of so great a mischiefe and wickednes Unto this Oration he annexeth a maner of praying against the Turkysh fury and about the ende discoursing the vice that reigneth in this our tyme in all sortes of men he sheweth howe Germany whiche is so corrupted and wholy infected can not longe continewe in prosperitie And this fourme of prayer he prescribeth Oeuerlasting father we haue verely deserued to be sore afflicted but punnyshe vs thyne owne selfe Lorde not in thy wrath and displeasure but according to thy great mercy for it is muche better for vs to falle in thyne than into the handes of men and our ennemies for thy merci is vnspeakeable and infinite we haue certenly offended the and transgressed thy commaundementes but thou knowest O heauenly father howe the deuill the Byshop and the Turke haue no rightnor cause to punyshe vs for we haue trespassed nothyng against them but thou vsest them as a scourge to whippe vs which haue mo ways than one al our life time styred the vp against vs. They I saie haue no quarell against vs but would rather that we should euer after their example offende the moste greuously that through idolatry false doctrine lyes disceiptfull and craftye iugglynge with murther thefte and extortion fornication adultery and sorcerie we myght offende the maiestie of thy name This is the thing that thei most wishe for and because we confesse and honour the God the father and thy sonne Iesus Christe our Lord and the holy spirite one and euerliuing God that same is our offence and wickednes for the whiche they so greuously hate and persecute vs. If we should forsake this fayth and fal vnto their lore thā should we loke for no displeasure at their hāds Uouchesaufe therfore to loke vpon vs O God the father and to send a remedy for they be more thyne aduersaries than ours whan they doe tormente vs they tormente the for the doctrine that we professe is not ours but thyne And Sathan can not abyde it but wylbe worshipped in thy place and thy worde set asyde goeth about to feede vs with lies And the Turke also in the steade of thy sonne Iesu Christ wold place his Mahomet Nowe yf thys be synne that we professe thee the father and thy sonne and the holy ghost to be the trewe and only God certenly than arte thou a synner whiche so teachest vs and requyrest this dewty of vs and whā they for this cause persecute vs they do hate and afflicte thee also Awake therfore my God and take in hande thy selfe to aueuge thy sacred and holy name which they defyle and deface neyther suffer thou this iniurie at their hande which punnishe not our synnes and vices but seke to quenche thy worde in vs and doe what they can that thou shouldest not reigne at all neyther shouldest haue any people whiche might serue and honour thee Nowe touching the ofspringe encrease of the Turkes because many haue written it nedeth not to note any thing therof in this place of a smal beginnyng they haue had a maruelous encrease Their first Emperour is accompted Othomanne aboute the yere of our lord a thousand and thre hōdreth whom after succedeth Orchanes Amurathes who fyrst transported his armye ouer the sea of Hellesponte into Europe and inuaded Thrace Than Baiazethes Cyriscelebes Moses Mahoniethes Amurathes Mahomethes Baiazethes Selime Solyman About this same tyme Alphonse Marques of Piscare before mentioned sendyng a booke to the princes of Germany accuseth and blameth the frenche kinge whiche in so troublesome a tyme of the comon welth goeth about to styre vp stryfe to thentente he might hinder the most noble enterprises of themperoure and al the states pretendeth a lyght and a forged matter for Anthony Rincon Ce. Fregose that should be intercepted vnto whom what thing hath chauuced he could not after long and diligent searche fynd out The Frēch Kinge whan he knew thereof declareth that he had an exceadinge great iuiurie done him to haue his Ambassadours so cruelly destroyed of this thinge hathe he ofte complayned sore to the Bisshop and to themperoure and hath requyred that he might be satisfysed herin but it was in vayne And seing it is so vnworthie an act he can not without the greate shame and dishonoure of his name neglecte it After the second of Maye addressing hys letters to the Senate of Paris to th ende sayeth he that god maye illumine our heartes and graunt vs the constancie of fayth and bring again those that ere into the way of saluation and sende vs peace throughe recompence for the iniuries that we haue susteyned by the vsurping of our right and the outrage donne to oure messagers and ambassadours or if in dispayre to haue peace we must nedes haue warre that he would graunt vs victorye our request is that the people go a prosession and pray in all churches And that by some fyt preacher the cause therof be recyted to the cōgregation Moreouer in case any ther be that thinketh not rightly of oure fayth and religion neither will promise amendement we commaund that he suffer openlye for his offence Not longe after he sendeth the Duke of Longuill to the prince of Cleaue who leauing ther a power in the somer season by the conduicte of Martyn van Rossen looked for an occasion to doe some exploicte In the meane season at the kalendes of Iune the bisshop appoynted a connsell at Trente agaynste the fyrst of Nouember at the which time he commaundeth to repayre thither Patriarches bisshoppes abbottes and suche other lyke which eyther by right or priuiledg haue interest to be presēt at counsels and are permitted there to speake their minde He exhorteth also themperoure and the French kyng that eyther they wolde come them selues or send theyr proctours to commaunde their bisshoppes to be there but the bisshops of Germany he inuiteth aboue all others for that for theyr cause chiefly and at theyr requeste is all this payne and trauaile taken In the moneth of Iuly the Frenche kinge with moste hatefull woordes proclaymeth warre against themperoure and in a wryting publysshed geueth his subiectes libertie to spoyle and distroy his contries by sea and lande by what meanes so euer they might A littel before the Duke of Longeuill and Martyu Rossen had made an inuaston into Brabant and were a wonderful terrour to men vnprouided and commyng vpon the sodayne had lyke to haue taken Andwerpe Louayne but wantyng thinges necessarie for munition they could make no battery and marching forewarde whiche way so euer they wente they diftroyed al before them with fyer and sword and extorted many And thus making theyr waie by force in August they ioyne themselues with the kinges sonne Charles Duke of Orleans which warred that tyme in the land of Luke In this force were foure hondreth horsemen sent by the kynge of Denmarke Besydes Danuillier Uirton and Iuey was taken also Lucemburge the chiefe
warned meune to beware and eschewe the same as a mooste presente Pestilence One of these was Caspar Aquila chiefe minister of the Church of Saluelde in Thuringie Thoccasion why he wrote was Islebie who retourning home from Auspurge gloried muche in the boke by the way and said there was now a golden world toward and that Aquila had also assented After he hearde of this he answereth moste vehementlye and reproueth him for his liynge and affirmeth the boke to be ful of erroneous opinions And in Fraunce also Robert bishop of Abrincen wrote against it how be it after a contrary sort and chieflye dispiseth the boke for so much as it permitteth Priestes to marrye and the common people to receiue the whole Supper of the Lord and so taketh occasion to inuey against Bucer with most opprobrious words for maryinge his seconde wife Moreouer one Romeus generall of the Austen Friers at Rome wrote againste it for the same purpose Thus doth the boke incurre reprehension on euerye side Themperour sent an ambassadour to them of Norinberge and to certain others to perswade them vnto this decre Whan he came by the way to the duke of Saxons sonnes he moued them hereunto but they constantly denied it wherfore at his returne to themperour he declareth the whole matter wherupon themperour solliciteth againe the Duke theyr father prisoner and complaineth of his sōnes how they contemne the decre lately made suffer men to speake against it both in theyr preachings wrytinges he requireth therfore that he would treat with them to content him in ether thing Wherunto he maketh answer howe he lately declared the cause whye he hym self could not allow the doctrin of the boke setforthe to Granuellan and the bishop of Arras wherfore he can not perswade hys sonnes to do that thyng whych he hym selfe can not with a quiet conscience he besecheth him to take it in good part and defēd both him and his childrē This cōstancie of his magnanimiti in so great aduersity got him great loue euery wher amōgs al men Like as in Saxony they of Breme and Maidenburge so also in high Germanye onlye they of Constance borderynge vppon the Swisses were not yet reconciled to themperor but at the last obtaining a saufcōduit they send ambassadors to Auspurge to treat a peace Themperor propoundeth right hard conditions and amōgs other things also that they shuld admit the boke setforth after that to frame their religion Thambassadors require to haue the cōditions mitigated but that was in vain and are commaunded to make answere by a certen day That knowen the Senate wryting their humble letters the xiii day of Iuly do beseche him that they be not constrained to do any thing against their soules health their own conscience how they se theyr owne daunger and are in a greate parplexitie for vnlesse they do obey they stand in pearill to lose both life and goods but if they shuld follow his appetite they must abide the vengaunce and iudgement of God Wherfore let him spare them and put not them pore wretches to so great an extremity especially seinge they haue no more offēded than others and haue for thempire for the house of Austrich suffred in time past exceding great misery now do refuse no charge that cā ought of them to be performed although their treasure is very smal their substance not great yet wil they geue for amendes .viii. M. crownes and .iiii. greate peces of ordenaunce but they beseche him to permit the same Religion whiche they haue kept now these .xx. yeres vntil the decre of a lawful coūsel and unpose no heauier burthen to the Citye than it is hable to beare Their bishop Ihon Wesel who was also called Archbishop of Londen as is mentioned in the .xii. boke had threatned thē sore at Auspurge after the Emperors boke was setforthe but within a few daies he died of the same disease that he praied might fal vpō them that is of a sodē palsy Where they say how they haue sustained great domage for the loue of the house of Austrich thus it stādeth The Emperoure Maximilian by the aid of the Sweuical league wherof we haue spoken in the fourthe boke made warre with the Swisses wherfore the Citye of Constance being than of the same league and lieth nexte them receiued much displesure The Swisses were aided by them of Rhoetia of Seon and Sāmaurice whiche were lately made their felowes and also by the Frenche Kynge Lewes the .xii. At the length by the intercession of Lewes Sfortia Duke of Millan the matter was pacified aboute the yeare of oure Lord a thousand and fiue hundreth Maximilian had in Mariage Mary Blancke the sister of Sfortia Themperor the third day of August calleth before him the consuls and all the Senate of Auspurge and diuers others of the chiefest Citezens and by Seldus the Ciuilian speaking muche of the good wil zele that he and his progenitors haue borne to them he saith their common welth hath now these many yeres bene euill seditiously gouerned the cause wherof hath bene that men of none experiēce crafts mē for nothing les mete thē to haue gouernmēt haue bene chosen senators wherfore he who beareth good will to their city to thintent this euil may be remedied displaceth them al not for any reproche vnto them but for the common welthes sake After he cōmaundeth their names to be red whō he hath apoynted senators of the which nōbre were the Welsers Relingers Būtgarners Fuggers Pētingers whō he bindeth after by an oth assigneth vnto euery of thē his office function cōmandeth thē straitly that they loue the cōmon welth obei the decre of religion be vnto him obedient He doth also abrogate al fraternities cōmaundeth vnder pain of death that from henceforth ther be no conuēticles or assēbles made And cōmaundeth that al wrytings of gildes fraternities of priuileges fredō be immediatly deliuered to the new Senate cōmaundeth this state of publike weale to be proclaimed by an officer of armes geueth charge vnder pain of death that no man do impugne the same The Senate geueth him thankes promiseth al due obeisāce In the meane while that these things were in doing al the gates were shut and the souldiours set to warde There had bene a lōg sute many yeres betwene the Lantzgraue William the Erle of Nassow for the lordship of Chats which now at the length themperor in these daies decided geuing sentence againste the Lantzgraue The .v. day of this month themperour answereth thambassadours of the City of Constance by the bishop of Arras and sendeth them away withoute their purpose and because he seeth them so little careful for peace he saith how he wil deuise an other way The same day the Spaniardes which we said went into those parties to the nombre of thre thousand fotemen go straite
well acquainted in Germany and that vnderstode the tongue But the Emperour appered to be nothing moued with all these thinges and was wholy addicte to the war of Parma and the treaty of the counsell of Trent About this tyme also Maximilian the Emperours sonne inlawe cōming out of Spaine arriued at Genes with his wyfe and children The Frenche men sayling out of the porte of Marseilles and bording certen of his shippes toke and spoyled the same The cause whereof was said to bee for that those horsemen which king Ferdinando had sent into Italy to receiue and conduicte his sonne comming out of Spayne had ayded Ferdinando Gōzage in a certen warlike exploicte But the Frenchemen before that also vnder the pretence of amitie entring into the hauon of Barcelona had takē away a Galley six shippes of burthē furnished with all thinges necessary for the vse nauigatiō of Maximilian as certenly the imperialls recite in a certē inuectiue wherin they complaine of the iniuries of the Frenchmen the peace broken The Princes had intreated the Emperour in the conuentiō at Auspurg that in case he might not be present at the least he wold not be far from the place of the coūsel Which thing he graūted to do had said vnto thē how he wold remaine vpō the borders of thempire as I shewed you before Wherfore departing frō Auspurge in the beginning of Nouēb he came to Inspruck which is thre daies iourney from Trent This he thought to haue done both for bicause of the coūsell also for the warre of Parma that being so nere al thing shuld be done with more diligence Shortly after about the .xxi. day of Nouēb Iohn Sleidane Ambassadour for the citie of Strasburg came to Trent that he might further the cōmon cause ioyntly with Duke Maurices the duke of Wirtēberges Ambassadours And vnto this citie had ioyned themselues Esting Rauēsburg Rutelinge Bibrach and Lindawe and gaue commission that they should treate also in their names But why they of Frankefort and chiefly of Norinberge sent not it may be doubted Ulmes hadde before chaunged theyr Religion after the prescript of the Emperour From Auspurg and other places were all the preachers bannished lately as I sayde before So that they could not well sende any Howbeit though the same had not chaunced the Senate would haue done nothinge herein but by the Emperours consent In the moneth of Nouember the Byshop of Rome in one daye created .xiii. Cardinalles all Italians For they be wont to prouide such as it were garrysons to defende them selues Whan the .xxv. day of Nouēber was come and the fathers placed in their seates accordingly the decrees were recited That penaunce is a Sacrament instituted of Christe and necessary for suche as after Baptisme fall vnto synne agayne That it is also a seuerall Sacrament from Baptisme and as it were an other table of saluation after the shipwrake hath chaunced That the same wordes of Christe by the whiche he geueth to his Apostles the holy Ghost ought to be vnderstande of the power to forgeue sinnes by this Sacrament That the sinn shuld be forgeuen thre thinges be required contricion confession satisfaction And that contrition is in dede a true and profitable sorrowe which prepareth the man vnto grace And confession or the maner secretly to recite the synnes to the Prieste to bee ordeyned by Goddes lawe and necessary to saluation That all sinnes whiche come to remembraunce and circumstaunces of the same are to be rehersed That confession ought to be euery yeare once at the least and that chiefly in the tyme of Lent That absolution is not a bare ministery wherby the remission of sinnes is denounced but an act iudicial That only priestes though they be neuer so synfull haue authoritie to geue absolution Where as Byshoppes doe reserue vnto them selues certen cases and offences for the whiche other priestes can not assoyle to be well done Although the crime be remitted yet is not the punishement therfore released and that satisfaction consisteth in worke and not in fayth That by such penaunce as eyther God sendeth vpon vs or the prieste inioyneth or els of our owne fre wyll we chose vnto our selues the synnes are clensed concerning temporall punyshement That satisfactions wherby synnes are redemed be Goddes seruice That the prieste hath power to bynde and lowse And therfore may inioyne penaunce to hym that confesseth his synnes And this muche concerning penaunce They decree that extreme vnction is a Sacrament instituted of Christe for that it geueth grace remitteth synnes and comforteth the sycke The vse of this Sacrament to be the same wherof spake Saint Iames the Apostle Those seniours also wherof he made mention not to be aunciēt in yeares but priestes and thei only to be the Ministers of this Sacrament This doctrine they commaūde to be celebrated and obserued Suche as teache or beleue other wyse they deteste and accurse as pestilent and wicked The next daye after the sessions were brought the Duke of Wirtemberges letters to his Ambassadours Whome he commaunded that they should procede and in the assession at the xxv daye of Nouember they shoulde exhibite the confession of the doctrine wryttē When therfore those letters were brought so lyttle tyme to late and that it was a long season to the next sitting and Earle Mounfort was also absente they goe to the Cardinall of Trent and saye they haue certen thynges whiche they should in their Prynces name propounde in the counsell And howe the same should haue bene done in the laste session but that the letters came so late that the occasion was paste Wherfore they requyre that he whiche is a Germayne borne would both for the loue of the countrie and for their Prynces sake also whome he knewe further thē in this case and bring to passe that the fathers being called together they myght declare their message He with moste ample wordes promiseth great beneuolence Howe he wyl preferre the matter to the byshops Legate But sayeth howe it is agreed amonges the fathers that no man shal propounde any thyng openly vnlesse it be first knowen what maner a thyng that should be And how the Frenche Ambassadour was cause of the same decree whan lately in the opē sittyng there was reysed an vnsemely vprore and a very clamorouse outcrie Wherfore he inquireth what should be the effect of their requeste Who for the desire they had to further the matter shewe him the letters of their cōmission Wherby vnderstanding that they should exhibite some boke of doctrine he letteth thē so departe at that time as he put them in hope that within a fewe daies the thing might take effect The next daye he calleth for them againe and saieth howe he hath conferred with the legate of the whole matter for the better credit also shewed him the letters of cōmission But that he is sore offended for that they shoulde thynke to exhibite a
wryting and thynketh thus that those whiche ought of dutie reuerently to receiue and obeye the rule and order of doctrine woulde prescribe theyr Elders whiche thynge is both absurde and vncommely Other aunswere coulde he get none at thys present but yet woulde he bee in hande wyth hym agayne And biddeth them also to be of good comforte Within a fewe dayes after what tyme Maximilian of Austriche approched nere the Cardinal going forth to mete him at Mantua admonisheth the Ambassadours of Wixtemberg that for so much as he must nedes departe thei should repare to Toletane the Emperours Ambassadour Who both by vertue of his office and authoritie may profite them greatly and will do it right gladly euen for his sake whiche hath cōmended the matter vnto him They followyng his counsell spake vnto him Who promising them gently many thynges so departeth But whan thei came againe the second tyme he began to make an excuse by reason of the disputations that the Diuines should nowe haue wher at the fathers must be present Whiche finished he would espie an occasion It is to be thought that he receiued a muche like aunswere as the Cardinall had done before But least he shuld take awaye all hope of being heard hereafter he alledged this cause especially considering bothe howe the Emperour hath had procured the counsell and that it was permitted by a publique decree of the Empire that euery man myght frely propounde of what matters soeuer he wold In the meane season the Ambassadour of Strasburge goeth to the Emperours Ambassadour William Pictaue in the absence of the Erle Monforte And for so muche as they were all of lyke condition and authoritie he sheweth him the commission of his Ambassade as the maner and custome is and sayeth he is sent thither to the intent he might conferre and consulte with the residue of the profession of Auspurge howe this controuersie of religion and doctrine myght be appeased and a publique quiet established He taking a copie of his commission whiche he sayde he would sende to the Emperour and speakyng many thinges of the doctrine and dignitie of the counsell like as he was in dede a learned man and an oratour offered his seruice and diligēce This was the laste of Nouember And at the same tyme the Diuines had Theames deliuered them touchynge the sacrifice of the Masse as they terme it that they myght speake their myndes of the same after the maner before mentioned Howe Duke Maurice sent his Ambassadours to the Emperour for the Lantgraue is declared before And with thē were ioyned the Ambassadours of the Prince Electour of Brandenburge Wherfore being admitted to his speache aboute the begynnynge of December whan they had in theyr Prynces name done theyr commendations You knowe saye they moste redoubted Emperour in what distresse ar the moste Noble Princes electours Duke Maurice the Marques of Brandēburg for the deteyning of the Lantgraue wher into thei chaūced beyond all expectation whilest by their singuler industrie they wolde procure vnto you an easye and honorable victorye demynysh the charges of the warre and restore to the common countrye peace and quietnes Which thing hath ben the cause also that they haue ofte intreated you sometime by their Ambassadours and somtime in their own persons that you wold haue cōsideratiō of them and set him at lyberty At the which time verely they added this moreouer that in case ye requyred a further assuraunce besydes the suertyshipp wherwith they both and Wulfegange countie Palatyne with all the people of Hesse are bounden to you they wolde not refuse Unto these their requestes you made aunswer to Christopher Carlebyce Iames Schillinge whom they sent laste vnto you that to deliuer hym before it should appeare what the action of the Emperiall assemblee should be whiche was than at hande you myght not Againe that you promised nothing els but that if he kept conuenaūtes he should not be deteined in prison perpetual And where they being occupied with other affaires could not them selues come to the assemblee they moued you agayne by their counsellours and letters at Auspurg but you writing againe the cause why you were offended wyth him and might not deliuer him did pronounce them free from the bonde wher by they are bounde to the Lantgraues sonnes Wherfore they determined to moue your highnes againe And woulde haue come their selues but you knowe howe they were both letted by the war of Maydēburge and the Marques also by sicknes And therfore wold haue the thing done by vs. And first in dede whan your pleasure was that the Lantgraue should submitte him self vnto you without condition they receiued intelligēce by the Byshop of Arras what your mynde was this verely that he should admitte and obserue the conditions of you propounded and deliuered vnto them Nowe if he should haue ben perswaded to render him selfe in this sorte it was assuredly nedeful to declare vnto him that he shold neither be deteined prisoner nor farther burthened than was in the pacification prescribed So therfore the Prince did assure him Which thing also your coūsellours vnderstode right well And where he desired that certē articles of that same peacemaking might be further declared vnto him also requested that he might not be staied in the same matter aboue .vi. daies the thing signified to the bishop of Arras in other thinges also the Princes in a maner obteined what they would And albeit that in this same treaty the case was not vnderstande of all men after one sorte in so muche that he whan he came was contrary to their promyse committed to warde Yet did they neuer blame you Cesar for the same neyther stode they in termes with you therfore for that they had had to do only with your counsellours not with you sauing than whan the Lantgraue was coming and had signified vnto them that they should come vnto him to Numburg For thā spake they with your selfe and sayde how they had perswaded him to admitte the conditions propounded and that he was cōming not far of and how they if you wold permit them wold go to mete him And for so moch as he was come thither vpon ther fidelitie they besought you that he might not otherwyse be burthened then was in the pacification comprised Which thing when your selfe had graunted then frankely they went forth brought him to Hale And in the last treatie ther was no mention made that he shoulde be detayned prisoner Which thing thei suppose that your owne men can also testify namely the Bishop of Arras with whom onely they had conference and Seldus whome he many times ded associate vnto him For after the cōditions admitted and his humble submission the Princes beleued verely that he shoulde haue bene released immediately and that for many causes they thought so Fyrst bycause youre counselours made no mention of imprisōment which is the chiefest point of the same peacemakyng and diligētly marked of
they coÌ„sult of the Interim The constaÌ„cie of the Ministers Freight caried to prysoÌ„ with others The Duke of Saxon the LaÌ„tgraue led away prysoners Letters of Strasburgh to Themp. Strasburge recitueth that Interim The reformatioÌ„ of the Chamber They of CoÌ„stance geue theÌ„selues to the howse of Austrich Augustus maried a wyfe A coÌ„motion at Burdeux The slaughter that was at Burdeux Fraunces Spier a Lawier His recantation Spier wold receiue no comforte He dieth in dispaire A woÌ„derfull conuersioÌ„ of Uergerius Uergerius vanquisshed with the force of truth Inquisitours agaist Uergerus Uergerius repareth to Mantua He isputont of that counsell Uergerius preacheth that Gospell in Rhetia The abhominable filthynes of an Archebyshop Maried priestes pluct froÌ„ their wyues The inheritour of Scotland led into Fraunce The Empe. sonne commeth into Flaunders He is receyued at MillaÌ„ A meting of Diuines in Saxony 1549. Ciuile warres in Affrica Strasburgs wryteth letters to the Emperour Thei of Maidenburg are made a pray for their god lines Trouble in England The Admi. of England b. headed Thomas Cranmer a furtherer of learning Godlines Bucer and Fagius cominto EnglaÌ„d The byshop of Strasb singeth his first Masse The duke of Swaybrig molested for Religion His playne trouth The Inter. confuted by them of Lubeck and others Adiaphora Melanchton defendeth that Adiaphorist The force of holy water Hallowyng of churches Hallowyng of belles Hallowyng of aultars Luther brought in coÌ„tempt the popysh ceremonies The Popes Legates to that Emperour The Pope graunteth licence to eate fleshe The Archbyshop of Meiz to the councelloure of that Lantgraue The Godly answer of that Preachers An open disputation at Oxforde The king is receiued in to Paris Erecution done in his sight The king coÌ„maundeth to go on procession Ueruine beheaded A coÌ„uocatioÌ„ at Lipsia Rebellion in Englande The French king stealeth fortes King Philip inuested in Flaunders The Senate of Strausburge do coÌ„pounde with their bishop The pearil fear of them of Mayden burge Theyr Purgation Why they caÌ„not get pardon The sayinge of Gordiê° the martyr They betray the truthe that hold it in sylence The deathe of pope paul the third A boke in ItaliaÌ„ against the Pope His Sister a whore made him cardinal The monstrus lechery of the Pope The Popes rauening Paule geuen to Astrology coniuratioÌ„ An assemble of Cardinals to chuse a newe Pope The masters of ceremonis The custody of that CoÌ„claue The othes of the cardinals The maner how to chuse the Pope Thre factioÌ„s of cardinals The cause why Pole was not Pope The yeare of Iubiley Paules ioye was vain 1550. A straunge sight neuer hard of A trouble in the thurch of Strausburg The Protector of englaÌ„d The French kynges Proclamation against Lutheranes Iuly that third Thopenyng of the golden gate A iest of the Cardinall of Auspurge Ganimede nouryshed of Poope Iuly Dute of the Conclaue came most fil thye letters The Emperours letters to the â—ates of th empyre A peace concinded betwixt FraÌ„ce Englande A confession of faith by the Ministers of the Churche there The cleargy of Strausburge renueth their misteries A proclamation againste the Lutheranes A register of the deuines of Louaine To talcke of faith is for bidden Rewards for promotours A proclamation for printers Andwarp astonied at the Emperors proclamatioÌ„ The death of the cardinall of Lorayne The archbyshop of Collon entreth the city with pompe The protestation of D. Moris agaiÌ„st the counsell The knauery of Spanyardes The death of Granuellan Duke Henry besiegeth the Citye of Brunswick Dracutus an archpirate The taking of the city of Africa A goodlye situatioÌ„ of the same The ouerthrowe of the Maidenburgians The princes letters to theÌ„ of Maydenburg A woman in perill for a light worde The proclamation for religion is mitigated Forces bent against Maydenburg An Ambassade againste them of May denburge The answer of the MaydeÌ„burgians The death of Ulriche Duke of Wirtemb A cruell decree against the Magdeburgians Duke Maurice general of this war The causes that the decre is not obserued Pope Iuly somoneth a counsell Thei repare to Trent beÌ„fore contemned Maurice besegeth Maydenburg Hedeck and Mansfeld discomsited by Duke Maurice The Empe. proclamatioÌ„ against theÌ„ of Maydenburge The Lantgraues soÌ„ns sue for their father The Lantgraues purpose His deuise of fleing bewrayde The issuyng out victory of the MaydeÌ„burgians The Duke of Megelb takeÌ„ prisoner Marimilian cometh out of Spayne CoÌ„tentioÌ„ for the Empyre betwirte the Emperour Ferdinando what things offend many Thei of Maidenburg are moued to reÌ„der A writing of the Clergie against the citie Their actes against the Clergie The slaughter of the citezens The answer of that citezens Why that clergle forsoke that citie All Godly folke are afflicted for prosessinge the veritie All thynges must be suffered for the truthes sake God woundeth healeth The prayse of great Otto Folyshe ceremonies 1551. A newe doctrine of Osiander The Duke of Pruisse addicte to Osiander MelanchthoÌ„ best learned and modeste The decree of Auspurg Mony for that warre of MaydeÌ„burg Octauian Farnese cliente to the FreÌ„ch king The death of Bucer Complainte of the Bysh of Strasb WoÌ„ders in Saxonye The Pope accuseth Octauian Farnese The counsel at Trente is cold Erle Hedeck frende to theÌ„ of Maidenb The war of Parma betwixt themperoure and french king The French kings excuse to the Pope The sterse minde of Pope Iulye The confession of Duke Moris by Melanchton The humanity of the Duke of wirtemberge to ward Brentius Duke Moris letters to the Emperour The burnt child the fyre dreades Interrogatories for the Ministers of Auspurge The constancy of the prelates The preachers exiled The French king warreth vpon themperour CoÌ„trarye tales of the King and the Emperour The counsel renued at Trent The French kinges letters to the counsel ReseruatyoÌ„s and graceser pectatiue The sum of mony that is caried to Rome The vniuersity of Parts apealeth froÌ„ the Pope Tharrogancye of Poope Boniface against the king of Fraunce Twelue archbishopriks in Fraunce Theames geuen to the deuines The order of speaking The maner of making the Articles of faith The maner of making the decrees The holy ghoste at the Popes commaundemeÌ„t The French kinges wryting agaynst the Pope A cruell proclamation againste the Lutheranes The wicked lustes of the popes sonne A purgation of the french kyng The cause of dissention be twixt the pope and emperor A decree at Trent of the Lordes supper The safeconduit of the fathers at Trent The Marques of BraÌ„denburge statereth the counsell Duke Moris seaseth vpon the dominioÌ„ of Chats The duke of Somerset apprehended The counsel writeth to that french king Causes of calling the counsell The French disswageth that Swisses froÌ„ the counsell The land of WirteÌ„berge delyuered of Spaniardes Thambassadour of Wirtemberge to the counsell The pacificacion of Maydenburge The noble fame constaÌ„cy of Maiden burge Duke Maurice inteÌ„deth to war vpon the Emper. Iohn Slefdan Ambassadour for Strasburge in
same should be longer wanting so many learned men not only of Germany but also of foreine nations instantly requiringe me that I wold gratify them herein There be comming doubtlesse moste greuous commotions and wonderful alterations Which thing also the holy Scripture dothe nether doubtfullye nor daroklye Prognosticate and the present state of thinges doth plainly signify so that such as will applye theyr minde here vnto shall not want matter to wryte of but the same cause that moued me to wryte that is publicke vtility the self same perswadeth me nowe also that some thinges as I haue written and be comprised in these xxvi bookes I shoulde suffer to come abrode into others mens handes And this my labor and all my pains taken I wil dedicate whole vnto you moosie excelient Prince whiche are descended of that noble house and familie whiche fyrsto gaue harborow and refuge to thys Religion whose father did earnestly imbrace the same whose brother for the education of youth in true Religion and learning imploied a wonderful substaunce whose father in law for the self same cause hath a famous name among kinges And for so much as you also walke in these theyr fotesteps to your great commendation this worke which I hope wil profite many I trust will be to you also not vnpleasaunt The liuing God preserue your highnes safe and healthful Geuen the .x. Kalends of April in the yeare of our Lord. 1555. The first Boke ⧠The firste Booke of Sleidans Commentaries concerning the state of Religion and the common wale during the reigne of the Emperour Charles the fyfte The argument of the fyrst Booke THe Pardon 's graunted by Byshop Leo Luther reproueth by preachyng and wryting of proposicions and Letters sent to Tharchbishoppe of Ments the which are fyrst unpugned by Frete Tckell and Eckins and after by Siluester Prier as Hogestrate Upō this the Pope sendeth Cardinal Caietane taduertise Thēperour Maximilian to cite Luther to Rome but Fridericke Duke of Saxon founde the meanes that Luther aunswered Caietane at Auspurge The Cardinal what with threatenynges and what with thalligations of decrees mainteyneth thauthoritie and supremacie of the Pope Luther at his depertynge thence set by an Appellation Caietane solliciteth by letters the Duke of Saxon but in vaine whiche the Pope perceyuing publisheth a new remission of synnes by pardons And to wynne Duke Fridericke sendeth him a goldē Rose In the meane tyme dieth Maximilian and great suite and meane was made taspire vnto thempire whiche in fine Charles of Austriche atchieued and word was sent him into Spaine The golden bulle lawes of Thempire are here recited Erasmus commendeth Luther And at the same time that the disputacion was at Lipsia Zwinglius preached at Zuricke and as Luther had don resisteth a perdoner there one Samson agraye Frere THE Bishoppe of Rome Leo the tenth of that name a Florentine borne after the vsurped auethoritie of his predecessours which he pretēded to haue ouer all Churches had sent forth into al realmes vnder his Bulles of Lead indulgēces pardōs wherein he promysed cleane remissyon of synnes and euerlastynge saluation to all suche as would gyue money for the same for the leuiyng wherof he sent his Collectours into all Prouinces who gathered together and heaped vp great treasures in all places but speciallye in in Germanie And affirmed their doynges to be good bothe in wordes and writyng which pardons the Papistes call by an olde accustomed terme indulgences Grauntyng moreouer for money licences to eate whitmeat and fleshe on daies prohibited The same time was Martin Luther an Augustine Frere and professed diuinitie in the Uniuersitie of Wittemberge who beynge not a little tickled with the preachinges fonde bokes of these collectours for that he sawe howe the simple people beleued the thinges to be true that they bragged of began to admonishe men to be more ware and circumspecte and not to bie their marchaundise so dere For that the same which they bestowed vpon such trifles might be much better emploied This was in the yeare of our lorde a thousande fiue hondreth and seuentene And to thintent he might woorke the thynge to more effect he wrote also to the Archebyshop of Mentz the firste of Nouembre signifying both what they taught and also lamenting that the ignoraunt people should be so far abused as to put the whole trust of their saluation in pardons and to thinke that what wickednes so euer they had committed it should by them be forgeuen And that the soules of them that were tormented in Purgatory so soone as the mony were cast into their boxe should straight wayes flie vp into heauen and fele no more payne he sheweth him how Christ cōmaunded that the Gospell should be taught and that it is the propre office of a Byshop to see that the people be rightly instructed Wherfore he putteth him in remēbraunce of his dutie and prayeth him that for the authoritie whiche he beareth he would eyther put those prattelinge pardoners to silence or els prescribe them a better order in teachinge lest a further inconuenience might growe vpon the same as doubtles there wil doo vnlesse they be inhibited The cause why he wrote vnto him was that for so muche as he was also Byshop of Maydenburg the care of al such matters belonged vnto him And with these letters he sent certen questiōs whiche he had lately set vp at Wittenberg there to be disputed to the nombre of foure score and fiftene In the whiche he reasoneth muche of purgatory of true penaunce of the dutie of charitie and of their indulgences and pardōs at large and inueigheth against their out rageouse preachinges only of a certen desyre to boulte trie out the truth For he prouoked all men to come to that disputation that hadde anye thinge to saye and such as could not be there present he desyred to send their myndes in wrytinge protesting that he would affirme nothing but submitte him selfe and the whole matter to the iudgement of holy churche Neuerthelesse he sayd how he woulde not admitte Thomas of Aquine and suche other lyke writers but so farre foorth as they be consonaunt to holy Scripture and decrees of the auncient fathers To this the byshop aunswered not a woords But shortly after Iohn Tecela Frere Dominick set vp other conclusions at Franckford quite contrary to those of Luthers wherin he extolleth the supremacie of the Byshop of Rome with the frute of his pardōs and other lyke thinges in so muche as he compareth him with Peter the Apostle the crosse whiche he commaundeth to be set vp in churches with the crosse that Christ suffered vpon But where as no man of the cōtrary parte wold repeare to the disputacion at Wittenberge the questions were suche as many were destrous to reade Luther wrote a longe exposition of the same and sent them first to Hierome byshop of Braundenburge and to one Stupice Prouinciall of
neuer take wages nor stypende of anye Prince to serue him in his warres After this was borne the kynges sonne Charles whome the Swyces sendynge theyr deputies Christened at the Fontestone The Heluetians or Swicesse consiste of thirtene Townes Zuricke Bernes Lucerna Ura Swite Unterualde Tugie Glarea Basille Solodure Friburge Schafusiane and Apecelle These are ioyned in a most straite leage by an othe vsynge one and the same law and gouerne as it were in common theyr common weale The fyrst of all that made this leage were the Uranites the Swyces and Unterualdians what tyme they expulsynge their nobilitie vnder whome they were oppressed procured their owne libertie This was in the yere of our Lorde M.CCC.xv After came vnto thē they of Lucerne next them the Tugians in the syxte place the men of Zuricke and last they of Bernes and of Basille Than ioyned wyth them in societie but not in the same lawes nor so great frendshippe the Rhetians Lepontians Sedunites Ueragrites Sangallians Mullusians and they of Rotuuille The Emperour beyng now past one twenty yeres of Age banisheth Luther by a common decree the eyght day of May takyng the begynning therof of his owne parson for that it was his part and office not onely to establishe and augment the Empire but also to forese that no blemishe nor Heresye should springe vp within the limittes of the same And that his Progenitours in dede haue bene diligent men herin Wherfore it is mete that he vnto whō God hath giuen so large and ample dominiōs should folow their steppes for vnlesse he should punishe nowe the Heresyes lately spronge vp in Germany he shoulde bothe hurte his owne conscience in the beginning now of his reigne sore blemisshe his name and dignitie that it is well knowen vnto all men what wicked doctrine Luther hathe spread abroade nowe these three or foure yeres agaynste the Byshoppe and Churche of Rome against the decrees of the auncient fathers and namely against the coūsel of Constance to the great reproche of thēperor Sigismūde and the Princes of Germany that were there present Wherfore syns that in hys bokes is nothing els conteined but sedition discorde warre murther and mischief so that he appereth not to be a man that wrote thē but rather a Deuil in a mans likenes He for the zeale that he beareth to the common wealth and the dignitie of the Bishoppe of Rome doth condemne and proscribe him as aucthor of Scismes as a manyfest and an obstinate Heretike commaundynge all men vnder a great penaltie so to accepte him and after thre weekes wherin he gaue him leaue to retourne to apprehende him and bringe him vnto him and al such as shall fauour or aide him in his doynges he banisheth in like case he commaundeth also his Bokes should be brent appoyntynge a greate penaltie herafter for the Stationers commaunding this decree of his which he sayeth was made by the common consent and assent of the Princes to be well obserued Men say how this decree was made by a very fewe for diuerse of the Electours confessed that they were not made priuie to it as shall be declared hereafter of the Archebyshoppe of Collē The Archbishoppe of Mentz beyng Chauncelour of the Empire maye do muche in such matters But how so euer it came to passe the Emperour hereby wanne muche fauoure in so muche that the Bishoppe of Rome cleane forsakynge the Frenche kynge made a league with him as shall be declared hereafter From the tyme of this publication Duke Fridericke appointed certein of his nobilitie whom he especially trusted to conueighe Luther out of the way in to some secrete place that he might eschewe the daūger whiche thinge was done bothe diligently and closelye In this carefulnes Luther wrote diuerse epistles to his Frendes and also bokes concernyng the abrogating of the priuate Masse whiche he dedicateth to his brethren the Austen Freres of Religious Uowes to his father Iohn Luther and a booke agaynst Iames Latomus a Doctor of Louaine The Austen Freres beganne nowe fyrste of all men to leaue of Massyng and for that cause Luther compiled this Booke for them that he might encourage the weake and confyrme the skylfull exhortinge them muche to perseuer in the same purpose Whiche thinge knowen Duke Friderick fearing that some great trouble or commotion should arrise therof commaunded that the opinion of the whole Uniuersitie herein should be knowen and brought vnto him The Uniuersitie chose iiij for the same purpose Iustus Ionas Philip Melanchthon Nyclas Amstorfe and Iohn Dulce Who conferryng with the Austen Freres brought worde what theyr intēt was And furthermore declared what an iniury was done to the lordes Supper Wherfore they beseche the Prince that he would abolish so great a wickednes not out of one Churche onely but also in all places and set vp the trew vse of the Lordes Supper accordyng to Christes commaundement and the maner of the Apostles stoutly contemnyng al the reproches of the aduersaries for it hath euerbene sene that who so taketh in hande to maynteine the trew doctrine of the Gospel must suffre many thinges and that he ought greatly to foresee that he accept reuerently this present gifte of God wherwith he is chiefly adorned by reason of the lyght of Ghospell spronge vp amonges his people Wherunto the Duke answered that he would leaue nothing vnattempted that might be for Gods glory but for so muche as the thing is ful of difficultie he thinketh good not to beto hastie for litel it is that so fewe can bringe to effect but in case the matter be grownded on the Scriptures they shall doubtles haue mo to take theyr parts And thē shall that alteration which shall seme both Godly and necessary more conueniently be brought to passe For he him selfe which is ignoraunt in the Scriptures cā not tel what time this accustomed vse of masse which you reproue came vp or when that maner that the Apostles vsed was lefte But as he taketh it the most part of Colledges and Churches were fownded for Masses whiche if they should be put downe and the landes taken awaye that were geuen for the same purpose euery man might well consyder what hurly burly would follow vpon the same Wherfore his aduise shal be that they go and consult further of the matter with the rest of good and well learned men of the vniuersitie that all theyr heades leyde together suche meanes may be foūde as maye kepe a Godly quiet These men after more deliberation had make him answer admoshing him as before to put downe thē Masse that the thinge maye be done without any tumult And thoughe it coulde not yet that whiche is righte and godlye woulde not therfore be lefte vndone that they be fewer in numbre it is no newes For euer syns the worlde began the greater part of men haue resisted the trewe doctrine moreouer that those onely shall receiue this ryght vse of the
declareth howe the Church hath power and authoritie to iudge of euery doctrine and to appoint ministers But fyrste he defyneth the Churche to be where so euer the Ghospell is syncerely taught And the Byshoppes he calleth Images and heades without braynes wherof there is not one that doth his duetie in any place namely in Germany And not longe after he wrote of the eschewynge of mens doctrine wherin he saieth he holdeth not with them which do in dede conteÌ„ne the lawes and traditions of men And yet do nothynge which belongeth to the dwetie of a trewe Christian After this he prescribeth how the Masse and Communion should be vsed in the Churche of Wittenberge And saieth howe he hath hitherto wrought slouthfullye by reason of mens infirmitie and to haue had a care one lye howe he myghte plucke wicked opinions out of mens myndes but nowe that many be confyrmed it is time to suffer vngodlines in the churche no longer but that all cloking and simulation set a parte sincere workyng maye ensewe vpon pure doctrine And to this he addeth an other wrytyng of holy ceremonies to be obserued in the Churche And againe of the abhomination of the priuate Masse which they call the Canon Wherin he exhorteth the people to flee froÌ„ the accustomed sacrifices of the masse as they woulde do from the Deuyll hym selfe for the demonstration wherof he reciteth in order the Canon of the Masse declaryng howe full it is of blasphemies againste God Amonges other learned men of Germany that fauoured Luther Ulriche Hutten a noble man borne was one who died this yere not farre from Zurick There be certein workes of his remaining which declare his excellent witte In the iij. boke I shewed you how Luther made answere to Henry king of Englande Whiche after the kynge had read he writeth his letters to the Princes of Saxonie Fridericke and John his brother to his vncle George and greuously coÌ„plaining of Luther he sheweth them what daunger hangeth ouer them and all Germany by reason of his doctrine And that it is not a thinge to be contemned or neglected for the great crueltie of the Turkes which is nowe spred so farre a broad had his beginning of a naughtie man or two And Boheme hard by them may be a warning for them to see the thing reformed in time he admonisheth theÌ„ also that they suffer not Luther to translate the newe Testament into the Uulgare tong for he is wel knoweÌ„ to be such a practisioner that there is no doubt but suche thinges as are well written he with his euill translation wil corrupt and depraue Unto these letters Duke George answereth very frendly blaming also Luther excedingly whose bokes he saith he hath banished out of al his dominioÌ„s as the most hurtfull enemies that can be Moreouer howe he is righte sory that he hath written so extremely against him and hath giuen coÌ„maundement throughe out all his countrey that no man reade it nor sell it and howe he hath punished the Printer that brought the fyrste Copie thyther In the assemblie at Norinberge besydes matters of Religion the Princes entreated of peace and lawes of the punnisshement of those that obeyde not the lawes of the Empire of continuall aide againste the Turke Which two last were not agreed vpon And al the cities of thempire because certein thinges were enacted which they sowe should be preiudiciall to them sent theyr Ambassadours into Spâ—ine to the Emperour Which ariuynge at Ualolet the sixt day of August The thyrde day after declared theyr message Unto whom the Emperor aunswered gently and frankely Notwithstandynge he sayde the Byshoppe of Rome had complained to him in his letters of Strauseborough Norinberge and Auspurge as fauorers of Luthers doctrine he trusted it were not trewe yet woulde he not hyde it from them to th entent they might obserue the Byshoppes decrees and his as he thinketh they will do These Ambassadors pourge them selues faiyng that they do what they can to accomplishe his will and pleasure In the meane time dieth Byshoppe Adrian at the Ides of Septembre in his place was chosen Clement the vii of the house of Medices They of Zuricke onely folowed Zuinglius doctrine the rest of the Suices hated the same Wherfore in a coÌ„mon assemblie had for the falâ—e purpose at Bernes some accused Zuinglius that he preached openly howe that suche as made league with other nations dyd sell bloud and eate mens fleshe Zuinglius heringe therof wrote that he spake not so but that he said in generall howe there were some which abhorred as a wicked thing to eate fleshe beyng forbidden by the Bishoppe of Romes lawe which thinke it none offence to sell mens fleshe for gold and destroy it with weapon But herin he named no nation And seyng that vice doeth nowe so muche abound it is his dewtie to rebuke it but the same doeth nothing concerne the good and innocent parsons Zuinglius amonges other things taught that images shuld be had out of the Church and the Masse to be put down as a wicked thing For the which cause the Senate called a new assemblie in their Citie whither came great resorte in the moneth of October And the disoutation coÌ„tinued thre daies About this time in sundry places and namely at Strausburgh Priestes maried wiues which thinge made muche contention For being accused for so doyng they answered that they had done nothinge agaynste Gods lawe permittinge all men to marie indifferently The Senate of Strausburghe had muche a do with the Bishoppe in this case who called them the .xx. day of Ianuary to appeare before hym at the towne of Sabernes to heare what sentence shoulde be gyuen agaynst them for contractyng of Matrimonye wherein he saieth they haue broken the lawes of the Churche of the holy Fathers and Byshoppes of Rome of the Emperoure also and of the Empire and haue done great iniurie to the order and offeÌ„ded the diuine Maiestie When the Priestes had receiued this Citation they make suite to the Senate to haue theyr cause hearde before them And refuse not to suffer death if they be founde to haue done any thing againste the coÌ„maundement of God The senate intreateth the Bishoppe that for as much as they refuse not to come to theyr aunswere if he should punish them it were like to brede much trouble coÌ„syderinge that the reside â—â—o kepe Harlots openly and are nothynge saied to he would at the lest defferre it to th ende of the imperial counsell Which was than at Norinberge where doubtles suche like cases should be decided To this later couÌ„sel holden this yere at Norinberge Clement the Bishop of Rome sent his Legate Cardinal Campegius who had his letters moreouer to Friderike duke of Saxonie written very friendly in Ianuary Signifiynge howe he reioysed to heare of this assemblye where he shoulde be presente him selfe trustynge that some thynge shoulde be there
enacted that mighte helpe the Common 〈◊〉 for the which cause he hathe sent thither Cardinall Campegius 〈◊〉 man of excellent vertue who can enfourme the Princes of his carefulnesse and 〈◊〉 towardes the Common weale and deuise with him priuately of the meanes of peace and quietnesse whereunto he exhorteth him 〈◊〉 gyue his mynde for the same thyng concerneth the prosperitie and dignitie of al magistrats And how he beareth a great good will vnto Germany hauynge good hope that they wyll not fall from their auncient vertue but helpe to eschewe publike daungers Wherfore he requireth him to shewe all good will and fauoure to hys Legate of whome he shall heare all thinges more at large At the sixe and twentie day of Ianuary the Heluetiās called a conuocation at Lucerne There was a decree made that no man shoulde mocke or contemne Gods worde whiche had bene taught these thousande and foure hundred yeares nor the Masse wherein the bodye of Christ is consecrated to his honor and comfort of the quicke the dead that suche as be of lawfull age to receyue the Lordes supper do cōfesse them selues to the priestwise in the Lent season that al men absteine from fleshe on daies forbidden and in Lent also from egges and chese That nothing of Luthers or any newe doctrine be taught priuely nor openly That suche as cary about the reliques of the holy gost the virgin Mary or of S. Anthony be not laughed at and that they do obserue all other olde customes they that offende herein to be presented to the Magistrates punished Whē Cāpegius was cōmen to Norinberge Duke Friderike was departed thence wherefore he wrote vnto hym the laste daye of February and sendinge also the Bishoppes letters he lamenteth that vnhappye chaunce that he can not speake wyth him presently hauyng many thynges to talke with him from the Bishop of Rome whiche can not so well be done by letters and messengers and be of suche sorte as maye abyde no delaye But seynge it will be no better after muche gretyng made in the Bishops name and his own he saieth that albeit the reporte be great that he should be a fauorer of these newe spronge vp Heresyes yet can not the Bishoppe hitherto nor he be so perswaded for the manyfold and excellent vertues which they perceiue to be in him And especially for that he hath bene euer a great fauourer of Religion and of the Apostolicall Churche whereupon he will not truste the iudgementes of others nother leaue the good opinion that he hath of him before he shall see cause and know it him self Germany hath bene wonderfully altered with in these fewe yeres cōcernyng Religion but he vnderstandeth howe muche the commō people do differ from the nobilitie and Princes the rulers of the lawes amonges whom he is as principal aswel by his own as also by deserte of his aūcesters which haue euermore done great honor to the church of Rome Wherfore the Bishop requireth him that in these daūgerous dayes he woulde after the example of his elders declare his vertue of stoutenes not onely in mislyking this lybertie of the people but also in extremely punishing the same for vnlesse theyr licentious boldnes and malapertenes be restrained it will bring the lyke miserie and confusion into Germany that it did before tyme into Boheme and Hongary which are not yet quieted For they that do stubberuely contemne the sacred Lawes and Ecclesiasticall Magistrate will also vndoubtedly worke their violence against the Ciuil Magistrates whom they loue not Manye are nowe glad to see the Pastours of Churches and the Courte of Rome thus troubled and dispised whiche perceaue ful litel what daunger they them selues stande in But the Byshoppe whiche as the master of a shyppe sitteth watching at the Healme doeth foresee this storme approching and hath sent hym to warne all the Princes and him especially to beware of this tempest which is like to distroy not onely the citie of Rome but also Germany it selfe And for the same cause also hath sent letters by him and willed him to treate diligently with him of all these matters to the intente the tranquilitie and quietnes of Germany might be recouered For he is purposely sent to lifte vp them that are fallen and to receiue vnto grace such as are penitēt Whereunto albeit he is not very fit yet trustynge vpon his gentlenes he wil attempt it with al diligence wherfore seing that he hath taken this wery and painefull iorney he praieth him that he maye not want his helpe and fauor herein And that he woulde write agayne shortly what he thinketh best to be done And he will do for him againe what he can in the worlde After in the Counsell of the Princes he fyrste declareth howe that no man was willyng at Rome to take this voiage into Germany at the last was he appointed as one that may thanke the Germanes for all his promotions hauing two thinges to treate of Religion and the Turkishe warre And fyrst he marueleth muche that so manye greate and worthy Princes can beare with this alteration suffer the same Religion Rites and Ceremonies wherin they were borne brought vp and theyr fathers also and progenitours dead in to be thus defared and set at naught Which thing if it be not spedely reformed wil styre vp doubtles great commotions and rebellion of the people agaynste theyr magistrates This the hyghe Bishoppe fearing and consyderyng hath sent hym to deuise a way with them howe to remedie this matter Whose diligens herein if it be refused which as a good father and pastour wissheth well to all his Children and shepe there is no cause hereafter to laye any blame in him As touchynge the Turkes he denieth not but that there was money gathered for the same purpose and brought to Rome which albeit it was not employed all that wayes yet may not the cōmon welth therfore in this calamitie of time be neglected what hurt that cruell enemie hathe done it is not vnknowen for by the negligens and cowardise of our owne men he hathe taken the Rhodes and the chiefest foretresse of Hongary The Rhodes endured an harde siege many monethes and at laste wantynge all thynges necessarye whan they saw no aide would come they yelded the like chaūce was in Hongary Which if he should subdew wholly and bringe vnder his subiection it is to be feared lest they wyll become our enemies muche worse than be the Turkes But vnlesse this contention procedynge of this new doctrine be fyrst taken away the other part of the common wealth can not in his opinion be well holpen Hereunto the Princes answere that wheras he beareth this good will vnto Germany they are glad that he came thither and amonges them all they wyll chose certeine to conferre with him supposing that he hath some order prescribed him of the Bishoppe and his cardinals which they haue willed him to folow knowyng the matter so
therfore departing from Wittenberge as before is mentioned had kept familiaritie with those secrete teachers that fayned themselues to see visions and to haue talke with God for the whiche causes the Dukes of Saxony had banyshed hym out of his countrey And he had set forth bookes against Luther and his fellowes callyng them newe flatterers of the Romyshe byshop and suche as taught amysse concernyng the masse confession of synnes Images and other thinges And those wordes of Christ This is my body he interpreted thus here sytteth my body and rayleth on the Duke for exylyng hym but layde all the blame in Luther Whereunto Luther aunswered at large defendyng his opinions and affirmed the cause to be iust wherfore the prince had banyshed him Now after this sedition was opressed the armies of the commoners discōfited and many executed dayly in al places Carolostadius beyng afrayde of his own parte cōpyleth a booke wherin he pourgeth him selfe ryght dilygentlye affirmynge that they doe vnto hym great iniurye that reporte hym to be one of the authors of this seditiō And writīg his letters to Luther desyreth hym earnestly to set forth this same booke to defende his innocensie that he be not vniustly condempned and neuer come to his aunswere Luther wryting an epistle that all be it he dissented much from hym yet for asmuche as in this distresse he fleeth vnto hym for sucour he sayeth he would not disceyue his expectacion herein considering chiefly that this is the very dewtye of a Christenman Wherfore he desyreth the Magistrates and all others in generall that in so muche as he vtterlye denyeth the thyng that is layde to his charge and refuseth not to come to his answere before any lawful iudge the same might be graūted him whiche standeth both with equitie and iustice After this Carolostadius sendeth Luther an other boke wherin he protesteth that suche thinges as he wrote of the Lordes supper was not to defyne or determine any thing but by way of disputatiō to searche out the truth Luther admitteth the excuse but he warneth al men to beware of his opinion for so much as he is doubtful in it him selfe or els if thei doubt in lyke case to suspende their iudgement tyl such tyme as it be certenly knowē what to beleue therin for in thynges that we must beleue we ought not to doubte or wauer but to be so certen that rather than to forsake our opinion we should not refuse to dye a thousand tymes In those dayes Luther maried a Nunne wherby he gaue occasion to his aduersaries to speake euyll of hym For than they sayd playnly he was madde and became the seruaunt of the deuill At this tyme Zwynglius the minister of the congregation at Zurick agreing with Luther in all other thynges dissented from him touching the lordes supper For those wordes of Christ this is my body Luther vnderstode barely and symply after the texte of the letter admitting none other interpretation affirming the bodye and bloude of Christe to be verely in the bread and wyne and so to be receyued with the mouthe also but Zuinglius taketh it to be a trope or a fygure as many others mo are to be found in the Scriptures and expoūdeth the wordes thus This signifieth my body Wherunto subscribed Oecolampadius a preacher at Basill interpretyng it thus This is a signe of my body The matter was hādled on eyther syde with much contention wryting The Saxōs held the opiniō of Luther the Zwicers of Zwynglius There followed others which did expoūd it otherwise but they all agreed in this opinion that the body blud of Christ is receiued spiritnally not corporally nor with the mouth but with the hart This cōtention endured the space of .iii. years at the last by the meanes of the Lantgraue they came to a cōmunication at Marburg as hereafter you shal here Also the coūsel of thempire appointed a litle before at Auspurg because few came thither by reason of the tumultes in Germany was proroged to the first of May in the next yeare folowyng at the which time Ferdinando put thē in hope that the Emperour would be there him self and the place was appointed at Spyres Neuerthelesse it was decreed that in the meane tyme the preachers should expound the scriptures to the people after the mindes of the doctours whiche the churche had receiued and not to teache sediciously but so as Gods name may be gloryfied quietnes maintained Whilest Fraunces the French kyng was prisoner in Spayne Ales his mother had the gouernment Who to kepe in the byshop of Rome signified vnto him by letters messagers what a zeale and affection she bare towardes him and the churche of Rome Wherupon Elemēt the seuenth writing to the court of parliament in Paris signifieth how he vnderstode by her that certen heresies began to spring vp in Fraunce against the auncient faith and religion how they haue wittely forseing the thing chosen certen men to punishe such offendours whiche thing he confirmeth also by his authoritie wyllyng them to be diligent herein both for Gods glory and also for the welth of the Realme With many other faire wordes of exhortation to perseuer in so doing Which letters being dated at Rome the xx day of May were deliuered to the Senate at Paris the .xvij. daye of Iune Moreouer in the kinges absence the diuines of Paris had so euill entreated Iames Faber of Stapulles who hathe written dyuers workes both of Philosophie and diuinitie that they droue hym out of Fraunce Wherof the kyng being certified by the lettres of his sister Margaret which loued Faber for his vertue writeth to the Senate of Paris in his behalfe geuyng him a Godlye testimony for his learnyng and vertue and that he is in much estimation amonges the Italians and Spanyardes wherfore he wileth them to surcease and let the action falle till his retourne or his pleasure further knowen beyng assured that it is by euyl wyll commenced against hym by the doctours of Serbone for the matter was heard before his commyng from home These letters being dated at Madricea town in Spayn the .xij. of Nouembre were delyuered at Paris the .xxviij. of the same moneth It was a thyng geuen to the deuines in tymes paste to rayle vpon learned men the cause was that they sawe their ignoraunce dispised This yeare was the state of the common wealth altered in the lande of Pruse the vttermost prouince in Germany bordering on the We shall repete the matter from the beginninge In the Empyre of Henry the syxth the sonne of Frederick Barbarosse what tyme the Christians warred to recouer Hierusalem there was instituted an order of Knyghtes of Germany whiche because they fought for religiō did weare the whyte crosse on their garmēts as a badge of their profession This was the yeare of our Lorde M. C. and foure score and ten The first maister of that order was chosen
the .xiiij. daye of Nouembre pronounceth it to be of none effecte The fyft daye after in the Emperours presence was the decree recited before all the states and after a long discourse of the handlyng of all matters the Emperour decreeth that they shuld no longer be suffered that teache otherwyse of the Lordes supper than hath bene obserued hytherto that in the Masse eyther common or priuate nothyng be altered that chyldren be confyrmed with chresme sycke folkes annoynted with oyle consecrated that no Images be remoued and where they be taken awaye to be restored that the opiniō of them that denye man to haue fre wyll be not receyued for that it is beastly and also contumeliouse against God that nothyng be taughte any where agaynst the authoritie of the magistrate that the opynion that fayth only iustifieth take no place that the Sacramentes of the church be in numbre and place accustomed that the ceremonies of the churche rites obsequies for the dead and suche other be obserued that benefices vacant be imployed vpon mete persones that suche priestes and men of clergie whiche haue maried before this tyme be depriued of their benefices whiche immediatly after this assembly shal be geuen to others But suche as forsakyng theyr wyues wyll retourne to their olde profession and be absolued the byshop may restore by the consent of the byshop of Rome or his legate But the others to haue no refuge in any place but banyshed or extremely punyshed that the priestes be of honest conuersation their apparell decent and commonly that they auoyde all sclaunder That the preachers exhorte the people to heare Masse to praye to the virgyn Mary and other sainctes to kepe their holy dayes and fasting dayes to abstayne from meates forbodene to releue the poore to tell the Monkes howe they may not forsake theyr profession and ordre briefly that nothyng be altered in Religion they that shall do otherwyse to lose bodye and goodes that where as Abbeys be pulled downe they be reedified and what soeuer hath bene taken awaye from the clergie to be restored that the wonted ceremonies and rites may be accomplyshed And suche as be followers of the olde Religion dwellyng within the lymites of the cōtrary parte and allowe this decree shall be receyued in to the protectiō of the Empire and shall flitte whether they lyste without any hynderaunce that the byshop of Rome shal be called vpon to apoynte a counsell in some place conuenient within syxe monethes that afterwarde the same may begynne as shortly as may be and at the furthest within a yeares space that all these thynges be ratified and establyshed Al exceptions or appellations made to the contrary to be voyde and of none effect And to the intent this decree may take place and be obserued as cōcerning religion the force and power that God hath geuē them shal be wholy applied hereunto and their lyfe and bloude also spent in the same quarell Duryng this Parliament Luther by the commaundement of his Prynce was at Coburge in the borders of Frankony to the intent he myght be nerer Auspurge in case the matter requyred his aduyse or counsell And though he were absent yet to the intent he myght some what further the commō benefit he wrote a booke to the byshoppes Prelates in that assemblye wherein he sheweth what the state of the churche hath bene vnder the byshop of Rome what wicked doctrine what shamefull errours And with moste weightye wordes admonisheth thē of their dutie chargeth them to be of cruell bloudy mindes and agayne exhorteth them not to let slippe the occasion nowe to redresse their euyll He sheweth them howe his doctrine is agreable to the bookes of the Prophetes Apostles and proueth that is in vaine what soeuer they consulte or imagine against God In this malyce threatheninge of the Emperour and Byshops Melancthon was discouraged and careful in his mynde not for his owne cause but for posterities sake and gaue hym selfe wholy to pensiuenes wepynge and mournynge But when Luther knewe therof he comforteth hym with sondrye letters And for as muche as it is no mennes matter but the cause of almyghtie GGD he admonyshed hym that layinge al thought and care a parte he caste the whole burthen vpon hym And why sayeth he doest thou thus afflicte and tourment thy selfe If God hath geuen his sonne for vs why do we tremble and feare why doe we syghe and lamente Is Sath an stronger than he Wil he that hath geuen vs so great a benefite forsake vs in lyghter matters Whye shoulde we feare the worlde whiche Christe hath vanquyshed If we defende an euyll matter why doe we not chaunge or pourpose If the cause be iust and Godlye why truste we not to Gods promyses Certenly the Deuyll can take no more from vs but our lyfe But Christ liueth and reigneth for euer in whose protection consisteth the veritie He wyll not cease to be with vs vnto the Worldes ende If he be wyth vs. I beseche you where shall he be founde If we be not of his churche doe you thynke that the byshop of Rome and our other aduersaries be of it We be synners in dede dynerse wayes but yet for all that Christe is no lyer whose cause we haue in hande Let kynges and nations fret and fume as muche as euer they lyste He that dwelleth in heauen shall laughe them to skorne God hathe gouerned and maynteined this cause hetherto without our counsell the same shall also from henceforth bryng it to the ende wyshed for Touchyng lawes and traditions of men that you wryte of the aunswere is not harde For both the fyrst cōmaundement and al the Prophetes also doe cōdempne suche maner of workes They may be a bodely exercyse but if they come ones to worshyppyng it is idolatry As for any agremēt it is in vayne loked for for neyther can we depose the byshop of Rome neyther can the true doctrine be in safetie so longe as Popery shall endure In that you wyll haue the Lordes supper to be communicated wholy and geue no place to your aduersaries whiche holde it to be indifferent you doe well For it is not in our arbitremēt to decree or suffer any thynge to be vsed in the churche whiche hathe not Gods worde to beare it They crye out that we condempne the whole churche but we saye how the churche was violently taken and oppressed with tyrannye when the communion was deuided in the middes and therfore to be holden excused as the whole Synagoge was excused that in the captiuitie of Babylon it kepte not the lawe of Moses other ceremonies beyng by force prohibited that they coulde not doe it Take hede in any wyse that you graunt not to the byshops ouer muche iurisdiction lest more trouble ensue there of hereafter All this treaty of a concorde in doctryne is cleane agaynst my mynde For the labour is spent in vayne vnlesse the byshop
their league the Duke of Saxon answered by his Ambassadours that for as muche as they were of a contrary opinion touchyng the Lordes supper he myght haue no fellowshyp with them Howe muche they were to be estemed for their strengthe and power he was not ignoraunt but he myght haue no respect vnto that lest it shoulde come to an euyll ende as the Scripture witnesseth to haue chaunced vnto those whiche for their defence haue not cared what ayde they haue sought Durynge this assemblie letters were brought from the Duke and Lantgraue to the Ambassadours of the other Princes and cities pourportyng howe the Archebishop of Mentz and Lewys the Palsgraue had leaue of the Emperour to treate of a peace and had requested them by letters to graunte also to the same For then woulde they appoynte a tyme to mete After deliberation had the Ambassadours aunswere that they be contended Wherfore when the Duke the Lantgraue had made reporte agayne howe they misliked not the so that the processe in the lawe myght cease in meane tyme They hauing first obteyned this of the Emperour appointed the daye the last sauing one of the moneth of Auguste Wigande byshop of Bamberge had certen yeares before complayned to his fellowes of the Sweuicall league of George Marques of Brandenburge for certen wrōges and iniuries whiche he had done vnto hym as hynderynge his ecclesiasticall iurisdiction and lyuing and compellinge the priestes to thys false kynde of doctrine and if they refused erpulsynge them and imployinge the churche goodes to prophane vses And for as muche as this was contrary to equitie and iustice and against the decrees both of the bishop of Rome and the Emperour he requyreth that according to the league they would ayde and assiste hym herein Wherfore this yeare in the moneth of Iulye a daye was appoynted at Norlinge for the hearynge of this matter whether came at the request of the Marques the Ambassadours of the Protestantes And of the byshops side were the byshops of Auspurge Wircinburg and Aester as his coadiutours and counsellours When the plantife had propounded charged him with iniuries requiring the iudges to procede and gyue sentence after the prescripte of the league The defendaunt in thinges cōcerning religion and iurisdiction ecclesiasticall put in an appellation wherein he appealed from their decrees and iudgement to a generall counsell The iudges sayde howe they would not admitte theyr sentence geuen This cause did not concerne the Marques George only but also his nephewe Albert whiche was his worde In the meane tyme the Emperour calleth a counsell imperiall at Spyres at the Ides of Septembre for the appeasyng of the controuersie in Religion But the eleuenth kalendes of Septembre came vnto the Duke of Saxon the Erles of Nassowe and Nuenar men of great authoritie nobilitie and vertue and by the Emperours priuitie moue a reconciliation and to treate with hym of fyue thynges the Lordes Supper the cerimonies of the churche the churche goodes the ayde nedeful against the Turke the Election of king Ferdinādo And where it appered by their wordes how the Emperour was perswaded that he allowed the doctrine of Zwinglius the opinion of the Anabaptistes he aunswereth that what kynde of doctrine his is and what his ministers doe preache and teache is ryght well knowen by his confessiō exhibited at Auspurg in the which he pourposeth through Gods grace to remayne duryng his lyfe and that he had neuer to do with Anabaptistes nor greatly with the Zwinglians And desired thē to pourge him herein to the Emperour They sayd how they knew it before this to be so neuerthelesse they woulde declare it so to the Emperour who no doubt would be glad and ioyfull to heare it For the reste of theyr demaundes they were agreed they should be differred vntyl the next assemblie of the Empyre whether they desyre hym eyther to come him selfe or to sende his sonne He sayeth howe he woulde be glad to gratifie the Emperour in all thynges but he is now aged and vnhable to trauayle and besydes that there be certen weyghtie causes for the whiche he can neyther come hym selfe nor sende his sonne vnlesse the Emperour wyll graunte a saufe conduicte for hym and his trayne Agayne where so euer he shall become he can not want the preaching of Gods worde nor haue prescribed hym a certen kinde of meate furthermore if the disputation shall be touchyng Religion it is requysite that he bryng with hym Luther and others whiche muste also haue saufecouduicte Fynally howe he hathe oftentymes made suite to the Emperour to be inuested in his owne Dukedome after the custome of the Empyre and for other thynges whiche he coulde neuer obtayn all be it he made many fayre promyses And nowe in this laste assemblie at Auspurge Fridericke Palsgraue aunswered him so in his name as it did easely appeare that the Emperour is sore offended with hym vpon whiche consyderations he can not come vnlesse he maye through their mediation obtayne the Emperours saufe conduicte in dewe season And than he wyll come without fayle About the later ende of Auguste the Ambassadours of the Archebyshop of Mentz and the Palsgraue mette with the Ambassadours of the Protestauntes at Smalcalde speakynge muche of the loue and zeale that theyr Princes bare to theyr countrey who seynge that they coulde not agree at Auspurge and consyderynge the great daunger that myght ensue of that dissention would neuer reste tyll the Emperour had graunted them leaue to treate of peace Wherfore they thought it good to call agayne in question suche thynges as coulde not be agreed vpon at Auspurge and to begynne where they lefte there The others saye agayne howe the Protestauntes knewe not what thynges should be propounded and therfore gaue them no certen commission to determyne any thyng but wylled them to sende home in wrytinge sealed that whiche shoulde be propounded and so they must do and none otherwyse And whan after much altercation in wordes they could not otherwyse cōclude at the last it was agreed that they should mete at Spyres at a daye whiche the intercessours should assigne after that the pleasure of the Duke and the Lantgraue herein were knowen who ought in dede so shortly as myght be in the name of them selues and their fellowes to signifie their mynde therin This was decreed the seconde daye of Septembre And in the beginnyng of Octobre the Duke and the Lantgraue wrote to the Archbyshop to the Palsgraue repetinge the treaties of the Ambassadours before sayde they declare howe there coulde be no good done therein without diuines And howe they continewe iin the same Religion styll whiche they professed at Auspurge And where as in all assemblies both when the Emperour was absent and nowe also of late being present a counsell was promysed whiche shoulde forthwith be called and commenced they trusted that the Emperour would shortly procure one in Germany wherein
and moue his fellowes also to be carefull for the same he would be glad moreouer to make a present aunswer but there be many others of the same religion who with his father Duke Iohn professed the same doctrine in the assemblie at Auspurge before the Emperour so that he can not aunswere of him selfe alone without making them priuie neither is it expedient for the cause so to doe For better it is that the same be done by comon assent And for as much as the Emperour the byshop the last wynter in their letters wrytten to the states of the Empire from Bononie put them in hope of a counsell therfore did he his fellowes appoint a day the .xxiiij. of Iune to mete at Smalcalde to consult of the whole matter wherfore he desireth thē not to be offended with this differment of time for so sone as his fellowes mete at their day prescribed they shal haue answer either by Ambassadours or by letters shortly after And he wold through Gods grace so demeane him self that not only this present age but also the time to come shold perceiue right wel that he wyshed for nothing more thā that the pure religion doctrine peace not only of Germany but of the whole comon wealth of Christendom might also floriche and that the Emperour his chiefe souereigne might haue his due honour dignitie Afterwarde whan his fellowes were come with good deliberation they framed an answere by commō assent in their letters the last of Iune Howe they gaue great thankes to the Emperour whiche for Gods glory preseruation of the cōmon wealth had taken so muche paynes of a good zeale they doubted not And therfore pray God so to confirme direct his mynde to that ende that the truthe may be set forth and embraced And false doctrine wicked worshipinge rites abolyshed and that all errours being cleane weded out of mens myndes Gods true seruice other godly vertues may agayne take place For they chiefly desire a counsel wherin the matter that is in controuersie may duely and orderly be decided Suche a counsell also the Emperour hath promysed long synce and that in all assemblies of the Empyre with great deberation hath bene decreed to be kepte in Germanye For all this dissention sprange vp fyrste of that welle that certen impudent persones ouermuche extolled indulgences and pardons At whiche tyme also other errours were perceyued and detected And all be it that byshop Leo condempned this doctryne whiche brought those errours to lyghte yet haue they hetherto impugned that condempnatiō with the testimonies of the Prophetes and Apostles And therfore hath a counsell ben alwaye thought moste nedefull as well of other Prynces and states of them wherin the cause myght be examined and openly tryed what is true and what is false for that they sawe howe many thynges were crept into Religion whiche were to be refourmed And therfore in the assemblies of the Empyre it was decreed that there should be a free and a christian counsell eyther of all nations or els of the prouince of Germany by those especiall wordes lest that eyther the sentēce of the byshop or the force and power of any other man should be preiudiciall to the cause Agayne that in all this cause iudgement should be geuen not after the byshoppes decrees and opinions of Scholemen but accordyng vnto holy Scripture For yf any mans power should be of more force than the Scriptures than due examination who doubteth But that he that shoulde contende againste the byshop shoulde lose his labour and stryue agaynste the streame Wherfore not without great considerations it hath been decreed that the counsell should be holden in Germany And the Emperour also content it shoulde so be but nowe these requestes of the bysshop to be vtterly against the decrees of the Empyre confyrmed by the seales of the Emperour and the other Prynces For all be it he speaketh of a free councel yet doubtles he intendeth an other thynge whā he goeth about to haue kynges and Prynces bounden to hym For in case he woulde haue it free what shoulde this obligation nede But nowe seyng that he is wholy bent this waye certenly this is his purpose that vnder the name of a counsell he maye maynteyne his power and aucthoritie that no man shall reprehende his faultes and errours or if any doe atttempte it that he shall not escape vnpunyshed They knowe not what other men wyll doe but surelye this demaunde of his is wrytten in suche sorte that it rather maketh them afrayde of a counsell than prouoketh them to it for who woulde bynde hym selfe after this sorte especially beynge not yet knowen what shall be the ordre of the counsell the fourme and maner whether the byshop wyll haue his adherentes to beare there moste aucthoritie or whether the controuersies shall be determined accordyng to the holy Scriptures or after the traditions and lawes of men grounded vpon no Scripture at all The lybertie of the Counsell is also restrayned in that he wyll haue it kept after the olde accustomed maner They doe not refuse the former counselles that are consonant to the Scryptures but suche as haue bene in our tyme or a lyttle before whiche haue attributed more than reason wold to the byshop of Rome and decrees of men farre differing from the auncient counselles therfore where he sayeth it shall be after the olde accustomed maner this is his crafte and policie that there shall not be that lybertye of speache and geuinge of sentences as they both desyre and also the cause requireth but that iudgement shall be geuen accordynge vnto his lawes and vsurped power whiche he taketh vppon hym as by certen of the last coūselles it is manifest but by this vsage and hadling of matters can neither the churches be pacified nor the troubled conscience quieted but are brought into further darkenes bondage wherfore seing that the bishop hath not as yet satisfied the requestes of the Emperour and states of the Empyre they ernestly desyre that Cesar considering the weightines of the cause whiche concerneth the vniuersall cōmon wealth and all nations would see that the matter might be handled indifferently For this is his office and dutie this may he doe by the lawes When in dede the byshop impugneth the truthe for it is to be forseen and prouided that the plaintife or defendaūt be not also iudge in the cause For all nations haue great hope in this counsell and doe both wyshe and pray that at the laste mens consciences troubled and sore afflicted with doubtfull dissentiō may be made free set at libertie and taught the way of saluatiō For these many hondreth yeares hath not bene so muche contention about so weighty matters as is at thys present And this stryfe aryseth of sondry errours and vices whiche haue spronge longe before our tyme But and if men be disceaued of theyr expectation and shall
commaūded them that they shoulde espie oute diligently the faultes of the Clergie and all flatterie set apart declare them vnto him He released them also of their othe that they myghte speake their mindes franckly and had commaunded them to kepe the thinge close secret There were chosen Caspar Contarene Peter Theatrire Iames Sadolete and Renalde Poole Cardinals Fridericke Archebishop of Salerne Hierome Aleander Archbishop of Brunduse Iohn Mathew Bishoppe Uerone Gregorie Uenet Abbot and Thomas maister of the sacred Palace These in conclusion after consultation had comprehended the hole matter in writing addressinge theyr stile vnto him extolle him with great praises for the zeale he hath to the trueth wherunto the eares of certen Bishoppes in times past haue bene stopped chiefly through the faulte of flatterers whiche haue ascribed vnto them ouer muche Authoritie what tyme they haue affirmed them clearely to be lordes of althinges and haue power to do what they liste For out of this welspring as out of the horse at Troy haue spronge into the churche so many euils wherwith now it is most greuously afflicted Therfore is his wisedome and vertu great who considereth that the remedie must be fetched from thence from whence the beginning and cause of the disease proceded who followyng the doctrine of S. Paule wil be a minister and a steward and no lorde And for asmuche as he hath committed this charge vnto them they willyng to obey him herin haue accordyng to theyr meane wittes drawen certen Articles whiche do concerne him ▪ the Bishoppes and the Churche For where he susteineth a double person and is not onely the Bishop of the vniuersall Christian Churche but also the Prince of many Regions and Cities they onely touche suche thinges as concerne the Ecclesiasticall administratiō for the ciuile commen weale he gouerneth with muche commēdatiō and wisedom And fyrst of al. they say most holy father in like case as Aristotle commaundeth that lawes be not rashly altered so semeth it vnto vs also that thecclesiasticall lawes be in any case diligently maynteyned and not infringed without some vrgent cause For there can no greater plage inuade a commenwealth than what time thauthoritie of lawes is weakened and disolued whiche oure predecessours would haue to be kept as sacred and holy The next pointe is that the Bishop of Rome Christes Uicar whan for the Authoritie he hathe of Christe he geueth or graunteth anye thinge he take no money or rewarde for the same For seynge that all these thinges are giuen freely Christ will also that the same be freely distributed to others This foūdation once laide it must be foresene that you may haue very manye mete ministers of the churche to gouerne it for mens saluation In the which numbre the Bishoppes occupie the chiefe place but herein is a great abuse in that all kinde of men are receiued into this ordre confusely and without respect neither commended for their learninge nor honest lyuing and diuerse also very yong Wherof arrise sundry offences and holy thinges come in contempt and growe oute of reuerence It semeth good vnto vs therfore that first in the citie of Rome you appoint certen to make a choise of suche as desyre to take orders and after commaunde all Bishops to do the like euery mā within his owne Diocese And that you suffer none to be admitted without the consent of the said commissioners or Bishoppe Let the youth also that purpose to be made pristes haue a Scholemaster appointed to bring them vp in learnyng and vertuouse maners Moreouer in geuing of Benefices and spirituall promotions it is farre a misse in suche especially as concerne the Cure and charge of soules For here haue they this respect on lie that the Beneficed man may be well prouided for laying apart all care of his flocke Therfore whan suche an office is geuen chiefely if it be a Bishopricke it must be diligently forsene that they be good men and learned which both can and will gouerne the Churches themselues as they are bounden by the law Therfore may not an Italian enioy a benefice in Spayne or in Englande nor a Spaniarde or an Englishman in Italy Furthermore there is much fraude vsed what tyme a man leaueth his benefice and resygneth it to another reseruing to him self an yerly pension many times also the whole profytes For no pension maye be reteined vnlesse it be for the pore or some other godly vse Because the fruits are annexed to the benefice and ought no more to be sequestred from it than the bodye from the soule And he that hathe the same is bounden to vse the commodities therof honestly and so much as suffiseth the residew to employ vpon suche vses as is beforesayd Notwithstandyng it shal be lawfull for the Bishoppe if the case so require to impose this bondage that he shall pay a certen thing yerely to some pore man especially beyng of the Clergie wherby he may liue more honestly and better at ease Againe they offende exceadingly in permutatiōs for all thinges are done for lucre And albeit it is not lawefull to gyue Benefices by legacie yet is there a subtill way founde by wyttie men to defeate this law and benefyces are giuen to another yet so as they haue theyr reentrie agayne into the fame with the whole profytes and ministration And thus commeth it to passe that he beareth the name of a Bishoppe which hath no right or Authoritie and he whiche is indede and possession Bishop hath not the name at all And what thing els is this than to make to him selfe an heyre Bishoppe Clementrenewed an olde lawe wherby it was forbydden that the sonne shoulde not enioy his fathers benefice but yet is this permitted truly with an euill example For it can not be denied but the greatest part of sclaunders arryse of this that the churche goods are conuerted to priuate vses Hitherto many haue loked for a redresse of this thynge but nowe they are in vtter dispayre and speake and thinke full euill of vs therefore An other euill vse is to geue out vousons of benefices as it were in a reuertion where an other mans death is wished and looked for And others that better deserue to haue it are secluded from it matter ministered of muche strife and contention What shall we saye to those benefices whiche because they coulde not be employed vpon one man alone were called commonly incompatibles but herin is tholde discipline neglected and to some one also is permitted to haue diuerse Bishoprikes which semeth vnto vs worthy reformation Herunto belongeth these pluralities totquotes and vnitynge of benefices whan many benefices be ioyned together as the partes and membres of one body What is not this to delude the lawes Finally nowe is this disease crept in also that Bishoprickes are giuen vnto Cardinalles and that many vnto one Whiche thynge semeth vnto vs in dede a matter of importaunce and chiefly to be refourmed For the
daughter of Nauarre VNto the Whiche thinges the Protestauntes the eleuenth daye of Apryl make a long aunswere declaryng their innocencie in suche thinges as they were of the Emperour suspected And the chief only cause why they to their great charges peryll do professe this doctrine to be done neither for any priuate cōmoditie or for pleasur or displeasure of any persone or other respect at all saue only that God requyreth this dutye of them that they should professe the name of his sonne and the Gospell For he commaundeth vs to flye from Idolatrie and warneth vs most straightly that we do not allowe their crueltie whiche persecute the true doctrine And as touchynge the churche goodes they shewe vnto what good vses they imploye them And of all the dissention that is others to be authors thereof and not they Than they discourse the cause of Religion at large and confute that sclaunder that they should be more inclyned to the Emperours ennemies than to hym by the goodly and large offers whiche for his cause they refused and by the ayde and assistaunce whiche they haue geuen hym in his warres Finally they requyre that Monser Granuellan who to his great cōmendation hath euermore hytherto perswaded the Emperour frō the bloudy coūsels of their aduersaries to peaceable wayes wold preferre to the Emperour the complainte of the chamber and intreate hym to graunte them peace so often sought and desyred What tyme they had made this answer at the Ides of Apryl they ende theyr intreaty And appointe the diuines to make a confutation of the syxe Articles enacted by the kyng of Englande and the booke afterwarde to be sent thether to the entent that in case the diuines of Englande wyll aunswer it and that there be any hope of agrement a further communication may be had but to make any league with him otherwyse than for Relion only no man there thought expedient It was also there decreed to intreate the kyng for suche as were persecuted in Fraunce for Religion but first to learne the state of Fraunce and howe the kynge is affected and whether it maye be thought that the mediation wyll take place There were dyuerse other decrees touchynge the churche goodes and seueral complayntes and that they of Haylbrune should abolyshe the Popyshe Masse which remayned as yet in certen churches Fynally they determine what is nedefuull to be done in case the Emperour eyther refuse peace or aunswere doubtfully or the Chamber procede after their olde maner or if there be a power reised vp against them pryuelye Whilest these thynges were a workyng the Emperour doth great execution of Gaunt making the chiefest Rebelles to hoppe headles he taketh away all their armure and weapons all their priuileges and commodities he buyldeth a Castell and placeth there a Garnison in the neckes of them That citie was euer wonte to rebell against theyr Princes as I haue also declared before This parte played they with Charles of Burgundy the Emperours great graundfather and with Phylip his father before that with Lewys Erle of Flaunders great grandfather to the same Philippe by his mothersyde All the whiche this Emperour semeth to haue reuenged For they were neuer so subdued as thys tyme. The eyghtenthe daye of Apryll the Emperoure addressed hys letters to the Duke of Saxony and the Lantgraue Howe he hathe talked wyth hys brother Ferdinando Kynge of Romaynes amonges other thynges of the State of Germanye but especiallye of the dissention in Religion whiche he woulde fayne were appeased For lyke as here tofore he hathe omytted nothynge herein so is he nowe also of the same mynde styll So that they wyll acknoweledge this zeale of his and not abuse the same And that desyre of peace whiche they haue longe synce pretended in wordes and promyses they wyll nowe perfourme in deed He hath vsed many yeares nowe sondrye and gētle meanes of treaty but with them it hathe not priuayled hetherto And nowe is the matter come to that poynte that vnlesse it be shortlye remedied there wil followe a great dissolutiō of the cōmon welth and a maruelous sturre of all states And although it be so yet of his benigne gentlenes he appointeth them againe an other assemblie at Spyres the syxte daye of Iune or if perchaunce plage or infection of sickenes wyll not permitte them then suche place as his brother Ferdinando shal appointe to deuise by what meanes this great daunger that hanged ouer Germany may be auoyded Willing them to be ther present them selues at the daye assigned all lettes set aparte vnlesse it be syckenes and than to sende their chief counsellours suche as be louers of peace mete for the treatie and priuie to their doings And that they signifie the same to their fellowes to the entent they be there at the daye And thether shall come his brother Ferdinādo who can further declare of his mynde and wyll and of theyr Ambassade sent vnto hym And that they so frame them selues for the preseruation of them selues and the countrey that all dissention beyng taken awaye they may so muche the better consult of the other affayres of the Empyre And there is no cause to feare any daunger for he wylassure thē vpon his fidelitie and graunteth them the benefite of the peace of Norrinberge and wyll suffer no man to doe against it yet so as they agayne doe offende no man Unto whiche letters they aunswered the .xv. day of may For that he followeth the counselles of peace they geue hym most harty thankes And where he admonyshed them that they shuld acknowledge his studious desyre and not abuse the same there is no cause they saye why he should thinke otherwyse of thē and their cōfederates and league frendes For there is nothing more derely beloued of them than peace And that the matter hath not ben agreed vpō hetherto it ought not to be imputed vnto thē but to the greatnes of the cause and to their aduersaries whiche coulde abyde no declaration of their doctrine Nowe where he would haue them to be there presente at the daye appointed they wyl gladly obeye Howe beit because they woulde not that the kynge shoulde trauell in vayne they wyll shewe their fantasye for it is not vnknowen to his hyghnes that euersynce the fyrste beginning of this controuersie after muche delyberation in the assemblies of the Empire this waye only semed beste vnto al men that eyther a lawefull counsell myght be had or els a prouinciall Synode of Germany but sythe that for the shortnes of tyme that semed litle to purpose it was deuysed at Franckefurte to haue a communication of the matter and a decree was made of the same And seynge the matter is weightie wherein the saluation of man cōsisteth it can not be shortly determined if it should be purposely done and therfore should be troublesome and paynfull both to kyng Ferdinando and to them also and others to traue in suche matters to
Turke This is nowe only the surest and fittest meane to establysh the cōmon wealth With these letters he sent away the Ambassadour about the eyghtene daye of October For asmuche as the Duke of Longeuille and Martyn Rossen had leuied their armye in the dominions of the Duke of Cleaue the emperialles by the conduiet of the Prince of Orenge inuade Gulicke and distroye the countrie with fyre farre and wyde and take by composition Dure the chiefest Towne in those parties For Gulicke Mounten came to the Duke of Cleaue by his mother At this time also the Emperiall armie in Hongary no exploite done when they had attempted in vayne to wynne the Towne of Pesta retourneth home and through infection dyed many thousandes Duke Maurice of Saxonye serued in thys warre voluntarily a yonge prince aboute xxi yeares of age who on a certen daye ryding out of the campe and but one mā with him meting by chaunce with certē Turkes foughte with them and hauing his horse slayne vnder him was smitten to the ground Than his sernaunt being a gentel man borne lay downe vpon hys lorde and with his body couered the Duke and defended him and bare of the stripes so longe vntill certen horsemen came and rescewed the Prince And so he saued hys lyfe but his man hauing receiued many woundes was caried into the Camp and dyed shortly after Thus ended the warre in Hongarye The bisshop had sente ayde of thre thousand footemen whiche wer led by Alexander Uitellius At thys tyme also began hote warre betwene England Scotland the occasion wherof was ministred a yere before for that the Scottish king when he had promised to mete hys vncle the king of Englande at Yorke to make an accorde touching theyr limites being diswaded by hys mother and certē of his nobles came not And it fortuned that the Scottes had this yere in the beginning of december a great ouerthrowe at a place called Solymosse In the whiche battell were taken the most part of all the lordes in Scotelande For the which losse the kynge toke suche thought that retournyng home he dyed within a fewe dayes after which was the day before the Ides of December when the eight day before the quene had brought him forth a daughter Mary whiche thinge also did greatly augmente his sorrowe for that he wanted an heyremale For in the yere before he had loste two sonnes in sondri places within the space of foure and twenty houres And he had to wyfe Marye daughter to the Duke of Guyse of the house of Lorayne When the Scottes werre in thys calamitie the Frenche kynge sent them monye and munition After the kynge was dead the gouernement was committed to Iames Hamelton Erle of Arrayne whiche was the kinges greate cosyn The next place vnto hym had the Cardiuall of S. Andrewes most addickte to the kynge of Fraunce I shewed before how Henry the Prince of Saxonie had for him selfe and his sonne Maurice entred into league with the Protestantes But after his death Duke Maurice being moued herein sayed how hys father coulde not bynde hym neyther wolde he be tyed to the bondes of his father Whē Henry Duke of Brunswicke was expulsed as before is sayd he accused the Duke of Saxon the Lantzgraue and theyr consortes to the imperial chamber Who being afterwarde cited in the moneth of December do refuse theyr iudgemente in all thinges and sendinge ambassadours thither declare this vnto them and also do protest that they doe not refuse a lawfull and ordynarye Iurisdiction but take exceptions to the Iudges themselues which are all of a contrary relygion which prayse the decree made at Auspurge twelue yeres past and haue confirmed the same by an othe which for the same cause dissent from them exceadingly and beare thē greate mallice whiche take them for heretikes and thinke them vnworthy to haue any iustice ministred which by sōdry preiudices haue oft tymes vttered and bewreyed this theyr hatred In the conuentiō at Regenspurg it was decreed that the chamber would this yeare in the moneth of Ianuary be refourmed This did the Protestantes allow so that men also of theyr rellgion might be admitted to be of that nombre which thing Themperour graunted them and king Fernando renewed after in the assemblie at Spier and appoynted the moneth of Iune for the same reformation and by this meane obteined of them ayde for the Turkishe warre For yf it had ben otherwyse they tolde him that tyme plainely that they wolde not only beare no charges frō henceforth touching the iudges of the chamber but also wold refuse hereafter to obey theyr decrees When therefore nothinge was donne hitherto they as before is sayde sending Ambassadours doe refuse theire iudgment And agayne the iudges after in a wrytyng set forth dooe reiect that same refusall They agreed in theyr last metinge at Norrinberge there to assemble agayne about the Turkish warre the xiiii daye of Nouember but the matter was differred And in the most sharpe time of winter the Duke of Cleaue besegeth and recouereth Dure What tyme the Frenche kynge beseged Perpignan there arrose a rebellion at Rochel an hauē towenin Pantois verey famous and situated in a place right commodious It was ones possessed of Englysh men but it was rendred Frenche in the tyme of Charles the first sonne and heire to his father Iohn The cause of that commotyon was for a garison placed there by the king vnder the gouernemēt of Iarnacke the Admirall his kinsinā And in other places also there aboutes they were vp for a tribute of Saltepittes and droue awaye with reproche the kinges officers and treasurers that came thither So soone as the kinge vnderstode it he sente thither a new garrison of horsemen and footemen Iarnake also taketh from them all they re munition and armure and kepte the gates with watche and warde The laste day of December followyng the kyng hym selfe came thyther and the next daye settyng in place of iudgement whan both the Townes men theyr neyghbours aboute them laye prostrate before hym and besought hym of mercy Albeit sayeth he what tyme I and my thildren were occupied in moste weightie affayres for the defence of oure whole Realme and of you al you forgetting your dewtie that you owe vnto vs haue made a rebellion and an vprore in suche wyse as we haue iuste cause to punnishe you and for the estate of oure person and enormitie of your offence myght dryue you to fyne Yet for that we accompt it no lesse honorable and prayse worthye for a prince to extend mercy to his people than it is honest for hys subiectes to remain in their duty againe because we set more by this your submission and wyllyng myndes than by the rigour of the lawe we doe intende to forget the iniurie that you haue done vnto vs and to haue a consideration not so much of your errour and trespasse as of
Themperoure called he sayeth it muste be ascrybed to the farre and payneful iorney thys was during the assemblye of Wormes The Cardinalles hereunto make aunswer albeit they neuer doubted of Themperours zeale towardes Religion yet was thys oration of hys to them right acceptable And in as much as the Bisshop the trew vycare of Christ and successoure of Peter Prynce of the Apostelles after conference had with Themperoure hathe appoynted thys Counsell for the refourmatyon of the Publicke weale namelye of Germanye theyr truste is that the Emperoure wyll see there bee nothynge decreed at Wormes concernynge relygion but that al thynges be referred to the counsel If it shoulde be otherwise not only the auncient custome of the churche but also the lawe bothe of God and man should be infrynged Moreouer it shoulde be an euyll president and wold deface the whole dignytye of the Counsell As touchyng hym selfe hys presence and persone is to them ryghte acceptable Where therefore many were long or they came nothing was done that yere but that certen Freres made sermons to the Bisshoppes in the tyme of Aduente The Bysshop also sendynge foorthe a bull of indulgences at the Ides of December sayeth that the miserye of thys tyme is suche by reason of the ouerflowyng of heresyes that albeit he take neuer so muche laboure trauell and payne for the common welthe yet can he scarselye satyssye hym selfe therfore hath he called a counsel that the woundes of the Churche myghte bee healed whyche are made by wicked heretyckes And because the saluatyon of all men consysteth therin and agayne that the fathers of the counsell beynge holpen by the prayers of others maye to God be the more commended he exhorteth al men in generall that immediately they frame themselues to repentaunce confesse theyr synnes to the priest and that thre daies in the weke they tame theyr body with fastynge and the same dayes to be presente at the diuine seruice or in case they be sicke can not than to geue some thing to the poore and let the poorer sorte oftymes saye ouer theyr Pater noster and after receyue the Sacrament Unto al that obeye this he graunteth pardon and remission of theyr synnes and cōmaundeth all Bysshops to declare these thynges to the people After the seuenth daye of Ianuarye whan the number of Bysshoppes was wel increased they beganne the Counsell And whan all were commen into the Cathedrall Churche and masse donne the foresayde Cardinalles the Bysshop of Roomes Legates had an oration to the fathers wrytten wherin they declare howe the counsell is called for three causes chiefly that heresyes maye be weded vp by the rootes that the dysciplyne of the Churche maye be restored and that peace maye be recouered And saye howe the whole blame of all thys presente calamytie is to be imputed to the Clergie for what heresies warre or disorder soeuer there is they haue geuen the occasyon of all these euylles throughe theyr auaryce ambition and naughtie lyuynge therfore is it the iuste iudgment of God that they are nowe thus contemned troubled and afflicted yet not accordynge to theyr demerytes for there is not one of them that dooeth his dutye therefore they admonisshe euerye man to acknowledge hys faulte and studie to appease Goddes wrathe through the repentaunce and amendemente of lyfe vsyng herein the example of Esdras Nehemias and other Capytaynes who at theyr retourne admonisshed earnestly the people of Israel that confessinge theirs and their fathers offences they shoulde call to God for mercye Then come they to declare theyr owne duty whiche are Iudges in thys case howe they oughte to be free and voyde from anger hatred frendeshyp and geue nothyng to affections but to ascribe all honour vnto god only who with his aungels beholdeth thys congregation neyther can any mans thought be hidde from him therfore must they worke syncerely and exhorte the ambassadours of kynges and prynces to do the same After this oration was red the decree of the sinod by Iohn Fonsseca bisshop of Castremarine a Spaniarde In thys al christians are warned to amende theyr lyfe feare God many tymes confesse theyr synnes go ofte to churche and praie to God for publicke peace And that all Bisshops and other pristes be addicte to prayer also euerye seuenth daye at the leste whiche is called Sondaye saye masse and make intercession for the hygh bisshop for Themperoure for the whole comō wealth that they fast moreouer geue aulmouse to the poore That in the head churche there be masse songe weekelye vpon the thursedaie in the honour of the holy ghost that in masse time almen be attentife vnto the prieste and refrayne talkynge Moreouer that the bisshoppes leade a sober life and not fare sumptuously at their tables and that they do eschew all light and Idle talke and vse their familie to do lykewyse that in speakyng in apparel and al behauiour they maye shewe an honestie And in as much as the Synnode hath thys respect chiefly how the darknes of errours heresyes that haue so many yeres ouerwhelmed the earth being dryuen awaie the light of the treuth maie shyne foorth al ther be warned chiefly the learned sorte that they consyder diligentlye with them selues by what waye thys maye best be brought to passe And that in geuyng theyr voyces they follow the decree of the coūsell Toletane that they do it modestlye not clamourouselye that they be not contentious nor obstinate but pronounce all thynges temperately and quietly there was an other sitting the fourth daie of February Wherin was nothyng done sauing that they confessed the articles of the fayth and a daie appointed for the third metynge the eyght of Aprill For they hearde of moe that were cōmyng and therfore thought good to tarye for them that the Authoritie of theyr decrees myght be somuche the more Whylest thys was donne at Trent Luther was sent for to go to the Erles of Mansfelde to set an agremente betwixt them which wer at controuersie for a piece of lande he had nouer accustomed to treate of suche affayres and had onlye applyed hys studye all the dayes of hys lyfe But because he was borne at Issebie which is a Towne of the Erles of Mansfelde he coulde not but take so muche payne for them and for hys countrye Before he came to Issebie whych was in the later end of Ianuarye he felte hym selfe skant well at ease Yet did he accomplysshe the thyng he came for and sometyme preached in the churche and receyued also the communion But the .xvii. daie of Februarie he waxed sore sicke in hys stomake he had with him three sonnes Iohn Martin Paulle and certen others of his frendes emonges them also Iustus Ionas the minister of the churche at Halles And thoughe he was weake yet did he bothe dyne suppe with the reste Whylest they sate at supper speaking of sōdry thinges he moued also this questiō among others whether that
of this warre but yet vpon condicion that he laie to thē againe in mortgage so mutch of hys owne landes And because the thing is straūge he shal make them sufficient warrantise at the arbitrement of the bisshop If any man wyll impeche or let thys theyr enterprise hym shall they ioyntly resyst with bothe theyr forces and the one help theother and they bothe to be bounden thus to doe so longe as the warre shall indure syxe monethes besydes after that the warre shal be finished it shall be free for euery man to ioyne hym selfe vnto thys league and to be both partaker of the charges the gaine This composition also shall the Senate of Cardinalles confyrme and that which is spoken of Iune to be vnderstande of the moneth of Iune thys present yere wherin they bothe haue subscribed now to the leage before cōceaued The copie of thys confederacie the Bishoppes legate Hierome Frāch shewed after to the Swisses as shal be declared in his place Aboute thys tyme was a peace concluded betwene Fraunce and Englande and the French king permitteth the kyng of Englande to enioye Bologne vntill suche tyme as he hath payed hym hys money dewe And where at the same tyme Hēry the Dolphin had a daughter borne called after Isabell for the better confyrmation of that frendeshyp the kyng of England was desyred to be godfather at the fountstone who sent hys deputie into Fraunce Sir Thomas Cheynie knight Lorde Warden of Cinke portes Then also was the Cardinal of Saint Andrewes in Scotlande in hys owne Castell aboute diner tyme slayne by a certen gentleman whose brother he had euyll intreated for Lutheranisme And he that did the murther fled into Englād The third daie of Iuly the byshop of Rome sendeth his letters to the Swisses threatning vpō them kindnes for the frenship that had ben betwene thē his predecessours he bewayleth that som of thē are through the disceipt of the deuil law breakers plucked from the apostolicall relygion frō him as the most deare children out of the bosom armes of a most louing father Notwithstanding it is the great gift of God that many of them haue perseuered cōstant in the faith towards god the church to thintēt verely that others which through the talke of wicked men haue ben disceaued should haue an exāple set before their eyes at the length conuert vnto the religion of their forefathers for it is a great token of gods goodnes that in this discention of religiō they be at peace with in themselues wherin other places for this occasion hath ben great sedition tumultes The whiche to appease he hath euer since he was first bishop vsed al the gentle remedies he could deuise and now also is fled to the last refuge calling a generall counsel at Trent a Towne of Germany within the limites wherof this euil sede of heretikes hath chiefly increased vnto the whiche Towne they might safly com and there defend their matters yf they wold for he trusted that inso sacred a senate to the which alwaies all christen kinges and nations haue attributed very much in the assemble of so many bishoppes which through the instinctiō of the holy ghost shuld treate of religiō no man wold be so wicked that he wold not submit him selfe to so great an authoritie and which shuld not incontinently casting awaie his wicked opinions imbrace the iudgement of the catholicke church And that he hath now also the same opinion of them and by reason of theyr concord at home hath good hope that so many of them as haue continewed faithful and constant will obey the coūsell and that the rest which of no set purpos but through a certen credulytie haue ben broughte into errour will not dispyse the authoritye of the counsel which thing that they wold doe come vnto the counsell as vnto a certen heauenly Senate ouer the which God himselfe is presydent he exhorteth them moste ernestly as he hathe donne also before And sayeth howe it hathe ben a greate grief to hym that dyuerse in Germany yea of the same number that are called Prynces whyche not only doe proudely and insolently contemne the counsell but also bayte it with cursed and raylyng wordes and saye how they wil not obey the decrees therof But he was chiefly sory for this cause that through the contumacie disobedience of these obstinate persōs he is dryuen to attempt the matter by warre For he coulde no longer suffer the losse of so many soules whych through theyr heresies perished dayly nor yet the oppression of christians wherof that other belōgeth to his office pastorall and this to the dignitie of the degre wherin he is placed And whyleste he was thynkynge vppon a remedye and prayed God to shew hym the waye it chaunced luckely that Themperour a prynce of most godly zeale offended with the like faultes in a maner that he was thought good to auenge the cause of religiō against those wicked heretikes by force of armes For where as by his intercession and meanes a counsell was graunted vnto Germany it semed vnto him that such as refused and contemned that dispised also his doing authoritye wherfore this occasion offered euen of god he tooke holde of it right gladly prefixed him self to further this noble myde of Themperoure as wel with his owne treasure as also of the church of Rome for if he shuld otherwise do handel the thing negligently slackly ther is no doubt but god wold require at his hādes as of their father the soules of somany children as wer lost throughe the falsehead of heretickes and for this cause doeth he open his mind counsell vnto them that they maye see with what carefulnes he is vered and may ioyne theyr prayers with his that is with God religion They haue don verely many godly actes but neuer non more noble then this if they wil kepe the olde amitie with god as their elders haue don if they shew to the churche of Rome which hathe euer don for them their olde loue fidelitie yf in this now so godly a cause they wil geue theyr ayde assistaunce Which thing he desireth them grealy they wold doe The ambassadours of the Protestantes in the vpper part of Germany come from Ulme to Baden to the conuentiō of the Swisses declaring their message were delaied to the moneth of August Their requestes were that they wold suffer no foreine soldiours to passe through their countrey that they wold permit their men to serue them in their war if the thing so required At this time also they of Brunswicke Goslarie Hildessem Hanobrie at the commaundement of the Duke of Saxon the Lantzgraue Rase Wuolbutel the chief castel of the Dukes of Brunswicke which they had hitherto kept with a garnisō The Paulsegraue prince electour in this hurly burly maketh suite to themperoure at Regenspurge
came not our selues to Regēspurge we haue bothe made oure excuse the Duke by hys Ambassa dours and I by presente talke with hym at Spier But what is then the lybertye of Germany or state of the publicke weale yf we must haue warre therfore whan bothe in others heretofore and also in this conuention nowe at Regenspurge many other Prynces are absent And as for the warre of Brunswicke we are not to bee blamed For it is lawfull for all men to saue them selues from violence We haue often tymes desyred in sondry assemblies that hys vyolence myghte be restreyned but more than wordes letters we could obteyne nothing And yet in those letters whych Fernando at our request wrote herof to Duke Henry openly wer other letters inclosed wherby he myghte easely perceyue that he neded not to obeye the others These Letters were founde in the castel of Wuolsbuttell subscribed with the kinges owne hande and are foorth commynge and nede be But in case the lyke seueritie had ben extended to the Duke of Brunswicke as themperoure sheweth nowe vnto vs albeit we haue not deserued it there had ben no warre at all But in asmuche as he impugned vs who for the profession of the Gospell doe susteyne greate hatred they coulde winke at hys myscheuous actes And Thēperoure knoweth how we commytted the prouince taken to gardience and for the defence takē in hande we offered our selues to abyde the order of the lawe and arbitrement by hym appoynted yf he would haue taken the same way and had not forsaking the Arbiterment and contemnyng Themperours order attēpted a new warre but wolde haue tryed the matter with vs by the lawe the way had ben easy enoughe For if we being conuict in iudgement had not obeyed than shulde Themperour haue had iuste cause to put the lawe in execution but nowe that he shulde thus doe he hath not at al. Finally from the time that this Duke and his son were taken themperoure did neuer demaunde thing of vs for the same therfore there is no cause wherfore we should be accused for negletynge oure dewtie And in case it shoulde bee ascribed to vs as though we shuld impeache the law then haue we to muche wronge For in asmuche as of many yeres now those only were receiued to be iudges of the chamber whych hated our religiō most bitterly for that the same iudges all cōpositions set a part gaue sentence against vs our fellowes in matters of religion also in ciuill causes wolde let vs haue no iustice we did as we myght doe euen by order of lawe necessarely and lawfully refuse them as suspected our aduersaries protestyng that we wold declare more at large the causes of the refusal before chosen iudges Therfore can there nothing be imputed vnto vs in this be halfe Moreouer two yeres past it was decried at Spier that the chamber shuld be establyshed vprightly why it was not so don it cānot be ascribed to vs nor our fellowes And it is not vnknowē to themperoure how the last yere in the assēblie at Wormes ther did no man resist this decree of his more than they themselues whiche wyll seme to be loyall obedient princes for this intent verely that where as they be oure aduersaries they myght be oure iudges also We doe heare moreouer that this is layed to our charge as much blame worthy that we seke to allure vnto vs certē of the Nobilitie But maruell it is that we should be reproued for this matter For it is to be founde proued that this hath ben alwaies the maner in the dayes of oure forefathers that they should ioyne vnto thē not only the gentelmen of their owne coūtries but the bishops also And though there wersom fault therin it is therfore lawful to moue warre against vs our cause not heard and albeit that in the league of in heritaunce which is betwene the houses of Saxon Brandenburg Hesse themperour is excepted yet ought this to be so taken if he do not abuse his authoritie Wherfore let Albert Iohn of Brandenburge cosins who haue promised to serue Themperour against vs consider with thēselues dilligently what they doe remēber their othe wherwith they ar boūdē we wold they shuld haue this knowledg and warninge as they also which being our clientes take wages vnder thē in this war Neither are they excused if haply they wil say how thēperour is pourposed to punnish certen princes for disobedience For they knewe themselues howe there can be no such thing imputed to vs iustly But if Themperoure had accused vs of any crime as reason wold haue requyred that we could not haue confuted the same he shulde not haue neded to vse all these polycies and sollicite our fellowes to withdraw themselues from vs. For yf he coulde haue shewed our offence they wolde haue forsaken vs of theyr owne accorde and in a cause that had not ben good few wold haue a biden the commō daunger Furthermore what tyme we with the rest gaue hym ayde two yeres synce against the Frence king he promised than that when that warre shulde be finished he wolde goe into Hongary hymselfe agaynst the Turke And nowe doe the Turkes inuade Hongary and the places ther aboutes with great force power as in dede it is reported of many doubteles therbe in those parties both at Offen and Pest great garnisons of Turkes But the poore mens liues of that countrie are neglected which are now cast vnto theyr enemyes as a praye and in the meane while they seke howe to make slaughter in Germanye and that all thynge maye swymme full of theyr blud that professe Chryst And seing it is so we trust surely that moste men will pitie and lament our case and wil not assist our aduersaryes whiche seke only to extinguish the doctrine of the Gospell as they haue donne in all others places of they re dominions and bring vs into extreme bondoge but wil be content for reasonable wages rather to followe oure campe than theirs wherin is the Romish Antichriste and his adherentes whose chyfe endeuour is thys that euen with the slaughter of all Germany they maye establish agayne and confirme theyr wicked and deuelishe doctryne And in asmuche as after muche intreatinge for peace beyng of no crime as yet cōuicted we are enforced to warre to defend our selues from violence we trust that God will assist the treweth agaynst lyes and in thys hys cause wil be our hygh Emperour enseigne bearer againste the wicked deuises of the bishop Unto him verely doe we commit the whole matter and beseche hym to confounde the cruell counselles of blud thirsters and euer more and more to auaunce the maiestie glory of hys name The same daye they wryte to Iohn Marques of Brādenburge And because he is bothe in the league of the Protestantes as by his owne letters can be proued and agayne in priuate confederacie
deserued to thintente we maye haue libertie by them afterwarde to establish the common wealth and doe suche thynges as properly concern our office therfore we straytly charge and commaunde that no man ayde thē in any case neither take theyr parte they that shall doe other wyse shall in curre the daunger both of lyfe and goodes And let such as are happely gon already to serue them retourne as soone as they possible can But let all men geue theyr ayde vnto vs and fynde no let or cauillation throughe any league or priuate conuenauntes For we make all these thinges frustrate Moreour we release all the Nobilitie and commons of theyr dominions of theyr allegeaunce othe wherby they are bounden to them and assure them to be in saftye yf they doe obeye But suche as shall refuse to be punnyshed in lyke sort as they The .xxii. daye of Iuly Gerarde Uelduuiche is sente agayne from Regenspurg to Cōstantinople frō whence he was but lately retourned Thēperour whan nothing could here be determined prorogeth the conuentiō of thēpire vntil the kalends of February in the next yere following of the bishop of Romes letters sent to the Heluetiās I haue shewed you before whiche after the Bishops legate Hierome Franch had receiued he sent them from Lucers and writeth to them also hym selfe the .xxv. daye of Iuly That thre dayes synce were deliuered vnto hym the letters of the Bishop Senate of Cardinalles And albeit they are in a maner of the same effecte as wer hys former letters yet for that they conteyne somewhat more he sendeth them nowe a copie of the same with spede and at the nexte conuention he will shew them the principal And forasmuche as in the same league whyche lately nowe at the ende of Iune the Bishop and Themperoure made there is leafte also aspace for others that will come into the same confederacye moreouer because it was couuenaunted that Themperoure shoulde trye whether that hys aduersaryes and enemyes to the Churche of Roome myghte haply with out warre be reduced to theyr dewetye and amendement the Bishop doeth ernestlye require of them that they wolde pronounce with expresse wordes whether they wil be of thys league and whether they wyll obey the decrees of the Counsell of Trente And where they haue appoynted hym a daye at the nexte assemblie at Baden wherein they will make hym an aunswer to hys former demaundes therefore he hathe nowe wrytten to them also to the entente they maye consulte in the meane season Therefore he dooeth beseche them in the blud of our sauioure Chryste that they wolde dilygently consyder with themselues what a noble and famous acte thys wylbe and howe profytable for them and theyr ofsprynge yf they wolde bothe helpe to quenche this fyre in Germany and approue also the decrees of the Generall counsell Where the bishop vttered the cause of the league summe men suppose it to bee donne of hym for a craftie polycie that he myghte by thys meanes put Themperoure to his narrowe shyftes For it is most certen that he tooke it verey displeasauntely that Themperoure pretended an other cause of warre as shal be declared herafter At thys time Alberte sonne to the Duke of Bauer maryeth the Ladie Anne the daughter of Kyng Fernando and the Duke of Cleaue the lady Marye and other of hys Daughters For when the Duke of Cleaue had longe looked for the Daughter of Nauaire out of Fraunce in vayne as before is sayde the Byshop of Roome graunted hym a lycence to marye an other Wherefore he maryeth these same and bothe mariages were solemnised at Regenspurge in the myddes of the vprores tumultes of warre eyther Maryage did concerne a newe bonde of amitie A daye of syttyng was appoynted for the fathers at Trent as before you haue hearde at the end of Iuly but the matter was defferred till the begynnynge of the nexte yere as in hys place shal be declared There were at Trent besides the Cardinalles the Bisshoppes legate and the Cardinalles of Trent and Pacher a Spaniard foure Archebishops .xxxiii. bishops of them two Frenche fyue Spanishe and one Slauonishe the residew were all Italyans Doctours of diuinitie relygious .xxxv. of others that had not professed religion twelue for the most parte all Spaniardes But amonges those foure Archebishops two of thē bare but the name only Olans Magnus of Upsalya and Robert Uenaut a Scotte And that chaunced thus Whā Gustaue kynge of Swecia nere vnto Denmarke altered relygion which was in the yere of our lord about a M.D.xxxvii Iohn Magnus Archebishop of Upsalya who mislyked that alteration forsaking the countrey fled vnto Roome and came thyther with a meane company Afterward going to Uenyse he became Suffragan to the Patriarche of that Citie But in fyne waxing werye of that state he retourneth to Roome and beyng broughte to an exigente and a verey lowe ebbe what tyme he had solde hys horses and in a maner putte awaye all hys seruauntes the Bishop of Roome placed hym in the Hospytall of the holy ghoste wherin he ended hys lyfe full poorelye there was with hym hys brother Olans Unto whom the Bysshop gaue that Archebishopricke of Gothlande thoughe it were out of the precincte of the Church of Roome and commaunded hym to be at the counsell and geueth hym .xv. crownes a moneth to paye for hys bord the other a Scotte whan he had infourmed the Bishop of the Archbishopricke of Armacane in Irelande he obtayned of hym the name and title therof This Scotte was blynde and yet did not only saye masse but also wold ryde in Post Wherfore the Bishop wolde haue these two in the counsel for ostentation only as though those two nations so farre of the Gothes and Iryshemen did acknowledge hys Authorytie where they in verey dede had nothyng but the Shadow and bare name of the thing It is mentioned before how Duke Moris after priuate talke had with Themperour departed from Regēspurge whan he was cōmen home king Fernando followyng shortly after he goeth vnto hym to Prage After the fyrst daye of Auguste Themperour sendeth to Duke of Moris From Regenspurge a copie of the proscription before rehearsed and writing his letters commen to him to his people he reporteth in a maner the same thynges that are comprised in the table of on Lawerie And because he is allied vnto the outlawes by kinred affinitie so nere that he may haply claime som ryght in theyr landes possessions he chargeth him most ernestly that he assist hym with all his force to wynne theyr countries yea that he get all him self so soone as he can and holde it for his owneryght for els wil it come to passe that all shal be his that can catche it who so euer he be neyther shall the ryght of consinage or compactes profet hym any thynge And agayne for contemnynge hys Emperours commaundemente he shall incurre the same penaltie that the others doe
dominiōs extremely and therby haue purchased no small hatred to our selues But lately that innocent man Iohn Diazius was so cruelly and detestably murthered as neuer man was from the beginning of the worlde vntyll this day That Fratricide his brother apprehēded and accused Certen Princes made request that so horrible a fact myght be punyshed but what insued therof the matter it selfe declareth He imputeth the cause of all displeasure and trouble vnto vs But his decree of Wormes was cause of all together wherunto our aduersaries cleaued as to a moste sure foundation especially the Duke of Brunswick whiche made a confederacie with diuerse before the conuentiō of Auspurg where as what maner of decree was made it is openly knowen Certenly those cruell and fierce wordes ther pronounced caused vs to make the league and cōfederacie that we are in at this daye The Byshops adherētes haue bene euermore busy with vs in al assemblies and would haue compelled vs to the choise of meates and holy dayes of their owne makyng Moreouer we permitted the Emperour at Auspurg whan he promysed vs faire and largely that he should appoint preachers But it is knowen wel enough how wicked and how ignoraunt men he assigned to that office It is an auncient custome of thempire that whā any Prince is minded to retourne home from thassemblie he may do it by the Emperours leaue How be it my father sayth the Duke of Saxon what tyme he was at Auspurg could not obtaine licence of him to departe and heard it also reported that in case he prepared to goe he should yet be stayed against his wyll And albeit my vncle Friderick had done muche for hym yet would he neuer as long as my father liued confirme hym in his own Dukedome only because of the decree of Wormes and Religion Seing therfore that the cause of this warre is manifestly knowen we desyre all men to geue no credit to the contrary and defende with vs their common and natife countrey As for our own subiectes and clientes whom he hath released of their allegeaūce which they owe vnto vs we doubt not but they wyl do their duty vnto vs as they are bunden The protestaūtes letting slippe that occasiō of fight at Ingolstad as before is sayd and remayning there thre dayes after whan the Emperour in the meane season had fortified his Campe strongly the fourth day of Septēber they remoued thence that they might encountre with the Erle of Bure or stop his passage Notwithstanding that some were against it and said how they nede to go no further to seke the enemy which was in sight and before their eies They pitched the next tyme at Neuburg which they had fortified with a garnison before two days after they marched to Donauerd The tenth day of September they encāped besydes Uending a towne of the Erles of Oeting sending from thence espialles to bring them some intelligence of the Erle of Bure That perceiuing the Emperour sent aduertisement to the Erle who turning out of his way and marching from Norinberg to Regenspurg came to the Emperour at Ingolstad in safitie Wherfore the Protestauntes being frustrated of their hope the third day after returne vnto Donauerde Hether came vnto them Christopher Counte Oldenburg and Friderick Rifeberg with two legions and the Erle of Bichling with fiue enseignes of fotemē In the meane tyme the Emperour remoued his campe to Nuburg And whan no aide came the souldiours of the garnyson rendred the towne The Emperour pardoned them al taking stipulation of them that they shoulde no more weare armure against him Than the report went how the Emperour would to Auspurg Wherfore the Germaines passe ouer Thonawe to let him of his iourney But whan he leauing a garnison at Nuburg marched toward Marxeme they returne back into their former campe I tolde you before how they had sent Ambassadours for ayde both into Fraunce and Englande but that was in vaine And the king of Fraunce in dede excused the matter for that hauing made peace with the Emperour he sayd he could not How beit for that he would not haue the Emperours power increased he desyred Peter Strosse a Florētine a man of war and exceading riche to lende them thre hondreth thousand crownes and to the intent he might the easelier doe it he payeth a great somme of money that he ought him He was content for asmuche as they of Strasburg Auspurg and Ulmes became suerties goeth forth with Iohn Sturmius that was sent Ambassadour into Fraunce to the Princes in their campe at Donauerde Whan he came thither he was honorably receiued and departed in suche sorte as he would assuredly defray the money but when the tyme came that he shuld disburse it he could no where be found in all Fraunce Many men suppose that this was wrought by the policie of the Cardinall of Tournon Who for the hatred he bare to Religiō wyshed all aduersitie to the protestauntes and was than chief in authoritie with the king About th ende of September the protestauntes write again to them of zurick Bernes Basill to the Schafusians and shew them what themperour intēdeth what daunger they shal stand in also in case he get the victory and will them to consider whether it be not wisdome for thē to declare them selues ennemies to the Emperour and byshop of Rome after to inuade the Emperours countrie next thē If they wyll so doe they promyse them all ayde and fidelitie Wherunto they make aunswere Howe not they only but all the rest of the Swysses in lyke case haue a league by inheritaūce with the house of Austriche and Burgundy out of the whiche countreis they haue all their wyne and bread corne Whiche league if they should them selues infringe the Swisses their fellowes whiche be of a contrary Religion should haue iuste cause to assiste the Emperour and kyng Ferdinando and to opē the strayte passages in the Alpes whiche they haue through their great labour shut vp and closed and so ioyne with their ennemies Moreouer wynter is now at hande so that albeit they would neuer so fayne yet can they do no great thing this yeare and if they should leaue their owne countrey naked it is to be feared leste others would take possession in the meane season Therfore it is muche better that they tary styl at home For so shall not their fellowes styre as they haue already declared It is not vnknowen that they beare them ryght good wil and wyshe them to prosper after their owne hartes desyre howebeit they thinke it not mete for thē to enter into so great daunger And therfore desyre them to take it in good parte The Emperour remoueth from Marxeme to Donauerde but fyndyng no place conuenient to encampe in he tourneth on the left hand and the thyrde daye of October marcheth to Monheyme It fortuned than to be a great myste and the escoutes that were sent
Herbes Beastes Metalles Precious stones and by dayly vse and hearing did remember them He was wont also to deuise muche of the Mathematical sciences and to reason oft of the Scriptures About his table stoode alwayes the notable men of eche degree And in as muche as the talke was inferred of sondry argumēts it was harde but that one or other would alwayes propounde some matter And that might euery man do lawfully in case he were any thing knowen The example also and this desire of the kyng excited men vnto great diligēce that they might in reasoning before him deserue prayse In his owne tongue he was always accompted right eloquēt and graue Throughout Grece and Italy he had that sought and copied out for him the workes of olde writers And he made a goodly librarie whiche yelded certen notable bookes afterwardes The keper wherof was Castellan Alitle before his death he had sent to the Duke of Saxon and the Lantgraue for the mayntenaunce of the war to eyther of thē an hondreth thousand crownes and what tyme he departed the mony was scarsely deliuered About the same tyme also the Ambassadours of the Protestauntes retourne out of England into Fraunce that they myght finishe vp the rest of their matters And lyke as they found kyng Henry there whan they fyrst arriued so now retourning from thence they fynde king Fraūces extremely sicke Wherfore this happened also to the reste of the Emperours good fortune that those two moste mightie kynges which neither wanted oportunitie nor as many men than supposed wyll also to impeche and hynder his enterpryses died both in a maner at one tyme. That force of the Emperours whiche after they had oppressed certen noble men and taken the citie of Mynden I sayde went marching to Breme at the ende of this same moneth had such an ouerthrowe that he lost the chief captaine of the warre Grunninge gouernour of Selande And whan the power of the Bremers was increased by the accesse of Hamborough men Urisberger who after the death of Grunning had then the chief gouernment remouing his campe and fetching a long circuite about for the fennes that lay in his way began to beseige the citie on the other syde Thither came shortly after also Ericus Duke of Brunswyck whom the Emperour at the Ides of Marche sent away from him at Norlinge to the intent he should leuie a newe power of horsemen and fotemen and leade them into those parties The Emperour remouing from Norling to Norinberge went from thence to Egre a towne of king Ferdinādos in the borders of Boheme The king had at sondry times admonished the citie of Prage their weapons The residue of the states by them therof aduertised the fourth day of Aprill wryte againe That the cause why they haue put on armure led forth their armie is to defende their countrie from vniust violence especially in his absēce And pray him to intreate themperour that he war not against the Duke of Saxō but suffer that his case may be frendly debated They desire also to haue a parlament as the promise was At the which time the Emperour cōming to Egre and the. vi◠day of April whan Ferdinano Maurice were come that day before he writeth to all the states of Boheme and repeting briefly what he had writtē in the moneth before sheweth thē that he seketh only the Duke of Saxon. Wherfore let them bring forth their vitayle furnishe them of corne retourne home As concerning religiō they nede not to feare for in all this war he hath molested no mā for religiō At the same tyme the commissioners that were at Prage dispatching their letters into all partes warne the states moste earnestly that they would put on armure and come with all haste possible to desend their countrey for the matter is brought to an extreme daunger Ferdinando the eleuenth of Aprill aunswereth their last letters from Egre of lyke effecte in a maner as the Emperour did Therfore let them leaue their enterprise or els wil he fynde the meanes to represse their rashenes wel enough Where they intreate for the Duke of Saxon he can not a lyttle maruell For he hath not deserued so neither of the Emperour nor of him nor yet of the lande of Boheme Touching their request for a parliament he wyll doe herein as shall become hym In the meane tyme the Duke of Saxon taketh from Duke Maurice Fridberge and Misen a towne by the Ryuer of Albis And about this tyme the Fathers that were at Trente remoue to Bolonia la grace neither after that session wherein they treated of the Sacramentes made they any decrees at al. The cause of their departure as it is sayde was for that the ayre of this place was not greatly holsome after the opinion of Hierosme Fracastor Phisition to the Fathers of the counsell who had of the Byshop of Rome therfore threscore duckates a moneth The Emperour toke this matter moste displeasauntly and commaunded the Byshoppes and Diuines of hys dominions not to remoue from thence one fote Wherupon parte of the counsell was at Trente and an other parte at Bononie What tyme the Emperour marched from Norlinge to Norinberge the Erle of Bure whiche kept Frankefurte with twelue enseignes of fotemen and about foure hondreth horsemen being sent for came thither And whan he was come agayne to Franckefurt the .xii. daye of Aprill he putteth two to death wherof the one Iohn Uerden was of the same towne the other William Gelluse was a subiect of the Lantgraues The cause of their execution was for that they were sayde to be sent by the Lantgraue that they should bye of a Smyth the keyes of one gate that they should set the town on fyre in foure sondrye places that they should dryue in Iron nayles into the Canons and other great pieces so that they might not be shot of That whylest others were quenching the fyres they with the helpe of their fellowes should slaye the Erle of Bure and his familie the Consull and the Senate That they should infecte the welles of the town with poysō especially that which serued the Erles kitchin and an other whiche is in the Court. After came forth a wrytting pourporting howe they confessed in pryson this cōspiracie and perseuered in the same whā they were led to execution But the Lantgraue pourgeth hym selfe and affirmeth that synce that tyme that Franckefurt came in to the Emperours handes he hath attempted nothing and cōfuteth the crimes obiected with many weighty wordes he had at sondry times in dede cōmaunded Geluse to vnderstād which way themperour the Counte of Bure marched with their armie but that thing only But in case thei being vāquished by the sharpnes of the torture extremitie of the payn haue spoken that is false haue not iniuried others only but him also he desireth that the same be not wrasted to his disdayne and
not to heare you yet vpon condition that this pleading do neither hinder vs nor profite you and that it shal be free for vs neuerthelesse to continew and procede in the counsell and to appointe suche punishment against al disobedient rebelles as by holy lawes and constitutions is determined After this the Emperours Ambassadour Uargas desyreth to haue this recorded in the common recordes that he was impeched and letted that he could not speake first Afterwarde in as much saith he as you haue already sene the Emperours letters of credit now wyll I declare what our commission is We appeare here before you to treat of a matter most weighty and not only we but also the whole common wealth of Christendome with earnest prayers do beseche you that you would shew equitie in the same For all men iudge this certenly that in case you wyll obstinatly perseuer in the opinion whiche very vncircumspectly you haue ones embraced it wyll tourne to a maruelous calamitie of the common wealth But if you will surceaâ—e and be ordered by themperour all thinges shal luckely succede Which thing that all men the better may vnderstande we shall repete the whole matter more depely For so shal it appeare how fowly you shall erre vnlesse you alter your pourpose And how gret good wil the Emperour beareth to the commoÌ„ wealth And herein wil adde no word of our own but wil treade in the fotesteps of the commaundement we haue receiued There agayne Cardinall Mountane I am here also sayeth he president of this sacred counsell and deputed Legate of Paule the third Bishop of Rome the successour of Peter and Uicar of Christ in earth Here be also these most reuerende fathers to procede in the couÌ„sell lawfully remoued from Trent vnto Gods glory and saluation of mankynde Wherfore we desire the Emperour to alter his sentence and assiste vs in this matter and commaunde the disturbers of the counsell vnto silence For he is not ignoraunt that who so euer they be that are any let or impediment to holy counselles do deserue moste greuouse punishemeÌ„t by the prescript of the lawes But how so euer the matter falleth and what terrours so euer be threatened yet wyll we cleaue fast to the libertie and dignite both of the churche and counsel and of our own also After whan Uargas had openly recited the letters of their commission his fellowe Uelascus readeth the protestation In the beginning is raccomted how oftentymes the Emperour hath desired a counsell of Leo Adriane Clement last of Paule the third what time the Germaines were erneste suters to him for the same Again how Paule the third first at Mantua after at Uicence finally whan it could not be kepte in those places appointed the same at Trent by the assent of the Emperour and the other states for so muche as the same place was commodious for Italians and Spaniardes French men and Germaines and wanted not thinges nedefull Therfore what time this seate was chosen for the Synode The Byshop sent thether Cardinals Parise Morone and Poole And in the Emperours name also came the Byshop of Arras his Father Granuellan and Iames Mendoza But where as that tyme semed not to the Byshop conuenient enough the matter being differred againe there came newe Legates from Rome Mountane Crucei and Poole Cardinalles And from the Emperour thesame Mendoza and Fraunces Toletane The Ambassadours of other Princes came also and others out of all partes repared to Trent in great noÌ„ber And at the same time the Emperour had warre in Germany chiefly for the defence maintenaunce of Religion that suche as he could not rule by reason he might compelle by force of armes And what time he hauing lucky successe in his warres had in a maner vaÌ„quished all and had called into the way againe such as contemned the counsell before tyme beholde you whiche vsurpe vnto you the name of the Legates of the See of Rome sodenly without making the Byshop priuie as you say your selues faining a cause I can not tell what do propounde of remouing the counsell geuing scarsely any tyme to consulte in departe from Trent in great haste where as many worthy and vertuous fathers did not assent but sayd how the cause of this flitting was not reasonable and protested that they would remaine at Trent In the meane season the Emperour going into Saxony vanquisheth the ennemy at Albis and taketh both the Captaines of the warre in battell and by submission and neuerthelesse both before and after the warre was finished he desired the Byshop oft by letters and messengers sent that he woulde commaunde the Fathers to retourne from Boloigne to Trent For otherwyse would the matter be daungerous After he called a conuention at Auspurge wherin at the Emperours request the Prynces and all states with whole coÌ„sent did approue the couÌ„sell of Trent and promised that they wold obeie the same with out any condition Whan he had this obtained he sent forth with the Cardinall of Trent to Rome whiche might declare these thinges to the Byshop and Senate of Cardinalles and in the name of the whole Empyre myght require the continuaunce of the counsel at Trent He commaunded the same thing also to Iames Mendoza his Ambassadour But the Byshop toke delay in aunsweryng and thought mete first to consulte with you and receiued an answer from you ful craftie subtile and captious and eftsones did aunswer the Emperour vnsittingly and by his starting holes backsteppes declareth well enough how little he careth for the common wealth For to proue the cause of remouing ther had neded witnesses worthy of credite The Emperour kyng Ferdinando and the Prynces sending their letters and a moste honorable Ambassadour declared what the opinion of all States was coÌ„cerning the couÌ„sell But omitting their testimony the Byshop would rather geue credit to vile and abiecte persones Howe many tedious and painful iourneis hath the Emperour taken for this counsell And what costes charges hath he bene at And shall all these thinges be lost Upon moste weightie and necessarie causes at the request of the Emperour through the suite of the Germaines and by the assent of other Christian Princes was the counsell both called also coÌ„menced at Trent Wherfore with out the publique authoritie of al states coÌ„sented therto it may not be holden els where For there was no cause of remouynge the same but some thing was inuented for an excuse Uerely certeâ— agues and infection of the ayre And herein they followed the aduise of certen PhisicioÌ„s but chiefly of their maydes and cookes But howe trifelyng and vaine a cause that was the thinge it selfe and ende declared You saye that you departed not making the Byshop priuie But his letters wrytten vnto you and aunswer sent to the Emperour do testifie farre another thing Certenly you ought not to haue remoued or chauÌ„ged the place without the consent of the Emperour vnto whoÌ„ is
albeit Mendoza thou semest to esteme thys lyghtly yet ought it to be accepted for a great benefite For the ayde was exceading great that I sente in so muche that it far surmounted the abilitie and power of the holy treasure came to him moste in season What thing therfore could lesse be loked for than that after the victory obtained and that so lately the Emperour should rendre vnto me suche fruicte of Godly zeale beneuolence Uerely that the ende of the same warre should be the beginning of protesting against me Certes it hath chaunced vnto me that the Prophet complayneth of that lokyng to gather grapes I should fynde wylde beries I haue euer synce the tyme I was first called to this dignitie pastorall with earnest study tilled cherished themperour as a moste noble plante that I myght once haue a plentifull vintage But this enterpryse of his hath almoste taken away frō me al hope of fruicte Thou hast heard the cause of our grief heare also how we were relieued of the same Thou as though thou hadst had authoritie geuen thee to proteste against me and this sacret senate hast so vsed the same as is neither vnto vs honorable nor mete or condigne for the Emperour But in the letters of cōmission there is not one worde that sheweth it to be themperours wil that thou shouldest thus procede I say there is not one worde to the intent thou mayest better vnderstand it that geueth the authoritie thus to do The Emperour cōmaūdeth his deputies at Boloigne that they should proteste thus before our Legates there whiche haue chaunged the place of the counsel Which after thou didst perceiue once done thou woldest vse the same maner of protesting here also in our presēce But herein hast thou passed the bondes of thy cōmission And if thou hast not perceiued this before Mendoza acknowledge now at the last hauing warning For themperour cōmaūdeth that to protest not against vs nor before this presence but against our legates that were autours of that remouing Wherfore thēperour hath done herein the duty of a tēperate Prince which hath stayed within those bondes limites wold not that the protestation shuld be made before me whom he knoweth to be the lawfull only iudge of al suche causes For if I had refused to haue heard the matter than shuld be haue had iust cause of protestation But thou Mēdoza not taking the way that thou shuldest haue done didst not desire me to examine the matter but requirest that I shuld disanul the decree made of remouing the counsel cōmaunde the greatest part of the fathers to geue place to a few the remained at Trēt And what thing can more deminish thauthoritie of the whole coūsel than this Had it not ben much more reasonable that those few which are at Trent if thei had any cause of cōplaint of the fathers which be at Boloigne shuld haue made the same vnto me Certenly I wold neither haue refused their requestes thā nor yet wold at this presēt Where therfore it is certen that themperours minde is not cōsonāt or agreable to your fact we haue cause to giue God thankes which ruleth his minde after thys sort We may reioyce to our selues thou thy self mayst be glad for thy Princes sake And albeit that by this same which is saide already the foūdatiō of your pleade is so fallen that I nede not to answere thy protestation yet lest the through silence I might appeare to acknowledge thine accusatiōs by the same thing of send many especially such as be ignoraūt I will cōfute thē all And first what time thou hast set this marke before rhine eies that thou mightest declare me to be negligent to draw backward seke delayes thou the coūsel shuld not be holdē but thēperour to be carefull for the common wealth Uigilaunt and industrious and wholy addicte to the kepyng of the counsel thou procedest in speakyng thy pleasure Assuredly I doe not nother ought I to enuie the Emperours prayses And if thou haddest stayed there I had had nothinge to aunswere But in as muche as thou doest extolle hym to depraue me so laude and commende hym that thou myghtest bryng me in contempte whylest thou sayest that he hath desyred a counsell not of me only but also of my prodecessours Byshoppes of Rome The thing it selfe requyreth that I should aunswere thee to the same For if thys were alwayes the Emperours mynde and desyre that a counsell myght be holden of the same mynde haue I bene euer as well as he Agayne as I am his elder in yeares so haue I desired this thyng before him as the moste honorable Cardinalles can tell whiche were of the same nomber at that tyme. And whan I was chosen Byshop I continued of the same mynde styll And hauing the leste occasion in the world I called a coūsell first at Mantua and after at Uicence But thether came none at all and hether but very fewe And the Legates which I sent taried there halfe a yeare lokyng for the other Bishops whiche I had summoned sending a broad letters and messengers into all partes Howbeit thou sayst that these cities were not commodious for other nations to repare to but that Trēt was fit for the pourpose But al men knowe that Trent is not to be compared vnto these neyther in quantitie nor plentie of all thynges Therfore the incommoditie of the place was not the let but the warres of Prynces Nowe consyder with me whether was more feruent in this behalfe The Emperour whiche letted the counsell with warlyke tumultes or the Byshop whiche was euer a peace maker who neuer ayded any Prynce in warre sauing the Emperour only and that in the same warre whiche semed to open the way vnto the counsell Whether the Emperour were constrayned to warre brought vnto it against his wyll I dispute not But certen it is that the counsell was let by the warres I come vnwillingly vnto this comparison because the contention is of the prayse of vertu which is al dewe vnto God alone but thou Mendoza hast geuen the occasion I will not be tedious and will only warne thee to cōsider euery yeare of my byshoprike and marke wel what care and study I haue taken For verely these two thinges haue bene euer before my eyes to make peace amongest Princes and to kepe a coūsel and herein haue spared neyther coste nor payne for all myne olde age But neyther doest thou reproue any thyng before the counsel and blamest only my Legates in that they remoued to Boloigne without my knowledge Moreouer this doeth offende thee that I call the congregation of the Fathers at Boloigne a counsell and thynkest that they susteyne iniurie therby that remayne at Trente But what euill is in that For thus all men speake howe the Counsell is remoued from Trent to Bononie Wherfore if I should doe the dutie of an vpryght iudge I ought so to call it
wyll geue no iust cause to be thought negligent in matters cōcerning the churche Neuerthelesse if it so fortune through the imbecillitie of mans nature I shall not be offended if my negligence maye styre vp and sharpen the Emperours dilligence to succour the Churche so that he staye hym selfe within the precincte and limittes prescrybed that is If he followe herein the rule of ryght and lawes of the holy Fathers Finally as concerning the chiefe point of your Protestation where you contende the remouing of the counsell to be vnlawfull in as muche as the effecte of all the controuersie theron dependeth I take vnto my self the examination therof by vertue of my power and authoritie and committe the hearing of the same to the moste worthy Cardinalles Parise Burges Poole and Crescent And commaunde that in the meane tyme whylest they do examine the thing no man what so euer he be attempte any thynge to the contrary And also charge the fathers aswell that be at Bo nonie as also at Trent that if they haue any thing to saye or alledge in this matter they do it within this moneth And lest I should seme in any point to hinder the commoditie of Germany I wyll not refuse to sende myne Ambassadours thether suche as may cure the infirmitie of their people if I shal vnder stande the same not to be vnthankeful to them and to the Emperour Besydes all this whan the iudgement is ended in case it shall appere that they did not wel to remoue vnto Boloigne I will deuise by all meanes that the Synode may be cōtinued at Trent And at fewe wordes will do what I can that in fine the auncient Religion may agayne be restored to Germany The Cardinall of Trent was before this retourned to Auspurge as I said Whan the Emperour than hearing his talke and also receiuing letters frō Mendoza dated at Rome about the ende of December sawe but small hope of the counsell the xiiii daye of Ianuary declareth the matter to the states in what case it standeth and how he hath signified to his Ambassadour Mendoza that he should make protestation at Rome concerning the remouing of the counsel After the same shal be done he wyll gette them the copie to wryte out And albeit the hope of the counsell is not vtterly to be neglected yet by reason of the long delay whiche is like to come betwixt he thinketh it to be requisite and necessary that in the meane tyme there be some meane founde to conserue the peace of Germany They haue in dede committed vnto hym the charge of this matter but he thinketh it expedient that out of the whole nombre be chosen a fewe good and well learned men to haue the doing hereof And he wyll also appoint certen to consult with them Wherfore he requireth them to be wylling hereunto and al affectiōs layde asyde to cōsider what commoditie it were for the cōmon wealth and euery of thē also that a reconcilement were made Let them call to remembraunce howe before this dissention Germany was the moste florishyng Region of all others and as a mirrour and a spectacle for al nations to beholde Let thē consider moreouer that where he toke so muche trauel pain that the counsell might be continued at Trent that he ded the same of his duty and of a singuler zeale to the cōmon coūtrey Therfore were dyuers chosen to treat of the matter but when they coulde not agre the whole matter was referred to themperour Wherfore he appointed certen to penne articles of doctrine ceremonies and reformation of the clergie Those were Iuly Pflugie Byshop of Numburge Michaell Sidonie Iohn Islebie Agricola who .xviii. yeares past had defended the doctrine of the Protestauntes with Melanchton and Brentius as is wrytten in the seuenth booke These therfore wryte a boke of Articles but very secretly and whan they had bene lōg about it and had printed it sondry tymes at length exhibite the same to the Emperour as I wyl shewe you hereafter Ioachim the Electour of Brandenburg whiche laboured sore for a reconcilement deuising first with Iames Sturmius intreated the Senate of Strasburg by his letters that for the cause of Religion they would sende vnto him Bucer For in asmuche as the Byshop had withdrawen the coūsell the Emperour had taken an other way and that there was great hope of a reformation Whereupon Bucer is sent who taking his iurney priuely about the ende of Ianuary whan he came almoste to Auspurg stayed there tyll the Prince sent for hym In the former boke is declared how the Englyshemen ouercame the Scottes in a mighty battell But where the Scottes would not relent nor chaunge their pourpose and trusted to the Frenche kynges promesses the Duke of Somerset Protectour of England and the rest of the counsell the first day of February wryte vnto thē a long exhortation vnto peace Albeit say they it were requisite that the beginning should procede of you whiche in the cause are inferiours and goe by the worse And albeit we possesse a great part of your dominion yet can we not but admonishe you of your wealth and preseruatiō The last yeare before the battel we prouoked you to peace and amitie and declared what our mynde was but that wryting was suppressed by your captaines and gouernour of your Realme and not suffered to come to your handes For so that they may do wel them selues they care full litle what chaunceth vnto you Wherfore if they shall now also vse the same disceiptfulnes not suffer you to vnderstande any part of our wyll and counsell in this wryting we do openly proteste that we haue omitted no part of our dutie Englande hath oftentymes kepte warre with Scotlande and that exceading great And there is no doubt but they that shall reade the histories or heare of the feates done would maruell muche that the people of one countrie and langage shuld be at so great dissention amonges themselues and woulde accompt it a thing chiefly to be wyshed for if the whoale Ilande might by some meane agree in one be ruled by one gouernement But al men do confesse that there is no redier waye here unto than by mariage And this way God hauing compassion vpon you hath shewed you and offered you a moste goodly occasion as it were into your bosome Your kyng whan he had broken his promesse had an ouerthrow in battell died shortly after whether it were for sorowe or for some other cause He had thre children two sonnes a daughter and they indede might haue ben a let so that ther shuld not haue ben made an attonemēt betwixt vs. But God toke thē away both in a maner in one day whan thei were infantes left but one inheriter a daughter borne a litle before the death of her father And vnto vs hath geuē a king of great exspectatiō Edward sonne heire vnto Hery the eight What do you
the Lutherians by conuenasit promesse or othe from all those bondes to absolue monkes that be fallē into heresie and haue forsaken their houses and to permitte them chaunging their coates to serue in an other vocation of the churche Moreouer to geue pardon to eate milke butter chese egges and fleshe hauing a respect to the place and persone Finally to permit thē to receiue the whole Supper of the Lorde who laying asyde all other errours shall allowe the decree of the counsel of Constance whiche will openly confesse that there is as muche receiued vnder one kynde as vnder both and that the churche erred not for making that decre of one kynde only And that this may be graunted them for a certen tyme as shal be thought mete yet so as they them selues doe this seuerally at an other tyme and place and not at the same tyme whan others doe receiue vnder one kynde only Lastly they haue authoritie to compounde with the possessioners of churche landes for the fruictes receiued and spent so as they wyll departe from the possession from hencesorth Furthermore to punishe obstinate persones by the censure of the churche and herein to craue assistaunce of the Magistrates And lykewyse to chouse and substitute Byshoppes throughout Germany whiche shall put the thing in execution These Ambassadours of Rome followynge this commission in such places as they thought moste nedefull did substitute Byshops wherof the Byshop of Strasburg was one whome they commaunded to execute thinges before rehersed And so finally to receiue into fauour ecclesiastical persons if they first would forsake and put away their wyues And mē saye howe they went to the Emperour to haue cōference with hym touchyng the measure and maner of execution And after they vnderstode that it was not possible for them to go vnto al places whiche had nede of remedy of necessitie they suborned others This graunte or indulgence as they terme it of the byshoppe of Rome the Emperour sendeth immediatly to the byshoppes of Germany and warneth thē all seuerally to handle the matter gently and peaseably and that they first trye and and assay al wayes by fayre speach exhortations and praiers before they come to excommunication and cursyng Wherfore the Archebyshop of Mētz addressing his letters both to diuerse others also to the gouernours counsellours of that Lātgraue And speakyng many thynges of his cure and charge pastorall and of the Emperours fayth and dilygence requyreth them to exhibite this order sent from the Byshop of Rome to the ministers of the churche commaunding them to obeye the same The preachers being moued herein saye how their doctrine is consonant to the doctrine of the Prophetes and Apostles the lyfe it selfe in dede doeth not aunwere to the profession but yet do thei acknowledge no errour in their doctrine Wherfore thei haue no nede of the Byshops indulgence They haue preferred mariage before the filthie sengle lyfe accordinge vnto Gods worde neither can they forsake their children wyues whome Christ him self commaundeth to embrace with all loue fidelitie and beneuolence Where ther churches do receyue the Lordes supper wholy the same is done by the commaundement of Christe and after the custome of the primatiue churche And they wyll admit no alteration herein In the moneth of May was an open disputatiō at Oxforde betwene Peter Martyr the Diuines of the same vniuersitie cōcerning the Lordes supper and the presence of Christ his body These conclusions dyd Martyr set vp and defende That the substaunce of bread and wyne is not chaunged That the body and bloud of Christe is not carnally or corporally in the bread and wyne but to be vnited to them sacramentally Afterwarde there was set forthe a boke of the same wherin the presidentes of the disputation appointed by the kynges commaundemēt do sufficiently declare that Martyr had the maistrie in that contention The tenth day of the moneth of Iune the Quene of Fraūce was crowned at Sainct Denis as is accustomed by the Cardinalles of Bolon Gwise Chattilion Uandome and Bourbon for al the rest were at Rome The .vi. daye after the kyng with a maruelous goodly trayne and richely apparrelled entreth into Paris the head citie of his Realme where he had not bene yet sene opēly synce the death of his father two days after him the Quene Whyles he soiourned there diuers were put to executiō for Lutheranisme whiche as it is sayde he behelde him selfe After that the fourth day of Iuly he cōmaundeth to go on procession in euery church The next day after he publisheth a wryting in prynte declaring this to be the cause therof that he might geue God thankes for his manifold benefites imployed vpō him And that he might praye to God for the preseruation of hym selfe his wyfe and his children and of the whole Realme and commō wealth and cōmende vnto him the soules of godly mē but chiefly the kinges of Fraūce his progenitours his father lately departed after whose example he was fully prefixed to vndertake the defence and tuition of the catholique fayth Religion the authoritie and liberties of the See Apostolique ministers of the churche amōgest the causes this also to be one principall that it mygh be openly knowen howe muche he abhorreth them whiche contrary to Christes commaundement contrary to the traditions of the Apostles and consent of al antiquitie denie the presence of the body and bloude of Christe whiche take away all vertue and strength from Baptisme penaunce good workes and Sacramentes whiche do vtterly cōtemne the authoritie of the churche and order archepreistship whiche reiecte the praying adoration and reliques of saintes Moreouer that by that deuoute supplication he might testifie what his opinion and mynde is verely that after the example of his progenitours and by a certen imitation of inheritaūce he doeth so thinke and beleue of all opinions as doeth the Catholique churche the Crede of the Apostles the first counsell of Nice and many other counselles of the holy fathers Further more that he is fully determined to bannish out of his realme and dominions the heresies long since condemned but in this tyme partely reuined and partly inuented by Luther Carolostadius Zwinglius Oecolampadius Melanchthon Bucer Caluine and suche other Archeheretikes monstrouse and pestiferous persones and to punishe moste extremely suche as shall offende herein This wryting setforth in the vulgare tōgue he sendeth abroade into all partes of Fraunce commaunding thē to go a procession in all places and declare the same vnto the people Not long after he beheaded Monsour Ueruine for rendring the towne and castel of Boloigne to the king of Englād as is spoken in the .xv. boke And his father in lawe Mouns Dubees an aged mā which was gouernour of al Boloignois and one of the foure Mreschalles of Fraunce he cōdemneth to perpetuall prison He had diuerse monethes past sollicited the Swisses to renewe the league whiche they had
may be deuised But that was yet in vayne Moreouer he releaseth by his letters the Princes bounde and pronoūceth them fre from that bonde Wherfore whan the Lantgraue sawe no hope he was fully prefixed to make an escape if he might and deuiseth sondry meanes with his seruauntes whō he had sent for out of Hesse some of them Gentlemen of good houses But they being afrayd of the daunger sought delayes At the last he perswadeth two Conrade Bredesten and Iohn Rommelie which all the waye from Hesse vnto Machlin layed post horses whiche he might leape vpon and escape But the matter came to light by a certen man of his who had told one Frendely at Machlin that within a fewe houres his maister shuld be at libertie The same going from one to an other was reported to the captaine of the garde in the very same moment and instant that he should haue fled in Than was al that matter dashed and two of his seruauntes were slayne out of hand others taken and beheaded and he him selfe caried to a straiter pryson The Emperour when he knewe therof toke it most displeasaūtly and wryting his letters to Duke Maurice and the Marques of Brandenburg signifieth that this so bolde an enterpryse apperteineth to the iniury of hym and his dominion and saith he wil be sore auenged of them that haue geuen him either aide or counsell herein The copie of these letters they sende to William the Lantgraues sonne and amongest other thynges they saye that in case there be any suche parte played from henceforth they wyl stande no more bounde to them Yet neuerthelesse Duke Maurice seuerally comforted them and to deliuer their father promyseth to spende not only his goodes but his life and bloud also And than sayeth ther shal be a tyme conuenient to yelde him selfe whan the state of thinges shal be suche as the displeasures of certen are lesse to be feared The .xix. daye of December all the fotemen and horsemen of Maydenburge that were not appointed to the watche issue out of the citie at after midnight that they might oppresse the stoute courage of their ennemies in a vyllage not farre of The enterpryse was very daungerous for that they must passe through theyr ennemies campe But yet it chaunsed luckely for before the ennemy could be armed thei had taken the Uillage and set it on fyre in diuers places They had all put ouer their harnesse white shirtes as the maner is in Camisado So many of their ennemies as resisted wer slayn which wer many noble gentlemen Diuerse fought out of the houses but the same being set on fire they were burnt Uery many of the Nobilitie wer taken and immediatly brought into the citie with two hōdreth and lx horses On the morrowe as sone as the daye appeared they retired home warde and by the way met a troupe of horsemen whiche were led by the Duke of Megelburge who at the laste geuing the charge whan the horsemen pressed him before and the fotemen gaue the onset at his back was takē and brought into the citie euen he whiche had first begon the warre In these dayes also came out of Spaine to Auspurg Maximilian of Austriche the Emperours sonne in law created king of Boheme in his absence called home by his father king Ferdinando betwene whom and the Emperour was than a great contention about the succession of the Empire for the whiche cause also the Emperour was sayde to haue sent for his syster Mary who retourned thither in the moneth of Ianuary that she might be a meane where she had departed from thence in September before For the Emperour who knewe what commoditie it were to annexe Germany to his inheritaunce coueted to establishe his sonne whiche should reigne ouer so many large and diuers Regions with this as a sure fortresse But kyng Ferdinādo hauing the same respect thought that nother his nor the expectation and commoditie of his children ought to be diminished herein Moreouer Maximilian who was a Prince of great towardnes could speake sondry languages especially the highe dutche and in Prince like maners excelled was very muche fauoured and beloued of all mē Those letters wherby the counsell was denunciatour as before I haue said the Byshop promulgat at Rome at the latter ende of December In the whiche are many thynges whiche myght offende mens myndes of the which sorte is that he sayth it is his part to gouerne counselles that he calleth hym selfe Christes vicar that he will haue the action continued and not repeted from the beginning that he chalengeth to him self the place and authoritie of the president that he semeth to call thither only mē of his own order These thinges also the Emperour whan the letters were deliuered hym is sayde to haue noted right well to haue required of him that suche thinges as were somwhat rough might be altered fearing as it was thought least the Germaines being affrayde of these thinges as mariners be of Rockes would either refuse the sommoning or els fynde some let or delay in this busines which he with so great labour had brought to passe I wyll not affirme this to be true and suche maner of coūselles ar wont to be kept secret But if it be trwe it is manifest that he obteined nothyng For the same fourme that I spake of the Byshop published not one worde altered Yea there be some that suppose he dyd it of a sette pourpose that he might feare awaye the Germaines from the counsell that they should not come there or if they came he might haue them intrapped by certen snares Certenly Paule the thirde was reported to haue vsed this policie as I haue sayde in the ix boke that after he had learned by his espialles what the Protestauntes could beare and what they refused calling than a counsell he would vrge and propounde those thinges chiefly where with he knewe their myndes to be moste offended as a man may aso perceiue in this bull of Iulius whiche is framed after that same of Paule the thirde In these dayes Duke Maurice and the Electour of Brandenburge offer conditions of peace to them of Maydenburg requyre them to render them selues and shewe their fidelitie vnto them to their Archebyshop Thus if they wyll doe they shal be permitted to haue and retaine the Religiō and doctrine exhibited in times past at Auspurge there shal be nothing deminished of their priuileges lawes and lyberties the fortifications also of the citie and goodes shal remayne safe and no violence offered vnto any man Moreouer they promyse to make intercession to the Emperour that he wyl abolysh the sentence of publication verely vpon these conditions That as other Princes and cities so they also may humbly desire pardon and deliuer him .xvi. pieces of ordenaunce and an hondreth thousand crownes to the end they may inioye their goodes already confiscated And that somme of mony they saye they
and the decrees be red openly that done the bishops are demaunded whether they allow the same They answer all that they please them well And so the deuines declare what is theyr opinion of euery matter but the bishops only and with them a few other mitred men haue authority to determine that thing which is thus decreed they commaund to be sacred and holy and call those decrees Canons These thinges in dede are thus done outwardly but those that are better acquainted with Romish matters wil affirme that all those articles of doctrine are written before at Rome by the bishops commaunment and sent to his Legate in time that the deuines may in their reasoning folow that prescript and ordre For the Bishop finedeth ther diuers of them and many bishops also and therfore it is commonly spoken by a fond prouerbe that the holy ghost commeth many times from Rome to Trēt inclosed in a male For this cause verely that the bishop sendeth ofttimes letters in poste signifying to his Legates there what he woulde haue done The fourth day of Septembre Erle Hedeck commeth to Maidenburge by him duke Moris did so mitigate the conditions before propounded that they thought mete to proceade in the treatye In the meane while was truse taken which was after also prolonged for many daies as I shall hereafter declare The French king hauing his mind alienated from the bishop of Rome publisheth a wryting and speakinge many thinges of thiniury done vnto him of the cause of the warre of Parma and whye he receiued Octauius into his tuition commaundeth vnder a great penalty that no mony from henceforth be conueied to Rome for considering that the sinewes of warre consisteth in mony what madnes were this with his own mony his subiectes to maintaine the force of his aduersarye and strengthen his power how it is the peculiare office of the bishops of Rome to appease he controuersies of kings this verely did Paule the third who being almost worn for age came to Nice in Ligurie to make a reconcilement betwene his father and themperor but Iuly followeth cleane an other wates and hauing lately called a counsell very necessary in dede for the common weale hathe stirred vp war against him surely of a set purpose that he mighte exclude all the french church which is one of the principall so that ther can not be holden a lawful counsel wherin both therrors of the prelates and ministers of the church mighte be refourmed and their faultes amended This proclamation of the king was openlye proclaimed at Paris the vii day of Septembre whereas a few daies before ther was an other most hainous proclamation setforth against the Lutheranes whiche partly confirmed such like decrees of former yeres partly where they semed not to be diligently enough writtē sharpned them omitting nothing that concerneth great seueritye and such as wil vtter any thing are promised great rewards whiche thing in dede the king was thought to haue done for this intēt that he might bridell hereby such as in Fraunce desired to haue an alteration of Religyon leaste by reason of thys dissention of hys with the bishop they should take ouermuch libertye And againe least they whiche beare a reuerence to the Churche of Rome shuld conceiue any apinion of him that his minde should be altered concerning Religion Finally that both the bishop him self and the Senate of Cardinals might see that they might be receiued into his frendship whan they wold Than out of themperours court came forth a wryting wherin is recited the original cause of the warre of Parma and how iuste an occasion of displeasure the bishop of Rome hath against Octauius and the Earle of Mirandula and of what an vnquiet mind the Frēch king is which seketh all manner of occasions and bendeth his whole force that he maye impeche and defeat the most noble enterprises of themperor how beit themperor being nothing moued withall these thinges wil so much the more couragiously and stoutly procede Octauius pretēded as though he had come of necessity into thobeisance and tuition of the French king for thiniuries and laying in wayt of Fernādo Gonzage But that is confuted by this wrytinge For if there were any cause of feare the occasion was geuen of him selfe who hath ofttimes laid wait for the life of Gonzage After it is recited how Placence came into the hands of themperor For Peter Aloise the bishop of Romes bastard sonne whan he had obteined Pirma and Placence gouerned the common wealth cruelly and like an other Nero and accomplished his wicked lust not only vpon womē but on men also wherfore he was slain at home and murthered of his citezens which could no longer abide so great crudelitye after the townes men for that they saw a present daunger prepared against them in case they shuld come again into the iurisoiction of the Bishop and church of Rome had this only refuge to saue them if they gaue them selues to themperor especially consideringe also howe they were once fre citezens of the Empire so therefore they moued Gonzage and desired him that they mighte be receiued into themperors tuition For otherwise wold they prouide them aid and succour elsse wher Therfore it is vntrue that he shuld faine him selfe to be a fraid For themperor hath imploid many benefits vpon the Farnesians He hath chosen Octauius to his sonne in law gaue to his father Aloise the city of Nouaria for euer and honored hym with the dignity of a Marques but great hath bene their vnthākfulnes both at other times and chiefly whan through the pretence of frendship they aided him in punishing certain rebels of Germany their whole endeuor was to haue taken from him Genes and Lumbardy For verely in the same tumult was slain ful wickedly amonges others Ioannine Aurie a man of an excellente vertue whilest he both did themperor faithful seruice and repulsed pearil from his country After came forthe an answer to these thinges in the French kinges name Wherin is made mention how themperor to haue the frendship of the bishop of Rome Paule the thyrde gaue vnto his sonne Peter Aloise the title and degre of a Marques how he toke vnto him Octauius the sonne of Peter to be his sonne in law how he preferred his other sonne Alexander to many ecclesiasticall promotions how afterward he made a league with the bishop wherin it was prouided that the decre of the Senate of Cardinals that was made concerning the gouernment of Parma and Placence themperor shuld confirme to the house of the Frenesians but what time themperor made war in Germany and pretēded as though he moued not the same war for Religion but to punish the rebellion of certain this deuise was displeasaunt to the bishop for that he saw how by this meane he went about his priuate affairs and to procure to him self rule gouernment neither was he disceiued in his iudgement For the war being
the Lantgraue doubtles aboue al other things Agayne for that in the pacification are many things contayned that cannot be perfourmed of a captiue Prince but onely of him that is at libertie After when he had made his submission you pardoned his offence promysed to abolysh the prescription and to geue him letters of reconcilement moreouer for that ye were content with their suertyship wherby it was prouided that in case he obserued not cōuenauntes the people should present him to you captiue and the suerties by force of armes shoulde compell him to his dutye Certeinely all these things were to no purpose and al together superfluous if ther had supposed that he should haue suffred punishment with his owne body But where as they neuer thought of any such matter nor yet your own coūsellours had made any mention therof vpon this truste and cōfidence they sent for him and if any thing shoulde chaunce vnto him besyde they promysed were bound to his sonnes to abyde the lyke fortune that he shoulde This was their minde and opinion which was also cōfirmed what time after the submission the Duke of Alba badde them and the Lantgraue to supper Which bedding hospitalitie they for the maner of Princes and custume of Germany could not so interprete the thing that he shoulde goe to the Duke of Alba his house as vnto prison they shoulde accompany him and bring him thyther For if they had conceaued the leaste susspection in the world of that matter who shoulde beleue that euer they wolde haue done it For seing they be Princes of the Empyre and that electours borne of moste noble houses they wolde neuer haue imployed their seruyce in that sorte as to in tyse a noble Prince being their nere friend and kynsman into such distresse and themselues as it were bring him to prison But they neither knew any thing therof till it was after supper For then ded the Duke of Alba fyrste say vnto them howe he muste remaine in the Castell as in custodie But howsoeuer it be they ded it of a very good mynde as we sayd at the begenning And for so moch as they be bounden to him of their fidelitie you may easely perceiue that in case after so great long suite and suerties put in he shoulde be longer detayned howe greuous and harmefull the same wolde be to them their chyldren and kynsfolkes You se also most mightye Emperour cōsydering you are come of the Germaynes race for asmoch as the Lantgraues sonnes poursue theyr ryght vrge them to yelde them selues captyue after the fourme of the obligation what is mete for them to doe to maintayne ther honour and estimation according to the auntient and accustumed manner of the Nobilitie of Germany and how they can haue none excuse vnto other Princes although eyther the power to sue them or dede of obligation which they haue should be taken a waye And if peraduenture the Lantgraue which neither by cōpositiō nor geuyng his faith but by the same occasion as we haue shewed you is deteyned prisoner for a certeyne wearynes and impacience of long imprisōment hath sought som meanes to obteine liberty and that perchaūce his ministers haue attempted any thing against his kepers the Princes doe besech you that the same be not to them preiudicial But for somoch as by reason of ther obligatiō they ar in a great perplexitie out of the which you only nexte after almighty God may delyuer them For so moch as it is not vnknowē vnto you how they stroke vpō these rocks for so moch as you haue certen inteligence of their good will fidelitie and duty what time in your aduersitie they employed all their lands and goods lyfe and bloude for your commoditie followyng herein the fotesteppes of their auncesters they moste hartely and earnestly require you that you would in releasing your captiue succour them and haue respect herein not so much to the Lantgraues doinges as vnto thē which honour you exceadingly Especially since that a fewe of their families haue for your progenitours and for the house of Austriche and Burgundy spared neither coste nor perill And in case you feare least he being set at libertie should not kepe conuenaunt your highnes knoweth well enough whan the matter shal come to that issue what the nobilitie people of Hesse haue promised you by an othe what the Princes haue done likewyse by suertishyp But and if you require a further assuraunce they haue both made you the offer diuerse tymes heretofore and nowe do also and haue geuē vs authoritie to treate of the same matter Moreouer concerning the conditions for suche as might streight wayes be accomplished they suppose there can no lack be founde And where as the castels were not so sodainly rased if you knewe wel the cause they doubted not but for that matter you would holde the Lantgraues sonnes excused Furthermore if any lacke be founde they wyll do their whole indeuour that you may be cōtented and satisfied Wherfore if thei themselues haue at any time or their fathers and grandfathers done any thing that hath bene acceptable either to you or to the Emperour Maximilian and the rest of your progenitours or if you thinke that they may doe or perfourme any thing in tyme to come that to you may be pleasāt and ioyfull they desire you moste effectually that you woulde suffer them nowe to receiue some fruicte of the same and that you would cause that hope promesse to appeare whiche first you made them at Hale after at Numburge last also at Auspurg to the intent verely they maye honor you from hēceforth with so muche the more industrie courage and may reioyce that their sidelitie and seruice which thei haue done you hath bene well imployed and largely rewarded For if it should be otherwyse and should nowe obteyne nothing you may coniecture moste puissaunt Emperour what discommodities wyl in sue what tyme they shal be enforced to answer the matter and to declare their innocēcie but they hope vndoubtedly that you will graunt their requestes Whiche verely they will accept for an high benefite and not they only but also the Lantgraue with his sonnes and all his frendes shall euermore endeuoure that they may requite this your benefite And for bycause the same thing doeth so muche concerne their estimatiō they haue also intreated other Princes to make intercession with them whose Ambassadours you se here And this haue they done for this intent that the thynge whiche they could not yet obteine of you by prayers messēgers and letters that same myght they bryng to passe through their commendation and fauour and praye you to take it in that parte What tyme they had thus spoken they deliuer vnto hym the letters of Ferdinando kyng of Romaines of Albert Duke of Bauier of the brethrē Dukes of Luneburge wrytten in the behalfe of the Lantgraue And the Princes that sent Ambassadours were these
The same do the Ambassadours of Wirtemberg and the case was comen to them al. Which they notwithstanding for that it was long or they came followed and vrged chiefly and therfore they intreated diligently the thre Archbyshops Electours and the Cardinall of Trent a great-frende to Duke Maurice and the Emperours Ambassadours that for the common wealth sake they would both be wylling them selues and also perswade the rest of the fathers herein For none of the Ambassadours would go to the legate Crescentius or any of his fellowes legates least thei should appere to attribute to them any thing But bycause they were sent to followe the Emperours mynde satisfie the decre of the Empire therfore they vsed his Ambassadours which was their high chief magistrate for their intercessours And at this present time came newes the within a few daies Duke Maurice wold come to the Emperour Whiche made al men to be of better hope a great deale more willing In this moneth was beheaded at Lōdon the Duke of Somerset vncle as I said before to the king of Englande with him certē of his frendes as Michel Stanope sir Rafe Fane sir Myles Partrich knightes And some reported that the same was done by the procurement of the Duke of Northumberland They that were of the wittier sorte began euen than to feare the good king whome after his kinsfolkes were dispatched out of the waye they sawe was more open to daunger treason For after the Duke of Somerset was dead the Duke of Northumberland put to the king newe chamberlaines amonges them his own sonnes kinsmen Whan the daye of the next session was now at hand the Emperours Oratours sending for thambassadours of Duke Maurice declare what thei haue done with the fathers in their cause How thei haue obteined a saufeconduict such as they wyshed for How also thaction may be discontinued differred vntill they come may be present at the same For that al nations people be not there assembled that lieth not in the fathers to perfourme The counsel was lawfully sōmoned And although al mē come not yet standeth it neuerthelesse in his ful strength dignitie that suche decrees as are made should be reuoked let them consider them selues howe vndecent a thing it were For it belongeth to the reproche and infamie of so great an assemblie Let Diuines come only They shall both be in all matters hearde and also intreated moste gently And if any thyng offende thē or be done without reason if they see them selues ouermuche aggrauated they haue free libertie to departe whan they wyl They desyre them earnestly that they would geue some thynge to the tyme and not to couet to haue all thynges graunted thē in this one moment Whan they shall come to the action than may dyuerse thinges by occasion be obteyned whiche appeare nowe very harde The fathers they saye be very desyrous of a reformation and wyll not fayle to doe their dutie and longe sore for the Diuines comming vnto whome they wyll shewe all good wil fidelitie and haue thynges to propoūde of great importaunce and desyre that they may begynne to the intent that by this occasion they may come forth also That whiche they requyre moreouer touchyng the submission of the Byshop of Rome they desyre them some thyng to qualifie The fathers do see and perceyue that there is som what in that high dignitie that may be reprehended and ought in dede to be redressed But yet must they procede after some fine deuise The Emperours mynde and wyll is that all thinges should be ritely and lawfully done But they finde by daily experience howe fayre and dissemblingly they must treate with the Byshops legates For verely they must vse a singular dexteritie and deale with them by policie Wherfore let them nowe contente them selues with suche thinges as are graūted which are surely not without their great trauell obteyned and fynde the meanes that the Diuines may make haste And than will they neyther in publique nor priuate cause omitte any parte of their dutie And whan they were come hytherto they deliuer vnto them the saufeconduicte Whiche they byd them reade and after to sende it them againe This was the .xxii. daye of Ianuary And thus sending them awaye in the selfe same momente call for the Ambassadours of the Duke of Wirtemberge And first make an excuse touching the fourmer tyme by the moste weightie affaires of the fathers But nowe if they haue anythyng to doe they be ready to further thesame They sayd how they haue had a long tyme nowe thinges to propounde and to be hearde with spede Assone as they were dimissed they sende for the Ambassadour of Strasburge and speake to the same effecte He declared briefly wherfore he was sent by reason of Coletane vnto whome he had not spoken before For this present he sayde he had nothing els to saye and how he loked dayly for letters frō home For immediatly after that Duke Maurice Ambassadours were come he was commaunded to wryte home what their cōmission was and to attende what the Senate would haue done further more Howebeit he required thē in the meane tyme that in those matters whiche the Ambassadours of Duke Maurice had preferred vnto them they would so vse them selues that they myght come forthwith to open treatie They saide againe howe they had certen thinges to do with the Ambassadours of Duke Maurice and of the Duke of Wirtemberge Whan any thing shal be done they will let hym vnderstāde that he may signifie the same to his citezens They verely do greatly wyshe for a concorde And the Emperour also applieth his whole endeuour study to the same They desire very muche also that thaction might beginne and doubte not but God wyll assiste that moste honest enterprise Whan this was done the Ambassadours of Saxon Wirtemberg Strasburge hauing cōference together do way that fourme of saufe conduicte whiche they had receiued And for so muche as they had wrytten out before euery chapter of the decree of Basill the all men might see especially suche thynges as concerned any weightie matters it was not hard for them by and by to discerne in what places this dissented from that Whan they had therfore perused it ouer streight waye they perceiued that the chiefest places were partely altered and partly omitted For in the saufeconduicte that in times past was geuen to the Bohemers are these thinges amongest others That they shuld haue also authoritie to decide matters That in al matters of cōtrouersie the holy scripture the order of the primatiue churche suche counselles interpretours as were agreable to the scripture should be in stede of the iudge That they might vse their owne seruice at home That nothing shuld be done in contēpt or reproche of their doctrine Wherof the first the thirde laste were cleane omitted And the second and chiefest thing in dede was sore altered
the great good wyll of the Emperour he admonished them that the diuines might come with all possible diligence whiche they trusted doubtles they would hauing once receiued their saufeconduict Than go they apart and reade it And the places whiche they had amended before the sessions they finde nothing altered Wherfore they come to them againe and complayne therof and she we what lacke they finde in euery point Thambassadours of Saxon desire also to know what answere the fathers haue made to their requestes Thesame do they of Wirtemberge Againe speaketh Pictaue touching the saufe conduicte answereth Where they desire that their men might haue authoritie to decide that same do they ouertimely Whan the diuines be here present in the worke it selfe many thinges may fortune vpon occasions to be graunted whiche are nowe refused Where they would that holy scripture only shoulde be iudge of euery controuersie there is no man against that But whan there arriseth strife about thinterpretation of scriptur vnto whom shuld credit be geuen soner than the coūsel Scripture is a dome thīg without life as also other politike lawes be But the mouth of the iudge must be applied therunto that it may be wel perceiued Which mout verely is the voice of the councell this maner hath bene alwayes obserued since the Apostles time whansoeuer there arose any doubtful matters Where they would vse their owne seruice at home it is not indede openly graūted thē neither yet it is prohibited Least any thing should be contemptuously done against their Religion doctrine they nede not to feare for it should be straightly prohibited For both the Emperour wold haue it so the fathers also hate all suche intēperauncie And seing thassemblie is made for peace vnitie immodeste opprobrius wordes shall not be vnpunished Unto ther requests they make in a maner the lyke aunswere as they did lately before the sitting How al the treatie was disterred for their cause vntill an other tyme But that the decrees made should againe be repeted they pray them not to disgrace so many notable men They will promyse become suerties that whan the diuines shal come they shal be heard in althinges Where they would haue the Bishop of Rome brought in subiection the other released for asmuche as the same belongeth properly to hymselfe the fathers can determine nothing before the matter be declared to him Concerning the requestes of thambassadours of Wirtemberge for so muche as they be of the same sorte the iudgement of the fathers is like also Wherfore they intreate them that they would not for so small matters suffer the occasion so long wyshed for of accomplishyng a moste holy thyng to be letted and dispointed wherof doubtles all the nations of Europe shall receiue fruite but that they would indeuoure and perswade their magistrates that the diuines might come with spede Thei can not at this time worke a greater benefite for the common wealth Whan the Ambassadours had againe replied and vrged this thing chiefly that it is against all reason that suche as susteyne a parte of the suite should iudge in a matter of controuersie at the length they departe thus that they receiue the copie of the saufecōduite vpō no other cōdition but to sende the same to their magistrates whiche they would do immediatly with all expedition neither wyl they faile to further the matter so much as in them lieth nother do they dispaire also of their cōming Thambassadours of Duke Maurice sende their copie out of hand so did thambassadour of Strasburge they of Wirtemberge carie their copie with them going home the firste daye of February by the Princes permission who not long after sent others as hereafter you shall heare A litle before this tyme came the Diuines from Duke Maurice to Norinberge and amongest them Malanchthon being commaunded to remaine there tyll the Ambassadours sent them saufeconduict from Trente But a fewe dayes after they were come thither they are forbidden to goe any further but to attende til they know what the Prince shal make with the Emperour vnto whome it was said he should go Whan the decrees are confirmed in the counsell house there were theames wont to be deliuered to the diuines for the next disputation as I shewed you before But synce the last sitting this was cleane omitted wherof were reported causes mo thā one Yet was it sayde commonly to be done for the Protestantes sake For in the beginning of February whan the one of Duke Maurice Ambassadours and the Ambassadour of Strasburge went forth of pleasure to see the hether part of Italy Uenise the other whiche had sene Italy before treated with the Emperours Ambassadours for so much as he supposed the diuines would come right shortly whiche in his opinion were now at Auspurg that the whole intreatie might be differred vntill than and that the fathers would patiently beare so smal a delay Tharchebishop of Treuers had with him a black Freer Ambrose Pelarge who on a certen holy day whiche was than the vii of February expounding that place of the Gospel which is of the cockel mixed with that wheate said amonges other things that thyl cockel must be destroyed after any sorte or maner so that the same might be done without the losse of the wheate appliyng all his sermon to heretikes whiche were signified by this worde cockell And it was reported to thambassadour of Duke Maurice how he had rayled bitterly against heretikes had said this also that there was no faith nor promesse to be kepte with them if any were haply made He therfore after he had made more diligēt inquisitiō goeth to the Cardinal of Trent who was there with authoritie and to the Emperours Ambassadours and complaineth of that he had heard The Freer being called for confessed in dede that he spake of heretikes generally and that they should be distroyed with fyre sworde hanging or any other meane in case the same may be done without any great hynderaūce or publique commotion But concerning that promesse is not to be kepte within them he had spoken neuer a worde and if he had so done he should haue incurred the penaltie of losyng his lyfe for breakyng the decre of the counsell After this they call for the Ambassadour and reciting the Freers purgation bid hym loke for nothyng of the Fathers but fidelitie and vpryght dealing If any thyng also be blabbed out lyghtly whiche neuer thelesse is straytely prohibited that they ought not to be moued therewith Whether the Freer were belied or no I knowe not certenly For some of his auditours beinge demaunded sayde not the same thynge In these daies were brought thither that letters of Duke Maurice dated the last of Ianuary In the which he signified to his ambassadors that such thinges as they had not obteined of the fathers hitherto they should vrge he was all together in preparing him self to go shortly to
the Emperor Than will he amongs other thinges treat with him also of these matters presently and that also with his diuines should come Moreouer the ambassadors and diuines of certain Princes and Cities amonges the which he named the Duke of Pomeranes cosins the copy of the which letters th one of thambassadors for that his felowe was not yet retourned from his iourney sendeth to the Cardinall of Trent at Brixna which was lately gon thither For he because he was both most seruiceable to the Emperor and also loued Duke Moris by reason of muche familiarity dearely well and chiefly wished that the counsel might procede toke very heauely this dissention growing wherof ther was much talk And that was the cause that thambassador sent these letters wherwith he knew he should be comforted And he verely after he had receiued those letters where before he doubted now at the length he began to take more comforte and to hope well and wrote againe to thambassador that so sone as Duke Moris shall come to Insprucke he will go thither immediatly to him or a great way further For by reason of the amity and frendship that was betwene them he thoughte he could perswade him to peaceable waies And these letters were subscribed wyth Duke Moris own hand and to them was also annexed letters of theyr commission to exhibite if nede required for the same was before neglected Not long after tharchbishop of Treuers to refresh him self departeth from Trent homeward the xvi day of February For that they said how themperor had geuen him leaue that so sone as he might recouer his health he should come thither again yet left he the Frier Pelarge ther that he might be present at al actions Tharchbishops of Mentz and Collon brought him goinge a mile or two on his way And he tourned on the lefthande and toke not his iourny by Insprucke wher themperor lay Shortly after many began to mutter how the counsell shoulde be proroged and that Duke Moris making league with the frēch king prepared to warre vpon themperor This rumour was not great at the first but it increased daily and secreatly was one sent from Trent to themperor to vnderstād his pleasure After also came one thither from themperor but all thinges were kept very close The seconde daye of Marche whiche was than Ashewedensday the Bishop of Romes Legate settinge vp papers on the churche walles whiche they call indulgences or pardones graunteth remission of sinnes to al men in generall but specially to Bishops Ambassadoures and deuines whiche either haue or will confesse their sinnes by a time prescribed will go to certaine Churches in Trent on daies appoynted And there saying fiue Pater nosters fiue Aue Maries other praiers will pray to God for the concord of Princes for the consent and vnity of the church and for the lucky successe of the counsell and how this so great a benefit is geuen by the high bishop Iuly the third who is careful for the health of soules that men may as wel enioy the same at Trent as at Rome Wherfore many ran daily to the churches both Bishops others especially Spaniardes obseruing the difference of daies For they attributed to this religion one while les time an other while more In this great taciturnitye as before is saide the ambassadoure of Strasburge inquired of themperors ambassador Pictaue of the state of thinges who said how the brute that went that the counsel shoulde be proroged was vntrue and that themperor would haue them in any wise to proceade and continue their action where also ther hath nothing bene done of late that is for theyr cause whiche haue put the fathers in hope of the comming of the diuines This was in the beginning of Marche whan Duke Moris had aboute th end of February called backe the deuines from Norinberge who after the brute was raised that he should come to themperor whē he had passed a certain way of his iourny retourneth home and beginneth to take munsters as in the nexte boke shal be recited When these things wer knowen and sondry messagers came daily one after another and that the matter was now out of doubt the Archbishops of Mentz and Colon vnto whome came lately great plenty of vitaile out of the nether partes of Germany prepared thē selues to horsbacke with great expedition and the eleuenth day of March they depart in the dawning of the day wheras ouer nighte the bishops of Romes Legate accompanied with the residue of the Bishops of Italy and Spaine came vnto them to bid them farewel The same day came thither new ambassadours from the duke of Wirtemberge Werner Munchinge and Hierome Gerarde a ciuilian They go the next day to themperors ambassadoures and shewing their commission in wryting desyre to haue an answer of theyr Princes demaunds exhibited to the fathers the .xxiiii. of Ianuary And say moreouer how the deuines wil be ther within these few dais to declare more at large the confession of doctrine that was lately put vp the whole assembly Wherat they meruailed greatly I know not for what cause except it wer that one of thē had made all things ready to take his iourny and was purposed to go home which than of necessity must tary ther ful sore against his will It was answered them how they must deuise and haue conference of the matter with the fathers and loke what they shall hear of them they will let them vnderstand In the meane tune duke Moris ambassadors were in great distres and carefulnes For they wer supposed both to haue handled the matter craftely and to haue bene priuy to their princes doings and to haue plaid all together the dissemblers where they againe affirmed that neither they knew any thing that was don at home nor yet receiued any letters from thence and knew not which way to retourne home out of daunger And for so muche as they sawe that the longer they taried the more daunger it were for them the xiii day of March they depart as priuely as they coulde assone as the day apeared and speding them hastly to Brirna axe thaduise of the Cardinall of Trent what is best to be done At the last th one of thambassadors which before he came to Trent had made longe abode at Iuspruck and in his princes name had with the rest made intercession to themperor for the Lātzgraue hauing first receiued except I be disceiued a safe conduit came to Insprucke made his purgation to themperors counsel proueth that he was not made priuy to this war in such sort as they did credit him From thēce he goeth straight home and thother taking his iourny through Carnia returneth into Saxonie When tharchbishops of Mentz and Collon approched nere vnto Inspruck they were honorably receiued of such as themperor sent to mete them Amonges whom was the bishop of Arras After they both talking long much with the Emperor alone spede
doctrin and churches and all be it that many will say that he dothe these things against the wil of the fathers yet se they with what an assent he teacheth and is hard if this be thonly cause why they wer sent for hither that they might be verely a spectakle and laughing stock to others and should be compelled to hear daily thiniuries reproches of theyr doctrin ther was doubtles no nede to haue taken this iourney in hand and all these things might haue ben declared by wryting wherfore they earnestly require them according to their office and authority they would bring to passe that both the fathers would at the last declare what lack they find in the confession exhibited and that they may againe also be openly hard in all matters Those letters thambassadors receiue very gētly and say they are glad also that they haue an occasion ministred to vrge the matter to thintent that if the Legate Crescentius do refuse they may treat with his fellowes and with the fathers Than also the same Frier left reading excusing the matter by sicknesse The first day of Aprill Duke Moris and his league frends laid siege to the city of Auspurge and toke it the third day after by composition as in the boke that foloweth shal be declared The v. day of Aprill the Ambassadors of the Duke of Wirtemberge beinge sent for to the house of Toletane came and brought with them as they were cōmaunded two diuines Brentius and Ihon Marpache of Strasburge Pictaue beginneth to declare first of their owne good will and zeale after of the Legates sicknesse and how vnlesse he were present neither his fellowes nor yet the fathers wold do any thing and that the fault hath not bene in them that they do not procede and sheweth that they will also hereafter omit no manner of diligence and hereof maketh protestation Thothers whan they had consulted say that they know rightwell their good will and diligence howbeit they had loked for an other and a more certain answer to their demaundes which they might haue signified to their Magistrates but now sith the matter is thus they must take coūsel the best they can for them selues Than said he againe that the matter is not brought to that poynt neither ought it so to be taken as though ther wer no hope of any further action remaining to aduertise their Magistrates and signify vnto them in what case all thing stand it is wel done of them and according to their duty nether doubt they but they when they shal hear therof wil both maruel at this long delay and surceasing and will take it also in euill part Howbeit he requireth them to take paciently the tediousnesse of a few daies In the meane time they will trauell that they may haue a direct answer Unto this say they they will gladly for their sakes acconsent The next day with great expedition came messagers and letters that Auspurge was taken and howe the Princes marched straightway toward thalpes to stop all the wais and passages Wherefore they were commaunded to take armure in the county of Tiroll and bandes of soldiors hired and commaunded all to repair to Insprucke Now wer all the bishops of Germanye departed thence ther remained only the deputies of the bishops of Spier and Manster Whan these newes were broughte immediatly the bishops of Italy flee carying all their baggage down the riuer of Athesis Wherfore thambassadors of Wirtemberge being herewith moued what time of their own accord the councell nowe slipped away come to themperors orators and shew thē for what cause they purpose to go home with the diuines also Who in dede at the first were sore against it and say howe they may not assente therunto except themperors pleasure be knowne but when that might not preuaile they require to haue the causes of their departing deliuered to them by writing signed with their own hands to thintent they may make an excuse to themperor and to the fathers Pictaue demaunded this also if haply after theyr departure the fathers shall proceade in thaction what than shall the diuines say wherunto thambassadors conferring with the diuines vppon the matter say they wil make them answer and the viii day of Aprill early in the morning they deliuer vnto them a wrytinge In the same they recite what time the confession of their doctrine was exhibited wherfore the diuines came How they haue in vain sollicited hitherto that they might receiue an answer to their Princes demaundes How vnto that day ther appeared no hope of any action that should be Now also ther is war raised so that not only that bishops of Germany but also of Italy do depart that all states are now so intangled with troubles that they can loke for nothing at this present Moreouer the bishops of Germany being absente perauenture it were not expediente that anye progresse shoulde be made And if any time hereafter chance wherin this busines may be treated wel and ordrely they suppose how their Prince will not be wanting The diuines moreouer thinke thus that ther be many decrees made both in this and also in the former counsel which might be wel reproued in case they be lawfully hard And if the fathers do now procede herein it is to be thought that their doings wil be like the reast Neuerthelesse in case ether the decrees already made may be amended or such may hereafter be decreed as are consonant to the holy scripture ther is no doubt but the same will be receiued with most obedient harts This thing vnto them doutles will be most sorowful as in certain places of the confession exhibited hath bene declared which wryting verely they iudge to be good and godly and also whan time shal serue will declare it more at large They pray them therfore to take in good part their departure and say in dede how they might by vertue of the safeconduite depart thence what time they list and are not bounden to make any man priuy to it but for so much as they haue manye times proued their gentlenes they wold not omit this kind of duety Thus therfore taking their leaue they departe aboute none time and a fewe hours after they met with the Cardinall of Trent whiche rode in great poste hastr from Brixna to Trent And whan he heard that they were of Wirtemberge inquiring for Brentius he spake vnto him and gaue them all most gentle wordes Two daies after met them king Ferdinandoes daughters which went by Insprucke to Brunecke a towne in the Alpes bordering on the limits of the Uenetians Of the fathers I shewed you before how they drue not all by one line The Spanish bishops in dede semed of all others most diligente diuers also of the Germanes pretended as thoughe the thing required much reformation but the mind of them that thought best of al others was this that the schole of correction and maners of the
so many yeares in framinge maye at the lengthe be established The third and chiefe poynt is that which concerneth all men and our common natiue country of Germany whose state doubtles is most miserable For contrary to the lawes and couenauntes forain souldiours are brought within the limits of thempire whiche haue now many yeres ben here setled and euery wher bothe in towne and Country consumeth other mens goods and exercise al kind of filthy lust Moreouer many times ther be new wais inuented to get mony and the auncient liberty diuers waies infringed neither is any state no not the Princes electours in this case spared thambassadors of foren kings which be sory for these things and loue the wealthe of Germany are prohibited to come at anye publike assembles clean against the manner of thempire Finally this is altogether wroughte that all men maye be broughte into a shamefull and straight bondage for the which thing doubtles our posterity and ofspring may haue moste tuste cause to detest the cowardise and slouthfulnes of this time wherin that moste precious iewell and goodly ornament that is the liberty of our coūtry shuld be lost seing therefore that the case standeth thus at the laste is he awaked and William the Lantzgraue the sonne of Phillip whōe the iust sorow for his fathers miserye hathe raised and makinge a league with the french king whom thenemy seketh also to depriue of that he hath are determined for the deliuerāce of the Lātzgraue and the duke of Saxon to maintaine their honor and recouer the liberty of all men to attempt the matter by force of armes therfore doth he exhort that no man disturbe this his enterprise but that al men do further and professe the same and put in good assuraunce For if it be otherwise and if any man by one meane or other and the aduersary he wil take him for his ennemy Iohn Albert Duke of Megelburge subscribed also to the same letters chiefly for the preseruation of religion forsomuch as duke Moris had said howe he warred for the same cause also And the Marques Albert of Brādenburge publisheth a wryting in manner of the same effecte and complaineth that the liberty of Germany is oppressed enē of them which of duety ought to maintain and auaunce the same he saithe ther is holden now a counsel wherin be a few assembled for to subuert the truthe and that also there be many assemblies of the Empire Wherof the end is this that by certaine corrupted with bribes and faire promises mony maye be gotten by some subtile fetche to the vtter vndoing of Germany and the same to be wrought chiefly by the cleargy which in the consistory of the Empire surmounte in nombre and now is the matter brought to that passe that the effect of al counsels dependeth almost of one mannes pleasure which is neither gentleman nor Germaine borne nor annexed to the Empire to the great reproche assuredlye and hinderance of all Germaines And if this ought to be the state of the weale publike it were much better to call none assembles at all but that mony shoulde be frelye and franckly geuen whansoeuer it is cōmaunded and required for so shuld ther be no losse of time and besides great charges shoulde be spared By suche like craft also is the seale of thempire commen into straungers hands which foreiners at theyr pleasure abuse to the damage of Germany yet is ther no man at al that dare bewail these things vnlesse he wil enter into high displeasure Nether yet are the Germanes matters and sutes dispatched but are most lōg delaid in so much that many men complain much of the same For the state of the things is such that the Germanes had nede to learn other lāguages in case they should be there to do them selues anye good of the same sort is this wher against tholde custome of Germany it is prohibited that no man may serue anye foreine Prince in his warres that the protestantes being reconciled ouer aboue most greuous penalties wer constramed to admit other more vnworthy conditions and for that a great some of mony arose of the Protestants clients for seruing them in theyr warres The same burthen also was laid vpon other states and Princes that had nothinge offended and as thoughe that warre had bene made for the common wealth they were commaūded to pay mony to recompence the charges of the warres for this intent verelye that ther should no sinewes nor force at all be lefte in all Germany Of like sort is it that ciuill controuersies of moste waighty matters are committed not to the publick iudgement of thempire but vnto a few commissioners that it may be in their power either to establish or displace great princes Againe that it is prohibited that no Prince maye set his owne Image in his coyne that newe Senators are made in euery towne of the Empire that this bondage is imposed in manner vppon all Germanes that they be constrained to suffer forreine souldiors in their country whiche bothe do verye much harme and bring many men to beggery and also practise al kinde of arrogancy and lechery that hath not ben hard of For his own land was not spared although he promised him better for the fidelitye and seruice done to themperor Howbeit at what time he was deteined by reason of the warre of Maidenburge and about matters of the common wealth was absent soldiors wer brought into his country Notwithstanding that his officers desired much to the contrary and thus certainly both he and other princes whiche in the former war against the protestants for his preseruation and dignity put in great hazarde their liues and goodes haue receiued a goodly recompence in that boke which Lewes Auila setforth of matters done in the same war a naughty and a lying fellow whilest he speaketh of all Germany so coldly so disdainfullye and straungely as though it were some barbarous or vile nation whose originall were skarcely knowen And the vnworthinesse of the thing is so much the more for that the same boke is printed and setforth by a certain especiall priueledge of themperor Now verely be many thinges excused by letters sent throughout Germany but it is the self same song that hath ben songen now many yeres and all thinges tend hitherto that they say how accordinge to the state of times the decrees must be altred and that men muste obey the present counsels or els suffer punishment And wheras certen Princes haue taken armure to repulse this ignominye and seruitude he hathe also promised them all aide and fidelity yea and his life also And this he protesteth openlye and desireth that no man aid their aduersaries but that all men woulde further this endeuoure of him and his fellowes and defend the commen cause For although very many perchaunce will followe the contrarye parte yet let no man promise him self better things if the aduersary may vanquishe for
Saxony They also whiche at the same time became sureties for him Duke Moris thelector of Brandenburge and Wuolfgange Duke of Sainebricke renuing their obligation entre again into bondes The suit that the Lantzgraue hath with the Earle of Nassow for the Lordship of Chats shall be examined by the Princes Electors and of suche also as bothe the plaintife and also the defendaunt shal assign to the same matter of the whiche afterward themperor shall chuse out sixe which shall determin the case yet so that the matter be discussed within two yeres space Within sixe monethes the Emperoure shall holde an assemble of the Empire to consult chiefly howe and by what meaue the dissention of Religion may best be appeased In the meane time all men shall obserue peace and no man shall be molested for religion and what so euer shall be decreed concerning the manner of appeasing Religion by the common assent of the states and by the authority of the Emperor that is to wit that the controuersy may be quieted by godly and rightfull waies the same to be firme and stable Unto the iudiciall place or Chamber of the Empire shall be admitted also those whyche are of the Protestantes Religion All other thinges which proprely concerne the dignity and libertye of Germany ought to be intreated of in the conuention of thempire Otto Henry the Paulsgraue is also permitted frely to enioye his lande and dominion during this warre so many as by geuing their faith to the Princes confederated haue boūden them selues vnto them shall be free from all bondes and theyr owne men as before they that haue sustained any domage in this warly tumulte shall commence none action therfore against those that haue done it yet shal it be the part of themperor and states in the nexte assemble to deuise some meane whereby they maye receiue some recompence for the losses they haue receiued As concerning the French king for so much as matters of thempire concern him nothing it shal be lawful for him to declare vnto duke Moris such priuate actions as he hath against themperor that they maye after be related to themperor The outlawes are receiued to mercy so as they attempt nothing hereafter against themperor and thother states so that they also which serue in the French kinges warres retourne againe into Germanye within three moneths cleane forsaking him and his seruice he that shal breake this peace shall be iudged an ennemye Unto all these thinges the princes that wer ther present of the chiefest dignity and the deputies of others subscribed For this pacificatiō was deuided at Passaw whiche was signed also by themperor Whan this peace was concluded Fraxineus the Frenche kinges ambassador retourneth home And certenly the king toke this composition greuously but hearing that the Lantzgraue should be in great daunger excepte this compact were made he assented and sent againe the pledges safe into Germany The third day of August Duke Moris and the Lantzgraues sonne departinge from Frankfurt go two seuerall waies This man into Hesse and thother leadeth his army to Donauerde and sendeth them downe the riuer of Thonawe into Hongary against the Turke inuading but that legion which was vnder the leding of Riseberge passing ouer the riuer of Moene went to Marques Albert not withoute the greate care of the Prynces which feared least themperor woulde take an occasion hereby not to dimisse the Lantzgraue Marques Albert liyng before Frankfurt where he might haue bene comprised in the peace and would not The ix day of August he departeth thēce and trāsporting his army ouer the rhine ineampeth besides Mentz and broughte the citezens into his subiection About th end of Iuly themperor returning from Uillace to Insprucke and the eight day after departing thence and marchinge throughe Bauier with Almaignes Bohemers Italians and Spaniardes which at the beginning of Iuly arriued at Genes at the conduit of the Duke of Alba the xx day of August came to Auspurge Tharchbishop of Mentz whā he had wandred certain daies in Swenia so sone as he vnderstode of the Emperors comming he taketh his iourney thither At this present time they of Senes through the procurement and aid of the french king cast out a garrison of Spaniards and pull downe a castell that was begon ther to be builded by themperors commaundemēt and recouer theyr former libertye In the meane season Marques Albert imposeth a great some of mony to thecclesiasticall persons especially of Mentz and Spiers whan the same could not be leuied by reason that many wer fled he spoyleth the churches of either city and began to take the lead of the cathedrall church at Spier but at the request of the Senate he surceased And at Mentz he burneth the bishops castell standinge by the Rhine his owne lodging and fiue churches Moreouer all the shippes yea those that were laden with wine and wheat And calling away those souldiours of his that he had ther placed in garrison marcheth towards the borders of Treuers The xiii day of August Herman archbishop of Collon a pure aged man ended his life in his natiue coūtry and had such end as he desired For he had many times wished that either he might setforth the doctrin of the gospel put in good order the churches of his prouince or liue a priuate life and being sometime by his frendes admonished how much enuye he shoulde procure vnto him self by this alteration of religion he was wonte to make them answer how there could chaunce nothing vnto him vnloked for and that his minde was established againste all that might fortune he came of the noble house of the Earles of Weden The Lantzgraue being set at liberty as couenaunte was and taking his iourney homeward whan he was commen to Utrecht a Towne standing by the mase by the commaundemente of Quene Mary regent of Flaunders which was there presente he was attached againe and committed to the custodye of the same Spaniardes which had kept him these v. yeres And the cause hereof was for that Riseberge who had serued the Lantzgraues sonne went with all his force vnto Marques Albert as before is said Wherin the Quene said how the peace was brokē and therfore might not she let him depart before she knewe themperors pleasure therein Duke Moris as I said comminge to the water of Thonawe the xxii day of August sendeth his army before the footemen downe the riuer and the horsmen by lande he him selfe for his priuate affaires rideth home in poste mineding shortly to return to them againe Whan Marques Albert came to the frontiers of Treuers George Holie a captain of themperors had brought ten enseigns of fotemen to defend the citye but kepte oute by the Townes men which refused to haue any garrison he bringeth again his men to Lucemburge And the Marques the xxvii of August sommoneth the towne to be rendred vnto him The next day being receiued he bestoweth his soldiors in the city and places there
crueltie as hath not bene hearde of that hauyng taken two townes of their dominion Altorfe and Lanse he shut in not the townes men only but also the people he could fynde in the countrie and eattell and after set them on fyre in sondry places but chiefly about the gates pourposing doubtlesse to burne them all vp In the which fire they say chyldrē and women with chylde and many sicke persones which were not able to breake down the walles and escape were there miserably brent Touchinge that he saieth of altering their Religiō they declare to be false for the league is made only to repulse violence from them and theirs And that he careth for no Religion it is well knowen to many and they also haue many thinges to saye in this behalfe But for the noble familie he commeth of and for certen Princes his kinsmen they wyll temper them selues The fift daye of Iuly Sigismunde kynge of Pole marieth the Lady Katherine daughter of kyng Ferdinando which had bene wyfe to the Duke of Mantua where as ten yeares synce he had maried his syster as is mentioned in the .xv. boke Edwarde the syxte kyng of Englande a Prynce of vndoubted and excellent hope the syxt daye of Iuly as it was knowen abroade departed out of this lyfe of a consumyng disease beyng of .xvi. yeares of age to the exceadynge great grief of all good and Godly men For after his death ensued a maruelous alteration of thynges in Englande as shal be declared hereafter It was bruted abroade that he was poysoned Certenly there was not in Europe a kyng of so great expectation these many yeares From his very chyldhode he was excellently well brought vp and instructed in vertue and learnyng and had not only the Latin tongue but the Greke and Frenche also and loued the doctrine of the Gospell exceadyngly and gaue vnto all learned men enterteinement and succour to Germaines Italians Frenchemen Scottes Spanyardes and Polonians What tyme both armies were not farre a sonder in Saxonie and the Marques was come ouer the water of Weser the nynth daye of Iuly at after none they ioyned in battell with all theyr forces After a longe fyght Duke Maurice whiche excelled in horsemen had the victory but he hym selfe beyng striken with a dagge through his bowels died within two dayes after The Marques came to Hanobrie in safitie There were slayne aboute foure thousande in a maner al horsemen There were taken exceadyng many Henry the Duke of Brunswycke loste in that conflicte two sonnes Charles and Philippe The nexte daye came fiue hondreth horsemen out of Boheme sent by kynge Ferdinando to Duke Maurice The Lantgraue had also sent to Duke Maurice seuen hondreth horsemen At the same tyme therfore there were together in one campe the Lantgraue and the Duke of Brunswick with the Byshoppes by a maruelous chaunge and contrarietie in thinges where Duke Ericke of Brunswicke that had maried Duke Maurice syster ayded Marques Alberte Many menne thought that tyme that lyke as kinge Ferdinando gaue ayde against Marques Albert so did the Emperour incourage and strengthen the Marques against Duke Maurice Howebeit the Emperours letters whiche hereafter I shall recite importe no suche kynde of thynges The Frenche kyng was sayde than to haue treated of newe deuises with Duke Maurice was ryght sory for his death Duke Maurice being caried into his Tente the same nyght wryteth letters to the Byshop of Wirtemburge his fellowe in that warre wherein he declareth the whole matter and saieth howe the victory is his but that he is sore wounded And supposeth that Albert is fliyng He admonysheth hym therfore that he commaunde the wayes to be layde for hym in certen places that he may be intercepted and not suffered to passe What so euer his owne state or ende shal be he is of a good conscience For he toke in hande this warre that he myght suppresse that disturber and recouer the quietnes of Germany He was buried at Fridberge a Towne of Meissen the fourtenth daye after the battell by Henry his father and his yong sonne Albert. He was .xxxii. yeares olde and vpwarde His presence was thought to be a great cause of the victory or els it was supposed that the Marques should haue wonne the fielde For many of his horsemen were fled There were taken of the ennemies and brought vnto hym out of the battell .liiii. enseignes and .xiiii. guidons For the whiche Duke Maurice in dede spent his owne lyfe but yet he ouerthrewe the force and power of the Marques For after that battell he was neuer able to gather any mayne power Whan the corps went through Lipsia Ioachim Camerarie made the oration funerall and speakyng muche in his commendation he rekened vp the wonders that went before his death Droppes of bloude styckynge vpon the leaues of trees the moste importune barkynge of Dogges and werieng one an other The neyinge of Horses hearde and the clatterynge and clankynge of Harnesse and certen other thynges full of terrour Againe his owne Tente ouerthrowen with a whirlewynde the residue standing still and not touched and certen wordes of his owne as forespeaking and prognosticating his death to come And certenly as touching those red droppes they were commonly sene in diuerse places and euen at Strasburge aboute the beginning of Iune what tyme they fell vpō bowes grasse tyled houses and stones That tyme did there flie a wonderfull number of butterflies and some there were that sayde howe these bloudy droppes came of them Againe others iudged that it did pourtēde and signifie some thing Betwene Duke Maurice and Marqes Albert being both of one age there had bene alwayes very great frendship so that there could be no derer frendes For thei both had serued the Emperour in thre warres together in the Frenche the Protestauntes and the warre of Maydenburge after this fourth and laste warre they attempted against the Emperour But displeasures arysing as before is sayd their amitie had at length this doulefull and sorouful ende What tyme Duke Maurice died his brother Augustus was in Denmarke with his wyfe with the kyng his father in lawe Wherfore the Nobilitie and States doe retaine parte of the armie for to defende his countrie about .xii. enseignes of fotemen and fiue guidons of horsemē The residue are discharged and for the moste part retourned home with the funerall But the .xviii. daye of Iuly Marques Albert wryteth letters to the nobilitie and people of Duke Maurice Where as of late he went through their coūtrie into Saxon he passed without harme doing for that he had no hostilitie in his mynde But Duke Maurice hath not only hurt men of his dominion but also to the intent to gratifie certen wicked periured bishops had renounced that auncient league that is betwene his familie and the house of Saxon in a maner for no cause after a straūge example had made warre against him Whiche thing being
Rome homewarde The Pope allowed well enough al other thinges that they had retourned to repentaunce and craued pardon But that the churche goodes should not be restored he saide it was in no wyse to be suffered Amōgest the Ambassadours was the Byshop of Ely The king of Denmarke had a nauie at that time which sailing towardes the North made men to talke diuersly For some said it was done by the Emperours counsell who mynded to put the kinges sonne or his brother in to the possession of Scotlande Others sayde it was prepared for the vse of the Frenche kyng others for this cause only that if the Emperour or king Philip his sonne whose power was waxed great by reason of Englande should straye any further they might be restrayned And therfore were the cities of the Sea coaste thought also to haue borne the charges of the same nauie After lōg and great expectation all this rumour vanished away and all this preparation was found to be made against Pirates Than was the state of Rome troublesome For that Pope hauing cōceiued a suspicion of certen nobles prouided him garrisons and placing soldiours here and there in the Citie committed Ssortia Cardinall of Sanflorian and Camillus of the house of Columnois to prison And for as muche as they were of the Emperours part many men thought he went about a greater matter And that suspicion was increased what tyme he required of the Duke of Florēce the Emperours client a wonderous great summe of mony whiche both Clement the seuenth lent Alexander Medices and lately Iuly the third lent him at the siege of Sene. The captiue Cardinalles at the length putting in suerties are inlarged The Spanishe flete that tyme came towardes Flaunders laden with all kynde of Marchaundise And when it came vpō the coastes of Normandie the Frenchemen whiche knewe it long before set vpon them with a great force And the fight conflicte was terrible the shippes being sunke and burnte on either parte and very many loste wherof some with weapon others with fire many swallowed vp of the billowes did perishe The Frenche men caried away certen shippes that they toke into Depe hauon from whence they came This was in the monthe of August whereas about the end of the same moneth kyng Philip sayling out of Englande into Flaunders came to the Emperour his father at Brusselles accompanied with the Nobles of Englande Truckesins Cardinall of Auspurge had a fewe yeares past founded an Uniuersitie at Dillinge a towne situated vpon the Riuer of Danubius by the wyll and permission of Pope Iuly the thirde who had graunted for the same a publique bull with exceading great fredoms priuileges as a wryting set forth in print declareth Hither therfore amonges other came he whome themperour of many yeares had vsed for his ghostly father or confessour as they terme him Peter Asot a Spaniarde a blacke freer He this yeare began with a contrary wryting to impugne the booke conteyning the sōme of the christen doctrine the which boke Christopher Duke of Wirtemberge sent by his Ambassadours to the fathers of the counsell of Trent as before is sayde whiche also he was not afrayde to dedicate to the same Duke But Iohn Brentius about this time aunswereth it at large and confuteth his sophisticall reasons Whiche boke of Brentius Uergerius afterwarde translated into Italian to the ende that men of his owne nation might vnderstande both what thing came in to controuersie and whether parte handled the scriptures more purely and sincerely About the Ides of September George Counte of Mountpelicarte vncle to the Duke of Wirtemberge maried the Lady Barbara the Lantgraues daughter After the arriuall of the Duke of Alba in Lumbardie the king of Fraunce also sendeth thither new ayde and many warlike captaines which ioyned them selues to Monsour Brissake as companions of his perils and fortune There is a towne wherof we haue spoken before called Uulpian which fortified with a garrison of Spaniards was a great annoyaunce to Frenche matters seing that from thence roades were made as farre as Taurin and further To the intent therfore that this only let might be taken away that they might haue victualle the Frenchemen towarde the ende of August besiege it with al their force and batter it with muche harme done and receiued At the length the .xxii. day of September they take it by surrendry and rase the walles both of the towne and Castell and make it in shape of a Uillage And a fewe dayes after they take also the Towne and Castell of Mountcalue betwixt Aste and Casale The dissention that hath bene nowe these .xxx. yeares betwixt learned men aboute the Lordes supper and of the presence of Christes body began at this time to be renewed and bokes were set forth by the ministers of the churches of Breme and Hamborough namely againste Caluine Iohn Alascus Caluine afterward aunswereth sharpely and defendeth the cause Thesame doeth Bullinger and Iohn Alascus also For setting forthe a booke to the Kyng of Poole he complayneth and bewayleth that there is no examination had or made by talke or cōference of the sentences but that the opinion is only condemned by preiudice verely after the maner of the Papistes whiche also procede not by argumentes and scripture but only by wyll and violence About the end of September Augustus Duke of Saxony had a sonne borne called Magnus his Godfathers at the fōtstone were amongest others Henry Duke of Brunswicke and Iohn Fridericke the Lantgraues sonne in lawe I haue spoken before of the Archebyshop of Cantorbury of Ridley Byshop of London and Hughe Latimer howe they being caried to Oxforde and reasoning with the diuines there were of them condemned being therfore kept in prison vnto this tyme nowe at the last in the moneth of October Ridley and olde father Latimer were burnt The Archebyshop was also brought forth with them and at the place of execution did openly call vpon God for mercy with them but he was lead againe to pryson In this same moneth the Cardinalles of Lorayne and Tournon went to Rome Then also the Senate of Paris whiche they cal the Parliament aunswering the king to that whiche the Cardinall of Loraine requested them to as before is mentioned By that proclamation of yours say they whiche came forth foure yeares since moste mighty kyng you reserued to your selfe and to your iudges the examination and punishment of Luthers heresie Neither in it was any thinge exceptep vnlesse it were what time it required any declaration of heresie or that sentence were to be pronounced of suche as had taken orders But this proclamation of yours that is now set forth doth plainly establish the contrary For it submitteth the people of your Realme to the ecclesiasticall iudgement and to the Inquisitours and by this meane it diminished your dignitie wherby you excelle all men and geueth to your subiectes a
in me I truste that for the vertue that is in them and true Nobilitie they wyll sooner geue credit not so muche to my saying as doyng whiche manifestly appereth and sheweth it selfe than to these sediciouse persones which as certen bellouse seke to reyse vp flame With what intier loue also and good will being absent Imbraced al Germaines for the remembraunce of the moste swete countrie that can both the Ambassadours of many Princes and many also of the Nobilitie declare whiche were than at Rome when I was of Mentz Treuers Collon Saxons of Brandenburg Maydenburge Bauarians of Brunswicke Passawe Osenburg Minden and of Basill For all these at once repared to me as a certen hauen and were faythfully holpen of me in their affayres and certen also through my labour and commendation haue ascheued offices and great promotions Now that same of the Lantgraue and of one Titelman what a fonde diuise is it For neyther had I euer any talke with the Lantgraue and his sonnes of that matter neyther can I remember that I spake one worde of it either at Rome or in Italy Much lesse can I tell what the Ministers of his dominion do teache or reuoke This in dede am I able to saye that to my knowledge there was no suche recantation made at Rome Therfore I doubte not but the Lantgraue when the matter shall so requyre wyll easely confute this same and the other also of my commendation Considering therfore that the artificers of so perniciouse libelles haue shamefully forged all thynges to the ende that the same fyre whiche many yeares since they had layde together myght nowe at the length burne and breake out all at ones it is nedefull that Princes and Magistrates take dilligent hede of them and when at the laste they shall be detected that they set suche an example as may make all others afrayde Finally in case there be any that haue conceaued any euyll opinion of me by reason of these sclaunders I earnestly praye them to laye it awaye and thynke assuredly that synce I am bothe a Germayne borne and come of a noble house I wyll doe nothinge vnworthy the vertue and Nobilitie of my auncesters When he had published this wrytinge the fifte Kalendes of Iune as before is sayde he wrote also priuatly to diuerse Princes to the same effecte and after went againe into Italy what tyme Bona the mother of Sigismunde kyng of Poole retourned home goyng to Naples In the meane season commotiōs were in England many Gentle men for suspicion of conspiracie as it was sayde were cast in prison Wherof some were executed other some fled into Fraunce and amonges them Sir Androwe Dudley brother to the Duke of Northumberland There were two also taken out of my Lady Elizabeth her house At the Ides of May Sir Peter Carrowe who for an insurrectiō had fled certen monethes before reconciled to king Philip and Sir Iohn Cheke whiche was king Edwardes scholemaister retourning out of Germany into Brabant to fetche his wyfe as they were going from Brusselles to Andwarpe by the cōmaundement of king Philip being apprehendetd are caried to London Aboute the ende of Iune not far from London there were .xiii. burnt together at one stake for Religion In the meane tyme Charles Marques of Baden receiueth the doctrine of the Gospel and of his neighbours borroweth ministers to refourme order his churches Before this also had the Senate of Spire taken a preacher or two of the Gospell Maximilian the eldest sonne of king Ferdinando with his wife the Emperours daughter departing frō Uienne the. xvii day of Iuly came to Brusselles where he had bene long and much desirous to take that iourney Peter Martyr a Florentine of whome we haue spoken before what tyme the dissention about the Lordes supper was kindled againe he in certen bokes was touched by name wēt from Strasburg to Zurick that he might handle that matter frely both in teaching and writing That time Conrade Pellicane died at Zurick And therfore the Senate being requested by the ministers of the churche wryting their letters to the Senate of Strasburg praye earnestly that he might be sent them So he departeth at the third Ides of Iuly not without the sighing grief of many whiche loued him for his incomparable learning his moste exacte iudgement his great gentlenes and modestie and his other vertues At the same time the Archebyshop of Pise Cardinall borne in Sicilie passing by Basil went to themperour at Brusselles being sent frō the Pope where a litle before Cardinal Caraffa the Popes cosin was come to the kyng of Fraunce A reporte had bene and that written that there was moste heinous displeasure betwixt the Pope themperour that the matter tended vtterly to war For amonges other thinges the Pope had taken from the house of Columnois al their possessions in Italy Whiche thing in dede semed to apperteine to the iniury of the Emperour Again it was said how he would not inueste kyng Philip his sonne in the possession of Sicilie and Naples propounding ouer hard condicions for those kingdomes paye tribute to the Byshop of Rome and depende vpon his benefite At the Ides of Iuly Albert Duke of Bauier in the name of king Ferdinando beginneth the counsel at Regensburg declareth that he is occupied with holding assemblees in Austriche and Boheme so that he could not come hither hym selfe at the time appointed and sheweth why he can not be present yet neither For by meanes of Peter Petrouice the kynges cliente who had desired ayde of the Turke all the coūtrie of Transyluania when no necessitie vrged them when they had no iust cause reuolted from the king to the sonne of Iohn Uayuode After that Fraunces Beuecke and George his sonne making a rebellion in Hongary haue by the helpe the aide of the Walachiās taken certen townes and castels Againe that the Turke hath lately sent a gouernour to Offen And that an other also what time they treated of the truce beseged the towne and castell of Zegeste the .xi. day of Iune and began to batter it sore Moreouer to be signified by the letters and messages of many that the gouernour of Bosnia leuieth an exceading great army to inuade Slauonia And also that the president of Grene gathereth no small power at the citie of Sophie intending to marche forward and that the Emperour of Turkes him selfe wyll in haruest next come in to Hongary and wynter there or if he defer it to the next spring that he wil come than with a strong army to wyn Uienne by sege For these causes therfore the kyng can not at this time leaue his countries but is wholy busied occupied in making preparation to resiste And for as much as it is not for the profit of the cōmon wealth to differ the coūsel any lōger therfore hath he appointed him to begin the treaty and to procede till he may come
him selfe And in dede thre yeares since the king sent a noble Ambassade to the Turke for peace or truce and they are yet deteined at CoÌ„stantinople And albeit that truce was taken betwene theÌ„ till thambassadours were retourned home yet the Turkes in the meane season hauing broken their faith haue takeÌ„ many townes castels vpoÌ„ the frontiers And seing now also Zegest of them is beseged it appereth not what peace in very dede is to be loked for at their handes that can be firme tollerable Whiche thing seing it is so for as muche as great daunger hangeth ouer not only the remnaunt of Hongary Austriche but also ouer all Germany to be first nede to consulte imediatly of sending ayde and of coÌ„tribution mony which should be kept in certen places and for this warre when nede is to be defrayed by the publique treasurers And that other kynges and Princes also are sollicited by the kyng for ayde neither wyl he him selfe spare any coste or perill either of him selfe or his sonnes also but since his countries being sore inpouerished with the warres of so many yeares are not able to resiste so great an ennemy it is requisite to contribute thereunto and that spedely Moreouer for as much as in the last assemblee it was decreed also that in this assemblee wayes should be sought to appease Religion the kyng ernestly exhorteth that they would searche diligently whether a reconcilement myght be made and whiche waye They muste also treate of mony and of establyshyng peace in the Empire And the consultation of the Turkishe warre not to be set behinde but to be chiefly of them considered to the ende the present and iminent calamitie may be repulsed About the .xv. day of September the Emperour hauing a fayre wynde and his nauie in a readines taketh shipping to sayle into spayne and taketh with him both his sisters Quene Mary and Elenor companions of his iourney But before he departed he set kyng Philip his sonne in possession of all the lowe countries And to his brother kyng Ferdinando he committed the common wealth of Germany sending letters to the Electours of the Empyre wherby he requireth them that they would acknowledge the same for Emperour of Romaines obey him accordingly The last day of October Iohn Sleidane authour of this worke a man for the singular giftes of the mynde and excellent learnynge all prayse worthy departeth out of this life at Strasburg and is there honorably buried FINIS ✚ An Apologie of Iohn Sleidane FOr as muche as I heare that diuerse men speake nothing frendly of my History and haue small thanke requited me for my exceading great paines I am constreined to set forth this wryting for defence Nowe for what causes I was moued to write this story how I proceded in that same howe I wrote for the displeasure or fauour of no man and couched thinges in order I declared in the preface of the worke And added moreouer that I was very desirous of the truthe and therin so affected that if I knewe any thing to be wrytten vntruely I would scrape it out and admonishe the Reader of myne owne accorde to geue no credit to it Doubtles I would haue thought that all men here with would haue bene satisfied especially since the very reading should proue it true that I said But in as muche as it is reported to me far otherwyse whiche to me was very lothsome and greuous I am driuen of necessitie to adde some thinges to my preface And first in dede euer since the beginning of the worlde it hath bene accustomed that matters as wel ecclesiasticall as ciuile should be coÌ„mitted to wryting Which thing in dede bookes do testifie and the same custome hath alwayes florished chiefly amonges noble free nations especially Grekes and Romaines The chief precept ornament of this kinde of wryting is that it be right and trewe and therfore Tully calleth an history the witnes of tymes and light of veritie the lyfe of memory and maistres of lyfe By the whiche wordes verely he doth both commende it exceadingly and also sheweth of what sort it ought to be and nowe for as muche as in this our tyme hath chaunced so great an alteration of Religion as since the tyme of the Apostles the like hath not bene no smal sturre of ciuile policie hath insued also vpon the same as is coÌ„monly wont to do I verely although not the metest man of al at requeste of certen good men toke vpon me this kynd of wrytinge to the setting forth of Gods glory and with great fidelitie and diligence haue brought it to this our tyme. And that I haue herein geuen nothing to affectioÌ„s and haue vsed my selfe so moderatly in this argument as peradueÌ„ture none other before me hath done that same I trusteâ—l indifferent iudges wil confesse For although I do gladly prufesse this doctrine of the Gospel through the benefite of God restored and reioyce exceadingly to be of that nomber and fellowship yet do I absteyne from al bitternes of wordes and declare simply the whole matter as it was done God also I take to witnes that myne intent hath not ben falsly to hurte any man For what a shameles impudencie were it of those thinges wherof the memorie yet is freshe to set forth any thyng contrary to a truthe Again they that know me throughly haue perceiued I truste no such vanitie in me Notwithstanding in case I haue erred in any pointe I will both acknowledge it willingly being admonished and also as I saide in the preface I wil proteste it openly that the Reader be not abused And as concerning my paynes I suppose verely that in searching out of the truthe no mans dilligence could haue bene no more than myne hath bene and like as many are able this to testifie so I doubte not but the thing also it selfe shall declare And in describing matters of Religion I might not omitte polytique causes For as I sayde before they came in maner alwayes together and especially in our tyme they could not be separated And that they come together this is a sure reason and grounded vppon the scripture To witte that so sone as amonges any people Religion is chaunged by and by arrise offences dissentions debates vprores factions and warres For euen for this cause Christ saith that the sonne is plucked from his father and the daughter froÌ„ her mother Also that his doctrine bryngeth not peace but the sworde and sayeth it shall styre vp fyre also amonges the nere of bloud And this hath bene euer the state of thinges since the worlde was made neither can it be denied and the thing it self speaketh For so sone as in our time gods benefite geuen to maÌ„ and the Gospell began to be preached against the Popes pardons and traditions of men by by the worlde began to reise tumultes and chiefly they of the clergie Upon this very occasion the matter was brought into the
emperour 324 The Constancie of the ministers 325 The Duke of Saxon and the LaÌ„tgraue led awaye prisoners 325 The reformation of the Chamb. 326 They of Constaunce geue them selues to the house of Austrich 326 The slaughter that was at Burdour 327 The abhominable filthines of an archbushoppe 329 The inheritor of Scotland led into Fraunce 330 They of Madenburge are made a praye for their godlines 331 Trouble in Englande eodem The Admirall of england beheaded 331 Thomas Crammer a furtherer of learning and Codlines 331 The duke of Swaybrig plaine trouth 332 The Interim confuted by them of Bubeck and others 333 The force of Hohwater eodem The popes legates to themperour 334 The Pope graunted licence to eate fleshe 335 The Archbishop of Metz to the counsellors of the Lantgraue eodem The Godly auÌ„swer of the preachers eod The king commaundeth to go on presession eodem The French king stealeth fortes 337 The Senate of Strausburge do compound with their Bishop eodem The perill of feare of them of Maydenburge eodem The Purgation of them of Maydenburge eodem The cause why them of Maydenburge cannot gette their pardon eodem The sayng of goodnes the. 338 They betray the trouth that hold it in Silence eodem The moÌ„struous lechery of the pope 339 The Popes rauening eodem The Pope sister a whore made her brother a Cardinall eodem The mayseres of ceremonis 340 The custody of the conclaue eodem The orders of the Cardinall eodem The maner to chuse the pope 341 The factions of the Cardinall eodem The cause why pole was not pope eod The yeare of Iubiley eodem The protectour of England 343 The Frenche kinges proclamation against Lutheranes eodem The opening of the Golden gate eod Themperiours letters to the states of th empyre 344 The cleargye of Strausburge renueth their ministers 345 The talcke of faith is forbidden 346 The death of the cardinall of Loraine 347 The Archbushop of Collon entreth the City with Pompe 347 The Protestation of the Duke Moris against the Counsell 348 The knauery of Spanierdes eodem The death of Granuellan eodem The taking of the Ciue of Africa eod The ouerthrow of the Maiden Burgians 349 The princes letters to them of Mayden burge 349 The Proclamation for religion mutigated 349 The answer of the Maydenburgians 350 The death of viriche Duke of WirieÌ„b 351 The causes that the decree is not obserued eodem They repare to trent before condemned 352 Themperours Proclamation agaynst them of Maydenburge eodem The Lantgraues Sonnes sue for theyr father eodem The Lantzgraues purpose of sliyng bewrayed eodem The issuyng out victory of the Maydenburgians 353 The duke of Megelb takeÌ„ prisoner 353 They of Maydenburge are moued to render eodem The Actes agaynst the Clergy 354 The slaughter of the Citizens 355 The answer of the Citizens 356 The prayse of great Otto 358 The duke of Pruisse addicte to OuÌ„ 359 The decree of Auspurge 359 The death of Bucer 360 The pope accuseth Octauian far 360 The counsell at Trent is solde 361 The warre of Parma betwixt themperour and the French king eodem The Frenche Kinges excuse to the Pope eodem The fierse minde of the Pope 362 The confession of duke Moris by Melanthon eodem The humanity of the Duke of Wittemberge towarde Brentius eodem The burnt child the fire dreades 363 The Constancy of the Prelates 363 The Preachers exiled 364 The French king warieth vpon themperour 364 The Counsell renued at Trent 365 The French kinges letters to the. 365 The Some of Mony that is caried to Rome 366 The vniuersitie of paris appeleth from the Pope eodem The arrogantie of Pope Boniface against the king of Fraunce eodem Twelue archbishoprikes in frauÌ„ce eod Theames geuen to the diumes 367 The order of speaking eodem The maner of making the Articles of the faith eodem The maner of making the decrees eod The holy gost at the popes coÌ„maundement 368 The Frenche kinges writing against the Pope eodem The wiked lustes of the Pope eodem The cause of dissentioÌ„ betwixt the pope and themperour 369 The safe counded of the fathers at 370 The Marques of Brandenburge mocketh the Counsell eodem The duke of somerset appreheÌ„ded eod The Counsell writeth to the Frenche king 371 The FreÌ„ch king disswadeth the Swisses from the Counsell eodem The land of Wittenburge deliuered of Spanyerdes eodem The ambassadour of Wittenburge to the Counsell 372 The pacification of Maydenburge eod The noble same and constancy of Maydenburge eodem The Pope created xiii Cardinalles 373 The amba of witteÌ„berg deliuered 374 The amb of Duke Mauri 〈…〉 he Marques of Brandenb to themper 374 Their oration 375 The Lantzgraue kept prisoner against the league 375 The Lantzgraue biddeÌ„ to Supper and kept prisoner 376 The names of the Princes that intreat for the Lantzgraue 377 The Lantzgraues Sonne cometh to Duke Morice 377 The rayling of Cropper 378 Themperours letters to the Bushoppe electors 378 Their is craft in daubing 379 The ambassador of duke Maurice come to the Counsell 380 The Duke of Somerset beheaded 381 The saufeconduct altered 382 The fraukespeache of Duke Maurice Ambassadour to the fathers 383 Thambassador of the prot deluded ideÌ„ The diuines come to Norinberge 384 The bitternesse of Frere Pelarge against the Protestantes eodem The diuines of Wittenburge 386 ThaÌ„bassodours of Strasburg det 387 The blasphemio of a gray Frere 388 The requestes of the Protestauntes diuines eodem The Fathers flie from Trent 389 The answere of the Protestantes Ambassadour eodem The churche cannot erre 390 The Counsell of Basell purer then Trent eodem The last session of the Counsell eodem The French Kynge hath peace with the Pope eodem Th ende of the counsell of Trent eodeÌ„ The death of the Popes Legate eodem The seconde cause of warre 392 The Lantzgraue deteined prisoner against fidelitie eodem The thirde cause eodem The heauie burthens of Germany 393 The storie of Lewes Auila of the Protestauntes warre eodem The Frenche kynges letters 394 The armes of libertie 395 The prince of Salerne reuolteth from the Emperour 396 The FreÌ„che king subdneth Lorain eod The cardinall betraied the cites eodeÌ„ The pledges of FrauÌ„ce German 397 The couÌ„try of Oto HeÌ„ry recouered â—deÌ„ The Iudges of the chamb flie eodem The Conestable chideth with theim of Strasburge 398 The kinges answer to the princes 399 The sute of the Suises to the king eodeÌ„ TheÌ„perour flieth awaie by night 400 The duke of Saxon set at libertie eodeÌ„ The Emperours stuffe spoiled eodem The Princes restore the ministers of the churche eodem The Marques Albertus armie 401 The Frenche kyng destroieth the Emperours countrie 403 The assemble at passaue eodem The coÌ„plaint of the princes elector 403 The affinitie of Frenchmen and. 404 The libertie of Germanie restored by the power of Fraunce 405 The waie opened for the Prince of Spaine to be Emperour eodem The princes aunswere his oracioÌ„ eodeÌ„ The
he seeth hym selfe howe directly it were againste the lawe againste the ryght and lybertie of the Empyre agaynste promyse and conuenaunt and the fayth that he oweth to the common wealth confyrmed by a solemne othe Moreouer howe incommodiouse also it were for hym and howe chargeable to the whole Empyre to haue two Rulers at one tyme whome they must obeye And because they woulde be sory if any suche thynge shoulde be layde to his charge for breakynge his fidelytie or also vnto them for their sloughtsulnes in defending the cōmon wealth therfore do they ernestly beseche him to impute this their writing to the loue of him their coūtrey and to the world that now is that he would call to his remembraunce thynges past and by his office and aucthoritie prohibite the creation of this new kinge that he woulde consyder well wyth hym selfe to how many euils mischiefes this thinge wyll hereafter geue occasion vnlesse it be forseen signifyeng howe they wryte also touching the same matters to the resydue of the electours trusting that they wyll worke for the profit of the cōmon wealth and do their endeuour that there be no diuision made amonges the states of the Empyre for the rest they will doe as muche for his sake as their habilitie and power wyl extende to Afterwardes the Duke of Saxon writeth his seuerall letters to the Prynces hys colleges that for as muche as he was somoned to Collon by the arche byshop of Mentz therfore hath he sent thither his sonne and certen of his coūsayle which shal do in his name that shal be requisite He requireth them to leaue of their enterprise and to waye with them selues what a preiudice and discommoditie this wil be vnto thē and al theyr posteritie for to breake the right libertie and honour of the Empyre he desyreth them also that in suche thinges as his sonne and counsellours haue to treate with them of they woulde so vse them selues as it may appeare and be perceiued that they loue the common wealth of their countrey The Duke of Lunēburge the Lantgraue Counte Anhald and the Erles of Mansfelde wrote vnto the Electours at the same time long letters of the same effect admonishing them righte ernestlye that they doe not suche an open wronge to the lawes to their countrey sayeng howe it is reported that the matter is handled with brybes and promesses whiche is also openly agaynst the lawe Caroline After this the laste of Decembre as well the Princes as cities before named by cōmon assent wryte their letters to the Emperour wherin they recite the treatie of religion at Auspurge how long they sued for peace what aunswer he made also what maner of decree was there made afterwarde And al be it he him selfe did mitigate the wordes of the Electour of Brandēburge affirming that he had made a compact with the rest of the Princes for his owne defence only and not to offende others Yet if that authoritie be committed to the chambre imperiall as the decree purporteth to whome can it be doubtful but that the same thinge apperteyneth both to force and violēce but seyng that both they and their aūcesters haue shewed many testimonies of great good wyll to him and his progenitours they beseche him in as muche as he hath mitigated the saying of the Electour of Brandenburge he woulde also qualifie in deede and take away the terrour of confiscation to the intent they may be assured that vntyll the ende of a Godlye and free counsell they shall nede to feare no violence The causes which the Emperour alledged to create a king of Romains at the first cōmunication with the princes in Collō were these First because that he had the rule of sondry realmes nations could not be always in Germany agayne for that the state of christendom was troublesome namely in Germany by reason of the dissention in Religion and for the violent power of the Turkes for the late sedition and rurall warre and for disobedience within the Empyre Wherfore he thought it very necessary and for the profit of the common wealth that there should be a kyng of Romaynes chosen vnder hym as it were an other head of the Empyre in his absence which should be wyttie cyrcumspect industrious of great power that loued peace and concorde and were skilfull in matters of the Empyre and in euery poynte suche a one as he myght repose his whole truste and confidēce in And he knoweth none more mete for that charge than his brother Ferdinando king of Boheme and of Hongary For his realmes and dominions are a defence vnto Germany against the Turkyshe oultrage The Princes electours after delyberation had intreate the Emperour that he woulde not forsake Germany but to sette and plante himselfe there but where he persisteth stiffe in his opinion conferrynge their counsels together The fyft daye of Ianuary they proclayme Ferdinando kynge of Romaynes The Duke of Saxon as muche as laye in hym by his sonne protested that this election was faultie and shewed the causes why and that he coulde not allowe it Longe before they departed from Auspurge The brute was that Ferdinando should obtayne that dignitie Afterwardes they went all from Collon to Aquon where Ferdinādo was crowned kyng the .xvj. day of Ianuary and streightwayes were letters dispatched into al partes of Germany to signifie the same Cesar also commaundeth by his letters patentes that all men shall acknowledge him for kyng of Romaines and therof sent his seueral letters to the Protestantes This done from Aquon the Emperour wēt to Brussel in Brabant ✚ The eyght Booke of Sleidanes Commentaries concerning the state of Religion and the common Weale during the reigne of the Empyre of Charles the fyfte ⧠The argument of the eyght Booke THe Protestauntes from Smalcalde sent letters to the kinges of Fraunce of Englande agaynst sondry false reportes and sollicite the kyng of Denmarcke and the cities by the sea coaste to entre into their league Into this league the Swycers are not admitted The kyng of Fraunce who is descended of the Almaines aunswereth their letters so doeth also the kynge of Englande About the strife of the creation of kyng Ferdinando An assemble was holden at Franckforth where was also debated the controuersic betwixt the byshop of Bamberge and George Marques of Brandenburge The Emperour appointeth a metyng at Spyre whether the Duke of Saxon being moued to come excuseth hym selfe Conditions are put in wryting whiche graunted the Protestauntes offer them selues to be there The fyue Cantons geue battell to them of ʒ uricke wherein ʒ wynglius is slayne Shortly after dieth Ecolampadius A peace is graunted to the Protestauntes vntyll a counsell Christierne kyng of Denmarke is committed to pryson The Turke inuadeth Austryche but he is thence repulsed The Pope by his Ambassadour sent to Duke Iohn Fredericke who had lately succedeth his father the conditions of the counsell The Duke and his associates
after deliberation make hym 〈◊〉 full aunswere by wryting IN the first assembly at Smalcalde this emōges other thynges was agreed vppon that for as muche as their aduersaries did aggrauate the cause and profession of the Gospell with manye sclaunders and broughte it euerye where in to great hatred they shoulde wryte pryncipally to the kynges of Fraunce and of Englande that they would not credite nor be perswaded herin Wherfore the .xvj. daye of February the Protestauntes wryte their seuerall letters to them both of one effecte How they knowe vndoubtedly of the olde complaint that hath bene of long tyme concernyng the vice and faultes of the clergie whiche many notable men and of late memory in Fraunce Iohn Gerson and in Englande Iohn Colet haue sore noted reprehended the same thing hath happened of late yeares in Germany For where as certen freers wēt about with indulgences pardōs whiche they so highly cōmended to the great contumelie of Christe no lesse daunger of mens saluation that they got a shameful an vnreasonable gayne therby And being gētly admonyshed by certen good wel learned men that thei should not so do did not only abstayne from suche vsage but also cruelly condempned them for Heretykes whiche gaue them good counsell in so muche that they were constrayned to stande in the defence of the trewthe vpon whyche occasion many other thynges were espyed and reprehēded but the aduersaries whiche through their impudent marchādise gaue occasion of offence woulde neuer be in quiet tyll this doctryne whiche reuealyng their crafty iuglyng was without dewe examination condempned for wycked And to the intent they might wholy oppresse it haue brought it into great hatred with the Emperour and other kynges Neuerthesse the truthe breakyng out lyke the sonne beames discouered the faultes moste manifestly whiche of euyl customes and preposterous iudgementes were crepte in to the churche in so muche they could not be denied by the byshop of Rome hym selfe whē they had bene exhibyted before to the Emperour by the states of the Empyre in the assemblie at Wormes and after had bene treated of in all assemblies of the Empyre all men iudging for certentie that for reformation therof there were no waye better than a free and a lawfull counsell wherewith the Emperour was also content But at his commyng out of Spayne into Germany through Italy he was addicted wholy at Auspurge to quiet the matter without a counsel And so thei discourse the whole treaty at Auspurge as hath bene before rehersed and howe for the sore decree there made they were compelled to appeale to a free and Godly coūsell lest they should both haue hurt theyr conscience and offended God moste greuously Afterwardes thei confute the false opinions and sclaunders that theyr aduersaries ascribe vnto them to bryng them into hatred with all men and chieslye that the doctrine whiche they do professe is against the authoritie of Magistrates and dignities of lawes but their confession exhibited at Auspurge doth fully aunswere this matter wheren is the office and state of a Magistrate by theyr doctrine declared to be of Gods ordinaūce and agayne the people taught to owe all due obedience to the Magistrate for Gods cōmaundement and for cōscience sake so that it may be truly sayde that the learned men of this tyme and doctrine haue more hyghly commēded the dignitie of lawes and Magistrates than any former age hath done for els seing they are also appointed of God to haue rule and gouernment of others What madnes were it for thē to permitte that doctrine whiche should geue licencious lybertie take awaye obedience and styre vp the people against them Wherfore after this and dyuers other thynges they saye howe that for so much as these sclaunders are reported by them and howe it forceth very much for the cōmon wealth of christendome that they beyng kynges of such wysdome and authoritie should be ryghtly infourmed in the matter therfore haue they thought good in their owne purgatiō to wryte this much vnto them earnestly desyring them to geue no credit vnto sclaūders nor to conceaue any sinistre opinion of them but to keepe theyr iudgement in suspence tyll they may come to the place where to make theyr purgation openly whiche thing they chiefly desyre they beseche them also to exhorte the Emperour that for the weyghty importaunce of the matter and the profit of the whole churche he would call a godly and a free counsell in Germany so shortly as myght be And that he woulde worke no extremitie against them vntyll suche tyme as the cause may be lawfully decided determyned For hitherto haue they alwayes done their duty to the common wealth of the Empyre and nowe that they professe this doctrine they are brought in daunger of no selfe wyll nor obstinacie but for Gods worde and glory whereby they haue the better hope also that they wyll graunte to theyr requestes herein For it were hyghe prayse worthy if they coulde throughe theyr aucthoritie and mediation bryng to passe that these controuersies be not decided by force of armes but that an vpryght iudgement be had that abuses maye be remoued the Churches reconciled and no force or violence done vnto mens consciences Finally if they maye vnderstande by their letters of theyr good wylles towardes them it shall be to theyr great cōforte In February the Duke of Saxon summoneth all his fellowes to be at Smalcade the .xxix. of Marche to cōsulte howe to resiste the force of their ennemies if any thynge be attēpted againste them those were the Prynces and cities before mentioned But the Duke being discrased sent thether his sonne Iohn Frederick At the former meting it was agreed to sollicite Fredericke the kyng of Deumarke and the cities by the sea coaste of Saxonie touchynge their league And nowe that they met agayne rehersall was made what had bene done in the meane tyme and what aunswere euery one made And the kyng in dede saide howe he fauoured the doctrine of the Gospel but in his realme were so many bishoppes of great power and aucthoritie by reason of their rychesse clientes and noble kyndred that he coulde not enter into this league as kyng but as concernyng his other countreis lieng within the Empyre he was contēt Henry the Duke of Megelburge excused the matter for that his deputes had subscribed to the decree of Auspurge notwithstandinge he would be no ennemy to them Berninus Prince of Pomerane was not against it but that his elder brother had as yet in maner that whole gouernment They of Lubecke refused not but for as muche as they had bene at great charges in the warres they desyred that the same myght ve consydered And if it fortuned that Christerne kyng of Dēmarke whome thei had holpe to dryue out of his realme should warre against them they desyred to knowe what ayde they should looke for agayne at theyr handes The citie of Lunenbourge sayde that
the Grekes supplāted thus also were the Germains deluded by Tiberius what time they moued war in Italy only Britaine which now is Englande escaped this yoke for that they vnderstode their subtill fetches always in cōmon perill powred out all their ciuile hatred vpon their ennemy And by the same meanes at the length were the Romains thē selues subdewed Philip also king of the Macedoniās by this craft conquered Grece setting together be th eares the men of Athens Corinthe Thessalie Ottoman the firste Emperour of this Turkishe nation toke Bythinia through the dissentiō that was there among Christen Princes at last by the same occasion the Turke inuaded Europe cōquered Thrace al Grece Morea yea the Turkes haue these thre hondreth yeres wonne stil through our discorde treason What time the citie of Constantinople was taken all Italy was ful of sedition whilest one sorte wold be called Gwelphiās an other Gibellines whiche were names of themperial and popyshe faction what chaunced lately at Rhodes what in Hongary by what occasion it is no nede to recite But thus indede the Turkes a poore vile barbarous nation creping out of the corners of Scithia haue increased through our dissention atteyned to so great an Empire whylest eyther the light Grekes opened thē a gate into Europe or that faithles mē of Genes haue transported thē by the sea of Helespōte or the Prynces of Peloponesus brethren falling at variaunce sent for them the one to destroye the other whilest they of Epyrus did ayde thē or the Mysians conspyred with them or the Hongarians of their owne accorde dyd moue them to come Therfore to mainteine their common lybertie they must fall to an vnitie and concorde and may not thynke that whylest they them selues sytte styll and doe neglecte it beynge denyded into sectes and factions that foreyne nations wyll take this cars in hande for them This he sayeth is the kynges aduyse and counsell whiche he desyred them to accepte in good parte and of hym to loke for all amitie and frendshyp The Byshop sente thether his Legate Iohn Morone Byshop of Mutma who beyng demaunded of kyng Ferdinando and by the Emperours deputies of the byshop of Romes mynde the .xxiij. day of Marche speaketh on this wyse The last yere whan the Emperour went into Africa passing through Italy he cōferred with the hyghe byshop concerninge the turkyshe warre and a generall counsell but sythe the matter was very weighty the Emperour made great haste nothynge was determined and Granuellan remayned in Italy with whome the case was further debated afterwarde Than he declareth howe the Byshoppes mynde is and euer hath bene to warre vpon the Turkes and that he wil sende ayde of fyue thousande fotemen in case the Emperour come to the fielde hym selfe if not halfe that nombre And lykewyse is cōtent that there shal be a counsell but that the same should be holden in Germany neyther his age can beare who both wyll and ought to be present nor also the farre iourney and alteration of the ayre wyll permitte therfore he lyketh better Mantua or Farrare Bolognia la gras or Placence whiche are all ample cities and fyt for suche a purpose howe beit if none of these wyll please them he wyll not refuse to kepe it at Trent whiche is a towne nere vnto the frontiers of Germany and woulde haue had it begonne at a Whytsontyde but for shortenes of tyme hath differred it to the Ides of Auguste praying them that al displeasure set aparte they woulde wholy applie them selues hereunto King Ferdinando with the Emperours deputies and all the Catholyque Prynces geue hym thankes and if a meter place maye not be had in Germanye as Regenspurge or Collon they saye howe they are contente with Trente But the Protestanntes doe neyther allowe the Bysshoppes counsell nor the place nor that there was anye mention made thereof in the decree and openly pronounce to the contrary Whan the Frenche kynges Ambassadours coulde not preuayle and the states were inclyned to the Turkyshe warre and sawe that the Emperours men both lothed and suspected their presence before the ende of the assemblye they departe halfe in displeasure Trent is in the Alpes by the Riuer of Athese a towne in Farnādo hys dominion thre dayes Iorney on this syde Uenise and not two from Uerona After the chauncelour of the Dutchie of Alenson was retourned home the kyng begā streight wayes to prepare for the war And albeit he had already in effecte restored the Admiral vsed hym frendly Yet lest it should be herafter preiudicial to him or his childrē he causeth the whole matter to be comprised in writing and restoreth him to his possessions dignitie and fame and protesteth that hee had committed neyther treason nor yet extortion releaseth and geueth hym the condemnation of seuen hondrethe thousande crownes commaunding that these letters should be enrolled at Paris and in other places to remayne as matter of recorde this was the twelfte daye of March Whan the French kynge was at the same tyme besydes Paris in castell Uincenne word came to him in the night of a sodē tumult as though the enemies out of themperours contrie shoulde make an incursion in to the contrie of Uermandoeis in Picardie whereuppon the princes that chaunced that time to bee there were sent thither in al hast the Dukes of Uandome Guise Aumall Niuerne and diuerse others with a great nomber of gentlemen Whan they came there al was hushte neyther saw they nor heard of any man Many men sayd how thys brute was reysed that the people might be perswaded that themperour sought warre wherof the kinge him self wold not be accōpted the author whan he had already vtterly determined the same as shal be declared herafter Forasmuch as the state of Germany was such as before I haue shewed you great ayde was decreed on commaunded that an armie should be leuied which ioyned with the power of Fernando might resist the Turkishe force and recouer that was lost The leading and ordering wherof was both by common assent and also by themperours pleasure committed in charge to Ioachim Marques of Brandenburge Prince electour who in continently departing from Spier prepareth him selfe for the Iorney For this war was gathered polle money through out all Germany and graunted that the magistrates might for this cause impose a taxe They agreed moreouer to demaund ayd of the Suises and other princes especially of the king of Denmarke and of the Italians furthermore it was decreed that all mē should obserue the peace and reise no tumult within the limites of thempire the .xi. day of April the assemblie was dissolued And in maner at the same time in Saxonie ther grew a greate hatred betwene the Prince Electour Duke Moris who than succeded Henry his father lately departed The contention was for the lymites a certen Towne And Maurice did
manifestly mayneteyne the cause of Pflugius through the suite of hys frēdes the matter was vtterly lyke to brede ciuile warre For eyther of them had their mē vp in armure but through that mediation of the Lautzgraue it was appeased This was the beginning of the displeasure betwyxt them whiche after increased in tyme wrought a deadlye wounde to Germanye as shal be recited in place And certenly many men marueiled at Maurice that he would be so earnest and bitter agaynst him that brought hym vp and whome both he and his father may thanke for all theyr good fortune But certen of the coūsellers that were with Duke George were thought to haue set forwarde this matter whiche neyther loued Religion nor yet the Prince Electour Whan the decree was made and all men prepared thē selues to the warre Luther set for the a booke in the vulgare tongue an exhortation to the warre whiche he dedicated vnto Philip the Lantgraue And after hathe declared the cause why he wrote of the contrary argument in his yong days the to warre against the Turkes were nothing elles but to resiste God whiche vseth hym for a scourge to afflicte vs whiche sentence Leo the tenth had amonges other thynges condempned for the Byshop of Rome so ofte as he mynded to procure a masse of monie out of Germany vsed euer this collour to gather it for the Turkishe warre and had shewed all the reasons that moued hym than and amonges others that a Christen man ought not to reuenge nor resiste euil but to suffer all thynges according to that saying of Christe of leauinge thy rote and agayne that the Emperour is not to be excited vnto warre as the head of Christendome Protectour of the churche and defendour of the faithe For the tytles are false and vayne glorious and iniurious to Christe who allone can defende his churche and the iniurie is the more for that certen kynges and Prynces are moste bytter ennemies to his true doctrine and therfore concludeth that the Turke is not to be warred vpon or resisted for the diuersitie of his religion but because he robbeth and spoyleth and maketh vniust warr and bringeth in with him most shameful examples of lyfe By a cōparison made he proueth that the byshop of Rome is nothing better thā the Turke for as he by his Alcorane so hath the Byshop by his decreetales quenched the doctrine of the Gospell That whiche he doeth by force the same doth the byshop by his curse but thei both worke reproche vnto matrimony abide punishment for the contempte of Gods lawe which ordeined holy matrimony what time god geueth thē ouer to their filthy lustes that they burne in most detestable desires worke most wickedly against the order of nature Finally speakig of the turkish power he admonisheth thē not to be carelesse in warfare but to knowe how thei haue to do with a moste fierse ennemy These and diuerse other suche lyke thinges he treateth of in that first boke but now what time the state of thēpire had at the request of thempe king Ferdinādo decreed war he cōpiled an other worke as I said a warlike exhortation or sermon to th entēt that such ministers of the churche as followed the warres myght haue some forme and order howe to teache and exhorte First therfore sayth he that men may vnderstande what is to be thought of the Turke the Scripture speaketh of two houge and cruell Tyrantes which shall destroy Christendome before the laste daye of iudgement one through false doctrine of whome prophecied Daniel and after him Paule this is verely the Byshop of Rome And an other by power and force of armes that is to saye the Turke of whome Daniel in the seuenth chapter speaketh Those therfore that wylbe christians let them plucke vp their hartes and loke for no peace and quietnes nor pleasaūter life frō henceforth For that miserable tyme which he prophecied of before is now come but let vs comforte our selues with the comming of Christe and with our finall deliueraunce whiche immediatly after those afflictiōs shal appeare and let vs knowe for certentie that al the woodnes and malice of the deuyll is powred wholy vpon vs by the Turke for neuer did Tyrante practyse suche crueltie as he doeth After he expoundeth the seuenth chapter of Daniel whiche is of the foure beastes cōming out of the Sea declaring that the Turkishe Empire is there described For this is that same litle horne whiche sprang vp betwene those ten hornes of the fourth beast And albeit it is wonderfully increased yet can it not be that it should be in power like to the Romaine Empyre for the Prophet doeth there describe foure Empyres only which should succeade in order and the last to be the Empyre of Rome therfore shall there be none other that may be cōpared in greatnes to the Romayne And for asmuche as Daniel did attribute vnto him three hornes only whiche he should plucke of from those ten his violence from henceforth shall not proceade muche further for those three are plucked of long synce Asia Grece and Egipt whiche beinge three of the greatest prouinces in the Empire the Turke now possesseth with in the whiche limites the Prophet hath included him wherfore there is good hope that from henceforth he shall possesse no prouince of the Empyre And where he is nowe so busy in Hongary and also readye to inuade Germany this is the last acte of the tragedy for it may bee that he shall inuade those countries but he can not thynke that euer he shall haue them in quiet possession as he hathe Asia Grece and Egipt for the prophecie is playne and manifest After this he treateth of all the other partes prouokyng them chiefly to repentaunce and exhorteth them all to be ready and wylling to obeye the Magistrate commaunding vnto this warre and not only to employe their goodes herein but also to serue with their bodies The prisoners also whiche eyther be nowe in the Turkes handes or hereafter shal come into the same captiuitie he comforteth with many perswasions and admonisheth them to be well ware of that fayned and pretensed Religion of the Turkes for he heareth saye howe many that haue professed Christ doe of their owne accorde falle into their Religion for that it hath a certen shewe of vertue and holines and that they suffer this bondage patiently and serue their maisters faithfully though thei be prophane and wicked neyther that they runne away from them or fordo them selues for vnpatientnes and lothsomenes of that estate but to beare alwayes in memory that same which Peter and Paule wryte of the dutie of bounde seruauntes but what tyme they shal attempte warre against the christians to hasarde their lyues rather than to serue vnder thē for they be murtherers and make warre against the sainctes as Daniell sayeth and shead innocent bloude therefore muste they chiefly beware that they be not partakers