borne to receaveorder or benefices Dispensation for pluralities of benefices Dispensation to make a man Bishop before he be 30. yeare old Dispensation to giue orders vnder age The Pope hath power to make and call a generall councill The Pope hath onely power to detriue an ecclesiasticall person and giue away his benefice being not vacant The Pope onely is able to absolue him who is excommunicat by name The Pope onely is to absolue him whom his Legat doth excommunicat The Pope judgeth onely in the causes of them that appeall vnto him and where hee judgeth no mar must appeale from him Onely hee hath authoritie to make Deacon Priest whom he had made subdeacon either vpon Sundayes or vpon other feasts Onely the Pope and none els at all times and in all places weareth the Palle The Pope only dispensses with a man either being not with murtherers or being vnworthie to bee made Bishop He onely either confirmeth or deposeth the Emperour when hee is chosen A man being excommunicat and his absolution referred to the Pope none may absolue that man but the Pope alon The same hath authotitie in any election before it be made to pronunce it non when it is made Hee doth Canonize Sancts and none els but hee Dispensation to how many dignities and personage in a Church and without charge and cure of the soule belongeth onely to the Pope To make that effectuall which is of none effect and contrarie-wayes belongeth onely to the Pope To plucke out a Monke out of his cloister both against his owne will and the Abbots pertaineth onely to the Pope His sentence maketh a law The same day in the which the Pope is consecrated he may giue orders Hee dispenseth in degrees of consanguinity and affinitie Hee is able to abolish lawes that is both civill and Canon where danger is of the soule It is in his dispensation to giue indulgences generall to certane places or persons Item to legitimate what person soever hee pleaseth as touching spritualities in all places as touching temporalities as honours inheritance To erect new religions to approue or reproue rewles ordinances and ceremonies in the Church Item to dispence and discharge and subject from the band of alledgence or oath made to any manner of person No man may accuse him of any cryme vnlesse of heresie and that neither except hee bee incorrigible The same is also free from all lawes so that hee cannot incur into any sentence of excommunication suspension irregularitie or into penelty of any cryme but into the note of cry me hee may well Finally Hee by his dispensation may grant yeato a simple Priest to minister the sacraments of confirmation to infants also to giue lower orders and to hallow churches and Virgins These bee the causes wherein I haue power to dispense and no man els neither Bishop nor metrapolitan nor legat without licence from mee AFter that I now sufficiently declared my power in earth in Heaven and in Purgatory how great it is and what is the fulnesse thereof in binding and loosing cōmāding permitting electing cōfirming deposing dispēsing doing vndoing I wil intreat a litle of my riches likewise and great possessions that everie man may see by my wealth and abundance of all things rents tyths tribute my silkes Purple myters Crownes of gold and silver Pearles and gumes lands and lordships how God heere prospereth and magnifieth his viccar in the earth For to mee pertaineth first the imperiall citie of Rome the Palace of Later an the Kingdome of Cicile is proper to mee Aprilia and Capua be mine also the Kingdome of England and Ir land bee they not brought to bee tributaries to mee 214. To these I admit also besids other Provinces and countries both in the occident and orient from the North to the South these dominions by name others moe 216. which Constantinus the Emperour gaue vnto mee not that they were not mine of before hee did giue them 217. For that I tooke them of him I tooke them not as a gift as is aforementioned but as restitution and that I randred them againe to Otho I did it not for my duetie to him but onely for peace sake what should I speake heere of my dayly enemies of my first fruits annates palles indulgences Bulls confessionals indulgences prescripts testamēts dispensations priviledges elections prebendes religious houses and such like which came to no small masse of money in so much that for a palle to the Arch-Bishop of Mentz which was wont to bee gotten for ten thousand 218 Florence now is growne to twentie seven thousand Florence which I receaved of Iacobus the Arch-Bishop not long before Basil counsell besids the friuits of other Bishoprickes in Germany comming to the number of fiftie whereby what advantage commeth vnto my Coffers it may partly bee conjectured But what shall I speake of Germany 219. when the whole world is my dyocie as my Cannonists doe say and all men are bound to belieue 220. except they will imagine as the Maniches doe two beginnings which is false and hereticall Moses sayeth In the beginning GOD made Heaven and earth and not in the beginnings 221. wherefore as I beginne so I conclude cōmanding declaring and pronouncing to stand vpon the necessitie of salvation for everie humane creature to be subject to mee
decretals extravagants pontificals word for word as it is out of the said bookes heere alledged and quotted FOR as much as it standeth vpon necessity of salvation for everie bumane creature to bee subject to mee the Pope of Rome It shall bee therefore requisite nd necessary for all men that will bee saved to learne and know the dignitie of my Sea and excellencie of my dominion as heere is set foorth according to the trueth and very works of my owne lawes in style as followeth 2. First my institution began in the old Testament and was consummate and finished in the New in that my Preift-hood was prefigurated by Aaron and other Bishops vnder me were prefigured by the sonnes of Aaron that were vnder him 3. Neither is it to bee thought that my Church of Rome hath beene preferred by any generall Councill but obtained the Primacy onely by the voyce of the Ghospell and the mouth of the Saviour 4. And hath in it neither spot nor wrinkle nor any such like thing 5. Wherefore as other seats bee all inferiour to mee and as they cannot absolue me so haue they no power to bind mee or to stand against me no more then the axe hath power to stand or presume aboue him that heweth with it or the Saw to presume aboue him that ruleth it 6. This is the holy and Apostolick mother Church of all other Churches of CHRIST 7. From whose rules it is not meete that any person or persons should declyne but lyke as the Sonne of GOD came to doe the will of his Father so much yee doe the will of your mother the Church the head whereof is the Church of Rome 8. And if any other person or persons shall erre from the said Church either let them be admonished or els their names taken to bee knowne who they bee that swerue from the customes of Rome 9. Thus then for as much as the holy Church of Rome whereof I am governour is set vp to the whole world for a glasse or example reason would what thing soever the said Church determineth or ordaineth that to bee receaved of all men for a generall and a perpetuall rule for ever 10. Wherevpon we see it now verified in this Church that was foreprophecied by Ieremie Saying Behold I haue set thee vpover nations and kingdomes to plucke vp and to breake downe to build and to plant 11. Who so vnderstandeth not the prerogatiue of this my Preist-hood let him looke vp to the firmament where he may see two great lights the Sunne and Moone one ruling over the day the other over the night So in the firmament of the vniversall Church 12. GOD hath set two great dignities the authoritie of the Pope and the Emperour Of the which two this our dignitie is so much weightier as wee haue the greater charge to giue accoumpt to GOD for Kings of the earth and the lawes of men 13. Wherefore bee it knowne to you Emperours which know it also right well that yee depend vnto the judgement of vs we must not bee brought and reduced to your will 14. For as I said looke what difference there is betwixt the Sunne and the Moone so great is the power of the Pope ruling over the day that is over the spirituality aboue Emperours and Kings ruling over the the night that is over the Laytie 15. Now seing the earth is seven times bigger then the Moone and the Sunne eight times greater then the earth it followeth that the Popes dignitie 56 tymes doeth surmount the estate of the Emperours 16. Vpon consideration whereof I say therefore and pronunce that Constantine the Emperour did naught in setting the Patriarch of Constantinople at his feete on his left hand 17. And although the said Emperour wrote to mee alledging the words of S. Peter commanding vs to submit our selves to everie humane creature as to Kings Dukes and other for the cause of GOD. 1. Pet. 2. Yet in answering againe in my decretall I exponed the minds and words of S. Pet. to pertaine to his subjects and not his successors willing the said Emperor to consider the person of the speaker and to whom it is spoken for if the minde of Peter had beene there to debase the order of Priest-hood and to make vs vnderlings to everie humane creature then everie lack might haue dominion over Prelats which maketh against the example of CHRIST setting vp the order of Priesthood to beare domination over Kings According to the saying of Ieremie Behold I haue set thee vp over Kings and Nations 18. And as I feared not then to wryte this boldly vnto Constantine so now I say vnto all other Emperours that they receaving of mee their approbation vnction consecration and Crowne Imperiall must not disdaine to submitte their heads vnder mee and sweare vnto mee their alleadgeance 19. For so you reade in the decree of Pope Iohn how that Princes heeretofore have beene wont to bowe and submit their heads vnto Bishops and not to proceede in judgment against the heads of Bishops 20. If this reverence and submission was wont to be given to Bishops how much more ought they to submit their heads to me being superior not only to Kings but Emperours and that for two causes first for my title of succession that I Pope of Rome haue to the Empyre the rowme standing vacant Also for the fullnesse of power that CHRIST King of Kings Lord of Lords hath given to mee tho vnworthie in the person of Peter 21. By reason whereof seeing my power is not of man but of GOD who by his celestiall providence hath set mee over his vniversall Church maister and governour it belongeth therefore to my office to looke vpon everie mortall sinne of everie Christian man 22. Whereby all criminall offences al 's well of Kings as all other bee subject to my censure 23. In such sort that in all manner of pleading if any manner of person at any time either before the sentence given or after shall appeale to mce it shall bee lawfull for him so to doe 24. Neither must Kings and Princes thinke it much to submit themselues to my judgement for so did Valentinianus the worthie Emperour so did Theodosius and also Carolus 25. Thus yee see must bee all judged by mee and I of no man yea although I Pope of Rome by my negligence or evill demanure bee found vnprofitable or hurtfull either to my selfe or others Yea if I should draw with mee innumerable soules by heaps to hell yet no mortall man be so hardie so bold so presumptuous to reproue mee 26. Or to say to mee Domine cur it a facis Sir why doe yee so 27. For although yee read that Balaam was rebuked of his Asse by the which Afse our subjects by Balaam wee Prelats are signified Yet that ought to bee no example to our subjects to rebuke vs. 28 And though wee read in the Scripture that Peter who receaved power of the Kingdome and being cheife of
concoct and digested with such patience and rypnesse and delivered out with such gravitie of delebiration that nothing is thought in it necessary to be altered or detracted 122. Wherefore it is manifest and testified by the voice of holie Bishops that the dignitie of this my seat is to be reverenced through the whole world in that all the faith full submit themselues to it as to the head of the whole bodie 123. Whereof it is spoken to mee by the Prophet speaking of the Arke if this bee humbled whether shall yee runne for succour and where shall your glory become seing then this is so that so holie Bishops and Scriptures doe witnesse with mee what shall we say then to such as will take vpon them to judge of my doings to reprehend my proceedings or to require homage and tribute of mee to whom all other are subject 124. Against the first sort the Scripture speaketh Deuternomie Thou oughtest not to put thy syth in another mans Corne. Which thing to attempt against mee what is it but plaine sacriledge 125. According to my Canonists which thus defyne sacriledge to consist in three things either when a man judgeth of his Princes judgement or when the holie day is prophained or whē reverence is not given to Lawes and Canons 126. Against the second sort maketh the place of the booke of Kings where wee reade the Arke of GOD was brought from Gaba to Ierusalem and in the way the Arke inclining by reason of the vnruely oxen Ozias the Levit put to his hand to helpe and therefore was stricken of the LORD By this Arke is signified the Prelats by the inclination thereof the fall of Prelats 127. Which also bee signified by the Angels that Iacob did see going vp and downe the ladder 128. Also by the Prophet where hee sayeth hee bowed downe the Heavens and came downe By Ozias and the vnruelie oxen are meaned our subjects 129. Then like as Ozias was striken for putting his hand to the Arke inclyning no more must subjects rebuke their Prelats going away 130. Albeit heere may be answered againe that all bee not Prelats which bee so called for it is not the name that maketh a Bishop but the life 131. Against the third sort of such as would bring vs vnder the tribute and exactions of secular men making the New Testament where Peter was bid to giue the groate in the fishes mouth but not the head nor bodie of the fish No more is the head or bodie of the Church subdued to Kings but onely that which is in the mouth that is the extern things of the Church and yet not they neither 132. For so wee read in the booke of Genesis that Pharaoh in the time of derth subdued all the land of the Egyptians but yet hee ministred to the Preists so that hee neither tooke their possessions from them nor their libertie If then the Prelats of the Church must bee neither judged nor reprehended nor exacted how much more ought I to bee free from the same 133 Which am the Bishop of Bishops and head of Prelats 134. For it is not to bee thought that the case betwixt mee and other Prelats betwixt my Sea and other Churches bee like 135. Although the whole Catholick Apostolicke Church make a brydechamber of Christ yet the Catholick and Apostolick Church of Rome had the preheminence given over all other by the mouth of the LORD himselfe saying to Peter Thou art Peter 136. Thus a discretion and difference must bee had in the Church as it was betwixt Aaron and his children 137. Betwixt the threescore and twelue Disciples and the twelue Apostles betwixt the other Apostles and Peter 138. Wherefore it is to bee concluded an order difference of degrees in the Church betwixt powers rior and inferior without which order the vniversitie of the whole cannot consist 139. For as amongst the Angelicall creatures aboue in Heaven there is set a difference and inequalities of powers and orders some to bee Angels some Archangels some Cherubins some Seraphims 140. So in the Ecclesiasticall hierarchie of the Church militant heere on earth Priests must not bee equall with Bishops Bishops must not bee like in order with Arch-Bishops with Patriarchs or Primats 141. Who containe vnder them three Arch-Bishops as a King containeth three Dukes vnder him in the which number of Patriarchs cōmeth in the stare also of an hundreth fourty two Cardinals or principals fo called Because as the doore turneth by his hinges so the vniversall Church ought to be ruled by them 142. The next hiest order aboue these is mine who am Pope differing in power majoritie and honour reverentiall from these all other decrees of men 144. For the better declaration on whereof my Canonists make three kynds of power in the earth Immediato which is mine immediatly from GOD Derivato which belongeth to other inferior Prelats from me 145. Ministralis belonging to Emperors and Princes to minister for mee for the which cause the anoynting of Princes and my consecration doth differ for they are anoynted onely in the armes or shoulders and I in the head to signifie the difference of power betwixt Princes and mee 146. This order therefore of Priests Bishops and Arch-Bishops Patriarchs and others as a thing most convenient my Church of Rome hath set and instituted through all Churches following therein not onely the example of the angelicall armie in Heaven but also the Apostles 147. For amongst them also there was not an vniforme equalitie or institution of a degree 148. But a diversitie or distinction of authoritie and power albeit they were all Apostles together yet it was granted notwithstanding to Peter themselues also agreeing to the same that he should beare dominion and superioritie over all other Apostles 149. And therefore had his name given him Cephas that is head or beginning of the Apostlehood 150. Wherevpon the order of the Priesthood first in the New Testament began in Peter to whom it was said Thou art Peter and vpon thee will I build my Church 151. And I will give thee the keyes of Heaven and thou being converted confirme thy brethren 152. I haue prayed for thee that thy faith shall not faile wherefore seeing such power is given to Peter 153. And to mee in Peter beeing his successor 154. Who is hee then in all the world that ought not to bee subject to my decrees which hath such power in Heaven in Hell in Earth with the quicke and also the dead 155. Commanding and granting in my Bull sent to Vienna vnto all such as dyed in their peregrination to Rome that the paine of Hell shuld not touch them And also that all such as tooke the holie crosse vpon them should everie one at his request not onely bee delivered himselfe but also deliver three or foure soules whomso ever hee would haue out of Purgatorie 156. Againe having such promises and assurance that my faith shall not faile who then will