the Pope From this time being in the yeare 801. the honour of the Romayne Empire was first translated froÌ„ the Grekes to the French men by the Pope and after at his good pleasure from theÌ„ to the Germaines This Pope also pronounced Pipin of Fraunce sonne to the saâ—e Charles king of the same parte of Italy whiche neither he nor any of his predecessours could euer sudduâ— whiche he did for this pollicie that the kinges of Fraunce hauing the title Emperial should neuer suffer him to lose his maiestie For this cause saith Hieronymus Marius the Pope wrought perpetual dissentions betwene the Emperours of the West and of the East to the great spoyle of Christian bloud Thus vpon condiâ—ion that Charles and his should sweare perpetuall homage and fealtie to the churche of Rome he made him Emperour He first appointed to hallowe the altar with frankinsense He made the Popes decrees to be of greater auctoritie then al the writinges of the doctours Also he caused that a certain counterfeit bloud made by a conueiaunce to ronne from a wodden roode should be taken to be the very true bloud of Christe And caryed it to Mantua where to this daye it is preserued reuerenced and worshipped He by his auctoritie allowed it to be so appointing for it yearely a solemne holydaye Such was the dotage of the time wherof Mantuan bewitched with this enchauntement writeth to the Emperour Charles of the Popes iourney VVhyle Leo hearing of the brute of counterfaited blood VVhiche founde was lately streaming from a crucifixe of wood He hieth him to Mantua where he perceiuing well The wonderous woorkes wherein this bloud so straungely did excell He thought wee should it as the bloud of Iesus Christeesteme That earst was shed vpon the crosse our soules for to redeme An abhominable elusion and blasphemy to say teache that the glorified bloud of Christe should shead it selfe in a rotten idoll whiche as the Apostle saith was ones shed for all that out of his precious body But the Popes auctoritie in this matter caused this to be beleued almoste of all men But so Paule prophecied the coÌ„ming of Antechrist to bee in false signes to deceiue the vnbeleuing Leo died Anno. 816. Vspergensis saith that in this time of Leo the Sunne was darkened and lost his light for eightene days so that the shippes ofte on the sea wandred to and fro Also that in an other yeare it was twyse in the Eclipse firste in Iune secondly in December Likewise the same yere the Moone was twyse in the Eclipse in Iuly and in Ianuary 33. Steuen the fourth STeuen the fourth the thirde moneth after he had taken the Popeship vpon him made a voiage into Fraunce to Lewis the Emperour to purge him selfe of election wherby he was made Pope because he was chosen and confirmed by the Clergie and the people contrary to the decree made by Hadrian and Leo. And thus their owne decrees whiche the former predecessour made the next successour broke But to flatter and dally with the Emperoure for a while he brought with him a fayre crowne of Remis and put it on the Emperours head put another on the Empresse head naming her Augusta When he had receiued his rewarde of the Emperour should returne the churche of Reata wanted a bishop and yet Steuen very subtelly would electe none onlesse he might firste knowe whether the Emperour would allowe his doing but note the sequele As sone as he was returned safe to Rome he began to consider that the prerogatiue which was geuen to Charles and his successours might be a bridelling to the sea of Rome being embouldened the more because Lewis was a gentle persone and a tractable man he disanulled al that â–ª auctoritie and right and affirmed that it ought to belonge to the Clergie the people the senate to electe the Pope But to auoyde the Emperours displeasure he vsed this interpretation that it was lawefull for them to chuse him without the Emperours auctoritie but not to consecrate him but in the presence of him or his embassadours And thus the Emperours were a litle shouldered out from the election of these prelates And beside this because he raigned but eight monethes he coulde not any further enhance the pompe of his seate dying Anno. 817. 34. Paschal the first PAschal the first a Romishe monke was chosen withoute the consent of the Emperour according to the glose deuised by Steuen but when the Emperour complayned that he found himselfe agreeued with the election Paschall verye craftelye wrote vnto him purging himselfe therof In processe of time when he perceyued y the Emperour vpoÌ„ blinde zeale to religion was a greate maintayner of the Church of Rome he thinking that it were daungerous if he shoulde delaye the enlarging of his auctoritye did so craftelye charme and enuegle the Emperour that he yelded whollye to the Romaynes all his auctoritye touching the election of the Pope which was giuen to Charles and he confirmed by wrytinge hys auncetours presentacions which they had wrongfully purloyned This did the Emperour confirme with hande and seale not knowing theyr crafte But after that when this Emperour Lewes minding to haue his sonne Lotharius ioyned w t him in the Empyre and for the more coÌ„uenieÌ„t doing therof sent him to Rome to be crowned there by the Pope king of Italy which after that the Pope had done whiile Lothariê° because of a certaine tumulte and sedition there arysing fled to his father for ayde to suppresse it leauing behind him one Theodorus and Leo chiefe officers aboute him who stoode stoutlye in theyr maisters quarrel the Pope secretly and trayterouslye caused certaine seditious persons to pul out theyr eyes and afterward to strike of their heades And when he was accused to the Emperour both of the sedition and of this murther he picking out for his purpose a counsell of Prelates purged himselfe by his othe notwithstaÌ„ding he absolued and pardoned those that were giltye and knowen offenders he accused them that were slaine to be giltye of treason against the Emperour and finallye auouched that they were lawfully put to death This Paschall they say if they ouer reach not in the nomber did take vp ii thousand saincts karkases that were buryed in Churchyards and bestowed more honourable tombes vppon them in other places He commaunded to worship and reuerence the reliques of Saincts He was beneficiall to stone walles as Churches and altars diuersly Last of all he gaue coÌ„maundement to the clergye that they should not take any benefice or Ecclesiasticall lyuinge at the handes of a layeman He dyed Anno. 824. 35. Eugenius the second EVgenius gat the Popedome with much brablinge and strife among the fathers of the election for first one Zizimus had it graunted him but the discorde beinge ended Eugenius gat it both for his curtesye eloquence as they say who as Premonstratensis sayth that while he was Cardinal of S. Sabines bestowed on the Church a siluer
had raigned 50 yeare in his life he lacked lyuinge and after death he wanted a graue throughe malice of the Pope Pope Paschal held a councell of Princes and bishoppes about matter of gaynes as homages and fealtyes due vnto him also he spoiled the bishop of Rauenna of his lands and toke them into his owne handes But afterwarde because he refused to confirme certaine bishops appointed by the Emperour Henry the fift the Emperour though laâ—e before he had kissed the Popes feete appreheÌ„ded him and cast him into prison where he continued vntill he had coÌ„firmed them all and should by his Seale restore the priuiledge of ratifying a bishop which was graunted to Charles the great and confirme him to be Emperour While sayth Masseus the Pope sate in his chayre after Masse beholde the souldiours cryed vnto him and his clergye Giue vnto Caesar that which is Caesars and forthwith apprehended both him and all his clergye and caryed them out and stripped them out of their apparell so naked that they lefte them not theyr breeches on and ledde them thus haÌ„dled to Soractis mount wher they put them in prison c. This broyle being ceased and Henry being crowned Emperour Paschal renued vnto him the auctoritye of appointing bishops and pronounced openlye in the Church that they were all held accursed who soeuer would disanul the preuiledge which he had graunted Then thy sange Gloria in excelsis because of this peace betwene the Emperour and the Pope But as sone as the Emperour this being done was departed into Germanye the Pope brake al his oathes and went from his word in euerye thinge saying that hee did it not freelye and of his owne accorde but that for feare hee yelded to the Emperours desire Then was the priuiledge condemned and the Emperour excommunicated and terrible tragedyes sturred which were all blazed throughe diuers countryes Also hee by a councell diuorsed the clergye of Fraunce from their wyues as Gregorie had done in Germanye and draue diuers bishops froÌ„ their Seas because they would not leaue theyr wyues Againe to encrease the regiment of Rome he reuiued the strife for the bestowiÌ„g of bishoprickes which wrought great slaughter and bloudshed in all countreyes of Europe Anselmê° archbishop of Canterbury wyth sophistrye and cauillinge vphelde this Popes doing as he did Pope Vâ—banus being both their couÌ„celour at Rome their Uicar here in Englande This Anselmus did depriue kinge Henry the first of all auctoritye in Ecclesiastical causes and denyed to do homage to the kinge thinking and auouching it to be vnlawfall because it was due in the clergye vnto the successours of S. Peter Also he condemned in England the mariage of ministers Pope Paschal dyed Anno 1118. Matthaeus Paâ—siensis wryteth in his Chronicle that when Anselmus accused his soueraigne kinge Henry the first of England before the Pope at Rome for medling with the appointing of bishops and ministers VVilliam VVarelwarst the kinges Proctour did aunsweare stoutlye in hys Princes behalfe and amonge other thinges sayd that the kinge would not for the losse of his kingdome lese his auctoritye in appointing of prelates â–ª Whereto the Pope said If as thou sayest thy kinge to hazarde his crowne wil not forgoe his giuing of Ecclesiasticall lyuinges knowe thou preciselye I speake it before God that I will not suffer him without punishmeÌ„t no not for the price of his head Which beinge heard Anselmus besought the Pope to laye hands in despite of the kinge on those whom he had disgraded so sayth Mattheus the holye seate readye to yelde fauour to all restored them to their former dignities by the intercession of White and red But kinge Henry did depriue Anselmus of all his goodes and confiscated his Archbishopricke and defyed the Popes auctoritye Anno 1110. the Moone was darkened as if she had lost her lighte the yeare following it rayned bloud at Rauenna in Italy at Parma in the month of Iulye Anno 1114. in December the Heauen appeared sodenlye of a very fierye and ruddye colour as if it had burned and the Moone suffered an Eclipse The same yeare the riuer of Thames was drye for two dayes Anno 1 â–ª 17. there were thonders hayle great windes horrible dreadful and houge earthquakes that ouerthrewe Churches Towers walles buildinges and destroyed men 102. Gelasius the second GElasius the second called before Iohn Caietanus of a noble house was sometime a monke he succeded Paschal but not without great discention For because he was chosen withoute the consente of the Emperour one Cincius a maÌ„ of great power in Rome would not suffer this iniurye but went with a troupe of souldiours to PalladiaÌ„ minster where the Cardinals were gathered together and breakinge the gates open he rushed in vppon them and stroke at euerye one that he mette And as for the Pope with his necke wrongde awrye he threwe him on the ground stamped on him wyth his feete and cast him into prison and as the Cardinals were ruÌ„ning away he hoysed them of their Mules and horses to the grounde and vsed all the despite he could toward them But the Romaynes would not suffer this and therfore by the ayde of the Normans they deliuered the Pope made his ennemyes to submit themselues and to aske pardon wyth kissinge his feete The Emperour hearing this sent a great arâ—â—ye out of Germanye to Rome which Gelasius fearing fled by shippe wyth his companye to Caieta and there was made a priest for he was made Pope before beinge but a deacon Henry the Emperour comming to Rome in the absence of Gelasius created Maurice Burdinus archbishop of Bracharie Pope and called him Gregorie the eight and theÌ„ he returned froÌ„ Rome Gelasius hearinge thereof returneth priuilye to Rome and takinge harte to him he commeth into Praxis Church to saye masse where he was so hindred by the contrarye syde that he scant saued himselfe by running away From thence he fled into Fraunce where at the length he was entertayned by an abbot in whose house hee dyed of a pleuresye in the seconde yeare of his raigne In his life by a Legat that he sent he held a councell in Collen where he excommunicated the Emperour and decreed that the Popes of Rome should be iudged by none 103. Calixtus the seconde CAlixtus the second being before called Guido of Burgundy came of the kinges of Fraunce and Englande he succeded Gelasius And after he was coÌ„firmed at Rome he sent a messenger to the said Conon in Germanye to coÌ„tinue the excommunication of his predecessour against the Emperour Hereupon the Emperour was coÌ„pelled to summon a councell of Princes and bishops at Tybur to make peace betweene him the Pope and least the Popes part shoulde haue spoyled his dominions he toke peace vppon vnequall conditions He confirmed to his great dishonour the electioÌ„ of this Calixtus who was chosen Pope at Cluny in Fraunce by a fewe Cardinals whom Gelasius had brought wyth him and yet was the other
was by the kinges commaundement w t other mo impeached of treason finally arested in the ParliameÌ„t house to aunswere to his endightmeÌ„ts Whereunto after long pauze he aunswered clayming the priuiledge of the Church saying thus I am humble mynister of the holye Church c. and cannot neither ought to aunswere to such matters without the auctoritye of the bishop of Canterbury my directe iudge nexte vnder the Pope c. whereupon the other bishops stept vp and sued to the kinge for this their fellowe But when the king would not yeld the said bishops together w t the archbishops and the clergye comming with theyr crosses toke him away perforce chalenginge him to the Church wtout any other aunswere charging moreouer vnder the censure of terrible excommunication none to presume to laye any further handes vpon him And yet the kinge encouraged herewith commaunded lawe to passe vpon him and he being found gilty his goodes to be confiscate but yet the partye remayned safe vnder protection of the Archbishop of Canterbury This Pope lefte more abundance of treasure then euer any other did namely fiue and twenty thousand thousande Crownes in gould and yet but latelye before he ioyned in warre with Robert kinge of Apulia to defende Genua in which warre sayth Antonius Florentinus eyther syde spente as much treasure as woulde haue boughte a good kingdome 138. Benedict the xij BEnedict the xii borne in Tholos in profession a white fryer sath Paleonidorus called Iacob or Iames of Furne the sixtenth daye after the death of Iohn he was enstalled Pope This man sayth Marius was as vncurteous to the Emperour as euer was Pope Iohn he renued the curses against him he reft him of all regall dignitye by his sentence depriued him of the dukedome of Bauary The noble Emperour wente into Germany and called together behoulde his vertue and wysedome all the Princes electours Dukes Counties bishops and the best learned either in diuinitye or humanitye And in presence of them all with open and solemne proclamatioÌ„ he added and established his late confirmatioÌ„ with ould lawes and very wiselye proued that onelye the Princes electours no man els ought to medle w t the election of the king of the Romaynes so that he that had most voyces amonge them was to be accepted berely be it eyther king or Emperour which in effect are al one though in name they differ Because that he that is Emperour may take vpon him the gouernment beloÌ„ging to his estate without the confirmatioÌ„ of the Sea of Rome and he being lawfullye chosen ought after aduisemente giuen by the Princes to be annointed by the Pope Which if the Pope refused to do he might be proclaymed Emperour by any Catholick prelate as the vse hath long beene for these ceremonyes enioyed by the Pope are but imagined toyes and solemnityes deuised by the prelats of Rome who onely haue but the geuinge of the name not the thinge for a signe of vnitye and mutuall helpe and succoure betwene the Empire and the Church For the Emperour vowed to the Pope not an oath of alleageance and fealtye but of defendinge the Christian fayth for as much as the taking of this oath maketh not greater dignitye in temporall thinges Furthermore the Emperour shewed how that the estate being voide the righte thereof shoulde not belonge vnto the Pope and that to haue it so was against the libertye righte honour and maiestye of the Empire but by longe and allowable custome notwithstandinge the Clementine Canon and by decree vnmoueable hytherto kept bie his aâ—ncetours in the time the Empire is voyd the right of gouerning the Empire the bestowing of fealtyes and ordering of other affayres belongeth to the Palsgraue of Rhene Afterward for his owne defence he made proofe of his vpright and trusty dealing before them all plainlye confessed that he as a ChristiaÌ„ man ought to do did beleeue the Articles of Christian fayth euen as the Church taught and purged himselfe of all those accusatioÌ„s which Pope Iohn the xxiii and Benedict the xii had layed to his charge Thus did the godly Emperour of his owne good motion when as if he had not pitied the shedding ChristiaÌ„ bloude he might haue tryed the matter with the Pope by the dint of the sworde At the length Pope Benedict began to consider of the goodnes of this Emperour for wheÌ„ a certaine grudge happened betweene this Lewis Philip kinge of Fraunce by and by peace was made betwene the Emperour and the Pope And the Pope loued the Emperour so entirelye that he defended him against the Embassadours of the French king which euer spake sharpely against the Emperour stoutlye defended the Emperours innocencye So that it came to passe that the Pope was by them called defeÌ„der of an heretick whose words although Benedict for a while did much feare for they threatned to set vpon him with all their powers if he absolued the Emperour yet in the end he absolued him And commaunded to proclaime throughe Germanye that all the processes of Iohn what soeuer they were should voyde and of no effecte and that it did not become Pope Iohn thus to deale with the Emperour seinge their two functions as diuers testifyed openly that Lewis had in all thinges behaued himselfe as mighte best beseeme so noble Christian an Emperour Yet it is to be noted that the Pope did not this of hartye good will to the Emperour but vpon pollicye for wheÌ„ he perceyued the king of Fraunce within whose precinct he was then abyding dealt vnfreindlye with him he feared that if he should also haue the Emperour his enemye he should haue no succour left if the French kinge should go about to do him displeasure And for this cause Benedict thoughte it stode with his commoditye to haue the fauour of the Emperour hoping it would so fall out that he durst attempt nothing against the Pope Such from time to time hath bene the pollicy of these prelats to maintaine their estate But to returne to the purpose and leaue these words of Marius Pope Benedict auouched the iudgmeÌ„t of his predecessour against Lewis He appointed deputies in those townes of Italye that belong to the Empire and toke to himselfe from the Emperour the Senatourship of Rome He deuised that euery thing did belonge to the Court of Apostolicall peniteÌ„ciary He appointing subsidyes gathered houge sommes of money out of euery nation He first toke vpon him to vsurpe the presentments of all bishopricks prelatships and benefices He abridged vnlearned men of priesthoode He reformed manye sectes of monckes He commaunded that all his chapleins shoulde lye in one dormitorye together and should haue none other reuenues then for their diet and apparell He with a great somme of money bought for his carnall desire the sister of Frauncis Petrarcha a beutifull woman of her brother Gerard he denyed that the Pope had any kindred he published certaine actes as Leander testifyeth against the
Earles and noble men with their dominions and great Cityes through the whole countrey of Germanye beside the great commōwealthes of Heluetia Rhetia Vallis Tellina with many hūdred Thousands more of al estates in Flaūders Italye Spayne Fraūce and in the kingdome of Polonia Thus especiallye from the yeare of our Sauiours incarnation 1503. vnder Pope Iulye the seconde the credite of the Romaine Sea began to cracke and dailye ryueth more and more and shall by Gods grace so continue till it be cleane rente in peeces and torne awaye Whereof God hath giuen certaine signes tokens plainlye prognosticatinge the greate fall of this proude Babilon which with these reuoltinge of regions from him being compared may comfort those that reioyce in the aduauncing of the Gospell and in the ruine of Antichriste although it is not to be wished that any mā should ground any doctrine or point of religion barely vpon these prognostications The obseruations that the Papacye shall melt awaye decresing more and more till the daye of Iudgement are these First the forenamed Prophecye of S. Paule in the 2. Chapter of the seconde Epistle to the Thessalonians that Antichriste must be reuealed before Christe come with diuers other Prophecyes of the holye Scripture in the Reuelation and other places Other proofes hereof maye be those straunge thinges that haue come to passe of latter times in the Church of Rome as the Pope Iohn the 24. was wonderfullye vexed by an owle in open consistorye as is before in his life declared againe that going to Constance he fell oute of his chariot by the waye Afterwarde he was in the same councell of Constance reprochfullye deposed and it was there declared that a councell ought to be aboue the Pope and the Pope to be subiect to the controlment of the coūcel which thing gaue a great pushe to the ouerthrow of his supremacye surelye from his time and the time of Paule the second the Popes maiestye began to shrincke more more Againe in the time of Alexander the sixt by a tempest of thonder lightninge the Augell set on the toppe of Angell castell in Rome the Popes chiefe place was beaten downe into the riuer Tiber. Furthermore it appeareth that it was not so much the fonde furye of Iulye the second as fatall prouidence the Pope Iulye the second when he could not preuaile by Papal auctoritie did hurle away into Tiber S. Peters keyes as they tearme them the counterfaite euidence of his supremacye for as he cast the keyes away so other reiected his supremacie euer since Furthermore in the time of Pope Leo it came to passe that he created in one day 31. Cardinals and the same daye while Leo and his Cardinals were in S. Peters Church there fell such mightye stormes of windes thōder lightnings vpon the Church that it shooke downe a little idoll made for the picture of Christe in the lappe of the virgin Marye Also it stroke the keyes oute of the hande of S. Peters Image in the same Church These and manye other such matters as haue come to passe are to be so construed as they may best serue to the glorye of God and signification of his will which is that Antichriste shall be destroyed with the breath of his mouth that is the power of his holye word and not by the might and arme of man Ioyning therefore the successe that Christe hath giuen to his Gospel with the shaking of Antichriste his kingdome foreshewed by the spirit of God it shall not be amisse to take these signes as witnesses that God sheweth hereby that he is mindefull of his promise made to his elect that the dayes are at hand when Babilō must fall and our Sauiour Iesus Christe come againe in glorye to the subuerting of him The Lorde hasten it for his mercy sake and make vs readye to receiue it with ioye Amen Amen 162. Iulius the second IVlius the secōd was a Genewaie borne who as Erasmus wryting vpon the prouerbe A remo ad Tribunal sayth was in his youth a whirrye slaue and yet at length preased vp to the Papacye And yet sayth he not contenting himselfe with that estate as he founde it did enlarge his dominion and would haue made it larger but that death preuented his purpose Vicelius sayth that he was rather giuen to warres then to serue Christ. Iohn Functius in his Cōmentaryes wryteth thus of him Pope Iulius being borne of a base stocke rysing by degrees throughe good lucke and craftye witte attayned to the hyest He being a fellowe of a subtill and compassinge heade and most giuen of nature to play the warriour did like Nimrod enlarge his porcion by the dint of the sworde so that by his procuremente within seuen yeares were slaine and destroyed to the nomber of two hundred thousand Christians He besieged Rauenna cruellye and in the ende preuayling made it subiecte to his Empire And with the like violence he wrested Seruia Imola Fauentia Foroliuium Bononia and other Cityes from the Princes with great bloudshed Sleidā sayth that whē this Iulius was Pope he toke an oath that he would haue a councell within two yeares But when he troubled and disquieted all Italye with warres beinge enemye one while to the Venetiās another while to the king of Fraūce nowe to the Duke of Ferraria now to the Bononians certaine Cardinals ix in nomber steppinge a syde and assembling at Millen do summon a coūcell to be held at Pisana The chiefe of these were Bernardin Cruceius VVilliam of Praenoste Fraūcis Cossetinus w t whom were the proctours of the Emperour Maximilian and of Lewis the xii king of Fraunce about the same purpose This councell was called the yeare 1511. the xix day of Maye to beginne in September next following The cause hereof is sayde to be because the Pope had broken his oath and for sworne himselfe for notwtstāding he had raigned so many yeares yet contrarye to his oath they could get no hope of hauing a coūcell And furthermore for that they had heynous crimes to charge him w t all they purposed to depriue him of his dignitye which he had gottē by bribery But Iulius chargeth all men vpon paine of great punishmēt that no man should obey them summoned another coūcel to be held the yeare following in Aprill in Lateran at Rome whereunto xxi Cardinals subscribed For this from time to time hath bin the practise of the Pope when any councel hath bin assembled against his doings then to assemble another Synode against the other in some place meete for his purpose There was at this time a famous Lawyer at Papia called Philippus Decius who published a booke defendinge the doinge of the Cardinals against the Pope Diuers other wrote against him some in prose some in verse as Hulricus Huttenus in certaine Epigrams to this effect in Englishe translated verse for verse This Iulie vvho by long discent did sit in Peters seate Through nevv cōceite
the Readers might the easier be searched out being gathered together into one booke and layde out before all mens eyes the which I rather were performed of any man then of me and I had rather taken in hand my contry matters then foraine busines bicause I haue spent my time in vayne But I would not haue stirred vp this hudge puddel of the Romaine historie the which twoe Hercules were not able to clime But hearken what occasion inforced me therto chiefly the exhortatioÌ„ of my frends did draw me into this matter otherwise I refused it bicause my other worke in the Englishe tongue being proper only to English men knoweÌ„ to very fewe did seeme to do small profite to straungers But this being ioyned to it might be a publike commoditie and profitable to the vse of all men and more prouided for in other matters After this I went to it with a good courage and although I did desire that other men whiche were more fit for this matter and more garnished with eloquence should take this matter in haÌ„d Yet I thought that an accompt should be made of my talent and that I had rather to stumble a little then that so great wickednes of Antichriste so great crueltie and inordinate pleasure more and more breaking out and filling all thinges with the stinke therof being omitted of all men should seeme to be detected to fewe or none And if I should seeme to any maÌ„ to speake to frely let him thinke that it doth not procede of the heat of affectioÌ„ but through the knowledge of my coÌ„scieÌ„ce which do not declare things heard or redde only but things knowen by experience who liued 24. yeares in that secte and was present among theÌ„ being no small souldiour of the Pope where what is it that I haue not seene what that I haue not heard whiche is vnworthy of Christ Christians monkes and also of meÌ„ from whose superstitions at that time I was not free but I vtterly abhorred their filthines and mischiefe Wherefore seing that I perceiued many thinges whiche did offend therefore I am nowe compelled to be more diligent in seeking them out and more sharpe in reprouing them seeing they do not repent But sithe these thinges be done haue biene done of this flocke in Italy Sicil Spayne FrauÌ„ce and Englande who doubteth that sheepe will not followe the shepehearde or rather hogges their swyneheard shall we not knowe the father by the childe or the Lion by his talentes when prysons be full of mischiefe shall we thinke that the Romaine court hath none many things haue bene hidden in darkenesse priuie places the which the Sunne hath not seene but tyme the mother of truthe The monasteries being put down in England hath learned to speake and to bewraye them â–ª As for example the registers of the kinges visitatioÌ„ or as they call it the abbrigemeÌ„t of things knowen by experience in the very congregation colleges of the Papistes the which things I sawe them to my great feare and terrour but nowe I possesse them and kepe them to their great ignominie and shame and haue opened a few of them hereafter in the Epistle to the Reader If Ezechiel now should pearce through the wall and should be brought into their entries halles and darke chambers he shoulde not see the Israelites bewayle Thamnum but gelded meÌ„ vnmaried worthy to be woundred at for the godly profession offring their sacrifice to Baalpeor Bacchus Venus And sithe I knowe these thinges to be certayne and true should I not ouerthrowe them should I not make them manifest and openly knowen to all the worlde Truly they will saye that an Englishe man whiche is separated from all other nations dothe certainly knowe what is done at Rome in the secret chambers of the Pope and his Cardinall Shall not I openlye declare for a truth those thinges whiche are declared in Bookes and seene wyth the eyes of the wryter the whiche thinges not the secrete chambers but the princely court not the priuie corners but the open streetes do euidently shew but they deny it not and yet defende it wyth moste wicked Bookes set foorth in their owne tongue the which Christian shamefastnes forbiddeth me to declare The truth therfore ought to be expressed and not couered with visard and disguising but set foorth in his owne kinde not darkened with cloke or sayle cloth but decked finely in his owne collours for they be grosse thinges and may be groped at with handes But so great is the blindnesse of man that at noone daye he can not see and in the clearest Sunne his eyes be darkened This our miserable Realme of Englande may be vnto vs a familiar example for whose sake more willinglye I toke in hande to write this booke that oure Englishe men may see now at the last what a terrible beast they haue receyued into theyr common wealth what a viper they cherishe in their bosome whose hissinge before they could not wel abide do now suffer themselues to be sâ—ong with their tributes to be bitten with their leuying and takinge vp of money to be entoxicated with their idolatrous poyson Unto whom so many kinges so manye noble men did not once obeye whom VVickliffe the moste godliest of hys time did openlye shewe in writing to be Antichrist Whom K. Henry the eyght banished whom Edward the vi that most godlye king cast forth together with all the reliques and dregs of their religioÌ„ Him Queene Mary receyued being thrust in by Cardinall Poole many men litle regarding it manye winking at it as though they saw it not euery man almost allowinge it or at the least with diuers affections filthily reioysing in it It greeueth mee for my countrey sake because they offend God so greatly in forsaking him and in violatinge the oath which they made before to theyr kinges so that now they are compelled to obey at the becke to the newe monstrous cruell gouernment of most wicked Antichriste vnder whom they haue deserued to be oppressed with an idolatrous yoke to be blinded wyth superstition and deuilish Poperye and with a smal assault of the ennemyes to be shamefullye ouercome The which notwithstanding while Gods Religion flourished and Poperye wythered and was wasted away was neyther aflicted with the hand of God neither assaulted with any external power but if it were assaulted yet at no time coulde they conquere it I speake these things most reuerent fathers to my greate griefe and so much the more because I iudge the contempte of the word of God and the gulfe of Romaine filthines to be the cause of the plagues and that Christ beinge troden downe we had rather that the Pope the witch and Circes of the whole worlde not the seruaunt of all seruauntes but the Lorde of all Lords not the Uicar of Christe but the minister of the deuill should treade and skip vpon our shoulders and neckes then we would embrace kisse the sweete yoke the
lighte burden and most pleasant crosse of oure Sauiour Iesus Christe And I require this at your handes most godlye fathers that you will thincke this present calamity to be no small cause which stirred me vp to this matter and I desire for the great mercye of our Sauiour Christe that you go forwarde in that worke that you haue in hand and that you will make your prayers for England that cānot pray for it selfe that this Pope may be exempted out of the minds of all Christians Italians Spaniardes Frenchmen and Englishmen thruste out of all kingdomes and Churches broken in two and vtterlye destroyed Praye that the blind maye see the deafe heare and that those which be in darcknes and in the shadowe of death maye come to the light and knowledge of the truth For your prayers shal be of more effect with God than all the blessinges and cursinges of the detestable Pope By these thinges I trust that you vnderstande what I haue taken in hande and for what cause First the desire of my freindes compelled mee thereunto Secondly my conscience pricked mee forward hasting hereunto that I mighte communicate these thinges which I haue both heard and seene in the whole course of my life Last of all the lamentable state of Englande called mee hereunto that for the loue which I beare to my brethren I would ayde it and that the begīning of the Romaine tyrānye being read knowne and the ofspring of all the Popes they might seeke a newe way and amende their liues Also to restore the dignitye of the common wealth which was lost and to the reforminge of the Church and to the glorye of Iesus Christe the onely gouernour of the earth But not wtout great cause do I dedicate this my booke vnto you which are in this our age the greatest defendours of the Christian fayth which also do beare this greuous odious burden and for that cause do burne with the same fire of enuye which I do For truly I speake as I thincke as I beleiue because I beleiue it I cānot hold my peace If at VVitēberg Luther the vpholder of the Christian fayth at Tigur Zuinglius the inuincible defendour of the pure veritye and a professour therof vnto the death at Basil Occolampadius a lighte and lampe in the house of God had not opened the liuelye springes of the Scripture and being opened had not defēded them against the boldnes of the Philistines if others in those dayes in your places had not sustayned this oure Religion if you would not haue put to your ayde and helping hands if God had not left the seede of the truth in those Churches wherin you are Presidēts there had bin no place for Christe on the earth where hee might put his head ther should haue bin no refuge for exiles to flye vnto Christian pietye shoulde finde no place in which it might be confirmed safelye established And all those things that I haue shewed here were taught me of your pastours and writers Therefore it is meete that I should render some part thereof with gaine from whence I had it neyther do I honour worship onely your Churches as the springes of pure Religion the which with priuye passages doth flow vnto all the corners of the earth euen to vs beyonde the Ocean but all Englishe peregrins are bounde of dutye vnto you for your great benefites bestowed vppon them The which thing I would haue shewed at large in the name of all my freindes if I had not written vnto you to whom we are of dutye bound yet trulye to passe all thinges in silence and declare none of them I cannot Therefore I praye you pardō mee and let your modestye and gentlenes giue place and pardon mine affections while that of so many I declare a fewe to the intent that other men may vnderstand if I had not a iust cause to dedicate this my booke to you before al other The which thinge while I shewe briefelye as time and order doth require so I will name euery one of you not respecting your dignitye but doing after the imbecillitye of memorye and the perspicuitye of the matter Therefore that I maye declare from the beginninge ascende from the farthest vnto the nighest whereto much duty owe we to VVitenberg that most fayre marchandize of all artes they euidently declare which go thither either to behold the coūtrey or to giue themselues to studye with whose notable prayses many being styrred vppe would go thither in great companies if riches would aboūd as their good will doth to go so longe a iourneye For when they prayse other learned not withoute gratefull testifyinge of many benefites towardes them Than O Philip they do declare thy singuler curtesye maruelous facilitye and thy good wil alwayes ready to deserue wel of al men Neither without a cause For thou prosecutest al mē at home with all kinde of humanitye and at home with thy preaching louing letters doest ease the sorrowful wauering minds For it is not vnknowen what thou hast done at the councel of VVesalia in the Englishe mens behalfe who when thou sawest to take paynes for Religion sake and to be greatly moued wyth the vniust outcryes of men that helde opinion agaīst thē thou thoughtest good that the cause should be heard wythout debate or strife and not to be put oute with crye clapping of hands thou saydst that the men were to be retayned and relieued and not to be vexed and afflicted with any sharpe iudgement To this ende thou didst write to the maiestrates of Franckford so that by thy letters which I chaunced to see I am certified where thou didst thincke it meete that our men purelye thinkinge of the articles of our Christian fayth and in diuers cōtrouersyes defending their opinion with feruour of zeale accordinge to their nature to be taughte and not to be oppressed to be warned w t talke not troubled with force sith that doubtfull matters ought to be handled of the aduersaryes parte wyth obscure wordes Neither do I doubte but that the countryes bordring there about Strasburge Basil Arouia Tigurū Geneua Emdona being moued with such a notable testimonye will receiue vs more into their fauour But leuing VVittenberge I come to Basile where I will be more parciall not bicause I can not prayse him sufficiently inough but bicause I am one of them which haue felt and do daily feele the great beneuolence of the Senate ministers and the whole people least I should not seeme to be so gratefull a prayser as a deceitfull flatterer Therfore I will saye nothing of thee at this tyme moste wyse learned Sulcer nothinge of M. VVoulfangus VVisenburge that moste excellent diuine and worthy gouernour of the vniuersitie nothing of Martin Borrham the notable professor of diuinitie nothing of learned M. Iohn Iunius my faithfull companion nothing of Marcus Bersius Iames Turkenbrot Conradus Lycosthenes his deare friende Huldricus Coccius Thomas
sodainly Anno. 886. 47. Steuen the fift STeuen the fift gat to be Pope at such time as Fraunce was inuaded by the Normans England by the Danes Pannonye by the Hunnes and Italy by the Sarracens He liued in much trouble and anguish of the mind all the time of his being Pope because Italy was so vexed with warre and the Romaines were not at his commaundemente enoughe yet he employed himselfe to the most of his endeuour daily to encrease their Babilonical trumperye and that none of his decrees might be defaced for as Gratian writeth Distinct. 6. Enimuero he decreed that all the Cānons of the Church of Rome ought of necessity to be kept The same Pope sayth he forbad anye Christians to condemne any to be put to death with hot iron or scalding water which was thē vsed Cau. 2. quest 4. He caused a lawe to be made howe to order such parents as do either ignorantly smother their children in theyr beddes with thē or els do choake them or murther them He dyed Anno 892. 48. Formosus the first FOrmosus the first being bishoppe of Portua fearing the crueltye of Iohn the ix forsoke Rome because hee was thought to be giltye of Iohns imprisonmente this name Formosus signifying beutifull whiche beinge made Pope he choose and toke vppon him sheweth sayth Cranzius that he was a proude parson This Formosus for those former causes vowed and sware an oath that he would neuer returne to his bishopricke nor to Rome both which he had forsaken so he gaue ouer his orders forsoke priestcraft and became a layeman but the nexte that succeded did absolue him frō the oath which he had sworn to Pope Iohn and for moneye did restore him After the death of Steuen this Formosus so monied the matter that hee purchased Peters chayre but as not with out bribes so not without great brauling by meanes that one Sergius a deacon wrestled for the same place For the appeasing wherof he calling Arnulphus sonne of Carolomannus into Rome made him Emperour who to gratify him for his curtesy stroke of the heades of them that were his chiefest aduersaries He raigned vi yeres did almost nothing he died Anno 896. And at the length for these quarrels cōtinuing amōg his successors his bodye and bones were taken vp by Sergius the third the ninthe Pope after him and throwne into the riuer Tiber. After this Formosus the Popes did so dispatch one another that within nine yeares there were xi Popes 49. Boniface the sixt BOniface the sixte was Pope but a while after Formosus and therefore he could not shew of whether faction he was in such great debate among the Cardinalles the people He liued but 25. dayes Pope as Anselmus saith to be remembred for nothinge but for his quiet election happye in nothing but in raigning but a while 50. Steuen the sixt STeuen the sixt succedinge Boniface was so enflamed against Formosus that at the first hee disanulled his decrees cancelled his actes And althoughe Formosus had beene beneficiall vnto him before in making him bishop of Agnina yet this curtesye could not cause this vnthankful prelate to forbeare his malicious purpose but because that this Formosus had before preuēted him in the Popedome and by getting it disapointed him would not suffer him to keepe concubines he conceyued such deadly rancour against him euen after his death that to reuenge his quarrel vppon the dead bodye he sommoninge a counsaile first toke the karkasse of Formosus out of his graue then put al the Popes pontificall robes and attyre vppon it and plucked it of againe and so as it were spitefullye to disgrade him put on layemans apparell vppon him finallye cutting of those two fingers of the right hande wherwith hee vsed to hold the Sacrament and throwinge them into Tiber he commaunded to burye his bodye againe but not among spiritual mens bodyes but among laye men Thus after one yeares raigne he dyed Anno. 897. 51. Romanus the first ROmanus a Romaine by name and byrth though some thincke he were a Spaniard did nothinge worthye of remembrance but whereas he fauoured Formosus he allowed his doinges and did abrogate the decrees actes of Steuen But because he liued not longe hee coulde not proceede farre in his factious doinges which tainted the Romaine prelates shamefully at this time especiallye He dyed the third month of his Popeship Anno. 898. 52. Theodorus the second THeodorus the second euen at his entraūce followed the examples that Romanus had set to him But there is no notorious thing mentioned of him because he liued but a while sauinge that as Stella Venetus sayth he also walked in the seditious pathes of his forefathers He had no regarde of Gods cause but was a maintayner and vpholder of Formosus quarell and cherished those that were of that faction but his shorte time preuented his farther doinge He dyed the xx daye of his Popeship Anno. 899. 53. Iohn the tenth IOhn the tenth succeded Theodorus as well in manners as in place for wheras these seditions were almost buryed he in his time renued the scab againe and made it sorer then before Iohn sayth Barnus mindinge to restore Formosus doinges whollye he sturred a great tumult because the people did resist and withstande it and when hee sawe that it woulde brast into open warre he gotte him to Rauenna and sommoning thither a conuocation of 74. bishops he restored all Formosus his decrees euen to the vttermost and did openlye condemne the actes made by Steuen because he had done so reprochfullye against the dead carcasse Also he burnt al the writings that were to be gotten of that Synode against Formosus but he proceeded no further in these broyles for wante of breath Hee dyed Anno. 901. 54. Benedict the fourth BEnedict the fourth is reported to haue done no notable thinge in these iarres and braules In this age sayth Stella it happened that as wel through the hedds meaning the Popes set all on sedition as by the bodye addicted to slouth al vertue withered away Likewyse sayth Platina when the Church through her wealth wexed wanton and riotous and none of the head of the clergye cōtrolled vice then forthwith wickednes hauing gotten liberty brought forth and yelded vs these Popes being as it were mōsters and mongrels which encroche Peters place by ambition and briberye Benedict dyed Anno. 904. 55 Leo the fift LEo the fift being made Pope euen in his dignitie was taken by strong hande and cast into prison violently by one Christopher seking to make him selfe Pope being but a prieste and chapleine to Leo one whom he had brought vp in his owne house Whiche thing sayth Platina coulde not be done without great seditiō and the slaughter of many And of what auctoritie the place was now it may wel appeare when as firste harlottes bare sway and ruled the Popes then a priuate persone durst and could thus within so shorte a
that they knew what was done both East West South and North in the corners of the world eyther touching warres or the death of Princes And therefore manye had theyr cunninge in greate reuerence and did attempt dilligently to learne of them and gatte theyr skill especiallye one Hildebrand Who forsaking an abbey where he was placed did so follow this trade that he excelled his maysters and was wonderfull busye in pestilent practises by meanes of his magicall artes as the Church by the fruite thereof did afterwarde feele sayth Benno But to returne to Benedict who after the death of Conradus conspired wyth his former counsellers to disherite his sonne Henry the thirde of the Empier and to plant in his steede Peter king of Hungarie and therefore he sent the crowne of the Empier to him with this Uerse Petra dedit Romam Petro tibi Papa coronam The rocke to Peter gaue Rome the towne The Pope to thee Peter giueth the crowne But Henry at the first conflict ouercame Peter and toke him prisoner and purposed to set forward to Rome which beinge heard Benedict being terriblye afraide soulde his Popeship to his companion Iohn Gratian who payed for it fiftene hundred poundes was afterward called Gregorie the sixt But in the meane time the Romaynes deposinge Benedict for his negligence and slouth Anno. 1045. did place in his steede Iohn bishop of Saba callīg him Syluester the thirde For this sale sayth Platina Benedict was accused of all men and cōdemned by deuine sentence and at the length by Gods iuste iudgemente he was strangled to death by a deuill in the woods Anno. 1056. The Historiographers write that this Benedict or Theophilact was seene of a certaine Hermite in a most ouglye and gastlye shape hard by a Mill for his bodye was all rough and hairye like a beare wyth head and tayle like an asse And being asked of the Hermite how he was thus trāsfigured He aunsweared I wāder in this shape because in the time that I was Pope I liued without reason without lawe without God and defiled the sea of Rome with all kind of villanye In his time the Cardinals that began of little grew to be great in dignitye 88. Syluester the thirde SYluester the third a Romaine first called bishop of Saba obtayned to be Pope partly by his owne briberye partlye by the tumult and vprore of his countreymen after the expulsion of Benedict as some say but as it is rather to be thought by the magicall sorcerye of his father Laurence the famous coniurer For thus sayth Benno After Benedict was driuen out and that Popeship sould Iohn Gratian being in the place Iohn bishop of Saba was thrust in vppon him and called Syluester the thirde and thus these iii. Popes beinge at once it rente the Church of Rome a sonder and deuided it into diuers factions thus wyth cruell warres and great bloudshed the Church was torne in peeces foulye mangled with sciesmes choaked with errors while vnder the colour of wine it gulled in poyson Thus wrote Benno of that wretched time But sayth Platina Syluester enioyed the rowme but a while for within xlix dayes the frendes of Benedict with great tumult restored Benedict to that which he had first both lost and soulde The Popeshippe saith Platina was now brought to this passe that he that was of greatest wealth and beste able to giue bribes and most ambitious not most godlye or best learned he onelye good men being oppressed and reiected obtayned that dignitye which trade sayth he I woulde to God they had not continued euen vnto our time but these are but small matters for we are like to see worse vnlesse God amende it Thus muche doth Platina complayne of theyr leude liues who otherwise flattered the Sea of Rome and extolled theyr doctrine But as touching Syluester the Emperour Henry draue him from the Popeshippe caused him to returne to his owne bishopricke wherein he continued as before he was Cardinall and bishop of Saba In the time of the foresaid Benedict the sixte daye of April Anno 1039. there was seene a mighty beame of fire burninge in the Element as Masseus wryteth in his sixte booke Anno Domini 1041. Pope Benedict made one Cazimirus a monke in Clunace abbey and a deacon kinge of Poleland on this cōdition that for euery head in Poleland he should pay yerelye to the Pope and his successors an ordinary summe of money And furthermore that they should not let the heyre of theyr heade to grow longe and that they of Poleland shoulde remember for euer howe that this polling had giuen them a shauē king out of an abbey 89. Gregorie the sixt GRegorie the sixt an Italian first called Iohn Gratian learned the magicall sciences of Syluester the seconde He bought the Popeship of his kinseman Benedict the ix and at the length obtayned it He after sciesmes and sedition being made Pope sayth Premonstratensis perceyuinge that certaine filchers purloyned the goodes of the Church that straungers were robbed on all sides began to haue a regard vnto the riches and first admonished them afterward he excommunicated them and last of all he warred on them that contemned his threatnings and thus he did both recouer the Church goodes wyth encrease and also executed and put to death the wasters thereof The Cardinals being moued with this cruelty called him Simnist murtherer and bloud sucker and on a time while he was sicke they saide hee was vnworthye to be buryed in the Church Whereunto among other thinges he aunswered thus I haue warred vppon other that wyth the damage of the laietye I might purchase glorye to the clergye and thus ye recompence mee and sone after he recouered his health The troublesome tragical broyles which these Popes wrought at this time are thus described by Otho Frisgensis Godfri Viterbiensis and other auctors While saye they Benedict the ix was Pope Syluester the thyrd and soone after Gregorie the sixt did inuade the seate And in the 7. yeare of the Emperour Henry the third these 3. Popes made themselues 3. seueral seates in Rome wherby they brought in a detestable sciesme euerye one endeuoured that he might not yelde to other in sedition impietye and villanye Benedict he sate as Pope in Lateran Pallaice the rest the one at S. Peters the other at S. Maries made his pontificall throne While these thre Popes did at once to the perill of the whole estate possesse comber the Citye Iohn Gratian a priest came vnto them perswading them euery one to take a peece of moneye and giue ouer their title of Popeship and so it came to passe and for this cause the Romaynes created Gratian Pope as one that had saued the commō wealth Henry the Emperour hearing of these sturres in haste came to Rome helde a Synode wherein those three Benedict Syluester Gregorie were condemned and the fourth Pope created in theyr steede called Clemens the second And thus
decrees and to coÌ„firme that auctoritye which the Church had gotten Amonge many other enormities he coÌ„cluded that no priests sonne shoulde be capable of orders He made the archbishop of Toledo primate of Spaine vppon condition that he should sweare fealtye to the Pope so by that meanes he broughte Spaine vnder his winge He cursed the kinge of Fraunce for imprisoning a bishop He caused all that should take order to sweare with this clause So God helpe me and the holye Euangelistes finally he standing in awe of one Iohn Pagan a Romaine did hide himselfe for two yeares in the house of one Peter Lion where he dyed Anno 1099. And his bodye was conueyed by nighte ouer Tiber for feare of his foes the same yeare also dyed Clement the thirde who had seene in his time the death of three Popes Of the former Hildebrand and this Vrban his scholler Theodor Bibliander writeth thus to Princes of al estates Hildebrand sayth he by sturringe vp the Greeke Emperour against the Turkes did sowe the seede of the voiage of Gog Magog vppon-whom the bloude of the Church cryeth vengeaunce that was shed wyth the sworde of his tongue But this Vrban by causinge Christians to goe warre vppon Pagans with vaine colour of fighting for the holye Lande for Christes Sepulcher hath caused more Christian bloud to be shedde of all Nations then can be esteemed and did it onelye to oppresse Clement the second and his faction the while to restore himselfe to be Pope In the time of this VrbaÌ„ VVilliam Rufus kinge of England was sore combred with the proude prelate Anselmus archbishop of Canterbury who wheÌ„ he was commaunded to aunsweare to his misbehauiour did auoide it in appealinge to the Courte of Rome both against the liking of al the bishops in Englande and in spite of the kinges harte went to complaine to the Pope 101. Paschal the second PAschal the seconde was an Italian called before Rainerus hee was made Cardinall of S. Clements by Hildebrande his Scholemaister succeded Vrban He when he sawe he shoulde be chosen woulde not take the place vppon him vntil the people had cryed thre times S. Peter choseth thee worthie man Raynarde Then hauinge a purple roabe vppon him and a Miter on his head he was brought vppon a white horse vnto Lateran where hee receyued the Popes Scepter and had the gyrdle put about him wheron are hanged seuen keyes and as manye Seales All the time he raigned he was continually busyed in warres and â—editioâ—s attemptinge by all meanes possible to aduaunce yet hier the estate of the Popedome He draue out furiouslye from their places all those bishops and abbots that were established by the Emperour At this time there was a certaine prelate called Fluentinus who seinge the greate enormityes that presently choaked the Christian Church held opinion that Antichrist was incarnate and borne and that he was reuealed herein And therefore sayth Sabellicus the Pope held a councel against him with the bishops of Italy and Fraunce in Rome amonge other canons he concluded it heresye to denye obedience to the Pope and made a canon for paying of tenthes to priestes concluding it siane against the holye Ghoste to sell the tenthes He renued and published the excommunication against the Emperour and caused the bishop of Mentz of Collen and of VVormes to thrust him froÌ„ his estate taking his Crowne from him with al princelye title dignitye and honour Yea and which is horrible to be heard not content with this he did prouoke and arme his onelye sonne Henry the fifte to rebell against him being his naturall father A lamentable and pitifull case to see the onelye child of so good noble a father not beinge prouoked by any iniurye on the fathers part not onely to despise to forsake and reuolt from his father denying to ayde him but also to assault hym by force of armes to enclose him with his armye as he did and toke him entrapped by treason spoyled robbed him of his royal estate and forced the wretched and miserable man captiue to his owne child to dye a double and dolefull death Thus could the Pope put the sworde in the sonnes hand forsing him to sheath it in his fathers bowels Neither could this vnnaturall death of the good olde man cause the vnnaturall rancour to dye in the Popes breast but for further reuenge he coÌ„maunded that the Emperours carkasse should not be buryed but first be cast out of the Church and be caryed from Leodos to Spira where it rotted fiue yeares without any Christian burial But lo what a wonder God wrought in the meane time To testify sayth Abbas Vspergensis the Popes tyrannye it rayned bloud at Spira It were a lamentable thing to tell at large the maner of the Popes vnmerciful dealing with this good Emperour For first the forenamed bishops comminge to him to Hilgeshem they coÌ„maunded him to deliuer vp his Diademe his Purple roabes his Signet and other like ornaments belonging to the Empyre WheÌ„ he required a reason thereof they aunsweared partly for sellinge spirituall liuinges but chiefely for the Popes pleasure Wyth that the good Emperour sighing saide Ye know you receyued your bishoprickes at my hande that I gaue them freelye and am giltye of no suche cryme and yet do you thus quite my curtesye But the vnthankful prelates moued neither with allegeaunce oath nor benefite prosecuted their purpose and first yelding him no reuerence they plucked froÌ„ him sitting in his place of estate his Crowne Emperial and his Purple roabe and his Scepter He beinge thus stripped out of his royaltye and forsaken sayde pacientlye Let God see and iudge They leauing him bestowed these things vppon the sonne creating him causing him forthwith to pursue his father forcing him to flye but wyth ix parsons to the Dukedome of Limborough where the duke beinge his deadly ennemye did also make speede to apprehende him The Emperour perceyuing himselfe thus entrapped and fearing death submitted himselfe to the duke beseaching him rather to shewe mercye then vengeaunce Herevpon the noble harted duke thoughe the Emperour had whilom displaced him of his Dukedome yet pityinge his miserye he both forgaue him entertayned him curteously in his Castel and w t an armye conducted him to Collen where he was well receyued But the sonne hearinge thereof besieged the Citye but the father fled by night to Leodium where so manye louinge hartes resorted to him that he bad his sonne a battaile and ouerthrewe him and still desyred that if his sonne were taken he should be saued harmelesse Yet the sonne ceased not but renuinge the battaile preuayled and so dispossessed his father whoe in the ende was brougth to such penurye that he craued of the bishop of Spire to giue him but a prebende to liue vppon in the Church But the earle forgetting the benefites receyued of him in his prosperitye denyed him flatlye and said by ladye ye get none here Thus after he
Pope Gregorie aliue whom the Emperour himselfe had first created And when the Popes Legates demaunded of the Emperour to giue ouer his auctoritye in Ecclesiasticall causes and bestowing spirituall liuinges he desired respit to deliberate thereon with the Princes of Germanye who councelled him to seeke for the fauour of the Pope to such puissancye was the Pope then start vp ouer the mightie Monarches Finallye Embassadours meetinge at VVormes in Germanye for eyther parte to debate the matter after greate controuersyes and sharpe reasoninges on eyther syde the Pope bare awaye the victorye for the Emperours Proctours were the bishop of Spire and the abbot of Fulda by theyr callinge bounde to fauour the Popes part who perswaded the Emperour to yelde ouer his righte for feare of the excomunication which would cause his subiects to reuolt from him And so he obeyed This beinge done the Popes Legates did absolue him and gaue him licence to repayre to seruice in the Church which Gelasius had denyed him These compositions were drawne in wrighting for both sydes and therfore the Popes part euen to triūph of their victorye and shewe how the Emperour was vanquished caused theirs to be read with open Proclamation and hanged them vp at Lateran to be seene openlye Calixtus after he had thus maistred the Emperour persecuted Pope Gregorie his aduersarye that stoode against him for the Popedome by the Emperours meanes Gregorie hearing of this fled from Rome to Sturium where Calixtus caught him and to make him a laughing game euen to the Emperours reproche he caused Gregorie to be set vppon a Camel with his face toward the Camels tayle so to be brought to Rome afterward he caused his heade to be shauen so sente him into a Monasterye Amonge manye Canons that Calixtus made one was that it should be adulterye if a man in his life time shoulde forsake his bishopricke or Church wresting this place of Paule vnto it The wyfe is bound to the lawe of her husbande while he liueth c.. He appointed to fast foure times in the yeare whereas before it was but thrise and said it was not lawfull to fast anye otherwise then accordinge as the Church of Rome did addinge this reason For sayth hee as the sonne came to do the will of his father so muste Christians do the will of their mother the Church of Rome He dyed of a feuer which he toke by the trauell of a greate iorneye Anno 1125. One Simeon an Englishman borne in Duresme in the 2. booke of his historye of the Kinges of Englande wryteth that this Calixtus held a generall councell in Fraunce wherin he forbad priestes deacons or subdeacons to haue wyues and first to leese their benefices secondlye the Communion if they woulde not yeilde herein Wherevppon one in Englande wrote a sharpe Epigram against him thus in effect O bone Calixte nunc omnis clerus odit te Quondam presbyteri poterant vxoribus vti Hoc destruxisti postquam tu Papa fuisti Ergo tuùm meritò nomen habent odiò O good Calixtus now the clergye doth the hate In former tyme the Churchmen might enioy their spousal mate But thou bast takē this away to Popeship since thou came Therefore as thou deserued hast they do detest thy name 104. Honorius the seconde HOnorius the second before called Lambert being but of base byrth was first made bishop of Hostia for his learninge and so came to be Pope But sayth Platina his entraunce into Peters place is not to be commēded because he came in rather by the ambition of a few then the cōsent of good men for he was made Pope with great debate by the pollicy of one Leo Frangepain the chiefest Citizen who perswaded that they should not chose the Pope before they knewe all the Canons concerning the electiō While they stayed about this Leo practised to serue this Popes turne by such fetches as he could deuise but the Cardinals perceyuinge his policye did create one Theobaldus a Cardinall Pope callinge him Celestine but the people stoode earnestlye vrginge for another Cardinall that was a Saxō which Leo seemed to like of onelye to defeate the election of the Cardinals and when by this meanes he had the people somwhat indifferent to be ruled by him he brought to passe by them to make Lambert Pope and called him Honorius This Honorius sayth Mattheus Parisiensis sent out a Legat one Iohn Cremensis a riotous Cardinal to fil the Popes bagges He cōming into England Anno 1125. wyth the kinges fauour passed from one Religious house to another still fillinge his pouches with moneye and hys panche with delicate cheare And when he had euen loaden himselfe meetely wel he held a Synode in London where he cōdemned all the clergye of adultery which had wyues and euen the selfe same daye at night my Lord Legat himselfe euen his owne parson was taken in adultery And yet Pope Honorius wrote in his behalfe to the clergye of Englande thus Wee desire you charge you and commaunde you that ye receyue this Iohn as the Uicar of S. Peter w t reuerence heare him with humilitye and at his commaūdement be assistant at his Synodes c. The like for him wrote Honorius to Dauid kinge of Scottes There is a certaine statute made by the same Iohn in the said Synode helde at London to this effecte Wee by our Apostolicall auctoritye commaunde that priestes deacons subdeacons and canonists shall not come in companye wyth theyr wyues concubines yea or any other women except theyr mother sister or aunte or such womē as may altogether giue no suspition and who so shall breake this shall forfaite his orders Wee commaunde that no mariage shal be made betweene kindred or affinitye to the seuenth degree Honorius dyed Anno 1130. Platina sayth that in the time of this Honorius one Arnulphus an Englishmā and a noble preacher of the Christen Religion was murthered at Rome by the treacherye of the clergye because he did sharpelye reproue theyr royat and wantonnesse and rebuked theyr pompe and greedinesse in gatheringe riches Manye of the nobles of Rome did followe this man as a true disciple Prophete of Christe and onelye preacher of the truth 105. Innocentius the second INnocentius the second after he was made Pope coulde deuise no more charitable deede then to suppresse Roger Duke of Sicilia for sayinge that he was kinge of Italye The Pope broughte oute his armye and marched forward stoutlye and manfullye ouerthrew his ennemye but the dukes sonne comminge vppon his backe with an army toke the Pope and his Cardinals and so Roger obtayned all besyde the title of Sicilia In the meane time the Romaynes created one Peter Leo his sonne Pope and called him Anacletus which being heard Innocentius desired to be set at libertye and obtayned it and purposed to returne to Rome but because he saw al was in an vprore at Rome he turned frō thence trauayling till he came into Fraūce In the meane
time Anacletus sought wyth spendinge and brybinge to winne and confirme all mens good wills towarde him that anye way seemed to fauour him He made Roger kinge of both Sicils to be his freinde Innocentius was busye on the other syde to recouer the Popedome therefore held a councell in Fraunce and condemned Anacletus for an ennemye of the Church Afterward he went to Philip kinge of Fraunce and crowned his sonne Lewes then he wente to Carnotus where he met with Henry the first kinge of Englande perswading with him to send an armye against the Sarracens that kept the holye lande but his purpose was to haue vsed that army for the recouering of his Popedome From him he went to Lotharius kinge of Germanye desyringe him to see him restored Lotharius gyuinge his oath to the Pope prepared an armye to conducte Innocent safe to Rome So Lotharius entred into Italye wyth a puissante armye to restore Innocent to hys place and comminge to Rome deuided his hoast and entred into the Citye ouerthrewe Anacletus with duke Roger and set Innocētius safe in Lateran Innocentius therefore to shew himselfe thanckfull crowned Lotharius Emperour and gaue to Reginold his chiefest Captayne the Dukedome of Apulia that was none of his owne to bestow and all that Roger possessed in Italy ▪ But Reginold dyed soone after and then Roger claymed his right againe and because the Pope withstoode him he toke him againe his Cardinals sodenly ere that they wist would neuer let them depart vntill they had graunted him his whole desire yea to make him kinge of both Sicils and so since that time the kingdome of Sicill is called S. Peters patrimonye But sayth Nauclerus much mischiefe arose vp hereof because the Pope woulde thus take vppon him the bestowinge of Princelye titles robbinge the Emperours of that righte which they had gotten by the sworde Innocentius made a lawe that whosoeuer should strike an annointed priest or shauen clarke shoulde be excommunicated to be absolued onelye by the Pope after this hee dyed Anno 1143. In this Popes time Steuen Kinge of Englande Anno 1136. kept to himselfe and vsed in his owne power the inuesture of prelates And Lotharius the Emperour would haue reclaymed that to himselfe which the Pope toke from Henry the Emperour but that S. Bernard being then of great credite disswaded him About this time was VVilliam bishop of Yorke called S. VVilliam of Yorke who was poysoned in his challice by his Chapleynes 106. Celestine the second CElestine the second a Thuscan succeded Innocent by the commaundement of Conradus his life was so shorte that he could not play the Pope like other At this tyme was a great contagious plague through out al Italy Celestine dyed in the sixt month of his Popeship In his time the bishop of VVinchester in Englande helde a councell where was concluded that if any man abused eyther Church or Churchyard or layde hand on an Ecclesiasticall person he shoulde be excommunicate to be absolued onelye by the Pope 107. Lucius the second LVcius the second borne in Bononia succeded Celestine He was the cause auctor of much discension in Rome for deposing and disanullinge a kinde of office called Patricianship which the Romaynes being weary of the Popes yoke had made in the time of Innocentius because the Popes toke vppon them all swaye within the Citye abroade likewise But this Pope Lucius because he was not able to depose the Patrician alone craued ayde of the Emperour Conradus whoe beinge otherwise busied coulde not assiste him Lucius therefore soughte to attaine his purpose another waye for when the Patrician the Senatours were all gathered together close in the Capitol Lucius toke his oportunitye and came thither with a bande of souldiours in armour meaninge either to destroye the Capitoll or to driue them out The Cityzēs hearing hereof armed them selues forthwith and ranne to succour theyr officer whervppon roose a very bloudye fraye Pope Lucius beinge in the middest of the broyle was so pelted with stones and other lumpes that sone after he dyed therof Anno 1145 ere he had raigned a yeare 108. Eugenius the third EVgenius the thirde sometime an abbot was made Pope by this meanes w t the consente of the Cardinals This Eugenius was scholer to S. Barnard who for his learning was then in great reuerence and cōsidering the time how the Romaynes wrangled to haue auctoritye in the electiō of the Pope they thoughte it safest and surest for the maintenaunce of the Popes auctoritye to chose none of the Colledge of Cardinals but this Eugenius that it mighte be a cause why his scholemaister Barnarde shoulde aduaunce the Sea of Rome in his wrytinges and so it fell out as it appeareth in his 2. booke of Considerations Eugenius at his first creation perceyued the Romaynes woulde be importunate to haue the election of theyr Senatours ratifyed and therefore hee fled wyth his Cardinals from Rome by night to Viterbium where he excommunicated all the Romaynes which caused the Citizens to obeye Iordan chosen Patrician then he ioyned his armye with the hoast of the Tiburtines olde ennemyes to Rome so compelled the Romaynes to sue for peace which he graunted at length vppon condition that they should fullye abolish the principalitye of the Patrician and shoulde restore his deputye to his former place and for hereafter shoulde be contente to take suche Senatours as hee by his Papall auctoritye would assigne them Peace beinge thus concluded he returned into Rome but perceyuing afterwarde that falsehoode was mente towarde him he slipt againe to Tiburie the Romaynes pursued him forthwith with bowes and bils and draue him from Tiburie into Fraunce And at length he returned to Rome and there dyed Anno 1152. 109. Anastasius the fourth ANastasius of a Cardinall became Pope wherein hee did nothinge worthye memorye but that hee bestowed vppon Lateran a riche and massye Chalice and bestowed cost in repayringe S. Maries Churche and so dyed the seconde yeare of his Popeship Anno 1154. This Anastasius after the death of one Henry Mordachus a proud mōke whom Pope Eugenius intruded restored S. Williā archbishop of Yorke which William was afterward poysoned in the Challice comminge to receiue the Communion as Mattheus Parisius sayth In this Popes time y Thames at London was so frozen the cartes and waynes passed ouer the I se and a litle before were two Eclipses one of the Sunne and the other of the Moone after which followed terrible tempestes stormes thonder lightninges raine and winde 110. Hadrian the fourth HAdrian the fourth was an Englishmā borne called Nicolas Breakespeare the sonne of one Dan Robert a mōke of S. Albanes he was first a reguler priest afterwarde a bishop then a Cardinall and finallye Pope of Rome He being chosen by the clergye at Rome would not ascende take the place vntill they had consented vnto him that one Arnold bishop of Brixia whom he counted an hereticke should be banished
time Alexander comminge out of Fraunce into Italy returned forth with to Rome and was curteously receyued and the Cityes of Italy being emboldned by his comminge to shake of their allegeance to the Emperour contrarye to their oath did forthwith reuolte from him king Philip of Fraunce fauouring their part The Emperour knowing of these rebellions conspiracies against him did forthwith gather a newe armye and went into Italye but when he came to Brixia one Hartman the bishop thereof beinge of the Emperours priuye councell but a false hipocrite did disswade him from the warre And perswaded him by the Popes secrete councell to make warre rather against the â—urkes ennemyes to Christian fayth then against the holye father and Christian men addinge withal that now the Soldan oppressed enioyed Hierusalem and al the holy land which his vncle had whilom coÌ„quered with greate power charges He prayed him to trye the force of his army vpon the Agarens Saracens and to recouer these landes therewith furthermore he promised the Emperour to perfourme this that the kinge of FrauÌ„ce likewise should leuye an army to ayde to conquer the Soldan kinge of Aegipt At his supplication the Emperour ledde his armye against the Paganes which he had prepared against the Pope his rebels He traueyled throughe Hungary to Constantinople and sendinge ouer his army he wan manye townes from the Turke as amonge other Philomenia and Ionicus passed into Armenia the lesse conquering all yea God so prospered his victoryes that the Soldan him selfe feared the losse of his kingdome At the length he came to Hierusalem where he suffred the Pagans to passe with life out of the Citye At length hauinge gotten great victories in Iewry he coÌ„sidered how he might defende from the Turkes that which he had wonne and repayre that which was wasted But while he was thus busye here in the East Pope Alexander was not yet quieted but both he and his conspiratours stil feared him if he should euer returne into Italye and therefore Alexander still deuised how to haue him destroyed He sent a cunning painter to go to the place where the Emperour was who the Emperour not knowing thereof shoulde drawe his picture this being perfectly done he commauÌ„ded a secret messenger to conuey it to the Soldan wrote a letter wtall to the Soldan certefying him that it was the Emperours picture and tellinge him that if he would liue quietlye he must worke the feate to haue him destroyed by som traine The Soldan hauiÌ„g receyued these letters the Emperours liuely picture deuised howe to gratifye the Pope and to slay his ennemye but he could neuer get oportunitye neither in battell nor in his tentes to haue him slaine But when the Emperour hauinge wonne Hierusalem retired wyth his army homeward he hauing no feare of himselfe did deuide his armye into diuers partes whereby they might returne the more conuenientlye for vittaile and lodginge one after another But in Armenia being on a time in a great heate and sweatinge partly with trauell partly with the heate of the Sunne mistrusting no daunger in the saluage country full of woddes he taking a fewe horsemeÌ„ with him his chaplein did step froÌ„ his armye Beinge a litle gone a side he alighted from his horse and was about to put of his apparell at a riuers side where coÌ„maunding his horsemen to depart he purposed by himselfe his chaplen alone to baath himselfe because he was exceeding hot where it so hapned that the Soldanes which had lyen in wayte for him as he trauelled negligentlye came and toke him and ledde the noble Emperour prisoner through the woods to the Soldan his horsemen not knowinge thereof attending for him in vaine at length came and sought diligentlye for him till the nexte daye The rumour was broughte to the armye that he was drowned whereuppon all the hoast lamented wepte and mourned heauilye and sought him alonge the floude almost the space of an whole month but when they could not finde him they chose them newe Captaynes and so marched homeward The Emperour being brought to the Soldan did dissemble that he was one of the Emperours chamberlaynes but the Soldan perceyuinge by the picture which he had from the Pope resembling his face that he was the Emperour commaunded the picture to be broughte forth and the leâ—ters to be read before him The Emperour beinge astonished at this treason sawe that it auayled not to denye himselfe he confessed the truth and besought the Soldan humblye to haue compassion on him After the Soldan had talked much with him and saw both by his wordes deedes that he was a worthie and noble gentlemaÌ„ in whom there was no vertue meete for so princely a parsonage wanting and hauinge him in great estimation for his wisedome his good demeanour his faythfulnes and vprighte dealinge thoughte he should purchase himselfe great glorye and renowne to deliuer him Therefore afterward he called the Emperour vnto him offered him liberty vppon conditioÌ„s and curteouslye profered him that he should laye in hostages for his raunsome paying And on this condition he let him go that he shoulde make a perpetuall league of peace with him and should paye an hundred thousand ducates should leaue his chaplen that was takeÌ„ prisoner with him to lye in pledge till it were payd so writings were drawne of the conditions and the Emperour prepared his iorney and bad his chaplen be of good courage promisinge him that he would not take his rest in Germany vntil the moneye were sent and that he saw him returned thether Then the SoldaÌ„ bestowed giftes on the Emperour prouided for his voyage and with xxxiiii horses certaine souldiours conducted him to Brixia and stayed there The Princes vnderstandinge of the Emperours returne for ioye resorted fast vnto him The Emperour loadinge the Soldanes men wyth diuers rewardes sent them backe againe and other with them to conduct them to the coast of the Empire Afterward he held a Parliament at Norimberg callinge together all the Princes of the Empyre to whoÌ„ he detected the treason of Pope AlexaÌ„der and read the traytours Epistle which he sent to the Soldan and tolde them by what meanes he escaped The Princes promised to assist him to performe his promise to the Soldan and in great disdaine against Pope Alexander traitour to the Empyre they offred to ayde him The armye was gathered hee came to Rome and not a man through out Italye withstoode him and sending his Embassadours into the Citye he demauÌ„ded of the Romaynes concealing his owne iniurye that the Church might be brought to quietnes by hearing both the Popes causes heard and that the right bishop mighte haue his place whereby the Church might be gouerned by one If they would do this he promised that he woulde graunte them not onely peace but would restore them all their righte Pope Alexander perceyuinge that by this meanes the Emperour mighte obtayne his purpose to be reuenged on him fled
by night to Caieta afterward to Beneuent last of all in the 17 yeare of his Popeship he came to Venice disguised in the apparell of one that was his cooke where lurking in an abbey he became a Gardener A while after he was bewrayed and knowne and there vpon calling a councell by the commaundement of duke Sebastian he was receyued with great honour and brought into S. Maryes Church w t pontificall pompe The Emperour hearing that the Pope was at Venice desyred the Venetians to yeld to him his ennemye being likewyse the ennemye of the common wealth The Venetians denyed to do it therefore the Emperour sente his sonne Otho with a nauye of souldiours to demaund Alexander of them but he charged him withall that he should attempt nothing in any case till he himselfe were come vnto him But Otho being a lustye yonge Prince ful of courage and desirous of renowne neglecting his fathers commaundement would needes encounter the Venetians whereby hee was ouercome taken prisoner bounde brought to Venice Herevpon Alexander began to set vp his crest and put out his hornes and woulde not take peace with the Emperour in anye case vnlesse the Emperour would come to Venice take suche conditions of peace as hee woulde offer him Whereuppon the good and carefull father to prouide for the infortunate miserye of his sonne promised hee woulde come at the time appointed and so came where they commoned vppon conditions of peace But the Pope woulde not absolue the Emperour of excōmunication till he came to S. Markes Church where before all the people Pope Alexander commaunded the Emperour to prostrate himselfe on the ground and to craue pardon The Emperour did as hee commaunded him then the Pope trode on the Emperours necke with his foote sayinge it is written Thou shalt walke vppon the serpent and adder and shalt treade downe vnder rhy feete the Lion and dragon The Emperour disdayninge this reproche aunswered It was not sayd to thee but to Peter The Pope then treadinge downe his necke againe sayde Both to mee and to Peter The Emperour then fearing some daunger durst saye no more so the peace was concluded The conditions wherof are these that the Emperour should vphold Alexander to be true Pope that he should restore all that did belonge to the Church of Rome which had beene taken away in the warres Thus the Emperour departed with his sonne The Pope to shew himselfe thankfull to Venice bestowed of his liberality giftes vppon duke Sebastian the Senate First he gaue them a white Taper which onely the Popes vsed to Beare Secondlye he lycensed them to seale theyr letters with leade and he graunted theyr Duke the third seate in the Popes Theatre Fourthly he graunted that on Ascention daye they should haue whole and perfit pardōs for euer at S. Markes Church Fiftly he gaue the Duke viii banners of silke and an attier for the head like an hat Afterward Alexander depriued the bishop of Papia of his Pall exempted him of the dignitye of caryinge the Crosse because he toke the Emperours part He made many Canons in a councel at Lateran as that an archbishop should not receyue his Pall vnlesse he had sworne first to be true and obedient to the Pope And that a man should not marrye his brothers wyfe beinge wydowe that they that toke orders should vowe chastetye that a bastarde should not be made a bishop that the canonizinge of Saincts belonged onlye to the Pope that such sainctes should haue deuine honour Amonge other he made Thomas Becket archbishop of Canterbury a rancke traytour to his prince but stoutlye vpheld therein by the Pope a sainct He bounde kinge Henry the seconde of Englande excusing himselfe of the death of Thomas that his subiectes should franklye freely appeale frō him to the Court of Rome that afterward none should be king of England vnlesse he were first called king by the Pope This arose vppon the quarel betwene the king and Thomas Becket who so vexed and disquieted his soueraigne prince with all the nobles and prelates of this Realme with cursinges excommunications interditinges threatninges mouing both French kinge Pope to moleste the kinge in his behalfe and finallye as then Pope Alexander played the incarnate deuill against the Emperour so did Becket rage like a subdeuill against the kinge in England till certaine not able to endure his arrogante seditious and trayterous doinges in great despite therof slue him at Canterbury He decreed that a mā shoulde not be deuorced frō his wyfe though she had the Leprosye Also that those that could be proued vsurers shoulde neyther be admitted to the Communion nor buryed in the Church after these other like deedes he dyed Anno 1181. Robert Montēsis Chronicle hath that Lewes king of Fraūce and Henry kinge of Englande wayted on Pope Alexander as his gentlemē vsshers and footemen the one leading his horse by the bridle on the right syde and the other on the left throughe the whole City Taciacū to Legeris In this Popes time the Sunne was Eclipsed and earthquakes were euery where Also there were certaine called VValdenses who defended manye articles against the Pope and his doctrine as transubstantiation Purgatorye c. 112. Lucius the thirde LVcius the thirde borne in Thuscia of an honourable stocke succeded by consente of all the Cardinals But the Romaynes so vexed him that hee was driuen oute of the Citye and manye of his frendes and companye taken by the Romaynes some were set vppon Asses with their faces towardes the tayle and Miters on their heades and so ledde throughe the Citye in mockadge some vsed despitefullye otherwyse Some had their eyes put oute by the Romaynes in a madnes othersome murthered for this cause onelye that he wente about to take away the name of Consuls in the Citye The Pope sufferinge this great shame wente to Verona where in a councell he condemned the Romaynes doinges and euen then when the Christians were persecuted in Asia which pretence of holines wrought the perill of many that they might be succoured because the ennemyes were emboldned to wast the bolye lande vnder their Captaine Saladinus presuminge for that our Princes were at discētion This Pope being mindfull of his coūtrye Thuscia bestowed large giftes vppon it and obtayned of the Emperour that the Hetruriās should haue the selfe same coyne that the Lucēsians amōg them had euen as the Lombards had onelye the money of Papia with the Emperours coyne Valerius Anselmus wryteth that this Pope contrarye to other allowed the Sacraments that were done by whoremaister chapleins he dyed in Verona Anno 1185. In his time were greate earthquakes which did destroye diuers notable Cityes in Sicil were destroyed thereby fiue and twentye thousand parsons The Armenians being at this time at greate debate with the Greeke Church did for hatred thereof become subiect to the Church of Rome 113. Vrbanus the thirde VRbanus who because of his
FINIS 118. Honorius the thirde HOnorius the thirde a Romaine borne was made Pope at Prusium at what time the Cardinals distressed for want of foode did there dispatch the election of him Who byinge to Rome as fast as he coulde toke order about the warre in Asia to maintaine it stil knowiÌ„g how auaylable it was to their matters wroughte heare at home in Christendome forth with Iohn Columna a Cardinal of Rome was appointed to proceede as ambassadour with that armye which Innocentius had prouided for that purpose He crowned Frederick the seconde sonne of Constance the Nonne Emperour against Otho the fourth whom notwithstanding afterward for vsinge his owne right in the coastes of Sicil Apulia the Pope excommunicated Yea this Honorius sayth Marius was so enflamed against this Emperour Frederick that hee did trayterouslye maintaine Thomas and Mathewe Earles of Thuscia with other rebels that put themselues in armoure against the Emperours maiestye whereby the Emperour coulde not punishe them as they deserued which sayth Vspergensis caused him much to complaine that the Sea of Rome did euer maintaine traytours and rebels which presumed vpon that refuge Also he discharged his barons of their fealty to their Lorde which mischiefe was yet for a while stayed by the meanes of Hermannus maister of the flemings of Zeland He coÌ„firmed the orders of Dominican Franciscan friers deuised in the time of Innocentius He maintayned the white fryers and Augustinian fryers that they should vphould transubstantiation against the Valdenses who then began to defye the Church of Rome in many matters for the Dominicans forged that Pope Innocentius a little before his death had a vision wherin was reuealed vnto him that Lateran Church should fall vnlesse their patron Dominicus shoulde bolster it vppon his shoulders whereof Mantuan deluded with such fansyes maketh mention Al. so he wryteth of another dreame for the Franciscan fryers of which though they dreamed as necessarye yet I omitte as vaine and fonde In this Popes time while these thinges were doing there were seene in the ayre strauÌ„g sights testifying the horror of Antichrist encreasing in his members as shall appeare by the Popes following While the ChristiaÌ„ estates were turmoyled abrode fighting for Hierusalem the Pope in pompe and ease at home was at leasure to build sondrye sumptuous Pallaces and gorgeous Temples dedicating them to diuers Saincts He published Epistles decretall and decreed that vnlearned parsons should not be made priestes He commaunded that when the singinge cake was heaued and lifted vp the people should fal downe on their knees and that it should be caryed in comlye order to the sicke with a burning Taper before it He grauÌ„ted Archbishops power to giue pardons faculties dispensations dualities pluralities wtin their diocesse Anno 1223 one Adam CathaneÌ„sis a bishop in Scotlande as Boethius wryteth was burned of his own neighbours in his owne kitchin because he had excoÌ„municated certaine of them for with holding theyr tythes the Pope knowing of this murther neuer ceased till to reuenge the same foure hundred of these men were hanged and their children gelded by king Alexander A sufficient reueÌ„ge for the death of one man Furthermore this Pope warred vppon the Emperour in Apulia and condemned the Earle of Tholos for an hereticke geuinge his landes to the French kinge and finallye would not suffer his bodye to be buryed like a Christian. At length the Pope died Anno 1227. of whom Mattheus Parisius in the 8. booke of his Chronicle wryteth thus Pope Honorius sent his Legate Otho to require to haue Prebendes giuen vnto him throughe all England For sayth the Pope the naturall children must assist their mother in pouertye Therefore he required ij prebends of euery Cathedrall Church one of the bishops stipende and the other from the charter And so he â—raued diuers porcioÌ„s out of the religious houses At this time the Pope was sicke of the spiritual dropsye so that by his Legat he drancke vp the treasures of the clergye and cloystermongers and vsed straunge tyrannye amonge them for Hugh VVells bishop of Lincolne to recouer his bishopricke paide an hundred markes to the Popes Legat and a thousande markes to the Pope At this time it rayned bloude for the space of three dayes in Rome whereuppon one wrote these two Verses O pater Honori multorum nate dolori Est tibi dedecori viuere vade mori O Pope Honorius borne thou werst to mischiefe many men Thou liuest with shame conuaie with speede thy boones to deadly den 119. Gregorie the ninth GRegorie the ninth borne in Campania was nephew to Innocentius the thirde He maintayned the quarell of his predecessour Honorius against the Emperour This Gregorie as Marius wryteth was more maliciouslye disposed toward the sayd Frederick for he accused him because he woulde not fulfill that vaine promise to the needelesse sheddinge of Christian bloud which he made to Honorius for the vnprofitable recoueringe of Hierusalem And therefore this Gregorie did excommunicate him before the Emperour coulde be hearde to speake or were conuicted by reason neither woulde hee suffer the Emperours Embassadours to come to his presence nor heare them in the councell which came to alleadge good and reasonable excuses in the Emperours behalfe as his owne sickenes at his settinge forward caused him to staye besides the death of the Lautgraue Therfore sayth Vspergensis this Pope like a proude man began in his first yeare to excoÌ„municat and curse the Emperour for certaine foolish and false causes neglectinge all order of iudgement as the Emperour sheweth in excusinge himselfe in his epistle to the Princes of Almanye openinge to them because the Pope refused to heare it his innocencye and vpright dealing And therfore certaine noblemen in Rome namely of the house called Frangentes panem when the Pope did the second time excommunicate Frederick they caused the Pope to be driuen oute of the Citye with foule shame so that he ranne awaye byding at Peruse al that yeare the yeare folowing Yet no meanes could asswage his furye but he prouoked Iohn kinge of Hierusalem the foresaid Earles of Thuscia rebels to the Emperour and manye other Princes to trouble him The Emperour appointed a day of assembly for diuers Christian Princes at Rauenna and the Princes were making speede thether to obeye him but by the Popes commauÌ„dement they went backe againe and certaine souldiours wearing the Crosse by the Emperours appointment for the voyage to Hierusalem were robbed and spoiled of all their prouisioÌ„ The Emperour seing this sought to appease the Popes furye and to get his goodwil prepared his iourney according to his promise to Hierusalem he tooke shippe and sayled into Cyprus and afterward to Acon and striued much against the Soldan for the Christian fayth with great paine and trauell In the meane time the Pope seing the Emperours absence seruinge his turne gat Apulia to be vnder his obeisance and forbad that the souldiours wearing
barbarous Pyrates then this churlishe Boniface He hated the Gibelines with such rancour that in persecuting them he heard saye that some of them were fled to the Genewaies therupon he poasted thether to destroy them vtterly to roote out the very name of them vpon earth And when vpon Ash wednesdaye he should according to the superstitious vse crosse al commeâ—s on the forheade with ashes and saye vnto them thus Remember man that thou art ashes and to ashes thou shalte returne Upon the same day for the same cause the archbishop of Porchet who was a Gibeline came vnto him kneelinge downe vnto the Pope put of his cappe to haue the ashes put on his head whoÌ„ when Boniface had espyed beinge neither ashamed for the time nor the place nor the people present vttered his rancour towarde the bishoppe most shamefullye For takinge vp an handfull of ashes he threwe them spitefullye in the eyes of the bishop sayinge reprochfullye wyth malicious chaunge of woordes Remember man thou arte a Gibeline and to the Gibelines thou shalt returne And beside this depriued him of his archbishopricke though in the ende he restored it In his time were great and cruell warres betwene the Sicilians and Robert duke of Calabria which wroughte much mischiefe to all Italye and yet the Pope being ofteÌ„times requested thereunto would neuer with his auctoritye steppe in betwene them to pacifye the matter But by the prouidence of God they that before fled out of Italye with the rouers arriued in Italye againe and gathering together a fewe who fled and lurked here there for feare of the rage of Boniface came to Anagnia ere the Pope mistrusted any such matter they brast open the gates vpoÌ„ him apprehended him and brought him to Rome where frettinge and raginge in a great agonye most desperatlye for the space of xxx dayes throughe the extremitye of his malady he dyed myserablye Anno 1304. This Pope sent a commaundement to the king of England charging him not to molest Scotland as he did then anye longer because the Scottes were a priuiledged people belonging to his Chappell but the kinge stoode stoutlye in the defence of his righte and quarrell and claymed it as his right not the Popes After this the Pope moued kinge Edwarde to warre vppon the Frenche kinge because he had offended the Pope but the kinge would not be so abused by him After this when the kinge had bestowed the bishopricke of Canterbury vpon Robert Burnel bishop of Bathe the Pope in spite of his teeth did not onlye place another called Iohn Peccam but also sent downe his Bull to the spirituall men of England for their discharge not to paye one penye tribute to the kinge in any case to his no small trouble for vpon this the most of them were at defiaunce with the kinge and his Parliamente especiallye the bishop of Canterburye This is that Pope of whom it was coÌ„monlye said He entred like a foxe he raigned like a Lion he died like a dogge He thinking that kingdomes and Empires were all in his owne hande did vsurpe the aucthority of both swordes woulde be counted the Lord of all the world He gaue sentence the vnlesse kinges woulde receiue their kingdomes at his hand they should be accursed and oughte to be deposed He excommunicated Philip kinge of Fraunce because he would not suffer the treasure of his Realme to be transported oute to Rome he cursed both him and his to the fourth generation Also he would not confirme Albertus to be Emperour whom before he had three or foure times reiected vntill he woulde inuade Fraunce and depose king Philip. He maintayned the discorde that was in Italye and purposed to nourishe them continuallye He forbad that the clergye should paye anye tribute to their Princes without his commaundement He boasted that he bare the keyes of heaueÌ„ and published this Canon that he oughte to be iudged of none althoughe hee shoulde drawe thousandes of soules to hell with him He was the first that deuised the Iubelye according to the Iewishe tradition He gaue full remission of sinnes and pardons to all that shoulde come on pilgrimage to Rome At the first daye of Iubelei hee prancked himselfe gorgeouslye in his pontificalibus The seconde daye he being arrayed most royallye with Emperiall insignes commaunded a naked sword to be caryed before him and said with a loude voice Ecce potestatem vtriusque gladij Lo here is the power of both swordes Finallye he being as is said apprehended and offeringe rather his head to be cut of then he would yelde vp his Papacye those conditions beinge put to him his house was first spoyled of so much treasure that as it is reported all the kinges of the earth together were not able to make so much oute of theyr treasurye as was caryed oute of his Pallaice and from three Cardinals and a Marquesse that were with him Then afterward he was set vpon an vnbroken coult with his face to the horse tayle and so caused to ride a gallop iaunted til he were breathlesse and then was he imprisoned and there almost pined by kinge Philips souldiours of Fraunce till the people of the towne of Aragon where he was did releue him and yet neuerthelesse for thought of this misery and losse he dyed He bestowed on S. Peters Pallaice a chayme of belles making a sweete and pleasaunt noyse and encreased the reuennues therof he yet encreased very much that priuiledges of the begginge fryers He doubled the idolatrous honour of the Apostles the 4 Euangelistes and the foure doctours of the Church He gaue auctoritye to the Ecclesiastical parsons generally in England to excommunicate the people twise in the yeare He caused one Hermanus of Ferraria to be taken oute of his graue and burned xxx yeares after he had beene buryed He said that to be subiect to the Church of Rome is of the necessitye to saluatioÌ„ He deposed diuers Cardinals he deuested diuers kinges of their estate he fostered harlots â—e begat diuers bastardes beside sondrye other lâ—ude pranckes He sommoned kinge Edwarde the first to Rome vpon the coÌ„plaint of Robarte VVinchelsey bishop of Canterbury after the death of Iohn Peccam both which Archbishops troubled the kinge as almost all their auncetours from the time of Hildebrand had done to the Princes in their time for so VVilliam Rufus and Henry the first were troubled wyth Anselmus Archbishop of Canterbury Henry the second also with Thomas Becket King Richard and all England with VVilliam bishop of Elye the Popes Legate King Iohn with Steuen LangtoÌ„ bishop of Canterburye Henry the thirde with Edmonde Archbishop and now this kinge Edwarde wyth these two The kinge beinge cited to Rome was there suspended till he had purchased full dearely his absolution but of the said Peccam this one thing is to be noted that he caused to be ordayned that no spirituall mynister should haue any more benefices theÌ„ one which was also
dominicans he left to the Church great store of treasure he kept diuers concubines he dyed of an ague while he was hyring one Zotus a conning painter to porâ—rature the storyes of martyrs in his newe buildinges Anno 1342. Of whom these Uerses were made Iste fuit vero laicis mors vipera clero Deuius a vero turba repleta mero About this time Iohn Stratford beinge bishop of Canterbury did greatly abuse king Edward the thirde both in defraudinge him of his treasure when he needed it most in his warres in Fraunce and refusing obstinatly afterward to come at the kinges commaundement to aunsweare vntill time place serued according to his owne pleasure Benedicts coÌ„mon sayings were these to be noted Be thou such a sonne as thou desirest to haue cosens The euil maâ— dreadeth death but the good man feareth him more Those thinges that thou hast learned keepe by reading and get by learning those thinges that thou wantest It is as great shame to haue no freindes as to chaunge them oft It is more dishonour to a Prince to be ouercome with benefits then by force of armes 139. Clement the sixt CLement the sixt borne in Lemonia by professioÌ„ a Benedictine called before Peter Rogers being abbot of Phisca succeded Benedict at Auenio This maÌ„ with his faction troubled the Romaine Empire aboue measure for he excommunicated sayth Naucler all the Princes lordes and bishops that consented to the doings of Lewis To deface the Emperour he created Uicountes and made them Uicares of the Empyre Lewis on the other side appointed other Uicares to gouerne the Church Ierom Marius in his booke called Eusebius Captiuus doth thus set out the rigour of Pope Clement Clement the sixt sayth he much giuen to women honour and auctoritye prouoked with diuelishe furye set vp bills in wrytinge vpon Church doares wherein he threatned the Emperour to be punished w t more cruell tormentes vnlesse he woulde obey the Popes minde and that within three dayes and would giue vp his right of the estate imperiall Great was the cruelty of this Clement voyde of clemency The Emperour commeth to Frankeforde and preparing with all diligence to do all that was commaunded besought the Pope by his Embassadours to pardon him and to receiue him to fauour But the Pope aunswered the Embassadours that he would neuer pardon Lewis vnlesse he would first confesse all his errours and heresyes and yelde vp the Empire and put into the Popes hand both himselfe his children goodes possessions to dispose them at his pleasure would promise that he would neuer more enioy any part thereof without the fauour of the Pope deliuered a certaine fourme of of these articles in wryting to the Embassadours coÌ„mauÌ„ding them to carye the same to Lewis The good Emperour least if he did not thus submit himselfe it mighte bee cause of slaughter and sedition receiued the order taken by the Pope and looking vpon it was content in such wyfe to saue Christian bloud and therefore he did not onely set his seale to it but gaue his oath to performe all Which when the Pope heard he waxed angrye But note whether hee toke the Emperour to fauoure and whether he shewed anye token of good will by that which followeth Lewis shewed that order to the Princes electours and oratours The Princes detested and abhorred certaine of the articles because they were deuised by the Pope to the confusion of the Empyre and therfore they promised sufficient ayde to the Emperour if as he did before he would maintaine the libertye and honour of the Empyre They sence Embassadours desiringe the Pope not to exact those articles that tended to the vtter subuersion of the Empyre and the oratours crauinge and doing nothing els came awaye againe But Clement blaming Lewis onelye for all did purpose the destruction of him and his children he cursed him cruelly euen at consecrating the Sacrament He renued all the extreame processes which Pope Iohn had giuen out against him he pronounced him to be an heretick and scismatick He charged the Princes electours to choose another Emperour He deposed the Archbishop of Mens both of his bishoprick and auctoritye of electorship because he knowing the Emperours innocencye and vngiltiues woulde not abuse his maiestye But the other electours being brybed with money by Iohn king of Bohemia as the bishop of Colen who toke viii Thousande markes the duke of Saxonye two Thousande markes did appoint his sonne Charles to be king of the Romaynes whoÌ„ this vncurteous Clement did allowe afterward in open consistorye But who is able to report the horrible bloudshed and warre that arose in the Empire by meanes of this mischiefe wroughte by Clement for kinge Edward the thirde of England slue xx Thousande Frenchmen and Iohn king of Bohemia father to Charles was slaine with many nobles But Lewis yet takinge thought because of the Popes processes not medling with the gouernment of the Empyre was by the Popes procurement poysoned in a cuppe whereof he dyed Thus wryteth Marius Lo by these kinde of treacheryes haue the prelates of Rome brought the Empyre to the low ebbe and poore estate that it is at this daye for the sayde Charles whom they against all lawe created to make his sonne to succede him did so corrupt the electours wyth bribes and fayre promises that he morgaged to them the coÌ„mon reuenues of the Empyre which they enioye to this daye and therefore the Romaine Empyre cannot aduauÌ„ce it selfe againe For then the Electours coÌ„pelled Charles to take an oath that these pledges should neuer be reclaymed whereby at length it came to passe that the Empyre being thus decayed the Turke inuaded the Church of Christ destroyed it wonderfullye and it is by the especial grace of God that Mahomets blasphemye doth not wyth fyre and sworde rage ouer all Christendome c. This Pope Clement now at the fiftye yeare renued the Iubelie beinge absent caused it to be celebrated at Rome Anno 1350. for his aduauntage and sayth PremonstrateÌ„sis there were fiue Thousande straungers comming in going out at Rome as might wel be counted dailye within the said yeare He made at seuerall times xii Cardinals whereof some were monkes some his nephewes and kinsemen beside he promoted diuers other to dignityes bestowed cost on diuers buildinges He gaue licence to the bishop of Bamberge to absolue those that toke parte wyth Lewis but vppon these conditions first that they shoulde sweare fealty to him as to the Uicar of Christe secondly that they should beleue that the Emperour hath no power neither to make nor marre the Pope thirdlye that they should acknowledge none to be Emperour whoÌ„ the Pope had not confirmed While his companioÌ„s and seruaunts went to dinner leauing onely his chamberlayne with him he fel downe sodeinly dyed of an impostume Anno 1352. This Clement sayth Marius toke vpoÌ„ him so prodigally in his Popedome that he gaue to his Cardinals in
Rome bishoprickes and benefices being then voyde in Englande wherewith the king was offended and vndid all the prouisions of the Pope within his Realme commauÌ„ding vpon paine of imprisonmente and life that no man shoulde be so hardy as to bring in any such prouisions of the Pope within his Realme any more and vnder the same punishmente charged the 2. Cardinals forthwith to auoide the Realme Anno 1343. ¶ Certaine blasphemyes gathered out of the Bull which the said Pope published for the yeare of Iubelie WHosoeuer purposeth for trauel sake to come to Rome maye choose that daye whereon he setteth forvvarde a confessour or confessours or els in his iourneye by the waye or in any other place Vnto the which confessours or ghostlye fathers wee giue ful power to giue absolution in all cases that concerne the Popes owne prerogatiue in as ample maner as if our owne parson were present Item we graunt that if anye being confessed dye by the waye that he shal be free and discharged froÌ„ all his sinnes And furthermore we commaunde the Angels of Paradise that his soule beinge fullye deliuered from purgatorye they receaue it into Paradise ¶ And in an other Bull he wrote thus WE will not that anye man be tormented in him selfe with the paine of hell and also vve graunte to all those that weare the Crosse 3. or 4. soules at their owne pleasure whom soeuer they will to deliuer them oute of Purgatorye Against these hereticall blasphemyes the Uniuersitye of Paris did then openlye detest and reproue There were an hundred Thousand poore men of the clergye in that yeare resorted to Auenio to obtaine pardons out of all countryes and to be hyred confessours 140. Innocent the sixt INnocent the sixte borne in Lenomia called Steuen doctour of both lawes being of an aduocate made bishop of Claromont and of the Cardinall of Hostia and chiefe penitenciary to the Pope was made Pope him selfe He was a man that in his Popedome was a cunning lawyer but of hauty courage wilfull minde very rigorous and one that fraÌ„ckly bestowed benefices on such as would pay for them After he was established hee did wisely abrogate certaine reseruatioÌ„s made by Pope Clement because it made more for his coÌ„moditye in time to come so to do And forthw t he decreed that al Ecclesiastical parsons as many as had any benefices should go forthw t to their charge for he sayd that the flocke ought to be kept by their owne sheapeheard and not â—y an hyrelinge He like a couetous niggarde diminished his house keping reducing stinting the parsons of his family to a certin but as Petrarcha sayth not an honest noÌ„ber Neither would he haue any to waite on him at home but such as shoulde in al pointes feede his owne humour he gaue straite charge to the Cardinals so to do saying ytâ—e all other Ecclesiastical parsons ought to be an example of life to other And for the more sparing he made cellars in his house for his auditour clarkes of the kitchin to locke vp all thinges For his table diet the wryters report of him that he was a great pincher but for the maintenaunce of warres verye prodigall He sente one Giles a Spaniarde Cardinal of Saba from his side into Italye to persecute certaine robbers and theeues and to assure the better to the Pope Ecclesiasticall iurisdiction By Peter Thomas of Aquine a white fryer this Popes Legat Bononia became subiecte to the Pope which Peter did first plante there the doctrine of the Sorbonits therefore the Pope bestowed on him the bishopricks of Pacte Mileto Coranie the archbishoprick of Crete and at length the patriarckship of Constantinople At the commaundement of this Innocent Charles the fourth was crowned Emperour by two Cardinals at Rome but vpon this condition that he should staye no longer neither in Rome nor in Italy he notwithstanding as soone as he returned home warned the archbishop of Mens to reforme the clergy in their apparel shooes hayre and all the order of their life vpon penaltye of forfeytinge all his benefices Richard archbishop of Armachane in Irelande did publishe before this Pope ix articles against the begging fryers In the first yeare of his raigne this Pope commaunded that Iohn Rochdal a franciscan fryer should be burned for speaking certaine wordes against the clergye The sayde Iohn sayth Premonstratensis did prophecye many things to come of Antechrist and of the Popes and therfore was suspected of heresye for he begaÌ„ to prophecye Anno 1354. in the time of Clement the sixte and manye of his prophecyes were found to come to passe A certaine priest hauing had a bull of this Pope the space of three yeares came in the ende and did caste it downe at the Popes feete sayinge Lo take your bull vnto you for it doth me no good for the which cause the Pope commauÌ„ded him to be apprehended and whipped and afterward committed to prison This Pope made an holye daye for the speare and hammers wherewith Christ was pearced and nayled He builded walles about Auenio and fouÌ„ded an house of Carthusian monkes without the Citye While he was preparing an army against the Turkes Anno 1362. he dyed for griefe vnderstanding that the Romaines were at ciuill discentioÌ„ There appeared so greate an Eclipse of the Sunne before the death of this Pope as hath not bene seene In his time also sayth Masseus a certain flame brandishing in the ayre after the going downe of the Sunne gaue a terrible light in the skie afterward houge swarmes of Locusts destroying and eating vp the fruites of the earth did also feede vpon the very stalkes 141. Vrban the fifte VRban the fift was also borne in Lemonia called before Grymold Grison sonne of one VVilliam a Phisition and an Englishman in profession hee was a Benedictine monke and in the ende he being absente in an Embassage was chosen Pope Being therefore called to Auenio and saluted Pope he did forthwith addict his minde to maintaine the prerogatiue of the Church in couetousnes ryot pompe with great diligence vsinge herein the assistaunce of such as were proane to this purpose especially one Giles a Spaniard whom he sent Legate in the behalfe thereof who scoured Italye and oppressed the Uicountes and other gouernours with great calamityes and slaughters and compelled them al to submitte themselues for feare to the Church of Rome Pope Vrban himselfe in the fourth yeare of his raigne coÌ„ming to Rome with his Cardinals bestowed superstitious cost vpoÌ„ idols ruinous Churches He couered the sculs of the Apostles as he thought which they had long sought for ere they could finde them and yee missed of them also in the ende in cofers of gould siluer valued at xxx Thousand Florences set them in the place where they are yet seene He repayred diuers houses of the Popes he commaunded to preach the Crosse against the Turkes he commaunded that the Nicene crede should be songe on S. Iohn Baptistes daye
he yelded soueraignity to the sea of Rome he builded scholes for those that should studye Phisicke and the Decretals Briget a woman of Sweaueland came to him to Rome because of a vowe that she had made and procured that there should be Religious parsons both men women of the order of S. Briget Afterward be returning into Fraunce made one Iohn Hawcuth an Englishmā liefetenaunt of his army in the steade of Giles that was dead that he might still defende the Ecclesiastical iurisdiction vntil he should returne for he purposed not to returne to Italye But while he wente into Fraunce hopinge to returne to his court in Rome Anno 1371. he dyed at Massilia poysoned as it is thought Sabellicus wryteth that he made great warre in Italye yea euē with the Princes that his auncetours had set vp against the Emperour he slue manye of them In this Popes time sayth Premonstratensis the archbishop of Collen had a wyfe In his time also the order of the Iesuits Scopetines orders first began as Iohn Palionedorus testifyeth in the third booke and second Chapter of his tripartite historye 142. Gregorie the xi GRegorie the eleuenth borne in Lenomony called before Peter Belfortius was Cardinall of newe S. Maryes and nephewe to Pope Clement he succeded Vrban This Gregorie sayth Platina was made Cardinall when hee was scante xvii yeares old by his vncle Clement and least he should seeme to haue more regard to his kindred then to the Church he sent him to the best learned doctours in Italye to be brought vp in learning especiallye to one Baldus whoe then read the Popes decretals at Peruse where he profited in all kinde of such learninge as Baldus coulde teache him so much that the sayd Baldus for the assurance of his owne affayres being in daunger vsed his auctoritye for his owne safetye Gregorie being Pope sent a Cardinall into Italye to ouersee according to custome the estate of the Church But because as Volaterain sayth almost all the Cityes reuolted frō him by the councell of Katherine a Nonne of Scene which afterward became a saint of Baldus his scholemaster he returned from Fraunce vnto Rome with xii galleyes Or as Sabellicus saith because that he reprouing a certaine bishop for being nonresident was by the same bishop reproued againe that he being the chiefe bishop did yet lye so farre and so long from the place of his Church Anno 1376. he excommunicated out of the Church the Florentines who were the auctours of the reuolting and had taken to their vse al the Popes townes lying about them and because they despised and defyed the terrour and vaine boults of his excommunication he warred vpon them Some other saye he returned into Italye for other causes Masseus sayth that one Briget a woman returned from Hierusalem to Rome wrote to Pope Gregorie that it was the Lords pleasure that the Popes court should returne to Rome Crantzius saith it was because a certaine bishop did sharpelye rebuke him that he woulde leaue his Church and followe the Courte Of whom the Pope receyued this aunsweare And thou quoth he beinge Pope of Rome that ought to be an example to other doest not returne to this bishopricke And therefore he did againe translate his seate from Fraunce to Rome by the perswasion of two women and one bishop in the 70. yeare after the translation thereof This Gregorie demaunded tenthes throughout the whole Empyre and repayred the walles of the City and old buildings with great pompous cost He added the eue to the holye daye of the byrth of the blessed virgin Mary In the time of this Pope king Edwarde the third of Englande made many profitable lawes abridginge the Popes pilladge vsurpation and ambition within the Realme Also certaine souldiours of this Pope Gregorie lyinge in a Citye called Cesenata did not onelye take thinges as victuals and other necessaryes refusinge to paye for it but also did beate like slaues the Citizens vpon further sturre they murthered them pityfully◠sparing neyther man woman nor child though they were sucking babes so that they filled all pittes in the Citye wyth dead karcasses for in a fewe houres vpon one daye they slue in the Citye of all ages viii Thousande and then robbed spoyled the towne and so left it desolate emptye Theodoricus lib. 3. Cap. 2. At the length Anno 1378. he dyed of extreame paine of the bladder Euen at the houre of the Popes death the report is that the Pallaice of Auenio was set on fyer coulde not be quenched till the greater part thereof were burnt Afterwarde ensued the greatest sciesme and deuision that euer happened in the Popedome Then sayth Massaeus the clergye and people of Rome complayning to the Cardinals besought them to choose an Italian not a French man Pope that the Courte mighte not go into Fraunce againe But when they began to make an election sodenlye a controuersy began for the Italians were but foure and the French Cardinals were xiii who mighte easelye haue preuayled but they durst not for the Romaynes stoode readye in armour and made a tumult Therefore on Saturdaye being the ix day of Aprill they choose Vrban the sixt to be Pope who was Crowned on Easter daye being the xviii daye of the sayde moneth Praemonstratensis sayth that in the time of this Vrban the sixte began a newe and straung sect of bedlams both of men and womē who vsed to skip and daunce against all modestye who Anno 1375. came sayth he from Aquisgran into Hannonia and so into Fraunce which might prognosticate the returne of Pope Gregorie and his Cardinals to Rome This sect of Daūcers imagined with themselues that they daūced in riuers of bloud but they that stoode by could perceiue no such thing The people thought that these dauncers were euill baptized by priestes keepinge harlots and therefore the people thoughte to haue risen against the clergye to slaye them to spoyle them of their goods vnlesse God had withstoode it sayth he by certaine coniurations 143. Vrban the vi VRban the sixt being but a poore man and very obscure borne in Naples called otherwyse Barthelmew and at length archbishop of Bare but neuer Cardinal and absent the Romaynes vrging it very sore was chosen Pope He being chosen Pope Iane Queene of Sicill bestowed great cost in tryumphing for ioye and sente to him for presentes fourty thousand dukates in gould siluer besides wynes victuals and other thinges yelding also to him her kingdome and all that she had to be at his commaundemente Likewise her husband the noble Otto duke of Brunswick and Prince of Tarentum offered him the like curtesy But sayth Theodoricus of Nyem lib. 1. cap. 7. sone after Otto after dinner amonge many great estates and Cardinals drancke to the Pope but Vrban was so proud that he suffered the noble Prince to kneele before him a great while ere he would take the cup out of his hande in so much that
of their inheritaunce the yonge Princes Ladislaus Iohn being but a child the sonnes of Charles This Vrban graunted to the sect of begging fryers that they might chaunge theyr vowes to commit another vnhonest act and challenge as it were to restore to righte vnlawfull goodes being in controuersy He dyed in Rome Anno 1390. poysoned as some thincke after he had misgouerned the Popedome x. yeares and fewe or none were sorye of his death The yeare before his death his Mule fel vnder him as he was rydinge where withall he was soore hurt and brosed so as he did neuer recouer it til his death he being dead his nephewe Frauncis was thrust from all his lyuing and came to Rome poore and despised no man shewing him good countenance according to the old saying Cum moritur praeful cognatio tota fit exul When as a prelate goes awaye then all the kindred do decaye And so this Francis with sorrowe and anguishe forsooke Rome at length and went to Sicill This same yeare sayth Funcius this couetous miser Vrban brought vp the yeare of Iubelye because he sawe it would proue gaineful to him and to the Romaynes He also appointed annuities to be payed out of priestes landes vnder pretence of waginge an armye against the Paganes the Englishmen withstanding this constitution calling a Parliamente did decree that the Pope should haue no iurisdiction beyonde the limits of the Ocian Sea but the bishops prelats like traytours to their countrey did take vpon them afterward to paye y pention It would aske a great volume to touche euery vilanous practise of this Pope Vrban Certaine comming to meete him on a time did first kisse the ground three times then his feete with al humility He had giuen him by a certaine Ladye a precious Miter and certaine garments valued at more then xx Thousand Florences He caused a Cardinal in one daye to depose to racke to tormente to spoile imprison all the prelates of Sicilia because they did not mauger their Prince assist him against Clement and made in their steede 32. newe bishops and archbishops and sayth Theodoricus there was not a clarke in al Naples so deltishe and beggerly but that he was made eyther a bishop archbishop abbot prior or some prelate if he woulde take it vppon him to take part with Vrban He vsed the seruice of Charles king of Sicill on a time going before him as his vssher and bearinge the Popes target following with his armye into a towne called Auersa He put sixe Cardinals in a dongion with their feete set in the stockes and caused them to be myserably tormented and racked onlye for suspition of falsehoode against him and so kept them in prisoÌ„ where they pined through famine thirst and cold hauinge also wormes and life breedinge in their bodyes yet they stoode stoutly in their innocencye But no humble and importunate sute neither of them nor anye other coulde euer moue the stonye hart of Vrban to pitye their cases but saith Theodoricus the more he was entreated the more wrathfull he was so that his eyes would sparkle his face burne and glow his throte waxe dry for anger And after sondry examinations he sent vnto them againe Theodoricus the writer of this historye other to examine them in a vaute of the castle where they laye then sayth Theodoricus the Cardinall of Sanger was first broughte vp vnto vs with a paire of iron shakles on his feete and a short mantel about him because it was a colde and windy prison Who when he came to the ende of the cellar and sawe aboue him the roapes hanging wherewith he should be racked and was by y wayters striped out of his apparell leauing him scarcelye his shirt on and bound very hard to the racke Frauncis the Popes nephewe stoode by and laughed at this miserable sight without all measure but I that loued this Cardinal of ould was sore greeued thereat but I could not departe the place But to be short the said Cardinall was an aged man of a corpulent bodye comlye and taule of stature and being bounde he was thrise lifted from the grounde by the stronge pulling of those that racked him so that he waxed verye feble which when I behelde when hee was let go to the grounde againe I said to him softly O deare father do you not see how your bloud is sought for I beseech you for Gods cause confesse something to deliuer your selues for this time from these tormentours He aunswered I cannot tell what I shal say And when they would haue â—acked him againe I bad them cease for he hath satisfyed mee as I wil certifye the Pope in wrytinge so they loseâ— him caryed him out to take ayre who comming to himselfe said vnto vs heauilye Behould my brethren the time hath beene as ye know that I liued in the pompe and royaltye of this world but now I am become a moste myserable caytife and despised wretch And I woulde to God this were graunted to me as a singuler benefite that I hauing nothinge might begge my breade from place to place but out alas this trouble sorrow are iustly by Gods iudgemeÌ„t fallen vpon me because euen in this kingdom of Sicil I was so cruel an executor of the Popes coÌ„maundemeÌ„t in deposing without fauour the archbishops bishops abbots and other of the clergye without respect of age or degree hoping herein to haue pleased his minde The next daye after this Pope Vrban called vnto him one Basilius to be chiefe tormentour of these Cardinals which liked him verye well for hee was a malicious man and hated the clergye naturallye and was a persecutour of God and his seruauntes a notable pirate and a plaguer of Christians whom he vsed to take captiue from his youth at the first he lyued by theft and robbery but when that fayled and he became a begger he sought succour of Pope Vrban who not for deuotion but to obtaine a priorship of an hospital in Tinacria made him a fryer To this fellowe Vrban gaue charge to torment on the next day the Cardinal of Venice and to continue rackinge him vntill such time as Vrban himselfe might heare him crye for paine So when Basilius and we came to the prison wher the Cardinal of Venice was Basilius taking him out bringing him to a certaine hall in the Castle did stripe of his apparell and hauinge the roapes fastened aloft hanging downe to the ground he tyed him hard to them And although the Cardinall were an ould man brokeÌ„ and diseased and weake of complexioÌ„ yet he tormented him vppon the racke most cruellye from morninge till dinner time continuallye but the sillye man euer as he was haled vp cryed stil saide Christ hath suffered for vs c. In the meane time Pope Vrban walked in a garden belowe and read on a booke so loude that wee mighte heare him which he did to this ende that Basilius might the better loke
to his charge to plong the Cardinal the mere But as for me sayth Theodoricus I could abide this wofull sight no longer and therefore dissembling my selfe to be sicke I gat leaue to departe And in like maner was the other Cardinals vsed afterward Finally VrbaÌ„ remouing from Naples commauÌ„ded that these Cardinals and their fellow prisoner the bishop of Aquilo should followe him and ride next after him assigninge to euerye one his garde to keepe them that they should not escape by the waye But the bishop partly because he roade vpon a iade partly because his bodye was yet after his racking so sore and feeble that he was not able to endure faste riding but as the Pope galloped he came lagging after as fast as he might And yet the Pope thinking that helingred to haue stollen awaye in a greate rage commaunded his villaines to kil him and so they slew him mangling him with many woundes and left his dead carkasse vnburied in the waye Afterward at the sute of king Richard of England Pope Vrban did partly release to the custody of a certaine priest one of the Cardinals called Adam Cardinal of Sicil but he toke from him all that euer he had and left him in case of a vagabounde till Boniface his successour restored him But as for the other fiue he kept miserablye in prison in an abbey in a towne of Ianua being next to the Church where he laye and if that he saw any man resort to that Church at extraordinary howers he thought that he resorted thether to deliuer the Cardinals by stealth and therefore he committed to prison tormeÌ„ted many of his owne Court onlye vpon suspition therof And notwithstaÌ„ding the duke citizeÌ„s of Ianua sued for those prisoners yet he wold neuer shew them any mercy but in the end caused them to be put to death as some saye beheaded other saye drowned but how so euer it were sure it is they perished Furthermore Charles king of Sicil being at variaunce with Vrban and hauing his nephew FrauÌ„cis prisoner dyed at length Then came Margaret the wyfe of the said Charles humbly suing to Vrban to be gracious to her and to her children and to graunt that her husbands body might be buryed in which sute manye nobles of Florence and other Cityes ioyned w t her and yet his hard hart woulde nothing pittye her sute nor grauÌ„t her so much as a graue for the king her husbaÌ„d thoughe she had freely released his nephewe to him yet he added processe to processe and heaped condemnation vpon condemnation against her and her poore children because he did from his harte detest the name of the saide Charles Thus reporteth Theodoricus word for word as he is alledged whoe beinge Secretarye to Pope Vrban wrote that which he sawe with a sorrowfull hart The cause whye that the Pope did dispatche those Cardinals was this he was sodenlye forced to remoue from one place to another and therefore thinking that those Cardinals if he shoulde carye them with him would hinder and comber him on the one side on the other side he was loath to leaue them behind least they should escape and therfore flying from Nuceria to Ienua as is sayd it is thought that by the way he tyed them fast to the rockes so lefâ— them to be drowned It is sayd that this yeare one Bertholdus Swart or otherwise Schuuartz an Alchymist and a monke in the North parte of Germanye deuised first and contryued Gunnes to the spoyle of mankinde 144. Clement the 7. CLement the seuenth was a Frenchman and by byrth Earle of Gebenny called in time past Robert he being first a Cardinal was made Pope by the Cardinals These Cardinals after the third month of the election of Vrban perceyuinge bowe he was giuen to tyrannye and that he would not returne into Fraunce they stale away fledde from Rome to Fundus But first they besoughte him to giue them lycence with his fauoure to go to Anagnia to chaunge the ayre for the Sommer time but they fearinge his melancholy mode and franticke fits went away These Cardinals were gotten together Iohn Preuestin VVilliam of S. Steuens in Coeli hill Bertrandus of S. Cicill Robert aforesaide Hugh of the 4. holye Crownes Gui of the holye Crosse in Hierusalem Iohn of S. Marcellus Peter of S. Laurencis in Lucine Gerard of S. Clements Peter of S. Eustace VVilliam of S. Angell Peter of S. Maryes immaculate and Peter of S. Maryes of Cosmidin These sayth Platina did pilfer out the treasure of the Church at the death of the Pope and did euerye thinge as liked them best Who as sone as they fled to Fundus rayled vpon Vrban as an vsurper of the Popedome saying that he was creat perforce and perforce receyued the Crowne of the Pope ship because that election was made for feare in a place of great daunger in the which men ought to haue had libertye to do and speake their minds francke free and yet they were compelled by the people contrarywise to chuse rather an Italian then a Frenchman For these causes they saide the seate being voyde and Iane Queene of Sicill fauouring their purpose they choose the foresaid Robert to be Pope and called him Clement the seuenth Because sayth Theodoricus they knew him to be ambitious nedye and yet very prodigall of a large coÌ„science but of noble birth well be frended and of great power hauing a strong troupe wayting vpon him whereby sayth he lib. 1. cap. 10. it may be iudged that this election proceded not of the holye ghost nor of good consciences Herevpon arose a greate discorde amonge Christian Churches while some Princes fauoured Pope Vrban some fauoured Pope Clement and some there were that medled with neyther of them and they were called neuters Clement goinge to Auenio was worshipped of the Spaniards Frenchmen who did welcom him thether He continued fiftene yeares making diuers lawes whom beside the French king the kinge of Aragon of Castile Nauar obeyed In the meane time a councell was held at Paris to take vp the strife for the Popedome which councell yelded to Clement as Tillius wryteth In his time aboute the yeare 1387. arose a controuersy betweene the students of Paris and the dominick fryers concerning the conception of the virgin Mary Pope Clement dyed Anno 1392. being buried at Auenio These two Popes scattered about the world in diuers quarters their terrible and fearefull bulles and spread abrode rayling bookes full of infamye and defacing backbytinge and excommunicating one another callinge each other w t sharpe despite and bitter reproche Antichriste scismatick heretick tyrant theefe traytour vniust wicâ—ed sower of darnel in Gods Haruest and the cursed sonne of Beliall Iohn of Lignia doctour of both Lawes set out a booke in the behalfe of Vrban and the abbot of S. Vedast councellour to the French kinge did publishe another for ClemeÌ„t against Vrban Amonge other broyles wrought betweene these 2. fyrebrands
Pope that bare such rough sway ouer the Romaynes sayth Crantzius He had no learning but coueted to encrease the pompe of his estate and therfore deuised a lawe whereby he purloyned the soueraintye of the world that is that it should not be lawfull for anye of the clergye to enter on a benefice which he shoulde obtaine vnlesse he payed the first fruites to the Apostolicall excheaker or the Popes Chamber He put downe the Banderesians a noble estate amonge the Romaynes also he compelled the Romaynes by a cruell lawe to fetch home their forreine Senatour Malatesta of Pisauria He strengthened the Citye for his owne purpose with fortresses and bulwarkes but making warres with the Uicountes he loste Bononie He caused Ladislaus a yong gentleman sonne to Charles king of Naples to be Crowned kinge in his fathers Realme by the Cardinall of Florence whereupon Sigismunde kinge of Hungary thinkinge himselfe greatlye iniuried greate warres ensued to the myserable slaughter of Thousands burning and spoyling of Cittyes townes monasteryes castels in Hungarye So great a thing it is to dispossesse a kinge Boniface also canonized S. Brigit borne in Sweueland He gaue to his cosens and kinred the aduauntage and commoditye of the Iubelye He offended and sinned much in parcialitye and because he subscribed graūted certaine abhominable indulgences and pardōs he ran into great infamye He kept the Iubelye at Rome Anno 1400. where manye straungers were robbed and greate Ladyes rauished by the pezantes of the Popes court Finallye Anno 1404. he dyed of the collicke and stone The Summer before that Boniface dyed there happened horrible tempestes boisterous winds hayle thonder lightninges And in the night a certaine house new builded by Boniface of square stone very costlye wherein for the time he vsed to blesse the people had the roofe of it blowen downe by the violence of the storme and the timber hurled to the earth Also the strong pinacles of Angell castle were throwne to the grounde with much other mischiefe and ruine Also another night appeared such terrible and vehements lightning and thonder all night long that all men beinge in a desperate feare thought surely the Citye woulde haue beene ouerwhelmed withal Another time also there was in Rome an earthquake which though it did no hurt yet it amazed al men Theodoricus lib. 2. cap. 33. This Pope rooted out a superstitious sect called Albes and burnt a priest of them who came with a great traine of that sect both men and women downe from the Alpes into Italy for Boniface seing him come thus with his companye all in white for that which cause they were called Albes was afraid as some write least his Popeship should be taken from him by the said priest But some sayth Platina say that the man did purpose no harme but that the Pope did imagine this to put away the rumour that went how the priest was for spite and mallice taken and put to death 146. Benedict the xiij BEnedict the xiii was a Catalan borne and called Peter of the Moone this mā euen in the time of the sciesme duringe was chosen Pope to succede Clement by those Cardinals which continued at Auenio This fellow while he was but Peter of the Moone not Benedict Pope of Rome did dispute against the auctoritye of the Pope and of his clergye and said that it was not to be feared and for this his true saying notwithstāding he became Pope yet afterward he was and is still condemned by his successours for an hereticke While he was but Cardinall being sente by Pope Clement Embassadour to Paris and other places he vsed often to boast that if he might be chosen to succede Clement he would spare no meanes to procure that this longe sciesme mighte cease And therefore the Cardinals abused with his great protestations did chose him in deede to succeede the other but before the election they sware all and he among them that whosoeuer shoulde be chosen Pope should be cōtent at any time to resigne giue it vp againe if the Cardinals thinkinge it meete would require it But afterward whē it came to tryal he defying his oath would not yeld one iote no though the Cardinals diuers Princes did exhorte him to it and chargde him with his oath and councels conclude against him that he was no Pope But certaine estates of Fraunce moued with his troublesome obstinacy did set vpon him by force of armes toke him priner and kepte him so three yeares and yet could not make him giue ouer but that he would first dye ere he would deminishe his dignitye so that they being wearye of him deliuered him againe at the end of the three yeares By his lawes it appeareth that being Pope he woulde that euen the wronge sentence of condemnation vttered by him and his sonnes shoulde be feared Hee abode in his place sayth Crantzius till the time of the councell of Constance and he swarued much in the auctorizinge of it finally he began to be hardned being cast of in that coūcell He continued in his obstinacye with his Cardinals who also after his death endeuoured to continue and maintaine this strife by putting vp another to be Pope but they were forbidden Amonge other thinges this Pope gaue to the kinge of Fraunce Charles the vi the tenthes of the Church partly to hyre the kinge to maintaine him in his quarel partly that he might take part of this great lucre and sayth Theodoricus he sawe it stoode him vpon He at length followed Boniface his practise in bestowing benefices geuing dispensatiōs tolleratiōs exemptiōs totquots pardōs and such like enormityes according to the saying If thou sawest a theefe run thou did dest run vvith him This he did to allure men from the obedience of Boniface to himselfe the better to maintaine his quarrel against him Whē this Pope Benedict abode plāted himselfe stronglye in his countrye and auouched that he himselfe was the true vicar of Christe he was shamefullye reproued by the auctoritye of the said general councell And yet he sommoned and helde a Synode in Perpinian and created manye Cardinals At the length he dyinge at Paeniscula Anno 1424. commaunded these his Cardinals to choose another in his steede forthwith and they forthwith choose Giles Munyos canon of Barchynony calling him Clement the eight who out of hand at the motion of kinge Olphonsus did both create newe Cardinals and toke vppon him to do those thinges that appertayned to the Pope But when Pope Martin the fift came in fauoure with kinge Olphōsus this Giles at his commaundement yelded vppe all the righte and estate of the Popedome being appointed bishop of Maiory and in like maner they whom hee had made Cardinals did likewyse giue ouer their Cardinalship 147. Innocent the seuenth INnocent the seuenth was borne at Sulmo called Cosmarus of Peruse he being Cardinal of the holy Crosse while all Italye was in an vprore he was made Pope to
because he was an heretick a simonist a lyer an hypocrite a poysoner a dycer an adulterer a Sodomite of all kinde of trecherye shamefullye attainted Therefore he chaunging his apparel began to steale awaye the xxi daye of Marche followinge to Scafuse a towne in Austria and from thence to Friborow But the councell prouided so that the xxix daye of May in the v. yeare of his Popedome he was vncased of al offices sought out founde and committed to pryson in a stronge hould in Germanye where he was lockt vp three yeares and had none that assisted him but onely the Germaynes who to theyr great domage did not vnderstand neither the Latine nor the Italian tongue It it also noted in the storye of Albanus that this Pope Iohn was spoyled of al his riches at his deposinge which amounted to 75. Thousand FloreÌ„ces of gould siluer In the meanetime sayth Massaeus the presidents of the Sinode published a decree wherin they shewed that a general councel being lawfullye gathered together is aboue the Pope that it hath power and auctoritye from Christ who is the head of the Church In this councell whereas manye thinges might haue beene done both for the glorye of Christ and for the coÌ„mon wealth yet nothing was done but canons deuised against those that sought to reuiue the light of the Gospell to suppresse both it and them In this couÌ„cell Iohn VVicliffe a famous godlye and learned man was excommunicated and condemned for an heretick because he by the Scripture in preachinge and writinge detected the delusions of the Pope and his monkes fryers nunnes and such other and manye yeares after his death his bâ—dnes were taken out of his graue here in England where he was buried and were burnte Also Iohn Husse and Ierom Prage hauing a safeconduct to come safe and go safe were cited to this councell when they were come because they had inueighed against the Church of Rome notwithstanding theyr warrant graunted and sealed with the Popes bull yet they were taken and cruelly burnt Platina sayth they were burnt partly because they auouched that the clergye ought according to the example of Christ and of the Apostles liue poorelye Such is the libertye which the Pope graunteth those that come to his councelles such is the warrante that he giueth for safetye and thus he keepeth his fayth Amonge other Popelike pageants played by this Pope Iohn he also broched and styrred most cruell bloudye warre against Ladislaus and helde a conspiracye at Rome to driue him out of his kingdome He commaunded that they should say seruice w t S. Iohn Baptistes heade set out in shew the whilest the which he did for this pollicye because he purposed to sell it to the Florentines While Martin the fift who did succeede him supplied his roume was at Florence this Pope Iohn being deliuered oute of pryson against all mens hope to the greate marueile of the people he came thether to him and kissing the feete of Pope Martin he did acknowledge him to be his Pope to be Peters successour and honoured him like a worldly God Pope Martin being moued with this his greate humilitye did make him Cardinall within a fewe dayes after and made him bishop of Tusculan but within a fewe monthes after he ended his dolefull lyfe throughe sorrowe and griefe of minde Anno 1419. where his Phisition Cosmus that did euer loue him hartelye caused him to be buryed in S. Iohn Baptistes Church with great solemnitye where this Epitaphe was made on him in Latine Uerse First Balthazer and then the name of Iohn I did obtaine But being novve vnpoped I am Balthazer againe Of late I vvas the vvelthiest vvight vvithin the heauenly cope But in one houre all I lost deposed from being Pope VVhile I did sit on Peters chayre as soueraigne for a space Then manye men vvith lovvlye lookes vvere humbled to my face The greedy plague of couetousnes so bleard mine eyes vvith gould That for to staunch my hungrye minde all holy thinges I sould Alas my loathed life hath stainde and tainted very fore The spouse of Christ that neither spot nor vvrinkle had before For this my filthy trechery Saint Peters councell pure VVould suffer mee in hauty trone no longer to endure Then let all Popes by mee bevvare that shall hereafter liue Do not vvith mee for cursed bribes your holy matters giue 151. Martin the fift MArtin the fift was borne in Rome called Otho Columna Cardinall of S. George he was made Pope by the decree of the councell of Constance which to establish him did depriue three other that is Benedict Gregorie Iohn He being broughte vp by his parentes in learninge from his youth when he grewe to yeares attended vpon the Popeship still at Peruse in such order as he mighte creepe forward toward it He returning to Rome was made Rememberer vnto Vrban the sixt which office he discharged with so great shew of humilitye and curteous nature that Innocent the seuenth made him Cardinall For in all controuersyes he woulde agree to neither parte no not to the truer but so keepe in a meane that he pleased all offended none For this cause he was so in fauour with the Emperour and Cardinals that in the foresaide councell he was made Pope At whose election the Emperour Sigismond was so ioyfull of it that he thanked them all for chusinge such a Pope humbling himselfe to him kissed his feete The Pope again embrasing him like a brother did thanke him on the other side because his diligence had at the length restored the peace to the Church After this salutacioÌ„ the Pope mouÌ„ted on his palfreye his coronation being also ended w t great triumph he passed pompously from the place where he was crowned through the Citye of Constance with his horse trapped in skarlet and all his abbottes and bishops in roabes and miters rydinge after him his Cardinals wyth their horses trapped in white silke But the Emperour on the one side of the Popes horse and the prince Electour on the other side wayted on foote vpon him throughe the Citye And yet soone after he conueyed himselfe away and as Volateranus sayth maugre the Emperours head he returned in all poast hast into Italy He passed through Millen Mantua Ferraria Rauenna and other townes til he came to Florence but mistrusting daunger he shonned Bononia He abode at Florence two yeares lyuing in all fleshlye pleasures pompe and idlenesse and preached not the Gospell so much as once Furthermore while he was before at Constance when the Emperour other Princes made often complaintes to him of naughty behauiour and detestable maners of the clergye he deferred the time to redresse it saying that it was a matter that required both leasure and good aduise For quoth he as Ierome sayth Euerye prouince hath his fashions and customes which cannot be altered without much hurlye burlye And nowe because it was feared that the generall
place He bestowed great cost vpon buildinges both of the towne walles Churches Pallaces Castels Concerning his building Platina saith he began to fortifye with stronge walles the gates and towers of the Citye the Capitoll and Angell Castell He builded sumptuouslye magnificentlye both in the towne and at Vatican as in the towne the Popes house also hee repayred the house of S. Steuen in Celius hill He raysed euen from the ground S. Theodors Church He couered w t lead an olde Church in Rome called Panthion He transported the Popes house in Vatican brought it to a statelye fourme He began to laye the walles of Vatican wyth greater foundation He restored Right bridge and builded a greate and large house beside Viâ—erby bathes He ayded diuers with money that builded in the Cittye And at his commaundement almost all the streates in the Citye were strowed There are yet remayninge certaine Uessels of gould and of siluer crosses beset with Pearles precious stones certaine priestes roabes gorgeouslye decked w t golden owches and pearles also certaine coueringes hanginges wouen of gould and siluer beside a certaine pontificall Miter which remaine as monumentes of his plentiful pompe and magnificencye c. Finallye he being troubled with an agewe and the goute dyed Anno 1455. 155. Calixtus the third CAlixtus the third a Spaniarde borne in Valentia called first Alphonsus Borgia his father was called Iohn and his mother Frauncis Pope Nicolas being dead this Alphonsus being an old impotent man was chosen in his steede This Pope as wryters do testifye of him was very â—unning in the Popes canon lawe but whollye ignoraunt in the Scripture as it appeareth by his deedes He was first Secretarye to Alphonsus king of Aragon and made bishop of Valentia by Pope Martin the fift and Cardinal by Eugenius the fourth As sone as he was Pope he forthwith prouided and addicted himselfe not to preache to nations but to followe warres against the Turke proclayming it oute of hande as he had vowed before And to further this purpose he sent out a rable of fryers with bulles and pardons to encourage the Christian nations against the Turke Among these Iohannes Capistranus and Robartus Licius were of moste renowne being both minorite fryers and notorious hypocrites who to drawe the more fishe to their net and to the greater filling of their purses vsed many shameful shiftes deluding men with dissembled and counterfaite holines Letanies penaunce fasting false merites shryuings reliques images crosses songes canticles notes ringing of belles singing cakes The Pope also for his part was busye to sturre vp all Princes by his letters to take the quarell in hand as a matter very nedefull and godlye Also he commaunded the priestes euerye daye at noone to ringe the sacringe bell and at night with an Aue Maria that saith Stella they might by this holye prayer helpe them that foughte against the Turke Certaine sillye countrymen seing this folly in the Pope laughed thereat whereupon the Pope caused them to be hanged for it He decreed that no man should appeale from the Pope to a generall councell He suffered his nephewes and bastards to liue licenciouslye He poured out sayth Valerius his letters of pardon in pure fashion wheâ—by selling them then for fiue ducates which now are sould for cryfles he left to his successour in treasure an hundred millâ—ns fiftene thousande ducates At the length he dyed for age Anno 1458. and was buryed in Peters Pallaice or the rounde Church 156. Pius the second PIus the second borne in Hetruria called first AEneas Picothomineus hauing his breast boyling long with ambition did at length obtaine the Papacye He of a poore boye became so worthy a man as all wryters do testifye of him that amonge the learned Popes he was the best learned and most diligente writer In the councell of Basil he was the Popesscribe and did with his Epistles and orations stande against the auctoritye of Eugenius Afterward he was made Poet Lawreat of the Emperour Frederick the third and being called to attende in his Court his first promotion was that he was made councellour and Secretarye Afterward he being sente Embassadour to diuers Princes was first made bishop of Tergest by Pope Nicolas then of Scene and finally Cardinall by Pope Calixtus In the end he attayning to the Papacye did as his elders he begaÌ„ to proclaime the warres agaiÌ„st the Turke but he dyed ere he could proceede in his purpose He sought still to enlarge the dominion of the Church for the which sayth Stella it appeared that he feared neither kinge nor prince nor duke If anye man offended him he would sore molest him with warre and taxes till he made him satisfaction And therefore he was an heauye ennemye to king Lewis the xi of Fraunce because he went about to abridge the licentious libertye of the clergye in his Realme He warred vppon Borsius duke of Mutina because he did fauour Sigismond Malaâ—esta and the estate of FrauÌ„ce against Frederick for he set Ferdinandus bastarde of king Alphonsus in the kingdome of Naples violentlye with auctoritye and men of armes against Iohn of Angewe sonne of kinge Renatus He cursed Sigismond duke of Austria euen to the pitte of hell because he bridled the polling of Cardinal Cusan furthermore he did euen as an angry Uiper sayth VVolphamus VVissemburgius spit out the poyson of his curse vpoÌ„ his Embassadour George Haimburg a worthye lawyer and did so persecute him with his thondringe letters that he was faine to flye into Bohemia and liue there He chased Deitherus Archebishop of Maguntia like a madde man out of his diocesse and planted another in his steede wherevpon great discorde arose betweene Frederick the Palatine and duke of VVittenburg with other in Germanye by meanes wherof ensued great slaughter and bloudshed and the City of Mentz being before a free Citye lost his freedome then The cause of the Popes displeasure against Deitherus was first because that Deitherus woulde not consente that the Pope shoulde charge his countrye with certaine great taxes tallenges secondly because that he would not be bounde vnto the Pope that he beinge Prince Electour should not as the Pope required withoute his lycence call the other Electours together Thirdly because he would not suffer the Popes Legate to call together the clergye within the diocesse of Mentz as the Legate listed but as he being bishop thoughte best For these causes the Pope disquieted both him and Germany Also he remoued the Archbishop of Beneuent for making newe orders against his will He commaunded George kinge of Bohemia to aunsweare vpon an appointed day touching his fayth vpoÌ„ perill of leâ—sing his kingdome because he fauoured the opinioÌ„s of Husse He deposed many bishops for his owne lucre He subdued many townes of Campania and encreased maruelouslye the reuenues of the Church He was verye beneficiall to his frendes kindred He caused an head to be translated from Peloponesus
doth vvoâ—ke these broyles vvith many a monstrous feate He neither prayeth for his flocke nor lyuing yet in peace He seeketh not as Peter did their knovvledge to encrease But kindleth vvarres and iets in armes and doth delight in goare Yea Peter backe he puts and needes vvill set S. Paule before S. Paule yet smites not vvith his svvord but therevvithall vvas slaine But Iulie doth his handes vvith bloud of many Christians staine ¶ The description of Pope Iulie by the sayde Auctour VVhy goeth Iulius in steele and in his coate of plate VVith griselye beard and ouglye lookes vpon his bussshye pate VVhose frounced forhead hideth deepe his loathly steaming eyes FroÌ„ vvhence vvith helhouÌ„des threatning loke the sparkling fier flyes â–ª This terrour vnto VVesterne men by sea and eke by land VVith bitter bovves and bloudie billes and shaking svvord in hand That vnto all the kings on earth hath vvrought such vvarlick harmes And is a scourge toth vvorld vvhich he hath raysed vp in armes The author of such maÌ„glinges made such slaughter and such spoyle That did both Prince and people all in daunger put of foyle â–ª VVho both vvith hand and head doth put all vilanye in vre A creature borne the ruine of mankinde for to procure VVhose vvorke is death vvhose leasure is fulfilling filthye lust And plucking peace from euerye man hath broached vvarre vniust VVhat is there in him vvhye that anye man dare giue his dome VVhye such a caytiffe maye deserue the name of Pope of Rome The French kinge vnderstandinge that the Pope with the helpe of the Venetians wente aboute to disturbe those whom he set in garrison did summon a couÌ„cell at Turney in September where he propounded these questions to be discussed Whether it were lawful for the Pope to warre vpon anye Prince without any cause Whether a Prince defenâ—inge his owne in that case may set vpon the Pope withdraw himselfe from obeing him And auÌ„sweare was made that the Pope oughte not to do so and that a Prince might do according to the questioÌ„ that vniust thondring boultes of excommunication are not to be feared Herevpon the king sent his Embassadour to Pope Iulius to declare the determination of the councell and to desire him eyther to be coÌ„tent with peace or els to call a general couÌ„cell to bulte oute these matters the better But the Pope would graunte to neither request but did excommunicate Lewis and gaue his kingdome for a praye to those that would make hauock of it Of this Iulius it is written in a certaine Commentarye of the maisters of Paris againste the Lutherians that he did most villanouslye commit that which is not to be spoken of with two noble yonge gentlemeÌ„ who were put to a certaine Cardinall called Robaâ—t Nauetensis to be broughte vp by Ladye An Queene of Fraunce The like thing is reported of him by another writer wher vpon Conradus Gabriel wrote these two Uerses Venit in Italiam spectabilis indole rara Germanus redijt de puero mulier It were not tollerable to set out all the treachery wherwith this monstrous Pope defiled himselfe In his time amonge the religious men began diuers grosse and vnreuerent opinions touching the incarnation of Christe the conceptioÌ„ of the blessed virgin mouing many vnnecessarye vnprofitable and vnhonest questions and medling impudentlye with matters belonging to midwiues and not to scholedoctours and therefore rather to be suppressed then heare reuealed onelye this maye suffice to the wiser sort to consider what sectes were amonge those holye siers and what diuinitye they studied One of these busye brayned sophisters was called Ptolomeus Lucensis a monke who preached his filthye fantasyes touchinge the maner of Christes conception in a Church at Mantua This Pope Iulius being a lustye warriour and goinge forth on a time with his armye out of the Cittye did hurle Peters keyes into Tiber with these words Because that Peters keye is able to do no more let the sworde of Paule helpe to do it By which deede sayth Bibliander Pope Iulius hath resigned all his power vnto the riuer Tiber if that the Pope haue receiued any power of Peter in that Christ said vnto him Behould I wil giue to thee the keyes of the kingdome of heauen For he that casteth awaye the keyes being the testimonye of auctoritye doth depriue spoile himselfe and his successours of S. Peters inheritaunce Of this madde prancke of Iulie hurling his keyes into Tiber diuers men wrote verses as MelaÌ„cthon Brusichius one Ducherius the Englishe whereof doth followe VVhile Iulius to mischiefe framde did bloudy vvarre prepare He marched foorth in armed hand his vveapon thus he bare A svvord hong by his side vvhich out couragiously he drevve And Peters keys into the deepe of Tiber floud he threvv VVith blustring thus if Peters keys in vvarre cannot preuaile Then vvith the svvord of Paule vve vvyll our ennemies assaile ¶ Huldericus Huttenus made this Epigram of Pope Iulius pardons By craft Pope Iuly all the vvorld thou merchant dost intvvine Thou sellest heauen and yet no part therof by right is thine Sell me the thing thou hast great shame vvill els therof proceede VVhen thou dost sell the thinge vvhich thou thy selfe dost vvant and nede O saluage soyle vvhy bidst thou not an hundred giants fel To helpe Iuly to beate out Ioue that he the heauens may sell Fortill an other God get heauen and thunder from the skies Friend Iuly I le not bye of you such vveightie marchandise But after he had made many great slaughters he died Anno. 1513. 163. Leo the tenth LEo the tenth was a Florentine borne of the noble house of Medicea and called ere he were Pope Iohn Medices He being Deacon and Cardinal of saint Maries contrarie to all hope was chosen to succede Iulius He beinge diligeÌ„tly from his youth trained vp in learning vnder learned schoolemaisters and especially one Angelus Politianus did afterward greatly fauour learned men When he was but .xiij. yeres olde he was made cardinall by Innocentius the .viii. and at the yeres of xxxviii he obtained the papacie This Leo was of his owne nature a gentil and quiet person but often times ruled by those that were cruell and contencious men whom he suffered to do in many matters according to their insolent will He addicting him selfe to nicenesse and takinge ease did pamper his fleshe in diuerse vanities and carnal pleasures At banqueting he delighted greatly in wine and musike but had no care of preaching the Gospell nay was rather a cruell persecutour of those that began then as Luther and other to reueale the light thereof for on a time when cardinall Bembus did moue a question out of the Gospell the Pope gaue him a very contemptuouse aunswere saiyng All ages can testifie enough howe profitable that fable of Christe hath ben to vs and our companie Sleidan saith he sente letters and hulles of pardons into all nations for suche as woulde giue money for them the
patrone of their vndoubted Religion and they shal be compelled by their reason to say and speake with their tongue as the foole sayd in his hart Surelye there is no God no Iesus Christe no holye Ghost no Gospell no heauen nor hell I will not beleeue anye such thinge because that euē the Pope himselfe the great professour hereof is become a sincke of sinne and a puddle of all filthines to commit in his owne parsō adulterye and incest and to foster those euils in his sonne and suffer him to be as it were Prince of Sodom c. Thus I say if a man wil iudge Religiō by men he shall be so farre from attayning to the knowledge of God from faythfull seruinge of him that he shall rather defye vtterlye his glorious maiestye thincke that there is no God at all But thus we see that as no people haue attayned so much to the true vnderstanding of God as they to whom it hath pleased the mercye of the father to reueale him selfe by his sonne Iesus Christe so againe no people haue at anye time swarued farther from his holye wil and pleasure and bin more fowlye polluted stayned with all kinde of abhominable wickednes But to returne to the historye of Peter Aloysius This outragious villanye against the sayd bishop together with other matters of iniurye extorciō crueltye but this chiefelye emboldned diuers parsons of all estates to grudge his doings And amonge other he being on a time at his owne Citye Placentia sone after this former facte Anno 1547. he did cease into his owne hands al the goods of sondrye parsons and amonge them one Ierome Palauicinus and when as he to auoyde the daūger of displeasure fled to Crema a towne subiect to Venice Peter Aloysius apprehended the wyfe and children of the sayd Ierom and imprysoned them all This being a matter wherof greater trouble might ensue the Cardinall of Trent bearinge good will to the Fernesians wrote his letters to Aloysius in the behalfe of Ierom but Aloysius gaue him a lighte aunswere Afterward Octauius sonne to the sayd Peter came from the Emperours campe to Trent purposing to returne home The Cardinall of Trent came vnto him and coulde him the whole matter touchinge Ierom and desired him to be a meanes to his father for him Hee made him promise to do it and afterwarde sente woorde to the Cardinall that Ierom shoulde be receiued into fauour if he himselfe woulde come and craue his owne pardon in humble manner But because it was feared that promise beinge broken he shoulde be put to some greuous punishmente therfore the Cardinall with a trayne of men went to Crema and called for Ierom. He mistrusting treason would not appeare tyll he had good proofe that the Cardinal was come in deede After they had longe talked in counsell together and the Cardinal had at large promised his helpe they toke their iourney together The Cardinall sent one of his men before to geue knowledge to Aloysius that hee and Ierom were comminge by whom Aloysius returned this message contrary to that whiche his sonne Octauius had shewed before that if they came he coulde not restore Ierom. And although that bothe diuers Legates besides other wise and graue men did bothe intreate and vse perswasions to appease his wrath yet he persisted obstinately in his purpose And now certaine of the nobilitie that had hated him for his former pranckes conspired to murther him They hauing entertayned for their purpose certaine ruffians for their sauegarde watched a conueniente tyme for theyr purpose and being garded with this their traine they diuidinge them selues into diuers companies came now and then out into the streates euery man pretending that it was done for priuate quarrels towching him selfe and therfore euery man demaunded of those whom he had hyred to attende on him whether they woulde faythfully take parte with him to reuenge his iniurie whiche he had susteined at the hands of Duke Aloysius the seruing men made aunswere againe that they would do their endeuour not onely to reuenge an iniurie on hym but further if it were to kill him About this time Pope Paule the third wrote to his sonne Peter Aloysius willinge him to take heede to him selfe and to beware of the tenth day of September for he saide that the starres did thretten great mischiefe towarde him for this Pope by constant reporte was skilful not onely in Astrologie but also in Necromancie vpon the sighte of these letters Aloysius was very sad and pensiue for feare And when the same tenth day came he passed out of his castell being borne in a horselitter and accompanied with a great trayne to viewe the fortifiyng of the citie which he had appoynted to be doone The conspiratours were also there in a redinesse but because they coulde not then obteine their purpose therfore they made no slurre at al but when he shoulde returne home they gaue attendaunce on him and as it were for duetie towarde him they went before him .xxxvi. in al and when he with his horselitter was entred into the castell forthwith they drewe vp the bridge after them for it was a drawe bridge so that none other coulde follow them in where euen presently they set vpon hym with their swordes and after they had rated him and vpbrayded him bitterly with his tyranny they slew him in his litter and a certaine prieste beside the groome of his stable and fiue Germaines This beinge doone they ran vp and downe in the castell and made spoyle of al thinges where among other things they founde an hewge masse of money which he had laide in store to mainteine the charge of fortifiyng the citie In the meane time the people of the citie ran thither demaunding what the matter should be because they harde such criynge weeping and howlinge within the castell The murderers spake out to them againe saying we haue slaine the tyrant and recouered the libertie of our citie But because that matter could hardly be credited vpon the warrant of the people promisinge to saue them harmelesse the murderers tyed the deade body of Peter Aloysius to an iron chaine and so hong him out ouer the castel wall in sight of all the people and after they had there let him hang a while they threwe him downe into a dike As sone as he was downe the people ranne thither drew him out stamped on him and spurned him with their feete and thrust their daggars into his bodie so desirous they were to woorke their mallice on his hatefull carkasse This being done the people forthwith submitted them selues to the obedience of the Emperour to whom they vttered the shameful demeanour of Aloysius and causes of his death as hath ben saide Thus he whom the Pope his father fostred in his villanie was plagued both with losse of life in his own person and alienation of his dominion from his children So alwaies the iustice of god awaketh when the iustice of man
a byshoprike he fisshed for a Caldinalship caught it Therevpon when he shoulde departe from Venice the Iesuites demaunded of him whither he went to whom he aunswered sayinge Whither I go ye cannot come meaninge thereby that he wente to the Pompe and dignitie of Rome as to an other heauen and that he shoulde leaue them in wretchednes and beggerye Thus it pleased hym to dally sport him selfe with the phrase of the holy ghost Many thinges are reported of him as that he was a stoute Champion for Purgatory and that he knewe the secretes of some mindes and that he dyd many wonders Vergerius sayth he dedicated a booke of reforminge the Churche to Paule the thirde and yet hee made no reformation in his owne time But saith hee who so euer readeth that â—ooke shall see that he confirmeth al those poyntes almost whiche we reproue in the papistes that is to say that the Churche is so decayed amonge them as it is rather the Churche of Sathan then of Christ. For he saithe that the Popes do for their owne luste store them selues with maysters hauing itching eares that the name of Christ is blasphemed amonge the Gentiles throughe Cardinalles and Bishops that the power of the keyes is wiped away with money that lewde persons are made priestes that Simonie is vsed as it were in open fayres that the prelates doe swell with Ambicion and Couetousnes that horrible villanies are practised in monasteries that Rome swarmeth w t shamelesse harlots and struÌ„pets beside many lyke matters onely towching theyr detestable maners but of their manifold superstitions of theyr butcherly slaughters and cruell tyranny raging at that time in Italy England France Spayne and other countries he speaketh not a woorde And yet saith Vergerius who made faithful searche therof wtin lesse then thirty yeares theyr inquisition of heresye hath deuoured and destroyed by diuers kinde of torments an hundred and fiftie thousande Christians This acompt Vergerius made aboue twenty yeares ago And since that time sauynge onely God be thanked for it in England in al the former countries this bloudy persecution for Religion hath not onely continued but mightely encreased Italy dayly tasteth the bytter gall of it as occasion serueth Spaine findeth that the heate therof burneth more feruently in the middest of winter then the scorching Sonne in the middest of sommer at noone daye the flame of the one turneth and tanneth theyr skynnes to black the coales of the other burneth theyr bodies to graye asshes And as towching Fraunce al Europe knoweth that as yet the worme in the grounde hath scant taynted the karkases of thousandes whiche within these fewe dayes haue ben martyred Thus we see howe that prowde Prynce of Babilon hath made all Christendome as it were his burning furnace to destroye those that wyll not fal downe to worshyp his golden image and yet howe that this littell Ilande walketh as it were in the myddest of this vniuersall flame and not so muche as our garmentes are once cinged therewith And yet it is well knowne howe carefull and busie the byshoppe of Rome with his accomplices hath bene to sturre coales amonge vs and to enkendle that fier in Englande the smoke wherof were sufficient to destroy vs who knoweth not howe that if his hotte thunderboltes of excommunication could any thing harme vs we had therewith ben beaten to pouder longe since If the rancke breath of his blacke curses might haue preuayled we had bin blowne to hell bequeathed aliue both bodye and soule to the deuil dampnation longe since If holye leagues as they terme them and conspyring vowes of sondrye estates by his procurement could haue bin stronger against vs then the hand of God with vs how many are we that should haue tasted miserye but how fewe should haue bin left to be waile it at this day When forren inuasions haue bin to weake hath not that Romaine prelate â—ought to procure treason amoÌ„g vs heare at home to delude the simple with bulles pardons entising them to renounce their alleageaunce to reuolt from their naturall Prince to rayse rebellioÌ„s against their owne countrey Hath not his bulls roared at Paules Church gate discharginge subiectes of their dutye And howe they haue wroughte in huggur mugger to steale awaye the hartes of Englishe subiectes manye poore widdowes and wretched orphanes at this daye in the North part of England with heauye harts ran testifye who haue lost their parentes and husbandes throughe detestable rebellion and sedition the roote whereof is the Romishe religion But because that these tumultes treasons and broyles wroughte since the raigne of oure most Gracious Queene against her maiestye and royall estate haue bin practised not in the time of this Pope Paule the fourth but by those that haue succeded him as Pius the fourth Pius the fift the gentle Reader is to be desired not to looke for the perfite discourse hereof as yet neyther the historye of their liues treachery and hurlye burlyes sturred in Christendome for so much as yet they are not to be sufficiently gathered by those Chronicles that haue bin latelye set forth or augmented As for Onuphrius who hath writteÌ„ their liues added to the historye of Platina because he is one hyred by the Pope to put his pen in vre for the cracked credit of their estate at this daye there is iust cause to thincke his wryting to be parciall as one that turneth the best side of his Popes face outward and that which is blemished eyther he hideth it or paynteth it with a fayre coloure to couer the foule blots thereof And therefore seing maister Bales trauaile doth staye heare in Paule the fourth this maye suffice till it shall please God to giue occasion of proceeding in the liues of those that haue succeeded during the raigne of the Queenes maiestye In the meanetime good Christian Reader coÌ„sider those treacheryes which by thy owne experience thou maiest knowe since her highnes came to the Crowne of the Popes dealinge against her Maiestye and her Realme weigh whereunto they tende by the example of these former historyes set forth in this woorke then I doubt not but euerye one shall finde that he hath iust cause to saye Blessed be Almightye God that hath thus preserued vs from the mouth of the Lion and from the wolfe in a Lambes skin I doubte not but they that haue ben false hartâ—d againste our most gracious Queene wyll consider theyr own folly theyr owne iniquitie madnes in enuyinge the good estate of so noble merciful godly most lawful a prince whom it hath pleased Iehoua to make oure Debora a most blessed and worthy instrument to the aduauÌ„cing of his glory the comfort of his Churche the preseruation of the happy and quiet estate of all trewe Englishe hartes the whiche greate treasures of Gods mercye so plentifullye powred vpon vs the Lord geue vs grace to vse them more thankfully then heretofore to glorifie his name with greatter zeale
euen as it were by their owne right to scratche together howge heapes of ryches to compasse honour by ill artes coniuring and sorcery and to exercise tyranny Benedict after he had raigned nine yeares died Anno. 894. 77 Iohn the sixtene IOhn the sixtene sonne of one Leo a Prieste succeded by election of the people and Clergie As sone as hee was Pope he began to beare deadly hatred against the Clergye so that he was abhorred not onelye of them but of all the people and chiefelye because he neglecting the dignitye of the Romaine Sea bestowed the riches treasures ther of vppon his kinred his harlots and bastards Which fault sayth Platina and Stella hath continued among the clergye vnto our time for an ill president to the posterity Then the which custome nothing is more perillous when our clergye sayth Platina shall couet spiritual dignities not for loue of Religion to serue God but to maintaine the prodigality gluttonye couetousnes of their kindred and frendes their concubines and bastards Of the like complayneth Mantuan of his tyme. Sanctus ager scurris venerabilis ara cynaedis Seruit honorandae diuum Ganymedibus edes At this tyme appeared a Comet after which followed both famine pestilence with terrible earthquakes which shooke both Beneuent and Capua which plagues moste men iudged were sent for the pride ambition greedines royat of the Popes and for the contempt of God so greate at this time This Iohn dyed in the viii yere of his raigne â–ª Anno. 985. 78. Iohn the 17. IOhn the 17. was verye experte in feates of cheualrye he was made Pope with the goodwill of the clergye laitye He was excellentlye well learned published diuers bookes He beinge troubled with the sedition of one Crescentius the Consull going about to make himselfe king of the Cittye gaue place vnto Crescentius conspiracye and banished himselfe into Hetruria but Crescentius knowing of Iohns displeasure and that he went about to call the Emperour wyth his armye into Italye against him hee sente those frendes and kinsefolke which Iohn had remayning in the Citye to entreat him not to sende for the Emperour but himselfe to returne to Rome wyth his autoritye and he promised to be obedient to him in all thinges Iohn being entreated by his frendes and fearing that the Emperours comminge would do more hurt then good to him and his clergye returned to Rome Against whose comming Crescentius with all the rest of the coÌ„spiratours came forth to meete him who with the other people a great multitude wayted vppon him into the Citye in the porch of Lateran Church Crescentius and his company falling downe before the Pope kissed his feete and craued pardon This Iohn dyed Anno 995. 79. Gregorie the fift GRegorie the fift a Germaine borne but a Saxons sonne was first called Bruno He after wranglinge and iarringe was made Pope by the Emperours auctoritye because he was his cosen But after Otho the Emperour was departed the Romaynes desyringe chaunge of state did aduaâ—nce Crescensius to be Consull againe and committed the estate of Rome to his gouernment This Crescentius and the people of the Cittye toke it greuously that Gregorie beinge a Dutchman shoulde by the Emperours auctoritye be made Pope and therefore they deposed Gregorie after which the people and clergye of Rome established one Iohn the xviii beinge before bishop of Placentia an excellente learned man and very well stoared wyth money Gregorie in fine went to the Emperour to complaine of his great iniurye the Emperour taking it dispitefully went into Italy with his armye besieged Rome assaulted it and toke Crescensius the Consull and Iohn the newe Pope and as for Iohn he had his eyes put out and so dyed Crescensius was put on a vile beastes backe wyth his face to the taylewarde hauinge his nose and his eares cut of to be seene of al men was caryed about the Cittye hauing his members quartered he was honge vp about the walles of the Cittye Then Gregorie his ennemyes beinge punished was restored who perceyuing that the estate of kingdomes were fickle and wauering through the ambition of Princes and couetousnes of the clergye while there followed great warres hard vppoÌ„ his restoring he sommoning a couÌ„saile at Rome made a decree for the election of the Emperour Hee decreed that the election of the Emperour shoulde continue from henceforth amonge the Princes of Germanye that is the Archbishop of Mens of Treuers Collen the Palsgraue of Rhein the duke of Saxonie and the Marquesse of Brandeburge To these also he added the king of Bohemia to be an vmpier if the voyces were euen which decree Anno a thousande ii the Emperour Otho did allowe and confirme but the kinges of Fraunce were highly offended that the Germaynes had this prerogatiue Gregorie dyed Anno 998. the third yeare of his Popedome 80. Iohn the xviij IOhn the xviii a Grecian borne of whom is spoken in the former Gregorie obtayned the place by bryberye sedition and hurlye burlye This maÌ„ was before bishop of Placentia an olde man learned ryche but proud couetous and desirous to be Pope which wrought his horrible and mischeuous ende For hee broughte so muche moneye to Rome wyth him from Constantinople whereby he was able to drawe and tempt vnto him aswel the wyse wary as the simple sort to be of his faction whereby he corrupted Crescentius the Consul violently to abuse Pope Gregorie to driue him out being a Germaine and so purchased the Popedome and the sequele thereof But of those thinges that he and his traine set to sale in his Popeshippe Mantuan wryteth thus Pernices mercantur equos venalia Romae Templa sacerdotes altaria sacra coronae I maruaile sayth Platina that the Chronographers would reckeÌ„ this Iohn amonge the Popes seing he vsurped the place while Gregorie liued vnlesse in wrytinge the Popes liues they thincke to do as they doo in a continuall historye For the peeuishe deedes of tyrants are set among the great exploites of good Princes that the readers may discerne the good from the euill and so by the example of good men be moued to vertue by the example of the ill terrifyed froÌ„ vice and so liue happilye vppon earth which happines this Iohn wanted being a theefe a robber euen in his Popedome So much sayth Platina of him At the leÌ„gth this Iohn w t his CresceÌ„tius perished hauing his eyes digged out and his bodye foulye maÌ„gled Crescentius for his doing was set vppon a vile horse as is saide before hauing his nose cut of and was so led through the Citye his face being turned to the horse tayle and afterward hauing his members cut of he was hanged vppon a gibbet Here will I alledge the wordes of Gualther out of his third homelye as touchinge Antichrist and so ende this booke Nowe sayth hee let anye noble harte iudge vvhether so manye good men haue vppon sufficient cause complayned of the tirannye
and vniust dealinge which the Popes haue vsed seing that seate of Rome hath sustaind within so fevve yeares so manye leude persons tyrantes theues filchers robbers rebels adulterers and open purloyners of Church goodes And who in Gods name vvill reuerence that as holye which receiueth so many plagues but as yet the nomber of the wicked ones is not fulfilled as shal follow immediatlye c. The ende of the fourth Booke THE FIFTE BOOKE contayninge the thirde diuision of the thirde order of Popes or Romaine Antichristes in the kingdome of the greate Dragon which is the deuill and sathan Apocalips 20. vnto the time of Innocentius the fourth FRoÌ„ Ioan the eighte who was an harlot for the space of 146. yeares to this yeare being the thousand yere from Christe his incarnation Antichrist raigned like an harlot in the Churche of Rome pretending chastity in the meanetime Yet we see howe here the prophecye in Daniel 11. concerninge Antichriste was fulfilled contayned in these words And Antichrist shal be in the coÌ„cupiscence of women We see in these former historyes howe these Popes haue liued in wantonesse royat whoredome and worse theÌ„ whoredome incest pride ambition robbinge and riflinge Churches coniuringe treason rebellion discention murders poysoninges such other detestable enormities So that according to the saying of Esaie they deserue rather to be called the Princes of Sodom theÌ„ the elders of the Church Consequentlye after the thousande yeare after Christes byrth it was prophesyed that the deuil should be let loose and this shal be called the kingdome of the great Dragon wherin the actes of the Popes do wonderfully aunsweare vnto it both in Syluester the second who wyth his Necromancye raysed the deuill from hell and hauinge coniured him vp did compounde wyth him for the Popedome And againe in Benedict the ix who made sacrifyce vnto the deuill in woodes and vppon mountayne toppes In Hildebrand or Gregorie the seuenth who toke counsaile of euill spirites and vsed other diuelish charmes beside other 81. Syluester the second SYluester the seconde was a Frenchman in profession a monke and called Gilbert before he was Pope He was of S. Benedicts order in an abbey at Florence where he being a yonge man and addicted whollye to deuilishe artes betoke himselfe to the deuill both bodye and soule Afterward forsaking that abbey he went into Spaine delightiÌ„g much in prophane sciences came to Hispalis vnto a certaine Philosopher being a Sarracen and expert in Magick of whom he learned much both sorcerye and ambitioÌ„ and began to deuise howe he might attaine to greate honour riches and thought in deede that coniuringe and Necromancye were the meetest wayes to come by hys purpose He had espyed before in the house of his host a certaine coÌ„iuring booke and did his endeuour to steale it awaye but the Magician kept it so deuoutlye that Gilbert coulde not come by it therfore he inueigled the MagiciaÌ„s doughter wyth whom beinge in the house he had good acquaintance â—o steale her fathers booke and let him haue a sight thereof the mayde fulfilled his request so he obtayned his purpose He hauing the booke went about to depart by stealth but fearing least this might endaunger his life for stealing the booke he gaue himselfe to the deuill vppon this condition that he should warrant him to passe safelye into FrauÌ„ce and to obtayne great dignityes He came into Fraunce taught the liberal Sciences so as many had him in admiration wherby he had a nomber of scholers and auditors some of great calling that learned the former artes of him as CoÌ„stantine abbot of Maximin Lotharius Archbishop of Seuen Otho the Emperours sonne Roberte kinge of Fraunce wyth sondrye other bishops prelats priestes of Rome By the procurement of these parsons he was made first bishop of Remen afterward by his leude artes he obtayned to be Archbishop of Rauenna Last of all he obtayned to be Pope of Rome by the helpe of the deuill whom he w t coniuration raysed out of hell according to the xx of the Apocalips For Peter Praemonstratensis other wryters saye that he was made Pope in the Thousande yeare of our Lords Incarnation In the which yere sayth Masfeus was a great and terrible earthquake and a blasinge starre horrible to loke vppon the xiiii day of December In his Popedome he concealed his coniuring and dissembled that familiarity which he had with the deuill but yet he kepte in a certaine secrete place a brasen heade of which when he demaunded anye thinge hee receyued aunsweare of an euil spirit At the length in his pontificality he would needes demauÌ„de of the deuil how longe he should be Pope the deuill aunswered doubtfullye and misticallye sayinge he should not dye vntill he sayd Masse in Hierusalem He therfore conceyuing good hope of longe life began to ware carelesse thinking to take heede enoughe of comminge in Hierusalem But the vse was that on a certaine day of stations in the Lent time the Popes should say masse at Rome in the Pallayce of the holy Crosse which was called Hierusalem wherevppon Syluester not fearinge his life nor heedefull enoughe to forecast the deuils despite accordinge to custome said masse in the same Chappel And by by a terrible shyueringe and quakinge came vppon him wyth a great feuer and by the rumbling noyse of deuils as Peter PraemoÌ„stratensis Platina say he perceyued his death was at hand and that he must paye the deuill his fee. And thus bewayling lamenting openly the abuse of his charmes he confessed his fault til he perished miserablye And sayth Benno he commaunded his tongue and his handes to be cut of wherewith he had blasphemed God in sacrifisinge vnto deuils thus he dyed Anno 1003. The reporte is that the tombe of this Syluester doth euer since prognosticate the death of the Pope by the ratlinge of the bones and the gushing out of water that ryseth out of the grouÌ„d about it as also sayth Platina is testifyed by the Epitaphe written on his graue 82. Iohn the 19. IOhn the 19. an Italian did likewise succeede Syluester and gat to be Pope by the deuils ayde for sayth Benno the scholers of the sayde Syluester being coniurers euerye one gaped for the Popedome This Iohn did take from the people the election of the Pope sayinge in behalfe of his doing that the clergye must teache the people but not followe them And againe the lawe which is ruled by Gods spirite is more worthye then that which is mans lawe He allowed commaunded to establishe in all Churches the feast of al soules at the motioÌ„ of one Odiloe abbot of Clunie whoe dreamed that soules were deliuered oute of Purgatorye by vertue of the masse and sayd that he harde the deuils houle and roare while the soules were takeÌ„ froÌ„ them through dirges trentalles After he had raigned 5. monthes he was poysoned by his owne frendes In his time the name of Cardinals began to grow