because the prelates of the grekes wold not submitte them selues vnto his godheade as the prelates of these quarters of the world had â—one AFter Pipine raygned his soÌ„ne greate Charles whoÌ„ we cal Charlemayne which knew non other God but the Pope nor any other waye to heauen then to do the Pope pleasure Pipine Charlemayne For the Pope serâ—ed him for two purposses One to dispeÌ„â—â— wyth hym for what soeuer mischefe he did an other to be stablished in the Empyre by his helpe for without his fauour he wist it wold not be so greate a God was oure holye father become already in those dayes T is pope steuen in his latter daies fell at variaunce with Desiderius king of LoÌ„bardye aboute the archbisshoppe of Raâ—enna AFter Steuen succeded AdriaÌ„ the firste with whom Desiderius the kiÌ„g of Lombardy wold fayne haue made peace but Pope Adrian wolde not Steuen Desiderius king of lombardy And shortly vpon that the brother of this Charlmayn which raygned wyth hym in halfe the dominion of Fraunce dyed whose wife for feare of charles fled with hir .ij sonnes vnto Desiderius king of LoÌ„bardye for succoure Desiderius was gladdâ— of their comming trusting by the meanes of these two chylderen to obtaine fauour among many of the Frenchmen and so to be able to resyst charles if he wold medle â–ª and to brynge Italy vnto the ryght Emâ—perour againe and wold haue had that pope Adrian shuld haue annointed them kinges in their fathers roume But Adrian refused that to do for he sawe charles myghâ—e and mete for hys purpose and was as wilye as Desyderius and thought to kepe oute the right Emperour be Emperour of Rome him self though he gaue an other the name for a ceason tyll a more coÌ„uenient â—ime came Then Desiderius warred vpon the popes iurisdictioÌ„ And Adryan sent to Charles and Charles came with his armye and draâ—e out desyderius and his sonne which sonne fled vnto the ryght Emperoure to Constantinople And Charles and the Pope dyuided the kingdome of Lombardy betwene them And Charles came to Rome And the Pope and he were sworne together that who soeuer shulde be ennemy vnto the one shuld be ennemy also vnto the other This Adrian gathered a counsell immediatly of an C. liiâ— bisshoppes abbottes and relygious parsones gaue vnto Charles and his successours the empyre of Rome and ordeyned that the ryght and powr to chose the pope â–ª shuld be hys â–ª and that no bysshop shuld be consecrate tyll he had obtayned of hym both consent and the ornamentes of a bysshop also whych they now â—ye of the pope vnder payne of cursing to be delyuered vnto black Sathan the deuell and losse of goodes Dist. lxiij And Leo the thyrde which succeded Adrian confyrmed the same crouned Charles Emperour of Rome for like seruice done vnto hym And then there was apointment made betwene the Emperours of coÌ„stantinople and of Rome aÌ„d the places assigned how farre the borders of ether empyre shuld reach· And thus of one empyre was made twayne And therfore the empyre of coÌ„staÌ„tinople for lacke of help was shortly after subdued of the Turkes The sayd Leo also called Charles the moost chrysten Kynge because of his good seruice which tytle the kynges of FrauÌ„ce vse vnto thys daye though many of them be neuer so vnchristened â–ª As the laste Leo called oure kinge the defender of the faith And as this Pope Clemens calleth the duke of Geâ—der the eldest soÌ„ne of the holy 〈◊〉 of ROME for non other vertue nor propertye yâ— anye man can knowe saue that he hath bâ—ne all his lyfe a pickequarell and a cruell and vnryghtuous bloudesheddeâ—â— as his father that sitteth in that holy se is So now aboue seuen hondred yeres to be a Christen kyng â—s to fyght for the Pope and most chrâ—sten that most fyghteth slâ—â—eth most men for his pleasure â—he lyfe of Charles This Charles was a great coÌ„querour that is to saye a great tiraunte and ouercame many nacyons with the swerde and as the Turke compelleth vnto his Fayth so he compelled them with violence vnto the fayth of Christ sayth the stories But alas Christâ— fayth whervnto the holyghost only draweth mennes hartes thorowe preaching the worde of truth and holy lyuynge according therto he knew not but vnto the pope he subdued them aÌ„d vnto this supersticious ydolatry which we vse clene coÌ„trary vnto the scripture Practyse Moreouer at the request and great desyre of his mother he maryed the doughter of Desyderius kyng of Lombardy but after one yere vnto the great dyspleasure of his mother he put her a waye againe but not without the false subtiltye of the pope thou mayest be sure nether with out his dispensacion For how could Charles haue made warre for the Popes pleasure with Desiderius hir father and haue thruste him out of his kingdome and banysshed hys Sonne for euer deuydinge his kingdom betwene him and the pope as long as she had bene his wyfe And therfore the pope with his auctoritâ— of byndynge and lousinge lowsed the boÌ„des of that matrimony as he hath many other sens and dayly doth for lyke purposses to the intent that he wold with the swerde of the french kyng put the Kyngdome of Lombardye that was somwhat to nye him â— out of the way by the reasoÌ„ of whose kynges hys fatherhode coulde not raygne alone nor assygne or sel the Bysshoprykes of Italy to whome he lusted aÌ„d at his pleasure He kept also .iiij. concubines and laye with two of his owne doughters therto And though he wist howe that it was not vnknowne yet his lustes being greater theÌ„ great Charles he wold not wete nor yet refrayne And beyonde all that the sayinge 〈◊〉 yâ— in hys olde age a whore had so bewitched him with a ryng a pearle in it aÌ„d I wote not what ymagerye grauen therin that he went asaute after her as a Dogge after a bytch and the doâ—ehed was beside hymself and hole out of hys Mynde in somuche that wheÌ„ the whore was dead he could not departe from the Deade Corps but caused it to be Enbaulmed and to be Caryed wyth hym whether so euer he Wente so that all the worlde wondered at him tyll at the last hys lordes accombred wyth caryenge her from place to place and asshamed that so olde a Man so greate an Emperoure and such a most chrysten kynge on whoÌ„ whose dedes euery Mannes eyes were sette shuld dote on a dead hore toke couÌ„sel what shuld be the cause And it was concluded that it muste neades be by enchauntement Then they wente vnto the cophyne opened it and sought and founde thys rynge on her finger which one of the lordes toke of and put it on his owne fynger When the ringe was of he commaunded to burye her regarding her no longer Neuertheles he caste a phantasye vnto thys Lorde and beganne to dote as faste on hym so that he might
mariage of som doughter vnto the duke of Uenyce then the holy father that succedeth wheÌ„ he seeth his ceason sendeth for it agayne sayenge that it is not laufull for lay men to with holde sainct Peters patrimony Yf they allege that they bought it and so forth his fatherhod answereth that the old Pope had none auctoritie to make any such cheuisaunce with sainct Peters enheritaunce he coude haue but the vse of it his lyfe longe and after it must nedes returne vnto his successoure agayne And vpoÌ„ that he interdytâ—th them and curseth them as blacke as coles and doune to the pyt of hell But the Uenecians knowing more of oure holye fathers practyse for their nyenes then we which dwel a farre of and wyser then we of cold contrees perceauing also that their colour chauÌ„geth not with his cursynge and that they syncke not aÌ„d that their meate digesteth as well as before and that as Erasmus sayeth they sâ—yte as easyly as before with reuerence of the holy course I speake it therfore feare not his interdiction nor excommunicatyon Then our holy father raiseth vp all his power that he is able to make in Italy agaynste them sendeth for the zwytzers to come and helpe Yf he be not yet strong ynough then he sendeh vnto the bysshops of fraunce warning them that if hys seate decaye theyrs can not longe prosper and therfore that they put theyr kynge in remeÌ„braunce how that he is called most chrysten kyng and that they desyre hym to do somwhat for hys tytie against this disobedieÌ„t rebellyons vnto the most holy se of Rome our mother holy churche FreÌ„chmen Yf an other tyme the frenchmen come to nye our holy father as they be euer gaping for Italy to brynge the empyre home agayne to fraunce Then the moost holy vicare bryngeth his whole power agaynste them with the power of the venecians and with hys old frendes the zwytzers If he be not yet stronge ynough then he sendeth to the bisshops of England EnglishmeÌ„ to help their god and to moue their kyng to do somwhat for holy churche puttyng him in remembraunce of whom he holdeth his croune of hys othe and how many cappes of mayntenaunce haue bene euer sent vnto hys forefathers and what honour it was vnto them and that he maye easely gett as greate honoure as they and happly a more excellent title yf he wyl take our holy fathers parte besydes that he shall purchase remyssyon of all hys synnes Then must the peace and all the apointementes made betwene vs and fraunce be broken and the kynge must take a dyspensacion for hys oth For the kynge of fraunce wyll attempte nothing in Italy vntyll he haue sent hys ambassadours and haue made a perpetuall peace wyth oure kynge the Sacrament of the bodye of oure sauiour broke betwene them to confyrme the appointement But I suppose that the breakyng signifyeth that the appointemeÌ„t shall not long endure for a greate deale of flower wolde not make so manye hoostes The abuse of the sacrament as they call them or synginge loues as hathe bene broken in our dayes betwene christen princes as they wylbe called to confirme promises that haue not long bene kept Other vse of that blessed sacrament wyll the priÌ„ces none know but christ ordeined it to be a perpetuall memorye that his bodye was brokeÌ„ for oure sinnes vpoÌ„ the crosse that all that repent shuld receaue as oft as they eaâ—e of it forgeuenes of their misdeades thorow fayth Yf the kiÌ„gs of the earth wheÌ„ they breake that sacrameÌ„t betwene them do say on this wyse The body of our sauiour which was broken on the crosse for the synne of al the repeÌ„t haue good harts wold faine kepe his law be brokeÌ„ vnto my daÌ„nacion if I breake this oth theÌ„ is it a terrible oth and they had neade to take heade how they make it â—d if it be lawfully made not to breake it at all But as they care for the â—rothe whiche they make in wedlockeâ— so they care for this Whatsoeuer nead the pope hath he wyl not send to the Emperour to come helpe hiâ— in Italy for feare lest he wold take to hiÌ„self what soeuer he coÌ„quered of the freÌ„chmen and waxe to strong and minish oure holy fathers power and become our holy fathers vicar as he is saint Peters Neuerthelesse if we englishmen will hyre the Emperour to com and fyght agaiÌ„st frauÌ„ce for the right of the church in these quarters that â—e next vnto vs his fatherhod is coÌ„tent to admyt his seruice When our king hath graunted to take our holy fathers part then the pretence cloke out ward must be that the kyng wil â—alenge his ryghte in fraunce And to ayde the king in his ryght must the commens be mylked tyll they blede agayne Then to do the king seruice the lordes sell or laye their landes to morgage Then is cleane remission geuen to sleo french dogges Remissioâ— of synnes He that dyeth in the quarell shall neuer see purgatorye but file tor heauen streyght euen with a thought WHen the Pope hath what he desyreth in Italye then muste we make peace wyth the Frenchmen agayne immediatlye that fraunce be not all together trodeÌ„ vnder the fete but that it remaâ— alwaye in a meane state stronge Inough to match the emperour to kepe hym doune but not to myghtye for oppressinge the pope and then oure prelates to bringe the peace about sende immediatly a fryer forest or a vicar of croiden to preach before yâ— king his lords which preacher roreth aÌ„d cryeth vnto theÌ„ as though he halowed hys houndes and maketh exclamations sayenge Alas what wyll ye do spare Chrysten bloude wyll ye slea youre owne soules Be not the freÌ„chmeÌ„ as well christeÌ„ as ye Moreouer ye slea pore innocents that neuer offeÌ„ded make peace for the passioÌ„ of christ kyll not one an other as though Christ had not dyed for you but fyght rather agaynst the turkes TheÌ„ come in the Ambassadours of frauÌ„ce and money a fewe prelates and certayne other the kynges playfellowes yâ— be sworn with them to betraye both the kinge and the royalme too And then is peace concluded But outwardelye there is nothinge saue a truce taken for halfe a yeare tyll our souldiers be at home again for feare least they wold not be conteÌ„t â–ª Then coÌ„meth the whole host home beggerd both great and smal And the poore that can not sodenlye gette work fall to stealyng and be hanged at home Thys could More tell in hys Utopia before he was the cardenalles sworn secretarye and fallen at hys fete to betraye the truth for to gett promocyon HeÌ„ry the .v. Take an ensaÌ„ple the bysshops sent king Henrye the fyft out to conquere Fraunce The cause was sayth the chronicles that the kynge went about to take theyr temporallyes from them And therfore to bringe the kynge into an other imaginacyon they monyed hym and
The Practyse of Prelates Compyled by the faythfull and Godly learned man Wyllyam Tyndale IMPRINTED at London by Anthony Scoloker And Willyam Seres Dwillynge wythout Temple-barre in the Sauoy rentes Anno. 1548. ¶ Cum priuilegio ad Imprimendum solum WHen the old scrybes and pharisees had darkenid the scripture with their tradiâ—ions false interpretations wicked persuasions of 〈…〉 and shutte vp the kingdome of heauen which is Gods word that the peeple coulde not entre in into the knowledge of the true waye as Chryst complayneth in the Gospell Math xxiii then they sate in the hartes of men with their false doctryne in the steade of God his worde and slewe the soules of the People to deuour theyr bodyes aÌ„d to rebuke theÌ„ of theyr worldly substauÌ„ce But wheÌ„ chrâ—st and Iohn the baptyst had restored the scripture agayne vnto the true vnderstandingeâ— and had vttered their falsshead and improued their tradicions and confounded their false interpretacions wyth the cleare and euident Textes and wyth power of the holy ghoost and had brought all their iugglinge and hipocrisye to lyghtpunc ther they gâ—tte theÌ„ vnto the elders of the People and persuaded them saying this man is surely of the Deuell and his myracles be of the Deuell no doubte And these good workes whych he dothe in healyng the people yea and hys preaching against our couetousnes are but â—cloke to bringe him vnto his purpose that when he hath gotâ—en hiÌ„ Disciples ynough he maye rise against the emperoure make him selfe Kinge and then shall the romaynes come and take our Lande from â—s and carye awaye oure people and put other nacions in oure realme and so shall we lose al that we haue and the most parte of vs our lyues therto Take heade therfore betimes whyle there is remedye yet he go so farre that ye be not able to resyst hym The elders of the peple which were rich and welthy though before they in a maner fauoured Christ or at the lest way were indifferent not greatly caring whether God or the deuell reygned so they might bide in aucthoritie feared immediatly as Herode did of the losse of his Kingdome when the Wyse menne axed where the newe borne Kinge of Iewes was and conspired with the scribes and pharisees against Christe toke him and brought him vnto Pilate saiyng We haue found this fellow peruertiÌ„g the people and forbiddinge to paye trybute vnto Cesar and saying that he is a kynge mouing the people from Galylie vnto this place TheÌ„ Pilate though he likewise was before indiffereÌ„t but now in feare of the losse of his office thorow such persuasioÌ„s slewe innocent Chryste And in very dede as the scribes and pharyseys were all their lyues before blynde gydes vnto the destruction of their soules eueÌ„ so wer they at their last ende blinde prophetes vnto the destructioÌ„ of their bodies For after that they had slayâ— Christ diuerse of his apostles ê‘secuted those poore wretches that beleued on hym God to aduenge the poore innoceÌ„t bloud the bare witnesse vnto his truthe poured his wrath amoÌ„g theÌ„ that they theÌ„ selues rose against the Emperour And the Romains came accordinge as they bliÌ„dlye prophecied and slewe the moste part of theÌ„ and caryed the reste captyue into all nacions and put other nacions in the Realme But whose faute was that insurrectioÌ„ agaiÌ„st the Emperour mischefe that folowed Christes his apostles whoÌ„ they falsely accused before haÌ„de No Chryst taught that they shuld gyue Cesar that which perteyned vnto Cesar god that which beloÌ„ged to God EueÌ„ that they shuld geue Cesar their lawful bodely seruice god the harte that they shuld loue gods lawe repeÌ„t of theyr euell come receaue mercy let the wrath of God be taken from theÌ„ â–ª And the apostles taught yâ— all soules shuld obey the hyer powers or teÌ„porall rulers But their obstinate malyce yâ— so hardened their hartes that they coulde not repeÌ„t and their rayling vppon the open aÌ„d manifest trueth which they coud not improue resysting the holy gost and sleynge of yâ— preachers of rightuousnes brought the wrath of God vpon them aÌ„d was cause of their destruction Euen so our scribes aÌ„d phariseys nowe that their hipocrisye is disclosed and theyr falshed so brought to lyght that it can no leÌ„ger be hyd get them vnto the elders of the people the lordes gentylmen and teÌ„porall officers and to all that loue this world as they do vnto who soeuer is greate wyth the king aÌ„d vnto the kinges grace him selfe and after the same ensample and with the same persuasions cast theÌ„ into lyke feare of losing of their worldely dominions aÌ„d rore vnto them sayeng ye be neglygent and care nothing at all but haue a good sporâ—e that the heretikes rayle on vs. But geue them space a whyle tyl they be groweÌ„ vnto a multitude and then ye shall se them preach as fast against you and moue the peple aginst you aÌ„d do there best to thrust you â—â—â—me also and shall câ—y havocke and make all comen O generacion of serpentes how wel declare ye that ye be the right sonnes of the father of all lies for they which ye call heretikes preache nothyng saue that which oure sauioure Iesus Chryste preached and hys Apostles adding nought thâ—e to nor plucking ought therfro as the scripture commaundeth and teache all men repentaunce to God and hys holye lawe and fayth vnto our sauiour Iesus Chryst and the Promyses of Mercye made in hym and obedyence vnto all that GOD commauÌ„deth to obey Nether teach we so much as to resyst your most cruell tyranny with bodelye violence saue with Goddes worde onely intendinge nothyng but to dryue you out of the temple of Chryst the hartes consciences soules of men wherin with youre false heade ye syt aÌ„d to restore agayn Iesus oure sauioure vnto hys possessyon and inheritaunce bought wyth his bloude wheÌ„ce ye haue Dryuen hym wyth youre Manyfold wyles and subtyltiâ—s Take hede therfore wicked prelates blinde leaders of the blinde induratâ— and obstinate hipocrites take hede For if the pharises for their resisting the holy ghost that is to saye persecutyng the open aÌ„d manyfest truth and slaing the preachers therof 〈◊〉 not the wrath and vengeaunce of god how shall ye escape which are farre worse then the pharysees for though the pharisees had shut vp the Scrypture set vp their owne professions yet they kepte theyr owne professions for the moost parte But ye wylbe the chefest in Christs flocke and ye will not kepe one iote of the right way of his doctrine Ye haue therto sett vp wonderfull professions to be more holy therby then ye thinke that Chrystes doctryne is able to make â—ou and yet kepe as lytle therof except it be â–ª with dispensations in so moch that if a maÌ„ axe you what your meruelous fasshyoned â–ª playing coates and youre other popystrye meane and what your disfigured Heades â–ª and al
your appes play meane ye know not and yet are they but Sygnes of thynges whych ye haue professed Thyrdely ye will be papistes and holde of the Pope and yet loke in the popes law and ye kepe therof aâ—l moost nought at all but what soeuer soâ—ndeth to make for your bellyes and to mainteyne youre honour whether in the scrypture or in your owne tradicioÌ„s or in the popes lawe that ye compell the laye people to obserue vyolentlye threteninge them wyth your excomunycatyons curses that they shal be dampned both body and soule if they kepe them not And if that helpe you not â–ª then ye murther them mercylesly wyth the swerd of the temporall powers whome ye haue made so blynd that they be ready to sle whom ye commaunde and wyll not yet heare hys cause examâ—ned nor geue hiÌ„ roume to answere for hym selfe And yeelders of the people feare ye god also For as the elders of the Iewes which were partakers wyth thâ— scrybes and pharisees in resisting the holy goost and in persecuting the open truthe and sleing the witnesses therof and in prouokyng the wrath of God had their part with them also in yâ—â—ay of wrath and sharpe vengeauÌ„ce which shortly after fell vppon them as the nature of the synne againste the holy ghooste is to haue her dampnaâ—ion not onely in the world to come but also in thys lyfe according vnto all the ensamples of the byble and auctentike storyes sens the worlde began euen lykewyse ye if ye wyll wincke in so open and cleare lyght and let youre selues be led blind fold and haue your parte wyth the ypocrytes in lyke synne and myscheue be sure ye shall haue youre parte wythe them in lyke wrath and vengaunce that is lyke shortlye â—o fall vpon them And coÌ„cerniÌ„g yâ— the hipocrytes put you in feare of the risiÌ„g of your comens against you I answere If ye feare your comeÌ„s to â—estify yea agaiÌ„st your selues that ye are tirauÌ„tes For if your conscience accused you not of euell doing what neade ye to feare your comens What comeÌ„s was euer so euell that they rose against their heades for well â—oynge Moreouer ye witnesse agaiÌ„st youre selues also that ye haue no trust in God For he hath promised the temporall officers assistence if they minister their offices truelye and to care for the â—epinge of them as much as they care for to kepe his lawes The hipocrites happely byd you take an ensample of the vplandish people of Almany which they lye that Marten Luther starred vp For first what one seÌ„teÌ„ce in all the wryting of Marten Luther fynd they that teacheth a man to resist his superiour Moreouer if Marten Luther aÌ„d the preachers had stâ—rred vp the comen People of Germanye howe happened it that Marten Luther and other lyke preachers had not pâ—risshed lyke wise wyth them whiche â—IUED Longe after Ye wyll aske me who sturred them vp then I axe yoâ— Who sturred vp the comonnes of the Iewes to resyst the Emperour after that the scribes and Pharasees with the elders of the People had slayne Christe and his Apostles Uerely the wrath of God And euen so here the wrath of God sturred theÌ„ vp partelye to destroye the enemyes and persecutours of the trueth and partelye to take vengeaunce on those carnall beastes which abused the Gospell of Chryst to make a cloke of it to defende their fleshly libertie and not to obey it and to saue their soules therby If Kynges Lordes and great men â–ª therfore feare the losse of thys worlde Let them feare God also For in fearyng God â–ª shall they prolonge their dayes vppon the earth and not with fyghtyng against God The earth is Goddes onely aÌ„d his fauour and mercy doth prolonge the dayes of kinges in their estate aÌ„d not their owne power and myght And let all men be they neuer so greate harken vnto this and let this be an answere vnto them Wicked kinge Achab sayde vnto the prophet Elias Arte thou he that troublest Israel And Elias answered it â—s not I that trouble Israell but thou and thy fathers housholde in that ye haue forsaken the commaundementis of the lord follow Idolles Euen so the preachers of the truth which rebuke siÌ„ne are not the troublers of royalmes and comen welthes but they that do wickedly and namely hygh prelates aÌ„d mighty princes which walke with out the Feare of God and lyue abhomynably corrupting the comen peâ—ple with their Ensample They be they that bringe the wrath of God in all royalmes and trouble all commen welthes wyth Warre dearth pouertie pistilence euell lurke and all mysfortune And vnto all subiectes be it sayde if they oppresse the lawe of God and faith of the lord Iesus wylbe Christes disciplâ—s then let them remembre that there was neuer man so greate a subiect as Christ was there was neuer Creature that suffred so greate vnryght so paciently and so mekely as he Therfore what soeuer they haue bene in times paste let them nowe thinke that it is their partes to be subiecte in the lowest kynde of subiection and to suffer all things paciently Yf the hygh powers be cruell vnto you with naturall crueltie then with softenesse and pacience ye shall eyther 〈◊〉 theÌ„ or mitigate their fyercenes If they ioyne them vnto the pope and persecut you for youre faythe and hope which ye haue in the Lord Iesus then call to mynde that ye be chosen to suffer here wyth Chryste that ye maye ioye with him in the lyfe to com with ioye euerlastiÌ„g that shal iâ—finitly passe this yoâ—re shorte payne here If they commauÌ„de that God forbiddeth oâ— forbidde the God coÌ„maundeth then answere as the Apostles dyd Aâ—tes v. the God muste be obeyed more then man if they compell you to suffer vnright then Christ shall helpe you to beare his spirite shall conforte you But onely see that neyther they put you from Gods worde nor yet resyst them with bodely violence But abyde paciently a whyle tyll the hypocresy of hipocrites be slayne with the swerde of Gods woorde and vntyll the woorde be openlye Publysshed and witnessed vnto the Powers of the world that theyr blindnesse may be without excuse And then will God awake as a firce lyon against those cruel wolues which deuoure hys lambes and will playe with the hypocrites and compasse them in their owne wyles send them a dasyng in the heade 〈◊〉 swemyng in their braynes and destroye them wyth their owne counsell And then those malycious aÌ„d wylfull blynde persecuters which refusing mercy when they were called therto chose rather to haue theyr parte with hipocrites in sheadinge af innocent bloude â–ª shal be partakers wyth them also in hauing their owne bloude shedde agayne God geuynge an occasyon that one wycked shall destroy an other And as for wyckednes whence it springyth and who is the cause of all insurrectyon and of the faule of princes and the shortenyng of their dayes vpon the earth