warre and perceiuing that therein the danger was greater than either the pleasure or the profit tooke occasion vnder a pretence of his decrepit age to retire himselfe to Rome euen at that time when Pope Innocent the third being departed Pope Honorius his successour who had not managed this warre by his authoritie from the beginning thereof knew neither the importance thereof nor what direction to giue and therefore had need to be enformed by his Legat touching the meanes of the continuance thereof and the commoditie that might arise vnto his Seat Bonauenture entreated him to depute another Legat and told him that the necessitie of this warre was such that it concerned not onely the losse of all those Lands of the Albingenses which were conquered because they might be easily recouered by them if no opposition were made but also the ruine of the Church of Rome because the Doctrine of the Waldenses and Albingenses did directly shake the authoritie of the Popes and ouerthrow the Statutes of the Church That this warre had beene very chargeable and cost them deere for within the space of fifteene yeares and lesse there had died aboue three hundred thousand souldiers of the Crosse that at diuers times had come to end their liues in Languedoc as if there were not enough else-where to burie them or as if there were a necessitie in those times to be borne in France and to dye encountring the Albingenses That all this would be lost if they continued not to spend and weaken them vntill they were
which cause let it be and dwell alwayes in vs that wee may addict our selues to holinesse and righteousnesse Lo teo regne vegne Thy Kingdome come YOu must vnderstand that God the Father hath two Kingdomes the one of glory life eternall the other of grace the life Christian And these two Kingdomes are ioyned together in such manner that betwixt them there is no middle but the point of death But according to the order of diuine Iustice the Kingdome of grace is before the Kingdome of glory And therefore they that liue in the Kingdome of grace by which we are to passe if wee will enter the Kingdome of glory without doubt they shall raigne in the Kingdome of glory and no man can reigne there by any other meanes And therefore Christ our Lord saith vnto his Disciples Seeke first the Kingdome of God and the righteousnesse thereof that is the Kingdome of grace and vertue as Faith Hope Charity and the rest But forasmuch as you cannot performe this of your selues without the heauenly grace beg it at Gods hands saying O our Father which art in Heauen thy King dome come that is to say the loue of vertue and the hatred of the World La toa volunta sia faita enaimi es faita en cel sia faita en terra Thy will be done in Earth as it is in Heauen A Man cannot affect desire or doe any better thing in this life then to endeuour with all his wit and vnderstanding and with all his heart to doe the will of God as the Angels doe it in Heauen Now to doe the will of God is to renounce himselfe that is to say his owne proper will and to dispose and employ that which is in his owne soule and heart or that is without him in things temporall according to the Law of God and the Doctrine of the Gospell of Christ Iesus And to be well content with whatsoeuer it shall please God to doe or permit both in aduersity and prosperity Many there are who thinke they are to be excused because they know not the will of God But these men deceiue themselues For the will of God is written and plainely manifested and proued by the word of God which they will not reade or vnderstand And therefore saith the Apostle Conforme not your selues vnto those that loue the World but be reformed and renewed in the truth of your vnderstanding to the end you may know what is the will of God And againe this is the will of God euen your sanctification There is no worke that is little if it be done with a willing and feruent affection And our Sauiour teacheth his Disciples both by words and examples that the will of God must be done not theirs saying I am come into the world not to doe my will but to doe the will of my Father who hath sent me Againe being neere his passion and seeing the torments of death which he was to endure as he was man he cryed out O my Father if it be possible let this Cup passe from me but yet not my will but thy will be done To be briefe we must thus pray in all our affaires O our Father which art in Heauen Thy will be done in vs by vs and of vs in Earth as it is done by the Angels in Heauen without idlenesse continually without fault vprightly without humane desire doing that which is good leading a vertuous and a pure life obeying our superiours and contemning this World Dona nos lo nostre pan quotidian enchoi Giue vs this day our daily bread WEe may heere vnderstand two kinds of bread Corporall and Spirituall By Corporall bread wee are to vnderstand our meates and drinkes and clothing and all things necessary for the body without which we cannot liue naturally The Spirituall Bread is the Word of God the Body of Christ without which the Soule cannot liue And of this Bread Christ spake vnto his Disciples Whosoeuer shall eate of this bread shall liue eternally And therefore it is the dutie of euery man in all humilitie to aske this Bread at Gods hands who can giue it him saying O our Father doe vs the grace and fauour that wee may obtaine by our iust labour the bread that is necessary for our bodies and to vse it with sobriety and measure yeelding thee alwayes thankes and praises and that wee may charitably bestow some part of them vpon the poore Moreouer we beseech thee that thou wilt bee pleased so to deale with vs that wee may vse this bread with sobriety to thy glory and the good both of body and soule For the Prophet Ezekiel saith Chap. 16.49 That fulnesse of bread and abundance of idlenesse was the cause of the iniquities and abominations of Sodom which were so great in the sight of God that he sent downe fire and brimstone to consume them Whereupon a certaine learned Father saith that costly apparrell superfluitie in diet play idlenesse and sleepe fatten the body nourish luxurie weaken the spirit and leade the soule vnto death but a spare diet labour short sleepe poore garments purifie the soule tame the body mortifie the lusts of the flesh and comfort the Spirit The spirituall Bread is the Word of God Of this Bread the Prophet speaketh Thy bread quickeneth mee And Christ saith in the Gospell Verily I say vnto you that the houre commeth when the dead shall heare the voyce of the Sonne of God and they that heare him shall liue And this is found true by this experience That is that many being dead in their sinnes hearing the Preaching of the Word of God haue departed quickned raised by the said Word of God betaken themselues to true repentance which giueth life This bread of the Word illuminateth the soule according to that of Dauid Psal 119.130 The entrance of thy word giueth light it giueth vnderstanding to the simple that is to say to the humble to the end they may know what to beleeue and to doe what to feare to flye to loue to hope This bread delighteth the soule more then honey and the honey-combe And therefore saith the Spouse Canticles 2.11 Let me heare thy voyce for sweete is thy voyce and thy countenance is comely There is another Spirituall Bread and that is the Body and Blood of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ In the Sacrament they that receiue it worthily receiue not onely grace but Christ the Sonne of God spiritually in whom are hid all the treasures of wisedome Pardonna a nos li nostre debit o pecca coma nos per donnen a li nostre debitor o offendadors Forgiue vs our trespasses as we forgiue them that trespasse against vs. IT should not seeme or bee grieuous to any man to forgiue his neighbour those offences hee hath committed against him For if all the offences which haue beene or can bee committed against all the men in the world were put into a ballance they would not weigh so much
his workes and to the poore creature reasonable and vnreasonable sensible and insensible Reasonable as to men hee-Saints and shee-Saints that are departed out of this world Vnreasonable and to Images carrion or reliques His workes are the Sacraments especially the Sacrament of the Eucharist which headoreth as God and as Iesus Christ seruing things blessed and consecrated and forbidding the worship of the onely God The second worke of Antichrist is that he robbeth Christ of his merit with all the sufficiency of grace righteousnesse regeneration remission of sinnes sanctification confirmation in grace and spirituall nourishment and imputeth and attributeth it to his authority and to the forme of words and to his workes and to Saints and to their intercession and to the fire of Purgatory drawing the people from Christ and his conduct vnto the things aboue-named to the end men should not seeke the things of Christ nor by Christ but trust only to be saued by the works of their hands and not by a liuely faith in God and his Sonne Christ Iesus and his holy Spirit but by the will and workes of Antichrist for so he teacheth that all saluation consisteth in his workes The third worke of Antichrist consisteth in this that he attributeth the renewing by the holy Ghostto an outward dead faith and baptizeth children into that faith and that by it wee haue the Baptisme and the regeneration and therein hee giueth Orders and Sacraments and in it he groundeth all Christianity which is repugnant to the Spirit of God The fourth worke of Antichrist is that hee hath ordained and placed all Religion and Sanctity of the people in the Masse and hath patched together many ceremonies whereof some are Iudaicall some Heathenish some Antichristian To the hearing whereof leading the congregation and the people hee depriues them of their spirituall and Sacramentall food and separateth them from the true Religion and the Commandements of God and withdrawes them from the workes of mercy by his Offertory and by his Masse he setteth the people in a vaine hope The fift worke of Antichrist is that hee doeth all his workes to the end hee may bee seene of men that he may solace himselfe in his vnsatiable auarice that he may make gaine of all things and doe nothing without Simony The sixt worke of Antichrist is that hee giueth way to all open and apparant sinnes without any Ecclesiasticall sentence neither doth hee excommunicate the impenitent The seuenth worke of Antichrist is that hee neither ruleth nor defendeth his vnity by the Word and power of the Spirit of God but by the secular power and hee addeth vnto his ayde things spirituall The eight worke of Antichrist is that hee hateth and persecuteth and putteth to death the members of Christ These are in a manner the principall workes which he doth against the truth for all of them can by no meanes bee written or numbred Let it suffice for this present that wee haue noted the more generall and shall likewise set downe by what workes this iniquity is couered First and principally by an outward confession of Faith whereof the Apostle sayth They confesse they know God with their mouthes but they deny him in their hearts Secondly hee couereth his iniquity by length of time and in that he is maintained by certaine Sages and religious Monkes and Virgins and Nunnes and Widowes and other women of austere life As also by the people without number of whom it is said in the Reuelation And power was giuen vnto him ouer euery Tribe and Language and Nation and all the Inhabitants of the Earth fell downe and worshipped him Thirdly hee couereth his iniquity with the spirituall authority of the Apostles against which the Apostle saith We can doe nothing against the truth and power there is none giuen vs to destruction Fourthly he couereth his iniquity with many miracles of whom the Apostle saith 2 Thes 2.9 Whose comming is after the working of Satan with all power and signes and lying wonders and with all deceiueablenesse of vnrighteousnesse Fifely by outward holinesse prayers fastings watchings and almesdeeds against which the Apostle saith Hauing the appearance of godlinesse but denying the power thereof Sixtly he coueroth his iniquity with certaine words of Christ and the writings of ancient Fathers and with Councels which they doe so farre forth obserue as that they may no way hinder their wicked liues and pleasures Seuenthly by the administration of the Sacraments viz. of Penance by which they disgorge and vomit vp all their errours Eightly by corrections and verball preachings against vice for they say and doe not Ninthly they couer their iniquity by the vertuous life of some that liue dissemblingly others truly For the Elect of God who will and doe that which is good are detained as in Babylon and are as gold wherewith Antichrist couereth his vanity not permitting them to serue the onely God or to put their trust in Christ alone or to embrace the true Religion These things and diuers others are as the mantell or cloake of Antichrist wherewith he couereth his lyes and malice to the end he may not be reiected as a Pagan and vnder which he proceedeth dishonestly and like a whore We are now to shew both out of the Old and New Testament that a Christian is bound by the Commandement of God to separate himselfe from Antichrist For the Lord saith in the 52. of Esay 11. Depart ye depart ye goe ye out from thence touch no vncleane thing goe ye out of the middest of her be ye cleane that beare the vessels of the Lord For ye shall not goe out with hast nor goe by flight c. And the Prophet Ieremy Chap. 50.8 Remoue out of the middest of Babylon and goe forth out of the Land of the Caldeans and be as the hee-goates before the flockes For loe I will raise and cause to come vp against Babylon an assembly of great Nations from the North Countrey and they shall set themselues in army against her from thence shee shall be taken And Numbers 16.21 Separate your selues from among this Congregation that I may consume them in a moment And againe in the 26 verse Depart from the Tents of these wicked men and touch nothing of theirs least ye be consumed in all their sinnes And again Leuit. 20.24 I am the Lord your God and haue separated you from other people Yee shall therefore put difference betweene cleane beasts and vncleane and you shall not make your soules abominable by beast or by fowle nor by any manner of liuing thing that creepeth on the ground which I haue separated from you as vncleane Againe in the 34. of Exodus Take heed to thy selfe lest thou make a Couenant with the inhabitants of the land for feare lest when they goe a whoring after their Gods and doe sacrifice vnto their gods and one call thee and thou eate of his sacrifice And thou take of their daughters vnto thy sonnes and their
are their companions And therefore they must be honoured by imitation and not adored by Religion All these things duly considered wee say that there is not any man borne of other body then Christ which may be adored or can be the true Aduocate and Mediator betwixt God and Men or Intercessor for sinners with God the Father but he alone neither is it necessary that they should be inuocated by the prayers and intercessions of the liuing It is hee that by speciall priuiledge obtaines whatsoeuer he demands for mankinde whom hee hath reconciled by his death Hee is the one and onely Mediator betwixt God and man the Aduocate and Intercessor to God the Father for sinners and in such sort sufficient that the Father denyeth not any man what he demandeth in his name but for the loue of him he heareth those that pray vnto him or demand any thing at his hands by him For being neere vnto God liuing by himselfe he prayeth alwayes for vs. For it was necessary that we should haue such a soueraigne Sacrificer as was holy innocent without blemish separated from sinners and exalted aboue the Heauens the first Sonne begotten of his Father which onely Sonne being aboue all men hath power and authority to sanctifie the other to pray and to mediate for them Saint Augustine writeth concerning Christ in his 64 Psalm saying Thou art the Sacrificer thou art the Sacrifice thou art he that offereth and thou art the offering Iesus is not entred into places made with hands which were figured correspondent to the true but hee is entred into Heauen it selfe euen now to appeare for vs before the face of God Of him it is that Saint Iohn saith 1 Iohn 1.1 We haue an Aduocate with the Father euen Iesus Christ the righteous And Saint Paul saith Rom. 8.33 That Iesus Christ who dyed for vs is also risen againe and sitteth at the right hand of Goâ— making intercession for vs. And therefore hee is but a foole that will desire any other Intercessor For Christ is alwayes liuing and prayeth to God the Father for vs and is alwayes ready to succour those he loueth And therefore if we keepe our selues to that he hath said we neede not desire any other Saint to be our Mediator because he is more gentle and more ready to helpe then any other can be Adde hereunto that the minde of him that prayeth wandereth and is confounded with the multitude of Saints to whom he prayes when the affection is remoued from Christ and therefore is much weakened being diuided amongst many Howsoeuer many there are that thinke that when the prayer is directed to one onely a man hath that only one for a Mediator wheras more giue more spirituall helpe But the Church would increase a great deale more if it knew not this multitude of intercessions now inuented And therefore it is a great folly to forsake the Fountaine of liuing waters and to goe to troubled waters and such as are afarre of This then doth plainly appeare that a man cannot obtaine any thing of God but by the Mediator Christ Iesus In the second place it shall be more expedient to worship Christ among those that are simply men for hee is a good and benigne Mediator euen in the highest degree both in the one and the other extremity Thirdly if we keepe our selues vnto his Word we neede not addresse our selues to other Saints for intermedlers since that he is more ready to helpe vs then other Saints being ordained of God for this purpose that is to the end that the intercession might be made by him that is more mercifull then all others for hee knowes for whom there is reason he should pray for hee hath shed his bloud for them which hee will neuer forget hauing grauen them in the palmes of his hands Fourthly in the primitiue Church their prayers for spirituall aide were made onely to Christ as a Mediator Fiftly then did the Church profit and encrease a great deale more then now it doth in these times wherein men haue found many intercessions which are as so many clouds without water darkening Christ the Sonne of Righteousnesse who is the true In tercessor For many expecting spirituall comforts are forsaken in their vaine hopes For though so it be that God is iust and we vniust and insufficient of our selues yet it is he that pardoneth our sinnes both passed and present For hee gaue himselfe for our redemption that is to say he hath been the Sacrifice by which our pardon hath been obtained God hath sent his Sonne to the end he might pardon our sinnes hee is the remedy against sinne to the end we should not fall into despaire We must haue recourse to Christ our Aduocate who continually defendeth our cause beseeching his Father for vs whom wee haue not onely for an Aduocate but for a Iudge too For the Father hath giuen all iudgement to the Sonne and consequently all penitent sinners haue great reason to hope that hee that is our Iudge is our Aduocate This faith is grounded vpon Christ as vpon a strong Rocke vpon which all the Saints of God haue rested themselues vntill the man of sinne had power to bring in new intercessions of Saints which faith all the Saints haue professed liuing here and vnto this day doe confesse that they are not saued by oblations or the intercession of any other God but by him they haue obtained Heauen of whom it is said in the Reuelation Chap. 5.9 Thou art worthy to take the Booke and to open the seales thereof for thou wast slaine and hast redcemed vs to God by thy bloud out of euery kindred and tongue and people and Nation and hast made vs vnto our God Kings and Priests You see how their humility and thankfulnesse doth still resound vpon the Earth when they acknowledge that they are entred into that place wherein they are by his bloud and confesse that they haue receiued all their good by him and whatsoeuer they enioy so long as they remaine in this life that they receiue no good thing but by their good Mediator and Intercessor Christ Iesus CHAP. IIII. Of Baptisme and the other Sacraments of the Romish Church THe things that are not necessary in the administration of Baptisme are the Exorcismes breathings the signe of the Crosse vpon the forehead and breast of the infant the salt put into his mouth spittle into his eares and nostrills the anoynting of the breast the Monkes Cowle the vnction of the Crysome vpon the crowne of his head and all other things consecrated by the Bishop as the putting the Waxe candle into his hands the cloathing him with a white garment the blessing of the water and so foorth All those things vsed in the administration of this Sacrament are not necessary they neither being of the substance nor required in the Sacrament of Baptisme from which things many take occasion of errour and superstition rather then edification to saluation