which our louing mother the holy Church hath made vpon it let it bee allegoricall or anagogicall or what it will this is onelie that which makes mightie and liuing because this alone both agree with the iudgement of the holy Church of Rome And all they which doe truely follow her those are permitted to liue in all libertie and wealth yea although they do not beleue that there is a god Therefore whosoeuer will not accept this interpretation of the holie church and vnderstand the scripture ghostly or spiritually as the Catholikes doe vnderstande and interprete the same he is a damned Heretike and his processe is at an ende although he had all the textes of the scripture verie plaine the whole volume of the Bible on his side for the textes can not helpe him without the glasses hee is but a dead man yea though he had an hundred liues lying in a Chest especially if he come once in the handes of the holie Inquisition hee must abie for it it is but lost labour to talke further thereof And for this cause I doe maruell that our good master Gentian will breake his head about this matter namely to proue That the Scripture alone is not sufficient for our mother the holie Church as though that matter were not plaine and euident inough sithence we may daily both see and feele it And yet notwithstanding commes he out here with his profounde speculation in such sort as he hath almost therein forgotten himselfe I cannot iudge otherwise but that the vnmeasurable zeale which hee beares to the welfare of his deare mother the holy Church must haue perforce tumbled him topsie â—uruie ouerthwart the field that he did not well see what he said he is like to kine which are stâ—ung and chaced with a waspe or horseflie they runne on following their noses like mad beasts shun neither stock nor stone For here it seemes that his wittes be rauished For where hee doth say That the doctrine of the holy Trinitie cannot be proued by the Scripture that is farre too grosse Otherwise wee must condemne the foure first Councels of falshoode who did by approbation conclude vpon the same out of the holie Scriptures verie strongly and with vndoubted testimonies of truth yea and if we could as well defend the Masse with plaine textes of the Scripture as the blessed Trinitie may thereby be confirmeâ— a great manie priests no doubt shoulde not eate so leane brewes as now they do It is true that this worde Trinitie neither this worde Consubstantiall that is to say Euangelicall in being substance is not so printed in the scripture But the Huguenots say plainly that they will not make anie brabbling about these wordes but will simply followe the true ground meaning substance of the Scripture Now it is plainly wriâ—ten That there are three in heauen which giue witnes to wit the father the worde and the holie ghost that these three are al one There is likewise written That there is but one Baptisme and one God and yet notwithstanding we are coÌ„manded that we shall be baptised In the name of the father of the sonne and of the holie ghost So that it is apparant that the doctrine or approbation of the Trinitie was not sowed out of the Popes thumbe as purgatorie the holie Masse were but are plainly alledged in the scripture after the letter The like is to be said touching the two sacrameÌ„ts of Baptisme of the Supper of the lord For although this worde Sacrament is not found in the scripture yet the substance the being and the ground of the doctrine is without exception coÌ„cluded out of the scripture according to the letter plaine wordes of the text For the Circumcision and the Pascall lambe are openly called The promises of God and doe signifie the promises of God left in liuely remembrance of his mercie to the coÌ„firming of our iustificatioÌ„ by faith And now doth Paul teach that Circumcision is signified in Baptisme and that the sacrament of the Lords supper is likewise appointed by Christ in remembrance of his death passion Whervpon it is called The new promise in the bloud of Christ and ministred in place of the Pascall lamb Insomuch that heretikes out of that do teach That baptisme the supper of our Lord are onely sacraments that is holy tokens of Gods promises made in the bloud and passion of Iesus Christ. Which we cannot say of that holy oyle nor of their holy confirmation and other Sacraments which our deare mother the holie Church hath instituted of great deuotion and ioyned them to the two first for an help or assistance yea and the same likewise established and defended That Confirmation by her instituted is much more worthie than baptisme which Christ himselfe coÌ„manded And why Forsooth because it cannot be ministred or executed by any simple or common Priest as baptisme may but only by a Suffragane or Bishop and that it makes one ful christned and doth giue the holy ghost more plentifully effectually than baptism doth which was instituted by Christ. As in her decrees and booke of Sentences is in plaine wordes written Now besides all this the heretikes doe also say That wee are not able to alledge or bring out of the holie Scripture so much as one worde which speakes of the Masse nor of annoynting of priests nor of their sinne offrings of their priests office of their pardons Popes bulles no nor of the Pope himselfe nor of the praying to Saints images of our Ladie nor al those saints which do so many goodly miracles nor of their purgatorie nor of their auricular confession nor of their whorish chastitie of Priests Monks Nonnes In summe they will say it is nothing else but mens inuentions and deuises of diuels which the priests haue called to remeÌ„brance to bring in monie by heapes and to pamper their panches with daintie dishes but is not this a spiteful matter And yet our master Gentian letteth that slippe vntouched where he should haue proued That all these pointes are aswell concluded out of the scripture as the twelue articles of the faith He saith in deed that Ieremie had said before That the new lawe of the Gospell should bee written in mens hearts whereby we will conclude that men ought not to seeke them in the scripture but in the head and heart of the Pope of Rome of his holy Prelates for that the Pope hath all lawes both of God man shut vp in his bosome breast as hereafter shal be declared more at large But this serues to no purpose against the Heretikes for they are so lustie that they would make M. Gentian ashamed hereof if he had anie shame in his bodie Which I do not iudge of anie such great doctor who hath long ago put off his shamefast shooes and laid them aside nay â—ast them cleane away But
fiue wordes spoken and all parts of the transubstantiation well plaid could doe his office as well as the wine and leape soudeinly out of one substance into another Item if there were thirtene or fourtene Offertories Ostes or singing cakes laid vpon the altar and that the priest could tell no better than my maide and so tolde but twelue and vppon that intent doe pronounce the fiue wordes thinking that there were but twelue then whether all the thirtene should be consecrated and transubstantiated considering that the intent and meaning of the Priest is wholie necessarie to the transubstantiation or that neuer one of them should be transubstantiated coÌ„sidering that the one hath as much vantage as the other and not any one of them more base or bastard than an other seeing that they all did heare and vnderstand the wordes of the Transubstantiation indifferently one as well as another There are yet besides these manie other like difficulties sufficient to make deuout catholike men to doubt touching this foresaid article of transubstantiation for I assure you they trouble the heades euen of our masters of Louen and are oftimes occasion that they must drinke two or three quartes of wine the more and sometimes be so dronke that they fall from the benche and catch a redde nose yea and sometime that they dispute the haire from their heads through the great zeale wherewith they are warmed whereby they often fall into dronken diseases and sometime into Plurisies whereof diuerse times they die and so the Church of Rome doth faile of her best pillars And yet for all this as concerning the highest and most principall article of transubstantiation they al danse after one pipe and agree as well in one as Herode and Pilate And as touching the rest they remit that to God to take care for for after that they haue brought forth many cunning trickes and deepe wittie speculations and bralled about those a long time and in vtramque partem that is to say pro coÌ„tra to and fro haue reasoned on both sides verie Magistraliter that is Maisterly in deed In the end they make this coÌ„clusion Sed quomodo hoc fit nescio Deus scit that is I cannot tell what to say to the matter I cannot conceiue how that may come to passe God knoweth all And yet notwithstanding they doe alway conclude this to be an article of the faith whereof no man must doubt For our deare mother the holy Church will haue it so And yet in the meane space for the better stay of deuout coÌ„sciences somthing to establish these great doubts they haue ioyntly found out a newe practise to prop vp their generall building of Transubstantiation to wit first a great beame which they call Concomitantiae then a long rib called The stedfast intention of the holy Church wherewith they do so strongly prop vp this building that not only Christs bodie but the whole Godhead may sâ—and vpon it without falling And if it were so that the priest did dreame had no regard to his Masse yet haue they a remedie for that For the good intent of the holie Church is so sure and vnremoueable that the intent of the Priest is not greatly to be accounted of but may well inough go walk abrode and see if there be anie good cheare toward and that his maid keepe good rule at home which is a iolly matter For otherwise if the priest were yet half dronke with good cheare the eeuen before or that his maid had chafed him or that but only a flie did come sit vpon his nose he might perhaps therby forget his good intent euen as he was speaking the holy wordes and then should not that bread becâ—me a God which were a perilous matter For the simple people should then pray to a peece of bread in place of their God creator Therefore coÌ„meth the holy Church now in for a helpe doth set forth for a perfit article of our faith that it is likewise sufficient for euerie one to beleue whatsoeuer the Church beleues although they know not what it is And again it is sufficient that the holy church haue generally a perfite determination that wheresoeuer Masse is don there is the bred changed into God although it were so that the priest did thinke onely vpon his maid or on his kitchen In summe there is not a hole but the hellish Church hath a peg to stop it withall she can turne euerie thing to the best so that there is no more difficultie And if the Doctours and Licentiates doe chide and brall among themselues that makes no great matter we ought to commit all these weightie causes to the iudgement of the holie Catholike Church and must simplie and ioyntly beleeue That as soone as the fiue wordes are spoken that which the Priest hath in his handes is turned into God let it then be what it will either verie bread or the accidents of bread or an Indiuiduum vagum that is a wilde veseken That is no matter at all to vs it is sufficient that wee knowe it is our God which we must pray vnto in the Masse For the text is plaine This is my bodie there needes no glosse vpon it And although it be so that all the Doctours of Louen of Paris and of Colen cannot vnderstand it yet it is sufficient for vs that we haue fetcht our transubstantiation out of it and sette it forth irreuocably Although we haue yet manie mo other plaine textes whereby to defend it which are verie plentifully sette forth by the worshipfull Eckius and other worthie pillars of the holie Catholike Church as specially that which is written in Ieremie That when the vngodly Iewish Priests and false Prophets went about to bring Ieremie to death because hee did earnestly condemne their vngodlinesse they said thus one to another Let vs marre his bread with wood or let vs destroy the fruite together with the tree roote him out of the kingdome of the liuing For this now hath our deare mother the holie Church turned for the best vnto our Masse priests as though they had holden this Counceâ—l together and saide Mittamus lignum in panem eius that is to say Let vs cast wood into his bread vnderstanding thereby that they will counterfeit in their Masse the passion death of Iesu Christ who suffred vpon the crosse with a peece of bread And to this end doe they cause these woordes to be soung yerely in the Passion wherevpon shee hath resolutely concluded That the bread is chaunged into the verie bodie of Christ Iesus as is to bee seene in the foresaid booke of Eckius and of other stoute Champions of the Romish Church Yea and likewise to proue that this Transubstantiation is neither so wonderfull nor vnnatural as the Heretikes exclaime that doeth Eckius teach out of the Scripture where the diuel said to Christ If thou be the son of God
and finelie out of the scripture The xix Chapter VVherein is concluded that all the ceremonies of the holie Church of Rome are founded vppon the Scripture if they be well vnderstoode and according to their interpretation which onelie is to bee esteemed so good and what aduantage they haue that stande fast to this interpretation And herein is likewise mention made of the masse and of maister Durandus booke YEa shee doeth nothing in the world either of great or small importance but it is all so finelie founded vppon the Scripture as can bee deuised And that may appeare by this That shee hath fetched the golden slippers and the precious breeches of our most holie Father the Pope out of the Scriptures For it is written O howe faire and pleasaunt are the feete of those which bring tidinges of peace which bring good tidings which after their interpretation is as much to say as That the feete and legges of the Pope of Rome must be decked with goodlie golden slippers and with maruellous rich and costlie breeches as it is well set forth by the holie Doctour Bishop Durandus And therevpon it proceedeth likewise that the Pope doeth suffer Kings Emperours to kisse his feete yea to treade vppon the Emperour Frederiks necke as is before declared And the rather his feete are to be kissed because they are so faire pleasant and smell so sweete especiallie two or three dayes after he is dead for then come all the deuoute catholike people and kisse them bare whereby they obteine a verie great indulgence and pardon But nowe if anie man be desierâ—us to vnderstand howe finelie all this is grounded vpon Scripture and further to know particularlie the reasons and causes of all the other ceremonies of the holie Church of Rome and to see howe they are fished euen out of the verie deepest ground bottome of the holie Scriptures let him read the booke of Durandus which vpon this occasion he hath named Rationale diuinorum officiorum Sanctae Romanae Ecclesiae that is to say The reckoning and reason or cause of the ceremonies and diuine seruices of the Church of Rome He shall therein finde maruellous secrets and verie trimme iewels yea if the whole Bible were cleane lost there might quicklie a newe Bible be deuised and made out of this booke which would agree a great deale better with the ordinances of the holie Church then the Epistles of Paul doe which these Heretikes and Huguenotes haue in such great reputation He hath the textes of the Bible as fast as a handfull of flies and there is not one iotte conteined or vsed in the blessed Masse but hee hath a good reason and a trimme text to bring in for it There is not one hole but he hath a pegge to stoppe it hee doeth there set you forth maruelous trimlie all the reasons why the Priest doeth so trimme him selfe in such mumming garments when he goeth about to play his parte why hee doeth first put a biggin vpon his head and then a long garment like a womans smocke aloft vppon his gowne and then aboue that a Cassocke without sleeues looking out at a litle holâ— aboue euen like as a Snaile lookes out of her shell or like as a magget a pie out of her cayge Why he is bound with a corde about the middle like a theefe that were going to hanging why hee doeth turne sometime his tayle to the people and sometime his face why hee trippes sometime to the one ende of the Altar and sometime to the other side of the Altar as though hee were daunsing the Maides Morice Why hee heaues or liftes vppe his voyce sometime like a chimnie sweeper and by and by hee is as still and quiet againe as it were a mouse in a trappe why sometime hee foldeth his handes together like sorrowfull Marie Magdalene and sometime hee stretches them out on euerie side as though hee would shoote in Robin Hoodes bowe and then sodenlie hee pluckes them in againe and tosseth them from the one side to the other as though hee were catching of flies or would fraye and scarre awaye crowes After this hee doeth set foorth verie perfectlie and in particular all the occasions and reasons wherefore Sir Iohns Table is so earlie couered and the Cup the little Cannes and the sauser so mannerlie set therevppon and wherefore Sir Iohn doeth sometime sleepe at his table and sometime starteth vppe sodenlie out of his dreame Item what it meaneth that hee doeth runne and whisper his secretes to the breade and wine in their eares with a lowe soft voyce and that his companions sometime crie out so yealling with open throates like wolues in a caue or like swine when the butcher killeth them and wherfore some goe to work with Organes other with ringing of bels as though there were an vplandish bellie-feast towards or some such triumphe And wherefore men do in the meane space light torches as though they were bringing the Bride to bedde and wherefore they lift vp the Priests taile behind him as though they would looke into his arse to minister a glister to him And if you peruse that booke well you shall likewise finde there wherefore Sir Domine with his long smocke doth so lustelie lift vp on hie a wafer and a cup of wine and that then euerie bodie falleth downe vpon their knees and knocketh vpon their breastes with their fistes and wherefore the Priest beginneth then to looke so â—â—â—â—fully â–ª like a caâ—â—e laide on the butchers stall and then beginneth â—o lament the wafer or sâ—nging bread pitifullie â–ª to weepe with sâ—â—nes teares â–ª and then at the last when hee hath tossed it too and fro long inough away it goeth with a 〈◊〉 into his throate and so swalloweth it downe without chewing and then hee hath his cuppe filled againe and so he sendeth that after the rest And yet you shall vnderstand further wherfore he doth licke the chalice so sweetely as an Ape licketh her yong ones And you shall besides all this beare wonders of all the rest of the holie ceremonies of the Romish Church which they do vse at their MatteÌ„s at noone at euensong at complen and manie other times with great deuotion with all the gestures and fashions which they doe therein vse and who haue deuised them all and what euerie one of them doeth signifie Hee can tell you more all the feast dayes and double feastes all Vigils Ember dayes and fasting dayes all dayes of fish and egges all processions goings about with the crosse gange dayes and all the whole brabling vsed through the yeere all this hath hee euen at his fingers endes and can bring in for euerie one of them textes verie finelie founded out of the Scripture So that I assure you it is a pleasure for those that can heare it Besides all this you haue there set forth all the estate pompe and pranckings of our holy Bishops and Prelates especiallie
a worthie matrone of Spaine called Senora Maria Osorio who did obteyne of Pope Paule 3. licence and power for her selfe and twelue of her bloud to coniure and holowe such beades and these beades were of this might that whensoeuer any person did saye a Pater noster thervpon although it were done without deuotion or once thinking of the matter yet did they thereby obteyne forgiuenesse of the thirde part of their sinnes And for this cause were the balles of these beades made of Copper and set in the Church where was set out by them in print their full might with all their properties and nature as is before declared so as at this day men may openly see by the common people which come and say their Pater nosters vpon their beades there holding their handes vpon those balles that thereby they may obteyne the forgiuenesse of their sinnes Nowe ouer and aboue all this the Belles are not onely coniured and hallowed but are also baptized and haue appoynted for them Godfathers which holde the rope wherewith they are tyed in their handes and do answere and say Amen to that which the Suffragane or Bishop doth speake or demaund of the Bell. And then they put a newe cote or garment vpon the Bell and so coniure it to the driuing away of all the power craft and subtiltie of the diuell and to the benefite and profite of the soules of them that bee deade specially if they bee riche and can pay the Sexton well and for many other like things In so much that the Belles are so holy that so long as the Church or the people are vpon anie occasion excommunicate they may not be rong Like as by Pope Bonifacius 8. and Gregorie 9. is manifestly ordeined although yet it is of speciall grace permitted to toll the Aue Maria as Iohannes Caldarinus hathe trimlie written And this I assure you is no small matter For Doctour Albericus de Rosato doth declare that the religious had amōgst themselues at Rome a long and weightie dissention wherevpon great processes were mainteyned and all about this namely which of all the Orders shoulde first knolle the Aue Maria in the morning ▪ which processes did long endure till at the last it was concluded and adiudged that they which were first vp should first knoll Euen after the maner of kine who alway let the formost go before and the last followe after Why I praye you hath it not bene seene that the Spaniardes which are the first sweete and most deare children of the holy Church of Rome comming nowe of late to Groninghen in Friseland did there christen coniure hallow theyr Ensignes naming one Barbara another Katharine c. I saye nothing howe they coniure the diuell out of yong children which are brought to be christened euen as though the yong children to whome Christ doeth witnesse the kingdome of heauen to belong and be those which with their fathers are conteyned vnder Gods promises and made cleane by the bloud of Iesus Christ were possessed with the Diuell The Masse I pray you what is it but a plaine coniuring sorcerie or witchcraft ▪ Wherein the breade and the wine which are but dumbe creatures are by the breathing of the Priest and the power of fiue woordes conuerted into fleshe and bloud So that it is most apparaunt that all her Religion all her diuine Seruice and ceremonies are full of witchcraft sorcerie and coniuring full of ydolatrie setting vppe of Images and giuing them worshippe full of mennes traditions institutions and deuises and in conclusion full of all that which by the holy scripture is openly reproued and plainely forbidden So that verelie these Heretikes must needes bee verie blinde if they doe not well perceyue that the power the ordinaunce and authoritie of the holy Church of Rome neyther can nor will bee shutte in nor hedged about with the pales and walles of the holy Scripture For see here this is that which the steadfast pillar of the Theologie of Louen Iodocus Tiletanus himselfe hath openly written We are not satisfied sayeth he with that which the Apostles or the Gospell doe declare but wee saye that as well before as after there are diuers matters of importance and weight accepted and receiued out of a doctrine which is no where set forth in writing For we do blesse the water wherewith we baptize and the oyle wherewith we anoynt yea and besides that him that is christened And I praye you out of what scripture haue we learned the same Haue we it out of a secret and vnwritten ordinance And further What Scripture hath taught vs to grease with oyle Yea I pray you from whence commeth it that wee doe dippe the childe three times in the water Doeth it not come out of this hidden and vndisclosed doctrine which our forefathers haue receyued closely without any curiositie and do obserue it still c But what neede haue I to trauell much for the establishing hereof seeing there is a generall rule in the holy Church of Rome That the Pope maye franklye ordeyne and commaunde contrarie to the writing doctrine and ordinaunce of the Apostle Paule Considering likewise in especiall that as Eckius hath set downe Christ did neuer commaunde his Apostles to write but to preach True it is that Paule doeth defende saying That the blessed woorde of God is set foorth and is sufficient to instruct to teache to punishe to amende yea and wholie apte and sufficient to make men wise ynoughe for their saluation and to instruct them sufficientlye to all good workes And that who soeuer shall teach any other Gospell than that which hee hath taught though hee were an Angel from heauen is accursed But all that must bee vnderstoode of the tyme wherein hee was whilest the Church was yet in her infancie or childehoode and laye in the cradle For it was yet necessarie for her then to drinke such milke being yet vnable to digest the strong and grosse meates of holy Prelates and Doctours of the holie Church of Rome For that her stomache was yet too weake and quasie And in effect men doe clearely see that notwithstanding the saying of Paule That in Christ Iesus and in the knoweledge of him all the treasure of wisedome and knowledge lyeth hidde so as the faythfull ought not to receyue any institutions or doctrine of men Yet a long time after the Apostles yea aboue seuen or eight hundred yeeres after theyr decease our mother the holye Catholike Churche hath founde out a wonderful and vnspeakeable newe hoorde of wisedome and knowlege through which a mā may come to perfite iustification and to an angelical life and aboue that get in store a heape of deseruings and good woorkes to helpe a good friende withall at a pinche and yet to release a dozen or twaine of sillie soules out of Purgatorie And these be they especially The holie order and full
Iewes Therfore that which they do and ordeine hath an other maner of couÌ„tenance than that which the Iewes haue ordeined Therefore must our former argument remaine fast vnmoueable especially considering that the Church of Rome is fullye credited in the one therefore must shee of necessitie be as wel beleeued in the other For truely this argument is the trimmest and finest stuffe whereof Iohn Blindasinus hath made his Panoplie which is as muh to say as his Ful furniture of weapons harnesse For by this is proued that S. FraÌ„cis Vineyarde The goldeÌ„ Legend The booke called Conform S. Franc. And the Masse booke must be as much esteemed in all respects as the very scripture of the Bible yea in the boke called Confo S. Fran. which was made by Barthol of Pisa is alowed for good in the chap. of Assis. In the yere 1389. is written That the same booke is better thaÌ„ the Gospell for that Saint Francis is placed in Lucifers seat aboue all the companies of Angels at the vpper ende of all Also there followeth out of the same that the common sort of people may be as well instructed in the knoweledge of God by dumbe Images and mumming representations as by the preaching of the Gospel and that men must as well christen the Belles at the Font as the children whiche are shapen after the likenesse of God and bought by the precious bloud of Iesus Christ that in baptising shall be vsed spittle and oyntment as well as water that the holy Sacrament shall bee caried about the streetes in the Procession with Baners and Pipes as well as it shall be taken and eaten in the Congregation of the faythfull in remembrance of the death of the Lorde In summe men are as deepely bound to do that which the holy Church and the Popes of Rome haue dreamed set vp and commaunded as that which by the expresse worde of God and by the doctrine of the Prophetes and Apostles is specially commaunded Yea and I praye you why should it not be so Seeing out of the same argument it must of necessitie be concluded that the word of God cannot be Gods word but it must first by the church be therto shapen fashioned For note well this word is with special wordes of our learned master Iodocus Tiletanus in writing thus That the worde of God alone conteyned in the holy Scriptures of the old and the newe Testamentes together with the three Symbols or Creedes as of the Apostles the Councel of Nice of the father Athanasius yea and thereto ioyne the three first Councels are not the rule perfite knot of the truth whereby it is apparant that in no wise men can perfitely know whether these be the word of God or no without the traditions or setting forth of the Church which doth assure vs of al this without any Scripture c. In summe the truth can be no truth nor the light light yea God can be no God except that the holy Church of Rome that is to say the holy Pope of Rome with his bishops prelates do consent thervnto So that it is no maruel that they can of a peece of bread make a God creator of heauen and earth For if it were so that they should say that at noone day it were darke night wee must streight wayes beleue the same as an article of the faith by and by without delay get vs to bed For we say by a certaine coÌ„mon prouerbe That when all the world doeth affirme that a man as by example SoÌ„nius or Blindasinus is a swine he must out of doubt trudge vnto the swinestie and there eat only draffe How much rather theÌ„ when the holy Church with that worthie coÌ„panie of Bishops Abbats Prelates and Cardinals gathered together at Trent or elswhere do coÌ„mand any thing are not we bounde to receiue beleue obey the same without any denial by and by to say Amen therevnto And herein may men perceiue a great miracle which I do assure you is greater by the head thaÌ„ any miracle that euer was don by the Apostles to wit that the child was borne before the mother yea that the mother commes of the child For it is most certein and wel knowen that the worde of God is the seede whereof the Church of God doth spring is ingendred as the Apostle Peter witnesseth coÌ„sidering that the Church is nothing else but a Congregation of such as doe faithfully beleeue Gods woorde and firmely sticke vnto the same where thorough they are also called The Congregation of the liuing God The pillar and staye of the truth So that the woorde is the right mother of the Church Well nowe see here goeth the holy Catholike Church of Rome before the worde of God and his truth which is as much to say the childe goeth before the mother yea the worde can haue no might no credite no estimation nor no being in the worlde vnlesse it bee by speciall grace borrowed of her daughter the holy Church As the foresayd Blindasinus Hosius Sonnius Piggius Eckius with all other Catholike Doctours haue forceably coÌ„cluded and irreuocably determined taking this for a most true vndoubted article of the faith yea for the most speciall ground whervpon they and all their writing is founded which is That men may not beleeue the worde and truth of God otherwise than by the appoyntment of the holy Church of Rome which of duetie must alwayes goe before and lead the daunse which is as muche to say that you can not ride to Louen but you must set the Wagon before the horses And therefore whensoeuer the Churche doth ordeine any thing that is contrarie to the Scripture as is before saide we will giue the Scripture an honest passeport or safe conduct and a great many of farewels and clâ—ue to the holy Church like a Burre For the srcipture cannot defend this cause but the holy Church of Rome can bring a man to the stake And it helpes not to alledge and bring in Augustine here who hath written in diuerse places That wee ought to beleeue the holy Scripture only without any contradiction and to trie proue all other writinges and doctrines howe substantiall soeuer they be yea all Councels decrees and ordinances by the holy Scripture as by the onely true vncounterfeyted touchstone and abolish and put away vtterly all whatsoeuer doth not therewithall agree for that all smelleth altogether of heresie And where as he sayeth further That when soeuer the Church doeth giue eare to any other voyce beside the onely voyce of her bridegrome she is then become whorish and a wedlocke breaker yea and that they are all accursed which go about to seduce the Bride of Christ from her Bridegrome to the doctrine and institutions of men that is the plaine doctrine of Heretikes For if that were so all the before specified rules ordinaunces and decrees of the holy
But I will leaue that to the Doctours of Louen to dispute vpon when they are set vnder the roofe with a Gallon of good Rennish wine for they can not away with Pittaw as for vs whether it be a lie or a true tale it is all one but thus much there is of the matter that our holie father the Pope is in possession and doth enioy the landes which S. Peter left vnto him by testament by the same token it is called Patrimonium S. Petri that is Saint Peters patrimonie â–ª He is likewise in possession of the rich iewels and bagges of the holie Sea of Rome and of the precious triple crowne and other rich and costlie peeces for all the Bishops must sweare that they shall to the vttermost of their power helpe to keepe and augment the said iewelles and that Patrimonie But what needeth all this Paule him selfe saith That Bishops must keepe hospitalitie and bee harborous And then is it great reason â–ª that their purses should bee well filled for to enterteine Kings and Princes and to make them great cheere For how should they els bake good cakes if they haue neither fire nor fatte I assure you if they had not that preeminence and aduantage they would not buy Bishoprikes so deare neither would they pay thirtie thousand Ducates for a Pallium if they must afterwardes say with Peter Aurum argentum non est mihi I haue neither siluer nor golde But that is nowe all cleane turned and the chaunce is chaunged therefore must the Priestes and Prelates nowe a dayes bee riche and possesse the goods of the worlde considering that their father and master the Pope is Lord of the whole worlde as we haue sufficientlie proued in the 11. and 12. Chapters before The xiii Chapter VVherein is set forth by the Scripture the praying to images NOwe will wee treate a while of the praying to images and see with what Scriptures it is defended For that second holie Councell of Nice is without doubt maruellous well furnished of excellent scriptures which serue as fitte for that purpose as Roses for a swine stie But we will onlie choose out and set forth the principall and most meete to serue our turne to the intent that euerie man may iudge by those what all the rest are Among other they haue fetched out of the olde testament That GOD did shape man to his owne likenesse and therevpon concluded That men may verie well haue images Item that God hath diuided the light from the darkenesse and therefore saith Agapius that most holie Bishop of Caesarea I accept images gladlie and cursed bee all they which are of other opinion Aha my friendes Howe like you this geare And after that is the writing of Adrian the Pope of Rome read wherin hee saith That Iames did pray to Iosephs staffe or else to Ioseph him selfe Then I pray you wherefore should not wee pray to images For although that Heretikes do herein so crie out with the Hebrewe texte which saith That he prayed to God leaning vpon his bedde or vppon a staffe for it may be taken both wayes yet notwithstanding it is sufficient for vs that our deare mother the holy Church hath vnderstood it otherwise and that all the forked Bishops which were assembled at Nice haue otherwise interpreted it For they you must vnderstande could not misse nor erre seeing they were assembled inspired and gouerned by the holie ghost of the Empresse Irene whose spirit was so zealouslie addicted vnto the worshipping of images that shee did put out her sonnes eyes who was the right and naturall Emperour and so kept him shut vp in prison to the ende that she might haue the rule and gouernement reigne as Queene all alone and set vp and extoll images according to her owne minde Wherfore should not we then beleue this holy Ghost Whereas he hath declared by the mouthes of the Bishops that there was a litle proper fellowe carued out vpon the end of Iosephs staffe as you see vpon the staues that children and fooles doe ride vpon yea and that the same pretie fellowe was by Iacob worshipped Then do they further alledge this â—ext The soules of the iust are in the handes of the Lord. Againe God is maruellous in his Saintes For by these Saintes doe they vnderstand nothing else but dumbe Saintes or images which stand in the church for that it is written in an other place The Saintes which are vpon the earth Item Noah did set vp one altar vnto God and Abraham likewise with manie other mo And it is good to be thought that they would not set vppe anie altars without goodlie images of our Ladie of Saint Christopher and of S. Anthonies swine and such like to stand vpon the altars For an altar without Saints is like a Cowe without a taile or a Turd without Sugar Againe Moses did make the Propitiatorium which is the round chest of pure golde and did by Gods commandement seâ— two Cherubims vpon it And wherfore then should we not set images vppon our altars according to the commaundement of the holie Church For whereas the Heretikes will say that these two Cherubims and the golden chest were couered and hidde so that no man could see them much lesse pray vnto them to that our deare mother the holie Church of Rome doeth answere that they can doe so likewise For the whole Lent through they do cause their images to looke through a blewe cloth and plaie bo peepe and so they continue till Easter then come the Priestes and play their paâ—tes and so bidde Coppin out of a corner and shewe his face like a man So then these Heretikes haue no cause to praâ—e and say That our images are neuer hidde or couered Againe our holie fathers say that notwithstanding the Cherubims were kept close so that no man might see them for that no man mighâ— enter into that holie place but onelie the hiâ— Priest and hee but once a yeere yet did not the Iewes forbeare to pray continuallie to the same For so haue the fathers at the same Councell concluded out of their owne heads Nowe thirdly the holie fathers say That seeing images may be had secretlie wherefore should wee not much rather haue them openlie to pray to them For notwithstanding that God hath forbidden it yet he must bee giuen otherwise to vnderstand the matter for he was not yet informed that images are the bookes of the Laie people till such time as Pope Gregorie came and â—aught it for a perfect doctrine But nowe euerie man doeth knowe that bookes must be laide vppon a deske that euerie man may reade on them and are not to bee cast behind a banke or in a corner For it is plainlie written that a candle is not to bee set vnder a bushell but in a candlesticke that euerie man may bee lighted thereby which the holie fathers doe likewise vnderstande by the
to know how the world walkes Therefore he had better haue held his tongue touching this matter For to begin withal an Asse might haue seene and perceiued that Paule dooth not there meane anie thing at all of matrimonie but of the vnitie betweene Christ and his congregation which he doth name to be A greate or deepe mysterie farre aboue the vnderstanding of all men And besides this these scornefull Heretikes will sowe a paire of Asse eares on maister Gentianus head seeing he did not consider That herein he doth speake both against himselfe and against our deare mother the holie Churche who hath plainly concluded that matrimonie is fleshly vncleane and vnholy and hath for that cause forbidden that Priestes shall marrie insomuch that it cannot be a holie Sacramente or else it muste followe that Priestes are not woorthie to enioye so holie a Sacrament And besides that these Heretikes will set a paire of spectacles on maister Gentianus nose to the ende hee may see and perceiue that if it be so that Matrimonie bee a Sacramente then must virginitie or maidenhoode much rather be a holie sacrament bycause that by our deare mother the holy Church it is much more esteemed thā matrimony so there must be eight sacraments Yea widowes will come in for their partes and challendge viduitie or widowehoode to be a sacrament So that men shall at the last be forced to regester for sacramentes all states and calling of men Wherevpon must needes follow that our deare mother the holy church hath erred in setting foorth teaching that there were onely seauen sacramentes vnlesse that shee peraduenture will haue it vnderstoode that by the number of seauen shee dooth meane an innumerable number as by Gentianus reasons appeareth shee dooth so that by his argument it must followe That in all places of the scripture where this woord Misterium that is to say a misterie is vsed that must streight way bee esteemed for a sacrament and by that order also must the kingdome of Antichrist and the beast with seauen heades be accompted for sacramentes So that in the end we should haue so many sacramentes that we shoulde not know what to doe with them but we must go set them out in the Sunne to dry or lade a great Hulke with them and send them into Norway which out of doubt were a greate disorder and such as might make open to al the worlde the impudencie and shamefulnesse of our deare mother the holy church of Rome seeing shee hath resolutely set foorth that there may be no moe but seauen sacramentes Which thing she hath likewise fetched out of the coffer of the scriptures with hir Allegoricall or Anagogicall key saith shee Seuen deadly sinnes Ergo must there be of necessitie seuen Sacramentes which must driue away and ouercome the same seuen deadly sinnes Item there is mention made of seuen Seales wherewith the booke of the olde Testament was sealed vp Also there were seuen pillars wherewith the church was vnderset how like are they to be the seuen principall of the new Bishops of the base countrey to wit The Cardinall Grandwell the President Viglius Franciscus Sonnius Petrus Cursius Ioannes Lindanus de castro and Fryer Kniefe Who I assure you sticke to their tackling and holde vppe the Romish Church like faste and sure pyllers and proppes for feare shee should fall into the myre After this likewise is mention made of Seuen washings whereby Naaman was healed of his leprosie and likewise of seuen Basens which the Sonne of Man held in his right hand and of Seuen loaues wherewith Christ fed the multitude of people of seuē times going about wherby the towne of Iericho was ouerthrown ▪ of seuē eyes in one stone and lastely of seuen candles set vpon the tabernacle For now saith our mother the holy church by all these are signified and set foorth the seuen doctours of the Romish church to wit the foure principall of the scholasticall theologie or diuinitie as Thomas de Aquino Ioānes Scotus Albertus Magnus and Occam together with the two profound interpreters of the masse namely Rabanus and Durandus and the Maister of the Sentences called Petrus Lombardus all which make iust seuen who should likewise set forth and establish in the church of Rome seuen sacramentes There may yet be alledged many other examples for the establishing of the number of seuen Sacraments to wit the seuē Psalmes which serue the soules in Purgatorie for seuē sacramentes Item the seuen diuels which cam to inhabit the house when they found it cleane emptie then the seuen sciences and also the seuen or fiue wittes of our Doctours of Louen wherewith they farre excell all the profounde wit and vnderstanding of the Apostles and Prophets with many other thinges more which might be broght in but our mother the holie church of Rome is satisfied with these examples and figures before specified Although yet me thinkes vnder correction of my maisters of Louen be it spoken to whose iudgements I submitte my selfe that the number of the seuen Sacramentes may best be applied for that which is written in the Apocalypse of the beast with seuen heades or as heretofore is set foorth Irenaeus himselfe hath applied this beast to the Romishe churche And the number of sixe hundreth sixtie sixe which is the number of the beast doe agree very well in one with this Greke worde EKKΛHΣIA ITAΛIKA Ecclesia Italica which is to say The Italian or Romish Church And there is likewise specially spoken of the Character or marke of the beast And now our mother the holy church sayth that there is likewise a Charecter or marke in the sacraments And last of al it is credibly affirmed that it is a mysterie to wit Babylon And nowe will our deare mother cōclude as is apparāt that matrimonie is a Sacrament because that this woorde misterium is playnely set foorth and then it must of necessitie followe that here also somewhat is spoken of Sacramentes seeyng that this woorde is likewise spoken of here And so must the beast with seuē heads vndoubtedly betoken and signifie the Romish church with her seuen Sacramentes and with her character or marke So that maister Gentianus is herein to be blamed That he hath to mainteine his argument vsed this worde misterium for the purpose of matrimonie to be a sacramēt cōsidering that our deare mother the holie Church hath alwaies vsed the same for her strōgest bulwarke alledging the same continually But herevpon yet might fall out a great question to wit how doeth it happen that men accompt vpon no more but seuen sacramentes seeing that yet our deare mother the holie Church hath ordeined at the least seuen and seuentie Sacramentes whereof none is conteined vnder anie of these seuen For on Easter eeuen when they do blesse the Easter candels then doth the holie Church offer vnto God the Father Fier for a great rewarde and a holie Sacrament saying
hope their staie the gate of heauen the Queene and mother of mercies Mother of compassion their life their pleasure and their onely Mediatour Aduocate In summe there is no other refuge or present staie than she alone like as they with expresse wordes doe dayly sing in their prayers and thankesgeuing in their Christi virgo dilectissima their Aue Maria stella O intemerata Stabat mater and many other pretie pageantes whiche our holy fathers the Popes of Rome them selues haue made and with manie pardons haue trimly adorned and set out but in especiall in their Salue Regina Yea they beseeche her in one of her prayers which they call Prosas that she will by her motherly authoritie commaunde Christ Iesus the true and euerlasting God and shewe by the date that shee is the mother Moreouer they beseeche her also that shee will accept and receiue them in the last houre of death and to defende them from their foes in the prayer called Maria mater gratiae c. After that all whatsoeuer is spoken in the worthie song of Solomon named Cantica canticorum of Christ the sonne of God of his louing spouse namely the commonaltie of the faithfull Also all whatsoeuer Esaias hath prophesied of the sprigge which should spring out of the roote of Iesse of the same which should crush the old crooked snake that doe they all expound and declare of her Yea also the selfe same first promise which God made to our forefather Adam saying That the seede of the woman should grinde in peeces the head of the Serpent That hath our holy mother the Church of Rome aduisedly expounded of Marie And therefore in place where there stoode He shall grinde hath shee set Shee shall grinde as being spoken not of Christ Iesu the sonne of God but of Marie herselfe which should be the promised seede In summe all the worshippe which in the scripture is attributed to Christ Iesu the euerlasting sonne of God the same hath she bequeathed vnto our Ladie And therefore will shee besides so many holy dayes as are instituted and ordeined for worshipping of her that we shall notwithstanding celebrate and keepe holie the Saturdayes for her to the ende she may at least haue as much preferment as her sonne Iesus Christ to whoÌ„ the Sundayes are attributed Howbeit for all that vppon the Sundayes Officium beatae Mariae that is The seruice which is done for her worshippe must not be forgotten And hereof is it that once at Venice was great heuinesse towards For when the Graie friers had preached vppon S. Francis day the vnspeakable great pardons and merites which might be gotten euerie yeere if so be that the people woulde celebrate that day in their Church by hearing Masses and offering large giftes whereby they gathered great summes of monie The Blacke friers enuying the same did take vppon them to preache that it was not needefull to tarrie a whole yeere for S. Francis day to merite pardons seeing they might haue them euerie Saturday better cheape if they would resort to their Patronesse namely our Ladie euerie weeke and in honour of her bestowâ— their deuotion in their Cloyster whereby they preuailed so much that the people did wholy forsake Saint Francis and bequeathed themselues to our Ladie and the Blacke friers beganne by this meanes to bee verie riche and to make good fatte brues But when the Croutched friers enuying this would also preache that the generall pardon might not onely from weeke to weeke but also from day to day be merited in most abundant maner if so be it that the people would come to celebrate and reuerence the crosse of Christ daily in their Cloyster for as much as Christ by his crosse and passion had purchased such a large remission and pardon of all mens sinnes that they needed not to tarrie for the Saturday and much lesse for S. Francis day neither yet to runne after any other Saintes when as they might draw water out of the fountaine it selfe whereat all the friers together waxed so wrothe â–ª that they procured by the Signoâ—ie of Venice that these Croutched-friers should be musseled forbidden to preache so any more as beeing a matter most hurtfull to all Saintes and especially to our welbeloued mother of God which by the Catholikes is worshipped who was verie wofull to be so forsaken by meanes of following her sonne So as it is not without occasion that our welbeloued mother the holie Church hath foresene this matter so discretely ordeining that she should at least deserue as much deuotion and reuerence as Christ Iesus himselfe For this their Ladie is desirous of glorie and verie fonde of such deuotion which euidently appeareth by her closet wherein she was borne and bred For when the Iewes did first cleaue to the faith of Mahomet gesse when this was then did shee ordeine that the Angels should remoue her closet from the fouÌ„dation standing in Nazareth and beare it through the aire into the countrie of Slauonie But when shee perceiued that she was not sufficiently honoured there as she did looke for then did shee most speedily cause the Angels to remoue the same closet to a hill in the countrie of Recanati in a wood which apperteined to a good womaÌ„ named Loretta wherby she is yet called at this day Our Ladie of Loretta howbeit she could not abide to staie there long for that by reason of the great accesse of people many murders and robberies chanced for which cause she remoued againe caused her closet to be borne vnto an other mounteine or hill which apperteined vnto two brethren which for the lucre or gaine which they receiued by her fell at variance agreed like dogs and cattes together so that she would afreshe remoue againe and seemed in a manner to haue a flie in her taile being vnable to remaine in one place In sum the Angels did remoue this closet again from thence and did bring it vppon a common highway where it doth yet remain to this houre without any ground hold or foundations by reason that the foundations were left at Nazareth And now it is compast in and preserued with bulworkes strong walles which notwithstanding dare not touche the holie closet through feare reuerence which they beare to the same And for proofe that this is true doth first appeare hereby That our Ladie did appeare to a deuoute man in a dreame and hath manifested all these thinges vnto him and he hath declared all the same to the commons of Recanati the which therevpon did forthwith send .xvi. chosen men to Hierusalem to inquire for the certeintie hereof To be briefe they haue found the foundations yet standing there of the same closet so that there remaines no more doubt to be had in this matter Secondly a certeine holie Heremite about two houres before day did see a great light descending from heauen in likenesse to fire which
commonlie to much tongue and therefore are often punished and if then they do not mend they are throwen into a dungeon or are closed somewhere betwixt two walles in a seller and there permit them to liue so long as they can Like as might haue bene seene a yeere ago at Antwerpe Ghaunt and other places more which haue remained there some eight or ten yeeres some twentie and thirtie yeeres Therefore it is no maruell though Monkes be vnlearned insomuch as in the Latin tongue is vsed a common prouerbe Monacho indoctior that is to say A great Asse or dolt and more vnlearned than a Monke Yea they haue a speciall Latin tongue for their own vse which the learned sorte them selues can not vnderstand and is called Friers latin or Kitchen latin But touching Priestes they neede no great learning for if they can but onelie repeate the fiue secrete wordes of the Masse without giuing Priscian or Despauter a bobbe on the face that is to say without intermingling of Friers latin than is the matter cocke sure They are more learned then the Angels in heauen for they can make God which thing the Angels can not doe And if besides that they knowe but howe to brewe of the smallest sort of latin withall then hath their sowe pigd they may bee bold to inuite their neighbors to the feast and serue out messes with the great Laten ladell for then they may not onelie bee parish Priestes but also Bishops Prelates Cardinals yea Popes them selues And what more can they craue For touching their life we must alwayes coniecture the best like as is commaunded in the Decrees and not to thinke that those which dailie do handle God would commit anie thing that is not to be allowed Therfore if a Priest do kisse a maid or grope her about the pappes we must suppose that he is about to shrieue her or doeth giue her absolution for her sinnes And if sobe any man doth take them opeÌ„lie with the manner he must couer or lap them about with his own cloake lest he make them ashamed For they are euen by nature verie shamefast change collour like a pewter platter otherwise may not anie correct or punish theÌ„ as is shewed before with the expressed wordes of the Sodomites which would not be corrected of Loth yea although they were the veriest smelsmocks which might liue For they are of that nuÌ„ber which plead Noli me taÌ„gere Touch me not The iii. Chapter VVhich treateth whether the spiritualtie doe likewise practise knauerie and here is repeated the high noble stocke of the Clergie their forefathers â–ª progenie brought into 32. degrees and ech set out and beautifiâ—d with his armes crestes banners and knightlie actes IN recording or calling to mind the suÌ„me hereof a deuout wel disposed catholike mind might suppose whether it were possible for the most reuerend spiritual professors whose daily exercise is to make god who are created and descended from the stocke of the most holie father the Pope of Rome might vse or were able to exercise any kind of knauerie or wicked dedes God forbid that anie such matters should passe in our thoughts For howe were that possible Seeing they are all sprong forth of so noble a stocke descended of so worthie so righteous holy forefathers whose footsteps they followe so feruently that a mans heart must melt away to heare the same rehearsed But to the end it may seme no iest I will as brieflie as I may define their noble worthie progenie and set it foorth to eche mans sight to the ende these birds may be knowen by their kind these coltes by their dammes And for that eche thing may appeare substantiall I will after the sagest and ancientest maner of these noble Dom Cannons of Colen Ludick bring their stocke into 32. degrees to wit eight from the fathers father eight from the fathers mother also eight froÌ„ the mothers father and eight from the mothers mother For whoso can describe these degrees in their proper and deserued armes banners without doubt there is nothing to be gainsaied but that he may not only be a dom CaÌ„non but also freely possesse al the priuiledges of a Gentleman and account himselfe to descend of the worthiest race Like as eche who herein hath anie knowledge will easilie condiscend Therefore if cace I can declare anie such thing of the old discent of the holie forefathers of the spiritualtie then is the case sixe and spite their teeth they must bee famous For the bloud wil not lie and a Goose can laie no Owles egges It must be most true and certein or Mussels are no fishe Concerning then the first eight quarters they proceede onlie of noble most famous and renoumed Heretikes notorious blasphemers of God and shameles deriders which haue plaied mocke holie daye with all religious and godlie setuice For in place of the first they haue the holie father Pope Liberius vpon whom they builde their stocke who after he had first stedfastlie professed the trueth for the same had bene banished by the Emperour Constantius did afterwardes reuoke and to please the Emperour did turne his coate and reputed him self amongst the Arrians which denied the eternall Deitie or godhead of christ And being for that cause banished was through the intreatie of the Noble Romane women which were also of the Arrians disposition called home againe from his banishment and restored anewe vnto his seate from whence hee had bene driuen before Insomuch as there was great dissention and brabling betwixt him and Pope Foelix who had in his absence occupied his place which Foelix Hierome and Eusebius also do witnes to haue bene an Heretike and for that cause obteined the Seate of Rome howbeit other Historiographers write the coÌ„trarie After that they count their discent from Anastasius the second who in the dayes of Anastasius the Emperour about the yeere of our Lord 500. did likewise decline from the trueth and consented to the Nestorians who denied the humanitie or manhood of Christ yea he sought by al meanes possible to call the Heretike Acatius from his banishment home againe and vsed likewise free accesse and companie with Photinus the heretike in so much that he was forsaken of al true beleeuing Bishops and at last being stroken by the hand of God did in easing him selfe voide all his intrailes and departed this life as Arrius did before him Thirdlie they boast them selues vppon Boniface the eight who reigned in the times of the Emperours Adolphus and Albertus this prouerbe in those dayes passing of him Intrauit vt vulpes regnauit vt leo mortuus est vt Canis that is to say He entred like a fox raigned like a lion and died like a dogge For when Coelestin the fift a good simple companion did possesse the Sea of Rome and for his honestie and specially for that he
not without great stirre and commotion Iohn the tenth who did succeede him and did not only disanull al the actes statutes of Stephanus but further caused them in a common and vulgar Councell to be burnt After wâ—om did presentlie followe Benedict the 4. and after Benedict Leo the 5. After the which Leo followed Pope Christopher whoÌ„ we may of right place in the second degree of this third quarter forsomuch as he did imprison those which had receiued anie preferrement of the foresaid Benedict the fourth obteined the Seat perforce so as poore Leo through sorrowe died But this great vngratfulnes of the foresaid Christopher was worthilie repaide For Sergius the third a notorious whorehunter as was signified before did apprehend him there also and first kept him in a cloister afterward in a coÌ„mon gâ—ole wher pitifully he ended his miserable dayes And this is the same Sergius who yet once againe commaunded the foresaid bodie of Pope Formosus to be digged out of his graue and most inhumanlie to bee beheadded and his other three fingers to bee cut off and so did throwe the bodie into the riuer of Tyber yet notwithstanding was it in the time of Anastasius the third fisht out againe and being in S. Peters church honestlie buried was by the Images and woodden idols through a speciall miracle nodded vnto and bid welcome if histories do not lie But that is a small fault Once we will make this good man Sergius Quarter maister in this thirde degree considering that of so worthie a fellow all other Popes and the whole Clergie are growen like maggots of a rotten cheese For the fourth in this quarter we may chose Pope Boniface the seuenth who hauing atchieued the Seate by vnlawfull meanes began to perceiue that hee was not well thought of nor assured at Rome And therfore he got him packing to Constantinople but forgot not priuilie to steale and take with him all the costlie iewels and treasures of Churches Wherof within eight monethes after hee was abandoned he had made a great masse of money wherewithall he wrought so wilie and blinded the eyes of all the Romanes in such sorte as they perceyuing no more his wickednes and naughtie dealings did receiue him againe and permitted themselues with the shine and brightnes of the gold to be blinded so as he found meanes to apprehend as prisoner Pope Iohn the 15. who was placed in his roome and hauing put out both his eyes did famishe him in prison to death and so got the gouernement vnto him againe Howbeit he enioyed not long for being shortlie after ouertaken with a soudein death was by the common people trayled alongst the streetes being thrust through with speares and bodkinnes and at last buried like vnto a lay and common man. Here may now followe Benedict the eight who may set out this quarter with his armes of whom the Histories doe agree in one that after his death hee appeared to a Bishop in a fearfull shape sitting vpon a blacke horse and when the Bishop had demanded of him Art not thou Pope Benedict who is departed this worlde He answered I am verelie the subtil and miserable Benedict â–ª But howe then standeth the case with you good holy father quoth the Bishop Whervnto hee answered I am most pitifully tormented and martyred notwithstaÌ„ding the mercie of God is not quite shut from me if so bee I may bee holpen with prayers Masses and Almesdeedes and therfore shalt thou go to Iohn my successour tell him that in such a coffer or chest he shall finde a great summe of monie which he must distribute to the poore for whatsoeuer was giueÌ„ for me before will not helpe because it was stolen and euill gotten goods Wherevpon the Bishop hauing done his message did forsake his Bishoprike and placed him selfe in a Cloister But whether this be true or whether it be a lie or that the diuell or some â—â—end appeared in likenesse of the Pope I refer it to the Doctours of Louen to iudge Once forsomuch as all Historiographers do witnesse alike it is manifest that he as well as his predecessours and successours did gather the most part of their substance with rouing and stealing and heaped the same by vngodlie meanes wherefore it is reason that he be also allowed a roome in this third quarter The sixt place in this quarter wee maye bequeath to Clement the 4. who could find out most notable meanes to fetch in monie and goods For being crowned Pope hee sent for Charles the French kings brother made him chief Councellour General ouer the citie of Rome further caused him to be crowned by his Cardinals king of Hierusalem Sicil yet vpon condition that hee should by vowe plight him selfe to paie yeerelie to the Church of Rome fortie thousand crownes of golde should not at any time accept the DominioÌ„ of Rome at the hands of the Almains although it were profered vnto him And after that in the yere 1267. when Conradinus the right and naturall king of Sicil being fled out of the field and from the discomfiture which he had receiued of Charles was deliuered into his handes the Pope wrought so much by his practises that he was at Naples together with Frederike Duke of the East Countrie and others more against al right reason most lameÌ„tably beheadded Beside this he was the cause of the x. pennie â–ª leuied throughout all Germanie banished Iohn Teutonicus because he had bent himself against it In summe seeing hee coulde finde such meanes to catche coyne it is meete that he helpe to furnish this third part with his armes and valiant actes Further in the seuenth degree of this quarter may wee place Eugenius the 4. of whom all Popes and Cardinals all Bishops and Prelates and the whole Spiritualtie are as of a fruitfull stocke sprong forth Notwithstanding that hee was at first driuen out of Rome by the Citizens as one who set all things in debate was with stones and dartes driuen through Tyber and so hunted out of the towne And after that was lawfullie and often summoned by the Councell of Basil to appeare being complained on for a mutiner and a stirrer of sedition for a bloudthirstie and wicked man and for a persecutour of the Spiritualtie And when he would not appeare for feare least it might haue happened to him as it did not long before in the Councell of Constance vnto Iohn the 23. he was at last lawfullie and iustlie deposed and bannished Yet this notwithstanding at the last by force of armes with the ayde of the Dolphin of France who afterwardes was called Lodowick the eleuenth he recouered his Seate againe after that hee had disturbed the Councell at Basil and had raised a great tumult and schisme the which continued more than fourteene or fifteene yeares after Lastlie for the locke of this quarter can not be