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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A14399	Concerning the excommunication of the Venetians a discourse against Cæsar Baronius Cardinall of the Church of Rome In which the true nature and vse of excommunication is briefly and cleerly demonstrated, both by testimonies of Holy Scripture, and from the old records of Christs Church. Written in Latine by Nicolas Vignier, and translated into English after the copie printed at Samur 1606. Whereunto is added the Bull of Pope Paulus the Fift, against the Duke, Senate and Commonwealth of Venice: with the protestation of the sayd Duke and Senate. As also an apologie of Frier Paul of the order of Serui in Venice.; De Venetorum excommunicatione, adversus Caesarem Baronium. English	Vignier, Nicolas.; Sarpi, Paolo, 1552-1623. Apologia per le oppositioni fatte dall'illustrissimo & reverendissimo signor cardinale Bellarminio alli trattati, et risolutioni di Gio. Gersone. English.; Baronio, Cesare, 1538-1607. Duo vota. English.; Catholic Church. Pope (1605-1621 : Paul V); Venice (Republic : to 1797). Doge (1606-1612 : Donato)	1607 (1607)	STC 24719; ESTC S120778	41,133	78

the Prince of the Apostles and of our Chancery Apostolike and published in Campo de Flore as it hath beene accustomed haue as great force against the foresaid Duke and Senate and all other and you all in generall and euery one respectiuely as if they had beene personally addressed intimated and presented to euery one of them and you Giuen at Rome at S. Peters Sous l'aneau du pescheur the seuenteenth of April 1606. and the first yeare of our Popedome M. Vestrius Barbianus THE PROTESTATION OF the Duke and Senat of Venice against the Bull of Pope PAVL the Fift LEONARD DONAT by the grace of God Duke of Venice to the most Honourable Patriarches Archbishops Bishops Abbats Priors Rectors of parish Churches and other Prelates Ecclesiasticall throughout our Common wealth and Seigniory of Venice Salutations We are giuen to vnderstand that by commandement of our most holy Father Paul the Fift a certaine Briefe hath beene thundred and published at Rome the 17. of Aprill last past against our person the Senat and Seigniory and sent to you to bee published in our townes and territories of our obedience and subiection And because wee who are bound to preserue the tranquillity and peace of the State and gouernment to the which we are ordeined and appointed by God and to maintaine the authority of our Common wealth which besides the Maiestie Diuine acknowledgeth no Superiour in matters Temporall we protest by these presents before God and the whole world that wee haue omitted nothing of that which belonged to vs to make knowen to his holinesse the iustice and equitie of our lawes as well by our Ambassador ordinary at Rome and by letters by the which wee haue sufficiently answered to the former Briefes to vs directed as also by another Ambassadour extraordinarie sent by vs of purpose for this businesse But hauing vnderstood that his holinesse hath from time to time set light by our remonstrances without giuing audience vnto our most iust reasons hath decreed this briefe against all right against that which holy Scripture the doctrine of the holy Fathers sacred Canons do teach in preiudice of that power secular which God hath giuen into our hands and of the libertie of our common-wealth to the end to molest and trouble not without great scandall the life the goods and honors which our faithfull subiects do peaceably and quietly enioy vnder our authoritie we make no doubt to esteeme the said Briefe as vnlawfull and in it selfe void as well in fact and deed as in law and therfore haue thought it necessarie to take those remedies which our predecessors and other Princes of Christendome haue vsed against the Popes when they haue exceeded their power assuring our selues that you and other our faithfull subiects and all the world will so iudge thereof And as hitherto you haue diligently looked to the cure of the soules of our subiects and carefully trauelled to keepe the seruice of God in his integritie that heereafter you will continue in the same dutie of true and good pastors considering that our intention is to persist in the holie Catholique and Apostolique faith and euermore to continue in the reuerence accustomed towards the holy Church of Rome so we command you that you cause to be affixed these presents in the most open places of this town and others of our obedience to the end they may come to the knowledge of all our subiects and of all those that haue heard of the foresaid briefe so that it may come to the eares of our holy Father whose vnderstanding we desire God by his holy Spirit so to illighten that he may see the nullitie of all that he hath done against vs and that hauing vnderstood the iustice and equitie of our cause he giue vs cause to continue in the obseruance and respect which our predecessors and all the common-wealth haue hitherto rendred to the Sea Apostolique whereto they haue alwaies shewed themselues most affectionate Giuen in our Pallace the 16. of May Indiction the fourth the yeere of our Lord 1606. FATHER PAVLS Apologie for his not appearing at Rome being called thither by citation To the right Honourable Lords and most reuerend Fathers Pinello Ascalano S. Cecilie de Ciury Blanchetto Arigonio Bellarmino Sappata de Bubalis Monopolitano Cardinals of the most holy Church of Rome named Inquisitors Generall Most Noble and Reuerend Lords I Frier Paul a Venetian of the order of Seruants appeare before you by these letters and most humbly and submissiuely intreat that ye would reuoking those things that are inacted against mee in your congregations daine to accept and admit vnto due examination those my exceptions against them For about the twentieth day of September it was decreed in your congregation that a certaine booke composed by me in Italian thus intituled Considerations vpon the censure of the holinesse of Pope Paul the Fift against the renowmed Common wealth of Venice should not bee diuulged abroad or read or yet retained by any one which had it Neither also one other booke intituled An Apology for the oppositions of the renowmed and reuerend Lord Cardinall Bellarmine to the treatises and resolutions of Iohn Gerson touching the validity of excommunication Neither yet one other booke composed by me with sixe other bearing this inscription A tractate of the interdict of the holinesse of Pope Paul the Fift with some other bookes of the same Argument composed by others with all other which should afterward be published of that argument for that many things were found in them very rashly deliuered calumnious scandalous seditious scismaticall erroneous and hereticall respectiuely In the next place the thirtieth day of the moneth of October a Citation was decreed against me with Commandement that it should bee hanged in the Court at Rome with the penalty of Excommunication the sentence being denounced against me as also of perpetuall infamie and depriuation from all and singular offices and dignities and other penalties inflicted by the Canoicall constitutions and to be imposed at your pleasure that I should within the space of twentie and foure dayes appeare in mine owne person and not by a proctor to giue an account of my faith and to purge my selfe from all crimes obiected against me for that it was obiected by and vnder the lawfull oath of men of credit and manifest by other proofes that there was no safe accesse to be made vnto me as it is reported to be conteined more fully and more at large in the foresaid decrees and edicts imprinted to which c. Truely most Reuerend Lordes I am readie according to the commandement of Saint Peter to render an account of that faith and hope whereby I liue to euerie one which demandeth it and doe constantly affirm that a publique examination of our faith is most profitable and necessarie in the Church to the intent that we may not be carried about with euerie wind of doctrine and that we may not be deceiued at vnawarres

nations contained therein It was said vnto him Kill and Eat because it was necessary that euen they should come vnto the Church What is heere Baronius that concerneth that Office of killing By this voice and this vision Peter is commanded to go vnto the Gentiles and feed them with the holesome and liuely food of the Gospell This is with you to kill and slay And happily for this cause you take that good course not to preach the Gospell lest thereby you might become murtherers or rather indeed lest the people hating the poison of your traditions do hunger after the bread of life But this is your maner to interpret Scriptures vpon which you stand so much which you learned of the great professor of your schoole and Doctor of the chaire he I meane who in the desert detorted and wrested as you are wont to do the Scriptures Matth. 4. in his disputation with our Sauiour Such one was Boniface the 8. of whom the saying goeth He entred as a fox De Maior obedien Vnam sanctam raigned as a lion and died as a dog who would proue that the Pope had right to both the swords Spirituall and Temporal out of the Euangelicall writings forsooth Because when the Apostles said Here are two swords the Lord did not answer his Apostles speaking in the Church Heere it is too much but it is inough Certainly whosoeuer shall denie that the temporall sword is in the power of Peter he regardeth but little Gods word which saith Put vp thy sword into thy sheath Gen. 1.16 De Maiorit Obed. C. solitae And Innocent the 3. by a place of Genesis doth as soundly proue that the Imperiall maiestie is in subordination to the Pontificall You should saith hee haue considered that God made two great lights in the firmament of Heauen the greater light to rule the day the smaller light to gouern the night both great but one greater than the other In the firmament of heauen that is the vniuersal Church God made two great lights that is appointed two estates royall the Pontificall authoritie and Regall power but that is the greater of the twain which is appointed ouer the day that is ouer spiriall things that the lesse which hath iurisdiction in carnall that wee may know there is as great difference betweene Kings and Popes as there is betwixt the Sunne and Moone Distinct 22. sacrosancta In like sort Anacletus if * Gratian say true proued the Primacie of Saint Peter out of that place where hee is called Cephas that is an Head and Beginning which Etymologie euen * Bellarmine applaudeth Lib. 1. de Roma Pontif. c. 17. who affirmeth that Cephas is an head in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whereas Cephas is not a Greeke but a Syriak word which as himselfe auerreth signifies a Rocke And the same Bellarmine that Captain Iesuite out of the selfe same place which you produce Kill and Eat concludeth that Peter is Head of the Church drawing his argument not as you do from the word Kill but from the Commandement Eat For saith he It is the heads duty to eate Bella. lib. 1. de Rom. Pontific c. 22. Barom Tom. 1. Annal. Eccles and so by eating to transmit the meat into the stomack and so to incorporate it to it selfe And your * selfe elsewhere do bring this proofe to make the vse of shrining the reliques of Saints within the Altars Apostolicall because in the sixt chapter of the Reuelation the soules of such as were slaine for the Gospell are said to cry from vnder the Altar But who is not acquainted with such Iuglers trickes what man will take their counterfeit glasse for true pearle Remember Baronius that I may returne vpon your self an allegory that the Chamelion a beast which as they say liueth by the aire is numbred with such * as be vncleane Leuit. 11. Allusion to the speech that Emperor Fumum habet qui fumum vendidit B and that vaine man blowen vp with wind who selleth nothing but smoke is semblably vncleane in the eyes of God But to proceed To feede the sheepe is with care to watch ouer the faithfull c. And is it true indeed Baronius is the office of feeding to be confined only to the faithfull and obedient Christians and is this your will to haue all refractarie and stubborn ones led into the slaughter whom happily you instile Lions for that you feare the Lion the armes of Venice Esay 11.6 But Esay prophecied otherwise of Christs Kingdome The Wolfe shall dwell with the Lambe and the Leopard shall lie with the Kid and the Calfe and the Lion and the fat beast together and a little child shall lead them The Cow and the Beare shall feed their yoong ones shall lie together and the Lion shall eat straw like the Bullocke the sucking child shall play vpon the hole of the Aspe and the weined child shall thrust his hand into the Cockatrice hole Then none shall hurt nor destroy in all the mountaine of mine holinesse Wee deny not but Pastors are to stand against the refractarie and the disobedient but with what armes Spirituall not Carnall For as Hierome once sayd of heresie Ieron in prooe● lib. 4. in Ieremiam Heresie is to be cut off with the sword of the Spirit let vs strike thorow with the arrowes of the Spirit all sons and disciples of misled Heretiques that is with Testimonies of holy Scripture The slaughter of Heretiks is by the word of God So wee say and iudge of all other vices For the Church hath no such warrant as to vse the sword of the Ciuill Magistrate or bring in within her liberties politicke punishments the offices of the Ciuill and Ecclesiastical Magistrate being as Christ teacheth Matt. 20. things of diuers natures You know That kings of Nations rule ouer them but with you it shall not be so And the reason is for that the Church is the seruant of Christ no otherwise then as Christ is the Sauiour of the faithfull But Christ to procure the saluation of them neuer vsed himselfe nor permitted his Church to vse the sword of the ciuill Magistrate And this is that if I mistake not which your selfe in prosecution of your allegories adde That such killing must not be but with great charitie c. For all that we do or can conclude from hence is this and no more that this killing of the stubborn and disobedient is done by Excommunication which is a spirituall and wholesome remedie Which to grant wee must first consider lest we erre in ambiguitie of wordes What excommunication is 2. By whom it may be executed 3. Vpon whom to be inflicted 4. For what causes it is iust 5. From what communion they bee barred 6. Which bee the ends of Excommunication that any man by these grounds may determine what is to be iudged of the Excommunication of the State of Venice of which you intreat

Excommunication one of the parts of Church discipline the other being brotherly Correction is of two kindes The Lesser and the Greater The Lesse is that whereby such as grieuously offend against any point of faith or maners or good established order are excommunicate not so that absolutely they cease to bee the members of Christ but be only for a time restrained from communion of the Sacraments so long as vntill either their Repentance or Faith or Dutie bee iudged sufficient and publick scandall be taken away And such the * Ancients called Restrained Abstenti Cyprian in epistolis Excommunication the Greater is an holy action of Priesthood by which agreably to the rule of Christ a brother become obstinate in his sins is cut off from the fellowship of the faithfull cast out of the Church deliuered to Sathan that vpon correction he may repent and vpon true repentance be againe receiued which was vnder the law a casting forth out from the Synagogue So by authoritie and warrant of Christ to excommunicate is a power belonging vnto all Math. 18. and none but the True Church to be executed by the whole Presbyterie lawfully elected to bee denounced in the open face of the assembly with their either tacit or expresse consent This is proued by the words of Christ If he will not heare the Church that is the Presbytery and conuention of Elders let him be to thee as an Ethnicke a Publicane The Apostle is yet more cleare in this point 1. Cor. 5. When you are gathered together and my spirit in the name of our Lord Iesus Christ let such a one be deliuered vnto Sathan In which place he speaketh vnto the whole Church as again he doth 2. Cor. 2. It is sufficient that this man hath beene censured by many And therfore he intreateth that with one consent they receiue againe him who had beene excommunicate And this is the doctrine and * consent of all fathers What This if he meane by the Presbyterie as he calleth it The Church practise doctrine of the fathers is to the contrary as in Cyprians epistles any man may read Wherof the reason is very euident that matters of greatest consequence in the church are not to be proceeded in without consent and approbation of the * Either tacite or expresse as before whole Church as the practise is in ciuill states and affaires For that wherein euerie one is interessed it was the saying of Pope Leo must haue the generall consent of all And what of more consequence wherein can the whole bodie be more interessed than in the cutting of one member from the bodie The conclusion therefore is No man ought to bee excommunicate without the generall assent of the whole Church in which he liueth And that Austen was of this minde it is euident by this that he thinketh that man should not be excommunicated who hath many abetters and bearers out in his offence with whom many do partake and are associate in sinne reioycing in their follies insulting on the godly despising the sword of Excommunication lest it proue the originall of a Schisme and of this mind saith he the Apostle was His wordes are To this purpose the Apostle speaketh If any one be named August Contra epistolam Parmen lib. 3. In that he saith If any one it seemeth his meaning was that such a man might safely be put vnder censure and for his good who is a sinner among such as be none that is as be not infected with the taint of like enormity And where he saith be named hee letteth vs therby vnderstand it is not inough that a man be so vnlesse withall he be named to be so that is notoriously knowen and diffamed that all men may prooue and giue their consent to the sentence of excommunication throwen foorth against him For thus the bond of peace may bee kept correction bee done vpon him he be striken not to kill him be seared but to cure him To this end hee saith of that man whom by such receit hee would haue to bee cured The Rebuke of many is sufficient for him Because such rebuke cannot be auaileable but where one is rebuked who hath not a multitude his fellowes in sinne but if the infection be gone ouer many the godly can do nothing but sorrow and grieue Now for the persons liable to this censure All and Only they who being in the list of brethren continue in sin with contumacy Only brethren because that Of forreiners God doth iudge and not the Church as the Apostle speaketh 1. Cor. 5. and such as neuer had any cōmiunion cannot be cut off from communion with the Church which they neuer had Again adde the stubbornly wilfull not others for them or with them Because euery man must beare his owne burthen And Austen doth in this point deseruedly blame Auxilius a yong man Aug. Epist 75. If by his own iudgement allegation out of Austen for peril of schism excommunication must not bee inflicted on a multitude if for nothing else yet in that regard the censuring of greate ones gods on earth should not so easilie haue passed his lippes Azarias did not excommunicate Vsziah but told him his duty as the minister of God Neither did they compell him to hasten out but God did it and had they done it this was no excommunication 2. Paral. 26. Theodoret. lib. 5. Hist Eccles ca. 18. S. Ambrose is the only example that can with probability be alleadged But there is very much difference betweene his maner of proceeding and the Popes in his consistory and the Ministers with their elders Read the story in Theodoret. Hist Eccles ca. 17. ex interpr Christophorsani and somewhat elderly Bishop as he speaketh because that for the sole offence of Classianus he did excommunicate his whole family And it is against All that No man of whatsoeuer state or condition Ecclesiasticall or Ciuill Superior or Inferior may thinke himselfe exempted from that censure The truth hereof is certaine by practise in Scripture as for instance Azarias the high Priest cast foorth king Ozias out of the Temple by practise in the prime age of the Christian Church when as Ambrose excommunicated Theodosius an act allowed of by all Churches and so well liked by Theodosius himselfe that he professed to haue met with but one Bishop in deed Ambrose at Millane The causes which procure it are sins of Commission done without amendment against either First or Second Table That appeareth by Christ his words Mat. 18. where he mentioneth Ethnicks Transgressors of the First and then Publicanes delinquents against the Second table To which there in the 12. of Exodus where there is charge giuen that no Vncircumcised person and in that an offendor against the first Table be admitted to the Passeouer and secondly 1 Cor. 5.8 no Iew who had Leuen in his house which leauen the Apostle doth interpret of mal tiousnesse and vncleane life

punished for his vnreasonable attempts as condemned by this synode for such his presumption What more can we say vnto the Bish of Rome who violently intrudes himselfe without being sent for into all causes in all Churches taking euery occasion to intermeddle so insolently and impudently as he doth Of the same argument be the 15.21 and 22. Canons which expresly forbid all Bishops to enter vpon or meddle with ought in any Diocesse beside their owne What neede wee more Can. 6. In the Aphrican Councel there is a Prohibition that the Bishop of the first Sea be not called Prince of Priests or chiefe Priest or by any such like title as these but only Bishop of the first Sea And the 92. Canon of that Councell prouides that no appeales do stand good which are made vnto places beyond the Sea that is to the seat of Rome and if any man shall appeale he is to be excluded from communion with any within the boundes of Africa And hereof there were letters written vnto Caelestinus the then Bishop of Rome wherein the Africans intreat him that he would forbeare from thence forward to receiue into Communion with him any man excommunicated by them which should bee derogatorie to the authoritie of the Churches of Africa and the Canons of the Nicene Councell For say these Fathers very wisely and equally haue they prouided that matters be determined there and not else but there where first they had beginning That it was not to be doubted but that the spirit of grace would be in such sort present in euery prouince as to inable the Priest of Christ wisely to see the trueth and constantly to follow it being seene especially seeing it was denied none if he were aggrieued with the sentence of his Ordinarie to appeale from him to a prouinciall or to a generall Councell vnlesse perhaps a man can imagine that God can giue seuerall men discerning iudgement and deny it or not giue it vnto many conuening together in a Councell And so the first Nullitie in Excommunication Papall is the Incompetencie as they terme it of the Iudge therfore Incompetent because hee vsurpeth on an others right which the Scholemen themselues agnise as sufficient to annihilate the sentence of Excommunication vpon the 4. booke of Sentences and 18. Distinct A second Nullity is that Excommunication is by the Popes denounced against Innocents as well as Nocents For they vse to punish not them alone against whom their quarrells lie but for some one or few mens sake they rage against Cities Prouinces whole Kingdomes as is to be seene in their Bulls where Excommunicating Kings Princes or Magistrates they insnare together all their Subiects which wickednes the Lord doth condemne by his prophet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ezech. 18.20 The sonne shall not beare the fathers sinne but the soule which hath sinned that soule shall die But this destroyer curseth downe to Hell and deuoureth to perdition not only the son for the fathers fault but onely whole families * which Augustine condemned Epist 75. but populous cities whole kingdomes for the offence if yet offence of their gouernours Wherin there is some ods betweene Christ and him whose Vicar neuerthelesse he needs wil be ●uk 19 10. For * Christ saith he came to seeke and to saue that which was lost but the Pope little priseth myriads of soules bought and redeemed with Christs bloud so be he may raigne and Lord it alone Christ proclaimeth himselfe The annointed of Iehoua Esay 61.1 to comfort such as mourn in Sion to giue vnto them beauty for ashes the oile of ioy for mourning the garment of gladnesse for the spirit of heauinesse that they might build the old waste places and raise vp the former desolations and repaire the cities that were abandoned and waste through many generations But the Pope turneth vpside downe Common-wealths setled well and in peace changing mattockes into speares sithes into swords and sheathing swords in the bowels of men Leo the 10. in whose time liued his like and was a retainer vnto that house I meane Angelus Poli who vsed to say merily vnto his fellows Let vs goe ad audiendam fabulam de Iesu Christo In effect Let go to Church forcing kings to quit their kingdomes altering states lawes times at his pleasure treading vnder foot the crownes of Emperors by pretext of excommunication forcing them to leaue their seat royall and lay their neckes vnder his feet to tread vpon The third nullity is from the causes of Excommunication For tell me whom euer for Idolatry or for Atheisme did hee excommunicate These impieties passe without controlement euen at Rome in the Popes Court which euery man knows that hath read their stories For to say nothing of Idolatry which by prescription in the Romane vse is now receiued for Religion was not that Pope a flat Atheist who in a passage of speech with Cardinall Bembo called the Gospell of Iesus Christ a fable And what I pray you cause was there at all why Henry the 111. the most Christian King of France should so be censured vnlesse for his too great zeale forwardnesse in the superstitions of Rome For as one said very truly At Rome you may be what you will So that you be a rakehell still But lest happily I seeme ouer seuere against transgressions in the first Table hearken what some ages since an ey-witnesse did write I tooke a iourney to see Rome and since I did it see I haue inough Then farewell Rome I 'le come againe to thee When Pandar Brothel Buffon or a Cynede I shall be And lest I be said to produce namelesse authours do but marke what Baptista Mantuan a Carmelite Frier hath written of the maners and customes of Rome S. Peters lust worn family in riot wast their daies Exiling far all honesty when buffons rents do raise Vpon Gods owne inheritance when hallowed altars feed Leud losels and loose Catamites within his Church do breed What maruell though they rise in wealth and houses build on high If Tyrus sends them scarlet gownes Th'arabian spicery And frankincense they vent out much temples are set to sale Priests altars praiers crownes are sold yea heauen nay God and all But what do I insist in this when as Iohannes Casa Archbishop of Beneuento and legat Apostolique with the Venetians in the daies of Iuly the 111. wrot and published a booke in Print in Italian rhythmes Taxa Cancellariae Apostolicae Luter●e apud Toss Dionysian ●520 therein extolling the sinne of Sodomy And to conclude The taxing of the chancery of Rome may witnesse without all contradiction in what low account be at Rome the most grieuous and capitall offences The words of that booke are these The Absolution for him who hath carnally knowen a woman in the church Grossus is the 8. part of an ounce a small fine for such a fault gross 6. The Absolution for him that hath had carnally to

Auarice vnsatiable which prouided and stored vp heaps of coine to maintaine the premised brauerie or at least if that needed not to feede their eies and giue them content in viewing the stamp of their come To fulfill the behest of these Lordes and accomplish all their desires the golden age of Saturne whereof the Poets fable would vneth suffice if againe the world might behold such times And because not any though neuer so fatte a Bishopricke is able sufficiently to content these three Harpyes they haue bethought them of other helps and furtherances in the case For the Popes perceiuing how that the profits and reuenues of the Romane Bishoprick the Patrimonie of Saint Peter greater than kingdomes though none indeed very much impaired by their negligence would not bee inough to maintaine the credit and height of that State which they as Emperors and kings of Nations were determined to exalt therfore they haue intruded vpon other mens flocks which broght forth yong in multitudes yelded plenty of wool milk Thus you see the causes which moued the Popes to trie so many waies to bring them in treasure abusing their office and pastorall charge in euery particular point thereof as if Christ had commanded them not to feed the flocke but to fleece them to flea them to bowell them to eat them For to begin with their incroachments they haue not onely seised the creation of Bishops and collations of all Ecclesiasticall dignities into their owne hands abolishing the ancient right of elections but to speake in the phrase of Nic. de Clamengijs that the golden currents might flow more abundantly from all partes of the world into their Court they haue debard depriued all Diocesans Patrons of their right of presētation or any way disposing of their benefices forbidding vpon pain of their curse see what vse they make of excommunication that they be not so presumptuously bold for in such termes their rescripts do run as to institute any man vnto any benefice vnder their charge vntill those were prouided for euery man or did refuse to accept that benefice vnto whom they had giuen any aduousins themselues in reuersion Since which time good God what swarmes haue there been in all places at all times of those that haue gaped for such presentations Men taken not from the study or from the schooles but from the plough and manuary trades to haue charge of soules and pastorall cares committed vnto them Men that vnderstood the Arabian tongue aswell as they did the Latin a perfect patern of our times that could hardly read nay more I am ashamed to speake it not able to know A from B. And these exactions not yet sufficing to satiate the rauen of the Romish Popes and Cardinals The words at creation of a Cardinall be Esto Princeps mundi frater noster ten thousand shifts were yet further inuented to get and heape money vnto their cofers whereof this is no place to speake For the Colledge of Cardinals growing daily greater the burthen grew greater vpon all countries Because it it was held an absurd thing that such as were aduanced to that place in the Church as to bee fellowes vnto kings should not bee prouided in answerable sort but stand as hungry and starueling mercenaries So that to maintaine and beare out this pride all States both Temporall and Ecclesiasticall were oppressed From hence came the retaining of so many benefices and preferments in nature repugnant one to another while the same man is both a Moncke and a Canon Regular and Secular vnder one seuerall hab it hauing enioying the Rights Degrees Offices Benefices of all Religions Orders Professions Insomuch as that speech spoken of the Iesuites A Iesuit is a man of all professions may better be fitted vnto the Cardinals Peter of Aliaco Cardinall of Cambray in his booke of Reforming the state of the Church which he wrot and presented to the Councell of Constance is very earnest to haue these abuses taken away where he calleth those Pluralities of Church-liuings a monstrous and many waies scandalous offence This is the cause why Iubilies and Indulgences be so dearely bought See the hundred grieuances of Germany grieu 3. that they draw foorth the gold godly life of whole kingdoms as the Princes States of Germany complained at the Diet at Norimberge in the yeare 1522. Their gold is purloined being by the impious Collectors of Rome transported out of the country into Rome godlinesse is banished and cleane extinct while men presuming vpon absolution let loose the reines of liberty vnto all impiety To conclude this bottomlesse pit of greedy desire hath sent foorth excommunications and cursings against Princes and Magistrates as may plainly bee euicted by these examples Gregory the ninth charged Frederic the Emperour that vpon paine of the churches censure he should with all expedition and possible speed Platina in the life of Gregory the ninth passe into Asia against the Infidels And because he was thought to make no very great haste as he had threatned he accursed him indeed Frederic appalled at this proceeding besought the Pope that he might be assoiled but could in no case obtaine it till he had paid in to the vie of the Church of Rome 120000. ounces of gold King Iohn of England standing excommunicate by Pope Innocent the 3. Paulus Aemilius Platina in the life of Innocent the 3. fearing the French King would get his kingdome from him whom the Pope had incited to warre against him that he might bee receiued into grace with his fatherhood was constrained to make England and Ireland his tributarie States and for them to pay yearely vnto Rome 100. markes of gold which Peter whose successour he vaunteth to bee I thinke would neuer haue done who so constantly refused Simon Magus money Thy money bee together with thee to perdition that supposest Gods gifts can be bought with money Their chaffaring of holy things so as they doe is proofe they succeed Simon not Peter but Magus And to draw all vnto an issue By a statute of 〈◊〉 as it were what other cause in truth is there now of this their contending with and excommunicating the State of Venice but this that the carefull wise Magistrate would restraine in some small measure that Romish rauin and insatiable rapine And so your Popes censure ô Baronius being clearely proued so many waies void ought not in any sort to be feared especially now in these daies of ours in which the light of the Gospell hath certainely disclosed what is the true vse of Excommunication which for so many ages past the Popes haue by exceeding strange illusions changed into a most impious tyranny Plinius lib. 8. ca. 16. They write that the Lion a fierce and cruell beast is exceedingly afraid of the running of cart wheeles and empty coatches but especially trembles at the sight of fire These Lions of Venice are not so who often heeretofore being deluded