¶ AN Oration of Ihon Fabritius Montanus VVherby he teacheth that Christian men cannot resorte to the Councel of Trent without committing an haynous offence Englyshed by L. A. ☜ ⸫ ☞ ¶ Newelye set forth and allowed accordynge to the order appoynted in the Quenes Maiestyes Iniunctions I C ¶ The Preface of the Translatour to the Reader IOHN Fabritius Montanus a man as it appeareth both lerned and zelous at what time this last generall Counsell was solemly proclamed and publyshed to be holden at Trent by thaucthoritie of the Pope seing such large placardes and priuileges of safeconduicte for al nations to resorte thither so formally by him sent abroad in euery quarter and fearing lest emongest the people of God some such as were simple might thereby easelye be entrapped and vnder the glorious name of their priuileges fall into their enemies handes thoughte it good yea to be his duetie also beynge him selfe a ministre of the Churche of God not onelye to publyshe to the christian worlde that if they should ioine them selues with thys denne of theefes and Sinagoge of Sathan where Antichryst himself â—…etteth as Iudge it should not be onelye perillous for theyr owne persons but also contumeliouse to the maiestie of God hurteful to theyr neyghbours yea and iniuriouse to Gods truth The whych thyng truly in my opinion he hath so fully so eloquently so compendiouslye and so sufficientelye done in this shorte oracion that this onelye maye wel suffice to harnesse anye man agayne the subtil perswasions of oure aduersaryes and to strengthen otherwyse the weake conscieÌ„ces of Gods people who thoughte it theyr bounden duetye to be presente at suche assemblyes there to dyspute of matters of Religion or at the leaste wyse to propone or make protestacion of theyr saith This oracion althoughe it were by Iohn Fabritius Montanus published in Latin to al that vnderstode that tonge in due tyme before the councell was fullye assembled so that thereby some fruit and commoditie was or myght haue been taken thereof yet I thou ghte it not altogether vnprofitable nowe also to translate the same into our Englishe tong to thend that such as are vnlearned and ignoraunt in thother may sée the censure and iudgement of this learned man in this behalfe especially seing euen thunlearned of our aduersaries do so much at thys daye crye out for generall Councels for the stablishment of religion and geue so muche credyte and aucihoritie to them as to the most holy worde of God Take this gentle reader for the fyrste fruictes of my labour vntyl suche tyme as God by hys heauenly dewe shall multyply and increase the same ¶ An Oration of Ihon Fabritius Montanus whereby he teacheth that Christien men can not resort to the Councell of Trent without committing an haynous offence HAuinge alwaies wythdrawen my mynde from trouble some consultations in this so great a broyle both of mindes and studies I thought it good to be in quiet and at rest vntill such time as I might frely both in truth and conscience do the saine especyally because I knewe well enough that men both of excellent wit and learninge haue he therto pleaded defended this oure common cause mightelye and with suche greate force as was sufficient and able to breake the fearcenes of our aduersaries But this notwithstandyng their malapart and leude bragges haue at the length vanquished and broken of thys my longe sylence They are now assembled at Trent wherevnto they do call verye arrogantly by a cercayne wryting publickely to that ende set forth at Venyse all and euery of vs whiche do professe the Gospell of Chryst whiche thing truelye is not at all to be meruailed at seing they according to their aucthoritie which to themselues they do chaleng and vsurpe do imperiously tryumph both ouer Kynges and Monarches But yet they handle this their cause so craftely subtilly that vnlesse their put poses be preuented it is a great halsard to be feared lest there w t thei begile such as be simple Now therfore the time requireth that good men shoulde arme them selfes and ioyne their powers and force together In thys armye or expedicion if I were assigned only to go with the cariage truely I woulde willingly take it vpon me But forsomuch as we are set vpon and assalted of our enemies by ambusshes I thinke it good y t we fight aloofe the whyche thinge I woulde the Christian reader to whom I now speake to vnderstand lest any man should sclaunderouslye say y t I did refuse againe y t battaile which euen nowe I semed so hastly to requyre Our enemies haue chosen Trent as a place for theyr am bushes in my opinion truelye not much vnlike to the forkes or Gibettes of Caudis wherinto wheÌ„ the Romaine hostes had ron hedlong being entrapped by the pollicie of theyr enemies thei made amendes for theyr folye with theyr old accustomed manhod and prowesse Those forkes of Caudis those Dennes I meane of Counciles haue sondrye tymes deceaued and endomagid oure menne It is tyme therefore that wee shoulde at the length awake and wyth wysedome take head of and foresee those wyles whyche once or twyse we haue alreadye felte Yet notwythstandynge in the meane tyme suche as are simple must be taughte why we seynge oure enemyes wyll not encounter wyth vs in playne batcayle oughte not to goo into their campes lest we shoulde seme by forsakynge oure standinge to forsake also the ryghte of oure cause If I therefore shall also take vpon me to teache this thinge what teacher of y e gospell caÌ„ accuse or blame me but he muste also accuse and blame himselfe of neglectynge and lettynge passe his owne office and dewety For howe manye soeuer wee bee in nomber we are called euerye one vnto this Councile what meruaile is it then if I thinke that whyche we al and euery one of vs are equal lye carged with to be also common to me aswel as to the rest of the ministers of the church that is to say to wytnesse and declare to the Christyan worlde that there can no iuste and mete causes be founde for vs to go to this Councile but rather that innumerable and great causes may be shewed to esche we and fiye the same For there is none so doltishe who dothe not see that there canne be no iust cause why any maÌ„ should hassarde and cast himselfe into open peryll which is ioyned with the damage of the truth the contumely of God the harme of his neighbour In a matter so playne and manifest I neade not longe to stand aboute the profe thereof The holye men of God do knowe that all Chrystian actions are chyefelye to be referred to thonely Glorye of GOD as to a marke from the whiche if they go a wrye it must neades be that both y e truth muste be in hassarde and the healthe of the soule also in daunger and ieopardye But here some may doubt whether our going to Trent if we
the royaltyes of Sayncte Peter I wyll honorablye vse the Legate of Thapostolique See both goinge and cominge and helpe him in all his necessityes I wyll doe my dylygence to keeye defende encrease and set for warde the ryghtes honoures Pryuileges and aucthoritye of the church of Rome oure Lorde the Pope and his successoures aforesayde I wyll bee in no councile no facte nor treatie wherin any thynge shalbe deuysed sinistre or preiudiciall to theyr persons theyr ryghte theyr honor theyr estate or theyr power And if I shall knowe anye man to goe aboute or procure anye suche thynges I wyl to my power hinder theyr enterpryses and so soone as I canne conuenientlye I wyll notifye the same to oure Lorde or to some other by whom it may come to his know ledge I wil with all industrye and end euor obserue and kepe the rules of our holy fathers thapostolique decrees their ordinaunces their sentences their appoint ments their exceptions their Prouisos and commaundemētes and cause others also to obserue and kepe the same I will also to my power persecute and resist heretyckes scysmatykes and such as are re bells agaynst oure Lorde and his successours aforesayde when I am called to a Synode I wyll come And this is the forme of the othe Nowe therefore seing that the Bishop of Rome doth call and referre allawes to him selfe alone and seing also y t the fathers of the Councell doo frame them felues altogether to his becke and commaunde mente as one that beareth aboute with him in y e secretes of his brest the determinations both of Gods lawe and mans lawe for these and other such monstruous and execrable sayinges are red emonge theyr lyes and inuentions it mighte be iustly demaunded to what ende or what nede there were of this masking preparation of Councels vnlesse y e matter it self semed to speake and experience did also teache that Councels are nothing else but a certaine forme and maner of declaration of the Popes wil and as one would say a shorte and compendious way to procede against the Lutherans For thus it is red in their bokes that it is not necessary to cal Councels to y e entent y t any of those opinions whervpon the Heritikes desire to dispute and who knoweth not that we are accused of them of heresye shoulde be defyned but that it is necessary to cal Councels notwithstāding to thend that such as are Heretikes may be declared made manifeste and condemned Thys might be euident enough vnto vs euen by thactes done in their Councels althoughe they woulde speake nothing therof For besides that they haue hitherto moost despitesully aggrauated our cause w t moste vniust sentences they haue also geuen vp oure liues goodes as a pray to the crueltie of others and they referre this their boocherye to the right and lawe of execution the which they haue hitherto vsed as a thefe engine to weaken shake vs all to peeces For it hath bene alwayes a solempne custome with these good felowes to begyn their Councels backeward preposterously that is to say firste with execution so that al men might easslye perceaue y t they did make there reckoninge of warre before they thought of peace And these latter yeares past after al their promises so manye and so noble made vnto our men whyle the Councile was yet dependinge they beganne to rage agaynste the diuines of Germanye and doubtelesse they hadde shewed forthe theyr madnesse yet further had not the troubles of Germanye caused bothe the Councile ther enterprises also to ende And yet in the meane tyme althoughe it be moste apparaunte and manifeste that the Churche of Rome is foulye and shamefullye defaced both wyth corrupt doctrine and manners and that this complainte hath bene euer sythens the memorye of man and from our auncestres hath discended vnto vs as though by inheritaunce yet notwythstandynge in so greate a corrupcion of all thynges not so muche as the leaste kynde of reformacion coulde bee optayned or by anye meanes wrested from our aduersaries yea experience also hath taught that those also which at any tyme haue bene so bolde to present vp this request to the fathers haue not onely bene most vnworthelye entreated but also most despitefully repulsed And as touching the lyfe of the cleargye I wyll not muche dispute for I maye iustlye doubt whether I may with honestie speake such things as they most shamefully do commit and yet notwithstandyng albeit the case standeth thus and euery man also seeth it so to be yet neuerthelesse they do glory of the holy Ghost as of some vile slaue or bondman whom they haue made so much thrall vnto thē selfes that although he woulde neuer so fayne yet maye he not once be frō theyr elbowe whose marke they carrye in theyr bodye that neuer canne be put oute But howe farre yea howe most farthest of all they haue gone astraye from the doctryne of the Prophetes Thapostles no man is ignoraunt if he haue bene but meanely exercised w t any ryght iudgemente in the wrytynges of the Prophetes and Apostles These felowes haue Heauen Earth Hell and all thynges else to sale so that the sayinge of the Poete maye be iustlye veryfied of the Churche of Rome She standeth to sale and like a whore sitteth making her gaine of her body And yet neuerthelesse they saye it is not lawefull to make anye enquyrye agaynste theyr Doctryne without cōmitting an hainous ofsence therfore in y e publishinge of theyr Councile they spake of a continuacion thereof and not of a full and perfecte doynge The whyche they interprete in this wyse That theyr former doinges muste be confirmed ratified and concluded so as they neither maye nor oughte hereafter to be called in question These and suche other lyke be the thynges whereby the Chrystian faith is pulled vp by the rotes The forme also whythe they prescrybe to the rest of theyr treatye dothe manifestlye declare what workemen they be and what they frame That which is thus And to be noted that such matters as are in controuersie shalbe handled and entreated of in this foresayde councile of Trente accordyng to the holy Scriptures the tradicions of Thapostles thapproued Counciles the consent and agremente of the Catholicke Church and thauctorytyes of the holy Fathers By this meane as by a pryuye vndermininge engine the closelie proceade to ouerthrow the doctrine of Godlines For from the Scripturs they go aboute to sende vs backe to tradicions from a thynge most certayne to a thinge more vncertayne But yet they do this verye craftelie and with greate dissimulacion For they spreade abroade into the common peoples eares that al theyr disputacion is not about thaucthority of y e Scripture but about y e maner of thinterpretaciō therof therfore y t this appendix or addicion was to be added that it mighte playnelye appeare that the true and naturall sence of the Scripture ought not to be taken forth of any mans
chalenged as proper to theÌ„ selfes And because the lawe of God forbiddeth that anye man should be punished by death vnlosse he be fyrste conuicted of some haynous crime by sufficient witnesses they take this charge also vpon theÌ„ and thei be very diligeÌ„t to take hede that they be not suspected of anye man of breaking iustice they geue libertie also to Christ lest any man should sclaunderouslye say that he was condemned his cause beynge neuer hard to answer in his owne behalfe yea and more theÌ„ that they compel him by wordes binde him with an othe so to do Truely thys is a great libertie such a one as is wonte to get no smale aucthoritye to lawefull Councelis At the lengthe after long and earnest canuasyng of the lawe they fynd Chryst gyltye of Heresye sedicion moste haynous crimes and worthy to be punished of the Ciuill Magistrate Nowe if this bee not a forme of a Councile wel solemnized I cannot tell truelye what other canne satisfye these Lutherane heretikes To go aboute to cal in question thautoritye and credyte of these Fathers what other thynge is it then to accuse the Churche it selfe the whiche truelye thou shalte neuer separate well frome this ordinarye Succession of Byshoppes whereunto it cleuethe vnseparablye vnlesse peraduenture thou meane also vtterlie to ouerthrowe the same But here let vs staye awhyle and consider more narowly those which be asseÌ„bled in this Councel These holy fathers because they were altogether corrupt with auarice and ambicion were nothyng lesse in deade then they seemed to bee they were taken for the highe priesles of the truthe and religion and yet they weare in deade the sworne enemyes bothe of the truthe and also of religion Thei thought it meete therefore to persecure vnto the deathe as manye as were agaynste them Chryste therefore which in his sermons vnto the people did inuey against theyr counterfaycte and cloked holynes prouoked theyr madnesse and hatred agaynst himselfe What meruayle is it then if they whyche were iudges of his cause were found and proued to be his most cruell enemyes And albeit they hadde iudged Chryst before worthye of deathe yet because they neaded the ciuil Magistrate to this matter thei vse the forme of the lawe verye formallye and solemnly but they abuse the law of God contrarye to the lawe and they ouerthrow iustice vnder the color of the lawe But libertie truely was farre from this Councile for Chryste did answere to his playnte beynge tied like a prysoner And althoughe thei did exhorte him to speake yet they wrested his woordes very captiouslye and when he spake not to theyr fantasye then they reuyled him and did also beate him This is the some of theyr Councile Now vnder what good Scolemalters oure Fathers also haue profited I leaue it to be discussed of menne of good consideration Wyth what kynde of Iudgement Iohn Hus Hierome of Prage and manye other good menne wer deceyued manye yeares agayne it hath bene approued by the testimonyes of many and also by the bloud of oure men Wel it is tyme to leaue of this matter to retorne againe to that which properly pertaineth to vs. For eueÌ„ as I thinke it best to suffer the Popes adherentes to do what they list because they be incurable so also I iudge it good for vs earnestly diligentlye to take hede we defile not nor pollute our selfes w t ani spot or blemish gotteÌ„ by other meÌ„s faults Forasmuch as therfore it is euideÌ„t enough what our aduersaries enteÌ„tis we must also searche what we our selfes haue to do leste peradueÌ„ture we shall seme to haue bene more curious diligeÌ„t in iudging others theÌ„ about our own disciplie That is rashly takeÌ„ in haÌ„d which is laid a side again w tout ani deliberatioÌ„ That is also dauÌ„gerously enterprised which is forsakeÌ„ not w tout gret shame If y e Cobler or y e Deluer can tel thend of his labour what thinke we y t we must do vpon whoÌ„ y e charge of religion resteth in whiche alone both Gods lawes mans lawes ar also coÌ„tained Let vs go to Trent some wil sai But to what ende purpose That we may be soÌ„e part of that asseÌ„bly debate maâ—ters of religioÌ„ together w t the fathers nothing truely can be more glorious or profitable theÌ„ this oure iourney This peraduenture some wil alleage But I praye you good Sir came it neuer into youre mind once to thinke y t we althoughe we wold neuer so faine caÌ„ not be admitted vnto any part of that coÌ„sultatioÌ„ nor albeit we were admitted therto yet eyther coulde or would be a parte of that Councell whose aucthorytie dependeth onelye of the Byshop of Rome y e sworn enemy of Christ and hys Churche You vnderstande I trowe howe hardelie we are besette euen in the verye doore But where necessitye ruleth there is no place left for deliberacion and it were but vayne to aske what one shoulde doe when he hathe not yet considered what hee maye do And so where oure aduersaryes do leaue vs no place in theyr assemblye they doe also vnburden vsof the care that we shoulde haue of disputing there They truly whoÌ„ they disdayne do also lykewyse disdayne them They despise vs and we set nought by theÌ„ They forsake vs dryue vs awaye and reiecte vs frome theyr familiaritye and we agayne eschewe them flye from them and voluntarilye abhorre them Blessed is that man saide to be that hathe not walked in the councell of thungodlye nor stode in the way of the synners nor sat in the chayre of skorners I haue not hauÌ„ted saith Dauyd wyth vayne persons neyther compayned wyth dissemblers I haue hated thassemblye of the euyll and haue not kepte companye wyth the wycked In this Psalme the holye man of God maketh a declaracion of his lyfe and sheweth for the hymselfe to bee folowed of all godlie persons But battayles haue beene diuerse tyme foughte indifferentelye one both partes not wythoute their prayse and theyr bee also whyche accounpt it more noble and gloryouse to keepe theyr owne then to inuade other mennes and soe we by defendinge oure owne cause manfullye shall fighte wyth oure aduersaryes aloofe But the clause of continuacion dothe shut vs quite from that libertie and cast a banke as it were agaynst oure enterprises Euen so not many yeares passe the Ambassadoures and Diuines of the moste noble Prynces of Germanye after many large promisses yea and the dayelye intercession of the most myghtye Monarche Charles the v. by y e space of many monethes cold hardly at the length be admitted to y e assembly which not w t standing in despite they termed a coÌ„gregation as though a maÌ„ should call y t a troublesome or tumultuous coÌ„pany which is said to be appointed about matters not very waighty We may wel thinke how far the diuines of Germanye were from the chefe point of disputatioÌ„ wheÌ„ they were not suffered so much as
to entre into y e dore therof But graunt that we should be better vsed whiche neuerthelesse is not credible what shalbe or can be the cōditions of this disputation so long as these lawes which our aduersaries prescribe do stād Or what certentie cā we haue whē thonly rule of certain tie is taken awaye But admit y t al things are redy that both Gods lawe mans lawe agree to vs yet who shalbe our iudges who shalbe our vmpires Truely euē they whō experience hath taught long sithēs to be our deadly mortal enemies who also haue solemnly sworne expresly cōspired oure destruction what equitie or iustice cā any man loke for at these iudgeshāds What if the Papistes such is their boldenes do forthwith write thactes of the Councel what if they faine y t a matter is lawfully discussed after diligent knowledge therof had do decree that we should be published for most greuous heretikes worthy of most seuere sharpe punishment Truely we shall neuer hereafter so wel wipe away this crime but that some suspition therof wyll for euer remayne in the mindes of the symple Here peraduenture some of oure menne wylbe earnest and thynke thus with hym selfe that althoughe all other thynges be denyed vnto theym yet at the least wise they shall haue liberty to propone and set sorth our doctrine before theyr eyes and that this proposicion shal containe a forme of protestacion as they cal it or rather of confession But I truelye do not see what it profiteth to doble repete or witnesse one thynge so often tymes to these felowes especiallye whyche of the thynge it selfe haue geuen vnto our men the name of Protestāts because they forsothe often declared by professinge alwayes on thyng of what opinion they were We reade also y t the holy Martyrs of Christe haue defended their causes beefore wycked Iudges but we neuer read that they haue wyllyngly presented theyr causes before them Our Lord also wylleth his to beware of those menne whych shal delyuer them vp to the Counciles and scourge them in theyr Sinagoges He dothe not then saye thruste youre selues willyngelye into their Councels and take them to be Iudges of you and your causes whom you knowe wyl be enemyes and Iniuriouse bothe to you and youre cause also Paule the apostle rather then hee woulde cōmit his cause to the Iewes whō he knew to be his enemies thought it better to appeale to y e Iudgment of Themperour This exāple folowed Athanasius Cirillus Nazianienus and wyth al diligence eschewed the conuenticles of Heritykes Therefore where so manye and soo greate difficultyes be I cannot see what we haue to do at Trente this one thinge excepte that is to saye to offre agayne wyllyngelye to our enemyes that thing for thobtayning and gettinge by force whereof wee haue beene at this great and continuall warre with them so long For if the right of Calling Sinodes doe not pertayne to the Popes neither by the lawe of God nor manne No more trulye although some tyme it had appertained it is now to be permitted or graunted to them in their owne case beyng called vnto Iudgement to be bothe Iudges and parties We therfore which are not called to a Coūcile but to the dragges and filth of the Courte of Rome wil neuer so behaue our selues that we shall be sayd by oure Obedience to haue deliuered and as it wer sealed into their hands that power which bothe the lawes of God and also of men haue cleane taken from them But if the obedience of subiectes be limitted wyth the power and right of the Superioure and yet suche as we oure selues are do cal forth Kinges and Emperours to Counciles by our presence trulye to our power and as muche as in vs doth lye we shoulde arme the Pope also against Christin Princes and thorough our most vniust iudgemēt we shold not only offēd al other Christiās which vpō waightie occasions haue abstained frō this meeting but also make thē both hate vs and also to be more hated of y e Papists This y e Princes of Germany vnderstod wel enough who in their last metig at Neoburgh did stoutly reiect y e stinking request of the Pope They sayde that they meruayled much to se him so shamelesse that he was not a bashed to prescribe things also to them of whō he was him selfe accused of treadinge religion vnder foote who also had made a violēt vniust title to y e possessiō of y e Church wherfore that he shold mocke others who knewe not as yet the Romish fraudes guiles as for thē selues who knew thē sufficientelie enoughe they would not seine onelye to knowe them but also to foresee them Mooreouer this is not to be omitted that if at any time wee shoulde be admitted to theyr assemblyes we muste vouchsaufe to terme this rable of mitred felowes by the name of Fathers yea and that moste holye or at the leste wyse moste reuerende Fathers For it is not mete that any man should come to speake his minde withoute some Preface of dignitye and honor especiallye in their presence whose pride and ambicion wil neuer be satisiied But with what countenaunce or cōscience shall wee speake vnto them reuerentlye to whome what honor or reuerence so euer we shewe wee pull that all frome Chryste and his Churche I haue nowe proued I thinke sufficientelye that there bee no iuste causes at all why we should go to Trent but rather verye many and those moste wayghty occasions to be agaynste this Iorneye and so consequentlye that oure menne can by no meanes goe to this Councile withoute committinge a most haynous cryme And albeit we do condemne and eschewe theese Romishe Sinagoges we doe not also therefore abhorre and flie from all Christian assēblyes but we acknowlege and confesse most playnely that if anye excellynge others in Learning Godlynes and Iudgement be dewlye called to a lawful Councile thei cannot refuse this charge laid vpon them withoute incurringe the greuous indignacion of God and also y e iust displeasure of al estates of mē But y t there may be a good ende of Counciles it is also requisite that y e things tending to this ende should be wel set in order If therfore Christian Prynces to whom this charge doth chiefeli pertaine do settle their myndes earnestelye to reforme the church they wil set to their helping hāds al together so that y e Councel may bein very deade Catholicke as it is in name termed But it as the tymes be nowe theyr godlye enterpryses cannot haue good successe then it remayneth that euery one of them shoulde employe that care and diligence in his one kingdom countrye which they purposed al at once to bestow in general Let thē therefore endeuor to call nationall or prouinciall assemblyes the whyche not wythstanding I woulde not so restrayne but that straungers also shoulde haue free accesse thereto so that they were suche men by whose presence the companie might be adourned and helped Lette them also prouide that the place maye be free and voyde from al kynde of feare dreade let there also bee sufficiente Pryuileges and warrauntes of safe conducte Let the voyces and elections be also free Let the wayes be also safe and not perillous thorough Ambushes and wiles And yet lette all this libertye bee bounden and limytted with the lawes of equitie so that no manne maye do anye thing more then the rule of piety shal permytte And that this maye the better be doone this Councile must be Chrystian whyche notwythstanding stretcheth farre wyde For y e cānot be Chrystian whych doth not referre all his doings to the rule of Chryste and his Apostles comprehended in holy Scriptures whiche doth not also agree altogether in al poynts whych Chrystiā manners and finallye wyth the Chrystian examples of the pure Churche That this Coūcel also shuldbe Christiā let y e matters which are incontrouersy be debated not w t hatred but modestly according to Christiā charity bi such lawes as seme to be apoynted for tho pening of the truthe not for the darkening thereof But how far am I gone mine entente was to teach you y e we ought vpon greete consideracions not to go to Trent The whyche thynge yf I haue broughte to passe then haue I also fynished and accomplyshed that whyche I toke in hande And thus I make an ende Imprynted at London in Powles Churcheyard by Humfrie Toye dwellynge at the sygne of the Helmet Cum priuilegio ad imprimendum solum 7. Aeneid Psalm xv Psal ◠Math.