denote that this Incense and offering is not to be carnal but spirituall What agreement hath this with the Masse Which is a diuelish inuentioÌ„ prophaneth the holy supper Other places of the scripture alleage they for confirmation of their Masse But with as great faithfulnesse and as much to the purpose As these two of Mechilzedeck and Malachy which by that is said may easily be answered The 8 reason wherewith our aduersaries do magnifie their masse is for the great good profit that therof they receiue And of al these reasons others such like which they alleadge they coÌ„clude vs to be heretiques dogs worse theÌ„ Iewes Turkes Because we so shamelesly speake against the Masse which Iesus Christ instituted his Apostles said all the Church Catholike vnto this day hath celebrated c. They say then that besides the oblatioÌ„ and sacrifice which Iesus Christ hath made vppon the Crosse of his body and of his blood for remission of our sinnes to reconcile vs with God and to obtayne for vs life eternall hee hath ordayned the Priestes which be successors of the Apostles to consecrate in the Masse the bread and wine to transubstantiate it in the body and bloud of Christ to sacrifice and offer vnto God the father that body and that blood for the remission of our sinnes and to obtaine all that is necessarie for vs both in body soule And what greater good then this say they can be This sacrifice say they also doth much profit the dead to allay the paines which they haue to suffer and doe suffer in purgatory As we cited before of the dead maÌ„s scul of Macharius reported by Damascen Who so lusteth to knowe the profits of the Masse Let him read the Spanish houers he shall find very many Amongst others there mentioned be these which follow as much worth is the masse as is the passion of Iesus Christ Also that he which heareth it waxeth not old whilst he heareth it Also that hee shall not loose that day the light of his eyes Also that he shal not die an euil death also that he which shal haue seen the body of the Lord if that day he shal die sodenly that it is taken for comunicating he may not feare to be condemned And al this say they that S. Iohn Chrisostom S. Augustine S. Ierom say for they knew how to raise false testimonies These Articles of faith haue the inquisitors of our countrey of Spaine many yeares ago yeelded to goe among the houers which coÌ„monly are praied And if now they haue caused theÌ„ to be taken away and not suffered them to be printed in this yet doe they shew their ignorance that for so many yeares they haue suffered and commanded that with their license they should print them The cause that they now fall in account is that so grosse and abhominable lies more serue at this day to make wary the people then to deceaue them And therefore permit they such things more to be printed We say then that the Masse procureth vs no good at all but great mischiefe rather As after we shall see Now that we haue answered to the reasons wherewith our aduersaries thinke to mainetaine their Masse for more confutation thereof we will now likewise set downe some notable domages which it causeth and great aduersaries which necessarily follow the popish Doctrine of the masse And I will not be much curious in seting down here al the domages absurdities which follow of the masse for that should be neuer to end Only wil I set down such as most fitly come to mind for the preseÌ„t I say then that the Masse causeth many domages First it prophaneth the holy supper of the Lord suppressing and despising his death passion 2. In it they inuocate the dead saints 3. In it dead saints are placed for intercessors 4. The priests that saith it holde hee intention to consecrate or not and the people that heare it commit idolatrie Fiftly The Masse mainetaineth many other abuses besides the Idolatrie of transubstantiation As the worshipping of Images and the inuention of Purgatorie which is a common cutpurse Sixt. In the masse defraud they the people of the halfe of the Sacrament and this halfe doe they giue seldome and wickedly Seuenthly And put case the Masse were good yet is it said in a straunge Language which the people vnderstand not and with such gesture mouing childish toyes apish fopperies that rather prouoke laughter then deuotion These seuen domages wee proue by the same order as we propounded them And that the masse derogateth from the passion of Christ is clerely sene For the Masse which for this cause was ordayned that a hundred thousand sacrifices should euery one day be offered what doth it pretend but that the passioÌ„ of Iesus Christ wherin he offered himseâ—â—e and this once by one only sacrifice remaineth buried and cast in a corner Who will thinke to be redeemed by the death of Christ when he shall see a new redemption in the Masse Who will beleeue his sins to be pardoned by the death passion of Christ when he shal see a new remission of sins in the Masse Inuocation is a high worship seruice which is only due to God For in him only we beleeue how saith S. Paule shall we call vpon him in whom we haue not beleeued So that inuocation presupposeth faith such a faith as is founded vpon the word of God the Nicen creed they sing in their Masse which beginneth Credo in vnum Deum I beleeue in one only God If in one only God we ought to beleeue one only God ought we to inuocate The which inuocation being done in faith God promiseth that he will heare it Whosoeuer shall call vpon the name of the Lord saith Ioel shall escape c As S. Paule Rom. 10. 13. and Saint Peter Acts 2. 21. doe interpret it shal bee saued Also that only God ought to be inuocated is by this reason proued Sacrifice is only due to the true God this our aduersaries will not deny inuocation is a sacrifice As saith the Psal 50. 14. Sacrifice vnto me praise or as saith the common edition The sacrifice of praise The sacrifice of praise commendeth the Apostle Hebr. 13. 15. and Hosea 14. 3 that we shal offer to God Therefore Inuocation sith it is a sacrifice to God onely ought it to bee offered But our aduersaries forsaking the fountaine of liuing waters haue digged them broken cesternes which can holde no water They leaue to call vppon God and inuocate the Saints And Saints sometime also that it is not knowne who they bee and some of them it may bee that are burning in hell An example haue we hereof in the prayer of S. Roccus which togither with the Crowne of our Lady in the 1581 yeare was printed in the house of Iohn Gutierres in Siuell The praier saith thus God which
in earth God vndoeth in heauen This first Treatise shall serue to open the deceipt vnto them very palpably plainely will it shew the pope not to be the successor of S. Peter But of Iudas Not to be the Vicar of Christ but of Sathan whom the holy scripture calleth prince and God of this world And that we therefore ought not to obey the pope nor make more reckoning of him nor of that hee shal commaund then we doe of that which our mortall enemy commaunds vs. Mine harts desire and prayer to God is for my nation that they may be saued that his Maiestie deliuer them from the power of darknesse and transfer them into the kingdome of his beloued sonne I would if I might by any meanes prouoke my nation I would they had an holy enuie at other nations Why doe they and not the Spaniards read and heare the word of God in their owne Language as in the holy Bible it is written Why do they not the Spaniards receiue the holy sacraments with the simplicity that Iesus Christ did institute and celebrate them Wherewith without any humane inuentions superstitions and Idolatries he commaunded his Church to administer them This testimony giue I of my nation that they haue the zeale of God and so shall you see few Spaniards to be Atheists which haue no religion But this their zeale is not according to knowledge for by the word of God is it not ruled but by that which Antichrist of Rome commaundeth Who hath taken from them and forbidden them the reading of holy scripture For well knoweth Antichrist that if the Spaniards shold read it then would they fall into account and know the abhominable life of the popes and their wicked Doctrine And so would forsake and detest them And should Spaine once forsake the pope the pope would reckon as they say with the Oleados or annointed of whom there is no hope of life O that if God please I may see this day And if the pope should fall then also in a moment would fall the Masse and all the other Idolatries which the pope hath inuented This is the cause why our aduersaries so greatly fight to intertaine and mainetaine the authority of the Pope For very well they know that the Pope once fallen the popish religion of necessity must fall to the earth Very well did Pedro de la Fuente or Fontidonio as others call him a diuine of Seuill vnderstand this who in a sermon which he made the last day of September in the Councel of Trent greatly inueied against the protestants calling them heretiques saying that they sought to cast downe the 2 pillars of the Church To wit the sacrifice of the Masse the Pope This Diuine sayd moreouer that the Councell ought to employ all it force to sustaine and vphold them The pillar said he of the seat papall once pulled downe that the whole Church would fal to the earth The reason which he gaue was because the funerals and obsequies of the Church went iointly and accompanied with those of the Pope There is nothing sayd he that the aduersaries with deliberate purpose more endeuour to doe then to put downe the Pope c. Our aduersaries haue fallen in the reckoning and this is the cause why they maintaine and adore and many of them doe it against their owne conscience The Pope howsoeuer abhominable wicked and great an Atheist he be I humbly beseech his maiesty to send the true Sampson which is Christ who with one pluck may wholy pull downe these two pillars and so the house of Dagon may fall vtterly to the earth Iudg. 16. 29. I know that were the Pope and his Masse pillars built vpon the rock vpon the cornerstone Christ that neither the gates of hell nor whatsoeuer men could imagine should euer preuaile against them But because they be not founded vppon this firme foundation but rather vpon humane inuentions any small thing whatsoeuer that carrieth any reason maketh them easily to stagger The thing which wholy ouerthroweth them is the word of God As by the Lordes assistaunce in these two Treatises shal be seene His Maiestie I hope whose cause we here maintaine will draw some fruit out of this my trauaile To him I commit the charge therof For as saith his Apostle 1. Cor. 3. 7. Neither he that plāteth is any thing nor he that watereth but God which giueth the encrease His cause it is to him I commend it That which in the meane time Christian Reader I beseech thee for that which thou owest to the health of thy soule the which if thou loosest what shal it profit thee to haue gained the whole world is that thou read consider and weigh the reasons which we giue in these two Treatises for confirmation of that which we say and see which more agreeth with the word of God with that which the ancient Doctors and Councels and which naturall reason teach that which we haue said or that which our aduersaries say The holy and true who hath the key of Dauid which openeth and no man shutteth which shutteth and no man openeth Open vnto thee the gate that thou maiest consider and adore his holy law He euer bewith thee Amen The 25. of Iune 1588. Your most affectionate brother in the Lord. C. V. The first Treatise of the Pope and his authoritie IDolatrie which is to giue the honour worship and seruice only due to God to a creature whether good or bad holy or prophane is the most grieuous sin that is or cābe imagined For the Idolater like a traitor to him that made him directly manifestly committeth high treason against his God He endeuoureth what in him lieth to cast God frō his throne therin to place that which himselfe worshippeth albeit the worke of his owne hand To shew the grieuousnesse of this sinne very seuerely hath God punished it as he plagued the Israelites we see when they made the Calfe For the which the Lord had wholly destroyed them had not Moses stept in a very good Mediator Notwithstanding there died of them in one day by the sword about three thousand men And it is to be noted that neither Aaron nor the Israelits were so blockish nor foolish to thinke the calfe which they had made to be God That which they supposed was this that the honor done to the calfe they did it vnto God And so Aaron when he saw the calfe he built an Altar before it and proclaimed saying To morrow shall be a feast vnto Iehouah This he said for the representation of God which he and they supposed they had made in the calf This maner of Idolatrie had the people of Israell seene in Egypt For the Egyptians besides infinite other things adored the figure of Apis which they also called Sirapis being the name of an Oxe The Israelites applyed to their religion the manner of worship which they had seene in Egypt and coueting visible
Councel of Rome after the said three Popes were deposed Clement 2. an Almaine by commandement of the Emperour was chosen He crowned the Emperour Henry and caused the Romans by an oth to renounce their right in election of the Pope For cofirmation of this renunciation I will here declare what Frier Iohn de Pin. pa. 3. lib. 19. cap. 24 ¶ 2. Blundus saith he holdeth that Clement 2. for the auoyding of Sismes depriued the Romans of the election of the Popes But Crancius Saxus say that in the Sutrian Councell it was forbidden them and granted to the Emperour And Naucterus and Sigebertus write that Henrie the Emperour bound the Romanes by an oth not to intermeddle with the Popes elections Thus farre Pineda The Romanes not regarding their oth after the Emperours departure from Rome poysoned the Pope whereof hauing bene Pope nine moneths he died Stephen they say who succeeded him in the Bishopdome and called himselfe Damasus the second prepared for him the poison Don Fernando 1. reigned in Spaine Damasus the second of Bauara without consent either of the Clergie or people of Rome by force held the Popedome For then as saith Platina was the custome that he which most could he had the Popedome But he enioyed not his bishopprick so ambitiously gotten but 23 dayes for he was poisoned The cause therof was that there was thē in Rome a man called Gerardo Brazuto who vsing a certaine deceitfull kind of friend ship in the space of 13 yeares dispatched with poison 6 Popes whose names be these Clement 2. Damasus 2. Leo 9. Victor 2. Stephen 9. Nicholas 2. The Romanes seeing themselues in such Sismes and seditions by the blacke elections of the Popes sent their Embassadors and besought the Emperour Henry to giue them a pope who sent vnto them Leo 9. Leo 9. comming to Rome encountred by the way with the the Abbot of Clunia and Hildebrand that afterward was Pope who seeing him Bishop-like attired perswaded him by no meanes so to enter Rome because not the Emperour but the Clergie and people of Rome had authoritie to make a pope Brunon before so called did as they aduised him came to Rome confessed his offence so they made him pope When he was pope Hildrbraud he made Cardinall and was with him very familiar granting all whatsoeuer he demaunded And so was Hildebrande of a poore Monke made a rich Cardinall Hildebrand reconciled with Pope Leo his old Lord and maister Theophilact before deposed from the popedome and now hipocritically reconciled In Verceles held Leo a Councell wherein he condemned the doctrine of Beringarius because he would not worship the cōsecrate bread for that it was bread not God Frier Ioh. de Pineda par 3. lib. 19. ca. 26. ¶ 2 of Berengarius albeit an enemie touching doctrine reporteth great vertues Beringarius saith he was a man of good learning quicke and mercifull and S. Antoninus addeth humbled whereof I much maruell c. And a little lower Most chast was he also so that he would not enter where any woman was This Leo 9. and partly at the instigation of that good peece Hildebrandus wholly forbad mariage to to ecclesiasticall persons Of this Leo 9. reporteth Carion lib. 4 of his historie that being Pope he went with the Emperour into Almaine And when the Emperour had called a Synod which was held in Maguncia the Pope being in the Councell would haue preferred himselfe to the Bishop of Maguntia But the Bishop alleaging his right defended the same and so was the Pope constrained to giue place For albeit the Popes had oftentimes attempted the tyrannie to be preferred before other Bishops yet had they not preuayled The which in the time of Henry the fift they obtained Fiue yeares was he Pope and the 1054 yeare of poyson which Brazuto gaue him he died Don Fernando 1. then reigned in Castile Victor 2. was Pope two yeares and somwhat more but Brazuto with poison dispatched him Don Sancho 2. reigned in Castile Stephen 10 or 9. fulfilled not one whole yeare For Brazuto dispatched him quickly in the 1058. year Don Sancho 2. reigned in Castile In the absence of Hildebrand was Benedict 10. or 9. But Hildehrand who then was the holy Spirit which ruled the Court of Rome did much stomacke this election and accusing him that by force bribes he had attained the Popedome so wrought that Benedict was deposed Wretched Hildebrand and how was he afterwards and his predecessors before him The old saying in this Benedict was fulfilled Para los desdichados se hizo la horca For the vnhappie was the gallowes prepared In the 1059. yeare Benedict vnwillingly renounced And Don Sancho 2. reigned in Castile Benedict deposed Hildebrand laboured the Clergie to choose Gerrard whom they called Nicholas 2. But vnable with his safety to make him in Rome they went to Sena and elected him there Nicholas seeing himselfe Pope called against Benedict the 10. a Synod in Sutrio This was the 21. Sisme which Benedict perceiuing who was a peaceable man leauing the Popedome he fled from Rome and so died not of poyson This Nicholas 2. held another Councell in Rome which they called the Councell of Lateran wherin he commanded that whosoeuer either by money fauour popular tumult or warre without the mutual consent of the Cardinals attained to the seat of S. Peter should not be holden for Apostolicall but Apostaticall To the Cardinals Clergie and Laity he gaue power to excommunicate and curse as a thiefe such a chiefe bishop and to call a Councell for deposing of such a Pope And if they could not in Rome yet in some other place they should call it Behold if his successours kept this decree Nicholas 2. poysoned by Brazuto in the 1061 yeare dyed Don Sancho 2. then reigned in Castile By the crafty subtiltie of Hildebrand and without consent of the Emperour was Alexander 2. made Pope for which cause the Lombards in the Diet holden at Basil where the Emperor was present elected Honorius Cadolus This was the 22. Sisme Honorius came with a great host and besieged Rome but he his were destroyed and so Alexander 2. gotte possession This Alexander commanded that the Cardinals only should choose the Pope Great alterations haue bene in chusing of the Pope First by the Senate Clergie and people of Rome with consent of the Emperor he was chosen then was he chosen of the Clergie and people of Rome one while with the Emperours consent another while without afterwards he was chosen by the Clergie now only by the Cardinals and is not to be chosen except he be Cardinall present in the Conclaue when the election is made The holy Spirit that gouerneth in the Popes election is euery day more wise and better aduised Hildebrand cast this Pope Alexander into prison aduancing himselfe with the papall
they are worthie of perpetuall memorie I will here recite them Hardly saith he remayned any bishopricke or ecclesiasticall dignity which entertained not strifes whose cause but not with emptie hande was caried to Rome Be glad mother Rome because the sluces of treasures doe open in the earth that the flouds and riuers of money may come to thee in great abundadnce Reioice ouer the wickednes of the sonnes of men because for recompence of so great wickednes the price to thee is geuen delight thou with discorde thy helper which issued from the pit infernall that many rewardes of money might be heaped vnto thee Hold that for which thou hast thirsted Sing to sing because by the malice of men and not their godly religion thou hast ouercome the world draw men vnto thee not their deuotion but the committing of great abhominations and the deciding of strifes for reward Hitherto the Abbot who so now would say thus should be an heretike a Lutherane In the 1198. yeare died Celestinus Don Alonso 8. reigned in Castile Innocent 13. whom the Historians call Nocentissimus bare so great hatred to the Emperour Philip because against his liking he was chosen by the Germane Princes that he said these words Bishop either take the crowne and kingdom from Philip or Philip take from the Bishop his Bishopdome And so stirred he vp Otho a great and rash warriour against the Emperour Much bloud he shed for the Popes cause vntill another Otho and great taitor slew Philip and so his Competitor Otho came to Rome and for his good seruice done to the Pope was crowned Note that which before we haue said vpon Alexāder 3. against the Emperour but long lasted not the friendship between Innocent Otho For Otho willing to recouer that which the Popes had vsurped of the Empire was by the Pope excommunicated all whosoeuer should call or hold Otho for Emperour were accursed And so the Pope procured the Princes to choose for Emperor Frederike king of Cicil. The Popes be like vnto stumpets which no longer loue their ruffians then they do them seruice In the time of this Pope which was in the 1212 yeare some of the Nobles of Alsacia as Huldericus Mucius reporteth condemned the Pope for wicked because he suffered not the Priests to be maried And because certaine men said it was lawfull for euerie Christian to eate flesh and marrie at any time of the yere the bishops burned in one daie a hundred persons If this be heresie then Saint Paule was an heretique 1. Timothie 4. 3. where he calleth them that forbid mariage and meats which God hath created c. apostatates from the faith This Innocent 3. vnder colour to recouer the holy land did celebrate the Councell of Laeteran but his principall intent was to excommunicate and depose the Emperor because he had taken some citties of the Patrimonie of Saint Peter The Pope in this Councell brought forth auricular confession He was the first that imposed this charge vpon christians He was the first that forbad the laitie as they call them the cuppe in the communion This prohibition was confirmed in the Councell of Constance Almericus a learned man he condempned for an heretike and cōmaunded his bones to be burned in Paris and all those that held his opinion This did the Pope saith Friar Domingo Soto in one of his sermons because Almericus had taught that Images should be cast out of the Temple Seest thou not ô Pope that God forbiddeth that which thou commandest and comandeth that thou forbiddest with great reason doe men call thee Antichrist The Councell of Eliberis celebrated in Spaine at the same time almost with the first Councell of Nice comaundeth that that which is reuerenced or adored should not vpon the walles be pictured as in the beginning of this Treatise we haue said This Pope ordeined that when the princes disagreed in election of the Emperour such election should remaine to the arbitrement of the pope Concerning the election of the Emperour and the authoritie of the 7 electors reade Carion lib. 5. fol. 3. and 5. Therewith hath the Pope nothing to doe He commaunded the God Pan the wheaten God should in the Churches be kept And that when they carried it to any sicke person a little bell and light should be borne before it Hee ordained that the Pope ought to correct the Princes of the whole world And that none bee holden for Emperour which shall not bee crowned by the Pope If this be true it followeth that Don Fernando in our Countrey of Spaine nor Maximilian his sonne nor Rodulph his nephewe that nowe is Emperour were no Emperours seeing that none of these three besides other more were crowned by the Pope In the 1216. yeere he dyed Thomas Cantipratensis a Dominican as recounteth Friar Iohn de Pineda lib. 21. cap. 26. ¶ 7. writeth that this Innocent after his death burning in cruell flames appeared to the holy Virgine Lutgarda and said vnto her that so should he goe vnto the end of the world and that for three sinnes hee had deserued euerlastingly to bee condemned but that the glorious mother of God and of mercie fauoured him because he had built a Church in honour of her holy and sweete name And this Authour saith that Saint Lutgarda tolde him what sinnes they were but that hee for the Popes honour would not write them O yee Church-men that for true prelates confound the Churches God grant ye become not worse then Innocent Thus farre Pineda Open thine eyes ô Spaine and vnderstand at last what a one is the Pope whome as a God on earth thou adorest Don Alonso the ninth then reigned in Castile Honorius the third against the excommunicated Otho the fourth and Henry the first crowned Frederick second sonne of Constantia the Nunne of whom we haue spoken in the life of Celestinus the third which Fredericke because he sought that which was his in Sicilia and Pulla the Pope did afterwards excommunicate This Honorius forbad the Ciuill lawe to be read in Paris In the time of this Pope and the 1223. yeare did one Adam Bishop of Cathan in Scotland excommunicate certaine men for not paying their tithes against whome the citizens were so muche offended that they burned him in his kitchin So much did the Pope stomacke this matter that he staied not till the king of Scotland called Alexander did it but 400. of them he caused to be hanged and their sonnes to be gelded that their name shoulde not remaine in the earth Cruell and reuengefull is this beast In the 1227. yere he died Don Fernando surnamed the Holie which wan Seuill Cordoua and a great part of Andalusia reigned in Castile Gregorie 9. the Nephew or to speake better the sonne of Innocent 3. bare great hatred against Fredericke and so he confirmed the sentence of excommunication which Honorius had giuen against him The
Sodomit c. Wherfore Iohn changing his garmeÌ„t fled from ConstaÌ„ce went to Friburg but by coÌ„mand of the CouÌ„cell after he had 5. yeares poped he was depriued of his Popedome euery other office He was sought for found caught imprisond in the castle of Hidelberga in Germany where he was 3 yeares prisoner in great affliction for that his kepers were Germans simple rude which neither vnderstood Latine nor yet Italian the miserable Pope neither spake nor vnderstood Duch From this prison he afterward escaped The questioÌ„ whether the Pope be aboue the CouÌ„cel or the Councel aboue the Pope was in this CouÌ„cel debated And in the 4. 5. SessioÌ„s coÌ„cluded as Caranâ—a himselfe saith that a general Councel lawfully assembled which represeÌ„teth the catholike church millitaÌ„t had it authoritie imediatly of Christ which Councel euery person of what estate dignitie soeuer yea the Pope himselfe ought to obey in matter coÌ„cerning the faith c. This decre of the CouÌ„cel of CoÌ„staÌ„ce is confirmed in the 3. and 18. Sessions of the Councell of Basile In the Councell of Constance was Iohn Gerson a famous diuine present who not onely with wordes but also with writing approued and extolled this decree that the Pope was to be subiect to the Councell This decree he saith deserued to be fixed in all Churches and in all publike places for a perpetuall remembrance He saith that those which brought this tyranny into the Church that the chiefe Bishop ought not to obey the Councell and that the Councell neither ought nor could Iudge the Pope were pernicious flatterers As though the Councell receiued all that power and dignity of the chiefe Bishop and could not be assembled but at the will of the Pope As though there were no law for the Pope nor account to be demaunded of that which he did Such monstrous words saith he ought to be far from vs as those that be contrary to lawes equitie and reason He saith that all authoritie whatsoeuer the Church holdeth the same holdeth the Councell and that apleales from the Pope ought and may be made to the Councell He saith that they which demaunde whether the Pope or Church be greater Doe no lesse then they that demaunded whether the whole or parte bee greater The Councell saith he hath authoritie and right to chuse Iudge and depose the chiefe Bishop All which with the Councell of Constance Gerson confirmed This Councell Iudged the causes of three Popes Gregorie 12. Benedict 13. and Iohn 24. and finding them all there faulty deposed them and elected Martin 5. Eneas Siluius afterwardes called Pius 2. was present in the Councell of Basill and wrote all whatsoeuer was there debated extolling to the clouds that was there decreed but afterwards being Pope he changed his opinion saying that the Councell ought to be subiect to the Pope The vniuersitie of Paris a few moneths before Luther handled the question of Indulgence from Leo 10. appealed to the Councel This decree of the Councels of Constance and Basill did not nor yet doth please the Popes flatterers who against their owne consciences make the Pope God in the earth absolute Lord of all Iohn Wickeliffe an Englishman before in England deceased for freely preaching the euangelical Doctrin which discouereth hypocrisie and false papisticall doctrine was in this Councell condemned For the same also were Iohn Hus Ierome of Prage who suffered their Martyrdome with great constancie and ioyfulnes condemned and burned Pius 2. saith that Iohn Hus was greater in age authoritie but Ierome was greater in learning and eloquence And a little before he saith both suffered death with a constant mind as if they had bene inuited to some banquet they prepared themselues to go to the fire When the fire began they sung a Psalme which the flame rushing in of the fire could hardly hinder None of the Philosophers with such constancy fortitude of mind is read to haue suffered death as these men endured the fire Eneas Siluius albeit an enemy thus speaketh of them Vnder safe conduct came these two to dispute maintaine their cause as they did in the Councell But neither faith nor promise regarded they against all law and reason were condemned and burned The reason which the Papists yeeld for this deed doing is because no faith is to be kept with heretiques This faith-breach was cause of great bloodshed in the great warres which afterwards happened in Bohemia as Siluius himselfe reporteth Great praise worthy are the Bohemians that with great constancy haue continewed in the good Doctrine and reformation which these holy martirs of Iesus Christ taught them And so much the more is their praise by how much the more they haue suffered troubles persecutions for almost 200 yeares yet by the mercy of God doe they stil vse this good doctrine and reformation which from thence hath crept to Morauia and Polonia the bordering regions In our time hath God stretched the same through Germany from theÌ„ce spread throughout al Europe and hath further passed the great Ocean sea and gone to India all the lets of Antichrist by meanes of his Inquisitors notwithstanding and the more they shall burne the more will it spread abroad because as before we haue said of Tertulian The bloud of the Martirs is the seede of the Gospell Carança in his Summa Conciliorum noteth 45 errors as he calleth them of Iohn Wickelife and 30 of Iohn Hus who listeth to knowe what Iohn Hus taught let him read Carion lib. 5. When Iohn 24. had as we haue said escaped out of prison he came to present himselfe to Pope Martin 5. who was chosen in the CouÌ„cel of Constance to Florence came he prostrated himselfe at the feet of Pope Martin acknowledging him to be Pope kissed his feet Martin moued with this humilitie within few dayes after made him Cardinal Bishop of Tuscan read Friar Iohn de Pineda lib. 23. cap. 20. ¶ 3. O. what a Cardinal O what a Bishop if that be true as it was which was obiected and proued against him in the Councel of CoÌ„stance But no new thing it is that the Popes Cardinals bishops should be as he was But a few moneths after Iohn in his Cardinalship of very griefe is supposed in the 1419. yeare died Friar Iohn de Pineda saith that it was suspcted they gaue him poyson And saith that most solemnly was hee buried in the chappel of S. Iohn Baptist Don Iohn 2. theÌ„ reigning in Castil Martin 5. was made Pope in the Councel of CoÌ„sance of whose electioÌ„ Sigismund the Emp. much reioyced so thaÌ„ked the Councel for chusing such a Bishop And prostrating himselfe before the Pope kissed his feete This pope embraced him as his brother gaue him thankes that by his meanes and trauell the Church was quieted after so great a Sisme But for all this
the truth written and manifested vpon men in the olde and new Testament meete it is as saith Saint Paule that they should beleeue lies The report that the Duke of Ferrara against the will and consent of Sistus had made peace with the Venetians caused the death of Sistus For so highly was he offended thereat that within fiue dayes in the 1484. yeare he died In whose time reigned in Castile Aragon Don Fernando and Dona Isabella Innocent 8. a Genowey before called Iohannes Baptista Cibo when he was Pope conspired against Don Fernando king of Sicill taking part with the Nobles that rebelled against the king But his enterprise not succeeding as he supposed vnable to doe more he made peace with the king with this condition that he should haue his tribute the rebels their pardons but the king performed neither the one nor the other The Pope after this gaue himselfe to pleasure which accustomably bringeth draweth with it vanities delights pastimes pompes rioâ— glutony whoredoms other such vices sins He was of like beautiful fair body wherof he much esteemed as was Paul 2. he was also like vnto Paul 2. in hardnes of vnderstanding not giuen to learning Eight sons so many other daughters he had without mariage as by these verses of Marcellus appeareth Octorecens pueros genuit totidemque puellas Hunc meritò poterit dicere Roma patrem Spurcities gula auaritia atque ignauia deses Hoc octaue iacent quo tegeris tumulo To wit eight sonnes he begot and so many other daughters For this cause with reason might Rome call him father Filthinesse gluttony couetuousnesse and negligent slothfulnes lye ô Octaue in this sepulchre With riches and dignities he shamelesly aduaunced his children He was the first Pope that without any circumstance colour or titles of Nephewes or Neeces as others had accustomed to doe dared publikely to doe this Wicelius notwithstanding doth commend him for his holy life learning and eloquence He was much inclined to lucre and when neither his plenary Indulgences nor his Iubile nor was against the Turke could suffice to fill his hands a new inuention he found to draw out money And this it was hee had found in a wall said he the title of the crosse of Christ Iesus of Nazareth king of the Iewes written in three tongues Hebrewe Greeke and Latine and withall the iron of the speare which pearced the side of Christ Friar Iohn de Pineda lib. 26. cap 3 3. ¶ 1. saith that Baiazet sent him the Iron of the launce c. that he should not permit Zizimus his brother to moue wars in Turky This is he which now I will shewe to haue bene called Geme c. This Geme flying from his brother Baiazet retyred to Rhodes afterwardes was he brought to France then to Pope Innocent 8. and then to Naples in the time of Pope Alexander 6. c. Of this Geme will we make mention in the life of Alexander 6. Behold what great thinges can couetousnesse effect A great drinker he was and in his time all the offices in Rome men might haue and had for money In a certaine place called Polo he condemned for heretiques 8 men 6 women the Lord of that people because they said that none of Peters successors had bene Christs vicar but those only which had imitated the pouertie of Christ In the 1492. yeare died Innocent Don Fernando and Done Isabella then reigning in Spaine Alexander 6. a naturall Spaniard borne at Valencia was so abhominable and shamelesse that his papistes themselues doe openly speake it Panuinus an Augustine Friar vpon his life and not without cause saith filthie thinges of him and albeit he said much euill of him yet left he much vnsaid He saith then that Alexander aided by certaine Cardinals corrupted with blind ambition and auarice a good beginning attained to such great dignitie who afterwardes perceiuing the great vnfaithfulnesse of this vngratfull Pope receiued the Chastisement for selling of their suffrages that their seruice deserued the chiefe of these Cardinals was Ascanius Esforcia who sold it for great giftes and promises which Alexander made and principally that Alexander promised he should be his Chauncellor which office very few yeares he enioyed The rest suffered moreouer great misery and calamities some liued in banishment others were imprisoned others violently murthered And that moreouer which of him writeth the forenamed Panuinus among other things he saith Some fathers there were in that election which prophesied and were not false Prophets that a Spaniard was foolishly chosen who was a man that would smother wickednes a great dissembler and one that in the end would be a totall reine to all c. The olde Spanish prouerb in these miserable Cardinals is verified Plaze la traycion mas no eltraydor The treason pleaseth but not the Traytor Ieronymus Marius in his Eusebius speaking of this Pope saith who can reckon the foule neuer heard of deeds of Alexander 6. He made a couenant with the deuils He gaue deliuered himself wholly vnto them So that by their meanes and artes he might attaine to the Popedome which when the diuels had promised and performed so holily Alexander ordered his life that he neuer attempted to doe any thing but first he consulted thereof with the diuell In the 1500. yeare he graunted the Iubile not to such onely as should come to Rome but also to those that would not or could not come thither prouided that they gaue a certaine summe of money Pope Boniface 8. in the 1300. yeare graunted the Iubile from 100 yeares to 100 yeares Pope Clement 6. in the 1350 yeare graunted it from 50 yeares to 50. yeares Pope Sistus 4. in the 1475. yeare graunted the fame from 25 yeares to 25 yeares But it benefited him nothing if he came not personally to Rome Our Alexander moued with that spirit that made him Pope did grant it not to those onely which should come to Rome but to those also that abode at home conditionally to giue money as before we haue said And seeing we now intreat of the Iubile it shal be good to recite here the ceremony which is vsed in Rome Among many other Churches which are in Rome seuen principall there are where pardons are obteyned euery one of these seuen Churches hath one gate or wall at the least fast closed so that none can goe in nor out thereby but in the yeare of Iubâ—le The Pope set in a chaire borne on mens shoulders and clothed with red goeth to S. Peters the principall Church there And being brought to this shut gate saith the 9. verse of Psal 24. Atollite portas principes vestras ' c. Lift vp your heads ye gates c. this saying with a golden hammer which he holdeth in his hand he giueth a blow at the blow giuing in a moment the earth bricke morter which
French English and Flemish In this booke it is liuely depainted and with many notable exampeles confirmed This is to be noted that how many soeuer entred into the Inquisition for what cause soeuer all came out with confusion and losse of goods and many of their liues and none at all instructed Such is the intreatie wherewith the Fathers of the faith doth intreat them They haue not leysure to teach them but to robbe and kill them Would God that according to the lawdable custome of Spaine in other Audienecs Iudges of residence should be sent men learned and voyd of passion which might examine the Inquisitors and those that be and haue bene prisoners in the Inquisition O what would then bee discouered Aragon as it were by force receiued afterwardes the Inquisition and so they killed the first Inquisitors In the 1546. yeare Don Pedro of Toledo attempted to place it in Naples but could neuer effect it as Doctor Illescas vppon Paul 3. reporteth For the Neapolitanes did vehemently withstand it Thinges standing in these termes Pope Paule before certified of what passed in Naples dispatched forth a writ apostolique whereby he declared that the knowledge of causes touching the offence of heresie apperteyned to the ecclesiasticall Court and Iurisdiction apostolique commaunding the viceroy and all whomsoeuer secular Iudges to surcease in them and not entermedle to proceede against any heresie by way of Inquisition nor any other manner reseruing to himselfe the determination of such causes as of a thinge concerning the Ecclesiasticall Iurisdiction Thus farre Doctour Illescas Some yeares after one Sayavedra Cordoves perswaded the king of Portugale that he was sent a Nuncio from Paul 3. vnto him And so in the 1545. yeare thus brought in the Inquisition into Portugale There went out of Portugale 30000. Iewes Time brought it to light that the Pope had not sent him and so was he condemned to the gallies Another pleasant conceate haue I heard of this Nuncio an excellent writer he was and well knewe to counterfeite what handsoeuer This Nuncio remayning in the gallies came a poore woman to beseech the Generall of the gallies to ayde her with some almes for the mariage of her poore daughter The General made answere that very willingly would he helpe her but present want of money was the cause he could not The poore woman with this answere departed weeping of whom when the Nuncio saw her weepe hee demaunded the cause of her weeping She told him that which she had passed with the Generall Then did he comfort her saying that he would effect what she desired And taking inke and paper he wrote these words Steward vpon sight of these presents giue so many thousand marmades the number I remember not to her that shall giue you this scedule which scedule the Nuncio subcribed as if the Generall himselfe had done it The poore woman departed with her scedule to the Stewarde The steward answered that he wondered his Lord would in such a time send that scedule But sith such was his pleasure he would giue her that which he commaunded him to giue her and so gaue it indeede When the day came that the Generall tooke account of the steward the steward presented the said scedule vnto him which he read againe and said to the steward True it is that such a poore woman came to me to aske an almes but I answered her that I could not helpe her for the present And beholding the subscription said this is my hand but I wrote it not Wherefore he made inquirie in the gally who had written it and it was proued to be the Nuncio For which cause the generall would haue caused his hand to be cut off but at request of many his hand cutting was spared and he put to the oares For by reason of his wealth he rowed not-before D. Illescas in the life of Clement 6. saith that he saw him in the gally rowing One of the chiefe causes of the low countries reuolt wherein so many thousands of Spaniards and other nations haue died and so many millions of crownes haue bene wasted y aun el rabo como dizen estápor desollar yet the taile as the say is to be fleyed for to begin anew is each day needfull was that the Duke d' Oliua sought to bring in the inqusition You see here the profit which the Inquisition hath brought to Spain This saie I not as though I would that there were neither king nor ruler but that each one might doe and beleeue what he listed Good lawes be necessarie in euery cōmon wealth for this cause committed God the sword to the Magistrate for the chastisement of the wicked and praise of the good as saith the Apostle Saint Peter Let them then that doe euill be punished but not tyrannically All lawes permit the delinquent to know who is his aduersarie and the witnesses that depose and who they be that he may except against them if they be infamous or his enemies c. In this Inquisitorie Audience the Lo. Treasurer who it may be neuer knewe nor saw the delinquent is made partie the witnesses howe infamous what villaines soeuer or great enemies they be are neuer named and so cannot be excepted against The which is contrary to all diuine and humane Iustice If the witnesses haue witnessed against one three or foure things the Inquisitors doe charge him as though the witnesses had spoken of ten or twelue things much more horrible then the witnesses haue deposed And so maie the Inquisitors doe what they list knowing that there is no residēt Iudge which is to take account of that they haue done Against this tyrannie doe we speake Maie it please the diuine Maiestie which hath geuen to the king the sword authoritie and commaund ouer all whatsoeuer that liue in his kingdomes be they secular as they terme them or ecclesiasticall to put into the kinges heart willingnes to be informed of the wronges and grieuances which the Inquisition doth and to geue as is his dutie remedie for the same which one day I hope the Lord will performe reuenge the blood of the iust which the Inquisition vniustly hath spilled The blood of the Iust is as the blood of Abell crying for vengeance How long say the dead for the word of God c. Lord holy and true wilt thou not iudge auenge our blood c. The brotherhood hath done and doth great good to Spaine for it clenseth the waies and wast places of the eues and robbers and so men may walke and sit safely vnder their figge trees and at the foote of their vine A common prouerbe it is that in Spaine are three holy sisters the holy Inquisition the holy Crosse and the holy brotherhood frō the one which is the Inpuisitiō they pray God to deliuer them from the other will they keepe themselues The tyrrany of the Inquisition in this saying is noted God of his great loue
Christ Saint Ierome vppon the 66. chap. of Esayas saith Not being holie in bodie nor spirit they eate not the flesh of Iesus nor drinke they his bloud Manie other places bee there in the Fathers that proue our doctrine the wicked c. not to eate nor drinke the bodie bloud of Christ But those which wee haue alleaged are now sufficient Another absurditie there is and this it is that the banquet being to be common and generall to all by which it is called Communion one onely at his pleasure eateth it and swalloweth all without giuing part to others Who taught them thus to doe Not Christ nor his Apostles nor the primitiue Church In old time all those that were present when the Supper of the Lord was celebrated did communicate and that in both kindes And except they did communicate they depriued them of the Supper which our Aduersaries cannot denie So confesseth George Cassander in the Preface of the booke intituled Ordo Romanus de officio Missae for confirmation hereof hee alleadgeth the tenth Cannon of the Apostles where it is commaunded that all the faithfull which were found present at the holy solemnities of the Church and continued not till the Masse were ended nor receiued the holie Communion should bee cast from the Communion He citeth the Councell of Antioch the second chapter wherein it is ordayned that all they which enter into the Church of God and receiue not the holy Communion should bee cast out of the Church Hee alleaged also the Cannon of Calixtus or as say others Anacletus which commandeth that the consecration ended all should communicate Hee alleageth also Iohn Coclaeus in the booke which hee intituled De Sacrificio Missae contra Musculum In old time saith Cochleus Aswell the Priestes as the Laitie so manie as were found present at the sacrifice of the Masse the offering being ended did ioyntly with the Priest communicate c. And the same Cannon which they say in their Masse maketh this to bee clearely vnderstood because it maketh mention of the people standing about offering and communicating For which cause some expounders of the Cannons say that the Cannon ought not to be sayd in the Masse but onely when the people communicate Many more Councels and Fathers might be alleaged to confirme that which Cassander sayth but the thing being so manifest many witnesses shal be needlesse The Grecians vntill this day obserue the ancient custome there is no priuate Masse among them Vpon the Lords dayes and festiuall dayes the Supper of the Lord is onely celebrated and the people in both kindes communicate Our aduersaries may see what hath beene the cause of leauing this ancient and laudable custome and that as many also as heare the Masse and communicate not incurre thereby Excommunication The Communion in our time is but once a yeare celebrated and this with damage and great idolatrie and all the dayes in the yeare is no other thing done but saying of Masses in euery corner of the Churches and in those also of particular houses without any Communion except it be that some for deuotion will communicate and oftentimes it happeneth that none is found present at these Masses but the Nouice onely that answereth Et cum Spiritu tuo and with thy spirit when the Priest hath said vnto him Dominus vobiscum The Lord bee with you And note that the Nouice is wont to be commonly a little villaine according to the prouerbe Hize à mi hijo Monazillo y torno seme diabillo Make my sonne a Nouice and turne him a little diuell What agreement then hath this their priuate Masse with the holy Supper of the Lord which is a common banquet proposed to the whole Church Reade the tenth and eleuenth chapters of the first epistle to the Corinthians which before we haue alleaged What wickednes do they then that conuert the Masse into the supper of the Lord which they neuer celebrate except the whole Church or the greatest part of it do communicate acording to the institution of Christ according to that which his Apostles did and the Church many yeares after The 3. absurdity is that which before we haue said that were there Trāsubstantiation Christ shuld haue 2 carnal bodies one which sate the other which this sitting body did eate giue to his Disciples The fourth Absurditie is that they put the body of Iesus Christ in diuerse places at one instant in all the Masses which are sayd through the world Against the order of nature doe they in this according whereunto nothing created that is finite can be at one selfe same time in diuerse places The body of Iesus Christ considered it selfe is finite and in time created therefore can it not bee in diuerse places at one instaut In this do they also against the article of our faith which in the Creed we confesse that Iesus Christ sitteth at the right hand of God the Father From whence shall he come saith the article of our faith to iudge the quicke and the dead Also they do against common experience for seeing bread and wine with the eyes tasting them with the mouth and smelling them with the nose yet for all this say they that no bread nor wine remaineth I demaund now when they burne this their Sacrament for the causes that they themselues in the booke de Cautelis do command it to be burned I demaund of them what is that which is burned and conuerted into ashes Not the bodie of Christ which now being glorified is impassible nor the accidents of the bread nor of the wine for the substance of the ashes engendred of that which was burned could not bee engendered but of another substance according to that which commonly is said The generation of one thing is the corruption of another It followeth then Albeit it grieue them that they deny it that the bread is burned I demaund of them also when the Priest deuideth the Host into three partes what is that which he deuideth Some say they bee accidents without subiect To others this answere not seeming to be good because not the accidents but the substance which hath quantitie is parted Therefore say they that nothing is parted This people thinke vs to be blocks and fooles They will make vs as they say del cielo cebolla to beleeue things impossible Free should they be from all these absurdities would they with Iesus Christ with his Apostle Saint Paul and with the Catholike Church confesse true bread and true wine to be in this sacrament of which bread and of which wine being corrupted are engendred those things before spoken So that the wormes and ashes are engendred and made not of the body of Christ which is glorious and set at the right hand of the Father not of the accidentes which haue not other being but doe remaine in some subiect and by a miracle say they the accidentes in the Sacrament bee
the day houre and moment when Christ offered it for which cause it neither ought nor may be reiterated without doing most great iniurie to Christ as though his sacrifice which he once offered were not fufficient to obtain pardon for all sins that therefore another new sacrifice were needful or at the least to reiterat the old All as many as were or shal be saued not onely since the death of Christ but before his death also frō the first iust Abel vnto the last were are shal be saued by the vertue of this only sacrifice once offered Otherwise must he often haue suffered since the foundation of the world But now in the end of the world hath he appeared once to put away sin by the sacrifice of himselfe These be the words of the Apostle against which nothing impugneth that which S. Iohn saith in his Reuelatiō That the Lambe Christ was slaine frō the beginning of the world for Iesus Christ but onely once died this was whē Tiberius Caesar was Emperor which is now 1566. yeares since How thē saith S. Iohn that he died frō the beginning of the world To this say we that S. Iohn meant that the sacrifice which Christ offred did not only profit those that in the time of Christ or sithence liued but all those also which were long time before frō the beginning of the world For all before the death of Christ which beleeued that the seed of the woman which is Christ should breake the head of the serpent which is the diuel were neither more nor lesse saued then these which sithence the death of Christ beleeue that he is come and that by dying he hath ouercome the deuill In the same God whom we beleeue beleued they the same faith which wee hold held they and by the same sacrifice of Iesus Christ one only time no more offred they we are saued The same Sacraments as touching the substance that we haue had they So wittnesseth Saint Paul when he saieth Moreouer Brethren I would not that yee should be ignorant That all our fathers were vnder the cloud and all passed through the Sea and were all baptised vnto Moses in the cloud and in the sea and did all eate the same spirituall meate and did all drinke the same spirituall drinke for they dranke of the spirituall Rocke that followed them which Rock was Christ This is the difference between them and vs that they beleeued Christ the Messias shuld come and we beleeue that he is already come and hath fulfilled all whatsoeuer was written of him We then here conclude that with one only sacrifice which Iesus Christ offred and this one only time and no more he sanctified for euer all those that from the beginning of the world haue bene are and shall be sanctified The Lord God which whē we were the children of wrath and his enemies hath shewed vs such mercie giue vs grace firmely and constantly to perseuer in this faith perseuering may liue in holinesse and righteousnesse all the dayes of our life The holy Scripture as we haue seen mentioneth two kinds of Priests which offer sacrifice for sinnes the one after the order of Aaron the other after the order of Melchisedech Many there were after the order of Aaron because being mortall they died and being dead one succeded another After the order of Melchisedech no other Priest there is but only Christ who being an euerlasting Priest and his sacrifice being of euerlasting vertue admitteth no companion for he only is sufficient This priesthood shall shall endure for euer and it is proper to the new Testament wherein there is not nor can be more then one onely Priest which neither hath nor can haue companion nor successor in his office For he is an euerlasting priest and therefore his offering one only time offered is of euerlasting vertue Hereupon we then conclude that if the Masse-priests which say they offer Christ in Sacrifice for the sins of men be Priests instituted by God either they so be after the order of Aaron or after the order of Melchisedech for of these two only orders the scripture maketh mention But Priests they be not after the order of Aaron which already ceased with the death of Christ As little are they of the order of Melchisedech for after this order there is but one only Priest which is Christ Hereuppon it followeth that if they be Priests not by God but by the diuell be they instituted and so be they the Priests of Baal May it please our God and Lord to conuert them Or if they bee vessels of wrath to breake them with his rod of yron that they doe not more mischiefe to the Catholique Church the Spouse of Iesus Christ and with his precious bloud redeemed I trust in mine omnipotent God that one day he will haue mercie vppon our country of Spaine and send the true Elias which with the power of Gods word shal kill these false prophets filthy priests Besides the expiatory sacrifice wherof we haue spoken anothere there is called Eucharisticall of thanksgiuing This sacrifice offereth and ought to offer euery faithfull and Catholique Christian and for such a one he that offereth it not neither is nor ought to be holden What maner of sacrifice this is in the beginning of this Treatise of the Masse we haue before declared And if euery Christian offer vnto God this kind of sacrifice it followeth hereupon that euery Christian seeing he offreth sacrifice is a priest And for this cause God commanded Moses to say these words to all the people of Israel Ye shall be vnto me a kingdom of Priests and a holy nation And S. Peter speaking to all the faithfull saith Ye are a chosen generation a royall priesthood an holy nation a peculiar people that ye should shew forth the vertues of him that hath called you out of darknesse into his maruellous light c. S. Iohn in his Reuelation speaking of the Lambe saith Thou hast made vs vnto our God kings priests Of this which we haue said we conclude Christ only to be the Preist who offring vp himselfe this onely once obtained for vs remission of sins that all faithful christians are priests that not once but manie times euery day euery houre euery moment so ought it to be done do offer sacrifices of praises vnto God And why ought we to praise God to giue him thanks For al the benefits which we receiue ech momēt of him touching both body soule But for this benefit chiefly that passeth all others which is the inestimable benefit that we receiue by the death passion of Christ By the sin of the first Adam we were all made sinners and seruants of sinne sonnes of wrath enemies of God and to two sorts of death temporall and eternall of body soule condemned Strangers we were from the common wealth of Israel
shal he vnderstand the Masse which our aduersaries at this day celebrete to haue no agreement with the holy supper of the Lord but in al by al to be opposit vnto it And so cōtrary that where the one is the other in no wise can be where the masse is there is not the snpper of the Lord where the supper of the Lord is there is not the masse For how can light and darknes be ioyned the table of the Lord the table of diuels God and Belial And that the Christian people of my nation for whose cause desiring to do them seruice I haue taken this paine if that may be called paine which the person with great content and desire to serue and doe some good taketh may easily vnderstand this I will here in a table set downe the agreement conformity and vnity which is betweene the holy supper by vs in our reformed Churches celebrated the holy supper of the Lord then will I set downe the difference disagreement contrariety which is between the holy supper by our Christ instituted and the prophane masse which Antichrist hath inuented and sold for mony to miserable people called Christians Hee whom God hath giuen vnderstanding to vnderstand Let him vnderstand the will of the Lord and doe the same The holie supper of the Lord. Iesus Christ alone ordained his holy supper and commanded his Church to celebrate the same As he himselfe had celebrated it The supper of the reformed Churches The supper is celebrated neither more nor lesse then Iesus Christ did celebrate it and after the same manner by him cōmanded to his Church as the Euangelists Mat. 26. 26. Mar. 14. 22. Luke 22. 19. S. Paule 1. Cor. 11. 24 do declare Therefore is our supper the supper of the Lord. The prophane Masse of the Pope The Masse hath bene made by many Popes For one Pope made the confite or another the introit another the Kyri-elecson another the Gloria in excelsis another the Gradual another the Offertorie another the Cannon another the Memento another the Teigitur another the Cōmunicātes another ordayned that the bread in the Masse should be vnleuened another that water should be put into wine Another cōmanded that the bread shuld be worshipped saying it was not bread but God which made heauē earth c. Another made the Agnus Dei The same may also be sayd of whatsoeuer is done in the masse Christ made none of all these things nor cōmanded his faithfull to doe them Diuers Popes and at sundry times did inuent them Whereuppon it followeth that neuer Christ no not at all did institute the Masse nor his Apostles sayd it Therefore the Masse is not the Supper of the Lord. The holy supper of the Lord. Christ entending to celebrate his Supper changed not his garments The Supper of the reformed Churches So also the Ministers when they celebrate the Supper change not their garments Therefore is our Supper the supper of the Lord. The prophane Masse of the Pope The Popish Priest going to say his Masse doth nought els but cloth and vncloth and euery garment that hee putteth on how little soeuer carrieth great mysteries which they without the word of God to keepe the poore people still bewitched haue forged Moreouer the Priest saying Masse must haue his head beard shaued vpon his head a circle of haire which they cal a crown wherein they follow not Christ nor his Apostles who neuer did weare head nor beard shauen but they imitate the Priests of the Gentiles whom Baruch chap. 6. and 30. reporteth to haue had their heades and beardes shauen Therefore the Masse is not the Supper of the Lord. The holy Supper of the Lord. Christ vsed common bread serued at the table when hee supped with his Apostles The Supper of the reformed Churches We also do vse common bread therefore is our Supper the Supper of the Lord. The prophane Masse of the Pope The Popish priest must expresly vse other maner of bread baked betweene two yrons which properly is no bread but wafers Therefore the Masse is not the Supper of the Lord. The holy Supper of the Lord. Christ made his Supper vppon a table The Supper of the reformed Churches We do also celebrate the Supper vpon a table and not vpon an altar An altar is for sacrifice and sacrifices ceased with the death of Christ Therefore neede we no altar A table is to suppe on Saint Paul cals it the Lords supper 1. Cor. chap. 11. 20. whereuppon it followeth that it being a Supper vpon a table and not an altar it is to be celebrated therefore is our supper the Supper of the Lord. The prophane Masse of the Pope The Popish Priest must haue an altar which he calleth consecrated An altar I say in a hole in the middest whereof which they call the Sepulchre is put a peece of some reliques and if the altar be not consecrate then must he haue a marble stone which they call a consecrate altar in the border whereof are little peeces of cloth which they cal Corporales All which Durandus in his booke intituled Rationale diuinorum hath diligently trauelled to declare therefore the Masse is not the Suppet of the Lord. The holy supper of the Lord. Christ in celebrating his supper preached and taught his Apostels The supper of the refoumed Church The supper is neuer celebrated but the minister doth preach and teach those that communicate therefore is our Supper the Supper of the Lord. The prophane Masse of the Pope The Popish priest mumbleth between his teeth certain praiers he turneth to and from the altar one while his backe another while his face to the people now goeth he from one part of the altar vnto another now he singeth with an high voyce now with a low voyce now liftes hee vp his armes now he casteth them downe he lifts vp the traine of his cope holding a candle or wax burning Briefly he seemeth to be nothing els but a man wholly madde not knowing what countenance to vse Let them shew when Christ or his Apostles did this or commāded the Church to doe the same Therfore the Masse is not supper of the Lord. The holy Super of the Lord. Christ in celebrating of his Supper spake in the vulgar tongue that all might vnderstand The Supper of the Reformed Churches All whatsoeuer is sayd when we celebrate the Supper is spoken in the vulgar tongue that all may vnderstand therefore is our Supper the Supper of the Lord. The prophane Masse of the Pope In the Masse a strāge tongue is vsed which most of the Massing priests vnderstand not which is wholly contrary to S. Paules doctrine 1. Cor. 14. where hee sheweth that no tongue in the Church is to be vsed but that which may be vnderstood Therefore the Masse is not the Supper of the Lord. The holy Supper of the Lord. Christ in the Supper first brake the bread and then gaue it
our cause which is his because it is the vndeceiueable truth which his maiesty in his holy Scripture hath reuealed Concerning the lies false doctrine of the authority of the Pope the holines of the Masse which our aduersaries maintaine persecuting with fire bloud all those that beleeue it not nor worship it therefore trouble they the world as at this day we see it troubled We assuredly know that it shall perish According to that which the Lord saith Euery plant which my heauenly father hath not planted shal be plucked vp by the roote And we haue the axe which is the word of God put to the root of the two trees the Pope the masse to cut them downe I beseech the Lord our God Christian reader which hath giuen thee a desire and will to be informed to know the causes why we subiect not our selues to the Pope nor wil heare his Masse but rather detest and abhor the one the other that he would please to lighten thine vnderstanding that thou maist comprehend what in these two Treatises haue bin said confirmed not with the sayings of men but of God himselfe of his holy Scripture giue thee such a mind and strength that thou maist wholly depart out from this wicked Babylon which is Rome deliuer thee from all the enormities abominations horrible superstitions and detestable idolatries which Rome hath inuented among which the principal is the Masse These idolatries without doubt be the chiefe cause original and fountaine of all miseries calamities and warres where with they that are called Christians be at this day afflicted For if God in the primitiue Church plagued with infirmities death the Corinthians for the abuses which they had brought into the holy supper the Apostle S. Paul yet liuing which he reporteth in his first epistle that he sent them what shal we say this selfe same Lord wil now do when the malice impiety superstition idolatry haue so greatly increased that the holy supper of the Lord which he instituted and commanded vs in remembrance of him to clebrate haue they wholy conuerted into the prophane Masse of the Pope Truly the abuses of the Corinthes as touching the Supper had no agreement by far with the erronious intollerable abuses which those that are called Christians commit at this day in their Masse And notwithstāding all this Saint Paul speaking to the Corinthians saith vnto thē For which cause many ef you are infirmed and weake many sleepe he wold haue sayd are dead We are not then to maruel if God strong iealous of his honour do chasten at this day such an idolatry as is that which in the Masse is committed with such great warres famine pestilence and which is worse and lesse perceiued a reprobate sense And no other mean there is Christian reader to obtaine pardon for these superstitions passed idolatries to get and keepe the grace of God of whom thou oughtest not only to expect all prosperity goodnesse but to endeuour by all possible meanes to serue him honour him applying thy selfe with all thine heart to all that which pleaseth him which is that which his Maiestie hath ordained and instituted in his holy word flying contrariwise all whatsoeuer may displease offend him and especially all kinds of idolatrie which he more detesteth abhorreth then all other sinnes abhominations and as such doth punish it as in the beginning of the first Treatise we haue declared Such is the Masse fly then from it follow the holy institution which Iesus Christ our king prophet and onely high Priest ordained This is the holy Supper as the Euangelists and S. Paul do shew Do this thē which Iesus Christ ordained commanded vs to doe in remembrance of him as by the mercy of God with all simplicity without all superstition or idolatrie is celebrated in our reformed Church and thou shalt walke aright All they that do otherwise erre God giue thee grace to walk aright that thou be not with this world coondemned And this do he for the vertue merit of the sacrifice with our high and only Priest Christ one onely time offered vnto him To whom who liueth and reigneth with the Father and the holy Spirit be euerlasting glorie and perpetuall power Amen A SWARME OF FALSE MIRAcles and Illusions of the diuell wherewith Maria de la visitacion Prioresse de la Anuntiada of Lisbon deceiued very manie and how she was discouered and condemned Anno. 1588. FOr confirmation of that which in these two Treatises so often I haue said that the Papists confirme their religion with false miracles inuēted by their ecclesiasticall persons or wrought by the Art of the diuell I will here set downe a most true historie deliuered in two popish bookes which by the prouidēce of God came to my hands Out of which with all faithfulnesse as he that must appeare before the iudgement seat of Christ giue an account not only of that hee hath done and said but of that also which he hath thought I haue taken that which I will deliuer Hee that will not beleeue me let him reade the two bookes from whence I haue taken that which I say I name the Authours of these bookes the Printers the yeare and place where they were imprinted as a litle after you shall see Our Aduersaries I wot well would haue buried all these thinges for they open a dore to men to seeke to vnderstand and the truth And that they may vnderstand it I haue put it in writing The Lord which knoweth my desire blesse my trauaile Our Aduersaries hauing no sound proofe to confirme their new articles of faith which they haue made as in very truth there is none haue confirmed them with dreames with fained apparitions and visions of Phantasmes of spirits and of soules come as they say from another world Now I hauing met with a new great and thicke swarme of such things which I found in a Portugal hiue me seemed I should do well by a new familiar and domesticall example which be they that most moue and that none can denie seeing it happened in our countrey of Spaine in the yeare 1588 truly to manifest the same that all the world and chiefly my countrimen the Spaniards for whom I haue taken this paine may hasten to know them and knowing them may abhorre them so may turne to the holy catholike faith true religion of Iesus Christ which is written in holy Scripture This hiue is Maria de la Visitacion Prioresse of the Monastery de la Anunciada in Lisbon who was held so certainly for holy whose hypocrisie false miracles were discouered publikely condemned as we shall after see I hearing much talke of the great holinesse admirable life and maruellous miracles of this womā whom for excellency they called The holy Nunne aduised my countrimen the Spaniards in a booke which I published in the
fire and Daniel from the Lyons In this haue they had neither Prophet nor miracle The third respect In the second they had great dignitie and riches as Ioachin the king Ieremie the last Daniel and his three companions Mardocheus Zerubbabel but in this they are much deiected True it is that this generall promise they haue made them by God That whensoeuer they shall repent them of their wickednesse committed and turne vnto God that he will pardon them and gather them from all partes of the world where they shall be scattered and afflicted And seeing that God doth not gather nor deliuer them from so long and painfull captiuitie as is that which they suffer it followeth that they are wholly obstinate in their sinnes and turne not truly vnto God For if they would turne God being true in his promises would gather them But we see the contrarie that they still be scattered and abide in captiuitie therefore they repent not And so it pleaseth God to chastise them as he sayd vnto Moses Deut. chap. 28. 63. 64. And it shall come to passe saith he speaking of the Iewes that as the Lord did reioyce ouer you to doe you good and to multiply you so shall the Lord reioyce ouer you to confound and destroy you and ye shall be plucked out of the land into the which ye now enter to possesse it And God will seatter thee through all nations from the one end of the earth to the other And there shalt thou serue strange Gods wood and stone c. whom thou nor thy fathers haue not knowne Their obstinacy and vnbeleefe not knowing the day of their visitation and contemning and killing their Messias is the cause of this so miserable captiuitie wherein they shall continue vntill they cease to be incredulous and acknowledge God and Christ or Messias whom he hath sent and so they shall be saued Moreouer concerning that which we haue sayd the booke of Iudges is full of Gods punishments vpon the Israelities for their idolatrie whom he deliuered ouer into the hands of their enemies But as a good God and mercifull father when they repented he restored or deliuered them And eftsones they returned to idolatrie and God eftsoones did punish them We read also that the Israelites turned away and corrupted themselues more then their fathers following strange gods seruing them and bowing downe before them and nothing diminished their workes and wicked wayes And the wrath of the Lord was kindled against Israel And Deborah in her song conceiuing them said In choosing new Gods warre was at the gates So greatly did God abhore Idolatrie that oftenne commaundementes which he gaue the two first be against Idolatrie First Thou shalt not haue saith he any straunge Cod before me Second Thou shalt not make to thy selfe any Image nor the likenesse of any thing that is in heauen aboue or in the earth beneath or in the water c. And then Thou shalt not bow downe to them nor worship them for I am the Lord thy God a iealous God c. In the first commaundement internall and mentall and in the second externall and visible Idolatrie are forbidden So horrible and enormious is the sinne of Idolatrie that God who is a iust Iudge doth punish it with most seuere punishment that can be in this world God giueth vp Idolaters into a reprobate sence so that forsaken of God and by his iust Iudgement deliuered ouer and made slaues to Sathan they may doe that which is not conuenient as saith Saint Paule Romans 1. 25. concerning Idolaters which turned the truth of God into a lie honoring and seruing the creature before or more then God And in the twentie eight verse mentioning the punishment he saith that God gaue them vp vnto a peruerse minde which we call a reprobate sence to doe that which is not conuenient namely the abohmination there mentioned The answere which the Romists make in defence of their Images is friuolous They adore not nor honour say they the Images but that which they represent Whereunto I answere that as little did the Pagans worship their Images but that which they represented For they beleeued not the Image of Iupiter to be Iupiter but to present Iupiter Much more doe the Romists not onely commaunde Images to be made but to be reuerenced and which is more worship them themselues And in the second Action also of the Neccen Councell not of that holy and good first Councell of Neece but of the second assembled by that ceuell Empresse Hirena it is said We doe worship the pictures of Images And in the third Action The inuisible diuine nature is not permitted to be pictured nor figured For no man euer sawe God at any time but we worship the Image of his humanitie pictured with colours So also doe we reuerence and adore the Image of our Lady the mother of God c. See here how the Romists doe contradict themselues on the one side they say they worship not Images And on the other parte in their generall Councels they commaund them to be worshipped Answerable to this Doctrine of the Councell doe they sing in their hymne O Crux aue spes vnica hoc passionis tempore auge pijs Iustitiam reisque dona veniam That is to say O Crosse onely hope in this time of passion increase righteousnesse in the Godly and graunt pardon to offenders Also in shewing the Crosse they say Ecce lignum Crucis venite adoremus That is Behold here the wood of the Crosse Come and let vs worship it Also Crucem tuam adoramus domine Thy Crosse doe we worship O Lord. Thomas Aquinus in his Brieffes or partes speaking of Adoration saith That the Crosse ought to be worshipped with the same Gods honour as God himselfe And so they doe and vppon good fryday chiefly prostrate on the ground doe they adore the Crosse and offer giftes vnto it which adoration say they Saint Gregorie ordeyned But how can this be truth which they say of Saint Gregorie when the sayd Gregorie writing to Seremus Bishop of Marsella who had caused Images to be pulled downe broken and burned vseth these wordes hadst thou forbidden to worship the Images we should haue praysed thee And a little lower Which were placed in the Temple not to be worshipped but for instruction onely of the simple See here how vntrue it is that they say Saint Gregorie instituted the adoration of the Crosse True it is he saith that Images were the bookes of the simple and ignorant people But let him pardon vs if in this we dissent from him to yeeld vnto that which the word of God doth teach vs. Habakuk saith what profiteth the Image for the maker thereof hath made it an Image and a teacher of lies though he that made it trust therein when he maketh dumbe Idolls woe vnto him that saith to the wood awake and to the dumbe stone arise it shall teach
wit If the head of an horse be put to a humane body A distinction truly very rediculous Conclude we this matter with that which was ordeyned in the Councell of Eliberis in Spaine holden about the yeare of the Lord. 335. whose 36. Cannō was as Carranza noteth in his Summa Conciliariorum Placuit picturas in Ecclesia esse non debere ne quod colitur aut odoratur in parietibus depingatur It pleaseth vs that pictures ought not to be in the Church lest that be worshipped or adored which is painted on the walles Eliberis where was celebrated this ancient Councell was a Cittie neare vnto that place where is now Granada Eliberis was destroyed and of the ruines thereof was Granada builded or augmented And there is one gate in Granada euen to this day called the gate Deluira corrupting the worde in steed of Elibera The gate is so called because men goe that way to Elibera Had this Cannon made in our countrie of Spaine 1263. yeares past bene obserued in Spaine there had not bene such Idolatrie in Spaine as now there is Vp Lord regard thine owne honour Conuert or confound not being of thine elect all such as worship Pesel grauen or carued Images or Temuna picttures or patternes All that whatsoeuer we haue sayd against Images is meant of those that are made for religion seruice worship and to honour serue and adore them Such Images are forbidden by the law of God And so the Arte of caruing grauing painting and patterne making not done to this end is not forbidden but lawfull The superstition and Idolatrie taken away the Arte is good If there be any people or nation that haue and doe commit inward and outwarde Idolatrie it is the Popish Church For what else see we in their Temples houses streetes and crosse-streetes but Idolles and Images made and worshipped against the expresse commaundement of God Thou shalt not make to thy selfe any grauen Image No nation hath bene so barbarous to thinke that which they outwardly beheld with their eyes to be God They supposed as before we haue said their Iupiter Iuno Mars Venus to be in Heauen whom they worshipped in the Images that did represent them Many of the Moores Turkes and Iewes would conuert vnto Christ were it not for the offence and scandall of Images in the Churches Therefore said Paulus Pricius a most learned Hebrew which became in a Christian Paue that it was very meet Images should be taken out of the Temple for they were the cause that many Iewes became not Christians The Popish Church doth not onely commit the Idolatrie of the Gentiles but farre exceed them also One Idolatrie it committeth which neuer Pagan nor Gentile euer committed It beleeueth the bread and wine in the Masse called a sacrifice celebrated by her Pope or a Priest made by the authoritie of the Pope to be no representation nor commemoration of the Lordes death but his very body and bloud the same Iesus Christ as bigge and great as he was vpon the crosse And so as very God doth worship it We will then in this first Treatise proue by the Lords assistance whose cause we now maintaine the Pope to be a false Priest and very Antichrist that such Idolatrie and other much more he hath inuented in the Church In the second Treatise we will also proue by the same assistance the Masse to be a false Sacrifice and great Idolatrie And because our chiefe purpose is not so much to beat downe falshood as to aduance the truth after we haue shewed the Pope to be a false Priest And the Masse a false Sacrifice we will shew also which is the argument of the Apostle in the Epistle written to the Hebrewes Iesus Christ to be the true and onely Priest and his most holy body and bloud which he offered vnto his father vpon the Crosse to be the true and only sacrifice where with the eternall father is well pleased and receiueth vs into his fauour and friendship iustifying vs by faith and giuing vs his holy spirit of Adoption whereby we crie Abba father and liue in holinesse and righteousnesse all the dayes of our life And so be glorified of him to reigne ' with him for euer Many will wonder that we with so great constancie or as they call it sawsinesse reiect condemne and abhore the Pope and his Masse And therefore doe slaunder and defame vs not among the common people onely but amongest the Nobles also and great Lordes Kinges and Monarches that we are fantasticke heady arrogant sedicious rebellious partiall and many other false reportes they raise against vs wherewith they fill and breake the eares of the ignorant and of all those that take pleasure to heare them To shew them then that it is no foolish opinion nor fantasie which doth lead vs neither any ambition vaine glory nor other passion that doth alter moue or transport our minds but a good zeale rather of the glory of God and feruent desire of the health of our owne soules A reason will we giue in this first Treatise vnto all that desire to heare vnderstand it of that which we beleeue hold concerning the Pope and his authoritie And chiefely if we be asked because as saith Saint Peter we ought to be ready with meekenesse and reuerence to make answere to euery one that demaundeth a reason of the hope which we hold The reason then which we giue for reiecting condemning and abhorring the Pope and flying from him as from the pestilence is his euill life and wicked doctrine Note also what the Doctors and ancient Councels the holy Scriptures in three wonderfull places chiefly for that purpose say concerning him In the second Treatise we will declare what wee thinke of the Masse and the holinesse thereof The Pope and Masse two pillers of the Popish church be very ancient For it is now a thousād yeares past since they first began to be buylded Their beginnings were very small but they dayly increased adorning and decking themselues vntill they attayned to the estate wherein we now see them For aswell the Pope as the Masse is holden and called God Without are they made very beautifull couered ouer with silke gold siluer cloth of gold rich stones but within is superstition hypocrisie and Idolatrie I haue often pondred with my selfe whether of these two pillers the Pope or the Masse were strongest and more esteemed The vertues excellencie holinesse and diuinitie which they say is in the Masse who can declare How profitable it is for al things liuing and not liuing quick dead By cōsideratiō hereof the Masse I supposed was chiefest and therefore ought to begin with it But the Pope vpon better aduisement mee seemed notwithstanding to be the chiefest piller The reasons mouing me so to beleeue are these that the cause in dignitie is before the effect the creator before the creature the maister before the seruant the Priest before the
Frederick the Emperour Detrahamus illis nocentes diuitias hoc enim facere opus est charitatis Let vs take away speaking of the Pope and clergie the riches which so much hurt them for this to do is a worke of charitie Here it is to be noted as reciteth Panuinus in his chronicle 30 Sismes to haue bin and that which happened in the yeere 252. betweene Cornelius and Nouatus is counted for the first and the same only hapned in the first order wherin were good all the Roman Bishops except Marcellinus who offred incense to Idols but touched by God he greatly repented so came into the Councell holden at Sessa in the kingdom of Naples where were present as saith D. Illescas three hundred Bishops and thirtie Presbiters or as saith Platina 180. Bishops and there asked he with teares God and them pardon of the most grieuous sin which he had coÌ„mitted FroÌ„ Sessa he went to Rome and there did chide Dioclesian for compelling him to sacrifice to Idolles wherefore Dioclesian commanded to kill him When Marcellinus was dead the seate was voide 7. yeeres and a halfe as saith Illescas and 25. daies or as saith Platina 25. daies The second order conteineth the bishops of Rome from Siluester 1. vnto Boniface the 3. These neither in life nor doctrin agreed by far with the bishops of the first order For persecution nowe ceassing they gaue themselues to idlenesse and pleasure and made Cannons and Decrees wherby they prepared the seate of great Antichrist Those of the second order were called for the space of 200. yeeres Archbishops It is to be vnderstood that from the yeere 320. vnto that of 520. afterwardes from the yere 520. vnto that of 605. they were called Patriarks S. Siluester was then the first Archbishop whome Marcus Iulius 1. and Liberius succeeded Liberius in the beginning of his Bishopdome thought well of the diuinitie of the sonne of God and for ought the Arian Emperour Constantius did would not be drawne to condemne Athanasius for which cause he was banished Rome Theodoretus lib. 2. ca. 16. of his historie reciteth the conference that passed between him and Constantins when he was banished wherein Liberius shewed himselfe verie constant Three yeeres saith Platina and others say lesse was Liberius banished The Romans at this time held a Councell wherein they chose for bishop Felix second This Felix as saith Platina was a very good man and so by his liking and consent of 48. bishops Vrsacius and Valens which held part with Constantius the Arrian Emperour were deposed These two went to Constantius and complained vpon Felix praying the Emperour to restore againe Liberius who wearied with the trouble of his banishment and nowe changed his opinion through ambition and the counsell of Fortunatus Bishop of Aquilea His banishment pardoned and Liberius restored to his Bishoprike in and by all things as saith Platina he agreed with the heretikes This restoring of Liberius and deposing of Felix caused great tumult in Rome so that the matter came to blowes and many Priestes and Ecclesiasticall men euen in the Churches were murthered This was the second Sisme In that which I haue said of Liberius and Felix I haue followwed Platina who vpon the life of Felix saith that faulting in nothing which became a true and good Christian he was caught with manie more good Christians and so by the aduersaries murthered Athanasius in an Epistle written to such as led a solitarie life saith plainly that Liberius after two yeares of his banishment passed being threatened wrth death changed his opinion and subscribed against Athanasius Ierome in his Chronicle saith that Liberius ouercome with disdaine of banishment subscribed to that wicked heresie Tome 1. Concil It is said that when Liberius was entered Rome he agreed with the heretike Constantius The same saith Damasus in his booke de Pontif. And Platina and Alonso venero in his Enchiridion of times and Iohn Stella and others Bale saith With ambition Gigas saith that Liberius moued with the martyrdome of Felix and fearing the like agreed with the Arrians approued their doctrine No mention is made of Liberius repentance therefore he is counted among the Arrian Popes Damasus his successour for this cause condemned Liberius al that he did But Gregorie 7. that abominable Pope as afterward in his life shall appeare canonized notwithstanding this Arrian Liberius and coÌ„manded saith Card. Benon his feast to be celebrated Panuinus the Popes great parasite in his chronicle of Bish cals him S. Liberius Behold if that which is said be true that many bee holden for Saintes whose soules are burning in hell Behold if the Pope may erre in â—aith To write the life of this Liberius hath cost me some trauell and diuersity of opinions the cause Some hold him for a Catholike others for an Arrian and both the one and the other say truth For in the beginning of his Bishopdome he was as we haue said a Catholike but after without repentance an obstinate Arrian Note we here what an euill beast is ambition He that standeth let him take heed lest he fall It sufficeth not to begin well but to end well is needfull He that continueth to the end saith the Lord shall be saued God giue vs grace to tame our ambition which we all haue need of For there is none which reputeth not himselfe for a demi-God and giue vs strength in afflictions which for his name we suffer Remember we Liberius But what speake I of Liberius Remember we Salomon that so well began but how proceeded he afterward The Lord gouerne vs vnto the end In the time of this Liberius and in the citie of Tagasta in Affrike was borne the great Doctor and light in the Church Saint Augustine and on the same day they say that Pelagius the heretike was borne in great Brittaine Oh the great mercie of God that prouided an Antidote against the poison of Pelagius Damasus a Portugall as we haue sayd condemned Liberius Damasus was verie deuout and ceremonious Panuinus in his Chronicle noteth that all the Bishops of Rome vntill Damasus were chosen and consecrated vpon one selfe same day But afterwards saith he this was not so obserued Vpon the day of Consecration now called coronation is a solemne triumph holden in Rome So much haue increased the riches power ambition and pride of those which call themselues the Fishers successours In this time flourished Saint Ierome and was a deare friend of Damasus as by their writings appeareth Betweene Damasus and Vrsinus was the third Sisme But in the 367. yeare Vrsinus renounced and was made Bishop of Naples Damasus died in the 384. yeare and Siricius succeeded him Siricius as saith Gracianus dist 82. was he that first forbad mariage to the Westerne priests which ordination many nations and chiefly our countrey of Spaine nothing esteemed Wherefore Hymerius then Bishop of Tarragona wrote to Siricius that the priestes
the soules in Purgatorie But who eateth and drinketh the same not the soules but the Preists and Friars their concubines and children A poore old woman watched early and late to spinne and ad farthing to farthing for a Masse to be said for the soule of her husband brother or son she forbare to eate and gaue it vnto knaues All these visions or apparitions they made by the Arte of the deuill Iudge Lord thine owne cause deliuer the poore people from the handes of these Inchaunters false prophets and deceiuers Open thine eies ô Spaine and see beleeue him that with great loue doth aduise thee Behold whether this that I say be true or no Iohn 20. of poyson as some say in the 1009. yeare died Don Fernando 1. then reigned in Castile Leons Sergius 4. a Roman by the accustomed waies in his time had the Bishopdome albeit Platina and Estella the Popes parasites affirme him to haue bene a holy man The Sun in his time was darkened the Moone in shew like bloud famin pestilence were in Italy the water of a certaine fountaine in Lorena was turned into bloud All these were prognostications most certain signs of Gods wrath for the idolatry which then reigned Sergius died in the 1012. yeare Benedict 7. or 8. son of Gregorie Bishop of Porta a lay man by the aid of his nephew Theophilact a great inchanter and disciple of Syluester 2. which learned his nigromancy in Seuill as in his life before we haue declared was made Pope This Theophilact proued very expert in his art so that sacrificing to the diuel in woods mouÌ„taines he caused by his sorcery saith Cardinal Benon that women enamored of him left their houses followed him such a one as he was he was afterwad Pope Whilest Henrie Banare the Emperour liued this Benedict was Pope quietly but the Emperour once dead the Cardinals dispoped him placed another in his room but afterward appeased with mony which Benedict gaue them they inthronized him againe cast out the Antipope This was the 19 Sisme Of this Benedict reporteth Pet. Damianus the same also reciteth Antoninus Frier Iohn de Pinedapar 3. lib. 19. cap. 17. ¶ 3. others that a horseman on a blackeâ—horse after his death appeared to a Bishop his verie friend The Bishop appalled with the vision demaunded saying What art not thou Pope Benedict that lately died I am the same that thou sayest sayd Benedict The Bishop demanded Father how doest thou Grieuously tormeÌ„ted answered the pope but I may well be holpen Go then tell my brother the now pope that he giue to the poore the treasure in such a place hidden Moreouer he appeared to the pope his brother saying I hope I shall be deliuered Oh wold God Odilus Cluniacensis wold pray for me See here how the diuel dalied with men to confirm their Masse purgatory Benedict in the 1024. yeare died and Fernando 1. reigned in Castile and Lyons Iohn 21. or 19. was pope by the same means that his brother was to wit by the means of Theophilact his nephue the great inchanter This Iohn being a lay man without any orders receiued was made pope In the 1032. yeare he died And Don Fernando 1. in Castile and Lyons reigned Theophilact the great inchanter of whoÌ„ we haue made mention after the death of his two vncles Benedict 8. Iohn 21. by his wicked arts was made Pope called himselfe Benedict 9. or 8. The Cardinals Laurentius Ioh. Gracianus his disciples and great nigromancers he made great account So skilful wer they in Nigromancie that they knew what passed in the East West North South Many thought theÌ„selues happy to be their disciples Out of this cursed schoole issued that cursed Hildebrand who being Pope called himselfe Gregory 7. and as saith Cardinal Benon wrought so great mischief This Benedict 9. fearing Henry the Emperor for 1500. â— sold his Popedome to l. Gracian his companion who called himself Gregory 6. For this sale saith Platina was Benedict of all accused by diuine iudgement coÌ„demned And why was he not so for his fornications adulteries idolatries nigromancies inchantmeÌ„ts exorcismes inuocations of diuels other abominations Thus was his end he was straÌ„gled by a diuel Histories report namely Martiniana Iohn de Col. S. Anthonin Ioh. de Pineda others that this Theophilact or Benedict appeared after his death to a certain Hermit in a very fearful figure for in his body was he like a beare his taile head like an asse being demanded of the Hermit how he became so fearful he answered say they because in my popedoÌ„ I liued without law without God for defiling the RomaÌ„ seat with al kind of filthinesse The name of Cardinal in his time very highly climbed In the 1034. or after others 1032. died Benedict 9. of whom note more vpon Syluester 3. Don Fernando 1. then reigned in Spaine After that Benedict 9. had sold his Popedome Syluester 3. by bribes was made Pope albeit others labored for Iohannes Gracianus vnto whoÌ„ for mony Benedict had renounced the Popedome in the end was Syluester Pope albeit no more but 49. dayes For to such a state saith Platina the Bishopdome then came that who so could do most with money and ambition I say not with holinesse of life and doctrine the good being suppressed and cast aside he only obtained the Popedome Would God such customs were not in our time vsed But this is nothing worse things then those shal we see if God put not to his hand Hitherto Platina Otho Frinsingensis Godfridus Viterbiensis and other Anthours report three Popes to haue bene in the time of Benedict 9. and all of them in Rome Benedict 9. Syluester 3. Gregorie 6. Benedict held his seat in the Pallace of Lateran the other held his in S. Peters and the third held his in S. Maries the great Henry the Emperour hearing of these seditions came to Rome and held a Councell wherein the said three Popes were condemned and a fourth chosen whom they called Clement the second These three great villaines did not the Emperour punish as he ought but only as saith Bennon chased Theophilact from Rome cast Gregorie into prison whom iointly with Hildebrand he banished into Germanie and caused Syluester to returne to his Bishopricke of Sabina Note that this Bendict 9. was three times Pope the first he cast out Syluester and was depriued the second Clement 2. being dead and was depriued the third after the death of Damasus the second he was Pope by times as writeth Platina the space often years foure moneths and nine dayes The like happened to Sergius 3. who in the yeare 897. was three times Pope In the 1045. yeare was Syluester depriued and Don Fernando 1. reigned in Spaine In the
then lighting from his horse led the horse of the Pope and held his left stirrope for the Pope to alight The Pope derided the Emperour because he held not the right stirrop with this dirision was the Emperour somewhat angrie and smilingly answering him said That he neuer had bin horse boie The daie following came the Pope to the Campe of the Emperour who corrected with his former reproofe by holding the right stirrope better perfourmed his office This done the Emperour would be crowned but the Pope wold not crowne him till he had cast from Pulla Willam king of Sicilia and this at the proper charge of the Emperour The Popes resolution vnderstood the princes answered that a greater Campe was needefull that then he should crowne the Emperour who wold returne with a greater host and performe that which he commaunded and so was he crowned the daie following when the Emperour was departed the Pope seeing himselfe destitute of his assistance excomunicated the king of Sicilia and absolued all his vassals of their oath and allegeance but seing this nothing preuailed he incited against William Manuel Emperor of Grecia William seeing himselfe so greatly straighted demaunded peace promising to make full restitution but by the counsaile of some Cardinalls which gained by the warres the Pope would not grant it William seeing the cause to be desperat leuied a great armie wherwith he put to flight the Emperour he besieged Beneuente where was the Pope with his Cardinals and put them to such a straite that they craued peace which William graunted and so the Pope declared him king of both Sicils At this time commaunded the German Emperour that if the Pope sent his Legats into Almaine they should not be receiued but commanded to returne The Emperor also cōmanded that none shold appeale to Rome in letters placed his owne name before the name of the Pope wherwith the Pope was highly offended as by a letter which he sent cōplaining of these things which the Emperor had cōmanded appeareth Whereunto the Emperor very Christian-like among other things answered saying that Iesus Christ cōmāded to giue vnto Caesar that which was Caesars that the Pope being his vicar should do the like He shewed the cause why his Cardinals were not admitted for that they were saith he not preachers but robbers but when they performe their duty office then will we not let to ayd them D. Illescas in his hist Pontif. vpon the life of this Adrian 4. setteth downe the letter of the Pope but craftie as he was he set not downe the answer of the Emperor recited by Nauclerus In the end he excommunicated the Emperor but no further could the Pope shew his malice for that he swallowed a flie and in the 1159 yeare thereof died This Pope granted the Henrie 2. king of England the seignory of Ireland In this yere 1159. died Don Alonso 7. who reigned 51 yere in Castile Alexander 3. was made pope with great sedition for 9 Cardinals which tooke part with the Emperour made the Cardinal of S. Clement whō they called Victor 4. Pope Victor being dead in his place was chosen Pascal then Calistus and afterwards Innocentius All these one after another opposed themselues to Alexander This was a much greater Sisme then the 27 was The last which was Innocent vnwillingly renounced All the time that Alexāder was Pope which was 22 yeres indured this sisme Frederick the Emperor in the time of this Sisme held a Diet in Pauia where he cōmanded that Alexander the Pope his aduersary should appeare that the cause might be examined and he Pope alone which had most right to be Pope Alexander scorning the messēgers of the Emperor proudly answered The Bishop of Rome ought not to be iudged of any thē wrote his letters to the christian Princes excōmunicated the Emperor Victor the Pope To the Cardinal his vicegerent in Rome sent he great presents to gaine the good wils of the Romans that they might chuse such Consuls as shold take part with him To him Philip king of France gaue great assistance The Emperour seing the obstinacy of Alex. leuied a great host came into Italy whē the Emperor was come to Brixia Harmā Bish of that citie who had bin Secretary to the Emperour perswaded him that by the coūsel of Alex. whō he feared to passe with this gret host into the holy land there make war with the Turke The Emp. moued with this exhortatiō of Hermā supposing al waters were cleare and that there was no deceit departed to make warres with the Turkes of whom he had many victories and gained many cities and among them the citie of Ierusalem Aelexander hearing of such and so great victories beganne newly to feare lest the Emperour at his returne into Italie would newly assaile him To preuent so great a mischiefe by all possible meanes he practised to destroy and cause him to be killed Then sent he for a painter which should picture the liuely purtrait of the Emperour which picture or purtraite the Pope sent to the Souldan aduising him by his letters that if he coueted to liue in peace he should kill him by deceit whom that picture represented The Souldan taking the counsell of this diuellish Pope sought all wayes possible to kill him and vnable by force of armes by fraud and subtiltie The Emperour and his campe then marching in Armenia and the season being verie hot he resolued to go bathe in the riuer and none to accompanie him but one of his Chaplaines being thus alone he was taken by such as the Souldan sent to watch him and taken was through the woods and groues carried to the Souldan without the knowledge or suspition of anie of his followers His people on horseback all that day and the next sought him and not finding him it was bruited through the host that the Emperour was drowned And supposing that he was drowned they returned to their owne countries When the Emperour was presented to the Souldan he fained himselfe to be the porter of the Emperour but the Souldan well knowing him by the picture which the good Pope had sent him commanded the purtrait and letters sent by the Pope to be brought forth which in his presence he caused to bee read Then was the Emperour apalled and seeing that his deniall nothing auailed confessed whom he was and craued mercie The Souldan seeing the great goodnesse and wiseof the Emperour with great gentlenesse vsed him and so it happened that he gaue him libertie with this condition that an euerlasting peace should be betweene them and that he should pay an hundred thousand duckets for his ransome for the which his Chaplaine taken with him should remaine vntill it were paide The Couenantes thus beeing made the Soldan dismissed the Emperour and giuing him many presents and prouiding all things necessary for his iourney he caused 34 horsemen to
attend him so came he to Brixia where he abode The Gemane Princes hearing of the Emperours arriuall came to kisse his hands and giue him the welcome-home The Emperour rewarded the Souldans people that had attended on him and sent them backe to their Lord againe This done the Emperour held a Diet in Norinberge where he recouÌ„ted that which had hapned the great treason of the Pope read the letter sent by the Pope to the Souldan which seene the Princes promised their aid both for performance of his promise to the Souldan and also for the chastising of Pope Alexander A great campe he leuied without any let passed through Italy and went towards Rome The Emperour sent Ambassadors to Rome by whom he required without mentioning the receiued villanies and iniuries by Pope Alexander that the cause of the Popes might be heard examined that he which had most right might be Pope and so the Sisme cease Alexander seeing his part vnfurnished fled by night to Gaeta and from thence to Beneuente and there attiring himself in the habite of his Cooke in the 17. yeere of his Bishodome came to Venice where he was made Gardiner of a Monasterie from whence by commandement of Sebastian Duke of Venice with great pome he was taken and very pontifically carried to the Church of Saint Marke This historie is cited by Nauclerus Barnus Funcius and others The Emperour hearing that the Pope was in Venice requested the Venetians to deliuer so pernicious a man his enemie vnto him which denied by the Venetians the Emperor with an Armie sent Otho his sonne commanded him not to fight before his comming The young Prince desirous of fame sought with the Venetians against the commandement of his father of whom he was vanquished and carried prisoner to Venice This was a notable victorie for the Generall of the Venetians called Ciano brought but thirie Gallies and Otho 75. I will here recite that which Frier Iohn de Pineda lib. 25. cap. 7. ¶ 3. saith Glorious Ciano entered into Venice c. and somewhat lower The Pope gaue him the glorie of the victorie a little gold ring he also deliuered him saying he gaue him that in token he graunted him the segniorie of the sea which he had gotten and would he should cast it into the sea to bind the sea thenceforth as his wife to be alwayes kept vnder the Venetian Empire And that all the after Dukes should vpon some speciall day celebrate this ceremony euerie yeare And somewhat after the ceremony passed was vpon the day of the Ascension and the Pope granted in that Church vpon such day full remission c. for euer Thus farre Pineda Alexander growne proud with this victorie would not make peace with Fredericke vntill he himselfe should come to Venice at such day as the Pope would appoint The father for the loue he bare to his sonne did all whatsoeuer he was commanded He came to Saint Markes where the Pope before all the people commanded the Emperour to prostrate himselfe and craue mercie which the Emperour there did Then trode the Pope with his feete vpon the necke of the Emperour who was prostrate on the ground and with his mouth that spake blasphemies said It is written Thou shalt go vpon the Aspe and Basiliske and vpon the Lyon and Dragon shalt thou treade The Emperour herewith ashamed made answere Not to thee but to Peter Whereat the Pope stamping vpon the necke of the Emperour said Both to me and to Peter Then was the Emperour silent and so the Pope absolued him of his excommunication Another such like thing as this to the Emperor Henry of whoÌ„ we haue spoken in the life of Gregory 7. hapned The conditions of peace were That the Emperor shold hold Alexander for rightfull Pope restore all whatsoeuer that during the war he had taken The peace thus made the Emperor with his sonne departed Robert Montensis in his historie reporteth that Lewis king of France and Henry king of England going on foot and holding the bridle of the horse whereupon this Alexander rode the one with the right-hand and the other with the left with great pompe they led him through the citie of Boyanci which is vpon the riuer Luera In the time of this Alexander God to reproue the pride and tyranny of the Bishop raised vp the Waldenses or as other call them the poore of Lyons in the yeare of the Lord 1181. in which yeare this beast died and Don Sancho 3. reigned in Castile Lucius 3. who purposed to abolish the name of Consuls in Rome by the commoÌ„ consent of the Cardinals was chosen For which the Romans much offended expelled him from Rome disgraced with diuers kinds of reproches those of his part and some of them also they killed In the 1185. yeare he died and Don Sancho 3. reigned in Castile Vrban 3. whom for his troublesomenesse they called Turbano as saith Albertus Crantzio in the 6. booke and 52. chap. of his Saxon historie determined to excommunicate the Emperour because he was a let vnto him and wold not permit him to do what he listed but he did it not because in the 1187. yere he died before he would Don Alonso 8. reigned in Castile and at this time the Moores tooke Ierusalem Gregorie 8. before he was two moneths Pope died When Clement 3. was Pope he incited the Christian Princes as had done his predecessours to warre beyond the seas which did the Popes not so much for the increase of Christendom as for their own peculiar intents commodities as vpon Alexander 3. we haue already declared because the Princes being so farre remote and intangled with warres against the Infidels the Popes might do and did whatsoeuer they listed The Danes this Pope excommunicated because they would their Priestes should be married and not concubine keepers In this 1191. yeare he died Don Alonso the eight then reigned in Castile The next day after Celestine 3. was made Pope He crowned Henrie 6. and much repining that Tancred the bastard son of Roger whom the Sicilians had chosen for king William their king being dead without heire should be the king of Sicilia The Pope married the Emperour with Constantia the daughter of Râ—gero taking her out of the Monasterie of Panormo where she was a Nunne vpon this condition that expelling Tancred who then possessed it He should demaund for dower the kingdome of both Sicils and for being king of Sicilia should pay his fealty to the Pope which was the cause of much bloudshed When this Emperour Henry was dead great sisme arose in the Empire such and so great was the discord that hardly one parish agreed with another By these coÌ„tentions amoÌ„g the priests the Pope greatly enriched himselfe because in Rome they were to be ended as noteth Conrado Lichtenao Abbot of Vespurg whose words for that
he let them go Don Fenando 3. reigned in Spaine When Innocent the fourth a Genoway was Pope of a most deere friend to the Emperour Fredericke he beame a mortall enemie I will here recite what saith Ieronymus Marius concerning this Pope of him saith he that being Pope he held a Councell against the Emperor at Lyous in Fraunce in which Councell the Pope himselfe cited the Emperour The Embassadors of the Emperour besought the Pope to giue him time to come to the Councell this time the Pope refused to graunt but there like a mad man excommunicated and deposed the Emperour commaunding that none should obey him and the Princes to choose another Emperour whom he so sollicited and with promises deceiued that they chose for Emperour Henrie Lantgraue of Turingia Fredericke the second vnderstanding hereof against the Pope and the rest defended himselfe valiantly vntill being in Pulla he could not escape the snares of the Pope where a certaine man by the Pope corrupted did poyson him Yet began he notwithstanding to recouer vntill a young man called Manfredo with money also as some say by the pope corrupted strangled him with a towell Concerning this good Emperour no credite is to be giuen either to Blundus Platina Estella nor Sabellicus because they wrote the sayings of the Pope and his flatterers to stirre vp the world if they might against this good Emperour Who listeth to knowe the truth let him reade Petrus de Vinea in his sixe bookes of Epistles Hitherto Marius In Sueuia at this time were preachers that with great libertie preached the truth against the Pope and his Cardinals they iustified the cause of the Emperour Fredericke the second and Conrad his sonne and boldly affirmed that neithe the Pope Cardinals nor Bishops had any authority because they were stained with Simony and that they held no power which Christ had giuen them The Priests sayd they being in mortall sinne did neither bind nor loose nor yet consecrate at al c. At the end of their sermons they said that the indulgēces which they preached were not feigned of the Pope nor inuented of his Prelates but graunted by the omnipotent God In the foresayd Councell of Lugdanum Innocent ordeined that the Cardinals should vse red shadowes which they call hattes and cloakes and ride vpon trapped horses and this saith Platina to adorne his order of Cardinals Note for this purpose concerning the Cardinals that which Pero Mexia vpon the life of the Emperour Henry the fourth saith where to paint Saint Ierome with a hat is made a mockerie for Saint Ierome died aboue 850 yeares before Innocent inuented the hattes This Pope Innocent the fourth had many bastards whom after the popish custome he called Nephewes Vntill the time of this Pope as noteth Bibliander there was no article of faith nor law of the Church that men should worship the bread and wine in the Eucharist This Pope was the first that created a new God by his transubstantiation albeit true it is that Honorius 3. began this building This Pope offered to Henry 3. king of England the kingdome of both Sicils if he would buy it In the 1254. yeare he died and Don Alonso 10. called the wise which was Emperour reigned in Castile Alexander 4. an Italian was the first that persecuted and excommunicated Manfred king of Sicilia By reason whereof many reuolts happened in Italie William de S. Amor a learned man who wrote against the feigned pouertie of the begging Friars was in the time of this Pope which bookes with a terrible edict the Pope prohibited This good man affirmed these idle poore and lazie fellowes which liued by almes were not in the state of saluation This Alexander 4. secretly fauoured Richard the sonne of king Iohn of England for money which he had promised if he would make him Emperour but publikely hee made shewe to fauour Don Alonso 10. king of Spaine of whome hee had receiued verie much money A double hearted man is neuer good In the 1262. yeare or after others 1261. he died and Don Alonso the tenth reigned in Castile Vrban 4. a Frenchman was Pope he tooke against Manfred as his predecessour Alexander the fourth had done And the better to be enabled for his owne reuenge he prayed Lewis king of France to send Charles his brother Earle of Prouince and Aniou whom he called king of both Sicils with a great campe into Italie Charles in the end after many warlike conflicts ouercame and slew Manfred neere vnto Benauente and so took he vnder fealty the kingdoms of Sicilia with Dukedome of Calabria and Pulla the pope against all right as he that faulteth in whatsoeuer he doth giuing the same vnto him This manifest roberie was the cause of manie ensuing murders This Vrban the fourth at the instance of a certain woman called Eua a Recluse in the land of Leege familiarly by him knowne before he was Pope did institute the great feast of the breaden God called Corpus Christi This woman Arnoldus Bostius and Petrus Premostratensis report had a reuelation a diuellish one no doubt vpon the celebration of the feast of the Sacrament which shee by her letters signified to the Pope requesting him by his papall authoritie to cause it to be celebrated Which thing the pope graunted as by a letter in answere thereof appeareth This letter thus beginneth Vrbanus Episcopus seruus seruorum Dei dilectae in Christo filiae Euae salutem c. Vrban Bishop the seruant of Gods seruants to Euah his beloued daughter in Christ health and Apostolique blessing We know ô daughter that with great desire hath thy soule desired the solemne feast of the body of our Lord Iesus Christ to be instituted in the Church of God and for euer celebrated of all faithfull Christians c. The Letter is long and therefore contenting my selfe to haue put downe the summe I haue spared here to recite it Behold heere my brethren the cause of this solemne feast with so manie daunces Castles Maygames playes maydes borne vpon mens shoulders streetes strowed with boughes and decked with Tapistrie A day it is of most great superstition and Idolatrie a day wherein more villanies then vertues are committed For who he or shee vpon this day will not see and be seene that beside which passeth more to be lamented then laughed at True it is that Pope Honorius the third laid the foundation and made the ground-worke of this building In the 1265. or after some others 1264. yeere died Vrban and Don Alonso 10. reigned in Castile Clement 4. a Frenchman was like his predecessors cruell and a great bloodshedder He called into Italy against Manfred king of Cicill Charles Earle of Aniou Charles vanquished and killed Manfred whom this vngentle Clement made king of Sicilia and Ierusalem with this condition to pay him yeerely 40000. duckats This caused infinite numbers of men
to be murdered For Conradino the sonne and heire of Conrade king of Sicilia sought to defend his right but Charles ouercame and tooke him prisoner together with Fredericke Duke of Austria neere vnto Naples and by the counsell of the pope did behead them For Charles wrote to the Pope what he should doe with Conradino his prisoner The Pope answered The life of Charles the death of Conradino c. After him Adrian 5. against this Charles demanded aide of Rodolph the Emperour The kingdome of Naples by meanes of this cursed Pope came to the French and the Dukedome of Sueuia tooke end In the 1270. yeere this butcher died The seat of Sathan was long time to wit two yeeres and nine moneths and two dayes voide And Don Alonso 10. then reigned in Castile Clement the fourth being dead the Cardinals which were 17. number to chuse a new pope assembled together Amongst whom so great discord arose that in almost three yeeres space they could not agree for euery of them pretended to be pope Philip king of France and Charles king of Sicill hearing of this great discord came to Viterbo where the Cardinals were and prayed them to dispatch and chuse a chiefe bishop but so great was the ambition of the Cardinals that all this trauell and sute of the two kings were to no purpose so they returned without any thing done When they were in the election inuocating the holy spirit bishop Iohn Cardinall Portuensis seeing the great forwardnesse of the Cardinals said vnto them My Lords let vs vncouer this chamber for the holy spirit through so great roofes cannot enter vnto vs. When the same Cardinall vnderstood that Gregory was Pope he cōpiled these two verses Papatus munus tulit Archidiaconus vnus Quem patrem patrum fecit discordia fratrum To wit an Archdeacon attained to the Popedom whom the discord of brothers made father of fathers All this reporteth Panuinus an Augustin Frier Behold here what the Romists thēselues report of the elections of their Popes behold here Ambition the holy spirit which in their election gouerneth Gregory 10. thus elected in the yere 1273. at Lyons in France did celebrate a Councell where Michael Paleologus Emperour of Constantinople who approued the doctrin of the Romaine church his predecessors hauing 12 times done the like as many times more reuoked the same was present In this councell it was ordeined that the Pope being dead the Cardinals shold shut thēselues in the Conclaue And that moreouer which Panuinus in the note vpon Platina vpon the life of this Gregory 10. saith He renued a fresh the warre of the holy land And in 5 yeres that he poped neuer saw Rome In the 1276. yere he died and Don Alonso 10. reigned in Castile Innocent 5. a Burgonion was the first begging friar that was made pope for which cause he much fauored his dominicks And hauing poped 6. moneths 2. daies the same yere with his predecessor he died Adriā 5. a Genoway was the nephew or as is thought the son of Innocēt 4. whē he was Pope he went frō Rome to Viterbo frō whence he wrote to Rodulph the Emperour to aide him against Charles king of Sicilia which Charles had the former popes against all right made king of Sicil as in the life of Clement 4. we haue noted but the Emperor occupied in the wars of Bohemia could not succor him He poped but one moneth 7 daies then died Iohn 22. or 21 or 20 before he was pope called in latin Petrus Hispanus was born at Lisbon by professiō a Phisition Albeit this mā was holden for very learned yet was he very vnskilfull to gouerne And as saith Platina wrought more domage thē profit to the popedom Many things he did which shew his folly lightnes One good property he had that whē he saw a yong man inclined to study with benefits money he would aide him This mā foolish as he was promised by the stars long life to himselfe so would tell it to all men But it farre otherwise happened to him for a certaine chamber which Valerius calleth a sporting chamber Estella calleth it a precious bed chamber which he had builded for his pleasure in the pallace of Viterbo at the end of 4. dayes fell suddenly to the ground the Pope was found betweene the timber the stones who hauing poped 8. moneths and 8. daies at 7. dayes end in the 1277. yere died Six moneths after the death of his predecessor was Nicholas 3. chosen for the Cardinals could not agree at the end of which time Charles king of Sicilia ruling as a Senator in the Conclaue Nicholas 3. was chosen who after he was pope began thē to persecute Charles he tooke frō him the vicaredge of Hetruria he tooke frō him also the power of Senator giuē him by Clement 4. he forbad that no king or prince thenceforth should dare to demand or administer that office tooke it to himselfe But Martin the 4. his successor did restore it vnto him For so agree the Popes that that which one doeth another vndoeth This Nicholas with great wars vexed Italy And the better to effect his purposes he perswaded Don Pedro king of Arragon to demand the kingdom of Sicilia seeing it was his in the right of his wife Constance This counsell much pleased Don Pedro which was afterwards the cause of much bloodshed In the yere 1381. died Nic. Martin 4. a Frenchman Panninus cals him 2. with great humanity receiued Charles king of Sicilia and restored him to the dignity of Senator that moreouer which his predecessor had taken frō him He excōmunicated Don Pedro king of Arragon who leuied a great armie to inuade Charles in Sicilia gaue his kingdome for a prey to the first that could take it absolued all his vassals from their oth to him made as their king c. yet Don Pedro of al this made no reckoning but passed into Italy aided by Paleologus Emperor of Constantinople wan Sicilia The Sicilians for their pride luxuritie bare great hatred to the French so that they conspired against Charles his frenchmen toulling the bels they issued out killed all nor sex nor age regarded yong old men and women albeit great with child they destroyed These be the Euensongs which the Sicilians call so famous After this Charles with his armie comming to Naples was vanquished taken as saith Platina sent into Arragon This Pope Martin tooke the concubine of his predecessor Nicholas 3. when Martin had 4. yeares and one moneth poped in the 1285. yeare he died of whom saith Platina that after his death he wrought great miracles Don Alonso 10. then raigned in Castile Honorius the fourth following the steps of his predecessor Martin 4. confirmed the excommunication and interdiction against Don Pedro which held
offended because Apius Claudius had chosen himselfe of the Decemuiri and Lucius Furius Camillus to be Consull and they were pagans and to be named Pope he being a Christian held it no let c. Such like vnto him was this Iohn 24. that elected himselfe This Pope depriued Hugh Bishop of Catura disgraded and deliuered him to secular power to be tormented embowelled and burned till he were dead The cause of his great crueltie was this that the said Bishop he said had conspired against the Pope This Iohn much affected nouelties of one Bishopricke he made 2 and contrarywise of 2 one Of an Abotship he made a bishoprick and of a bishoprick he made an Abbotship Caragoça he made an Archbishoprick and fiue bishopricks of 11 in the Prouince of Taracona hee gaue it for suffraganes The Knights of Christs order as they call it to fight against the Moores he instituted in Portugale and by consent of Don Alonso king of Portugal gaue them the goods of the Templars Those he condemned for heretiques which said Christ and his Apostles had nothing proper He forbad this question in the vniuersities to be disputed He condemned one Peter a Franciscan Friar because he exhorted men to follow Christs pouertie For which cause many were condemned and burned This Pope so cruell against such as he called heretiques erred in the faith and was an heretike For hee taught that the soules seperated from the bodies saw not God nor reioyced with him before the day of iudgement For so as saith Masseus deceiued by the visions of one Tundall an Irishman had his father taught him By that saying of the Lord to the theefe vpon the Crosse This day shalt thou be with mee in Paradice Luke 22. 43. and by the speech which he vttered concerning Lazarus whose soule saith he was in Abrahams bosome Luke 16. 22. by that which saith S. Stephen Act. 7. 59. Lord Iesus receiue my spirit imitating therein his maister who being vpon the crosse said Father Into thy handes I commend my spirit And by the saying of S. Paul Phil. 1. 21. To me Christ is gain whether in life or death and verse 23. I desire to be dissolued and to be with Christ and that he saith is better for him Also Eccle. 12. 7. And dust returne to the earth c. the spirit returne to God that gaue it Also Matth. 22 23. the Lord speaking of Abraham Isack Iacob who were dead as touching the body saith that God is not a God of the dead but of the liuing And Luke 16. 9. Make ye friends of the vnrighteous Mammon that when ye shall haue neede to wit when ye shall die They may receiue you into euerlasting habitation And 2. Cor. 5. 8. we loue to be out of the body and to be with the Lord is this heresie confuted Whereupon it followeth that the soules of the faithful which die in the Lord see God and at the parting from their bodies enioy his presence in these two thinges to see God and enioy his presence our happinesse consisteth To teach and preach this heresie this Pope sent 2 Friars to Parris the one a Dominican the other a Franciscan vnto whom Thomas Vales an English Dominicke opposed himself for which the Pope cast him into prison many others likewise opposed themselues In conclusion the vniuersitie of Paris ayded by the fauour of their king Phillip the faire who had withdrawne himselfe and all his kingdome from the Popes obedience compelled the Pope as he did to recant not without sound of trumpet for feare of loosing his Popedome as Iohn Gerson in the sermon of Easter doth witnes The errors of this Pope which now we will reckon are according to the papists errors but according to Christian religion perfect truth He commaunded the Nunnes called Beguinas to marry He could not abide to see pictures nor Images He affirmed that Iesus Christ gaue no other rule to his Apostles then that which he had giuen to all faithfull Chistians The Apostles said he neuer vowed Chastitie And that vowes make not them perfect which vowe them nor put them in the state of perfection We will now returne to his wonders Iohn Mandeuell lib. 1. cap. 7. reporteth this Pope to haue written a large Epistle to the Greciās saying That there was but one church whose head he was the vicar of Christ Whereunto the Grecians in few words answered thy power ouer thy subiects we verily beleue to be great thy excaeding pride we cānot suffer thy couetousnesse we cannot satisfie the deuill be with thee for the Lord is with vs. In this Laconismo or breuitie well declared the Grecians the whole state of the Pope This Pope Iohn proclamed the Emperour Lodowicke of Bauiera for a Rebell Sismatique and heretique The cause was as saith Ieronymus Marius for that the Emperour being elected by the Princes without othe of subiection to the Pope as Clement 5. had commanded tooke vpon him the administration of the Empire The Emperour to auoyd contention sent his Embassadours to the Pope being then at Auignon requesting at his hands the authority and title of the Emperour But so farre of was the Pope from graunting this that he sent home with a mischiefe and verie euill intreated the Ambassadours peremptorily cyting the Emperour himselfe personally to appeare in Auignon and submit himselfe to the decrees of the Church But the Emperour knowing the tyrannie which the Pope vsurped in the Church and perceiuing that he had receiued onely of God his Emperiall Maiestie would not as a seruant subiect himselfe nor come to Auignon Affecting peace notwithstanding he eftsoones by Embassadours did gently request him to graunt what he demaunded The Pope was still obstinate and for the hate which he bare to the Emperor excommunicated the Vicounts whom the Emperour had placed to gouerne Millan When the Emperour sawe his obstinacie he came to Rome where he was very magnifically receiued and demaunded of the Romanes that which the Pope had denyed him The Nobles of Rome hearing this sent their messengers to the Pope beseeching him to come to Rome and graunt that which the Emperour desired which if he denyed to doe they would doe said they according to the law and auncient custome of the Romans yet for all this was the Pope nothing moued but rather much more incensed and cast them from his presence with many iniuries and threatnings When the people of Rome saw this they determined to graunt that which the Emperour demaunded and so the Senators Stephen and Nicholas by commaundement of the Clergie people crowned the Emperour with his wife the Emperesse This knowne to Pope Iohn he made great processe against the Emperour calling him heretique and saying he had committed high treason he depriued him of all that he had excommunicating him a new with a most cruell excommunication Thus farre Ieronymus Marius Diuines and lawyers in those times
hee surely pretend it Thus farre Platina Eight of the French Cardinals fearing the seuerity and cruelty of Vrban went to Fundo where for the causes aboue said and alleaging that the seat was voyd yet there were 18 Cardinals ayded by Iane Queene of Naples another Pope they elected whom they called Clement 7. This was the most pernicious Sisme longest lasted of any others For vntill the Councell of Constance began which was 40 yeares after 10 yeres after that it continued so that it endured 50 yeares Who listeth to know the deceipts subtilties periuries dissimulations c. of those that poped in the time of this Sisme let him read Theodoricus de Nyem who as an ey-witnes wrote the historie of this Sisme Bonin Segino in the Florētine history Frier Iohn de Pineda lib. 22. cap. 37. ¶ 3. 4. This Vrban saith Estella was a man subtil reuengefull bearing iniuries in mind not that which he had done but that he had receiued Crantzio saith that he was fierce cruel vntreatable so being Pope he sought not to set peace but wars to reuenge himself on the Frēch Cardinals Queen Iane. For which cause to make thē on his part he absolued the Florentins of the excōmunication which Gregorie his predecessor had giuen out against them This Vrban caused 5 Cardinals to be put in 5 sacks and so cast into the sea where they were drowned From this kind of death but very hardly escaped Adam an English Cardinall The cause why the Pope did this was for that these Cardinals taking part with Clement 7. had conspired against him After this for the better strengthening of his faction he made in one day 29 Cardinals three of them saith Platina were Romans all the rest almost Neapolitans Pandulphus Colenucius a most learned Lawyer addeth in his Latine Neapolitan history another cruelty much greater then this we haue spoken of This Vrban saith he being in Genoa cōdemned to death three Cardinals commanded their heads to be cut off their bodies to be rosted in a furnace being rosted to put thē into sackes and whēsoeuer he went frō one people to another he caried them vpō 3 horses that it might be known they had bin Cardinals they placed their red hats vpon the sackes All this he did to be feared that none shold dare to attempt ought against him Thus far Colenucius This Vrban vnable by force and artes to be reuenged on Queene Iane sent to intreat Charles nephew of the king of Hungarie to come aid him with an host he would make him king of Naples Charles aided with the counsel people of the king his vncle came and seazed the kingdome of Naples tooke Queene Iane who was retired to Newcastle a fort in Naples and so taken put her to death The Pope vntil this time was a great friend vnto Charles but as peace among the wicked doth not long continue so this great loue of the Pope turned into much more hatred And why deeme you his Diuellishnesse was so much offended The cause was for that Charles refused at the Popes request to make the Nephew or as some thinke the sonne of the Pope Prince Campano Platina Colenucius and others recite this historie When the Pope could not obtaine this being a man vnciuill vngentle and ill beloued began to threaten Wherere with the king was so much offended that the Pope for certaine dayes durst not go abroad But the Pope a while dissembling this iniurie for excessiue heate as he said departed by the Kings consent from Naples to Nocera The Pope come to Nocera there fortified himselfe and made new Cardinals He made processe against the king and sent to cite him to appeare before him whereunto the king answered that he would come quickly to Nocera not only with words but with weapons to iustify his cause The king came and with a great campe besieged the citie The Pope seeing himself so besieged escaped and went to Genoua where he acted that which we haue before spoken of the Cardinals When Lodowicke king of hungarie and vncle to Charles was dead the Nobles of Hungarie sent for Charles king of Naples to make him king of Hungarie whither Charles went in the yeare 1385. by great treason of her that had bene Queen of Hungarie was slaine When Vrban as reporteth Colenucius in his Neapolitane historie heard of the cruell death of Charles he tooke great pleasure and when the sword as yet bloudie wherewith Charles was slaine was presented vnto him he beheld and did contemplate the same with great ioy aud contentment So did not Iulius Caesar being a pagan no Christian nor holy Father who saith Plutarch when one presented to him the head of Pompey his mortall enemie in detestation of so great an euill turned away his eyes and would not beholde it Note that which the same Plutar. reporteth of Lycurgus who pardoned him which had put out his eye These exāples I draw from pagans for his greater shame who calleth himselfe holy Father vicar of Iesus Christ Vicar of Sathan I call Vrban who was a murtherer from the beginning With the death of Charles ended not the malice of Vrban it passed further for a yeere after the death of Charles this Pope practised to disinherite Ladislaus Iohn sons of Charles as then but little ones but those of Gaeta kept thē safely The pope returned to Rome and not without suspition of poison hauing cruelly poped 11 yeres and eight moneths in the 1390. yeere died whose death saith Platina very few lamented because he was a man rude and vntreatable In the time of this cruell Pope was founde the cruell inuention of gunnes in Almaine Don Iohn 1. bastard son of Don Fernando K. of Portugal at this time reigned in Portugal This Don Iohn got the victory of Aliubarota another Don Iohn 1. being king of Castile This is that battell against the Castillians which the Portugals so much prize and glory of And so vpon a time as Don Charles the Emperor almost threatened the Portugal Embassadour and said vnto him Behold Embassador there are not many riuers to passe from hence to Portugall It is true answered the Embassador because there are now no more riuers then were in the time of Aliubarota The king of Portugall for this answer rewarded the Embassador Don Iohn 1. and Don Enrique his son raigned in Castile From the election of Clement 7. fully spokē of in the life of his Antipope Vrban 6. the Sisme endured 50. yeres Almaine Italie and England fauored Vrban France Castile Aragon Nauarre and Cathaluna fauored Clement 7. and many there were also that were neuters and neither fauored Vrban nor Clement This Clement celebrated a Councel in Paris In his time and the 1387. yere arose a question betweene the vniuersitie of Paris and the Dominicks about the conception of the virgin Marie And
afterwardes was much brawling betweene the Dominicans and Franciscans the question as yet being vndetermined For the Popes therein haue put them to silence lest the foolish deuotion and superstition of the ignorant common people should be despised In the 1392. yeare Clement died Very many and terrible Bulles sent these Antipopes into diuerse partes of the world many famous libels cast they one against the other where with they did bite detest and curse the one calling the other Antichrist Sismatike Heretike Tyrant Theefe Traitor wicked sower of tares and sonne of Beliall And verily in this that the one saith against the other doe they not lie neuer in their liues spake they more truly For aswell the sonne of Beliall as the rest was both one and other Many holding this Pope for Antipope count him not in the Catalogue of the Popes But certenly he hath wrong for more canonically was he chosen then Vrban if there be any election of the pope canonically made and was not in his life so great a villaine nor so cruell as Vrban was Hereby moreouer great iniurie is done to our countrie of Spaine and to Fraunce which held Clement for true Pope and Vrban for Antipope and Antichrist as Clement called him And so Don Iohn 1. king of Castile that his kingdome should not be seperate from the communion of the Seat Apostolike caused as saith Don Rodrigo Bishop of Palencia in his historie speaking of K. Iohn the Prelates and men most learned in diuinitie and humanitie and the estates of his Realme to assemble together who after they had well examined and debated the businesse declared that Clement 7. was to be obeyed And when Clement was dead they gaue it to his successor Benedict 13. as hereafter we will declare Boniface 9. not being as thē 30 yeares old by the parciality factiō of Vrban 6. who as saith Crantzio intreated the Romans not like a bishop but like a cruel Emperor or tyrant was chosen in Rome And for that he held them suspected put many of thē to death This Pope made a law that no Priest should inioy his liuing without paying to the pope the first fruits called the Annales which is one whole yeres value of his liuing The English only did resist this decree as Platina Volateranus Blundus Polidorus Virgilius Pantaleon c. do note Hee caused Ladislaus sonne of Charles to be crowned king of Naples Vrban 6. as in his life we haue said for the hatred which he bare vnto his deceased father endeuoured to disinherite and vtterly destroy Ladislaus A great Simmonist was this Boniface by his Bulles Indulgences pardons and the great Iubile which in the 1400. yeare he celebrated at Rome he gathered much money which against al law right he with his kindred prodigally wasted In the 1404. yeare he died And Don Henry 3. reigned in Castile Benedict 13. or 11. a Spaniard for the same causes as was Clement 7. is not reckened among the Popes but sith our countrey of Spaine and Fraunce held him for Pope we will not displace him A Spaniard he was borne in Cataluna and called before he was Pope Pedro de Lunae by 20 Cardinals of Clements faction he was chosen in Auignon a man learned he was and before he was Pope disputed against the authoritie of the Pope and concluded that he was not to be feared For this so true doctrine he was by the Pope which then held the seat of Antichrist as an heretike condemned Pope he was vntill the Councell of Pisa deposed him He was afterwards deposed by the Councel of Constance who albeit by two Councels deposed yet left he not for all this to be called Pope vntill the 1424. yeare after he had bene Pope 30 yeares and more he died in his land of Cataluna At his death he commaunded the Cardinals when he was dead to choose for pope Gill Nunoz Cannon of Barcelona whom they called Clement 8. who at the instance of Don Alonso king of Aragon created new Cardinals and did all that the popes were accustomed to do But when pope Martin 5. elected in the Councell of Constance ioyned in friendship with the king Don Alonso Nunoz after he had 4 yeares poped by commandement of the king renounced and was made Bishop of Mallorca and his Cardinals of themselues forsooke their functions In the time of this Sisme liued a learned good man called Theodoricus of Nyem bishop of Verda who as before we haue sayd wrote the historie of this Sisme which historie is now hard to be found because the papists for that it manifested the truth almost cast it out of the world But in the 1566. yeare was it againe newly printed to the popes great griefe in Basilea Among other things this Author said proued that the pope held no politike right ouer the Emperour but contrariwise that the Emperour ought to chasten wicked Popes said moreouer that they which dissemble such enormious abhominations and tyrannies which the popes commit are not worthy to be called Emperours In the time of Benedict 13. Don Henry and Don Iohn 2. reigned in Castile Innocent 7. was chosen in Rome to succeed Boniface 9. whiles he was Cardinall he reproued the negligence and fearfulnesse of Vrban and Benedict saying that they were the cause of the Sismes so long continuance which to al Christendom wrought so great mischiefe But when he was pope he changed his opinion and not only did that which before he had so much reproued but was also much offended if any spake to him thereof In doing what he would he tyrannized ouer the people of Rome but his popedome not long endured and so in the 1407. yeare he died Don Iohn 2. then reigning in Castile Gregorie 12. whom Thodoricus de Nyen alwayes called Errorius and his followers Errorians was elected at Rome in place of Innocent 7. Benedict 13. then liuing in Auignon With this condition was Gregorie chosen that were it for the good of the Church he shold renounce the popedome which being pope he cōfirmed before witnesses Notaries that wrote the same so that Benedict 13. would doe the like But as Benedict would not renounce no more would Gregorie albeit both the one the other being great dissemblers and subtill gaue great hope that they would do it And so they appointed Sauona whither they should come and agree yet al was but wind For this cause in the 1410 yeare was holden a great Councell in Pisa where manie Cardinals on the one side and the other 124 Diuines and almost 300 Lawyers were present Both the Popes in this Councell were deposed and Alexander 5. a Cretian in their place elected This did al Christendome approue Spaine Scotland and the Countie of Ameniaco which claue firmely to Benedict 13. excepted Gregorie and Benedict nought esteeming the Councell of Pisa yet held themselues for Popes but fearing to be caught
of Burbon as noteth it frier Iohn de Pineda this election was cause of great mischiefe He depriued the Archbishop of Beneuente He cited George king of Bohemia vpon paine of loosing his kingdome to appeare many bishops deposed he for mony celebrated a councell in Mantua where he disabled the lawe Pragmaticall which was made in France as a thing pernicious to the Roman seate gaue himselfe much to build made Corsiniano the place where he was borne a cittie and after his owne name called it Piencia imitating therein Alexander who after his name called a Cittie Alexandria and Constantine who called Bizantium Constantinople In the 1464. yeare he died Platina and Sabellicus say that Pius 2. was accustomed to say that matrimonie with great reason was forbidden to the Priests but with greater reason it should be restored to them againe dna that moreouer mentioned in the life of Pope Gregorie 1. done and said by this Pope touching this matter Don Henrie 1. reigned in Castile Paul 2. before called Petrus Barbus hearing that his Vncle Gabriel called Eugenius 4. was Pope he changed his estate of liuing For leauing merchandise which he professed he applyed himselfe to learning but he was of hard and dull vnderstanding and so neither loued learning nor vertue To Rome hee went to his Vncle and so was made Cardinall and afterwards Pope Of him saith Platina that in Pontificall habite and chiefly the Miter hee exceeded all the Bishops his predecessours wherein hee consumed much money buying where and for great price hee could Diamondes Sapphires Emeralds Chrysolites Pearles and other most precious stones furnished and adorned wherwith like another Aaron he went forth to be seene and worshipped Great diligence hee vsed to gather gold and sold benefices also He commanded that none should beare the red hatte except he were a Cardinall In the first yeare of his bishopdome he presented red cloth to the Cardinals wherewith they might couer their horses or mules when they rode abroad hee endeuored with armes to entertaine his maiestie Papall Very wickedly he dealt with all the decrees and acts of his predecessour Pius exceeding ambitious he was and as saith Volateranus gaue himselfe to pleasure Estanislaus Reuthenus reporteth that this Paul 2. reading certaine verses compiled against him and his bastard daughter wept and complained to his friendes of the cruell law of constrained single life seeing that he which ought to be not onely Prelate of the Church but an example of chastitie sawe his daughter with great shame in the mouthes and eyes of all the citie who although she was most beautiful yet he grieued said he she should be thought to be a bastard knowing that by the law she should haue bene borne in lawfull matrimonie had not vnhappy forced single life hindered it So that he purposed say they to restore mariage to Ecclesiasticall persons which he could not do because he died Against forced single life note that which Paphnucius in the first Nicen Councel that which we haue said vpon Siricius Gregory 1. Nicholas 1. and Pius 2. This Paule 2. promised long life vnto himselfe but hauing supped well to his liking in the 1471. yeare vnseene of any he sodainly died D. Illescas Hist Pontif. of him saith A most great eater he was of fruits and chiefly of Melons and they in the ende killed him for one night finding in himselfe a strong appetite he lusted to suppe vppon both flesh and fish and eate infinitely of all and afterward did eate two whole Melons with many other thinges of ill disgestion and a little lower And halfe an hower after a chamberlaine entered and found him fallen to the grounde and dead that he neuer spake more Carion lib. 5 of his historie saith Paule 2. was openly infamous and execrable for his most filthie and vnaturall lust the report was publique that he was strangled of the deuill and his neck broken in the verie act of his abomination Notwithstanding that such a one was Paule 2. yet did D. Illescas praise him for most liberall an almes-giuer charitable and pitifull to the diseased a friend of iustice and verie mercifull But who so listeth to know what a one he was let him reade Platina At him ended Platina his liues of the chiefe Bishops of whom he receiued notable losses and iniuries he depriued him of his goods and dignities cast him into prison and caused him to be tortured as Abbot Iohn Tritemio reporteth Platina remained in prison vntill Paule died Don Henrie 4. reigne din Castile Sistus 4. a Genowey on the day of his coronation was in great perill of his life for as they carried him in his horslitter to Saint Iohn de Lateran there arose great tumult against him among the people that they hurled stones at him So liberall he was that what he had promised to one he wold promise also to another and so to many if many did demand it He was ouermuch addicted to his kinsfolkes and chiefly to his Nephew Pedro Râ—irio a Franciscan Frier whom he made Cardinall a cursed filthy and ryotous person This Seraphicall Minorit consumed with fleshly delight at the age of 28 yeares died Many make mention of this cursed Nephew of the Pope Iohn Rauisius Textor saith that when Sistus 4. was chiefe Bishop Petro Presbitero Cardinall consumed in two yeares and that in vanities three hundred thousand duckets Iohannes Riuius Baptista Mantuanus and Baptista Fulgosus report fearfull monstrousnesse of this beast For he made no reckoning to walke by his house clothed with cloth of gold the couerings of his beddes were of cloth of gold the basens wherein he did his necessaries were of siluer that he caused the shooes of his friend Teresa to be couered with precious stones All this is nothing Baptista Mantuanus in his Alphonso lib. 4. bringeth in Pluto that gaue him the welcome to hell Sistus this Pope much coÌ„sumed in wars which to entertain he inuented sold new offices A solemne stewes he builded in Rome where enormious and wicked sinnes were committed What Pope or what incarnate diuell is this Euery whore in Rome did paie vnto him as nowe also they doe to the Pope a Iulio which is euery weeke a ryall which then came to 20000 duckets But the reÌ„t say they is now increased that it is brought to 40000. duckets of yearely rent Horrible things of this Sistus Fryer Peter his Nephew writeth Mantuan A great warriour also was this Pope and that vniustly as Volateranus witnesseth he made warres against Vitellius Tiphernatus against the Florentines Venetians Colonnists against Don Fernando king of Sicillia and Duke of Callabria and against nations and Princes He sought to hold at his command kings and Christian Princes whom hee aduaunced or put downe as himselfe listed He moued the Swissars to make wars with the Lombards whom he had excommunicated He caused the Iubile to be from 25 yeeres to 25
ordinariely see in such like places c. And vppon the life of Benedict the eight saith the same Illescas That it should not be amisse for the prelates to commaund that none remayne by night in such like hermitages for many wicked thinges which are there committed should be excused c. This Iulius with his hoste vpon a time issuing out of Rome hurled the keyes of Saint Peter into the riuer Tyber saying Sith the keyes of Peter are now of no force et the sword of Paule preuayle and so drewe he the sword out of the scaberd For like a good captaine he carried the sword at his side Vppon this so notable a deede many Poetts made verses of which I will recite fower that declare the Historie Inde manustrictum vagina diripit ensem Exclamansque truci talia voce refert Hic gladius Pauli nos nunc defendet ab hoste Quando quidem clauis nil iuuat ista Petri. From scaberd then his naked sword he drew Exclaming with cruell voyce he said This sword of Paul shall make our foes to rew Sith Peters keyes nought serue vs for our ayd What religion had this Pope that so shamelesly mocked with Saint Peter and Saint Paule When hee was made Pope he promised that with an othe that within 2 yeares he would hold a Councell Of this oath maketh mention Friar Bartholmew Carrança speaking of the Lateran Councell that in the time of this Iulius was holden But when the 2 yeares yeares yeares more passed and no hope of a Councell was seene the Pope being far of from any such matter for that the Councels are too bitter purges for the Popes as before in the CouÌ„cels of Pisa Constance and Basile we haue seene 9 Cardinals whereof Barnardino Carauaiall a Spaniard was one together with the procurators of Maximilian the Emperour and of Lewes 12 king of France assembled at Millan and nominated Pisa for the Councel to be holden which should begin the first day of September in the 1511 yeare The causes that moued them so to doe were that the Pope had broken the othe which hee had made sith so many yeares passed yet made he no showe of a CouÌ„cel therfore to accuse the Pope of enormious offences had they called a Councell Their purpose was to depriue him of his Popedome where vnto he had aspired through ambition and bribes But Iulius vnderstanding hereof commaunded vnder a greiuous paine that no person of what condition or estate soeuer should goe to Pisa and that nothing of that should be obeyed which those of Pisa decreed ordeyned and nominated Rome for the celebration of a Councell the yeare following which was to begin the 9. of Aprill 1512. At this time liued in Padua Philipus Decius an excellent lawer who by writing defended against the Pope the cause of these Cardinals When the king of France perceiued that the Pope had ioyned with the Venecians to make war with him he called a Councell at Tours and there propounded these 5 questions whether it were lawfull for the Pope to moue warres and that causelesse against any Prince whether such a Prince defending his countrie might set vppon him that had inuaded him and depart from his obedience It was answered that it is not lawfull for the Pope to moue warres c. and that it is lawfull for such a Prince in defence of himselfe to doe that a foresaid and that for the kingdome of France the law pragmaticall ought to be obserued That no account was to bee made of the Popes censures and excommunications if then hee should passe them The King receiuing this answere sent it to the Pope praying him eyther to be content with a peace or else to call a generall Councell purposely to examine and determine this busines but the Pope admitted neither the one nor the other This wretched Iulius as some authors report was reputed for a great Sodomite Queen Anne of France say they sent 2 youthes to Cardinal Robertus Nanetensis to be instructed whom the Pope abused the like report another author maketh of an Almaine youth great Lord with whom he committed the like wickednesse These be things which neither honest pen ought to write nor chast eares to heare yet is it needfull to discouer the shames of the Roman Courte that Spaine thereby be no longer deceiued And for this pardon mee good Christian reader Albeit that such a one was Iulius yet wanted he not those that did extoll him for very Godly wise prudent and a man of Counsell Woe vnto you that call euill good and good euill When Iulius had Poped 10. yeares in the 1513. yeare he dyed In whose time died also Dona Isabella Queene and in her place Dona Iane her daughter which married with Don Phillip of Austra sonne of Maximilian the Emperor reigned And so the low countries were ioyned with Spaine Leo 10. a Florentine was of his owne nature quiet and gentle but leauing himselfe to be ruled by vnquiet and cruell men he suffered many Insolencies to be commited Much giuen he was to Idlenes pleasure taking and carnall delights many bastards he had whom he greatly enriched making them Dukes and mightie Lords and marrying them with great Ladies At the age of 13 yeares was this Leo made Cardinal what age was this to be a pillar of the Church At this CoronatioÌ„ were made most great feasts which should be long to recount Aboue 100000 duckets they affirme were cast among the people as saith D. Illescas vpon the life of Leo c. Leo 10. at one time created 13 Cardinals among whoÌ„ he would make Raphaell Vrbinas a most excelleÌ„t painter that this way he might recoÌ„peÌ„ce the great sum of money which he owed him for his picturs See here wherfore the hats doe serue yet is this to be passed ouer for they are wontedly giueÌ„ for other abhominatioÌ„s Liberal he was in granting of IndulgeÌ„ces much more in taking money for them to enrich his children In the 1515. yeare Leo graunted a Iubile to Fraâ—ucis king of France which Iubile passed also into many other prouinces The comissares Echacueruos deceiuers did preach that whosoeuer would giue the summe of money which was taxed should draw one what soule he would out of Purgatorie They said that God according to the promise made to S. Peter whatsoeuer thou looseston earth shal be loosed in heauen would doe all whatsoeuer they would But not a farthing said they must be wanting of that which was taxed They pardoned those that tooke this Iubile for thinges done and to bee done which gayne as they said displeased many Godly and learned and so they began to debate the question of the authoritie and power of the Pope Which question was the ruine of the Popedome Martin Luther among others opposed himselfe to these Insolent Pardons and preached against them in Almaigne as saith Bartholomew Carança a
seeing that the Bishops were expulsed the same Ierâ—nimus Vida Bishop of Cremona had in the name of the other Bishops indited the letter to the Pope Which knowne to Marcellus with most vehement words he warned Vida in no wise to send the letter to the Pope For that it should be a thing euill in example that the Bishops assembled in the Councell should write such letters to the high Bishop as though they would seeme to prescribe him a law which would be so great a mischiefe that they should be holden for suspected Vida vanquished with this saying so tempered with the other Bishops that the letter was not sent When Vergerius was to departe the Councell he went to speake with Marcellus and among other thinges that he sayd vnto him he demaunded for what cause he did cast him from the Councell and what Articles he could obiect why he would exclude him from the company of the other Bishops To this answered Marcellus because I haue heard thou hast sayd the Legends of Saint George and Saint Christopher were not true Vergerius answered so it is I sayd so and so I say still For I relie vpon the authoritie of Pope Paul 3. who hauing commanded that both the one and the other Legends should be spunged out of the Roman Breuiarie In the preface of the said Breuiarie he had commaunded saith he the Legends which were not true to be taken away Marcellus thus caught answered that they ought not to be holden for good men that seeme in the least thing to consent with the Lutheranes and so said he vnto him depart then from our Councell This haue I said that it may appeare what hope is to be had of the Councelles where the Pope and his Legates gouerne If there be any that will speake with good zeale of Gods glorie his mouth they will stoppe and if he will not yet be silent cast him out of the Councell Behold how free is that Councell where each one is not suffered to speake that is meet Such a one was Marcellus before he was Pope and such and worse being Pope would he haue bene had not God taken him from the world when he had Poped but twenty three dayes and some say that hee dyed of Poyson Paul 4. a Neapolitane before called Iohannes Petrus Carafa Cardinall Chietino or Theatino in the 1555. yeare with ful consent of the Cardinals who desired to please Henry the French king was chosen Pope He being in Venice before he was Pope with his hypocrisie and fayned holynesse did Institute or reforme the new order of the fellowship of diuine loue which of him that was Bishop of Chiety was called Chietinos or Theatinos as we haue said vpon Paul 3. He forsooke this order by him instituted or reformed and being ready to depart Venice his religious consort demaunded whither he went Whether I goe answered he can ye not come giuing them to vnderstand that he went to Rome to be Pope if he might He gaue it out before he was Pope that he nought else desired but reformation of the Church and so of this argument wrote a booke which he dedicated to Paule the third But when he was Pope he for nothing lesse cared Who listeth to read this booke shall see that almost he confirmeth those Articles whereof we accuse the Papists To wit that so ruyned is the Church among them that it is not now the Chuch of Christ but of the diuels The Popes saith he hauing itching eares haue heaped vp Maisters which entertaine them in their lustes and concupiscence That through the Cardinals and Bishops the name of Christ is blasphemed among the Gentiles That the power of the keyes serueth onely to â—ake together money That wicked men are ordeyned That nothing but Symony is seene in the Church That the Prelates bee verie ambitious and couetous That in monasteries are committed enormious offences That Rome is full of whores These thinges and other such doth this booke conteyne of wicked customes and life it onely speaketh but not once intreateth of the false doctrine Idolatrie and superstition which is taught in Rome nor yet of the tyranny of fire bloud wherewith such are handled as indeauor to serue God in spirit and truth doth it speake But when he was Pope how did he amend it As did Benedict 13. Pius 2. Pius 4. his predecessors and others who before they were Popes much spake of the dutie of the Pope but being Popes did the like or worse then the rest euen so did he For the cause of Religion certaine Augustine Friars many Bishops and a great nomber of the faithful he imprisoned tormented and did them in the end what euill he could Not for that they were adulterers nor Incestuous persons Simonists nor blasphemers was all this but for the Christian religion which they professed Reformation then cast aside he was occupied in the warres against Don Phillip our king and the Spanish blood Deny him then O Spaine for father who from the sonne taketh the cloake The which this Paul from the king Don Phillip and Clement 7. from Don Charles the Emperour indeauoured to take as in the life of Clement 7. we haue before declared This Paul being a Neapolytan and so vassall to the king was to him a traitor teacher taking part with Frauncis his kinges enemy His great seruant Panuinus saith that ayded by the French Swizzars he raised great warres against king Phillip and renewed the old hatred For the Spanish name had he long before detested that as saith Panuinus for publique and particular Iniuries and so the Neapolitanes he well hoped would haue risen against their king When he was Cardinall he perswaded Paule 3. to warre against the Imperials in the kingdome of Naples promising him his seruice and the ayd of many Neapolitans of whom he had many friends said he within that kingdome But Paul 3. was more wise and refused his Councel Then Duke Dalua vnderstanding that this Pope Paul 4. conspired against the king to take Naples with a great camp came vpon Rome and sent a letter to the Pope wherein he shewed all that sithens he was Pope he had practized against the king c. and vehemently exhorted him to peace warning him that if hee said not and that quickly what he would doe touching warre or peace that he should be assured the warre was proclamed To the Colledge of Cardinals he wrote also to the same purpose and after fifteene dayes when the Duke perceiued that the Pope prolonged the time he entred vpon the Church lands and very many of them tooke which he kept said he for the Church and the succeeding Pope All this notwithstanding would not the Pope yeeld to peace vntill he heard newes of the great victorie which the king in the yeare 1557. hadhad against the French at the taking of Saint Quintanes wherein all the nobilitie almost of France and Saint
Quintanes also were taken In the 1558. yeare and the moneth of September died in Spaine Don Charles the Emperour And the 17 of Nouember the same yeare dyed Mary Queene of England and Cardinall Poole in her place reigneth Ladie Elizabeth by whose meanes the great persecutions of fire and blood prisonment and banishment which the Church in the time of Queene Mary had suffered in England ceased Fortie whole yeares that this magnanimous and most prudent Queene hath reigned hath this kingdome by the mercie of God enioyed this freedome In which time this kingdome hath bene and is a refuge and sanctuarie for many straungers who escaping the tallons of the haukes and the teeth of the lyons and woulues haue thither retired God for his infinite mercie enrich it with his spirituall and temporall riches sith it hath entertayned and holpen poore straungers in the time of so great affliction and calamitie In the time of this Pope Paul 4. began the great persecution in Spaine and chiefly in the Cittie of Seuill and Valladolid At the end almost of the 1557. yeare this pesecution began as we will afterwardes declare The Cittie of Seuil is one of the most Ciuill populous rich ancient fruictfull and of most sumptuous buildings that is this day in Spaine To be most rich it plainely appeareth seeing all the Treasure of the west Indies cōmeth vnto it that the king hath thence euery yeare a million and a halfe of Duckets Which rent is so great that fewe kings there be that haue so much of one whole entire kingdome Most ancient it is For if we credit Histories Hispalo Nouono king of Spaine of whom it is called Hispalis built it and Hercules before the destruction of Troy did augment it That it is fruitfull is proued by that place Axarase where be such and so many oliue trees from which is drawne so great plenty and aboundance of oyle that it storeth not onely a great part of Spaine but many other landes also farre distant from Spaine It is seene also by the fieldes of Carmona and Zeres so abounding with wheate and by the pastures so full stored with vines oreng trees figge trees pomgranate and other infinit fruites And where nothing is sowne the earth bringeth forth much spirage and palme trees c It hath also much cattle chiefly sheepe from whence much woole is sent into Italy and flaunders The father of mercy hath not onely enriched this citie making it so ciuill populous rich auncient fruitfull and of such sumptuous buildings but hath also enriched blessed it with all spirituall blessings in heauenly thinges in Christ electing it before the foundation of the world all this saith Saint Paul of the citie of Ephesus to be the first citie of our Countrey of Spaine that in these times should knowe the abuses supersticions Idolatries of the Roman Church Wherwith Spaine hath so long time bene deceiued and knowing them to cause it to amend should publish as it hath published and dyuulged the same And so Iesus Christ might reigne in his Church and Antichrist be banished destroyed and slaine About the yeare 1540. one Rodrigo de Valer borne at Lebrixa liued in Seuill where also was borne the most learned Aentonius de Brixa restorer of the Latine tongue in our Countrie of Spaine This Valer passed his youth not in vertue nor spirituall exercises not in reading nor meditation of holy scripture but in vaine and worldly exercises as rich youth accustomably doth Hee delighted to haue good and well barded horses To day was he suited in one apparell and to morrow in another hee gaue himselfe to play to hunt and to such other exercises whereunto knights and Gentlemen applye themselues In the middest of which his vaine exercises he knew not how nor by what meanes God touched altered and changed him into a new man farre different from the former So that by how much the more he formerly loued and followed his vaine exercises by so much the more did he afterwardes abhorre detest and forsake them hartely applying himselfe and bending all the forces of his body and minde to the exercise of pietie reading and meditation of holy scriptures Some small knowledge he had in the Latine tongue did much herein auayle him For now is the tyranny of Antichrist knowne which suffereth not in Spaine the bookes of holy scripture in the vulgar tongue Many that vnderstood not the misteries which God wrought in Valer held for foolishnesse and want of Iudgement such a suddaine and great alteration For this is the Iudgement which flesh holdeth of spirituall and diuine thinges it holdeth them for foolishnesse and drunkennesse as saith S. Paul 1. Cor. 1 18. The word of the crosse is truly foolishnesse to them that are lost c And in the 12. verse It pleased God by the foolishnes of the Gospell to saue those that beleeue And in the 2. chap. 14. The Carnall man vnderstādeth not the things that parteine to the spirit of God for to him they be foolishnes c. And S. Luke Act. 2. 13. reporteth that many ignorant of the suddaine alteratiō which the spirit of God wrought in the Apostles said they were drunken but those that haue eies may see that it was not folly nor drunkennesse but a change wrought by the hand of the most high and that the spirit of God it was that moued Valer When Valer was thus changed he conceaued great sorrowe and repentance for his vayne life passed and so imployed himselfe wholly in the exercise of Godlinesse alwayes speaking and intreating of the principall poyntes of Christian Religion reading and meditating in the holie Scriptures and gaue himselfe so to read them that he knewe much thereof by hart which he very aptly applyed to that which he handled In Seuill where he dwelled had he dayly disputations and contentions against the Priestes and Friars And told them to their faces that they were the causes of so great corruption as was not in the ecclesiastical state onely but also in euery Christian common-wealth which corruption said he was so great that there was none or very little hope of amendmēt For this cause he reproued thē sharply that not in corners but in the middest of the markets streets vpon the exchange in Seuill a place where Marchants twise a day meete about their businesse he pardoned nor spared them not S. Paule as saith Saint Luke Actes 17. 16. and 17. seeing the citie of Athens so greatly giuen to Idolatrie was much moued and disputed with the Iewes in their Sinagogue and in the open market or assembly of men with those that encountred him Euen so our Valer seing so noble a citie as Seuill is giuen to so great superstition and Idolatrie and so full of scribes and Pharesies of so many priests and Friars he disputed with them in the markets streetes and reproued and conuinced them by the
spripture The same God which of old made Saint Paule to speake the same made Valer also to speake And as Paule was holden for a Preacher of Nouelties and foolish for such another was Valer held also The newe Pharesies seeing themselues thus handled demaunded whence he had such wisedome and knowledge of holy thinges whence being a secular man not hauing studied nor giuing himselfe to vertue but so euill spent his youth in vanities proceeded his bouldnesse so vnreuerently to handle the ecclesiasticall persons which be pillars of the Church By what authoritie demaunded they did hee this Who had sent him What signe had he of his callings The selfe same demaundes made the old Pharesies to Iesus Christ and his Apostles when they could not deny their villanies nor well be silent when he shewed them their wickednesse Behold how the old Pharesies and the new be all one and the sonnes of the deuill To these demaundes excellently and with great constancy answered Valer This knowledge of holy thinges he had obteyned said he not of his owne stincking pudles but of the spirit of God which maketh flowing riuers of wisedome runne from the harts of those which truly beleeue in Christ He told them that God and the cause he had in hand gaue him courage and bouldnesse that the spirit of God was not tyed to any estate how ecclesiastical soeuer the ecclesiasticall state especially of any other being the most corrupted and neerest to destruction That the spirit of God in old time made of secular vnlearned and fishermen Apostles that they might clerely shew the blindnesse ignorance of all the Synagogue so well instructed in the law and call by their preaching the That Christ had sent him That in the name and authoritie of Christ he did that he did But the adulterous generation said he which hath long time degenerate from the true race of the sons of God seeing that darknesse to be much manifested by the light and reshining of the sunne demaundeth a signe In conclusion for so liberall and constantly speaking was he called before the Inquicisitors valiantly did Valer dispute of the true Church of Christ her markes and signes of the Iustification of man and other like chiefe points of Christian religion the knowledge whereof Valer had obteyned without any ministery or humane helpe but by the pure and wonderfull reuelation of God His foolishnesse as the Inquisitors called it did then excuse him and so first confiscating all that hee had they sent him away To take away his goods pleasant meanes to reduce a mad man to his sence Valer notwithstanding this losse of goods ceased not to prosecute what he had begun A few yeares after for the selfe same cause they called him againe and yet supposing that he was a foole indeede they burned him not but made him to recant or deny not in open audience but to himselfe alone in the great Church betweene the two quiers For all his foolishnesse they condemned him to continuall wearing of a great Saint Benito or diuels coate and to perpetuall prison From this perpetuall prison euery Lords day they carried him with many other penitents to heare masse and sermons in the Church of Saint Sauiour where set to heare the Sermon albeit a prisoner he oft times rose vp before all the people and when he preached false Doctrine gaine said the preacher But the Inquisitors as then not so wicked with conceit of his folly excused him Much did it also auaile Valer to haue bene an old Christian and not descended of the Iewish or Morish race The Inquisitors in the end drew him from this perpetuall prison in Seuill and sent him to a monasterie in Saint Lucas called of our Lady of Barrameda where being 50 yeares old and vpwardes he died By the meanes of this Valer many that heard and conferred with him had knowledge of the true religion chiefly that famous and good Doctor Egidius Cannon preacher in the great Church of Seuill that so much good did in Seuill both with his good good life and Doctrine I haue long dwelled vpon discourse of this Historie of Valer but pardon me for this Valer was the first that openly and with great constance discouered the darkenesse in our time in Seuill After this persecution of Rodrigo de Valer many others were persecuted some of whom escaped as Doctor Iohn Perez who came to Geneua where he imprinted the new Teament other bookes in the Spanish tongue others aboade there stil of whom many perseuered And others of the Inquicitions conceiued such feare that they denyed the truth and which is worse were persecutors therof as was doctor Herman Rodriguez maister Garci Arias whom commonly they called maister White But God shewed mercy vpon White and of a woulfe made him a lamb so was he with great constancie burned This White when God had made him truly White said freely vnto the Inquisitors whē they examined him in the audience that they were fitter to follow a droue of asses then to sit and Iudge matters of faith which they nothing vnderstood In the 1555. yeare seuen persons men and women went out of Seuill and came to Geneua where they made their aboad In the 1557. yeare happened maruelous things in Seuill worthy of perpetuall memorie namely that in a monasterie called S. Isidor the most famous and rich in all Seuil the busines of true religion went so so plainely forward that vnable with good conscience there to stay longer 12 of the Friars in short time departed some one way and some another al which within a yeare came to Geneua whither at their departure they determined to goe None of thē there was that passed not great dangers perils but from all these perils God did free them with a mighty hand brought them to Geneua Thees that abode in the monasterie for it is to be noted that almost al those of the monasterie albeit they went in woulues habits had knowledge of Christiā religion suffered great persecution taken they were tormented disgraced very hardly cruelly intreated and in the end many of them burned and in many yeares almost was there no act of Inquisition in Seuill in which there went not more or lesse out of this monasterie Among those that went out and came to Geneua was the Prior vicar procurator of S. Isidor with thē the Prior of the Vale of Ecija of the same order And God with his mightie arme did not only deliuer these 12 from the cruel grype es the Inquisitors before the great persecution began in Seuill but afterwards also in the time of the great persecution deliuered other 6 or 7 from the same monasterie making foolish and of no worth nor effect all the stratagems Councels subtelties craftes deceits of the Inquisitors that sought but could not find them for who shall destroy whom God wil preserue In the same yeare
the 170. yeare the Gentiles forced with tormentes the seruants of the Christians to say of their maisters many abhominations and among others that they eate their owne children Celsus the Gentile Philosopher accused the Christians for disloyall and traytors and said that their religion they had taken from the Barbarians and Iewes Origen defended the Christians with 8 bookes which he wrote against this Celsus In the time of S. Augustine were great calamities and wars the which Symachus an orator and many other imputed to the Christians saying that whiles the Roman Empire adored their Gods it prospered The like Historie reciteth Ieremy that when they worshiped the Queene of heauen then all thinges prospered Read the bookes intituled of the citie of God where Saint Augustine wrote against this slaunder in defence of the Christians In the time of the glorious martyr Saint Ciprian who many yeares liued before S. Augustine there was a Proconsull in Africa called Demetrianus a great enemy of the Christians he and others such like with him said that all the wars famine and pestilence wherewith the world was then afflicted ought to be imputed to the Christians because they did not worship the Gods Against this Demetrianus wrote S. Cipriā saying that not the Christians but the Gentiles were the cause of these calamities because vnwilling to worship the true God they adored false Gods and afflicted the Christians with so great and so vniust persecutions not that they should confesse God but that they should denie him The weakenesse of their Gods he shewed them seeing they could not defend themselues c. Al this in our time fully passeth For the selfe same causes are we at this day slaundered and vniustly to the most cruell and shamfull kind of death condemned The same state of the Church is now as it was in the time of Saint Ciprian and of the other Saintes by vs named And as they were defended against the Gentiles So we against the Antichristians doe now make our defence We tell them that God sendeth in our dayes so many calamities of wars famine and pestilence because they haue profaned the diuine worship and in the place of the creator they honour the creatures They worship not God as he hath commaunded in spirit and truth but after the doctrines and commaundements of men and God alone doe they not worship but also the Saints their Images and pictures They adore not will they tell me the Images but that which they represent albeit their second Nicen Councell not the first which is holy and good commaundeth Images with the same adoration to be worshiped as that which they represent as in the beginning of this Treatise we haue declared Also our aduersaries seing themselues in some affliction inuocate the saints of Paradise without any commandement or example in al the holy scripture so to do where they ought to inuocate none but God alone Also wheras ther is but one only mediator Intercessor aduocate betwixt God mā which is Christ Iesus as the Apostle calleth him they not contented with the only Intercessiō of Christ for were they cōtented Christ is sufficient for thē many mediators do they inuent each one maketh choice of one for himself Also they take away ad to the law of God he which so doth being cursed of God so take they away the 2. cōmandement against Images to fil vp the number of ten of the tenth doe they make two commandements Also we read in holy scripture that the Lord in his catholike church did institute but two sacraments baptisme the holy supper they haue made 7. They also say that neither the Pope nor Coūcel nor the Inquisition can erre hence commeth it that they giue so much credit to the decrees constitutions of the Popes Councels Inquisitors as if they were the word of God it selfe yet would God they gaue not more credit to them then to the word of God Very common are ignorance supersticion Idolatrie in the Romane Church This is the height of al their wickednesse that with fire bloud doe they persecute the true catholique Christiās because so instructed gouerned by the word of God they worship one only God in spirit truth because they hold Iesus Christ for the only and alone mediator and because they ad not nor ought diminish from the law of God nor his worde When our aduersaries shal then say that we trouble the world with our new doctrine we will make them the same answere that Elias inspired with the diuine spirit freely made vnto K. Achab. Art thou he saith Achab which troublest Israell Elias answered Not I but it is thou thy fathers house that trouble Israell because ye haue forsaken the commandements of the Lord and followed Baall yee then will we say to our aduersaries are they that haue forsaken the commandements of Christ haue followed the traditiōs of Antichrist your father the Pope ye are they which worship not nor honour God but ye worship and honor Images against the expresse cōmandemēt of God Exod. 20. Deut. 5. with many other places Let our aduersaries at last vnderstand these others such like to be the cause why God afflicteth the world with so great wars famine pestilence diuers other calamities within our dayes we haue yet doe suffer His maiestie for his infinit mercy for his Christs sake opē their eyes that they may consider the works of God so may soften not harden their harts as did Pharo who by the more God did afflict him for his rebellion contempt by so much the more was he hardened against God the people of God But leauing ancient histories come we to that which in our dayes happened let vs come to our countrie of Spaine God by his iust iudgement hath many times in the space of 40 yeares afflicted Spaine with wars famine pestilence and other calamaties which began a little after that great persecution against the faithfull and catholique Christians This persecution beginning in Seuill hath stretched almost throughout all Spaine against the noble learned people as after we wil declare The priests of Baall in their pulpits cōfessiōs discourses do affirme all this of right to be imputed vnto those whom they cal Lutheran heretiques The common people which neither know nor other thing beleeue but that which these Baalamites tell them cōmand thē to beleeue doe beleiue it so to be For confirmation of my sayings I wil here recite that which D. Illescas cap. 31. vpon the life of Pius 4. saith His wordes be these In the 1561. yeare on Saint Mathewes day the 21 of September being the Saboth two howers before day in the morning aftre was kindled in the streete called Costanilla of Valladolid so terrible and fearefull that without hope of remedy in the 30. howers space it ruined aboue 400. of the most
principal rich houses of that famous citie So wonderfull almost neuer seene was this calamitie that it was taken for a thing myraculous For the neighbour houses and neere adioyning to those that burned were not onely burned but the fire in a moment did leape from one streete to another farre of distant and beginning at the top of the house brought the whole presently with it to the earth Many marchandizes much wheat wine and other thinges which by reason of the great furie and fiercenesse of the fire could not be put in safe keepeing were lost The whole Citie was greatly troubled because none could know how or by whom the fire was kindled And all feared that it was some coniuration of the Lutherans And a little lower There is made euery yeare vpon Saint Mathewes day a most solemne procession to intreat our Lord to be pleased by the meanes of his holy Apostle to deliuer the citie from the like plague tribulatiō Thus far D. Illescas To the selfe same purpose wil I here also recount a very pleasant tale which I read in a historie I my selfe also heard D. Bourne who in Queene Maries time was bishop of Bathe in England tell the same The historie is this In the time of K. Henry 8. one Malary maister of Arte of the vniuersity of Cambridge was for profession of the Gospel of Iesus Christ condemned to doe publique penance in the Church of S. Mary in the vniuersitie of Oxford The penance was that he should publiquely recant and beare vpon his backe a faggot for the terrour of the studentes of that vniuersitie And for the more solempnitie of this recantation D. Smith diuinitie reader preached The principall and only matter which he handled in his sermon was concerning the Sacramēt of the altar The Doctor for more confirmation and credit of that he had to say in his sermon caused their holy and catholique peace of White bread which they call the Sacrament of the altar to be hanged in the pulpit before him To this spectacle ran very much people aswell students as citizens which heard the sermon with great attention hardly had the doctor halfe finished his sermon when a voyce of one that cried in the streete Fire fire was suddenly heard in the Church The cause of the crie was for that one comming along the streete espied a chimnie on fire and after the English vse in such cases he cried through the strete Fire fire Whē they within the Church nere to the doore heard fire fire they also began to say fire fire And so frō mouth to mouth went fire fire euen to the doctors the preacher himselfe who at the hearing of fire fire remayned astonished with the great feare he conceiued and marueyling what it might be began to lift vp his eyes and behold on all sides the roofe and walles of the Church His auditorie seeing him looke vp began with a loud voyce to crie Fire fire some demaunded of other some where see yee the fire To this demaunde one answered In the Church◠Hardly had the other answered In the Church when all in a moment began to crie out The Church burneth the heretiques haue set the Church on fire And albeit no man sawe any fire all notwithstanding together cryed Fire fire and each one supposed that was truth which he heard Then feared they indeede such was the concourse and tumult in the Church that cannot with wordes be expressed such as haue found themselues in the like cases haue experience thereof This strong Imagination of fire possessing their heades all whatsoeuer they saw or heard confirmed and increased in them the imagination conceiued The principall cause that augmented this suspition was to see him with his faggot whom they held for an heretique This made them beleue that al the other heretiques had ioyntly conspired with him to set fire on the Church The great dust which with the vnquietnes concourse tumult of the people was raised in the Church did augment in thē also this suspitiō This dust then seemed to be smoke of the fire which they had imagined This concourse was also the cause that many came to their deathes for the small ribs bones were broken whereof many died The people flocked to the doores of the Church but so great was the throng presse that none could go out of the Church In the end seeing no remedie they begā to crie out against the cōspiracie of the heretikes which had kindled the fire to burne thē aliue It was a world to see those great rabbines those great doctors with their long scarlet robes doctorall habits runne from one side to another blowing panting and sweating seeking some corners where to hide themselues In all this cōpany was there none more quiet then the poore penitent heretique who throwing from him the faggot it fell vpon the head of a Friar that was next him so abode quiet expecting what God would doe with him Among thē al was there none more feareful nor more cried out for feare then Smith the preacher who with the first began to crie from the pulpit saying These be the webs crafts of the heretiques against me Lord haue mercie vpō me Lord haue mercy vpō me But his breaddē God which he called Lord was hanged as we haue said neere vnto him could not quiet him Nought in this garboile more caused thē to feare then when the lead was to begin to melt for ye must know that many Churches in England are couered with lead many of thē began now to affirme that the molten lead fell vpon thē Then were they amased many of them that had authoritie cōmand seeing that neither by force regard of their learning nor authoritie they could ought preuaile they chāged their purpose began to vse very gentle words promising to them they would pull them from that daunger albeit by the eares a good reward There was a man that gaue 20 pound euery pound is forty Spanish ryals an other promised his garment others other like thinges They that might placed thēselues in the hollownes betweene pillar pillar that the lead which they said was moltē should not fal vpō thē A maister of the Colledge ther was which vnnailed a table couered therwith his head shoulders that the lead should worke him no anoyance There was a mā albeit very grosse who seeing there was no meanes to goe out of the Church needs would be breaking of the glasse to go out by the pane of a window but half of his body being forth he stuck fast in the grate so that he was not maister of himselfe nor could he go forward nor backward The poore paunched monke saw his danger doubled for if the fire or moulten lead should fal without that part then that was without the window would be in danger if it fell within the Church the part then within was in
the same danger To another monke another chaūce hapned And this it was A certaine boy seeing that by reason of the great presse and multitude of people he could not goe forth clymed as he could vpon their shoulders and heades and so came and placed himselfe on the top of the Church dore where he aboade not able to passe further Thus resting vpon the height of the dore he espied by chaunce among those that came crawling vpon the heades of others a monke comming towards him who bare at his backe a great and large cowle the boy seing good occasion offered let it not slip and so when the monke was neare vnto him he let fall himselfe from the height of the dore and very wittily put himselfe into the monkes cowle supposing if the monke escaped that he also with him as it hapned should goe out of the Church In conclusion the monke crawling vpon the heades of others at last escaped carrying the boy at his backe that was placed in the cowle for some time perceiued not any weight or burthen vpon him In the end within a while the monke came somewhat to himselfe felt his cowle more weightie then wontedly it was and hearing the voyce of one that spake in his cowle then began he afresh to feare more thē before when he was thronged among the people supposing that verely that the euill spirit which had fired the Church was placed in his cowle then presently began he to coniure the spirit saying In the name of God and of all the Saintes I commaund thee to tell me whom thou arte that hanges at my backe To whom the boy answered I am Beltrams boy for so was his maister called But I coniure thee said the monke in the name of the indiuisible Trintie that thou wicked spirit tell me who thou art whence thou comest and that thou depart hence To whom the youth answered I am Beltrams boy I beseech you sir let let me goe and so speaking assayed to goe out of the cowle which with the weight and the boyes endeuour to goe out began to rend vpon the shoulders of the monke When the monke well vnderstood the matter he drew the boy out of the cowle The boy seeing himselfe out of daunger tooke him to his heeles and ranne with what speede he could In the meane time whiles this passed they that were with out the Church beholding on all sides and seeing there was no cause of feare marueyled to see them in such a straight and made signes showes to them in the Church to be quiet and told them abroad there was no cause of feare But for asmuch as they that were in the Church could not for the great noyse and rushing within heare that which was told them the signes which they made they interprete to the worst sence as though all without the Church had with liuely flames burned and that for the distilling downe of the molten lead and for that it fell in many places they should abide within the Church and not aduenture to goe forth So that signes and voyces much increased the feare For the space of some howers indured this confusion The day following and that whole weeke also were many billets fixed one the Church dore one said If any haue foūd a payer of shooes lately lost in the Church of Saint Mary another said if any haue found a garment In another it was prayed that a hat should be restored In another a girdle with a purse and mony which was lost In another was demanded a little ring other such like thinges for there was no one person almost in the Church which had not lost or forgotten some thing As touching the poore penitent him they commaunded that for asmuch as he had not by reason of this tumult done his pennance as was meete he should doe it the day following in the Church of Saint Frideswid and so he did it These Histories of the fire of Rome of the fire of Vallodalid and the imaginarie fire of Oxford doe very wel confirme that which wee haue said that the poore Chistians haue at all times bene slaundered and vniustly condemned Therefore are they called sheepe appointed to the slaughter God who is Iust will not leaue without punishment such monstrous lies such false testimonies and such fierce cruelties his day albeit he slacke will come vpon the Inquisitors For the bloud of the Iust holy faithfull and catholique Christians by them shed cryeth vnto God as did the bloud of Abell saying How long Lord holy and true wilt thou slacke to Iudge and reuenge our bloud on those that dwell vpon the earth To whom it was answered that they should rest yet a while vntill their fellow seruantes were fulfilled and their brethren which were also to be slaine with them This day let vs then expecte with pacience God one day shew mercie to Seuil that this monasterie of Saint Isodor be conuerted to an vniuersitie where diuinitie may be chiefly professed The rents of this monasterie which be great suffise with ouer plus to maintaine the said vniuersitie and the ruyned house of Isabella de Vaena may be conuerted to a publique Church where the word of God may be preached and the Sacraments without adding or diminishing according to the institution of Iesus Christ administred So great and greater things then these hath the Lord in our time brought to passe It shall not be from our purpose to recite that which D. Illescas reporteth to haue happened in Spaine in the time of this Paule 4. touching the great nomber of Spaniards of the religion which he calleth Lutheranes that was discouered His words be these In the former yeares were Lutheran heretiques accustomed to be taken burned whatsoeuer in Spaine but al those that they punished were straungers as Dutchmen Fleminges or Englishmen c. And of those which came from these kingdomes And a little lower vile people and of most wicked race afore times did wontedly goe out to the Scaffoldes and to weare the Sarbenitos in the Churches but in these latter yeares haue we seene the prisons scaffolds and fires also furnished with famous people And which is more to be moaned of illustrious persons also and of such as to the eie of the world in learning and life were farre before others c. And somewhat lower The businesse came to termes that they practised now among themselues a most fearefull conspiracie such as had it not happened so soone to be discouered as it was afterwardes vnderstood al Spaine had run in great hazard to be lost c. And a lttle lower In Valladolid D. Caçalla his fiue brothers and mother with most great secrecie singular diligence were taken In Toro was taken Herrezuelus many other in Cemora in Pedrosa many men women Nunnes maried women and damsels famous and of great qualitie c. Among those that were burned were also certaine Nunnes very young and
punished But for that the matter was obscure and none in particular but generally were accused they made an edict published it throughout al the Churches of the Archbishoprick of Seuil commanding al euery person of what estate or condition they were which had knowne heard or vnderstoode if any Fryar or Priest whatsoeuer that with their daughter or daughters at confession had to this end abused the sacrament of confession that such person vpon most grieuous payne shoud declare it to the holy office within 30 dayes This decree once published so great was the multitude of women which from Seuill only went to accuse their filthie confessors to the Inquisition that 20 notaries and so many Inquisitors sufficed not to take their depositions The Inquisitors finding themselues much wearied and vnable in 30 dayes to dispatch the businesse gaue them other 30 and yet these 30 not suffising againe and againe they prolonged the time Many honest matrons and many Ladies of qualitie held great warres within themselues The scruple of conscience on the one side to incurre the sentence of excommunication imposed by the Inquisitors vppon such as should conceale it moued them to goe And on the other side they feared lest their husbandes holding them for suspect should become iealous of them And so neither durst they nor yet found oportunitie to goe and speake with the Inquisitors But at last disguised and masked after the manner of Andaluzia as couert as they could they went to the Inquisitors yet how disguised and secret soeuer they were many husbands left not to follow them and watche them earely to knowe whither they went which was the cause of great iealousie On the other side it was a sport to see the priests and Friars fathers of confession to goe sad and sorrowfull hanging downe their heades by reason of their guilty conscience euery hower and mynute expecting when the Familiar of the Inquisition would lay handes vpon them Many of them supposed that a great persecution was to come vppon them yea and greater then that which the Lutherans then suffered yet was all their feare but winde and smoke which passeth away For the Inquisitors by experience foreseeing the great damage that would redound to all the Romane Church if their ecclesiastical persons should be despised and pointed at and the sacrament of confession should not be so prised nor esteemed as before would no further proceed in the busines but interposing their authoritie hushed all thinges as though nothing had euer happened And so no cōfessor was chastised no not those whose villanies were sufficiently proued which thing freed the ecclesiasticall order from great anguish of mind and all their sorrowe was turned into ioy But his day will come vppon such and the Inquisitors that smothered so great villanies and abhominations Who pardoning their friendes and houshold fathers of confession turned all their hate and fury against their enemies the Lutherans whom with fire and bloud they did not onely persecute in Seuill and Valladolid but in many partes of Spaine also And thus was Iesus Christ againe in his members condemned and Barrabas let loose About the 1550. yeare one Don Pedro de Cordoua priest made confession an Instrument to abuse his deuout penitents About 1576 yeare for the like businesse were many Theatinians or Iesuites called Alumbrados in Erena condemned the principall of whom was called Father Ternan daluares who dyed in the gallies Not many yeares since in Sicilia another such like chaunce happened not that which to this purpose saith Machauile in the third booke and first chapter of his discourses I alleage not Machauile because I hold him for Godly but for a wicked polititian doe I hold him the Historie that he recounteth doe I alleage Of all the Romane Bishops as saith Panuinus vpon the life of this Pope very fewe there were that from such lowe beginnings and in such short time had attained so great dignities as did Pius 5. for being a friar Dominick without any other office he came on foote to Rome and within 15 yeares obteined all these offices Inquisitor he was Bishop Cardinall and Pope His name at the font was Anthony because he was borne on S. Anthonies day when he was fifteene yeares old he placed himselfe a Fryar in a monasterie of the Dominicks and called he was Michaell This name he held vntill he was Pope and would then neither be called Anthony which was his Christian name nor Michael which was the name of his order but called himselfe Pius 5. which name well agreeth with the figure called Antiphrasis as when we call a Negro White Iohn So he being Impious called himselfe Pius Cōcerning his electiō might well be said that which said Iohn Bishop and Cardinall of Porta said as Panuinus reporteth of Gregorie 10. Quem patrem patrum fecit discordia fratrum The discorde among the Cardinals made Pius the fift Pope After hee was made Pope he gaue out against the most gracious Queen of England defendresse of the true Catholique faith a most pestilent bull wherin he absolued all her subiects from of their oathe of obedience which they had made and exhorted the Christian Princes to take armes against her This furious and brutish lightning effected no mischiefe al was turned to smoke nothing was heard but a certaine thunderclap noise of gunshot or childernes squibbes And so his bull was foolishnesse a little bubble it was which when is rayneth is made vpon the water and presently vadeth away He that brought this bull to England was caught and as a traitor sentenced to death and quartered the Pope his God on earth being vnable to helpe him nor with all the Masses they sayd for him could draw him out of hell And the Queene in her kingdome liueth and reigneth triumphing ouer her enemies maintaining and defending the holy catholique faith and making her kingdome a receptacle refuge and sanctuarie for poore strangers which from so many parts of Europe flying the tyranny of the Roman Antichrist haue these 40. yeares space with drawne themselues to it The powerfull arme of the most high God all sufficient whose name is Iehoua hath done this to him be the glory for euer euer amen For besides him is there no God cōfounded then be they that serue and worship carued Images those that worship Idols sith they neither can helpe them nor yet doe goodnesse This Impius 5. spunged out of Petrarque and Bocace the famous Italian Poets all that which with great liberty and truth they had said concerning the Pope the court of Rome and ecclesiastcall persons For ye must note that before God raised vp Luther and others more that succeeded the Italians and chiefly the subtill and free witted Florentines were those that with their liuely collours and proper shaddowes painted out the Pope his Roman Court and clergie Read Dant Petrark and Bocace but beware they be not those which the Pope hath gelded and thou
encountered the Inquisitor when he saw him he coÌ„manded his seruant with a good cudgell which he carried to abate the fearcenes of the vnhappy Pereto Infâ—â—lix being thus cudgelled returned to Rome and recounted his mischaunce to Pope Pius 4. very much complayning vpon the Magnifico The Pope hereat disdayning sent him backe to Venice with much more authoritie power then before When Felix was returned vnto Venice he presented his coÌ„omission to the Segniory The Segniory being wise prudent knowing the quarrilous humor of this man wel perceiuing that he came with a desire to reuenge commanded a wax candle to be kindled and Felix if he were wise precisely to depart their dominion and iurisdiction before that candle were consumed This Infoelix vnable to doe otherwise returned eftsoones to Rome complained to the Pope The Pope seeing this man meete for his seruice made him maister of his Pallace After this when the Spanish Inquisition of all men how high soeuer feared liked of none held the Archbishop of Toledo for suspected of heresie the Pope sent Felix into Spaine to heare this cause The General of the FranciscaÌ„s the chiefe dignitie among them now happened to die This dignitie gaue the Pope to Felix whom a few yeares after the same Pope made Cardinall In conclusion when Gregorie 13 was dead Felix by meanes of his good friends in Spaine was made Pope and called himselfe Sistus 5. This name he tooke in memorie of Sistus 4. who was as was he a Franciscan Friar So abhominable truly are the thinges read of this Sistus 4. that their memorie with him deserueth to be buried in hell and perpetuall obliuion Read his life which we haue culled out of diuers authors Notwithstanding all this would Felix be called Sistus 5. because he thought to be another and yet worse then Sistus 4. When he was Pope as though in himselfe his Romane court his Rome his Babilon which for her customes is the mother of all fornications and more then beastly abhominations and for Doctrine the schoole of error and Temple of heresie said her renowned Petrarque now 200 yeares past nothing there were to be corrected or amended he gaue himselfe I say as though in his owne house he had nothing to doe to seeke to correct after his maner to entermedle in the houses of others And so by all possible wayes deceites crafts treason and violence he practized to disturbe the quiet and happinesse of the kingdome of England suborning and animating most wicked men and abhominable traitors promising them that which he neither had for himselfe nor could giue to others at least the kingdome of heauen if they should murder the most illustrious Queene of England who for forty yeares space with so great peace clemencie most prudently hath gouerned her kingdome In which time with temporal riches abundance of bodily necessaries with spiritual riches which is the preaching of the Gospel hath God blessed this kingdome From all these treasons God as a most mercifull father maugre Antichrist of Rome hath deliuered the Queene Let the Pope then burst for anger So also hath this Pope opposed himselfe to the most illustrious king of Nauarre and his first brother the prince of Conde cursing and depriuing them of all whatsoeuer they had and were to haue and chiefly of the vndoubted right which for waÌ„t of right heire male hath the king of Nauarre to the crowne of France God for his infinit goodnes haue mercy on his poore Church which this Antichrist in these princes doth persecute Arise Lord put to flight thine enemies break the hornes of this beast that he doe no more harme to thy poore children hasten to destroy Antichrist with the spirit of thy mouth with the preaching of the Gospel The God of peace beate downe Sathan that speedely vnder our feete and exalt his sonne Christ Iesus subiecting al things vnder his feete placeing him aboue all things for head of his Church which is his body he the fulnes thereof which filleth al things in al persons This most ChristiaÌ„ prince of Conde whom Sistus 5. baÌ„ned in the 1588 yeare died of poyson In the same yeare did Henry 3. K. of France cause the Duke of Guise to be slaine another day the Cardinal brother to the Guise the cause was for that the Duke had coÌ„spired to kil the king vsurpe the kingdom Shortly after but of her natural death died also the mother of the king The death of the Duke of Guise of his brother caused many the most principall cities of of FraÌ„ce as Paris Roan Lyons Tholous others to rebell against the king The yeare following which was the 1589 the king came vpon Paris and besieged it straightly The Parisians seing themselues in that estate resolued of no other remedy for deliuerance froÌ„ their present miserie but to kill the king To him that would kill him did they promise great rewards so there wanted not some desperate persons which offered to doe it Amongst al these was a Dominican Friar called Clement before the rest preferred aman vnlearned of little honesty for such a one had ofteÌ„ bene chastised with the discipline of the couent To the kings campe came he fayning busines to deal with the king of most great importance The king in affection much inclined to these Friars coÌ„maÌ„ded he should come in The Friar being entered kneeled on his knees befor the king the king who was sitting the better to heare him somewhat dubled his body The cursed Sinon then drawing a poysoned knife which he had brought for that purpose thrust it into the bowels of the king The king feeling himselfe wounded cried out to the crie ranne many who stabbed and killed this vnmercifull Clement albeit the king commaunded they should not kil him This wound of the king caused sadnes and sorrow in the kings campe contrariwise great mirth amongst the enemies who instantly demanded aloud if the Friars knife were sharp enough The king after he had appointed the king of Nauarre his brother in law called Henry 4. who was the neerest in bloud for his successor the night following died When newes of the kings death came to Rome Pope Sistus 5. made a solemne Oration in the concistorie of Cardinals the 11. of September 1589. where he not only compared the treason of this cursed Dominick with the act of Eleazar and of Iudith but said also it surpasseth them Of Eleazar is made mention 1. Macha 6. who seing an Elephant more mighty then the rest armed with the armes of the king supposing that king Antiochus was vpon him to deliuer his people and purchace eternall glorie he aduentured himself ran couragiously to the EelephaÌ„t through the middest of the squadron killing on the right hand and on the left and all sides throwing downe vntill he came vnder the Elephant and placing himselfe vnder him slew him the
bishop of Rome albeit the Councel was holden in Italy But what forceth it to alleage so many Councels sith in one Councell this question was heard and determined and both parties heard also The bishop of Rome with the title of Patriark tooke vpon him much authoritie ouer the Churches of Affrique So that the Sismatiques of Affrick as to a refuge retired vnto him For this cause the Councell of Maleuant wherein was Saint Augustine and a great number of fathers pronounced al those excommunicate which should appeale to parts beyound the seas The Bishop of Rome grudging here at sent his Legates to the 6. Councell of Carthage wherein also was S. Augustine present to defend his right This question in this Councell was truly handled Zozimus Boniface and Celestine successiuely being Bishops Aurelius Archbishop of Carthage where the Councell was holden and not the Legates of the Pope albeit they were three and present namely Faustine Bishop Philip Aselias presbiters there gouerned These had the Bishop of Rome sent to the Councel of Carthage to defend the authoritie which the Nicen Councell said they had giuen to the Bishop of Rome to wit that appeale might be made to the Bishop o of Rome from the sentence giuen by any metropolitaine whatsoeuer One Daniell a notarie red the whole 5. chap. of the Councel of Sardice which the Bishop of Rome said but very vntruly was of the Councell of Neece The Pope like a good apothecarie when it is for his profit well knoweth to giue quid pro quo All the Bishops and Archbishops much marueyled and said that such a thing was neuer read in the Councell of Nice and so the same Councell of Nice which they had then in writing they commaunded to be read which beeing read and no word of such appellation found yet did the Romane Legates insist that it was so Needefull it was then to send certaine men to Constantinople Alexandria and also to Rome it selfe that they might bring other copies of the Nicen Councell Within one yeare were they brought and the originall it selfe chiefly which was kept in Constantinople Read they were and no mention nor ought else that might giue suspition of this priueledge which the Romans alleaged to haue bene graunted them in the Nicen Councell was at all found in any of these coppies A letter then was written by consent of the whole Councell of Carthage to the Bishop of Rome wherein no such thinge said they but the contrary rather was found in the Councel of Nice that the Bishop of Rome as did other Popes and metropolitanes should medle within his owne limits and boundes And that therefore if he were wise hee should thenceforth be content with his owne dioces and bishorick not intrude vpon an others possession This letter was subscribed by 230 fathers and among them the Popes selfe same three Legats before named If the Pope and his Legats when they vsed not such tyraÌ„ny as now they vse did dare to falsifie a Councell in almost a thousand two hundred and so many yeares passed after this Councell of Carthage vnto this yeare 1598. What shall they not haue done Quien haze vn cesto hara ciento He that maketh one basket wil make a hundred And no wonder it is that they haue dared to falsifie the Councels seeing they haue shamelesly taken from the law of God the 2. Commandement Thou shalt not make to thy selfe any image c. And seeing but 9 Commandements of the tenth commandement Thou shalt not lust c. haue they made two commandements as in the beginning of this Treatise we haue noted Our Spanish Caranâ—a in his Summa Conciliorum setteth down no one of so many Cannons in it of this 6. Councell of Carthage the cause is least he shuld therein haue discouered the falshood of the Bishop of Rome in alleaging of the Nicen Councell that which the Councell neuer but the contrary rather determined A Summarie onely he made and verie briefe saying that the Councell determined what the Nicen Councell demaunded of the Easterne Bishoppes but saieth not vnto what purpose O great subtiltie This Councell of Carthage albeit it was generall called he prouincial So also calleth it Panuinus notwithstanding they both coÌ„fesse that there were found there present 217 Bishops and three legates of the Pope what letteth it then to be generall The Papists what they may wil forget this sixt Councell of Carthage albeit saith Panninus it was confirmed in Trullo Gracian also interpreting the words of the Councell vseth the same malice That none appeale saith he to partes beyond the sea except it be to the Bishop of Rome The cause why it was commanded in this 6. Councell of Carthage that no appeale should be beyond the sea was for that the sismatikes of Affrike condemned by the good Bishops of Affrike appealed to Rome Therfore commanded the councel they should not appeale but that the businesse without seeking further should be concluded in Affricke And so was the conclusion of this Councell That the Bishop of Rome should not receiue those that were excommunicate by the Bishops of Affricke nor accept their appellations which had in Affrike bene condemned and those that appealed to him should be for the same matter excommunicate The reasons whereuppon this Councell was founded sent by it to Celestine Bishop of Rome be these That in no CouÌ„cel was any such thing determined But that the Nicen Councell contrariwise gaue the charge of the Bishops and Ecclesiasticall persons to the Metropolitane The grace of the holy Spirit saith it will assist euery prouince to iudge controuersies that each one which felt himselfe greeued might appeale to a prouinciall Councell For it is more to bee beleeued that God will rather inspire manie Priests in a Councell assembled then one only man c. By that which wee haue alleaged of the sixt Councell of Carthage it clearely appeareth how false is that which the Pope said that in the Nicen Councell the primacie was giuen him and yet want there not some in our times also which renewe this falshood And so D. Illescas vpon the life of Boniface 3 in the marginall note saith these words Phocas de clared by the Law that the Roman Church is head of the Church vniuersall Also he saith This superiority of the Roman Church hath euer sithens bene and by all faithfull and Catholike Christians is holden for a thing proued without dispute as the Councell of Neece chap. 6. and Raimundus Rufus against the heretiks of this time for louers of nouelties c. most plainely proueth In the seuenth Councell of Carthage the matter of the primacie was also debated The cause was this That Iohn Bishop of Constantinople seeing himselfe fauoured of Maurice the Emperour called himselfe Bishop of Bishops and vniuersall bishop And this because he was Bishop of the citie where the Emperour was resident Mauricius willing to aduaunce his citie and abase Rome did
shall it be if Christ in the end be not wroth with thee founded in chast and humble pouertie liftest thou vp thy hornes against thy founders Shamelesse strumpet where hast thou put thy trust In thine adulteries in so great abundance of euill gotten riches c. If Petrarch 260 yeares and more sithens with great reason and truth said this against the Pope and his Court papall what shall be said now when the malice tyranny vngodlinesse and idolatrie of the Pope and his court are come to the height Danter an Author more ancient then Petrarch and Bocace of the same time with Petrarch as litle flattred the Pope other things as much as Petrarch say they Dante in his 7. song of hell accuseth the Pope of couetousnesse In the 11. song and 6. circle he accuseth him of heresie In the 15. song he accuseth him of sodomie And in the 19. he accuseth him of simonie These bee the foure cardinall vertues which are found in the Popes Couetousnesse heresie sodomie and simonie Bocace in the second Nouell of the Iornada of his Decameron in the name of a Iew called Abraham saith that generally all the Court of Rome from the greatest to the least dishonestly sinned in the sinne of whoredome and not naturally onely but also sodomitically without any bridle without any remorse of conscience or shame c. They haue not saith he either holinesse deuotion or good works c. And in manie other places doth he the same These three Dante Petrarch and Botace bee ancient writers Italians and fathers of the Italian tongue and well experienced in the affaires of the Pope and his Court Sanazaro the most excellent Italian Poet of our times speaking of the Pope thus saith in his Epigrams In vaticano noster latet hunc tamen alto Christe vides coelo proh dolor pateris To wit In the Vaticano which is the pallace of Saint Peter in Rome our Barbarian lieth hid but yet thou Christ from the high heauen beholdest him ah griefe doest thou suffer him What more could Luther or Caluin or the rest of the late writers which haue written against the Pope and his Romish court say then these his Italians haue said Petrarch calleth it wicked Babylon mother of errors he wisheth fire to fall from heauen and consume it such abhominations had seene therein he calleth it a neast of treasons c. gluttonous and luxurious God cannot saith he longer be patient with her c. Idols he saith shall be throwne to the ground c. Hee calleth her the fountaine of griefe harbour of wrath schoole of errours temple of heresies c. Behold if the Pope may erre in faith And it is to be noted that Pope Pius the fifth as in his life wee haue said hath spunged all these places by vs alleaged out of Petrarch and Bocace The cause is least men should know their wickednesse abominations and impieties but may hold him for holy and for God vpon earth Great shame was it for the Pope that so famous Italian Authours that Italian books and printed in Italy should so roundly tell the wickednesse of him his About the 1430. yeare liued Thomas Rendon a Carmelite of whom in the life of Eugenius the fourth we haue before made mention He said in his sermons which in Italy France he preached that in Rome were committed great abhominations c. For which cause Pope Eugenius 4. did cause him to be burned in Rome Aboue a hundred yeares is it sithens Laurencius Valla Patricius a Roman opposed himselfe to the Pope and called Rome Babylon for which cause he was banished but the king of Naples receiued and very honorably entertained him Ieronymus Sauanarola a Dominican Friar preached in Italy the Pope to be Antichrist c. For this that our cursed Spanish beast Alexander 6. as in the life of this Alexander 6. we haue said did cause him in Florence most cruelly to be burned Within these 80 yeares space haue bene infinite numbers that in Almaine France Italy England yea in Spaine and other nations also haue written against the Pope and his Popish doctrine let their workes be read and their reasons agreeing with the word of God considered which is the true and onely squire rule whereby euery life and doctrine ought to bee ruled and confirmed Returne we now to the Primacie which the Pope as another Diotrephes of whom speaketh S. Iohn in his 3. catholike Epistle loueth to hold and so doth vsurpe it A history wrote S. Augustine very wel declaring the equality which hath the Bishop of Rome with other Bishops Donatus saith S. Augustine de casas negras of whom the Donatists take their name had grieuously accused Cecilianus Archbishop of Carthage Constātine the Emperour the cause being simply ecclesiasticall committed the same to Miltiades Bishop of Rome other certaine Bishops of Italy France and Spaine Had there bene ordinarie iurisdiction no commission from the Emperour nor to appoint him associates had bene needfull But listen a litle Donatus was condemned by them aboue named who seeing himself condemned appealed to the Emperour the Emperour remitted the appeale to the Archbishop of Areletum either to allow or disallow of the sentence which the Bishop of Rome and his associates had giuen Where then was the Primacie of the Pope his iurisdiction his sentence without any appellation his knowledge hearing of all appeales his fulnesse of power whereof he so much glorieth And the Emperor wil they not say was an infidel or tyrant for it was Constantine the Great who by their owne reckoning spoiled himself of a good part of the Empire to giue it vnto them That Constantine the Great appointed Miltiades iointly with the rest for Iudge to heare the cause of Cecilianus Onuphrius Panuinus in his note vpon Platina in rhe life of Miltiades doth witnesse the same and confirmes it with Optatus Mileuitanus in his first booke and with that which saith Eusebius in the tenth booke and fift chap. of his ecclesiasticall historie But Panuinus as a Flatterer of the pope maketh no mention of the appeale we haue spoken of because it impeached the authoritie which the Popes haue vsurped As touching the calling of the Councels the Emperours called the General the Patriarks and Metropolitans called the Nationall or prouincial Councels The Patriarkes and not the Bishop of Rome did gouerne in the Councels which they held in their Patriarkedomes for all being equall and vnder one head Christ the Bishop of Rome did not exceede them either in dignity or power So saith Athanasius writing to Liberius Bishop of Rome All the Apostles saith he in honour and power be equall Saint Cyprian likewise more ancient then Athanasius There is not saith he but one bishopricke through the world wherof euery bishop holdeth his part Also that none in his time was called or made Bishop of Bishops nor had by
remit they are remitted vnto them and whosesoeuers sinnes ye retaine they are retained To all equally doth Christ shewe mercy to all equally graunteth Christ the priueledge and giueth authoritie To thinke that Christ reserued matters for the sea Apostolique of Peter which neither Iohn nor Iames nor Paule nor any of the other Apostles were able to dispatch is meere mockerie and Impietie also In authoritie and dignitie were all the Apostles equall And long continewed this order in the Church among the ministers of the Gospell vntill couetousnesse and ambition crept in and confounded this good order making one greater and another lesse because one was more rich then another we speaking of the Primacy confirme this with the sayings of the ancient Doctours If Christ by these words Thou art Peter c. had appointed Saint Peter vniuersall Bishop and head of the whole Church as they say to what purpose did then the Apostles so often reason among themselues vpon this questioÌ„ of the Primacie who should be chiefe amoÌ„g them Saint Matthew from the 1 verse to the 5. of the 18 chapter maketh mention hereof S. Marke cap 9 from the 33. verse vnto the 37. S. Luke from the 46. verse vnto the 48. of the 9. chapter doth mention it S. Matth. 20. 20. saith That the mother of the sonnes of Zebedeus and as saith Saint Marke the sonnes themselues 10. 15. besought Christ that one might sit at his right hand and the other at his left for which cause as say both the Euangelists the tenne Apostles disdained at the 2. brethren Saint Luke cap 22. 24. telleth that there was a contention among the Apostles which of them should be greatest What answereth Christ Iesus to the demaund which the Apostles made Matth. 18. 1. who shal be the greatest c. He set in the middest of them a little child and said vnto them Whosoeuer shal humble himselfe as this little child he shal be the greatest c. S. Marke 9 35. saith he that will be the first he shal be the last seruant of al. S. Luke 9. 48. he that is least among you shal be great Christ reproueth the sonnes of Zebedeus for their ambitious demand He said vnto them ye know what yee aske c. the tenne were angry with them for this superioritie which they pretended Christ said vnto them that in a Politicall kingdome there it superioritie and so kings and princes holde authoritie ouer all But that in his kingdome which is spirituall wherein there neither is nor ought to bee superioritie it is not so But it shall not bee so saieth Christ among you c. Would our aduersaries well examine this they would be ashamed of their primacy and principalitie that they seeke to gâ—ue to their Pope which neither Saint Peter nor any other of the Apostles euer had For had Christ giuen the primacie to Saint Peter when hee heard them contend which of them should bee the greatest doubtlesse hee would haue said vnto them Wherefore striue you know yee not that I haue giuen the Primacy to Peter Doe yee not knowe that I haue made Peter the chiefest of you all Quiet then your selues and for such a one doe yee holde him The same also would Saint Peter haue said I am hee whom Christ hath appointed to bee the head of the whole Church c. But neither did Christ so say but rather for their ambition and affectation of the primacie reproued them Nor yet did Saint Peter alleage that Iesus Christ had said vnto him Thou art Peter and vpon this rocke c. The second place fundamental which our aduersaries doe alleage to mainetaine the primacy of the Pope is that Christ saide to Peter Louest thou mee c. Peter answered Yea Lord c. Then said Christ vnto him Feede my sheepe Here doe they inferre that seeing that Christ said this to Saint Peter and sayd it not to any other of the Apostles that by the same reason hee made him Prince of the Apostles The most high wisedome and loue of Christ in Peters confirmation and comfort they nothing consider There times had Peter denyed Christ And Christ three times demaunded if hee loued him Twise answered Peter Yea Lord but the third time he waxed sorrowfull and to comfort him Christ saide vnto him Feede my sheepe As if he should haue sayd Thou hast thrise denyed mee Peter but hast repented and with most bitter weeping craued pardon for the same Thy sinnes I pardon and restore thee to the same state thou wast formerly in Feede then my sheepe And to cheere him the more he said â—nto him that he should be constant should not denie him And gaue him to vnderstand as there saith the Euangelist with what death he should glorifie God The same charge and office of feeding gaue Iesus Christ to all the Apostles Mark chap. 16. vers 15. when he commanded them to goe through the world and preach the Gospell to euery creatuâ—e and when he said vnto them Receaue yee the holy Ghost Whosoeuers sinnes ye remit c. So that in this carried not Saint Peter any preheminence ouer the rest of the Apostles In dignitie and authoritie all are equall and principall members of the mysticall body of Christ which is his Church which body seeing it is no monster hath but one only head which is Christ And yet say I further suppose that Saint Peter had bene Prince of the Apostles and of much greater authoritie then they all yet not withstanding the Pope not being Peters successour nor the Vicar of Christ as already we haue proued shall not be prince of Bishops nor vniuersall Bishop ouer all Churches He should content himselfe to be Bishop of Rome nor is he yet so but Antichrist These two be the principall fundamentall places wherewith the Romists endeuour to maintaine their primacy And seing they proue not these thinges much lesse will they prooue the rest by them alleaged to which may be answered that which I haue before said One thing wil I demaund of them and this it is If it be necessary for a man to beleeue the Pope to bee the successour of Saint Peter Vicar of Christ and vniuersall head of all the Church as Boniface the eight ordeyned what shall become of the Greeke Church which neuer so beleeued what shal become of all those that liued in the time of Pope Ione what shall become of all them that liued in the time of Anastasius 2. Liberius and Felix 2. these three Popes were Arians Iohn the 24. an heretique For the which and other great abhominations proued against him in the Councell of Constance he was deposed What shall become of them which liued in the time of this Pope and other heretiques and of the Popes that by Armes or bribes or both armes and bribes ioyntly obteyned the Popedome Such according to the decrees of the Popes themselues be not Popes And yet notwithstanding is this almoste
king of kings and vnder the name of Pastor he sheweth himselfe a rauening Wolfe and vnder pretence to be S. Peters successor he declareth himselfe the follower of Iudas For as Iudas with a kisse fayned friendship betrayed his Lord so with fayned holinesse and outward ceremonies doth the Pope draw the common people into the chaines and snares of ignorance and superstitions The said title therefore which Christ gaue vnto Iudas Ioh. 17. 12. the Apostle giueth to Antichrist 2. Thess 2. 4. A contemner of mariage when he esteemes it a carnall estate and therefore with such seuerity forbiddeth it to his Clergie that although fornicators and adulterers can easily purchase absolution of their sinnes no pardon remaineth for the Clergie that mary according to the ordinance of God but the same is reputed and punished by the Pope for an vnpardonable sinne Albeit the holy scripture teacheth 1. Cor. 7. 9. That it is better to marry then to burne And Hebr. 13. 4. Marriage is honorable among all men Also 1. Timoth. 3. 2. Euery Bishop must be the husband of one wife Insatiable is the couetousnesse of the Pope and extendeth into all parts For money he pardoneth sinnes selleth ecclesiasticall functions maketh marchandize of his Bulles indulgences Iubilies Reliques Masses praiers and sacraments and compelleth the miserable people to buy his marchandize not on such dayes onely as other marchants vse to traffique but also and principally on the feast dayes the Lords dayes and Sabboths when other men rest And raketh together euery day in the yeare and of all sortes of people euen of the Iewes and Curtesans of Rome A tyrant he is and persecutor of Saints being the cause of the sheding of so much Christiā blood inciting kings princes to persecute such as contradict him and abandon his Idolatries and superstitions to serue God according to his will and word whom the Pope condemneth for heretiques to be burned and least they should speake putteth a gagge in their mouthes And to fill vp the measure of his crueltie he spareth not Emperours nor kings being the Lords Annointed when they refuse to execute his tyrannies as histories plainely witnesse A deceauer he is sundry waies because he deceaueth the common people with false doctrine and vaine promises with high titles and fayned holinesse with bulles Pardons false miracles and illusions of the diuell c. He is full of impietie because he pleaseth and delighteth himselfe not only in sinne but causeth others also to sinne because he hath depraued the worship of God with idolatrie the authoritie of kings with tyrany The common faith with deceit and the life of his Clergie with shame and filthinesse occasioned by constrayned single life To conclud in the kingdome of the Pope is the fountaine and spring af all abhominations and slaunder according to the old prouerbe The neerer to Rome the worse Christian So the neerer to Antichrist the further from Christ By these demonstrations it appeareth plainely that the Pope is Antichrist whom the Holy scripture hath foretold and by whom the Church of Christ hath so much suffered The second Treatise of the Masse and the holinesse thereof WE haue passed by the Lords assistance the Laborinthe not of Creete but of Rome of the Pope and his Roman Court another much worse and for more intricate troublesōe The Pope haue we proued to be a false Preist and very Antichrist to be the man of sin sonne of perdition to be that whereof whom speaketh S. Iohn in his Reuelation This haue we proued by his euil life wicked Doctrine by the sayings of Doctors and ancient Councels and by three notable passages of holy scripture Now will we shew the Masse which is the second pillar that supporteth and vpholdeth the Roman Church to be a false sacrifice an inuention of the diuell and a profanation of the holy supper which Iesus Christ our redeemer instituted And if such bee the Masse as we will proue it to bee it followeth that wee ought to flie and detest it and so doe we flie and abhorre it as a thing condemned and abhominable before the face of God This done wee will shewe by the Lordes assistance without which we can doe no thing that good is Iesus Christ to be the true and onely priest and chiefe bishop And his propper body blood which he offered vpon the crosse to his father to be the true only sacrifice the memory wherof we shew forth so oftē as we celebrate his holy supper A table wil we place at the end of this Treatise wherein we will shew the conformity vnion and likenesse which the holy supper instituted by Iesus Christ holdeth with the holy supper in the reformed Churches celebrated And thē also wil we shew the differēce disconformity contrariety that the Masse which our aduersaries celebrate holdeth with the holy supper of Christ which is the same we now celebrate As the name of Pope is not found in the holy scripture as little also is there found the name of Masse And doubtlesse had it bene so necessarie for a Christian to beleeue the authoritie of the Pope and holinesse of the Masse without which faith say they it is vnpossible for a man to bee saued It is I say to bee beleeued that Iesus Christ or his Apostles would haue made some mention thereof For all whatsoeuer is necessary for our saluation doth Christ and his Apostles teach vs. Saint Paule speaking to the Ephesians saith Ye knowe that I keepe backe nothing that was profitable but haue shewed you and haue taught you openly and throughout euery house Witnessing both to the Iewes and Grecians the repentance and faith in our Lord Iesus Christ But this holy Apostle so diligent in teaching that which we ought to beleeue maketh no mention of the Pope nor of the Masse Hereuppon it followeth that to beleeue the authoritie of the Pope or holinesse of the Masse is no Article of faith But true it is will they saie vnto me that this word Masse is not found in the scripture but its equiualent is found the supper of the Lord And if we ought to admit the Lords supper thē must we admit this name Missa Whereunto we aunswere that most great Iniurie and wrong doe they to the holie supper which the Lord instituted in saying it to be the same that is their Masse which they haue imagined and forged For how great difference there is betweene Truth and Falshood Light and darkenesse God and Belial So great is the difference betweene the holy supper and the profane Masse Had the question bene concerning the name whether the holy supper were to be called Missa or no. It should not be of great importance Agree wee in the substance of the things and call it as ye list Albeit it bee il done when the holy spirit calleth a thing by such or such name that man dare call it by another name The Apostle calles it
him he saw him free and safe without hurt of the fire These foure so straunge wonders besides others which we passe ouer shall you finde in his sermon of the dead You see heere the Textes of holie Scripture wherewith hee confirmeth his Purgatorie Also to proue the resurrection he citeth the place of Genesis the ninth chapter and the fourth verse where God commaunded Noah The flesh with the bloud shalt thou not eate Also another straunge thing in the chapter of Virginitie he saith that had not Adam sinned men for generation should not carnally haue coupled with their wiues And because hee saw the Text of Scripture to bee against him God might sayth hee by other meanes multiply men without the coniunction of man and woman Also seeing that Saint Basil calleth the bread and the wine of the Sacrament examples of the bodie and bloud of Christ which was opposite to him This saying of S. Basil said he ought to bee vnderstood of the bread and of the wine before sanctification which is not so for the bread and wine before consecration as already wee haue proued by the Fathers are common bread and wine as the rest and be no symbols nor figures of the body and bloud of Christ vntill and not before these words Take and eate this is my body bee sayd Sith such a one then is Damascen leaue we him and let vs followe that which the hole Scripture doth teach vs that which the Fathers whom against Transubstantiation we haue alleaged doe tell vs and that also which experience it selfe of that which we see touch and tast in the sacrament doth shew vs. To Theophilact Anselme Hugo Richardo c. whom they cite against vs and liued in the time that the holy Supper of the Lord was now falling the Popes then tyrannizing the consciences of men who neuer stayed vntill the holy supper destroyed they had made of some reliques patches and remnants of their Masse such as now it is full of abuses superstitions and idolatries do we answer the same He of these late writers which least erred in this matter of Transubstantiation is Scotus who saith as before we haue said that neither by Scripture nor reason it can be proued but would yet be deceiued because the Church so commaundeth How could his Church which is the Pope and his Cardinals make new articles of faith besides those which Iesus Christ our king our Prophet and priest ordained and taught us which be contained in the Creed of the Apostles Let vs now answer to the Councels which our aduersaries alleage against vs. As touching that which they obiect against vs of the Councell of Ephesus wherein Cirillus gouerned and Theodoret who is so appaparantly against Transubstantiation was present therein they doe vs great wrong For the same do wee confesse that the Councell confesseth We say that receiuing this Sacrament we receiue not common flesh but flesh sanctifying which by an inseparable vnion is conioyned with the diuine word But how do we receiue it Spiritually by faith not carnally as say our aduersaries that they receiue eat and digest it For vntil it be digested they affirm it to be the flesh of Christ They obiect the councel of Vercell in the time of Leo the ninth where Berengarius was condemned They obiect the Councel of Lateran in the tyme of Nicholas 2. which caused Berengarius to recant The Lateran Councel also in the time of Innocent 3. Also the Councell of Constance Anno. 1516. The Trident also of our time in the time whereof so many Popes as Paule 3. Iulius 3. Marcellus 2. Paulus 4. Pius 4. and none of these for the causes that speaking of the Popes wee haue shewed were present in it poped But examine wee the recantation which Pope Nicholas the second that poped about the yeare 1060. commaunded Berengarius to make in the Councell of Lateran as it is written in the Decrees de consecrat dist 2. cap. Ego Berengarius Wherein hee was constrained to confesse that the body of Christ is handled or sensnally felt with the hands of Priests that it is broken that it is chewed with the teeth I demand of them how can the body of Christ which now is glorified and therefore impossible and no way subiect to these humane miseries suffer these things Which the Pope and his Councell do say The Glosser of the Decrees himselfe although not verie wise could not but see so great an absurditie as this and therefore sayd that this verie warily and aduisedly ought to be vnderstood for if thou doest not so saith he thou shalt fall into an error farre greater then that of Berengrius The Glossor then vnderstood it much better then Pope Nicholas or his Councell whose holy spirit the Pope was that the body of Christ in the Sacrament could no wayes bee touched with the handes nor broken nor chawed with the teeth For this cause the Maister of Sentences in the fourth willing to amend or conceale this so notable a fault saith That this which was commāded Berengarius to say ought not to be vnderstood of the body of Christ but of the Symbols which say they be the accidents And so in that manner of speaking admitteth a trope or figure according whereunto is attributed to the thing that which is of the symbols But should we vse this figure they would eat out our eyes Now shalt thou vnderstand the account which is to be made of such a Councel and of the other Councels that followed this in which the Pope or his Legates haue gouerned and nothing aught worthy was in them determined albeit the Fathers had broken their heads about it if the Pope approued it not So that the Pope only is hee which maketh and vnmaketh decrees and articles of faith and not the Councel Whē a Councell is celebrated the which from many to many yeares is done as though there were no euill life of the Prelates to be amended nor abuses superstitions heresies nor idolatries in the Church to bee corrected the Legates of the Pope which commonly are three for such is his cause that hee trusteth not one with it haue great regard to write to the Pope this or that is determined in the Councel how liketh it your Holinesse Then doth the Pope either approue it or blotting it out disalow it If he blot it out there is then no more treaty of that matter how true soeuer it be how profitable soeuer for the Church That which he approueth he writeth to his Legats This letter which the Pope sendeth is the holy spirit which now gouerneth the Councels This holy Spirit descendeth not from heauē but commeth inclosed in a budget or wallet Thus is the Councell not free but a seruant and of whom of the Pope Who as before by many most sufficient reasons we haue proued to be Antichrist So necessarie an article to saluation is
Transubstantiation among our aduersaries that they hold him not a Christian but an heretike anathematized accursed and excommunicated that doth not beleeue it Wherein to the Councell of Florence held in the time of Eugenius the fourth in the yeare of our Lord 1439. do they great iniurie In this Councell were present the Emperour of Grecia the Patriarke of Constantinople and many Easterne Bishops The Greekes and Latines agreed in this Councell in the difference which they held touching the holy Spirit and in some other things they also agreed but as touching Transubstantiation albeit the Pope did labour them to allow of it yet could they neuer effect it with them And great heed tooke the Greekes that in the letter of vnitie no mention were made of Transubstantiation the which was done to the good liking of the Greeks as in the Bull of Eugenius which beginneth Exultent coeli laetetur terra appeareth wherin he giueth for good to all Christendome that the Greeke and Latine Church had once againe accorded And I surely know had their Transubstantiation bene an article of faith without which there is no saluation the Romane Church did wickedly to admit the Greeks for brothers seeing they openly denyed Transubstantiatiō That which our aduersaries say of the mutual cōsent of the Church touching the article of Transubstātiation here appeareth to be false For neither the Greek nor Eastern church euer beleeued it nor now at this day beleeueth it nor yet did the Latine Church for a thousand yeares space beleeue it Of all this which we haue spoken touching Transubstantiation we conclude that which we say to be truth that he which heareth the Masse is a great Idolater and he which sayth it is a greater The fift Domage which the Masse causeth is that besides the sayd foure domages it maintaineth many abuses as is Purgatorie Concerning Purgatorie say we there is no other purgatorie but the bloud of Christ which purgeth our sinnes By which purgation wee are reconciled with the euerlasting Father The other purgatorie say we which our aduersaries haue forged without the word of God is the head of a wolfe as Doctor Constantine did call it who for the cause of religion of infirmitie age and hard imprisonment among those cruell Canibals and eaters of mans flesh the defilers of the faith in the castle of Traiana died Purgatorie is a common cutpurse that without shame or correction stealeth robbeth and catcheth all what it can to fill the paunches of these idle bellies priests and friers all the ecclesiasticall order For whence haue they so enriched themselues whence is it that they haue builded so many sumptuous Monasteries which seeme rather Castles and pallaces of most rich kings and Princes then houses of begging Friers and poore Monkes who in times past gained their liuing with the labour of their hands Whence haue they founded so many Chappels so manie Trentals so many Masses prayed and sung which they called de requiem but of the foolish perswasion of Purgatorie As the Masse entertayneth Purgatorie so also doth Purgatorie entertaine the Masse The Masse and Purgatorie are euen as two Mules the one rubbing the other The false prophets made an old simple woman beleeue that the soule of her father mother husband daughter or other person whō she deerely loued was suffering most grieuous torments and paines in Purgatory and demanded some reliefe by the Masse or Masses which should be said for it Then the poore old woman taking it from their mouth ioyned peece to peece 68 Blancas which is a ryall went to a Priest and giuing him the tyall for Masses are sold for money besought him to say a Masse with great deuotion for the soule of her father or some other person whom she loued And were the old woman so much more superstitions then went she to a monasterie holding it for certaine that the Fryers liued a more religious and holy life then the Priestes and being come to the monasterie besought the Sextan or potter to cause a Masse with all speede to be sayd The Sextan or porter sayd it should presently bee done Then went out a Father to say the Masse and tooke money of her to whom better had it beene to haue giuen then taken it from her for God knoweth the pouertie that remayned in the house of this old woman and the riches and superfluity that was in the monasterie And a faire thing it was that they sayd it not for her for oftentimes it happeneth that more Masses are receiued for in one day then all the Priestes of the monastery can say in a moneth And this is the cause why they cannot say all the Masses they receiue for But thou wilt say vnto mee Why do these reuerend men take of them more money for Masses then they well can say Me seemeth they rob in doing this which thou sayest Hereunto I answer that they reckon not of this nor make they any conscience thus to rob and deceiue And that which is worse this their theft and robberie do they sanctifie saying that is very well done and that necessity so requireth that the deuotion of the people be not despised Ad the Pope for the cause aforesayd a proueth and maketh good this theft and commandeth them to say two Masses at euery moneths end one for the quicke another for the dead which two Masses saith he are as auayleable as all those how many soeuer they haue omitted to say Did the Magistrates their dutie they would seeke and in the chests of their Monasteries should find such Bulles such mockeries and such licenses to steale Purgatorie haue they made a new article of faith so that he which beleeueth it not is therefore an heretike If it be heresie not to beleeue that which neither in the doctrine of the old or new Testament is confirmed Nor is in any of the three Creedes of the Apostles the Nicen nor of Athanasius being a Summarie token out of the scripture which a Christian ought to beleeue conteyned The 6. domage is that suppose the sacrifice of the Masse or sacrament of the altar As they call it had bene such As they paint it out Yet should it not be wel administred sith the Christian people are defrauded and depriued of the one halfe of the sacrament because they giue them not the sacramentall wine which is the sacrament of the bloud of Christ shed for vs vpon the Crosse when the other halfe is receiued they giue it seldome once in the yeare wickedly with so many superstitions and Idolatries As we haue already proued In bread and wine did Iesus Christ institute this sacrament for the high signification and allusion which the bread and wine holde with his bodie and with his bloud and commaunded his Apostles in the selfe same maner As they had seene him celebrate the supper in memoriall of his death to celebrate it When he gaue thē the bread he said Take
meant a Church which is in Rome called the holy Crosse in Ierusalem And so with the Masse of Ierusalē the diuel mocked the Pope as in his life we haue declared About the yeare of the Lord 1540. not much more nor lesse the inquisitors of Cordeua condemned but not to be burned one Magdelena de la Cruz Abbesse of the Monasterie of the Franciscan Nunnes for enormious offences dealings and couenants which she had made with the diuell As the Inquisitors themselues in their sentence doe say She with the ayd of the diuell to whom shee had giuen her selfe making with him this pact and couenant when she was nine yeares old became so notable an hypocrite that shee was holden in most great worship and admiration and so by meanes of her Paramour the diuell wrought great miracles but of those which we haue sayd the diuell Antichrist and false Prophets to do Mat. 25. 24. 2. Thes 2. 9. Here will I recite some for to reckon all would require another as great a time as had the Inquisitors when they drew her into the Act in the great Church of Cordoua which Act was in the spring time and lasted from sixe of the clocke in the morning till foure in the euening In all this time was no other thing read but the abominations and false miracles of this cursed woman Of her it was sayd that the mariners in a storme did pray vnto her and she being inuocated appeared vnto them and so the storme ceased Of her also it is sayd that she burned in liuely flames like the Seraphin this very well agreeth with her she being of the order of Seraphicall Saint Francis and so inflamed was lift on high in a trance wrapped vp in spirit and heard wonders which mortall man could not vtter In this last was she made another Saint Paul who was wrapped vp into the third heauen where he hard c. Of her also is it sayd that when she did communicate she lifted vp an elle to measure the height of the ground and so being lifted vp into the aire she receiued the Sacrament which visibly went out of the hands of the Priest that sayd the Masse and visibly went through the aire and entred into the mouth of Magdalen de la Cruz. And all this by the arte of the diuell In the same maner did the Nunne of Lisbon whom they called holy receiue the Sacrament whose life we will declare in the end of this Treatise What shall we say of this Sacrament If it were God how was he carried through the ayre to confirme the hypocrisie of Magdalen de la Cruz and that of Maria de la Annutiada and the opinion that was holden of them and this by the arte of the diuell The priest which said the Masse counted his fourmes according to the nomber of the Nunnes that were to communicate being counted did consecrate them And consecrated found so many others as before he had counted and none hee wanted but that onely which he saw go into the ayre and entred into the mouth of Magdalene and of Marie Also it is said of Magdalen de la Cruz that when she was in the garden and the sacrament by chaunce passed by the streete the wall of the garden opened and that then shee did worshippe it Of her it is also sayd that shee fayned not to haue eaten in so many dayes togither but that shee was nourished onely with the sacrament which he receaued So great was the opinion of her holinesse that great Ladies of Spaine seeing themselues at point of childe birth sent to Magdalen de la Cruz their mantle and swadling clothes wherein the creature should be wrapped that he should blesse them supposing the creatures should thus be holy blessed The Empresse her selfe ready to be deliuered frō Valladolid a very long way sent mantles to Cordoua By reason of the holines of Magdalen de la Cruz ' many Ladies and Nobles of Cordoua and of the land about Cordoua put themselues Nunnes of the order of Saint Frauncis And many Gentlemen became Franciscan Fryers Of this abhominable woman it is sayd That she gaue to her beloued Hee and shee friendes some droppes of her menstruous blood making them beleeue it was the blood of Christ The Dominicks euer haters of the Franciscanes raysed vp in Toledo another shee possessed which sayd that shee had the Innocencie of Adam c. But so shamelesse and manifest were her whooredomes that shee was by and by discouered A few yeares since arose there vp in Lisbon another Franciscan woman which say they had the fiue wounds of Christ As had S. Frauncis and many things else they say of her But I testifie that in time she as the rest shall bewray her hypocrisie In the meane time beleeue not euery spirit But as Saint Iohn doth warne vs proue the spirits whether they bee of God for many false Prophets As he himselfe doth aduise vs are gone out into the world c. Saint Paule 1. Thessa chap. 5. verse 21. saith proue all things hold that which is good As did the people of Berea Concerning this holie Nunne her hypocriticall life her false myracles and illusions of the diuell wherewith shee deceiued very many how shee was discouered and condemned Read the swarme of false myracles c. Which thou shalt finde at the end of this Treatise The which I haue added in this second impression Returning then to Magdalen de la Cruze for such haynous offences and false miracles ' contempts and slaunders of Christian Religion was she condemned yet not to be burned but certaine penaunces and close imprisonment Should a faithfull and catholique Christian say As saith Saint Paule that a man is iustified by faith and not by workes because the most iust and perfect workes which wee doe are saith Esaias as stayned clothes Should he say that God and no other ought to bee worshipped and serued As Christ answered the diuell when he tempted him Should he say that Anitchrist is set in the Temple of God Who causeth himselfe to bee worshipped as God As saith Saint Paule and that Antichrists residence is in the Citie which hath seuen mountaines or heades which is Rome as Saint Iohn saith Should hee say That there is but one onely sacrifice to obtayne remission of sinnes which is the death and passion of Iesus Christ As faith the Epistle to the Ebrewes chapter 7. Such a one would they burne But Magdalen de la Cruz a terrible Hypocrite which fayned that shee did not eate in so many dayes and beeing demaunded how she was sustayned said with the only sacrament which she receiued who wrought myracles by the arte of the diuell and caused her selfe to be inuocated adored and that besides which we haue said such a one shall not die Arise Lord Iudge thine owne cause About the 1536. yeare somewhat more or lesse were foure Augustine Fryars
possesse them incorporateth them into himselfe and he incorporateth himselfe into them These be they alone which receiue not only the bread wine but also the sacramēt of the body bloud of Christ by the bread by the wine signified receauing the sacramēt of the bodie bloud of Christ they receiue truly really the glorious body bloud of christ yet not carnally but spiritually by faith As before we haue said would our aduersaries admit this so true and cleare doctrine that bringeth with it no absurdities but rather taketh away manie which the word of God doth teach vs and the ancient Doctors doe witnesse they would not beleeue that the mouse the chicken the poore Chough c. doe eate the bodie of Christ but a peece of bread and that but of small substance and so would they not burne nor being burned preserue their ashes I cannot omit here to tell that which on the same day of Corpus Christi did an Inquisitor in Bercelona The tale is this It is 34. or 35. yeares little more or lesse since that being to go in solemne procession which with so great pompe and triumph is vpon this day of Corpus Christi accustomed to be done through out all Spaine and the Priest hauing now sung the high Masse which wontedly is the last vpon that day for all the Priests will that day go in procession it then hapned that the consecrated Host which was to be put in the boxe was so great that it could not be placed in the same This seen the preparation staied and there was none in that famous companie that could tel in such a case what ought to be done But in the end the wisest of the cōpany were of opinion that another Masse should be sayd and an Host consecrated of the like bignes with the boxe but grieuous it was vnto them to waite so long it might be also that no Priest was found which had not already said his Masse and broken his fast the better to be able to go in procession which as that day is very solemne and is farre in going and comming In this famous companie was there an Inquisitor much spoken of called Molon This man impatient to suffer so much delay waite so long a time presuming vpon his Inquisitory authority demanded a paire of sheeres wherewith he clipped the consecrate Host so that he made it fit for the boxe and so the procession went forward It is to bee thought that some did abhorre the rashnesse of the Inquisitor and sighed to see their God and Creator as they call the sacrament so handled by the wicked hands of the Inquisitor Others would say otherwise This is most certain that had any other but the Inquisitor committed such an offence and chiefly had he bene of any race of a new Christian he should not I suppose haue escaped with life one by one al that he had he should haue lost The chastisement wherewith Signor Molon was punished for so enormious a fault was that they depriued him of his inquisitors Office in Barcelona but because so notable an Inquisitor should not be idle they prouided for him the office of the inquisitor at Seuill where hee better might vse his handes in the time of the great persecution which a few yeares before was raised as in the life of Pius the 4. and the 1557. yeare we haue declared This was the great punishment which they gaue to better him withall We will then conclude this Treatise with a notable history reported by Don Rodrigo Archbishop of Toledo who ended his history as himselfe at the end thereof witnesseth in the yeare of the Lord 1243. and in the 26. yeare of king Don Fernando and in the time of the great vacation of Gregorie 9. So that it is now three hundred fifty fiue yeares since he wrote it The said Archbishop in his sixt booke and twentie fiue chapter That the Office which they call Toledano by Isidorus and Leander ordayned was throughout all Spaine celebrated vntill king Don Alonso the sixt which wanne Toledo at the instance of his wife Queene Constance Frenchwoman sent to Rome to Pope Gregory 7. requesting him that the Toledan Office being taken away the Roman Office throughout all Spaine might be vsed c. And in the 26. chap. he saith that Pope Gregory 7. at the petition of king Don Alonso sent one Ricardus Abbot of Saint Victor to set in good order the Churches of Spaine This Legate sent by the Pope as the same Archbishop reporteth did wickedly gouerne so that he was depriued from his office Before he was depriued he much disturbed the state Ecclesiasticall and common wealth of Spaine For the Legate and the King caused them to take the French Office and to leaue the Toledan wherein they and their Ancestors had beene brought vp by the space almost of fiue hundred yeares which was from Saint Gregorie the first in whose time liued Saint Leander and his brother Saint Isidor Archbishops of Seuil vntill this Gregorie the seuenth in whose time reigned Don Alonso the sixt and so vppon a certaine day for his pleasure was this matter very truly debated in the presence of the king the Primate the Legate and the people The Ecclesiasticall state Nobilitie which the Archbishop calleth Militia and people did purposely much withstand it endeuouring what they could that their seruice should not be changed But the king perswaded by his wife a French-woman insisted with threates vnlesse it were chaunged The conclusion was thus Two knights were named to fight the one for the king which should defend the French Office the other for the Nobilitie and Communaltie of Spaine which should maintaine the office of Toledo Hee that tooke part with the king was vanquished the people seeing the knight of the Toledan Office was victor reioyced But so greatly was the king pricked forward by the Queene that hee would not chaunge his purpose ' saying That the single fight or combat of two was not law The knight which sought for the Toledan Office was of the linage of the Matienças whose race as yet liueth And when for this cause arose great tumult for the Nobilitie and people did greatly mutine it was determined that the booke of the Toledan Office and the booke of the French Office should bee cast into a great fire all being first commanded to assemble and pray together Then after they had deuoutly ioyned together and prayed both the one booke and the other were cast into the fire And the booke of the Toledan Office arose vp safe and sound without dammage aboue all the flames of the great fire All which saw those that were present gaue thanks vnto God But the king being of an high stomacke and bold executor of his will neither feared by the miracle nor moued by request perseuered rather in his purpose threatening the losse of goods and life to those that should resist him
beginning of the yeare 1588. not lightly to beleeue that which was reported of this Nunne My words are these Pag. 419. Another Franciscan I should haue sayd Dominican a few yeares since rose vp in Lisbon who they sayd had the fiue wounds of Christ as had S. Francis many other things they say of her But I appeale to him for witnes she shall discouer her hipocrisie as the rest haue done In the meane time beleeue not lightly euery spirit but as S. Iohn 1. Ioh. 4. 1. warneth vs Try the spirits whether they be of God For many false Prophets as himselfe aduiseth vs are gone out into the world c. God will that I should write this and that it should be imprinted at the charge of two Christian Flemmish merchants who for the great zeale they haue that the Spanish natiō shuld be partaker of the benefit of the reformed professiō of the gospell whereby God hath shewed mercie to other nations will spare neither cost nor trauaile The Lord enrich them with his spirituall gifts increase their faith For two causes then was this imprinted the one to admonish those which were of God that they shuld not suffer themselues to be deceiued with false miracles the other to make all those inexcusable that notwithstāding the light of the Gospell which God of his great goodnes hath in these our last times reuealed beleeue lies cōfirmed by dreames and false miracles and not the Gospell written in the holy scripture He that is of God faith the Lord Ioh. 8. 47. heareth Gods word These of the second sort therfore which will not heare them are not of God His Maiestie if he haue chosen thē to life eternall if he haue made them vessels of honor vpon whom he will shew his mercy conuert them And if they bee vessels of wrath prepared to destruction confound them Many haue spoken written of this holy Nun. But he which hath entreated of her most to the purpose Of all those which I haue heard of or read is one Stephen de Lusignan a Dominican Friar who collecting all he could get to extoll her compiled a book in French dedicated the same to the Queen of France imprinted at Paris by Iohn Bessaut 1586. In the beginning of the booke she is pictured like a Dominican Nun with a blacke mantle and a white coule a coat white loose habit vpon the mantle on her head she hath a crowne of thornes the crucifixe on high set ouer her and falling towards her with rayes from the wounds which reach to the feet and hands of the Nun that out of the side commeth to a hart which she holdeth betweene the fingers of her right hand a Dragon she hath vnder her feet a Dominican friar before her kneeling a secular man woman at her left side a paire of beads hanging The Title of the booke is this which followeth The great miracles and the most holy wounds which this present yeare 1586. haue happened to the right renerend mother now Prioresse of the Monastery de la Annuntiada in the city of Lisbon in the kingdom of Portugal of the order of preaching Friars approued by the reuerend father Fryar Lewes de Granada and by other persons worthy of credit as shall be seene at the end of the Discourse In Paris by Iohn Bessaut 1586. The Epistle dedicatory sayth thus To the most Christian Queene Luisa de Lorena Queene of France mirrour of all vertue godlinesse and sweetnesse Health Madam hauing seene your Maiestie most deuoted to the most holy sacrament of the altar to the Angelicall Doctor S. Thomas of Aquine in whose Chappel you haue instituted euery moneth a solemne procession with carrying the most holy sacrament and a Masse sung by all the religious of our Colledge hauing considered that because of your great deuotion of the greatnes of your rare vertues perfections euery man of any worth borne enforceth himselfe to offer you most pleasing things I albeit the least of thē am also willing to rāge my selfe into the number of these Therefore hauing found certaine writings printed in diuerse cities I haue collected put them all together In which I haue found the greatest miracles and effects that euer Almighty God in our times wrought in the person of a most noble most vertuous most religious virgin mother Mary de la Visitacion Prioresse de la Anunciada of Lisbon in the kingdom of Portugall most deuoted to the holy Sacrament and the sayd Saint Thomas of Aquine by whose merits and intercessions she hath deserued to haue visibly for her husband Iesus Christ crucified and his fiue most holie wounds by means whereof the diuine Maiesty doth continually diuers miracles the which in this booke I humbly offer to your Maiestie to the end that you so much the more feruently may follow continue these your deuotions which you haue begun and that it would please your maiestie to accept of this most holy virgin a speciall seruant of our Lord that by her merits intercession your Maiesty may obtaine that you desire as well concerning this whole kingdom as all Christendōe besides And if I for my part Madam beseech God to grant that which your M. desireth with a most happy long life From the couent of S. Dominick at Paris the 20. of August 1586. Your most humble obediēt seruant F. Stephen de Lusignan of the order of S. Dom. This Lusignan for confirmation of that which he saith setteth downe 3 letters the 1. is frō the Prouincial F. Antonio de la Cerda sent to F. Ferdinando de Castro Proctor in Rome for the sayd prouince of Portugal that he should shew it vnto the pope The date is frō Lisbon 14. of March 1584. This letter trāslated into Italian was with license of the holy inquisitiō printed in Rome Plazencia afterwards translated into French All this saith Lusignan Come we now to the letter which was to be shewed to the Pope Pag. 8. it saith Mother Mary de la Visitacion at 11 yeares of age entred into the Monasterie de la Anunciada at 16. years made profession In which time our Lord Iesus Christ appeared to this Religious to recompence her merits tooke her to his wise saying to her the words of the Prophet Ieremie I haue loued thee with an euerlasting loue therfore with mercy haue I drawne thee And from that time forward he still appeared to her granting her very many particular graces fauours speaking conuersing familiarly with her as one friend doth with another in such sort as God talked discoursed with Moses oftentimes appeared he to her accompanied with he and shee Saints as with Mary Magdalen for much deuoted was this Religious to Magdalen and wontedly called her her faire and accōpanied with our father S Dominicke with S. Tho. of Aquin Saint Katherin of Sene and other times appeared he alone and very familiar helping
the most holy Sacrament stood for the great altar was occupied with the Sepulchre or monument that was made vpon it In the meane while he saw the litle casket open and a consecrate host to issue thereout which most deuoutly she receiued c. And Pag. 19. She told me that for 7. yeares euery Thursday at the Auc Marie houre she hath felt in her head all the paines of the crowne of thornes insomuch that the bloud issueth forth and she hath in her head some small prickes and holes of the sayd thornes the paines endure vntill Fryday at the same houre She had at a certaine time a great desire as very often she hath to communicate at which time shee saw in spirit S. Iohn Euangelist celebrate The Masse being ended a consecrate host came from the Altar She then returning to her selfe for she was rapt or rauished in spirit shee found that shee had the said host in her mouth c. All this which I haue written saith Friar Lewes de Granada she her selfe told me and I should write much more if I would recken all the maruellous thinges which our Lord worketh in this blessed soule c. The third Letter is from the same Prouinciall Friar Antonio de la Cerda sent to Friar Ferdiando de Castro Proctor in Rome for the prouince of Portugall The date is at Lisbon the 30. of March 1585. Thus it sayth Since your departure from this city it hath pleased our Lord from day to day more manifestly to declare how highly he esteemeth la Anunciada For infinit be the miracles as well corporall as spirituall which by her means he hath wrought in these parts which hath bene the cause that very many Gentlemen haue bene moued to become Fryars to whom with my hands I haue giuen the habite The fame of which miracles hath so far streched that it is come to the Mores dwelling in Alualady which is a castle three leagues from Lisbon Three wherof because the houre for them to turne Christians it should seeme drew neare maruellously desired to see the Prioresse for beleeue they could not so great miracles as were reported of her And from thenceforth the holy Spirit inwardly moued prouoked them more and more kindling in their hearts the desire to see the said seruant of God And so much dayly increased this desire in thē that one day very early not acquainting one another with th their purposes they departed all 3 frō Alualady for this city of Lisbon came to seek me in this couent saying that they knew not what it was which so inwardly had moued burned them with so feruēt a desire to see the Prioresse And whiles one of the told me these things behold there commeth the other afterwards the third And whē they met all three together they vnderstood that they all demanded one selfe same thing they seeing themselues inflamed with one selfe same desire were greatly astonished perceiuing that this proceeded of one selfe mouing of the holy Spirit and not of curiositie as some would presume I carried them to the monastery de la Anunciada and went into the parlor and thence sent word to the Prioresse that I would speake with her without letting her vnderstand why shee was called She presently came and the 3 Moores were fast by me when we spake together She lift vp her vayle to talke with me and scarcely had the three Moores seene her when they fell groueling to the earth And in such maner that needfull it was some which were present should helpe them vp When they arose beholding her eftsoons they kneeled on their knees with out a word speaking But that they lamented without ceassing hauing their eyes for a long time fixed vpon the Prioresse And when I asked them why they spake not to the Prioresse They answered that they saw in her so great and admirable things that they knew not what to speake Hauing thus sayd they besought the Prioresse that he which was by her might giue them baptisme She answered if they would be baptised that I was there present who would cause them to be baptised Adding moreouer that this to her Spouse should bee greatly pleasing This done I returned leading with me the Moores albeit to their great sorrow for they would not haue parted frō the Prioresse home to my Couent Of all this I aduertised the Archbishop who sent forthwith for the Moores and I accompanied with some Fathers brought them Brought as they were they confessed to the Archbishop in our presence that they had seen neere vnto the Prioresse Iesus Christ in humane shape put vppon the crosse Which miracle was so admirable that the same thereof stretched through all the kingdom great multitudes of people are come to this citie to see thē baptised The Archbishop sent for the Prioresse to giue them their names The which at my commaund she gaue vnto them Manuel she called the first Iohn the second and the third Thomas who were in this house baptised and with vs continue The second miracle which the Prouinciall telleth is this A Lady of qualitie there was which had a cancker in one of her Lippes This lady talking with Dona Vincencia told her that the day following they were to cut the canker The Lady Vincencia moued with compassion gaue vnto her a small peece of fine linnen cloth which the Prioresse was wont to drawe ouer her syde saying that she should put it vppon her canker for she trusted in God that when they should cut it she should feele no griefe at all c. The Ladie so did And with great deuotion promised that if she found so much good hereby that in cutting of her canker she should feele no paine she would publish to her power that God through the merits of the Prioresse his seruant had graunted her this so singular admirable mercie This simplicitie displeased not God But he graunted the rather what she had demanded for rising vp early the day following shee found her selfe whole and without any signe where the canker nor any euill had bene c. And a little lower Of all this were instruments made by arte of a notary publique at command of the Cardinals most illustrious worship The 3. Miracle which the prouincall telleth is Anna Rodrigues del Crucifixo of the third order of Frauncis brought with her two small peeces of a wodden Crosse which the prioresse had giuen her And going to visit one that was diseased demanded a little water to drinke Anna tooke a porcelan and pist water into it And after in the presence of them all tooke a peece of the Crosse which the Prioresse had giuen her and making a signe of the Crosse cast it into the Porcelan The peece went to the bottome And eftsoones like a candle on a candlesticke arose vp right on end Of this water gaue she the paciēt to drink Who then began to find himselfe better and demaunded what was that they
had giuen him which had done him much good After they had cold him what had passed he prayed them to giue him more water then before to drinke Then cast they more water into the Porcelane where in also was the peece of the Crosse Anna Rodrigues supposing that the diseased in drinking had swallowed the same peece cast in the other the which went also to the bottome And commning to the other which stood in end in the porcelane cleaued vnto and was ioyned togither with it So that of those two was made a farre little Crosse which moued all that sawe it to very great deuotion Scarcely the second time had the sickman tasted of the water but he became whole and sound the third day also arose from his bed and went to walke through the citie Of this also was information made by the cōmandement of the most illustrious Legat. I could saith the prouincial recount also many other like things Friar Stephen de Lusignan setteth this downe for conclusion The tenne particular and principall instructions which wee draw from these maruellous effects in these letters missiue declared 1. The true he and she religious are much pleasing to God 2. Holy obedience is meritorious and charity humanity and simplicity of life 3. Virginity is a very pleasing spouse of our Lord Iesus Christ 4. It is needfull to reuerence and honor the holy Images 5. The he and she Saints of Paradise are intercessors and aduocates for vs. 6. It is needefull to acknowledge the truth of the most holy sacrament of the Altar 7. He pleaseth God which oft times receiueth so great◠sacrament 8. The gifts and graces of Iesus Christ cannot be obtained without sorrow praiers and deuotions 9. The passion and death of Iesus Christ by meanes of our owne works are profittable for vs. 10. Miracles haue euer continued in the Catholique Apostolique and Romish Church At the end of this booke of the holy Nunne was this Our holy father Sistus 5. through the deuotion and request of the most Catholique king of Spaine hath ordayned to bee made the processe of the miracles of Friar Lewes de Beltrum in Aragon one of the order of the Friars of S. Dominick to put him in the number and Catalogue of the Saints and blessed which shal be another such as this of this holy Nunne All that I haue sayd is drawne out of the french booke which Friar Stephen wrote in praise of this holy Nunne So famous was the same of this Nunnes holinesse That Cardinall Albertus of Austria sent information to Pope Sistus 5. To whom the Pope wrote this letter following translated into Latine with great ioy haue we read that thou hast procured to be written the vertues of the Prioresse of the monasterie de la Anunciada of the most holie virgin And of the great benefits which God hath shewed her we pray the diuine goodnes to make her from day to day more worthy of his grace enrich her with his heauenly gift for the glory of his name and ioy of his faithful Giuen in S. Maries at Rome with the little Ring of the fisher The 10. of September 1584. and of our Bishopdome c. Subscribed Antonio Prucha Badulini Friar Iohn de Pineca in his booke intituled Monarchia ecclesiastica printed at Salamāca by Iohn Fernādez making mentiō of the Saints that had the wounds of Christ nameth this Mary And so saith he dyed the glorious Saint Katherine of Sena in the 1380. yeare whose maruelous life wrote S. Antonius and Raimond of Capua And albeit they both say that the wounds of our redeemer were printed vpon her S. Antonius affirmeth that at the request of the Saintes they were not shewed on her bodie yet suffered shee incredible paines And Iohn Brugmano writeth that the holie virgin Saint Lyduuina receiued the woundes of the redeemer But that the virgin besought God That to avoyd the applause of the world they should bee couered And then the skinne grew and couered the woundes Lorenço Surio saith that the holie virgin Gerturd of Esten vppon good Fryday in the 1340. yeare receiued the woundes and for many dayes ranne bloud from them seuen times a day At this time it is publiquely sayd and there are pictures of her that there is a religious in Portugal of the order of Saint Dominick Which hath the woundes of our redeemer Hitherto Friar Iohn de Pineda The same author part 3. lib. 22. cap. 23. ¶ 3. affirmeth for an approued thing that their Saint Frauncis had the woundes of Iesus Christ as a little lower yee shall perceiue Concerning those which had the fiue woundes I will recount to this purpose an admirable history whereof make mention many of our aduersaries who as wel in Dutch as in Latine both in verse and prose haue written that the Dominick Friars haue alwaies holden a certaine emulation enuie hatred toward the Franciscans for both being beggers they could not well agree togither It happened tin Berne one of the 3 Cantons of the Swizers in the a thousand 5 hundred ninth yeare that the Franciscans were much more esteemed and fauoured then the Dominicks which the Dominicks perceauing much stomacked and so they consulted to find remedy for such a mischiefe Foure of the chiefe of their order came to vnderstand the causes why the Franciscans were before them preferred These two besides others which I will declare they found to bee the principall causes first that Saint Frauncis had the woundes of Christ The other the brawling Question which was betweene them and the Franciscans whether the virgin Mary was conceiued in sinne or no. The Domincans did affirme it the Franciscans denyed it For this cause the common people moued with foolish deuotion and with a zeale without knowledge much loued the Franciscans made no reckoning of the Dominicks The Dominicks then vnderstanding the cause of their so great euill the remedy which they put was this A simple Friar they tooke which they had in their couent a young frantique or holy hypocrite so deceiued him with many perswasions gaue him certaine inchaunted drinks that the small vnderstanding which he had they tooke quite from him They marke as they could the fiue wounds vpon him They made him to beleeue and he foolish also beleeued it that hee had then truly as S. Frauncis had them And here stayed they not They made him beleeue that the most holy virgin Saint Barbara and Saint Catalina de Sena appeared and reuealed great things vnto him they made him beleeue that S. Mary gaue him the red consecrated host aud that she presented him with the bloud of Christ and that she commaunded him to go the Cabildo or Senate and say that which she had commaunded giuen him in And among other things this was one that the holy virgin was conceiued in sin that for this cause they ought in no wise to permit the Franciscans to dwell in their City for that besides
that they are certayne lost persons and without reformation they taught a grosse error which ought in no wise to be suffered That the holy virgin was conceiued without sin He told them also that they should highly houour an Image of the holy virgin which their Fryars had made by a certaine Arte that distilled teares by the eyes as though it had wept All this at first was beleeued that red bloud was adored As the verie bloud of Christ and was sent to great Lordes as an incomparable Treasure Great concourse there was to the weeping Image So well knew the Dominickes to draw water to their mill that they onely were holden for holie and so caried they all the Almes and deuotions of the people And the poore Franciscans were cast aside and no man made reckoning of them The Franciscans then seeing themselues so despised and perceiuing like people as well exercised in false miracles as were the Dominickes and the rest of the popish Clergie the craft and deceit of the Dominickes vsed great diligence to discouer the villany So much did they that at last it was discouered The foure principal Authors of this Tragedy in the one thousand fiue hundred ninth yeare were burned and the rest were pardoned Those deceauers that so shamelesly make a mockery of religion besides these aforesaid confessed in their torments great abhominations As the papists themselues that wrote this Historie doe witnesse wherein the Pope sending His Legate for this purpose put all to scilence For he feared to loose his ecclesiasticall persons which so great seruice with their false miracles haue done and doe vnto him For well vnderstandeth the Pope their superstitions and Idolatries whereof their religion is full to haue bene inuented or at the least confirmed with like deceipts of fayned apparitions reuelations and false miracles Into this reprobate sence God leaueth them to fall for not reading of the holie Scripture which is the onely rule of the well liuing and seruing of God As his maiestie will be serued But returne we now to our holy Nunne who with ful gale vntill now most happily sayled and set as say the Gentiles on the toppe of Fortunes wheele so much as was possible of small and great Aswell in Portugal as else where was esteemed and reuerenced O how often of her was it sayd Blessed is the wombe that bare thee and the pappes that gaue thee sucke Shee nothing wanted in this world to be wholy blessed but that then shee should die O how great a Saint shall hell possesse O how great a Saint hath the Roman Church lost Now that we haue hard the Pro Let vs heare the Contra. From this spouse of Iesus Christ so holie so charitable and so miraculous would the true Iesus Christ not her husband which was the diuell that the Maske of hypocrisie wherewith she was couered should be taken away her abhominations wickednes superstitions Idolatries discouered And so at the end of the admirable yeare 1588. was she condemned as a certaine booke which at the beginning of the yeare following being the 1589. was printed at Seuil doth witnes from whence word for word haue I drawne that I will say against other The title thereof is this A Relation of the holinesse and woundes of Mother Mary de la Visitation which was Prioresse de la Annuntiada of Lisbon and that which was declared in the Sentence which was giuen All the booke will I not set downe but the principall points thereof will I take for my purpose Thus then it beginneth Hauing committed the verification of the woundes and holinesse of Marie Prioresse de la Annunciada of the order of Saint Dominick to the most reuerend and illustrious Archbishoppes of Lisbon and Braga the Bishop de la Guardia the Prouincial of Saint Dominiks order the Inquisitors of this Citie of Lisbon and Doctor Paulo Alfonso of his maiesties Councell The sayd Lordes went to the Monastery vppon the said verification and examination by the testimony of many Nunnes of the sayd Monastery which consentingly declared that the holinesse of the Prioresse was fayned and the woundes painted The information ended the sayd Prioresse was brought before them whom they commaunded to sweare vppon the Masse booke and Christ crucified that shee should say the truth of that should be demaunded of her And if shee so sayd that God should helpe her And if not that the diuell should carry her away Frst how sayd she that she had oft times seene the mother of God And how had she the woundes By the oath she had made she answered That at nine or tenne yeares of age shee entred into the Monastery And after she had made profession being seuenteene yeares olde one day as she was praying to her was it reuealed that God would cherish her And that anonother like day when shee was at prayer came the Angels and put a Crowne of thornes vppon her head which wounded her And many dayes after being in prayer Christ crucrufied apeared vnto her and of the beams that issued from his woundes were those which she had imprinted And Christ whom she called husband oftentimes appeared to her and talked with her and holpe her to say ouer the praiers and that she confessed to this confessor that she said Gloria Patri tibi Spiritui sancto The Confessor told her she should no more say so but Gloria Patri Filio Spiritui sancto as saith the holy mother the Church And in a conference which shee had with her husband she told him that which her Confessor had sayd vnto her And the husband answered she should doe what her Confessor had commanded her The foresayd Fathers seeing she sought each way to make her selfe holy and yet all was fayned as the other Nunnes declared vnto them they perswaded her to say the truth of that which had passed seeing all was fictions and so to them it appeared by information which they had taken and that shee should craue mercie and so would they haue compassion vpon her But she persisting that no other truth there was but that which shee had sayd as her husband well knew they left her Another day in the Visitation which they had with her they tooke hard sope and hot water and well washed her hands and wounds And when they began to do it she fained to haue great paine And after a while that they had washed them the sayd wounds were taken from her And when she saw they were taken away she fell to the earth and began to weepe sigh and craue mercie and cast her selfe at the feete of the sayd Lords who willing her to confesse the truth shee was wearied and dead said she and that they should leaue her till another day and she would confesse the truth and so they left her in guard of the Nunnes charging them on paine of excommunication they should for no cause leaue her alone Another day the foresaid Lordes returned to
their religioÌ„ One Pope doth that another Pope vndoeth The first Iubile Indulgences The Pope cannonizeth and vncaÌ„nonizeth Boniface stretched his pardons to purgatorie Anno 1304. Entered like a Foxe c. Benedict 11. Anno 1305. Poyson Clement 5. In the 1305. yere the Court of Rome passed into France there remained almost 74. yeers The Templars dissolued The Fraticellians Begardians and Begninians condemned Anno 1314. Poyson in the Sacrament wherewith the Emperor dieth The Dominicans and their monasteries destroyed and the cause The Pope a Simonist A great vacatioÌ„ Iohn 23. au heretique cruel Iohn 23. elected himselfe The terrible crueltie of the Pope Caragoca an Archbishoppricke The knights of the order of Christ in Portugal Note why the Pope coÌ„maunded men to be burned The Pope erreth in faith touching the estate of soules departed The heresie of the Pope confuted Luke 24. 46. True happines consisteth in seeing of God and enioying his presence Pope Iohn 23. disalowed Images The Grecians answere to the Pope is well to be noted Nothing is giuen by the Pope to the Emperour The ancient custome of Pope choosing renewed Nicholas 5. Sisme 28. Anno 1335. The Pope recanted Benedict 12. The Emperor is Emperour without confirmation of the Pope The County Palatine and not the Pope gouernour of the Empire One Pope vndoth that another hath done The sister of Petrarca the Popes minion Anno 1342. Clement 6. The Pope a Tyrant The Pope causeth poison to to be giuen to the Emperour Iubile from 50 yeares to 50. Anno 1350. The Pope coÌ„mandeth the Angels The Pope speaketh blasphemy What thing a Bull is Anno 1352. Innocent 6. Don Gill Carillo of Albornoz The yeere began at the incarnation Anno 136â— Vrban 5. The institution of the Rose sent by the Pope The Archbishop of Colonia maried The heads of S. Peter and Paule lost and found Anno 137â— Poyson Gregorie 11. In the 1376. yere the Pope returneth to Rome Anno. 1378. Vrban 6. a most cruel Pope Two Popes The 27. Sisme lasted 50 yeeres A cruel Pope Anno 1385. A cruel hatred Poyson Anno 1390. Gunnes Clement 7. Anno 1387. was the question of the conception Anno 1392. The Popes titles Bonifâ—ce 9. 2 Popes First fruits Benedict 13. Two Popes Anno 1424. Clement 8. 2 Popes Theodoricus de Nyem Innocent 7. Two Popes Anno 1407. Gregorie 12. 2 Popes The Councell of Pisa deposed both Popes elected Alexander a Cretian Anno 1410. three Popes Anno 1415. Anno 1424. Alexander 5. An article of faith that S. Fraunces bare the fiue wounds Gal. 1. 2. Libr. 3. Ch. 15. Lib. 3. cap. 53. Anno 1411. Poyson Iohn 24. a notable villaine A stratagem to be Pope A notable election of the Pope The Councell of Constance 1414. The Emperour is a Deacon The Pope by the Councell deposed The Popes customes The Pope an heretique The Counce is aboue the Pope Notable saying of Gerson As the whole is greater then part So the Councell is greater then the Pope Historia Bohemia cap. 36. The Constancie of Iohn Hus and Ierome of Prage The BohemiaÌ„s Constancie Iohn 24. for his villanies depriued of the Popedome is made Bishop Cardinall Anno 1419. Martin 5. The Popes will heare no man to speake vnto them of reformation The Councels haue deposed Popes and elected others The Popes enemies to the Councels lib. 23. cap. 20. ¶ 4. Anno 1431. Eugenius 4. Anno 1432. The Councell of Basil Felix 5. Two Popes A miserable example for such as keepe not their faith albeit to an Infidel Thomas Rendon Anno 1446. Felix 5. Two Popes The 30. Sisme Anno 1439. Anno 1447. Anno 1549. Nicholas 5. Platina One Mule the cause of 200 mens deaths more S. P. Q. R. Constantinople lost Anno 1455. Calistus 3. The Preachers of Buls called Carmerants The Pope forbiddeth appellation to the Councell Anno 1458. Pius 2. The tyranniâ—â— of Pope Pius Anno 1464. Note for this purpose the following life of Paule 2. Paul 2. The Pope a Simonist The red had Pope against Pope Gregorie 1. Nicholas 1. Pius 2. Paule against forced single life Anno 1471. Sistus 4. 300000 duckets euil spent 40000 duckets the Pope hath yearely of the Curtisans The Iubile froÌ„ 25 to 25 yeers The Rosary inueÌ„ted by Saint Dominick Anno 1200. after wards renewed Anno 1470. Blasphemous dishonesties If this be not to make a mock of the death of Christ what shal be The mother of Sistus dreame Papisticall religion founded vpon dreames false miracles 2. Thes 2. 11. Anno 1484. Innocent 8. most luxurious Sixteene sons and daughters of the Pope The Pope found the title of the crosse Iron of the speare Anno 1492. Alexander 6. abhominable Alexander vpoÌ„ condition to be Pope gauehimselfe to the deuill Anno 1500. The first Iubile conditional The ceremony of the yeare of Iubile The holy gate The Iubile by God instituted The Symony and sacriledge of Alexander The Pope calleth the Turke against the French king Poyson Anno 1503. Anno 1499. Sauanarola his life doctrine Sixe notable things happened to Spaine about the yeare 1492. 1. A Spanish and abhominable Pope The taking of Granado 2 3 The discouerie of the Indies Iohn 4. 23. Gen. 2. 24. 4 The InquisitioÌ„ 〈◊〉 The manner of the Inquisitors teaching sheweth the spirit that moueth them 4 The InquisitioÌ„ is the cause of the reuolt of the low countries 1. Pet. 2. 14. Apoc. 6 9. 5 The Brotherhood The 3 holy sisters of Spaine 6 The Bubos a disease called the French pockes Iohn 2. 11. Anno 1503. Pius 3. Anno 1503. Iulius 2. a warriar 200000. men slaine by occasion of Iulius 2. Anno 1512. Nauarre taken Anno 1512. Vigils prohibited in Buâ—gos The Councell of Pisa Anno 1511. The Pope periured The Councell of Lateran Anno 1512. Esaias 5. Anno 1513. Leo 10. An Atheist Matâ—h 16. Martin Luther What the cause was that moued Luther to speake against the Church of Rome Lnther burneth the Cannon Law 1. Cor. 1. 26. Charles the Emperor kept his word with Luther The magnanimity of Luther Anno 1522. Leo dyed for ioy Poyson The Atheisme of Leo. Adrian 6. Poyson Anno 1523. Clement 7. The king of France prisoAnno 1525. Rome Sacked Anno 1527. The Coronation of Don Charles Anno 1530. The confession of Augusta for which they are called protestants He that of a theefe doth steale 100 daies pardon doth not saith The vertues of the Pope The Pope is Diotrephes 3. Iohn 9. Anno 1534. Poyson Paul 3. accursed Poyson Poyson 40000 Curtesanes in Rome Henry 8 made no reconing of the Pope Anotable villany done by the Franciscan friars at orleans The Franciscans deceiue the people with false apparitioÌ„s Iesuites Anno 1537. began the Iebusites or Iesuites The Duke of Gandia a Iesuite Iesuites attempt to kill the Queene of England Iesuites attempt to kill the French king The cause why the Iesuites banished France The Citie Geneua in
the laÌ„d of Sauoy A qualified lie of the Iesuites Iohn 8. 44. Ier. 13. 23. Psal 5. 6. 7. Anno 1549. Iulius 3. a blasphemer The Pope giueth the bar to whom he list The Pope saith that fortune is it that maketh the Pope Pope Iulius 3. his blasphemy for swines flesh Terrible blasmy for a peacocke Anno 1555. Marcellus 2. A youth of 12 yeares old Cardinall The Popp permitteth not any to speake his mind freely in the Councell The blasphemy of the Trident Councell The Legends of S. Christopher end Saint George false after Paul 3. It is no Councell except it 〈◊〉 free Poyson Paul 4. an enymâ—e to the Spaards Anno 1555. The vices 〈◊〉 the Roman Church Anno 1557. The taking of S. Quintanes The death of Don Charles the Emperour and of Mary Queene of England Anno 1558. Elizabeth Queene of England England a refuge for strangers Persecution in Seuill Ephes 1. 3. Seuill the first Citie in Spaine where the Gospell in our time was almost clerely preached Rodrigo de Valer. 1. Cor. 1. 18. Actes 2. 13. Matth 21. 23. Iohn 7. 38. The Principall pomtes of Christian religion About the yeare 1545. D. Edigius Anno 1555. Anno 1557. Iulian brought many bookes to Seuill 800. prisoners for the teligion in Seuill The like was done of the house of Doctour Cacalla in Vallodalid D. Vargas D. Egidius D. CoÌ„stantine The persecutioÌ„ of Voll odalid c. D. Cacalla Cap. 7. â—8 Cap. 44. 17. c. The cause of the present calamities The Pope the Councell and Inquisition can not erre 1 Kings 18. 17. Fire in Valladolid A historie of Iohn Fox Imaginary fire in the Church A boy put himselfe in the cowle of a Monke Apoc. 6. 10. Anno 1559. Pius 4. Pope against Pope So did Benedict 3. Pius 2. Martine 5. and Paul 4. The hypocrisie of Pope Pius 4. The Popes esteeme not the Sacraments be case they be Antichrists Anno 1563. Confession was almost the cause of the ruine of the Popedome Confession serueth for a band Pius 5. Psal 97. 7. Pius 5. tooke out of the bookes that which the authors with great truth said against the Pope Anno 1572. Gregorie 13 The crueltie of a father Luke 21. 18. Ioh. 16. 2 Sistus 5 A notable acte of the seigniory of Veniâ— Ephes 1 21. The French K. causeth the Duke of Guise to be slaine A Dominican Friar killeth the French K. Iudith 13. 10. 1. Samuel â—6 4 2. Sam. 1 A Capuchan fryar practised to kill the French king God commandeth the king to read the holy scripture Prouerbes against the Ecclesiastical persons Euill life Whoredome Couetousnesse Hypocrisie â—â—monie Idlenesse the mother of many vices Ier. 51. 6. Psal 147. 9 Iob. 39. 3. Psal 37 25. 1. King 17. 6. Dan. 14. 32. Two Roman Empire The beginning of the Popedome which is the new Empire Boniface 3. The Popedom founded vpon murder Marke 13. 41. Luke 22. 25. The Pope taking occasioÌ„ of the question about Images denyeth obedience to the Emperour Charles the great made Emperour and why The oath which the Emperour maketh to the Pope The 1. oath of the Emperour The 2. oath The Emperour made a chanon and kinght of S. Peter Matth. 16. 16. The 1. Reason Clemens ad Iacobum The 2. Reason Actes 15. The 3. Reason The 4. Reason Gal. 2. 11. The 5. Reason 1. Thes 2. 3. Apoc. 17. 9. The 6. Reason Lib. 2 de concordia Cathol cap. 12. The Councell of Mileuant against the Primacie The deceit of the Pope discouered In those times euery Bishop was called Pope Cursed is the glose that corrupteth the text Anno 600. The Doctors against the primacie Saint Gregory against the primacie A notable discourse made by Edward bishop of Salisburg How the Popes employ themselues All this is fully accomplished The title of the Pope Arnulphus Bernard Ioachin Fluencius Nicholas Gallus Marsilius Cesenas Wickliffe Iohn Hus. Ierom of Prage Petrarcus Dante The Popes foure cardinall vertues auarice heresie sodomy and simonie Bocace Sanazaro The Church of Rome erreth in faith Thomas Rendonio Laurencius Valla. Sauanarola 3. Io. 9. Epistle 162 The Emperors called the general Councels Epistola ad Liberium Epise opum RomanuÌ„ De simplice Prelat In senâ—entiis Episcoprum libro 1. epist 1. Hieronymus in Epist ad Euagrium repetitur in Decreto Graciani Hieron ad Nepotianum Anno. 605. Dan. 11. 36. Three markes wherewith Antichrist shal be marked The Pope is an Apostata in religion Exod. 20. Psal 50. 51. Rom. 10. 14. The Pope abhorreth matrimony by God ordained Rom. 1. 1. Timothy 4. 2. The Councell of 〈◊〉 S. Gregorie permit mariage 1. Cor 7. 2. The Pope an Atheist Boniface 8. The 2. passage 2. Thes 2. 3. Verse 9. What thing is Antichrist Verse 7. Iohn 6. 15. Contrarieties between christ the Pope The first Contrarietic Phil. 2. 6. The 2. Contraritie To this purpose read Damascen in the sermon of the dead The 3 Contrarictie Iohn 5. 39. The 4. Contrarietie Matth. 11. 28. Ieremy 2 1â— The 5. Contrariette The diuell also worketh miracles Matth. 28. 18. Lying wonpers 2. Thes 2. 11. Purgatorie Of 30000. men one only went to heauen 3 to Purgatory and all the rest to hell Luke 16. 27. Matth. 24. 24. Verie subtill was the Pope in forbidding the reading of the holy Scripture The 3. pasâ—age of the holy Scripture The viâ—tory of the Lambe The waters be kindreds c. The 10 kings hauing altered their minds shall persecute the whore The whore is the Pope The Beast is the Romane Empire Gen. 4. 10. Tertullian The woman is he great citie 7. Mountanes Ten Hornes Apoc. 13. 18. Iohn 1. 29. 2. Thes 2. Ierome in prçfat lib. de spiritu sancto in vita Marci Apoc. â— 3. In prooemio Sexti in Glo. Matth. 16. 18. Iohn 10. 4. An answere to the 2 places wherewith the Pope confirmeth his primacie 1. Cor. â— 11. Ioh. 20. 21. Feede my sheepe Iohn 21. 16. Marke 16. 15. Iohn 20. 22. â—0 Sismes In Cronico pontifiâ—um 4 popes at once 3 Popes â—t once in Rome Sergius 2. and Benedict 9. were each of them thrise Pope Great vacatioÌ„s Matâ—h 28. 18. Extrauag de maiori obedient ca 2 â—an 2. 21. lib 7. Decretal dâ—senten re indicata Extrauag 〈◊〉 Cathol 〈◊〉 Clement in Clement pastoralie Item in rescripto This writing is kept in viena del Dolfinado Et in Extrauag eadem Decisiones Rote Baldu Franciâ—cus de Ripa Phillippus Decius Hostienâ—is Carolus de Ruino Iohannes de Anauias c. Dist 40. cap. â— Papa Ths Pope after the Romists is more mercrfull then Christ why Ca. Non nos Dist 41. 2. Thes 2. 4. Iohn 5. 39. Esay 31. 7. A briefe of the CoÌ„tents of this 2. Treatise Masse There is no thing necessary for our saluatioÌ„ which the scripture declareth not Actes 20. 20. It is not yet knowne where of the Masse is deriued what the Masse is 8 reasons wherwith they confirme
sacrifice which he offereth The Pope is he that made and created the Masse as afterwardes God willing we will proue Therefore is the Pope of greater dignitie then the Masse This proueth the Pope to be maister and the sacrament his seruant because when the Pope goeth from one people to another he sendeth before him yea and some time a day or two dayes Iourney his sacrament vpon a horse carying at his necke a little bell accompained with the scumme and baggage of the Romane court Thither goe the dishes and spits old shooes caldrons and kettels and all the sculery of the Courte of Rome whores and Iesters Thus the sacrament arriued with this honorable traine at the place whither the Pope is to come it there awayeth his comming And when the maister is knowne to approach neere the people it goeth forth to receiue him Open thine eyes O Spaine or which is better God open them and behold what account the Pope maketh of the sacrament which he himselfe saying it is thy God for thy money selleth vnto thee Fryar Iohn de Pineda in the third part of his Ecclesiasticall Monarchie lib. 23. ¶ 2. saith That the first Pope which caused the Sacrament to be carried before him was Benedict 13. a Spaniard when for feare he fled from France into Aragon from that time remained it in custome that the Pope caried the most holy Sacrament for his gard before him The Popes in this carrying of the Sacrament before them doe imitate the kinges of Persia before whom went a horse carrying a little Altar vpon him whereupon among a few ashes shone a small flame of holy fire which they called Orismada This fire as a certaine diuinitie did the Persians reuerence and adore So that the King to seeme more then a man and to be ioyntly worshipped with the diuinitie which did accompany him with this pompe went he publikely Read for this purpose the Embleme of Alciatus Non tibi sed Religioni pag. 17. where he treateth of a little asse that went laden with mysteries He also that sacrificeth is of more dignitie and estimation then the sacrifice which he offereth For God regardeth not so much the gift or sacrifice to him offered and presented as the person that offereth it The Lord saith the scripture had respect to Abell and his present and to Caine and his present he had no regard The Apostle giueth a reason saying By saith Abell offered to God a better sacrifice then Caine. The Pope is the Priest the Masse is the sacrifice which he offereth Therefore is the Pope of more dignitie then the Masse By these reasons and others that may be drawne I conclude the Pope to be chiefe piller that susteyneth the Popish Church Of it we will first take hold not to support it but to cast it downe and then we will after intreat of the Masse And this by the helpe of the almightie God the Father sonne ond holy Ghost whose cause we here defend To this name Papa the like as to some other wordes hath happened which in old time were taken in good part and were honourable titles but after with the time haue bene ill taken For example Tyrannis was in old time a King and so King Latinus as saith Virgill Aeneid 7. called Aenaeas whose friendship he desired Tyrant Sophista was taken for a man of wisedome now for a deceiuer or a flatterer Hostis did signifie a stanger now taken for an enemy Euen so in old time was Papa taken in good parte and giuen for a title to Bishops or ministers of Gods word for in the Primitiue Church the Bishop Minister and Pastor were all one Riches haue sithens made the difference as now we see Read to this purpose the Epistle of Saint Ierome to Euagr. tom 2. That Papa was so taken as a foresaid by the Epistle of the auncient Doctors as namely Ciprian Dionysius Alexandrinus Ierome Ambrose Auguistine Sidonius Appolinarius and Gregory and by the Actes of the Councels is proued The Grecians vntill this day call their Priestes Papaous the Germanies call them Psaffen and Flemings call them Papen names which be derined of this name Papa which in the Sicilian tongue after Suidas signifieth Father Of all these authors I will alleage here but onely two Ierome writing to Augustine saith Most hartily commend me I pray thee to our holy and venerable brother Pope Alipius And writing to Pamachius he saith vnto him hold Pope Epiphanius And writing to Augustine calleth him Pope In another place he saith Except Pope Athanasius and Paulinus yet neither Alipius nor Pamachius nor Epiphanius nor Aunor nor Athanasius nor Paulinus were euer Bishops of the Church of Rome Among the Epistles of Saint Ciprian there is one thus entituled The Presbiters and Deacons abiding at Rome send greeting to Pope Ciprian And this is to be noted that the Church of Rome giueth this title to Saint Ciprian who was Bishop of Carthage and neuer of Rome But when the couetuousnesse and ambition of the Bishop of Rome had so increased that he made himselfe a Prince and vniuersall Bishop and therefore Antichrist as Saint Gregorie calleth him then toke he from other Bishops the title of Pope and reserued it onely to himselfe So that none but the Bishop of Rome is now Pope and being Bishop of Rome Antichrist Hence commeth it that to all the Godly the name of Pope is so horrible and wicked because it is onely giuen to Antichrist That which hereafter we will say shall not be against the anciēt first taking of the name of Pope but against the second Which name well agreeth with him for the Pope Popely all to himselfe that is to say he deuonreth and glutteth it vp as he himselfe saith All power is giuen me in heauen and in earth And so the late writers take this name Papa pro Ingluuie that is to say gluttony As Anthonie de Lebrixa in his dictionary doth note it Iesus Christ our Maister whose voyce the Father commaundeth vs to heare and thereby to gouerne our selues hath giuen vs a sure marke and infallible token to discerne the good tree from the bad the true Christian from the false the good shepheard from the hierling A good tree saith he bringeth foorth good fruite Matth. chap. 7. 17. This he saith that we may knowe the hypocrites by their fruites or workes Speaking also of himselfe he saith The workes which I doe they beare witnesse of me Ioh. chap. 5. vers 30. The same Lord saith that the good shepheard giueth his life for his sheep not the hierling but rather flyeth Ioh. chap. 10. 11. Mē cannot iudge but that which they see God onely knoweth the heart Following then the counsel which the Lord hath giuen vs let vs see what hath bin the life doctrine of the Popes vntill this day and so will hold them either for good or bad for the true ministers of Christ