Gregorius coram nobis and made him stand at my gate three dayes and three nights bare-footed and bare-legged with his wife and chyld in the deepe of winter both in frost and snow intreating for his absolution and after excommunicated him againe so that hee was twise excommunicated in my dayes 79. And did not I Paschalis after Gregorie set vp the son of the said Henricus against his father in warre to possesse the Empyre and to put downe his father and so hee did 80. Item did not I Pope Alexander bring vnto Henrie the second King of England for the death of Thomas Becket and to cause him goe bare-foooted to his tombe at Canturberrie with bleeding feet 81. Did not I Innocentius the third cause King Iohn to kneele downe at the feete of Pandulphus my Legate and offer vp his Crowne to his hands also to kisse the feete of Steven Langtoun Bishop of Canturberrie and besides that merced him a thousand merks by yeare 82. Did not I Vrbanus the second put downe Hugo Erle in Italie discharging his subjects from their oath and obedience to him 83. Did not I Paschalis excommunicate also his son Henry the fifth and gotte out of his hands all his right and title of elections and donations of spirituall promotions 84. Did not I Gelasius the second bring the Captaine Cnitius vnder vnto the kissing of my feete and after Gelasius 85. Did not I Calixtus quaile the foresaid Emperour Henricus and also bring in subjection Gregorie whom the said Emperour had set vp against mee to be Pope bringing him into Rome vpon a Camell his face to the horse taile making him to hold the horse taile in his hand in stead of a brydle 86. Further did not I Innocentius the second set vp and make Lotharius to bee Emperour for driving out Pope Anacletus out of Rome 87. Did not I the said Innocentius take the Dukedome of Sicilie from the Empyre and made Roger to bee King thereof whereby afterward the Kingdome became the patrimonie of S. Peter 88. Did not I Alexander the third suspend all the Realme and Churches of England for the Kings mariage 1159 88. But what doe I speake of Kings did not I the saide Alexander bring the valiant Emperour Frederick the first to Venice by reason of his son Otho their taken prisoner and there in S. Marks Church made him fall downe flat vpon the ground while I did set my feete vpon his necke saying the verse of the TSALME Super aspidem basiliscum ambulabis 89. Did not I Adrianus Pope an English man borne excommunicate William King of Cicile and refuse his peace which hee offered and had he not overcome me in plaine field I would haue shaken him out of his kingdome of Cicile and Dukedome of Apulia 90. Also did not I the said Adrianus controll and correct the foresaid Fredericus Emperour for holding the left stirruppe of my horse when hee should haue holden the right 91. And afterward did not I excommunicate curse him for that he was so sawsie to set his owne name in wrytting mine 92. And although a poore flie afterward overcame and strangled me yet I made Kings and Emperours to stoup 93. Did not I Innocentius 3. deject Philippus brother to Fredericus from the imperiall Crowne being elected without my leaue and after set him vp againe and also set vp Otho of Brounswick and after did excommunicate and also depose the same foure yeares setting vp the French King to warre against him 94. Then was Fredericus 2. by mee set vp and reigned thirtie seven yeares and yet fyue yeares before he died 95. Did not I Honorius interdict him for not restoring certaine to their possessions at my request 96. Whom also Gregorius 9. did excommunicate twyse together and raised vp the Venetians against him 97. And at length Innocentius spoyled him of his Empyre after that hee caused him to bee poysoned at length to bee strangled by one Manfredus and did excommunicate his sonne Conradus after him not onely depryving him of his right inheritance but also caused him with Frederick Duke of Austria to be beheaded 98. Thus then did not I excommunicate and depose all these Emperours in order Henricus 4. Henricus 5. Fredericus I. Philippus Otho Fredericus 2. and Conradus his sonne 99. Did not I interdict King Henrie the eight 100. And all his kingdome of England 101. And had not his prudence and power prevented my practise I had displaced him from his kingdome also briefly who is able to comprehend the greatnesse of my power and of my seate 102. For by mee only generall Councills take their force and confirmation 103. And the interpretation of the saids councils and of all other causes hard and doubtfull ought to bee referred and stand to my interpretation 104. By me the workes of all wrytters whatsoever they bee either bee reprooved or allowed 105. Then how much more ought my wryttings and decrees to bee preferred before all other 106. In so much that my letters and epistles decretall bee equivalent with the generall councils 107. And where GOD hath ordained al causes of men to bee judged by men hee hath onely reserved mee That is The Pope of Rome without all question of men vnto his owne judgement 108. And therefore where all other creatures bee vnder their judge onely I who in earth am the judge of all can bee judged of none neither Emperour nor the whole Clergie nor Kings nor of the people 109. For who hath power to judge vpon his judge 110. This judge am I and that alone without any other assistance of any counsell joyned to mee for I haue power vpon counsels counsels haue no power over mee But if the counsell determine amisse it is my aurhoritie alone to infring it or to condemne whō I list without any counsell 111. And all for the preheminene of my predecessor blessed S. Peter which by the voyce of the LORD hee receaved and ever shall retaine 112. Furthermore and whereas all other sentences and judgements both of counsels person or persons may and ought to bee examined 113. For that they may be corrupted foure wayes by feare by gifts by hatred by favour onely my sentence and judgement must stand 114. As given out of Heaven by the mouth of Peter him selfe which no man must 115. Breake nor retract 116. No man must dispute or doubt of 117. Yea if my judgment statute or yoke seeme scarcelie tolerable yet for remembrance of S. Peter it must bee humblie obeyed 118. Yea and moreover obedience is to bee given not onely to such decrees set foorth by mee in time of my Popedome but also to such as I doe foresee and commit to wrytting before I bee Pope 119. And although it bee thought by some wrytters to bee given to all men to erre and deccaved 120. Yet neither am I a poore man 121. And againe the sentence of my Apostolick seat is alwayes conceaved with such moderation is
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
the Apostles might by vertue of his office controle all others was content to come and giue answere before his inferiors objecting to him his going to the Gentiles yet other inferiors must not learne by this example to bee check-meat with their Prelats because Peter so tooke it at their hands shewing thereby rather a dispensation of humilitie then the power of his office by the which power hee might haue said to them againe It becometh not sheepe nor belongeth to their osfice to accuse their sheepheard 29. For els why was Dioscorus Patriarch of Alexandria condemned and excommunicated at Chalcedon not for any cause of his faith but onely that hee durst stand against the Pope Leo and durst excommunicate the Bishope of Rome for who is hee that hath authoritie to accuse the seat of S. Peter 30. Albeit I am not ignorant what S. Ierome wryteth that Paul would not haue reprehended Peter vnlesse he had thought himselfe equall vnto him 31. Yet Ieremy must thus be exponed by my interpretation that this equalitie betwixt Peter and Paul consisteth not in like osfice of dignitie but in purenes of conversation 32. For who gaue Paul licence to preach but Peter that by authoritie of GOD saying Separato mihi Paulum Barnabam Wherefore be it knowne to al men that my Church of Rome is prince and head ofall Nations 33. The mother of the faith 34. The foundation cardinall wherevpon all Churches doe depend as the doore doth depend vpon the hinges 35. The first of all other seats without all spot or blemish 36. Lady mistris and instructor of all Churches 37. A glasse and spectacle vnto all men to be followed in all whatsoever shee observeth 38. Which was never found yet to slyde or declyne from the path of Apostolicke tradition or to bee intangled with any newnesse of heresies 39. Against which Church of Rome whosoever speaketh any evill is foorthwith an hereticke 40. Yea a verie Pagan a witch and an Idolater or Infidell 41. Having fulnesse of power onely in her owne hand in ruling 42. Decyding absolving condemning casting out or receaving in 43. Albeit I deny not but other Churches bee partakers with her in labouring and carying 44. To the which Church of Rome it is lawfull to appeale for remedie from the Churches although it was otherwise concluded in the generall councill of Millevit an that no man fhould appeale over the Sea vnder the paine of excommunication yet my Glose commeth in heere with an exception Nisi forte Romanam sedem appellauerint Id est Except the appeale bee to the Sea of Rome 45. By the authoritie of which Church of Rome all Synodes and decryes of councils stand confirmed 46. And hath alwayes full authoritie in his hands to make new lawes decreements and to alter statutes priviledges rights or documents of Churches to separat things joyned and to joyne things separated vpon right consideration either in whole or in part either personally or generally 47. Of the which Church of Rome I am head as a King is over his judges 48. The vicar of S. Peter 49. Yea not the vicar of S. Peter properly but the vicar of CHRIST properly and successour of Peter 50. Vicar of IE sus CHRIST 51. Rector of the vniversall Church director of the LORDS vniversall flocke 52. Chiefe magistrat of the whole world 53. Caephas i. caput the head and chiefe of the Apostolick Church 54. Vniversall Pope and Diocesan in all places exempt aswell as everie Bishop is in places not exempt 55. Most mightie Priest 56. Lex animata in terris i. 57. A living Lawe in the earth judged to have all Lawes in the chest of my breast 58. Bearing the rowm of no poore man 59. Being neither God nor man but the admiration of the world and a middle thing betwixt both 60. Having both swords in my power both of the spirituall and temporall jurisdiction 61. So farre surmounting the authoritie of the Emperour that I of my owne power alone without a Councill have authoritie to depose him or to trans-ferre his kingdome and to giue a new election as I did to Frederick and diverse others 62. What power then or Protestat in all the world is comparable to me who haue authoritie to bind and louse both in Heaven and earth 63. That is who haue power both of heavenly things and also of temporall things 64. To whom Emperours and Kings are more inferiour than Lead is inferiour to Gold 65. For doe you not see the neckes of great Kings and Princes bend vnder our knees yea and think themselves happy and well defenced if they maye kisse our hands 66. Wherefore the sawcinesse of Honorius the Emperour is to bee reprehended and his constitution abolished who with his laytie would take vpon him to intermeddle not only with the temporall order but also with matters ecclesiasticall and election of the Pope 67. But heere perchance some will object the examples and wordes of Christ saying that his Kingdome is not of this world and where he being required to divide betwixt two brethren their heritage did refuse it but that ought not to bee no prejudice to my power 68. For if Peter and I in Peter if wee say haue power to bind and louse in heaven how much more then is it to bee thought that wee have power in earth to louse and to take away Empyres Kingdomes Dukedomes and what els so ever mortall men may have and to give them where wee will 69. And if wee haue authoritie over Angels which bee governours over Princes what then maye wee doe vpon their inferiours and servants 70. And for that you shall not marvell that I say Angels bee subject vnto vs you shall heare what my blessed Clerk Antonius writeth of the matter saying that our power of Peter and mee is greater than the Angels in foure things 1. In jurisdiction 2. In administration of Sacraments 3. In knowledge 4. and reward 71. And again in bulla Clemen tis doe I not their command in my Bull the Angels of Paradise to absolve the soule of man out of Purgatorie and to bring it into the glorie of Paradise 72. And now besides my heavenly power to speak of my earthly jurisdiction who did first translate the Empyre from the Greeks to the Almanes but I 73. And not onely in the Empyre am I Emperour the place being emptie but in all ecclesiasticall benefices have full right and power to translate and to depose after my arbitriment 74. Did not I Zacharias put downe Childerick the old King of France and set vp Pipinus 75. Did not I Gregorius the seventh set vp Robert Wisard and made him King of Sicilie and Duke of Cappa c. 76. Did not I the same Gregorius also set vp Rodulphus against Henrie the 4 Em perour 77. And though that this Henricus was an Em perour of most stout courage who stood 62 times in open field against his enemies 78. Yet did not I
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