Spoke v. Simon Tod one Nicolas VValker ij VVilliam Vause one Robart Dauison vj. Peter Boughe had many and so other had others In the Cathedrall Church at Chichester Iohn Champion Prebendary of VValtam had ij harlots VVilliā Crosse had one vvyfe Thomas Parker ij harlots Richard Busteld one of vvhō he begat a child Barthelmevv Cokisley i. Robart hunt had diuers Tho. Goffe had ij being other mens vvyues Iohn Hill xiij harlots Robart Moore had many Roger Barham many Iohn Bedfild many vvith others amōg that vvhich the forsaid Roger Barham and Iohn Champion vvere gilty of sinne against nature These vvere taken out of the foresaid booke Behold vvhat monsters Popery hath nourished throughout England in abbeyes and colleges Are not these foule birdes most iustlye banished vvith their most filthye Pope the Romishe Idoll In all other places as vvell in congregations as colleges the like thinges are committed and done the vvhich vvere to longe or rather to shameful throughly to declare for they gate vnto them in most places through this Popishe Religion either the French pockes or the Spanishe decease And there vvere in Englande more then xl Abbeyes of diuers kindes of mōkes beside the most vvicked nests of the begging fryers of the vvhich there vvere almost tvvo hundreth Vnto vvhom these verses do aptlye agree It is not sure a misse that monkes should fathers termed bee Sith such swarmes of their bastard brats in euery place they see There is yet a thirde matter vvhich forced mee herevnto and hauing seene and heard these thinges vehemently moued me to vvrite This is the precepte of Christe in the xviij Chapter of the Reuelation of S. Iohn For a voyce came from heauen from the right hand of the father and the euerlasting throne of Christe vvith a great voyce sounded in our eares saying Go from her my people lest ye be made partakers of her vvickednes and ye receiue part of her punishment For her sinnes are gone vp to heauen and God hath remembred her vvickednes And then commaundemēt follovveth vvhich vvas giuen against the beast vvith seuen heades Revvard her euen as she hath revvarded you and giue her double according to her vvorks and poure in double to her in the same cup vvhich she filled vnto you And forasmuch as she glorified her selfe and liued vvantonly so much poure you into her of punishment and sorrovve This is the vvorde of the Lorde declared vnto vs as vvell here as in the fiftye Chap. of Ieremy That this serpent might perish all his doinges brought to nought Yet for al this I do vvel remēber the sayings of S. Paule that al Princes ought to be honoured although they be vvicked and vnprofitable for a common vvealth because they be placed there of God neither to speake euill of them beinge but vvotmes dust and ashes Neither dare I murmur against the prouidence of God vvhich is contrary to his holy vvorde Therefore from the bottome of my hart I beseech our Lorde and Redeemer Iesus Christe that he vvould haue mercye vppon all Kinges Princes and Nations and so prouide that all nations maye be so gouerned as is most tending to his glory For vvhose reueng he hath most stoutly fortifyed mee vp in this my old age Not studying to derogate or take avvaye the honour from anye Christian Kinge but onely to inuey against the Romishe beast the Synagog of Sathan and most vvicked Antichrist vvith the vvritings and testimonye of most learned men If I shal haue said any thing sharper then thou didst loke for most gentle Reader cōsider I pray you the hudge tirāny of this most vvicked Viper of the vvorld vvhose destruction accordinge to Gods promises is at hande Great Babilon shall fall vvhich hath seduced many Nations and shall be destroyed the vvhole vvorlde marueylinge thereat If the vehemencye of my stile shall offende thee beholde the maruelous force of the holye ghoste in the Prophete Dauid and most holy king vvho in the Lordes cause most stoutlye saide I haue hated the congregation of the vvicked Psal. 25. He promiseth also aftervvarde by his Prophetes that he vvoulde destroye the brothell houses and vvicked places Ezechi 16. I vvill shevve fayth the Lord vnto all Nations thy nakednes and to al kingdomes thy shame Nahum 3. Thy dishonour and filthines shall be opened and thy reproche shall be seene I vvill be reuenged and none shall resiste mee Esay ▪ 47. VVoe be vnto those Kinges as manye as haue vvorshipped the beast or haue ayded her or haue receiued helpe of her or haue committed fornication vvith her as many as haue serued her and haue ioyned handes against the Lambe and vvaged battell for her cause because their names are not vvritten in the booke of lyfe from the beginninge of the vvorlde And the Lambe shal ouercome them at the last like a Lorde of Lordes and kinge of kinges and they shall go together vvith the beast to destruction and vtter dampnation Apocalips 17. GOD therefore giue in the hartes of Christians vvhom the x. hornes do shadovve that they maye faithfully execute this his vvill and iudgement that they maye make her desolate and leaue her naked that they maye eate her fleshe and burne her in fire that is let her abide her last punishment for the sheding of the innocent bloud of so manye faithfull Christians Be it done Be it done Amen To the Reader T. R. GENTLEMAN THe worthy wittes of elder yeares haue traueld sea and land To seeke and search the wondrous works of naturs skilful hand And mens delight hath euer bin most vgly things to vewe To looke on creatures out of kinde as monsters olde and newe If therefore thou as other men my friend affected bee And dost desire vgly things and monsters strange to see Then take the payne to seeke and searche within this little booke And here thou shalt vpon so strang a mongrell monster looke As neuer nature bread on earth whose shape is in this wyse As I shall partly portrature the same before thine eyes It is a little beast that hath ten hornes seuen heads crownets seuē Who w t his taile frō clouds to clouds swepes down the stars of heauē Upon whose backe in princely pompe and glistring gold araye And proudly pranckt in precious pearles and clad in purple gaye The stately strompet sittes that is the whore of Babilon And in her hand a golden cuppe of fornication Wherwith the world she poysond hath which dronken with her wine Hath falne downe flat vnto the beast as to a god deuine Which forced kings to leaue their crownes Keiser stoupe for awe Whyle on his royall necke the beast hath sayd his filthy pawe Who hath the mighty monarkes made to holde his stirrope lowe And caused them on humble knees to come to kisse his toe Who forced great estates to stand barefooted in the streate And proudly put the crowne on head of princes with his feete And made the sonne and subiect both against their king
the Pope From this time being in the yeare 801. the honour of the Romayne Empire was first translated froÌ„ the Grekes to the French men by the Pope and after at his good pleasure from theÌ„ to the Germaines This Pope also pronounced Pipin of Fraunce sonne to the saâ—e Charles king of the same parte of Italy whiche neither he nor any of his predecessours could euer sudduâ— whiche he did for this pollicie that the kinges of Fraunce hauing the title Emperial should neuer suffer him to lose his maiestie For this cause saith Hieronymus Marius the Pope wrought perpetual dissentions betwene the Emperours of the West and of the East to the great spoyle of Christian bloud Thus vpon condiâ—ion that Charles and his should sweare perpetuall homage and fealtie to the churche of Rome he made him Emperour He first appointed to hallowe the altar with frankinsense He made the Popes decrees to be of greater auctoritie then al the writinges of the doctours Also he caused that a certain counterfeit bloud made by a conueiaunce to ronne from a wodden roode should be taken to be the very true bloud of Christe And caryed it to Mantua where to this daye it is preserued reuerenced and worshipped He by his auctoritie allowed it to be so appointing for it yearely a solemne holydaye Such was the dotage of the time wherof Mantuan bewitched with this enchauntement writeth to the Emperour Charles of the Popes iourney VVhyle Leo hearing of the brute of counterfaited blood VVhiche founde was lately streaming from a crucifixe of wood He hieth him to Mantua where he perceiuing well The wonderous woorkes wherein this bloud so straungely did excell He thought wee should it as the bloud of Iesus Christeesteme That earst was shed vpon the crosse our soules for to redeme An abhominable elusion and blasphemy to say teache that the glorified bloud of Christe should shead it selfe in a rotten idoll whiche as the Apostle saith was ones shed for all that out of his precious body But the Popes auctoritie in this matter caused this to be beleued almoste of all men But so Paule prophecied the coÌ„ming of Antechrist to bee in false signes to deceiue the vnbeleuing Leo died Anno. 816. Vspergensis saith that in this time of Leo the Sunne was darkened and lost his light for eightene days so that the shippes ofte on the sea wandred to and fro Also that in an other yeare it was twyse in the Eclipse firste in Iune secondly in December Likewise the same yere the Moone was twyse in the Eclipse in Iuly and in Ianuary 33. Steuen the fourth STeuen the fourth the thirde moneth after he had taken the Popeship vpon him made a voiage into Fraunce to Lewis the Emperour to purge him selfe of election wherby he was made Pope because he was chosen and confirmed by the Clergie and the people contrary to the decree made by Hadrian and Leo. And thus their owne decrees whiche the former predecessour made the next successour broke But to flatter and dally with the Emperoure for a while he brought with him a fayre crowne of Remis and put it on the Emperours head put another on the Empresse head naming her Augusta When he had receiued his rewarde of the Emperour should returne the churche of Reata wanted a bishop and yet Steuen very subtelly would electe none onlesse he might firste knowe whether the Emperour would allowe his doing but note the sequele As sone as he was returned safe to Rome he began to consider that the prerogatiue which was geuen to Charles and his successours might be a bridelling to the sea of Rome being embouldened the more because Lewis was a gentle persone and a tractable man he disanulled al that â–ª auctoritie and right and affirmed that it ought to belonge to the Clergie the people the senate to electe the Pope But to auoyde the Emperours displeasure he vsed this interpretation that it was lawefull for them to chuse him without the Emperours auctoritie but not to consecrate him but in the presence of him or his embassadours And thus the Emperours were a litle shouldered out from the election of these prelates And beside this because he raigned but eight monethes he coulde not any further enhance the pompe of his seate dying Anno. 817. 34. Paschal the first PAschal the first a Romishe monke was chosen withoute the consent of the Emperour according to the glose deuised by Steuen but when the Emperour complayned that he found himselfe agreeued with the election Paschall verye craftelye wrote vnto him purging himselfe therof In processe of time when he perceyued y the Emperour vpoÌ„ blinde zeale to religion was a greate maintayner of the Church of Rome he thinking that it were daungerous if he shoulde delaye the enlarging of his auctoritye did so craftelye charme and enuegle the Emperour that he yelded whollye to the Romaynes all his auctoritye touching the election of the Pope which was giuen to Charles and he confirmed by wrytinge hys auncetours presentacions which they had wrongfully purloyned This did the Emperour confirme with hande and seale not knowing theyr crafte But after that when this Emperour Lewes minding to haue his sonne Lotharius ioyned w t him in the Empyre and for the more coÌ„uenieÌ„t doing therof sent him to Rome to be crowned there by the Pope king of Italy which after that the Pope had done whiile Lothariê° because of a certaine tumulte and sedition there arysing fled to his father for ayde to suppresse it leauing behind him one Theodorus and Leo chiefe officers aboute him who stoode stoutlye in theyr maisters quarrel the Pope secretly and trayterouslye caused certaine seditious persons to pul out theyr eyes and afterward to strike of their heades And when he was accused to the Emperour both of the sedition and of this murther he picking out for his purpose a counsell of Prelates purged himselfe by his othe notwithstaÌ„ding he absolued and pardoned those that were giltye and knowen offenders he accused them that were slaine to be giltye of treason against the Emperour and finallye auouched that they were lawfully put to death This Paschall they say if they ouer reach not in the nomber did take vp ii thousand saincts karkases that were buryed in Churchyards and bestowed more honourable tombes vppon them in other places He commaunded to worship and reuerence the reliques of Saincts He was beneficiall to stone walles as Churches and altars diuersly Last of all he gaue coÌ„maundement to the clergye that they should not take any benefice or Ecclesiasticall lyuinge at the handes of a layeman He dyed Anno. 824. 35. Eugenius the second EVgenius gat the Popedome with much brablinge and strife among the fathers of the election for first one Zizimus had it graunted him but the discorde beinge ended Eugenius gat it both for his curtesye eloquence as they say who as Premonstratensis sayth that while he was Cardinal of S. Sabines bestowed on the Church a siluer
Romaynes that he coulde do nothinge worthy remembraunce for hee was so shamefullye wounded and foulye mangled and defaced amid the broyles that for shame of his foule disfigurings he durst neuer shewe his face abroade So litle reuerence had the Popes at that time for their litle holinesse Steuen dyed Anno 944. 66. Martin the third MArtin the thirde being Pope gaue himselfe onelye to repayre the Church not in Religion but in building not in reforminge ceremonyes but encreasinge the dignitye and pompe of the Church He was very beneficial to the poore bestowed plentifully on their bellyes He was diligent in reformation of outward manners In the first yeare of this Pope a great blasing starre was seene in Italye after which saith Vspergensis followed an extreame famine and againe saith Masseus the Sunne appeared verye terrible threatninge the sequeale of Gods vengeance Martin dyed Anno 947. 67. Agapetus the second AGapetus the seconde being Pope ruled Popelike in the time of one Berengarius a Marques of Italy who was the last of that name that had that dignitye after Hughe This Berengarius is reported to haue dryuen many Monkes oute of their cloysters whiche liued idellye and gaue them selues to the pleasures of the worlde The Pope perceiuing howe he could not rule Berengarius in these and such other spiritual matters that he would not restraine his soueraignitie according to the wil of him and his Hee sent for Otho the first king of the Germaines to come into Italy promising him the kingdome of the Romaines to fight with Berengarius and so saith Sabellicus troubled the estate of that countrey And except it were the settinge of these princes together by the eares he did nothing worthy memory till his death being Anno. 954. In his time was a counsell holden at Ingelhaim but suche was the negligence of the time that no man can tell what was done there or wherefore it was 68 Iohn the thirtene IOhn the thirtene being the sonne of the foresayde Albericus sonne to Marozia obtained to be Pope partly by the bribery partly by the threatning of his father Albericus being Prince He being Pope liued not like a bishop but altogether like a ranke ruffianly roister geuing him selfe wholly to all kinde of pleasure as to whoredome adultery incest masking momming hunting maygames playes robberies fyring of houses periury dyce cardes blaâ—ing robbing of churches and other villanies euen froÌ„ his youth he misused his cardinalles in cropping their noses thrusting out their eyes chopping of their fingers and handes cutting out their tongues gelding them and vsing diuers diuersly For before the Emperour Otho in an opeÌ„ Sinode it was layde to his charge as Luthprandus wryteth in his sixt booke that he neuer sayde Mattins that in celebrating the masse he him selfe had not communicated that he made Deacons in his stable among his horses that he had committed incest with two harlots being his owne sisters That hee played at dice prayed to the diuell to sende him good lucke that for money he admitted boyes to be bishops He had rauished virgines and straunge womeÌ„ He had made the holy pallaice of Lateran a stewes brothell house That he had defloured Stephana his fathers concubine and one Rainera a wydowe besyde one Anna an other wydowe and her niece that he had put out the eyes of Benedict his ghostly father vsed common hunts that he woare armour and set houses on fyre brast open dores and wyndowes by night that he tooke a cup of wyne dranke to the diuell and neuer blessed him selfe with the signe of the crosse these and many more odious articles were layde to his charge Whereupon the Emperour by the consent of the Prelates deposed him And Leo the eight was set vp in his steade But as sone as the Emperour was gone those harlottes that had bene his companioÌ„s inueigled the nobles of Rome promising theÌ„ the treasures of the church to depose Leo and place Iohn againe whiche they did out of hande and so Leo whom the Emperour appointed was deposed and Iohn established againe Who in his Popeship decreed that the Emperour should euer be crowned at Rome by the Pope But as he was solacing him self with out Rome on a certaine night with the wyfe of one that was a valiaunt man he was taken by him euen in his adultery and so sore and depely wouÌ„ded with a dagger that he died thereof within eight dayes in the tenth yeare of his Popedome as Mantuan witnesseth Of this Pope Iohn S. Dunstane a Nicromancier and a coniuring MoÌ„ke archbishop of Caunterbury in Englande receiued at Rome coÌ„firmation and pall to be metropolitan Anno. 960. This Dunstane did shamefully snaffle king Edgar For the king had deflowred a certaine Noonne for the which cause DuÌ„stane did so taunte and rate him that the king fell downe flatte before him offering to submitte him selfe to any satisfaction and obayed this that was commaunded him by Dunstane first because he was yet vncrowned he charged him that he should not take the crowne vpon him for seuen yeares and that during this time he should fast twyse in the weke distribute his treasure to the nedy builde a Noonnery at Shaftesbury and last of al that he should driue out all maried ministers calling them adulterous priestes Cronicon SaxonicuÌ„ ecclesiae VVigorniensis But as other stories testifie they were shortly after restored againe the moÌ„ks who had encroched their places were depriued Also he purchased of him for a great somme of money a coÌ„mission to disanulle and coÌ„demne the mariage of the Clergie and to constrayne them to single life or els to depriue them of ecclesiasticall benefites So writeth Iohn Capgraue and Polidor Virgil. in his sixt booke of the history of Englande Hereupon he being emboldened by the auctoritie of king Edgar ioyning to him selfe in the same commission Oswalde bishop of Yorke Ethelwalde bishop of Winchester and Monkes of the like disposition did violently thrust out of the cathedrall churches the Curates and Ministers whiche would not forsake their wiues and planted in them Monkes with their counterfaited chastitie whiche they kept vntill the time of the moste renowmed Prince kyng Henry the eight But many there were that stoutly stoode in defiance of this wicked doing especially a certayne Scot did bitterly speake against it Of this Pope Iohn came this prouerbe As mery as Pope Iohn 69 Benedict the fift BEnedict the fift after the departure of Otho the Emperour with his armye and depriuing of Leo being but a Deacon and Cardinall was made Pope by Iohns frends in a tumultuous time But Otho would not suffer Leo whome he had appointed to take this iniurye and therefore returning to Rome with his armie hee plonged the Romaines diuers wayes to make them yelde this Benedict into his handes and to restore Leo. Therefore after they had kept the gates lockt twoo monethes they yelded Benedict vnto the Emperour and receiued Leo and established him solemly in the
had raigned 50 yeare in his life he lacked lyuinge and after death he wanted a graue throughe malice of the Pope Pope Paschal held a councell of Princes and bishoppes about matter of gaynes as homages and fealtyes due vnto him also he spoiled the bishop of Rauenna of his lands and toke them into his owne handes But afterwarde because he refused to confirme certaine bishops appointed by the Emperour Henry the fift the Emperour though laâ—e before he had kissed the Popes feete appreheÌ„ded him and cast him into prison where he continued vntill he had coÌ„firmed them all and should by his Seale restore the priuiledge of ratifying a bishop which was graunted to Charles the great and confirme him to be Emperour While sayth Masseus the Pope sate in his chayre after Masse beholde the souldiours cryed vnto him and his clergye Giue vnto Caesar that which is Caesars and forthwith apprehended both him and all his clergye and caryed them out and stripped them out of their apparell so naked that they lefte them not theyr breeches on and ledde them thus haÌ„dled to Soractis mount wher they put them in prison c. This broyle being ceased and Henry being crowned Emperour Paschal renued vnto him the auctoritye of appointing bishops and pronounced openlye in the Church that they were all held accursed who soeuer would disanul the preuiledge which he had graunted Then thy sange Gloria in excelsis because of this peace betwene the Emperour and the Pope But as sone as the Emperour this being done was departed into Germanye the Pope brake al his oathes and went from his word in euerye thinge saying that hee did it not freelye and of his owne accorde but that for feare hee yelded to the Emperours desire Then was the priuiledge condemned and the Emperour excommunicated and terrible tragedyes sturred which were all blazed throughe diuers countryes Also hee by a councell diuorsed the clergye of Fraunce from their wyues as Gregorie had done in Germanye and draue diuers bishops froÌ„ their Seas because they would not leaue theyr wyues Againe to encrease the regiment of Rome he reuiued the strife for the bestowiÌ„g of bishoprickes which wrought great slaughter and bloudshed in all countreyes of Europe Anselmê° archbishop of Canterbury wyth sophistrye and cauillinge vphelde this Popes doing as he did Pope Vâ—banus being both their couÌ„celour at Rome their Uicar here in Englande This Anselmus did depriue kinge Henry the first of all auctoritye in Ecclesiastical causes and denyed to do homage to the kinge thinking and auouching it to be vnlawfall because it was due in the clergye vnto the successours of S. Peter Also he condemned in England the mariage of ministers Pope Paschal dyed Anno 1118. Matthaeus Paâ—siensis wryteth in his Chronicle that when Anselmus accused his soueraigne kinge Henry the first of England before the Pope at Rome for medling with the appointing of bishops and ministers VVilliam VVarelwarst the kinges Proctour did aunsweare stoutlye in hys Princes behalfe and amonge other thinges sayd that the kinge would not for the losse of his kingdome lese his auctoritye in appointing of prelates â–ª Whereto the Pope said If as thou sayest thy kinge to hazarde his crowne wil not forgoe his giuing of Ecclesiasticall lyuinges knowe thou preciselye I speake it before God that I will not suffer him without punishmeÌ„t no not for the price of his head Which beinge heard Anselmus besought the Pope to laye hands in despite of the kinge on those whom he had disgraded so sayth Mattheus the holye seate readye to yelde fauour to all restored them to their former dignities by the intercession of White and red But kinge Henry did depriue Anselmus of all his goodes and confiscated his Archbishopricke and defyed the Popes auctoritye Anno 1110. the Moone was darkened as if she had lost her lighte the yeare following it rayned bloud at Rauenna in Italy at Parma in the month of Iulye Anno 1114. in December the Heauen appeared sodenlye of a very fierye and ruddye colour as if it had burned and the Moone suffered an Eclipse The same yeare the riuer of Thames was drye for two dayes Anno 1 â–ª 17. there were thonders hayle great windes horrible dreadful and houge earthquakes that ouerthrewe Churches Towers walles buildinges and destroyed men 102. Gelasius the second GElasius the second called before Iohn Caietanus of a noble house was sometime a monke he succeded Paschal but not without great discention For because he was chosen withoute the consente of the Emperour one Cincius a maÌ„ of great power in Rome would not suffer this iniurye but went with a troupe of souldiours to PalladiaÌ„ minster where the Cardinals were gathered together and breakinge the gates open he rushed in vppon them and stroke at euerye one that he mette And as for the Pope with his necke wrongde awrye he threwe him on the ground stamped on him wyth his feete and cast him into prison and as the Cardinals were ruÌ„ning away he hoysed them of their Mules and horses to the grounde and vsed all the despite he could toward them But the Romaynes would not suffer this and therfore by the ayde of the Normans they deliuered the Pope made his ennemyes to submit themselues and to aske pardon wyth kissinge his feete The Emperour hearing this sent a great arâ—â—ye out of Germanye to Rome which Gelasius fearing fled by shippe wyth his companye to Caieta and there was made a priest for he was made Pope before beinge but a deacon Henry the Emperour comming to Rome in the absence of Gelasius created Maurice Burdinus archbishop of Bracharie Pope and called him Gregorie the eight and theÌ„ he returned froÌ„ Rome Gelasius hearinge thereof returneth priuilye to Rome and takinge harte to him he commeth into Praxis Church to saye masse where he was so hindred by the contrarye syde that he scant saued himselfe by running away From thence he fled into Fraunce where at the length he was entertayned by an abbot in whose house hee dyed of a pleuresye in the seconde yeare of his raigne In his life by a Legat that he sent he held a councell in Collen where he excommunicated the Emperour and decreed that the Popes of Rome should be iudged by none 103. Calixtus the seconde CAlixtus the second being before called Guido of Burgundy came of the kinges of Fraunce and Englande he succeded Gelasius And after he was coÌ„firmed at Rome he sent a messenger to the said Conon in Germanye to coÌ„tinue the excommunication of his predecessour against the Emperour Hereupon the Emperour was coÌ„pelled to summon a councell of Princes and bishops at Tybur to make peace betweene him the Pope and least the Popes part shoulde haue spoyled his dominions he toke peace vppon vnequall conditions He confirmed to his great dishonour the electioÌ„ of this Calixtus who was chosen Pope at Cluny in Fraunce by a fewe Cardinals whom Gelasius had brought wyth him and yet was the other
barbarous Pyrates then this churlishe Boniface He hated the Gibelines with such rancour that in persecuting them he heard saye that some of them were fled to the Genewaies therupon he poasted thether to destroy them vtterly to roote out the very name of them vpon earth And when vpon Ash wednesdaye he should according to the superstitious vse crosse al commeâ—s on the forheade with ashes and saye vnto them thus Remember man that thou art ashes and to ashes thou shalte returne Upon the same day for the same cause the archbishop of Porchet who was a Gibeline came vnto him kneelinge downe vnto the Pope put of his cappe to haue the ashes put on his head whoÌ„ when Boniface had espyed beinge neither ashamed for the time nor the place nor the people present vttered his rancour towarde the bishoppe most shamefullye For takinge vp an handfull of ashes he threwe them spitefullye in the eyes of the bishop sayinge reprochfullye wyth malicious chaunge of woordes Remember man thou arte a Gibeline and to the Gibelines thou shalt returne And beside this depriued him of his archbishopricke though in the ende he restored it In his time were great and cruell warres betwene the Sicilians and Robert duke of Calabria which wroughte much mischiefe to all Italye and yet the Pope being ofteÌ„times requested thereunto would neuer with his auctoritye steppe in betwene them to pacifye the matter But by the prouidence of God they that before fled out of Italye with the rouers arriued in Italye againe and gathering together a fewe who fled and lurked here there for feare of the rage of Boniface came to Anagnia ere the Pope mistrusted any such matter they brast open the gates vpoÌ„ him apprehended him and brought him to Rome where frettinge and raginge in a great agonye most desperatlye for the space of xxx dayes throughe the extremitye of his malady he dyed myserablye Anno 1304. This Pope sent a commaundement to the king of England charging him not to molest Scotland as he did then anye longer because the Scottes were a priuiledged people belonging to his Chappell but the kinge stoode stoutlye in the defence of his righte and quarrell and claymed it as his right not the Popes After this the Pope moued kinge Edwarde to warre vppon the Frenche kinge because he had offended the Pope but the kinge would not be so abused by him After this when the kinge had bestowed the bishopricke of Canterbury vpon Robert Burnel bishop of Bathe the Pope in spite of his teeth did not onlye place another called Iohn Peccam but also sent downe his Bull to the spirituall men of England for their discharge not to paye one penye tribute to the kinge in any case to his no small trouble for vpon this the most of them were at defiaunce with the kinge and his Parliamente especiallye the bishop of Canterburye This is that Pope of whom it was coÌ„monlye said He entred like a foxe he raigned like a Lion he died like a dogge He thinking that kingdomes and Empires were all in his owne hande did vsurpe the aucthority of both swordes woulde be counted the Lord of all the world He gaue sentence the vnlesse kinges woulde receiue their kingdomes at his hand they should be accursed and oughte to be deposed He excommunicated Philip kinge of Fraunce because he would not suffer the treasure of his Realme to be transported oute to Rome he cursed both him and his to the fourth generation Also he would not confirme Albertus to be Emperour whom before he had three or foure times reiected vntill he woulde inuade Fraunce and depose king Philip. He maintayned the discorde that was in Italye and purposed to nourishe them continuallye He forbad that the clergye should paye anye tribute to their Princes without his commaundement He boasted that he bare the keyes of heaueÌ„ and published this Canon that he oughte to be iudged of none althoughe hee shoulde drawe thousandes of soules to hell with him He was the first that deuised the Iubelye according to the Iewishe tradition He gaue full remission of sinnes and pardons to all that shoulde come on pilgrimage to Rome At the first daye of Iubelei hee prancked himselfe gorgeouslye in his pontificalibus The seconde daye he being arrayed most royallye with Emperiall insignes commaunded a naked sword to be caryed before him and said with a loude voice Ecce potestatem vtriusque gladij Lo here is the power of both swordes Finallye he being as is said apprehended and offeringe rather his head to be cut of then he would yelde vp his Papacye those conditions beinge put to him his house was first spoyled of so much treasure that as it is reported all the kinges of the earth together were not able to make so much oute of theyr treasurye as was caryed oute of his Pallaice and from three Cardinals and a Marquesse that were with him Then afterward he was set vpon an vnbroken coult with his face to the horse tayle and so caused to ride a gallop iaunted til he were breathlesse and then was he imprisoned and there almost pined by kinge Philips souldiours of Fraunce till the people of the towne of Aragon where he was did releue him and yet neuerthelesse for thought of this misery and losse he dyed He bestowed on S. Peters Pallaice a chayme of belles making a sweete and pleasaunt noyse and encreased the reuennues therof he yet encreased very much that priuiledges of the begginge fryers He doubled the idolatrous honour of the Apostles the 4 Euangelistes and the foure doctours of the Church He gaue auctoritye to the Ecclesiastical parsons generally in England to excommunicate the people twise in the yeare He caused one Hermanus of Ferraria to be taken oute of his graue and burned xxx yeares after he had beene buryed He said that to be subiect to the Church of Rome is of the necessitye to saluatioÌ„ He deposed diuers Cardinals he deuested diuers kinges of their estate he fostered harlots â—e begat diuers bastardes beside sondrye other lâ—ude pranckes He sommoned kinge Edwarde the first to Rome vpon the coÌ„plaint of Robarte VVinchelsey bishop of Canterbury after the death of Iohn Peccam both which Archbishops troubled the kinge as almost all their auncetours from the time of Hildebrand had done to the Princes in their time for so VVilliam Rufus and Henry the first were troubled wyth Anselmus Archbishop of Canterbury Henry the second also with Thomas Becket King Richard and all England with VVilliam bishop of Elye the Popes Legate King Iohn with Steuen LangtoÌ„ bishop of Canterburye Henry the thirde with Edmonde Archbishop and now this kinge Edwarde wyth these two The kinge beinge cited to Rome was there suspended till he had purchased full dearely his absolution but of the said Peccam this one thing is to be noted that he caused to be ordayned that no spirituall mynister should haue any more benefices theÌ„ one which was also
was by the kinges commaundement w t other mo impeached of treason finally arested in the ParliameÌ„t house to aunswere to his endightmeÌ„ts Whereunto after long pauze he aunswered clayming the priuiledge of the Church saying thus I am humble mynister of the holye Church c. and cannot neither ought to aunswere to such matters without the auctoritye of the bishop of Canterbury my directe iudge nexte vnder the Pope c. whereupon the other bishops stept vp and sued to the kinge for this their fellowe But when the king would not yeld the said bishops together w t the archbishops and the clergye comming with theyr crosses toke him away perforce chalenginge him to the Church wtout any other aunswere charging moreouer vnder the censure of terrible excommunication none to presume to laye any further handes vpon him And yet the kinge encouraged herewith commaunded lawe to passe vpon him and he being found gilty his goodes to be confiscate but yet the partye remayned safe vnder protection of the Archbishop of Canterbury This Pope lefte more abundance of treasure then euer any other did namely fiue and twenty thousand thousande Crownes in gould and yet but latelye before he ioyned in warre with Robert kinge of Apulia to defende Genua in which warre sayth Antonius Florentinus eyther syde spente as much treasure as woulde haue boughte a good kingdome 138. Benedict the xij BEnedict the xii borne in Tholos in profession a white fryer sath Paleonidorus called Iacob or Iames of Furne the sixtenth daye after the death of Iohn he was enstalled Pope This man sayth Marius was as vncurteous to the Emperour as euer was Pope Iohn he renued the curses against him he reft him of all regall dignitye by his sentence depriued him of the dukedome of Bauary The noble Emperour wente into Germany and called together behoulde his vertue and wysedome all the Princes electours Dukes Counties bishops and the best learned either in diuinitye or humanitye And in presence of them all with open and solemne proclamatioÌ„ he added and established his late confirmatioÌ„ with ould lawes and very wiselye proued that onelye the Princes electours no man els ought to medle w t the election of the king of the Romaynes so that he that had most voyces amonge them was to be accepted berely be it eyther king or Emperour which in effect are al one though in name they differ Because that he that is Emperour may take vpon him the gouernment beloÌ„ging to his estate without the confirmatioÌ„ of the Sea of Rome and he being lawfullye chosen ought after aduisemente giuen by the Princes to be annointed by the Pope Which if the Pope refused to do he might be proclaymed Emperour by any Catholick prelate as the vse hath long beene for these ceremonyes enioyed by the Pope are but imagined toyes and solemnityes deuised by the prelats of Rome who onely haue but the geuinge of the name not the thinge for a signe of vnitye and mutuall helpe and succoure betwene the Empire and the Church For the Emperour vowed to the Pope not an oath of alleageance and fealtye but of defendinge the Christian fayth for as much as the taking of this oath maketh not greater dignitye in temporall thinges Furthermore the Emperour shewed how that the estate being voide the righte thereof shoulde not belonge vnto the Pope and that to haue it so was against the libertye righte honour and maiestye of the Empire but by longe and allowable custome notwithstandinge the Clementine Canon and by decree vnmoueable hytherto kept bie his aâ—ncetours in the time the Empire is voyd the right of gouerning the Empire the bestowing of fealtyes and ordering of other affayres belongeth to the Palsgraue of Rhene Afterward for his owne defence he made proofe of his vpright and trusty dealing before them all plainlye confessed that he as a ChristiaÌ„ man ought to do did beleeue the Articles of Christian fayth euen as the Church taught and purged himselfe of all those accusatioÌ„s which Pope Iohn the xxiii and Benedict the xii had layed to his charge Thus did the godly Emperour of his owne good motion when as if he had not pitied the shedding ChristiaÌ„ bloude he might haue tryed the matter with the Pope by the dint of the sworde At the length Pope Benedict began to consider of the goodnes of this Emperour for wheÌ„ a certaine grudge happened betweene this Lewis Philip kinge of Fraunce by and by peace was made betwene the Emperour and the Pope And the Pope loued the Emperour so entirelye that he defended him against the Embassadours of the French king which euer spake sharpely against the Emperour stoutlye defended the Emperours innocencye So that it came to passe that the Pope was by them called defeÌ„der of an heretick whose words although Benedict for a while did much feare for they threatned to set vpon him with all their powers if he absolued the Emperour yet in the end he absolued him And commaunded to proclaime throughe Germanye that all the processes of Iohn what soeuer they were should voyde and of no effecte and that it did not become Pope Iohn thus to deale with the Emperour seinge their two functions as diuers testifyed openly that Lewis had in all thinges behaued himselfe as mighte best beseeme so noble Christian an Emperour Yet it is to be noted that the Pope did not this of hartye good will to the Emperour but vpon pollicye for wheÌ„ he perceyued the king of Fraunce within whose precinct he was then abyding dealt vnfreindlye with him he feared that if he should also haue the Emperour his enemye he should haue no succour left if the French kinge should go about to do him displeasure And for this cause Benedict thoughte it stode with his commoditye to haue the fauour of the Emperour hoping it would so fall out that he durst attempt nothing against the Pope Such from time to time hath bene the pollicy of these prelats to maintaine their estate But to returne to the purpose and leaue these words of Marius Pope Benedict auouched the iudgmeÌ„t of his predecessour against Lewis He appointed deputies in those townes of Italye that belong to the Empire and toke to himselfe from the Emperour the Senatourship of Rome He deuised that euery thing did belonge to the Court of Apostolicall peniteÌ„ciary He appointing subsidyes gathered houge sommes of money out of euery nation He first toke vpon him to vsurpe the presentments of all bishopricks prelatships and benefices He abridged vnlearned men of priesthoode He reformed manye sectes of monckes He commaunded that all his chapleins shoulde lye in one dormitorye together and should haue none other reuenues then for their diet and apparell He with a great somme of money bought for his carnall desire the sister of Frauncis Petrarcha a beutifull woman of her brother Gerard he denyed that the Pope had any kindred he published certaine actes as Leander testifyeth against the
it shal be sufficient to declare but some of the least Theodoricus lib 1. cap. 14. sayth that Clement with his Cardinals beinge in Campania sente for their Captayne Bernard de Cazala with other men of warre oute of Gascony and Britany who should passe ouer a certaine bridge vpon Tiber nighe Rome but they that kept the bridge wtstoode them whereupon all the Citye was in an vprore many ran out disordered to defend the bridge against Bernard and his Brytaines who entred perforce and in this conflict there were slaine as some thincke 8. hundred Romaynes and the rest beaten backe into the Cittye wherof arose great howling crying lamenting through Rome But the Romaynes to reuenge themselues fel vpon al such as mighte seeme in the Citye to fauour Pope Clement as al those that were borne beyonde the Alpes both Frenchmen and Spaniards that were weake and vnweaponed in the Citye they spared neither man womaÌ„ nor childe parson nor degree some they murthered some they chained in prison the women they vsed vilanouslye without al shame bishops and noble men they spoyled robbed and long imprysoned with great misery This hurly burly continued long Yea I saw then sayth Theodoricus certaine matrones of Rome desirous to enflame the Romaine CitizeÌ„s against the courtiers strangers to iastle them ruffiantly in the streates and without al honestye to spit and slauer in the faces of the courtiers both of men and women But while the freinds of Pope Vrban did thus within the Citye molest the freindes of Clement a certaine Frenchman being Captaine of Angel Castel and keeping it to the vse of his countryman Clement and his Cardinals did leuel a certaine engine out of the Castle against the Citye discharging and shooting arrowes pellets violently into Rome amonge the Romaines and courtiers and with this shotte he ouerthrew shooke downe and fyred many houses Thus was the Citye in a myserable broyle and in these tumults were slaine diuers noble men Iohn Vrsine Rainolde his brother and one Honoratus with Angelus lieuetenant of Rome diuers other estates stept vp in armes in the quarell of Clement assaulting the Citye round about Rainold layde siege against it at S. Agnes gate a whole month so that the Romaynes were robbed of their cattell and durst not peepe out of the Citye to followe their husbandrye during this storme Whereupon Charles the Emperour and Lewis kinge of Hungary at the humble sute of Pope Vrban sent to Clement their Embassadours desiring him to yeld vp his Papacy for the ending of these sturres tending to the ruine of the Church and Christian estate but Pope Clement and his Cardinals in steede of reasonable answeares vsed the Legates vilanously keeping some of them in pryson some they racked cruelly and by this meanes all christeÌ„dome was deuided some as Almany Bohemia Thuscia Lombardy England Polony Denmarke Sweueland Norwaie Prusia Frizland with diuers other countryes toke part with Vrban and likewise many countryes with Clement Vrban made Charles king of Sicil and ClemeÌ„t set vp Lewes of Andegana against him for it to the spoyle of much bloud Manye other notable historyes are written of this Clement which for tediousnesse are ouerpassed onely I note that which Theodoricus sayth that he being Cardinall vnder Gregorie the xi was cause of the destruction and lameÌ„table spoyling of the Citye Cesanate hauing charge of the souldiours that did it as is shewed in the said Gregorie Also at the same time he sould the Citye Vercels vnto a couple of tyrants to the great confusion of the same Citye in like maner but those tyrants Caleatius and Barnabonis hauing ful possession thereof robbed this Cardinal againe of all the treasure which they had payde him But when he sate in the Papacye he was so prodigall in spendinge the Church goodes that he graunted to euerye man especiallye noble men large pentions farmes landes at an easye rent 145. Boniface the ix BOniface the ix borne in Naples was first called Peter Thomacell being but a yonker scant xx yeares old but a toughe and sturdy fellow he was made Pope by consent of those Cardinals that remayned in Rome Theodoricus sayth that he could neyther write nor singe and that when he was chosen he knewe not what belonged to the greate charge of the Papacye and when supplications were offered him he handled them so vntowardly as if he had neuer beene brought vp in the Court of Rome neyther could he vnderstand the contentes thereof When any aduocates during his gouernment moued any matter debated in his consistorye he neuer vnderstoode them but woulde bolte out an vndiscrete aunsweare to their demaundes At the first during the liues of certaine good Cardinals he durste not openlye commit simonye thoughe priuilye he vsed his brokers therein but they being dead after vii yeares he vsed it openly First he toke the first fruictes of all abbeyes and great Churches voyde and ere the lyuing were bestowed the money must be payed yea often he was heard to wishe that the money being payed the party might not enioy it that he might be payd new first fruictes againe by another This was the chiefest of those xxvi Neapolitans whoÌ„ beinge of his alleance Pope Vrban made Cardinals at Nuceria who as Crantzius sayth beinge confirmed established did forthwith confirme those things which Vrban had decreed touching the Iubely to be kept euery xiii yeare the feast of the visitation of the virgin Mary and indulgences pardons for the worshipping of Christes bodye But by his couetousnes and simonye because al benefices were sould for moneye vsurye waxed so rancke in Rome that it was counted no sinne sayth Theodoricus in his time yea oftentimes vsurye was required openlye euen in the presence of the iudges and officials And againe there was no sute made to the Pope for anye matter but that brybes must be giuen for speakinge The fifte daye of Nouember in the first yeare of his raigne hee his Secretaryes and his chamberlaynes set benefices to sale so impudently offering and trying who would giue most so that al men laughed it to scorne At which time he gaue vnder seale any benefice where soeuer were it in his disposition or no his gift to take place vpoÌ„ the death of the incumbente and this kinde of sale lasted longe in the Courte of Rome so that many poachers ran vp and downe the countrye to espye where were any olde or sicke prelate therevpon poasâ—ed to Rome to purchase a graunt of his lyuing so that sometime the Pope sould one benefice to diuers parties and vsed to set downe in the dating of it that the secoÌ„d third or the fourth graunt should stande aboue and before the rest and therefore after diuers grauntes of one benefice yet some purchased one after al with this clause to defeate the rest notwithstanding al former or after graunts and for more assurance the last should be antedated Thus the Pope played pollage so long till all men being
Earles and noble men with their dominions and great Cityes through the whole countrey of Germanye beside the great commōwealthes of Heluetia Rhetia Vallis Tellina with many hūdred Thousands more of al estates in Flaūders Italye Spayne Fraūce and in the kingdome of Polonia Thus especiallye from the yeare of our Sauiours incarnation 1503. vnder Pope Iulye the seconde the credite of the Romaine Sea began to cracke and dailye ryueth more and more and shall by Gods grace so continue till it be cleane rente in peeces and torne awaye Whereof God hath giuen certaine signes tokens plainlye prognosticatinge the greate fall of this proude Babilon which with these reuoltinge of regions from him being compared may comfort those that reioyce in the aduauncing of the Gospell and in the ruine of Antichriste although it is not to be wished that any mā should ground any doctrine or point of religion barely vpon these prognostications The obseruations that the Papacye shall melt awaye decresing more and more till the daye of Iudgement are these First the forenamed Prophecye of S. Paule in the 2. Chapter of the seconde Epistle to the Thessalonians that Antichriste must be reuealed before Christe come with diuers other Prophecyes of the holye Scripture in the Reuelation and other places Other proofes hereof maye be those straunge thinges that haue come to passe of latter times in the Church of Rome as the Pope Iohn the 24. was wonderfullye vexed by an owle in open consistorye as is before in his life declared againe that going to Constance he fell oute of his chariot by the waye Afterwarde he was in the same councell of Constance reprochfullye deposed and it was there declared that a councell ought to be aboue the Pope and the Pope to be subiect to the controlment of the coūcel which thing gaue a great pushe to the ouerthrow of his supremacye surelye from his time and the time of Paule the second the Popes maiestye began to shrincke more more Againe in the time of Alexander the sixt by a tempest of thonder lightninge the Augell set on the toppe of Angell castell in Rome the Popes chiefe place was beaten downe into the riuer Tiber. Furthermore it appeareth that it was not so much the fonde furye of Iulye the second as fatall prouidence the Pope Iulye the second when he could not preuaile by Papal auctoritie did hurle away into Tiber S. Peters keyes as they tearme them the counterfaite euidence of his supremacye for as he cast the keyes away so other reiected his supremacie euer since Furthermore in the time of Pope Leo it came to passe that he created in one day 31. Cardinals and the same daye while Leo and his Cardinals were in S. Peters Church there fell such mightye stormes of windes thōder lightnings vpon the Church that it shooke downe a little idoll made for the picture of Christe in the lappe of the virgin Marye Also it stroke the keyes oute of the hande of S. Peters Image in the same Church These and manye other such matters as haue come to passe are to be so construed as they may best serue to the glorye of God and signification of his will which is that Antichriste shall be destroyed with the breath of his mouth that is the power of his holye word and not by the might and arme of man Ioyning therefore the successe that Christe hath giuen to his Gospel with the shaking of Antichriste his kingdome foreshewed by the spirit of God it shall not be amisse to take these signes as witnesses that God sheweth hereby that he is mindefull of his promise made to his elect that the dayes are at hand when Babilō must fall and our Sauiour Iesus Christe come againe in glorye to the subuerting of him The Lorde hasten it for his mercy sake and make vs readye to receiue it with ioye Amen Amen 162. Iulius the second IVlius the secōd was a Genewaie borne who as Erasmus wryting vpon the prouerbe A remo ad Tribunal sayth was in his youth a whirrye slaue and yet at length preased vp to the Papacye And yet sayth he not contenting himselfe with that estate as he founde it did enlarge his dominion and would haue made it larger but that death preuented his purpose Vicelius sayth that he was rather giuen to warres then to serue Christ. Iohn Functius in his Cōmentaryes wryteth thus of him Pope Iulius being borne of a base stocke rysing by degrees throughe good lucke and craftye witte attayned to the hyest He being a fellowe of a subtill and compassinge heade and most giuen of nature to play the warriour did like Nimrod enlarge his porcion by the dint of the sworde so that by his procuremente within seuen yeares were slaine and destroyed to the nomber of two hundred thousand Christians He besieged Rauenna cruellye and in the ende preuayling made it subiecte to his Empire And with the like violence he wrested Seruia Imola Fauentia Foroliuium Bononia and other Cityes from the Princes with great bloudshed Sleidā sayth that whē this Iulius was Pope he toke an oath that he would haue a councell within two yeares But when he troubled and disquieted all Italye with warres beinge enemye one while to the Venetiās another while to the king of Fraūce nowe to the Duke of Ferraria now to the Bononians certaine Cardinals ix in nomber steppinge a syde and assembling at Millen do summon a coūcell to be held at Pisana The chiefe of these were Bernardin Cruceius VVilliam of Praenoste Fraūcis Cossetinus w t whom were the proctours of the Emperour Maximilian and of Lewis the xii king of Fraunce about the same purpose This councell was called the yeare 1511. the xix day of Maye to beginne in September next following The cause hereof is sayde to be because the Pope had broken his oath and for sworne himselfe for notwtstāding he had raigned so many yeares yet contrarye to his oath they could get no hope of hauing a coūcell And furthermore for that they had heynous crimes to charge him w t all they purposed to depriue him of his dignitye which he had gottē by bribery But Iulius chargeth all men vpon paine of great punishmēt that no man should obey them summoned another coūcel to be held the yeare following in Aprill in Lateran at Rome whereunto xxi Cardinals subscribed For this from time to time hath bin the practise of the Pope when any councel hath bin assembled against his doings then to assemble another Synode against the other in some place meete for his purpose There was at this time a famous Lawyer at Papia called Philippus Decius who published a booke defendinge the doinge of the Cardinals against the Pope Diuers other wrote against him some in prose some in verse as Hulricus Huttenus in certaine Epigrams to this effect in Englishe translated verse for verse This Iulie vvho by long discent did sit in Peters seate Through nevv cōceite
doth vvoâ—ke these broyles vvith many a monstrous feate He neither prayeth for his flocke nor lyuing yet in peace He seeketh not as Peter did their knovvledge to encrease But kindleth vvarres and iets in armes and doth delight in goare Yea Peter backe he puts and needes vvill set S. Paule before S. Paule yet smites not vvith his svvord but therevvithall vvas slaine But Iulie doth his handes vvith bloud of many Christians staine ¶ The description of Pope Iulie by the sayde Auctour VVhy goeth Iulius in steele and in his coate of plate VVith griselye beard and ouglye lookes vpon his bussshye pate VVhose frounced forhead hideth deepe his loathly steaming eyes FroÌ„ vvhence vvith helhouÌ„des threatning loke the sparkling fier flyes â–ª This terrour vnto VVesterne men by sea and eke by land VVith bitter bovves and bloudie billes and shaking svvord in hand That vnto all the kings on earth hath vvrought such vvarlick harmes And is a scourge toth vvorld vvhich he hath raysed vp in armes The author of such maÌ„glinges made such slaughter and such spoyle That did both Prince and people all in daunger put of foyle â–ª VVho both vvith hand and head doth put all vilanye in vre A creature borne the ruine of mankinde for to procure VVhose vvorke is death vvhose leasure is fulfilling filthye lust And plucking peace from euerye man hath broached vvarre vniust VVhat is there in him vvhye that anye man dare giue his dome VVhye such a caytiffe maye deserue the name of Pope of Rome The French kinge vnderstandinge that the Pope with the helpe of the Venetians wente aboute to disturbe those whom he set in garrison did summon a couÌ„cell at Turney in September where he propounded these questions to be discussed Whether it were lawful for the Pope to warre vpon anye Prince without any cause Whether a Prince defenâ—inge his owne in that case may set vpon the Pope withdraw himselfe from obeing him And auÌ„sweare was made that the Pope oughte not to do so and that a Prince might do according to the questioÌ„ that vniust thondring boultes of excommunication are not to be feared Herevpon the king sent his Embassadour to Pope Iulius to declare the determination of the councell and to desire him eyther to be coÌ„tent with peace or els to call a general couÌ„cell to bulte oute these matters the better But the Pope would graunte to neither request but did excommunicate Lewis and gaue his kingdome for a praye to those that would make hauock of it Of this Iulius it is written in a certaine Commentarye of the maisters of Paris againste the Lutherians that he did most villanouslye commit that which is not to be spoken of with two noble yonge gentlemeÌ„ who were put to a certaine Cardinall called Robaâ—t Nauetensis to be broughte vp by Ladye An Queene of Fraunce The like thing is reported of him by another writer wher vpon Conradus Gabriel wrote these two Uerses Venit in Italiam spectabilis indole rara Germanus redijt de puero mulier It were not tollerable to set out all the treachery wherwith this monstrous Pope defiled himselfe In his time amonge the religious men began diuers grosse and vnreuerent opinions touching the incarnation of Christe the conceptioÌ„ of the blessed virgin mouing many vnnecessarye vnprofitable and vnhonest questions and medling impudentlye with matters belonging to midwiues and not to scholedoctours and therefore rather to be suppressed then heare reuealed onelye this maye suffice to the wiser sort to consider what sectes were amonge those holye siers and what diuinitye they studied One of these busye brayned sophisters was called Ptolomeus Lucensis a monke who preached his filthye fantasyes touchinge the maner of Christes conception in a Church at Mantua This Pope Iulius being a lustye warriour and goinge forth on a time with his armye out of the Cittye did hurle Peters keyes into Tiber with these words Because that Peters keye is able to do no more let the sworde of Paule helpe to do it By which deede sayth Bibliander Pope Iulius hath resigned all his power vnto the riuer Tiber if that the Pope haue receiued any power of Peter in that Christ said vnto him Behould I wil giue to thee the keyes of the kingdome of heauen For he that casteth awaye the keyes being the testimonye of auctoritye doth depriue spoile himselfe and his successours of S. Peters inheritaunce Of this madde prancke of Iulie hurling his keyes into Tiber diuers men wrote verses as MelaÌ„cthon Brusichius one Ducherius the Englishe whereof doth followe VVhile Iulius to mischiefe framde did bloudy vvarre prepare He marched foorth in armed hand his vveapon thus he bare A svvord hong by his side vvhich out couragiously he drevve And Peters keys into the deepe of Tiber floud he threvv VVith blustring thus if Peters keys in vvarre cannot preuaile Then vvith the svvord of Paule vve vvyll our ennemies assaile ¶ Huldericus Huttenus made this Epigram of Pope Iulius pardons By craft Pope Iuly all the vvorld thou merchant dost intvvine Thou sellest heauen and yet no part therof by right is thine Sell me the thing thou hast great shame vvill els therof proceede VVhen thou dost sell the thinge vvhich thou thy selfe dost vvant and nede O saluage soyle vvhy bidst thou not an hundred giants fel To helpe Iuly to beate out Ioue that he the heauens may sell Fortill an other God get heauen and thunder from the skies Friend Iuly I le not bye of you such vveightie marchandise But after he had made many great slaughters he died Anno. 1513. 163. Leo the tenth LEo the tenth was a Florentine borne of the noble house of Medicea and called ere he were Pope Iohn Medices He being Deacon and Cardinal of saint Maries contrarie to all hope was chosen to succede Iulius He beinge diligeÌ„tly from his youth trained vp in learning vnder learned schoolemaisters and especially one Angelus Politianus did afterward greatly fauour learned men When he was but .xiij. yeres olde he was made cardinall by Innocentius the .viii. and at the yeres of xxxviii he obtained the papacie This Leo was of his owne nature a gentil and quiet person but often times ruled by those that were cruell and contencious men whom he suffered to do in many matters according to their insolent will He addicting him selfe to nicenesse and takinge ease did pamper his fleshe in diuerse vanities and carnal pleasures At banqueting he delighted greatly in wine and musike but had no care of preaching the Gospell nay was rather a cruell persecutour of those that began then as Luther and other to reueale the light thereof for on a time when cardinall Bembus did moue a question out of the Gospell the Pope gaue him a very contemptuouse aunswere saiyng All ages can testifie enough howe profitable that fable of Christe hath ben to vs and our companie Sleidan saith he sente letters and hulles of pardons into all nations for suche as woulde giue money for them the
fault vvherof he vvas mistrusted De Clemente quod est coÌ„scriptum carmine crimen Id verum aut fallum protinus esse scio Si verum est verenam possum dicere mundi Vrna breuis vitium claudit omne scelus Si falsum est vere iam possum scribere mundi Dux pax lux paruo contegitur tumulo Et falsum esse reor Quis enim coÌ„mittere summum Pontificem Rome talia monstra putet Iohn Tillius sayth in his Chronicle that this Pope beinge taken prysoner by the Emperours armye as shal be at large declared was redeemed for fourtye Thousande FloreÌ„ces Also of this Clement it is reported in a certaine Commentarye vpon the articles of the maisters of Paris that he was one that practised poysoninges a murderer a baude an vncleane liuer and that in such sort as for offending of chast eares is not to be named Also he is charged there with simonye adulterye rauishing of women periurye coniuring and to be a Church robber fraught with al kinde of villâ—uye and therfore a certaine Poet wrote thus of him Clementi nomen dedit inclementia fati Bellorum hic fomes cunctorum Lerna malorum Valerius Anselmus wryting of this ClemeÌ„t sayth thus ClemeÌ„t being of a dissembling wit in the last yeare of his Papacye repayred to the French king at Massilia where they two agreed so together that the king toke Katherine nice vnto this Pope Clement at his motion with a great dowrye of Ecclesiasticall dignityes and maryed her vnto his second sonne Henry duke of Orleans This the Pope wrought to arme him selfe the stroÌ„ger against the Lutheranes whose bloud he hunted after But in SepteÌ„ber he and other of his Cardinals and familiaritye were preuented by the straunge poyson of a charmed Taper c. Clement in making this mariage would first haue had the saide Katherine bestowed on the Frenche kinges eldest sonne if it could haue bin But it came to the same effecte in the ende for soone after the eldest sonne dyed and then her husbande Henry duke of Orleans was nexte heire and kinge of Fraunce and by this meanes the Popes nyce according to the desire of her vncle became Queene of FrauÌ„ce being the same woman that yet lyueth in Fraunce in these bloudye dayes being mother to Charles that now is king For this her aduauncement she hath shewed herselfe verye thanckfull vnto Italye and vnto the Court of Rome both in plantinge Italians in diuers greate offices in the Realme of Fraunce and also fortifyinge the Popes auctoritye to the vttermost of her power with greater beneuolence to her owne countrye Italye then is thoughte profitable to the countrye of Fraunce Iohannes Baptista Folengius in his CoÌ„mentarye vpon the 105. Psalme hath these woords For it is reported that in our dayes Pope Clement the seuenth dyed of that most lothsome and filthye disease called morbus pedicularis that is to be eaten wyth lyce some say that he was poysoned He was a mortall creature and therefore subiect to infinite miseryes and diseases as other men are c. Clement being dead this Epitaphe was made on him whereby it appeareth how the world iudged of his life Clementem eripuit nobis clementia fati Humanum toto gaudeat orbe genus Hic est qui fuerat iam dedecus vrbis orbis Et fuit aetatis magna ruina suae Hic est si nescis qui iam tibi Roma parauit Excidium pestem funera bella famem Hic est per quem tot prostrant in vrbe puellae Per quem pulsus honos virgineumque decus Hic est qui molles euexit ad astra cinaedos Formosum à tergo munere iuuet Hylam Hic est qui fuerat viuens infamia mundi Imperij labes spurcitiesque sui Contemptor diuûm scelerum vir publicus hostis Perfidus ingratus raptor iniquus atrox Exosus vitam morbo tenuatus amaro Stabat Paeonia non reuocandus ope Mortem implorabat nec mortem fata sinebant Gaudebant longa sed cruciare mora Hic vidit mortis centum tormenta futurae Poena tamen mortis non fuit aequa suae Ex ista tandem migrauit luce tyrannus Quo nullus toto peior in orbe fuit ¶ Pasquil to Rome Roma vale vide satis est vidisse reuertar Quum leno aut meretrix scurra cinaedus ero Under this Clement Nicolas Machiauel Secretarye of Florence and a famous Historiographer did flourishe who in the first booke of his historye of Florence sayth that for the most part the mischiefes that happeÌ„ amonge the Christians proceede of the ambition of the Popes And that before the time of Theodoricus kinge of Lombardes that is till about the yeare of our Lorde 500 they were euer subiecte to kinges in ciuill matters But sayth he they encroached by little and little the ciuil iurisdiction and finallye do vsurpe Lordship euen aboue the verye Emperours They haue growen to this height as he sheweth by three meanes by excommunicating by geuing pardoÌ„s by the sword Furthermore in his discourses vpon the fift decade of Liue Cap. xii he sheweth the contempte of Religion is cause of the ouerthrow of al common wealthes namelye that the occasion both of discorde and euill successe in Christendome is because that Religion is contemned whereof there can be no greater coniecture saith he then that those people which are nearest to the Church of Rome the heade of our Religion haue least Religion And he that by experience would know the truth of this matter if he were of sufficient power and auctoritye to transport the Court of Rome into Zwitzerland where onelye at this daye the people do liue both according to Religion warlicke sort of antiquitye he should perceiue that the detestable demeanour of the Popes Courte would cause more disorder in the countrey then any chaunce els that mighte happen at anye time c. 166. Paule the thirde PAule the third borne in Rome was first called Alexander Farnesius He bâ—inge a Cardinall and bisshop of Hostia and a man almost spent in yeeres was chosen to succede Clement and yet he raigned fiftene yeeres Valerius writing of him saith This holy man did his endeuour accordinge to the custome of his auncestours to aduaunce his children and to suppresse Luther and his adherentes He was very conning in astrologie southsaying and coniuring by meanes wherof being a young man he did manye strange feates He caused his owne sister to yelde her selfe concubine vnto Pope Alexander the sixte that hee might therby obtaine the red hatte But in his Papacie beinge an aged man he deuised a newe profession of religious men He purposing to reforme the estate of the church of Rome sommoned a generall councell at Mantua but to no purpose and likewise in the later Tridentine councell he could not preuaile Valerius Anselmus Paulus Vergerius Iohn Sleidan and other late writers do report these thinges that follow of him It were to long to