do one for another we shoulde also comforte the sicke therfore he which for so many causes was so greatly bouÌ„den vnto him had for his sake gathered this litle boke beyng not otherwise able to comfort him signifiyng that like as in mans body if the head do ake it greueth the rest of the membres taking the same to apperteine priuatly to euery of them so nowe that he lieth sicke the people not with oute iuste cause are all in teares and mournyng For the greatest part of Germany doth depeÌ„de vpon him and reuerence him as their chiefe ornament and refuge Afterwarde he maketh a booke of confession where he teacheth that we ought not to leane to the trust of confessioÌ„ but to the promise of God whiche forgeueth oure sinnes And that firste of all we muste confesse vs vnto God that who so confesseth him muste hate sinne and couet to amend his life That therehersall of euery sinne particularly is not necessary nor possible to be performed with diuers other things and last of vowes wherof he wrote a seueral work afterwardes In an other certaine boke he had said that he thought it expedient if by the authority of the counsel it might be permitted that all men shuld receiue the whole supper or as they vse to speke vnder both kindes Which saying for that it was contrary to the decrees of the last counsel of Laterane did offend many and among others Ihonbishop of Misene who coÌ„maunded to be taught throughoute his dioces that the whole supper was comprised vnder one kinde and condemned Luthers boke whiche thing he vnderstanding maketh answer in such sort that he layeth not the fault thereof in the bishop but in certaine other vnlearned and troublesome persons vnto whome he saith that this wishe of his that such a decre might be made by the counsell deserued no iust reprehension no more then if he had wisshed that by a decree of the counsell it might be lawfull for pristes to haue wiues whiche Pius the seconde Bishoppe of Rome saide and wished Wherefore he oughte not to be blamed for wishyng the same He graunteth this to be a Decree of the counsell of Laterane But yet neuertheles the same to be contrarye to the fyrst and eldest counselles and the aunciente maner of the churche Agayne we dispraise the men of Boheme because they receaue vnder bothe kyndes wheras we kepe vs to the one halfe onely and yet haue they to make for them the institution of Christe and the maner obserued in the churche from the Apostels time til it was now of late daies And we haue nothing to aledge against them but the counsels of Laterane whiche is a lighte and verye weake reason for what maner of couÌ„sel that was it is wel knowen euen laughed at of the Romanes theÌ„ selues And thoughe it were of neuer so greate aucthoritie Yet for as muche as they can not proue the thinge by any reason of more antiquitie it is but a very mockery But concernyng the counsell of Laterane thus it was Iulius the seconde when he was elected Byshoppe promysed by a solemne othe with in two yeares space to holde a generall counsell this was in the yere of our Lorde a thousande fyue hundreth and three But whilest he made warre one while against the Frenche kynge another while against the Uenetians and nowe with the duke of Farrare and nowe with others and troubled all Italy Nine Cardinalles departed from him and came to Millan and called a general counsell at the Citie of Pisa the .xix. day of May the yere of our Lorde a thousande fiue hundreth and eleuen to begynne at the kalendes of September folowyng the chiefest of these was Bernardinus Cruceius William of Preneste Fraunces Cossentine wyth whome were annexed the Ambassadours of the Emperor Maximilian and of Lewes the Frenche king which intended by the same counsell to depose him from his bishopprike which he had got by briberye And nowe for as muche as he had broken his othe in that he had bene Bishoppe so many yeres and called no counsel nor pourposed to do they could suffer the christian common weale to be no lenger deluded And because these letters coulde not saufly be conueighed vnto him they set them vp in all his Townes in Italy admonishinge him to appeare there in parson at the daye appoynted Iulius vnderstandynge the matter maketh answere the fyrst of August That what time he was Cardinall he desyred nothing more than a generall counsell whiche is well knowen to kinges and princes to the whole College of Cardinals For euen for this cause was AlexaÌ„der the syxt sore offended with him And that he is still of the same minde also Howe be it that the state of Italy hath of late yeres bene so troublesome and was so lefte by Byshoppe Alexander that there coulde be no counsell called in suche aduersitie of time After he coÌ„futeth their appoyntment for the shortnesse of time and the discommoditie of the place For Pise was a Towne torne and defaced with the warres of former yeres and all the countrie aboute layde waste Neyther that men can safely repayre thither by reason of the warres betwixte the Florentines and them of Seue Moreouer howe they haue none Authoritie to call it and that theyr causes alledged be most vntrewe Wherefore he commaundeth vnder the paine of excommunicatynge that no man obeye them Then called he a Counsell agaynste the nexte yeare to begynne at Rome vpon the ninetenth daye of Aprill in the Churche Laterane Where vnto subscribed one and twentie Cardynalles For this they saye is euer the Byshoppes policie when they are afrayde of a Counsell to appoyncte an other in some place mete for theyr purpose After this he warneth the Cardinalles that were agaynste hym to leaue of theyr enterprise and come to Rome offerynge them pardon but after they would not come he bannished them the xxiiij of Octobre and namely those thre which I spake of as Heretykes scisinatykes and traitours sendynge the copie of theyr prescription to Maximilian and alother kinges And because many Byshoppes of Fraunce had ioyned them selues with these Cardinalles he bannisheth them also vnlesse they forsake them and within a certeine tyme make their pâ—â—gation Againe when the cardinals had diuerse times rised him to the counsell in vaine and had sytten eyght tymes they suspends him from al as well ciuill as Ecclestasticall iurisdiction commaunding all meÌ„ ingenerall that hereafter they obey hym not Thys was in the yeare of our Lorde a thousande fyue hundred and twelue the one twentye of Aprill The same tyme at Pauie was Philippe Decius a Euntian excellently well learned who set forthe a Booke in the defence of the Cardinalles cause againste the Byshoppe of Rome Afterwardes Maximilian forsakyng the Cardinals made a league with Iulius and with Fardinando kinge of Spaine and sent to the Counsell at Rome Mathew Lang Byshoppe of Gurce which at the sametime was
made with his father And although the Emperour by letters and intermessēgers did greatly disswade them yet they neuerthelesse for that they thought it more expedient for their pourpose assente ther unto first in dede those that are of the Romishe Religion and the Lepontians and Ualesians and after also they of Basill the Schafusians wherat many men marueled greatly by reason of those forsayd proclamations and executions For moste men supposed that they ought not to enter into league and societie with him whiche so cruelly persecuted the true Religiō and cōdemned their churches and doctours by name But they of Bernes and Zurick followyng the counsel of Zwinglius as I haue shewed you in the third and sixt boke abstained frō this league The conuocation of Lipsia is before mentioned But where many sayd and complained that the Romish Religion was by litle and litle restored Duke Maurice the fourth day of Iuly addressing his letters to his lieftenauntes sayeth how he heareth that ther be many which partly for ouermuch carefulnes partly being so perswaded by others feare least the olde errours should one after an other be restored And that certen ministers of the churche with other busy braines and troublesome persones are not fre from this sclaūder He hath verely at sōdry times heretofore declared by opē wryting what his minde and purpose is and for those sclaunders doth repete the same againe to the intent he may shewe testifie that he hath an especial care of Religion Wherfore he desireth those which either for lightnes of belief or through the perswasiō of others do feare an alteration to lay al feare aparte and geue credit to this his wryting and testimonie And as cōcerning them that bring vp suche reportes let them not thinke to escape vnpunished if they so continue Howbeit out of the decree lately made at Lipsia were gathered certen chapters by his commaundement which should be taught and preached Let them inquire therfore and learne to vnderstand whether the ministers of the churche do followe this fourme or whether they reprehend the same in their sermons What so euer it be he commaūdeth thē to aduertyse him and if any doubtes shall aryse to repare to that diuines of Wittemberge and Lipsia and that these thinges be declared vnto the people In these daies departed the Lātgraues wyfe mother in lawe to Duke Maurice whiche pined awaye through care sorow for her husbandes imprisonment About this time the people rebelled in England for two causes One was for landes cōmons enclosed For the people complayned that the Nobilitie had taken in much groūd whiche before lay cōmon had inclosed imparked the same for dere for other priuate vses The others in Deuonshire demaūded thesame also but they were chiefly offēded with thalteratiō of religion wold haue the syx articles wherof is mētioned in the .xii. boke to be restored What tyme therfore they flocked together in armure and the matter was ful of daunger neither would admonitions take any place The kyng and his coūsel though moste vnwilling sende forth a force against them and disconfite thē in sondry places and certen thousandes were slayne The French King espiyng this occasion which gaped after Bolain that was lost prepareth an army spedely and partly by force partly by surrendrie taketh certain castels and fortes by sea coaste betwixt Bolain and Caleis and by that meanes putteth the soldiors of Bolain to an extremity The Lordes of England toke this misfortune most greuously and because the Lorde Protector the kinges vncle had the gouernmente the whole faulte was imputed to him that he had not in time furnished the places with things necessary This blame and enuy increasing daily the protector in the beginning of Octobre was by common assent of the nobles appreheded at Windsore where the king was at the same time and brought to the Towre of London prisoner The Lords afterward declare vnto the people the causes charge him with euil gouernement of the common wealth and setforth a proclamation of the same in Print wherunto for a further testimony euery mā subscribeth his name amonges the which Ihon Earle of Warwicke was principal In the meane while that the French king attempteth these thinges against the Englishmen themperour leadeth about his sōne throughe Flaunders Henault and Artois and sweareth the people to be true and loyall vnto him After they both retourne to Andwarp about the .viii. daye of Septembre There was themperors sonne receiued with Pageauntes and showes most sumptuous not only by the Townes men but also by marchaunts straungers Spaniardes Italians Germanes and English men After this accōpanied with his aunt the regent he goeth also into thother prouinces receiue theyr fidelity by an oth I tolde you before of the Senate of Strausburge how they sent an ambassadour to the Emperour to abate the controuersy they had with theyr Bishop wherefore by themperors permission there were chosen certain arbitrers on bothe parties Whan they were met in the monthe of October after long disceptation the Senate permitteth the Bishop .iii. Churches that he may establish therin Religion according to the decree lately made Moreouer he receiueth the Cleargye into his faithe and tuition The Bishop againe couenaunteth and graunteth to the Senate the Colledge of Saint Thomas for the maintenaunce of the schole and the rest of the churches The Cleargy also payeth to the Senate an yerely tribute some of mony in other thinges they obtain their immunity and fredome The Emperour setforthe proclamations against them of Maydenburge as I haue declared before and called on the states in Saxonye for aid many refused not so that thother states not only of Saxony but also of thempire would do the same The menne of Lubecke and Luneburge by consente of themperors deputies going to Maidenburge assaied to make a reconcilemente but all in vaine At that tune did no man impugne them openly but for so much as they were outlawed they were euermore in daunger nether might they withoute pearill of life and goods depart out of that city For it was lawful for euery man to trye fortune against them Therfore the Senate where they had before cōplaind of thiniuries of their neighbors by publicke letters Now they setforth another wryting vnto al men in general but chiefly to their next neighbors and say how they are selanderously reported as though they should arrogantly and proudly demeane thē selues against themperor thempire and that they should forsake peace wryte many contumelious things but herein they sustain great wrong for they do acknowledge Charles themperor for theyr supreme magistrate and haue opēly proclaimed that nothing be said a misse against him or any state nether is there anye other cause of displeasure say they than that we professe the Gospell and word of God for thother slaunders are deuised and forged by theyr enuemies howe desyrous they be of peace it
straunger But I maruell muche why he preferreth the Spaniarde before the Frencheman Certes I lament the state of Germany For if we folowe the steppes of oure elders we shoulde nede no forayne helpe But nowe seyng that we seke vpon straungers what other thinge do we then procure our owne bondage But leauynge of this complainte I will folowe the same order that my lorde of Mentz hath done and speake fyrst of the lawe and of oure othe And the chiefe cause and ground of the law I suppose to be this lest if a foreine prince should be chosen that had no certen habitation in Germany the dignitie of thempire shoulde by litle and litle be alieuated to straungers If this be the meaning of the lawe then can no more the Spaniarde be chosen then the Frencheman But now if Charles may be created because he hathe landes lyinge within the Empire of necessitie the same must be of force also in Fraunces which hath Millan and other membres of our common weath Wherefore of two thinges propounded let vs see whether is better Certaynly whā Fraunce was vnited to Germany then did our Empire most florishe in so muche that the remembraunce of that time doth not a litle delite me when I chance to reade the stories therof And now is the like occasion offered vs whiche certainly would not be let slippe Foreyne nations are also of this opinion the bishop of Rome the venetians all the Princes and cities of Italie For the Frenchmen come of the same ofspringe that we do and vse almost the same lawes and maners shewyng all loue and gentlenesse to our men And for the vicinitie therof are very necessary for the Italiās and vs. If any tumult shall arise straight waies shall an armye be ready and Fraunce shall paye their wages And if the Turke shall inuade either Hungary or Italye as verelye I thincke he wil shal it not be a goodly matter to haue so nere and so florishing an Emperoure fournished with the strength of either nation As for the Spaniards though they be accompted warlicke what notable thing did they euer in Italye without the healpe of the Germanes Furthermore because they be so farre from vs We can loke for no helpe at their handes in time And though they would neuer so faine yet can they not healpe vs greatlye For Spaine is so wasted with continual sayling that it can send forth no great nombre of men Moreouer we shall haue the Frenchmen our fellow souldiours and companions of our trauell and paines But the Spaniardes if any thing be wel done will haue al the praise to them selues they will enioye our boaties and rule our countries Then shal we bewaile our bondage all to late But I will leaue this comparison and come to the election If we chose the kynge of Fraunce there shal be none occasion of warre in Italy For he hathe Millan nowe in possession and we shall perswade him that he shall attempte nothinge against Naples nether against the base countreis of Flaūders Artois so that they wil be quiet And yet I see not why we shoulde thincke that these countreis ought to be defended of vs. They be in dede oure neigbours but we haue no league with them neither do they obserue the lawes of thempire nor geue any thing towardes our cōmon charges no more thē doth Englād or Scotlāde Seing than that the Frēch kīges power is greatest that he hath Lūbardy in quiet possessiō is furnished with al thinges necessary he wil attempt greater enterprises more honorable moue warre namely against the Turke bend al his power thither wardes that the cruel enemie expulsed out of Hūgary Italy Germany maye liue at rest But in case we preferre Charles before him O liuing God what tumultes shall we raise vp in Italy He wil recouer Millan that wil be a long warre whilest this goodly coūtrey shal be thus tourmoyled the Turkes will inuade Hungary with theyr whole power Who I praye you shall resiste them Or be able to bringe a sufficient Armie agaynst them These thinges would be consydered more diligently and not passed ouer lightly Nowe what the end of the Italyan warre shal be it is vncerten If the Frenche kynge conquere he will couet Naples and it maye be that the Byshoppe of Rome throughe his impulson will vndo oure Election what trouble will arise thereby euerye manne perceyueth righte well Agayne if Charles get the better hande let vs not loke to haue Italy restored againe the Spaniardes will kepe that to them selues foreuer And not onely that but wyll hardely let out of theyr handes this our Empyre About the kepyng of Naples the possession wherof it is wel knowen how they came by what misery haue they suffered they may not therfore be brought into Italy Now will I speake some thinges of either king I doubt not but king Charles is of a milde and gentle disposition for so is he reported of many but being but a yonge man howe can men discerne such vertues in him as be required in a mightye prynce The common welth had nede of suche a one as besides other thinges could establish reforme the state of the church as my Lord of Mentz here did wittely admonishe This verely can king Fraunces performe best of all men for he hath both a good wit and a good iudgemente hath oftentimes conferens with lerned men of religion and readeth muche him selfe Moreouer the state of this presente time requyreth a Prince and captaine skilfull in warres payneful and lucky But who shall in this behalf take the price away from Fraunces for his vertue is rightwell tried and knowen Of king Charles we haue noue experiment but that his towardnes promiseth some thinge but the other in prowes and dedes of Armes doeth farre excell all his auncestours For he hath latly ouercome in battaill the Swisers a mighty nation and neuer subdued syns Iulius Cesars time A yonge man therefore oughte in no wyse to be preferred before so worthye a Capitayne My lorde of Mentz doeth accompte it a discommoditie if thēperour shold be longe out of Germanye but yet he biddeth vs take no thoughte for that matter But I thinke it a matter full of greate daunger to haue an Emperour absente farre withoute the borders of the Empire For who shall resiste the inuasions of the Turkes Who shall represse the sodayne insurrections and Ciuile vprours And there arise a tempest Who shall saue the Shyppe that wanteth her Master He shal know no certentie of oure affayres beynge absent many thynges shal be told him vntruely he shall haue no Germaines of his counsell but Spaniardes onely he wyll make many decrees and send them vnto vs farre out of tyme and season Afterwardes if he beynge tyckled wyth false complaintes and sklaunders should come into Germany at anyetyme an Armye of foreine souldiours In what state thinke you shall be our wyth Empire then
they did infringe theyr liberties and priueleges diuerse waies howe they had appointed maryed priestes and Monkes as Capito Bucer others to haue the gouernement of their Churches that they receiued the Lordes supper vnder both kindes that they had rasshely cast the Images out of theyr churches For the which cause two of the chiefest counselors of thempire Friderick coūtie Palatine and Philip marques of Baden in their letters written frō Esling in the moneth of Ianuary admonishing the senate to leaue of theyr chaūge restore eche thing to his place Diuers of the Swices namely the Schafusians they of Basill where Oecolampadius then taught begā by litel litel to giue ouer theyr displeasure towards them of Zuricke but in maner al the rest could by no meanes be pacified And whā the Captaine of Turege wherunto Zurick belongeth had taken a priest in the night was cariyng him awaye he makinge an outcry calling for helpe of his neighbours reised vp a sodē tumult and euery man gote him to his weapons Whan they of Zuricke had suffered this and many other iniuries the fourth day of Ianuary they wrote theyr letters to al theyr confederates and felowes complaining on this wise Christ say they cōmaundeth that to him that stryketh thee on the one cheeke thou shalte offer the other And we folowinge this his doctrine haue suffered many thinges and that patiētly But now sith ther is no ende nor measure of iniuries we are inforced to flie to that same which Christ him self vsed And if we haue done any euill we desyre that the same may be taught shewed vs. Undoubtedly for as much as we susteine suche hatred and malice and are euery where euill reported of all men the thynge it selfe requireth and constreineth vs to to make answere Wherfore we wil declare the cause of al this malice confute the sclaunders and shewe howe we be affected towards our common countrey And fyrste in dede wheras Fraunces the Frenche kyng had made great and long suite to enter into league with vs and had your consent therto we notwithstandynge that you were ofte in hande with vs did vtterly refuse the same And that for diuerses causes but chiefly for that the maner liked vs not to witte that we shold sende our strength and souldiours vnto straungers which for money should be hired to warre on them that neuer did them harme to bring vp suche an euill example and maineteine them in Idlenes whiche if they should die in the warres theyr wiues and childrē should come to extreme miserie For we iudged it an vusittynge thynge to oure owne great losse and hynderaunce to serue the kynges torne and to brynge our countrey men into suche a bondage to him And therefore haue we iudged it best to retaine and kepe the same libertie both of bodie and goods which our elders with great valeaūtnes and blouddy handes haue gotten vs wyth like vertue and constauncie And this is al the matter this is the very cause and as it wer the welspringe and begynnyng of all the displeasure for if we woulde haue ratified the league we thinke there should haue rysen no displeasure at all For when you were often tymes in hande with vs that we should not forsake your league we shewed you our mynde that was to kepe amitie with the kynge accordynge to the composition of peacetions of our olde league that was made for the wealth and preseruaalready established And moreouer that we would obserue the condition of our common Countrey And because we perseuer herein we haue gotten displeasure abroade For syns the lyghte of the ghospell sprange vp we haue shaken of our shoulders that moste weigtie burthen whiche the Bishoppe of Rome and his adherentes had laide vpon vs abolished manifest errours This occasion haue some of you taken of late and by your Ambassadors sent haue intreated vs that we should conuerte and amende And we aunswere thereunto as before that we worke after the prescripte of Goddes worde if any man can shewe vs that we be in errour we will alter our purpose if not surely it is more reason to obey God than men Than stode vp Egly the Captein of Lucerne threatenyng vs that vulesse we forsake the doctrine of Luther and Zuinglius the Lucernates Uranites Switensians Unterualdians Tugiaus and they of Friburge will sit no more in counsel with vs from henceforth And not longe after that they had confyrmed this thing amonges them selues by a law the Captaine of Turege had taken in the night season Iohn Oxeline a preacher of the ghospell in hys owne house and caried him away prisoner Which vnto vsis a double iniurie in that our owne man is taken out of our owne liberties And whereas many ran oute the same night of al parts at the outcry and did many thinges wickedly all the blame was layde vpon vs and our men that happened to be amonges them Nowe the seconde matter that you charge vs with all procedeth of that assemblie whiche Ferdinando Archeduke of Austriche helde the last yere at Regenspurge with the rulers of his countrie also with the Bishoppes and suche others as hate the doctrine of the Ghospell But what they endeuor and go about it is not vnknowen verely to make dissention amonges vs and to plucke vs a sonder Which thinge greueth vs the more that you will credite suche as in time past you haue knowen at the leaste some of them to be lewde and wycked parsous whome we also vnderstandyng theyr craft and treason haue banished out of our limittes Euen they nowe for so muche as we woulde gyue no eare to them are fled vnto you and accuse vs nowe as though we had brokē the league that was made with the house of Austrich They say how we sent aide to them of Walsute against theyr Prince Ferdinando but that is vntrew For wher 's the Walsutensiās were in daūger for theyr Religion and could not be suffered to speake for them selues a fewe of our men against our knowledge ran thither to saue the harmeles men from iniurie and violence Whom so sone as we knew therof we called backe againe Therefore is the grounde of theyr accusation vntrewe And Ferdinando haue any thing more to shewe that the league should be brokē let him bring it forth and he shall be aunswered in suche sort as al men may plainly see whether parte hath kept couenauntes Where therefore you haue had secret talke with Ferdinando his Ambassadours a part from oures we can not a litell maruel for if you treated of tholde league than ought our mē to haue bene made priuie to the same but if it were of Religion whye than deale you not with vs after the same conditions which we haue many times offered you The report góth that you haue conspired to destroy the secte of Luther whiche althoughe it were trew yet for so much as we are ioyned in league aswel with him as
All theyr requestes wer euery where a like beginning in Suelāde and passing so vnto others reaching from Thuringe and the borders of Saxonie vnto the toppe of the Alpes and into the coūtrey about Salisburge whither after the rebellion appeased in Frāckonie came also the armye of the Princes confederated and distroied and banished many amōges whom was theyr captein Geismer who passed through the Alpes by streyght passages with a part of his hoste to the Uenetians of whom he had an yerely stipende and dwelled at Padwey wheras after he was slaine by treason And this was th end of the Bowres warre in the whiche were slaine in one sommer at the least fiftie thousande The Princes that were of the confederacie and league of Swelād so oft mentioned werethese Cesar as Prince of Austriche and his brother Fernando tharchbishop of Mentz the Palsegraue the Bishoppe of Salisburge Bamberge Wirciburge Aistet and Auspurge Wylliam and Lewes brethren Dukes of Bauar Otho Henricke Philip brethren Counties Palatine George Marques of Brandēburge and Albert his nephewe Philip the Lantzgraue of Hasse diuers others both of the nobilitie and Clergie Moreouer the most part of all the cities in Sweuia and amōges other Norinberge About the eight day of Aprill the Masse was put downe at Zuricke by the commaundement of the Senate aswell within the citie as without And in stead of that was instituted the Lordes Supper Lykewise all Ceremonies abolished the Doctrine of Godes worde taketh place and a lawe made againste Fornication and adulterie and Iudges appointed to heare the causes of Matrimony ✚ The fyfthe Booke of Sleidanes Commentaries concerning the state of Religion and the common We ale during the Empire of Charles the fyfte ⧠The argument of the fyfth Booke MUncer by his newe doctrine teaching goodes to be had in common inflamed the rage of the people hauinge Phifer to his companion Duke Fredericke departeth the princes assemble against Muncer Who perswading the people to resist is discomsited and after executed Luther had written against him toy e senate of Misshuse the requestes which the wurs made at the beginning are here recited Wherunto Luther answereth sheweth their disordre exhorting the magistrate to destroy such wicked men Themperor vnderstanding these troubles appoynteth a counsel at Auspurge Carolostadius exiled from Wittenberg goeth about to make his purgation Luther marieth a nonne ʒ winglius and he meete at Marseburge to conferre of theyr controuersie of the Lordes supper Whilest the French king was prisoner Pope Clement receiuing letters from the kynges mother solliciteth the parlamente of Paris to make persecusion Faber was constrained to flee wherof the king wing aduertised causeth such suites and actions against learned men to surcease the common welth of Pruse is altered from the Knightes of Germany to a Duke donie and receiueth the Gospell AGreat occasion of this terrible Warre came by rashe lewd preachers wherof Thomas Muncer was principall who leauing of the preaching of the Gospell set forth a new kind of doctrine in Alstet atowne of the Dukes of Saxonye in Thuringe and taughte not only against the byshop of Rome but against Luther also contendinge that bothe their doctrines were vyle and naught the byshop byndeth mens consciences with straight and ouer harde lawes whiche bondes he saide Luther in deede hath lowsed but offended in the contrary parte in geuing ouermuche libertie and not teaching those thinges that are of the spirite The bishops decrees we maye fafely contemne for that they helpe nothynge vnto saluation whiche to obtayne saith he we must first eschewe open crymes as murther adultery blaspheming of gods name the body must be chastened and made leane with fasting simple apparel the coūtenaunce must be framed vnto grauitie speake seldome weare a long beard These such other like thigs he called the crosse the mortifiēg of the flesh a discipline wherw t he that was furnished he said must get him out of cōpany thike oft of god what he is whether he hath any care ouer Whether Christ died for our sakes Whether our religion be better thā the Turkes Moreouer to axe of God a sygne wherby he maye testifie that he careth for vs and that we be in the true Religion And albeit he shew not a token by and by yet must we neuertheles procede praie still yea expostulate and braule with God that he dealeth not well with vs For seyng that the Scriptures promiseth that he will graunt such thinges as be demaunded it is not righte that he doeth not exhibite a signe to a man that seketh the true knowledge of him This expostulation anger saieth he is of God well accepted for that he perceiueth herby our earnest minde and zeale And than no doubt but being thus instantly sollicited he will declare him selfe by some notable signe and quenche the thirste of our minde dealinge with vs as he did intymes paste with tholde fathers He taughte moreouer that God opened hys minde by dreames wherin he builded the foundation of his intēt and loke whose dreame he could interprete him would he praise openly in his sermon And when he had by this meanes allured many to him then began he to take stipulation of them and wrot theyr names that promised him by an othe to ayde him in his pretensed mischiefe For he said he was commaunded of God to distroy all wicked Princes and subsistute new in theyr places He taughte moreouer that all thinges should be cōmon al mē of like fredom dignitie wherupon the cōmon people leauīg theyr daily labor toke such things as they neded of others that had store euē agaist their wils The dukes of Sax. had banished him what time he begā fyrst to preach seditiously thence wēt he to Norin frō thēce to Mulhuse wherhe altered the senate droue out the Mōkes entred into theyr possessiōs takig vpō hi not only as a preacher but also as a Senator determining al matters as he list For he sayd how he had all thinges shewed him by reuelation loke what he said was to thē sacred holy These partes plaied he for the space of two or thre monethes And whē the Bowres were vp in Swelande Frankonie to the nūbre of fourtie thousand had discomfited a great parte of the nobilitie taken spoyled fyred many holdes castels as before is mentioned thē began he to set hāde on seing the time seruing so well for his purpose he cast felde peces in the Gray friers and gote a wonderfull numbre of people out of the Coūtrie thinking to get some thīg He had of his counsell one Phifer a bold and a desperate felow which was much gyuen to dreames and visions in the nighte who dreamed that he sawe in a certeine stable an innumerable sorte of Myse which he put to flight al This toke he as that God had cōmaunded him to lead forth his armie
Doctours haue lead you astraye For it is the parte of Christians to suffer and beare the Crosse not to resyste not to reuenge not to stryke with the sworde And what lyke thyng appeareth in you The profession of a Christian man is exceadynge harde and verye fewe doe perfourme in deede that whiche they are bounden to And to make the thyng more playne I shal bring you an example out of the same lawe Peter to defende his Lorde and Maister stroke the byshoppes seruaunt Was it not a iuste cause seynge they dyd not onlye seke the lyfe of Christe but with that to take a waye also from his dissciples the doctryne of the Gospell wherin consisted their saluation But suche lyke cruell iniury hath not yet touched you but what sayde Christe to this He commaunded Peter to cease frō his defence geuing a sore sentence against them that stryke with the sworde that is to saye whiche concempning the Magistrate will auenge their owne cause What dyd he when he was nayled to the Crosse when he was prohibyted to execute his office committed vnto hym of God the father Uerely toke it paciently committyng the whole matter to GOD his father vnto whome he maketh intercession for his persecutors these steppes must be folowed of you or els must you leaue and laye asyde the goodlye name and tytle of Christianytie But in case you woulde followe the example of Christ the power of God would appeare And as after the moste vnworthie death of his onlye sonne he set forth the Gospel farre and nere against the wyll of all his aduersaries so would he vndoubtedly loke vpon you also and send his holsome doctrine aboundantly But now consydering the matter is attempted by force of armes you shall neyther obtayne your purpose nor escape in the daye of battell Now wyl I speake sūwhat of myself also I had the whole worlde against me with all their force and myght And yet the more and greater that theyr violence was the better successe had my doctryne How so I vsed no force I styred vp no commotion I was not desyrous of vengeaunce But I obeyed the ciuyle Magistrate with reuerēce and wrote in his commendation and set hym forth as muche as lay in me and that whiche was pryncipall committyng my cause into Goddes handes I rested wholy in his protection And thus haue I bene preserued vnto this daye though the Byshop of Rome with al the reste stampe and stare at it I haue decayed his kyngdome more then any force of armes could haue done and my doctryne is spread ouer sondrye nations But you rushe forth headlong vnaduisedly and whylest you thynke to further the thynge you consyder not howe muche you hynder the same Wherfore in this quarell you must set aparte the name and tytle of Christiās for though it were neuer so iuste yet for so muche as a Christen man maye not fyght nor resiste iniury I maye in no wyse graunte you that tytle and surname And yet I speake not this to defende or pourge the Magistrates for I confesse them to doe many thynges vniustly notwithstandyng your doynges are here farre from the profession of Christianitie In so muche that in case you wyll obstinatly kepe styll that name and with this colour shaddowe your euell cause I protest to be your ennemie for because vnder the pretence of the Gospel ye doe that is clean contrary to Christes doctrine Therfor wyll I pray vnto God that he wyll mercyfully loke vpon you and subuerte your enterpryse For I perceyne this euydently that the deuill goeth about in asmuche as he coulde not hytherto oppresse me by the Byshop of Rome to destroye me now by the bloudy preachers Wherfore I wyll praye notwithstandyng that I had leuer you would so demeane youre selues that I should not nede to make my prayers against you For al be it I am a synner yet hauing so iust a cause to pray I doubt not but my praier shal be heard For GOD wyll haue his name to be sanctified and so hath he commaunded also that we should praye Wherfore I exhorte and beseche you that you despise not the prayers of me and others lest ye fele to your vtter vndoing what they can bryng to passe but you can haue in your prayers no suche lyke faythe or affiaunce for the Scripture and your gylty conscience doe declare your proceadynges to be prophane and vngodly But I praye you howe many of you haue prayed vnto God in this cause I suppose not one For you put your whole truste and affiaunce in your great armie But assure your selfe for as muche as you so doe all youre atattemptes at the last wyll tourne to your owne destruction Nowe as concernyng your demaundes they are easely answered whiche though they were grounded vpon equitie and were agreable to the lawe of nature yet touchyng theyr Pryncipall parte they stande not vpryghte because you wyll extorte them by vyolence from the hygher powers whyche is agaynst all lawe and equitie Agayne he that deuysed them for you is no good man For the places of Scripture whiche he alledgeth to incense you and brynge you into daunger he reciteth no wholy nor truly which if you loke better vpon them make nothing with you but against you But al your brauery is about the Gospell that it is taken from you but that can not be for if it be restrained in one place you may repare to an other wher it is frely preached For the place maye not be kepte by force but we must forsake it and flee to another as Christe hym selfe hathe taught vs. Your firste demaunde for ordeynyng of Ministers is not amysse so it be done in dewe order For if the landes or possessions that fynde the mynister were geuen by Magistrates then it is not lawefull for the people to gyue them to whome they lyst But first muste the Magistrate be required to place one whiche if he refuse to do than shal the people chuse one and maintaine him of their own charges if the Magistrate wil not suffer this than let the minister chosen by the people flee and with him who so lyst if it be done otherwyse it can not be wtout wrong or mischief That of the tenthes is most vnreasonable For what other thing is this thā to take away al rule power You must be liberal but of your own not of an other mans but nowe ye vse the matter as if you had al authoritie in your own hādes wherby it is easely perceiued what your intent purpose is you wold again haue all men free why had not Abrahā other holy mē bondmen reade Paul he shall instructe you touchynge bondemen wherfore this request is full of violence and robberye and striueth with the Gospell For he that is a Seruaunt may neuerthelesse be deuoute and vse the Christian lybertie as well as he that is sycke or kepte in pryson You
cause of religion were decided notwithstanding howe the Emperour in the meane time should appointe certen that should preache without the reproche of any mā this was proclaimed by the herault vnder a great penaltie The twenty of Iune the parliament began and the Emperour goyng to heare Masse as the maner is cōmaundeth the Duke of Saxon to be there to beare the sworde before him For that is the of fice of the house of Saxon in such Solēnities he asked the aduise of that preachers who said how that he might be there present for as muche as he was called forth to do his office Then wēt he not to heare masse as gods seruice but to execute his office accōpanied with George Marques of Brandenburg none of the rest came there from masse he came to the court of parliamēt There Frederick coūte Palatin excuseth the long absēce of themperour repeteth the causes of the calling of that assēblie After this was recited a lōg oration writtē as the maner is wherī was aswel declared the cause of themperours departure out of Germany into Spayne of his lōg abode there as also of his returne now the callīg of this assēblie which is instituted chiefly for two causes th one for establishing of religiō for the which sins his depature he hath heard to his great griefe what tumultes and commotions haue bene in Germany the other for the Turkyshe warre cōsidering what turmoyle of late the Turkes haue made in Hongary taken Beigrade and many other fortes castels slayne kynge Lewis wonne all the towres fortresses betwixt the riuers of Saue Draue spoyled and brent the whole countrey slayne of mē ful many a thousād how sins that also they haue inuaded Slauonie lieng aboue the Goulfe of Uenise from whence after they had doue exceadynge muche mischiefe in slaughter burnyng spoylyng destroying and rauyshynge they led awaye .xxx. thousande in to moste myserable captiuitie and howe this laste yeare they made an incursion into Austriche with an Armye innumerable and beseged the chiefe citie Uienna destroyed the countrey farre and nere tyll they came almoste to Lincie workyng all the crueltie that coulde be imagined cuttinge a sondre in the myddes yonge infantes deffouring and rauyshing yong maidens and wyues and driuing them awaye before them lyke a sorte of beastes At the whiche tyme he was fully determyned to haue cōmen with his whole power against them and so he wrote to his brother Ferdinando the Prynces and captaynes that were beseged in Uienna that they shoulde defende it valeauntly and loke certenly for his commyng but hearyng that the Turke had leuid his sege he chaunged his purpose supposyng it moste requisite to sette all thynges at quiet in Italy and to conferre with byshop Clement for the establyshyng of religion here in Germany to the intent that peace and cōcorde and one vniformitie of Religion had in all places the Turke may the better be resysted of all handes and stronger armies sent against hym than haue bene For al be it he toke not Uienna at this present but caried his Armie back agayne yet lefte he behynde hym in the borders garysons and captaines not only to vexe Hongary but Austriche also and Stiria and all other places nere And seyng that he hath his limites extended vnto ours there is no doubte but at the next occasiō he wyll retourne with a greater power to the vtter destruction of all especially Germanye wherfore to be very neful requisite to cōsulte nowe how that houge and cruell ennemy whiche seketh to brynge all men vnder his subiection yea to bannyshe them quyte out of the bondes of nature may not only be resisted repulsed and discomfited but also subdued vāquished and dryuen out of all Europe Wherunto we haue nede to be contributaries for greater ayde of Men and mony the highe byshop hath promysed him for his parte largely and liberally and although he hathe bene at all the charges of his coronation at Bononie him selfe alone whiche hath cost hym a great quantitie of treasure yet in so holye and necessary a businesse he wyll doe that whiche shall become his estate and lykewyse his brother kyng Ferdinando whiche is nowe set forth as a strong bulwarke of christendom but chiefly of Germany to flāke the Turkyshe rage And also other kynges and Prynces wil not faile to helpe vs wherin he hath wrytten to some alreadye and wyll be in hande with the reste And where there hath bene dissention in religiō euer synce the first begynnyng of his empyre to his great discomforte he according to his office and dutie intendyng to prepare a remedy in tyme made a decree at Wormes by their common assentes whiche if it had bene obserued Germany had not bene these yeares past so sore afflicted with the sedicion of the commonaltie and the wycked secte of the Anabaptistes And where as at sondry assemblies touchyng the same nothynge coulde be concluded hytherto thinkyng that his presens shoulde be auayleable herein he hath called this assemblie to the intent that euery man may herein propounde what he wil in writing that the matter may so muche the soner and more easely be vnderstāde and determined and that he wyll both in this and all other causes of the Empyre do that thynge that shall concerne his office and dewtie for the loue he beareth to the common wealth and countrey and requyreth that all others would bryng hyther with them the lyke mind and affection euery man for his parte The Prynces after deliberatiō taken iudged it mete first to treate of relygion The fourth daye after in the consistory before the Emperour and the other Prynces Cardinall Campege made an oration in Latin exhorting the whole numbre there present that in matters of religion they would folowe and obey the Emperour commending his vertue and deuotiō And that he wil in the name of the high byshop do his endeuoure that all maye professe one and the same fayth that their mindes being reconciled they might moue warre against the Turke This done the Ambassadours of Austriche come in and declare what an ouerthro we they haue had by the Turke and desyre ayde After this the Marques George the electour of Saxony the Dukes of Lunenburge and the Lantgraue intreate the Emperour that he would heare the confession of their doctrine comprysed in wrytinge he commaundeth the writing to be exhibited and layde downe agayne thei for as muche as the same thing concerneth their estimatiō their lyfe landes and goodes and also their euerlasting saluation and for because happely the thyng hathe bene other wyse reported vnto hym than it is in dede requyre hym instantlye to be heard The Emperour commaundeth them to come home to his house the next daye but the wryting to be deliuered hym nowe They agayne vrge hym and beseche hym as earnestlye as they could deuise saying howe they had thought ful little that this should
welcome him into the low countrey pourge them selues of the euill reportes of theyr aduersaryes and complayne of the Duke of Brunswike and the Iudges of the Chaumber declare how desirous they be of peace and by howe many waies they haue sought it which they nowe desyre him to graunt and establishe for euer The Emperour telleth them before Granuella that after he hath consulted of the matter he wyll make them an aunswere And in maner about the same tyme that they sent this Ambassade to the Emperour they wrote also to the Frenche kynge reioysinge muche at the great good wyll and amitie betwene the Emperour and hym And with a long proces intreate hym in this cōsent of mindes to further the cause of Religion and publique quiet to the Emperour At the kalendes of Marche the Ambassadours of the Princes cities of Protestauntes met at Smalcald as was appointed with whom also came these diuines Ionas Pomerane Melancthon Cruciger Bucer And they were inioyned to deuise a fourme in wryting wherwith they shoulde thinke mete to treate with their aduersaries for the cōciliation of religion In this assemblie they cōsulted of such matters as were left vndiscussed at Arnstad as before is said In the meane time Dulcie and Burcarte were returned out of Englande the seuenth day of Marche they make reporte at Smalcalde of the state of Religion in England that for the decrees made the yere before there is no great punishement notwithstanding Hugh Latimer byshop of Woorcester and Shaxton byshop of Salisbury are deteined in prison for Religiō and as yet not released The Lorde Cromwell whiche is in moste authoritie doth appease and mitigate the kynges mynde and that also the kyng him selfe in familiar talke opened vnto them his mynde supposeth thus that the diuines of the Protestauntes thinke not rightly cōcerning the mariage of priestes the lordes supper vnder both kyndes and of the priuate masse requireth them to write vnto him of these other necessary questions at large alledging the causes and reasons of their opinions And he wyll see agayne that the learned men of his Realme shall wryte an aunswere that thus a waye may be made to come to the knowledge of the truthe Moreouer Cromwel and certen others thinke it mete and expedient to sende a great Ambassade to the kinge and Melancthon with them For if any meane agrement in religion might be had the kynge woulde bestowe a great somme of money vpon a league that he purposeth to make with them not onlye in the cause of Religion but in generall for the kyng marueleth greatly why they are confederated for Religion only for the tyme wyll come that they shal be attempted with warre vnder a contrary title And a fewe dayes after the diuines exhibite their wryting the some wherof was this Not to swarue from the steppes of the confession at Auspurge and the Apologie afterwardes annexed to the same Which sentence afterwardes all the diuines that were absent did approue by their letters sent thether This tyme came Henry the Duke of brunswick to Gaūt The day before the Ides of March thēperour answereth the protestātes Ambassadours by Cornelles Scepp gētly so so but yet in suche sorte as it coulde not be wel perceiued whether he would graunte them peace or not Wherfore the Ambassadours by the Emperours leaue going a litle asyde by and by retourne and desire hym to inhibite the processe of the Imperiall chamber and graunte them peace whereunto the Emperour sayde he had no more to aunswere them at this tyme he woulde take further delyberation This aunswere was recited at Smalcalde the tenth daye after And on Easter munday which was than the .xxix. of Marche came thether the Princes them selues That tyme was a certen contention and hatred betwyxte Granuella and Heldus which in fine came to this ende that Heldus being displaced departed from the courte and lyued a priuate lyfe For the other was aboue hym in authoritie and brought Heldus into hatred and obloquie for that he was ouer vehement in counsell matters and other affaires and had constreyned the Emperour thinkyng nothyng lesse to haue warres in maner against his wyll And whan Granuella had geuen certen manifeste instructions of his wyll and mynde to be inclyned to peace and concorde beynge requested of the Protestauntes he perswaded the Emperour also to the conditiōs of peace And he hymselfe at the begynning as though it had bene in his owne name sent to Smalcalde intercessours and Ambassadours Theodoricke Manderschitte and William Nuenarie Erles men of great wysdome and dignitie notwithstanding the first taried by the waye sore sycke Their demaundes were reasonable enough neuerthelesse they signified this that the Emperour was almost perswaded as though they cared not for Religion neyther desyred peace in theyr hartes but altogether sought to conuerte the churche goodes to theyr priuate vses delyghted in discorde bare him no good wyll but were more addicte to take their partes that were his open ennemies And these things were reported to the Emperour partly by their aduersaries partly by the Frenchemen as it is sayde for a certentie For what tyme the Emperour went through Fraunce and all thinges were lyke to growe to a perfite frendshyp then were certen thinges disclosed and the Protestauntes letters vnto the kyng shewed vnto the Emperour some do impute this to the kyng him selfe and other some to the Constable who was than of chief authoritie sought al meanes possible to quiet and agree the Princes and dyd beare the Protestantes no good wyl because of Religion ✚ The thirtene Booke of Sleidanes Commentaries concerning the state of Religion and the common Weale during the reigne of the Empyre of Charles the fyfte ⧠The argument of the thirtene Booke THe Protestauutes make aunswere to the Emperour demaundes shewyng how they haue more regarde to Religion than to churche goodes They confute also the argumentes of the kyng of Englande touchyng the syxe Articles The Emperour hauing punyshed them at Gaunt sendeth letters to assigne a metyng for the protestauntes against whome speaketh Alexander Farnese the Popes Legate who had followed the Emperour out of Fraunce In the meane tyme the Frenche kyng made a league with the Duke of Cleane whose syster the kyng of Englande than refused At the assemble of Hagenawe certen poinctes of Religion were agreed vpon the resydewe were referred to the conuention that kyng Ferdinando assigned at Woruies Whether Granuellan sendyng first Naues came afterwarde also hym selfe and made an Oration And after hym Campeigius the Popes Legate The conference brake offe and all was differed to that Iourney of Regenspurg In this meane whyle Luther answereth a booke set forth by the Duke of Brunswycke where is spoken of the dere mantell of the Archebyshoppes The counsell beyng begonne at Regenspurge Granuellan presenteth the booke of the Interim The Duke of Cleaue commynge into Fraunce marrieth the
Palle was made breede matter of contention And nowe is the same so fast wrought and of suche strength that the Bishoppe of Rome is in daūger to be strangled withall And seyng it is so let thē impute the fault to them selues which so impudently and excessiuely handled the matter I maye well laughe in my sleue For he that dwelleth in heauen hath strikē them and would not suffer so great wickednes to raigne any longer and hath brought his people out of that darkenes of Egipte into the most cleare light and pleasant syght of the sonne This Palle so often here mentioned is geuen onely to Archbishops and as a syngular benefite to a fewe other Bishoppes of the whiche numbre the Bishop of Bamberge in Germany is one And it is made with thys Ceremonie In the Feast of S. Agnes the Uirgyn whiche is the xxi day of Ianuary what time they come to Agnus dei in the Messe two white Lambes are laide vpon the Aultar which afterwarde are deliuered to the Subdeacon of S. Peters churche And they put them forth to pasture and whan shering time commeth do clippe them of the which Woll mingled with other woll whan it is sponne into fine threde are made these Palles which are not past three fingers brode and hange downe from the shoulders to the midde breast and to the Reines of the backe like a stoale and at eche ende are thinne plats of leade of the same breadth Beyng thus wouen and wrought they are caried to the bodies of Peter and Paule and there certen prayers beyng said ouer them they are left there al that night The next day the subdeacons receaue them againe and keps them diligently vntil such time as some Archbishoppe that hathe nede of one or his Proctor do sue for it And than it is deliuered with many ceremonies they that haue the cariage therof are inioyned that they remaine not aboue one night in a place This ware whiche is neither costely nor curiouslye wrought do the Archebishoppes redeme of the Bishoppe of Rome for a wonderfull some of money For it is not lawefull for him to weare the same that his predecessor did but euery one of them is bounden to purchase a newe for him selfe at Rome Againe in case he become Patriache or Metropolitan of another churche throughe promutation or any other meane althoughe he had bought one before yet must he of necessitie bie another againe Of suche kinde of pillage greate complaintes haue bene often made of all nations as I shewed you in the fourth boke but chiefly in Germany And in the yeare of our Lorde a thousande fyue hundreth xviii what tyme Leo the tenth in the assemblie of Auspurge by Cardinall Caietan exhorted Maximilian and the Princes to the Turkish war and went about that all states should pay money and the Cleargye for theyr partes the tenthes Answer was made him that there was no hope to obteine that of thecclesiasticall persons who were so manye waies and by newe policies pilled and poled by the courte of Rome And the people if anye thinge shoulde be imposed woulde make great exclamations that they haue so oft geuen theyr money for thys purpose and maruell how it is consumed or whither that money goeth that is gathered yearly in Germany I tolde you before of sundry fyers that were kindled of late in Saxonie Whan diuerse of the malefactours were apprehended and taken in sundry places and examination had they testified howe they were hired for money by the captaines and officers of Henry duke of Brunswike and set on by them to do it And this they affirmed to the last breth For this cause therefore and for other matters the Lantzgraue and thambassadours of Saxonie accuse the duke of Brunswicke to the Emperor at Regenspurge and exhibite in writyng the seuerall confession of euery one of these make fyers And ioinetly with them did William of Brunswik accuse his brother Henry sore who had kept him many yeares in pryson Whan all the most part were commen together they began to sit the fyft day of Aprill And in thēperours name as the maner is was propounded what trauaile and paine he had alwayes takē that the publike weale might be well established And after a longe discourse of all that he had done aswell for the appeasynge of the controuersye that is in Religion and reformation of the churche as also for the defence of th empyre against the cruell inuasions of the Turkes In fine themperor demaunded of them all but chiefly of the Protestauntes that they would geue him leaue to chose out certeine to conferre and herein to trust him who will do nothing that shall not concerne the preseruation of the countrey Whan they had this graunted him the xiij day of Aprill he appointeth by Friderike the Paulsgraue to thys talke Iulius Pflugius Iohn Eckius Iohn Gropper Philippe Me lanchton Martin Bucer Iohn Pistor that they should treate of the oppinions that be in controuersie and after make reporte and bringe them to him and the princes Againe the two and twentie daye of Aprill he calleth them vnto him and gyueth them a great charge that in the handling of this matter they should giue nothing to affections but that all pertialitie set apart they should onely haue respecte vnto Gods glory They full modestly do excuse themselues and require al that other more mete might be appointed sauing Eckius For he said he was well prepared and fournished but where themperor dyd instant them to take it vpon them they were content and also intreate him that he would assigne some to be as presidentes of the disputation others to bee as witnesses and hearers of the matter And so he commaundeth Fridericke Palatine and Granuellan to bee as governours and willeth Theodorycke Countie Manderschit Eberhart Ruden Henry Hasie Fraunces Burcarte Iohn Figius Iames Sturmins to be there to beare witnes And when all these came together the xxvii day of April Fridericke the Palsgraue admonisheth the Collocutours that they should seriously go to the matter and conferre together frendly After Granuellan exhibiteth a booke written which he sayd was delyuered to themperour of certayne good well learned men as fit for a reconcilement and that themperour woulde to th entent they might haue a lawful argument and matter to treat of that they shoulde reade ouer the same booke also and waye it and looke what they shoulde all allow therein to commende and the rest to correcte This booke contayned these articles following of the creation of man and before the fall of the integritie of nature of freewill of the cause of synne of originall synne of the iustification of man of the church and of the tokens and authoritie of the same of the notise of the woorde of repentaunce after the fal of the authoritie of the churche in discerning and interpretyng the scripture of the sacramentes of order baptesme
haue his good will and fauoure they offer all that they haue to maynteine hys prosperous estate and dignitie After they lament the vnfortunate state of the comune weale and theyr owne condition whiche haue so nere vnto them the Turke a most cruell enemie and also of late a conquerour wherfore they saye howe they muste looke for remedies chiefly that the wrath of God may be appeased who offended with mens synfullnes sendeth this great calamitie For in the whole body of the common welth is no parte cleane nor sounde al honeste discipline is cast a syde aswell priuate as common which is the welsprynge of all enilles but yet is the contempte of gods worde the chiefe cause why God doeth so scourg and plage vs. For it is to be seene they saye and proueâ—â—othe by sacred and prophane histories that God hathe often times greuously plaged great and most florisshing kingdoms not for these lighter sinnes that be graffed in vs naturally but for idolatrie contempt of hys word The people of Iewes wer led awaye captiue into Assiria and Babilon for contemnyng the prophetes for a newe Religion and worsshipping which they themselues had deuysed and at the length was vtterly distroyed Hierusalem quite ouerthrowne for crucifying the sonne of God The most triumphante Empires of the world in time past of Babilon Persia and Grece being now subdewed by the Turkes haue so cleane lost theyr religion lawes comoÌ„welth and all theyr dignitie for the selfe same causes that there is at this day in maner no tokeÌ„ of christianitie there remayning and wher partly they forsoke and partlilothed gods benefites they fel into horrible darknes and most filthy bondage Whether was this any sodeÌ„ alteration for the Turkes maintened warre sixe hondreth yeres and aboue beefore they conquered Grece Whiche happened than at the lengthe what tyme they beyng so ofte prouoked and warned wolde neuer amend but heaped vp sinne vpon synne Now yf a man should compare those kingdomes that wer of such power dignitie wherein florisshed so many excellente wittes with this very rude and beastly common welth of the Turkes he shall fynde that syns Noes floud there neuer chaunced a greater calamitie And yf they so stronge and mightye nations were not able to resiste so weake a people as the Turkes wer at the beginnyng god thus auengyng the synnes of the people what maye we looke for which in dede are gyltye of the same fault but in so much the worse case for that we be matched with anenemie that is strong out of measure we see how God doeth plage vs chiefly in these parties wyth warre famyne and pestilence The most cruell enemie hathe taken of late Offen the chiefe citie of the Realme he hathe brent spoyled the land of Bohema And what miserie haue we not suffered these sixtene yeres howe moche blod hathe bene spilte how many thousand peopele led a waye in to most miserable captyuitie for certenly now is the Turkes power so increased that he is far exalted aboue all other kinges And for by cause he obteyneth at oure handes in a maner contynuall victories he perceyueth him self to bee the scourge of God and that no man is able to escape his vengeaunce Seing therfore that our synnes be so great and many what haue we to truste vnto or howe shall we defende our selues agaynste him Assuredly there is but one only remedy All thinges are in the handes of god it is god that geueth and taketh awaye empires whiche woundeth and healeth who prouoketh vs to repeÌ„taunce by offering vs the knowledg of his word which thing in dede he doth euer before he plageth So sent he Ionas the prophet to the Niniuites and forgaue theÌ„ for that they repeÌ„ted So loked he mercyfully vpon Nabuchodonosor the kyng of Assirians followyng the counsell of Daniel And certenly moste myghty kyng we knowe none other meane or remedye than that Gods worde may be purely taught and the people exhorted to amendement of life to the entent that being ful of confidence they may boldely withstande the Turkishe violence for herein consisteth oure saluation that we serue God ryghtly Wherfore seing that manye errours are crept into the churche whiche in this our tyme are disclosed and that lately in the counsel of the Empyre diverse opinioÌ„s wer agreed vpon and for a certen tyme peace graunted for Religion and the Byshop commaunded to refonrme their churches We beseche your hyghnes to geue commaundement that the Gospell be preached sincerely especially that article of iustification whiche teacheth that our synnes are forgeuen through Christ only Agayne that men be excited vnto loue and charitable workes whiche are the true fruictes tokens of fayth Moreouer let them be made afrayd to synne and accustome them selues to geue God thaÌ„kes that of his mere mercy we are delyuered through Christ from synne death and hell and made inheritours of the heaueÌ„ly kingdome that such as desyre may receiue the Lordes supper after the maner of the primatiue church And that also the Byshoppes be coÌ„maunded according to the decree of the Empyre newly made to redresse that is amisse in the churche that they appoincte mete ministers to instructe the people and reiecte not the true preachers as they haue euer done heretofore And let not your grace thinke that we make this sute vnto you for that we either seke for any more libertie or intende at any tyme to disobey for we coÌ„fesse that our whole saluation consisteth in Christe only and that the knoweledge of the Gospell must be adourned with godly liuing acknowledge it our bounden dutie to shewe vnto you all obedience as farre forth as our goodes and lyfe wyll extende And seing it is so we doe humbly beseche you to suffer vs to enioye the benefite of this last decree and that suche as shall followe the fourme of Religion of vs before rehearsed be not indaungered therfore For so shal you haue faith full ministers of your churches whiche are nowe many vacant and boyde of any and men shall with more hardines warre against that moste terrible ennemy vnto whome for our ingratitude and wickednes God hath geuen so many victories and conquestes hitherto The nobles and states of Austriche that put vp this supplication were foure and tweÌ„ty men of honour and ten cities wherof Uienne was one and their next neighbours the Stirians Carnites Ferdinando hetherto aunswered that for calamities by them mentioned he is ryght hartely sory and doubteth not but these are plages sent for the synnes of the people and therfore hath oftener than once admonished the ministers of the churche that they should exhorte the people to amendement of lyfe Moreouer sayeth howe he was neuer against that Gods worde should be ryghtly taught according to the traditioÌ„ and settyng forth of the Apostles and such other interpretours as the churche hath receiued and allowed neuerthelesse he chargeth them that in
of so great a mischiefe and wickednes Unto this Oration he annexeth a maner of praying against the Turkysh fury and about the ende discoursing the vice that reigneth in this our tyme in all sortes of men he sheweth howe Germany whiche is so corrupted and wholy infected can not longe continewe in prosperitie And this fourme of prayer he prescribeth Oeuerlasting father we haue verely deserued to be sore afflicted but punnyshe vs thyne owne selfe Lorde not in thy wrath and displeasure but according to thy great mercy for it is muche better for vs to falle in thyne than into the handes of men and our ennemies for thy merci is vnspeakeable and infinite we haue certenly offended the and transgressed thy commaundementes but thou knowest O heauenly father howe the deuill the Byshop and the Turke haue no rightnor cause to punyshe vs for we haue trespassed nothyng against them but thou vsest them as a scourge to whippe vs which haue mo ways than one al our life time styred the vp against vs. They I saie haue no quarell against vs but would rather that we should euer after their example offende the moste greuously that through idolatry false doctrine lyes disceiptfull and craftye iugglynge with murther thefte and extortion fornication adultery and sorcerie we myght offende the maiestie of thy name This is the thing that thei most wishe for and because we confesse and honour the God the father and thy sonne Iesus Christe our Lord and the holy spirite one and euerliuing God that same is our offence and wickednes for the whiche they so greuously hate and persecute vs. If we should forsake this fayth and fal vnto their lore thā should we loke for no displeasure at their hāds Uouchesaufe therfore to loke vpon vs O God the father and to send a remedy for they be more thyne aduersaries than ours whan they doe tormente vs they tormente the for the doctrine that we professe is not ours but thyne And Sathan can not abyde it but wylbe worshipped in thy place and thy worde set asyde goeth about to feede vs with lies And the Turke also in the steade of thy sonne Iesu Christ wold place his Mahomet Nowe yf thys be synne that we professe thee the father and thy sonne and the holy ghost to be the trewe and only God certenly than arte thou a synner whiche so teachest vs and requyrest this dewty of vs and whā they for this cause persecute vs they do hate and afflicte thee also Awake therfore my God and take in hande thy selfe to aueuge thy sacred and holy name which they defyle and deface neyther suffer thou this iniurie at their hande which punnishe not our synnes and vices but seke to quenche thy worde in vs and doe what they can that thou shouldest not reigne at all neyther shouldest haue any people whiche might serue and honour thee Nowe touching the ofspringe encrease of the Turkes because many haue written it nedeth not to note any thing therof in this place of a smal beginnyng they haue had a maruelous encrease Their first Emperour is accompted Othomanne aboute the yere of our lord a thousand and thre hōdreth whom after succedeth Orchanes Amurathes who fyrst transported his armye ouer the sea of Hellesponte into Europe and inuaded Thrace Than Baiazethes Cyriscelebes Moses Mahoniethes Amurathes Mahomethes Baiazethes Selime Solyman About this same tyme Alphonse Marques of Piscare before mentioned sendyng a booke to the princes of Germany accuseth and blameth the frenche kinge whiche in so troublesome a tyme of the comon welth goeth about to styre vp stryfe to thentente he might hinder the most noble enterprises of themperoure and al the states pretendeth a lyght and a forged matter for Anthony Rincon Ce. Fregose that should be intercepted vnto whom what thing hath chauuced he could not after long and diligent searche fynd out The Frēch Kinge whan he knew thereof declareth that he had an exceadinge great iuiurie done him to haue his Ambassadours so cruelly destroyed of this thinge hathe he ofte complayned sore to the Bisshop and to themperoure and hath requyred that he might be satisfysed herin but it was in vayne And seing it is so vnworthie an act he can not without the greate shame and dishonoure of his name neglecte it After the second of Maye addressing hys letters to the Senate of Paris to th ende sayeth he that god maye illumine our heartes and graunt vs the constancie of fayth and bring again those that ere into the way of saluation and sende vs peace throughe recompence for the iniuries that we haue susteyned by the vsurping of our right and the outrage donne to oure messagers and ambassadours or if in dispayre to haue peace we must nedes haue warre that he would graunt vs victorye our request is that the people go a prosession and pray in all churches And that by some fyt preacher the cause therof be recyted to the cōgregation Moreouer in case any ther be that thinketh not rightly of oure fayth and religion neither will promise amendement we commaund that he suffer openlye for his offence Not longe after he sendeth the Duke of Longuill to the prince of Cleaue who leauing ther a power in the somer season by the conduicte of Martyn van Rossen looked for an occasion to doe some exploicte In the meane season at the kalendes of Iune the bisshop appoynted a connsell at Trente agaynste the fyrst of Nouember at the which time he commaundeth to repayre thither Patriarches bisshoppes abbottes and suche other lyke which eyther by right or priuiledg haue interest to be presēt at counsels and are permitted there to speake their minde He exhorteth also themperoure and the French kyng that eyther they wolde come them selues or send theyr proctours to commaunde their bisshoppes to be there but the bisshops of Germany he inuiteth aboue all others for that for theyr cause chiefly and at theyr requeste is all this payne and trauaile taken In the moneth of Iuly the Frenche kinge with moste hatefull woordes proclaymeth warre against themperoure and in a wryting publysshed geueth his subiectes libertie to spoyle and distroy his contries by sea and lande by what meanes so euer they might A littel before the Duke of Longeuill and Martyu Rossen had made an inuaston into Brabant and were a wonderful terrour to men vnprouided and commyng vpon the sodayne had lyke to haue taken Andwerpe Louayne but wantyng thinges necessarie for munition they could make no battery and marching forewarde whiche way so euer they wente they diftroyed al before them with fyer and sword and extorted many And thus making theyr waie by force in August they ioyne themselues with the kinges sonne Charles Duke of Orleans which warred that tyme in the land of Luke In this force were foure hondreth horsemen sent by the kynge of Denmarke Besydes Danuillier Uirton and Iuey was taken also Lucemburge the chiefe
ouerthrowe at Argiers suffered Shipwreake was drowned And this opinion was so setrled in the myndes of the Cleauois that they would neyther credite them whiche sayed they had sene hym nor scarsely those that had spoken with hym The Prynce hym selfe also was lykewyse perswaded by acerten fatall credulitie The Frenche men were thought to be authors and forgers of this vanitie lest the Cleauois should releÌ„t and for feare of Themperours power fall to some coÌ„position Themperour receyuing this aunswer whan he had fortyfyed his camp and furnished it with all thinges the .xxiiii. day of August before the soÌ„ne rysyng he beginneth to make his battery and after geueth thassault especyally by the Spanyardes whyche were exceadyng preste and wyllyng They beyng often repulsed and hauyng loste many of their men neuer ceased before they had taken it by force The fortune of the Townes men was suche as is wonte to bee whan the waye and entrie is made by the sword Howbeit here was wont to be shewed the head of Saint Anne our Ladyes mother and thither came yearelye a greate multitude of people at the. xxvi daie of Iuly whyche is dedicated to that sainct But the Spaniardes being victours caried that head inclosed in golde with a greate pompe deuoutely into the graie Freres Churche lest it shoulde bee lost in that Ruine and burnyng of the Churche After the Towne was spoyled and distroyed by fyre Themperour Marchinge forewarde had rendred vnto hym Gulick and than Ruremunde a stronge Towne of Gelderlande situated where the Ryuer of Rure and the Mase mete For the sodein distructyon of Dure broughte all men into a wonderfull feare and perplexitie From Ruremunde he goeth to Uenlon Thither at the laste came the Duke of Cleaue to hym into his Campe accompanyed with Henry Duke of Brunsewicke and the Ambassadours of the Archebishop of Collon And what time he humbly besought Themperoure to perdon hym the Duke of Brunswicke also and the Ambassadours ernestly intreated for hym Themperoure at the last ryseth vp and appoynteth the Prynce of Orenge and Granuellane to prescribe lawes vnto hym Therefore vpon these conditions he was receyued againe into fauoure the seuenth daye of September He shall not departe from the relygyon of the Catholycke Churche yf he haue altered any thynge let it be restored that he promyse hys fydelytie allegeaunce to themperour to king Fernando to thempire that he doe renounce the league of Fraunce and of Denmarke He shall make no confederacie wherin he shall not excepte Themperoure Fernando and their heires He shall leaue the possession of all Gelderlande and release the people of they re othe And in case any place or places shall refuse to render that he shall than ayde the Emperoure to recouer the same The Emperoure agayne restoreth vnto hym the Lande of Gulycke latelye Conquered excepte two Townes Henseberge and Syttarde whyche hee wyll kepe for a tyme tyll he haue somme experience of hys fydelytie and Loyaltye Whylest the Emperoure wente agaynste the Duke of Cleaue the Frenche Kynge Marcheth throughe Champagne towardes the lande of Luke And sendeth for the Lady Iane hys Systers Daughter whyche was despoused and solemnelye Maryed two yeares before to the Duke of Cleaue to carye her to her Husbande She wente full sore agaynste her wyll as I shewed you beefore Howbeit she obeyed the Kynge her Uncle The Kynge appoynted vnto her Cardynall Bellaye Bysshop of Parys as a man mooste meete to perswade with her and kepe her companye all that Iorneye When she was commen nowe to the Soyssons to goe from thence to the Kynge woorde was broughte that the Duke of Cleaue was subdewed Wherwith beeyng greatlye reioyced she sawe then that shee nede to feare the thinge no longer and knewe what wolde bee the ende thereof Neyther was she deceaued at all For the Kynge at these newes was sore astonyed And so she retourneth home but he neuerthelesse procedynge taketh the Cytyo of Lucemburge aboute th ende of September and after delyberatyon had fortyfyeth it Aboute thys tyme also Henry the eyghte Kynge of Englande confederated latelye with the Emperoure sendeth hym a power of men by the conducts of Syr Iohn wallop Capytayne of Guisnes whyche Ioynynge with Themperoures Armye beesege the Towne of Landersey In the Moneth of October Charles Rosset a Lawyer was sente by the Emperoure to Mentz who there tooke order with the Senate Monkes and Clergie for the obseruing of the olde relygion bannysshynge the Preachers and others that were inclyned to the Protestantes vnles they shoulde reconcile them selues within a certeine tyme. Whan Barbarousse had beeseaged the Castell of Nice in vayne and that Themperoures power out of LuÌ„bardye also approched whyche was led by the Marques of Piscare he leuyed the sege and somewhat sooner than the tyme of the yeare requyred he leadeth backe hys Armie to wynter at Tollon for that Towne had the Kynge assigned hym commaundyng all the CitezeÌ„s and inhabiters to auoyde thence This yeare was moche dissention and trouble in Scotlande the mindes of the nobles beyng deuyded For those Lordes whyche we sayed were prisoners in Englande being libâ—â—ally dismissed of the kynge furthered hys cause as moche as they myght But the Cardinall of Scotlande who had great yerely reuenewes by benefyces in Fraunce and the Quene beynge Daughter to the Duke of Guyse tooke the Frenche Kynges parte After the death of the Scottish king Henry the eyght was wholy in this that the yonge Quene of Scottes might be affianced to Prince Edward his soÌ„ In the which thing those nobles that I spake of did him good seruyce And when they had perswaded HameltoÌ„ the gouernour they toke the Cardinall and besege the Quene in a certen castell and makyng the wrytynges confyrme the marriage But where the French kynge disturbed this deuyse And the Nobilitie also pitied moche the Quenes chaunce and the gouernoure reuolted to thother syde they brake theyr conuenauntes And the warres beganne agayne afresihe betwixt them and England as shal be declared herafter The kyng of Denmarke had also warre with Themperialles of the low countrye for Kyng Christierne that was captiue And he axed ayde of the Protestantes but they saye how thys quarel concerneth not theyr league for it was prouyded that in case he shoulde haue warre for hys religion that then he shoulde by their coÌ„mon ayde be defended When the Duke of Cleaue had made hys peace with TheÌ„perour he sendeth his Ambassadoure to the Kynge of Fraunce and renounceth hys league and requyreth that his wyfe maye bee sente hym for whose passage he hathe obteyned a saufe conduite of Themperoure The kynge aunswereth the Ambassadour howe there hath ben no let in hym that he hath not bothe had his wyfe delyuered and an Armye also sente but that it hath ben hys owne faulte which certifyed that ther was neyther open way for them to passe in those parties nor vitaile to be had What
out of the house where he lodged did so wtout fail for it was in the same market place Bucer who was sēt for to Auspurge came at the last to thelector of Brādēburge And now was the boke finished which I shewed you before was cōpiled of religiō which the marques deliuereth to Bucer desireth him to subscribe Whē he had red it ouer for that he saw the bishop of Romes doctrine therein established he said he could not allow the same Thelector toke this displesātly was much of fēded with him iudged the wryting moderat for so had Islebie perswaded hī Granuellā also vrged Bucer by messēgers if he wold subscribe promised hī ample rewards whē he might not preuail by large promises he begā to threatē him so he returned home not wtout dāger sor throughout al the lād of Wirtemberge were bāds of Spaniardes as before is said In the month of Aprill tharchbishop of Collō lately made priest sāg his first masse as they term it Wherat were themperor king Ferdinādo and of other Princes a great nōbre After he maketh them a moste sumpteous dinner About this time also came to Auspurge Muleasses king of Tūnes whome the Emperour .xiii. yeres paste had restored to his kingedome and expulsed barbarous as I shewed you in the ninth boke Now had his eldest son put out both his eies vsurped the crown wherfore like a miserable exile he came hither to themperor out of Barbarie And not lōg after came thither also his secōd sōne The boke cōpiled of religiō treateth first of the state of mā before after his fal of our redēptiō by Christ of charity good works of the cōfidēce in the remissi◠of sinnes of the church of vowes of authoriti of the ministers of the church of the high bishop of the sacramēts of the sacrifice of the masse of the memorial inuocatiō intercessiō of saintes of the memorial of such as haue died godly of the cōmunion to be annexed to the sacrifice of ceremonies vse of sacraments And these things amongs others are taught that those workes which besides the cōmaūdemēt of god are godly honestly wrought which are cōmōly called the works of superogatiō are to be cōmēded y◠mā cānot wtout distrust of his imbecillity beleue that his sins be forgeuē how the church hath autority to interprete the scriptures oute of the same together setforth doctrins power to minister the law to iudge of doutful matters by a general coūsel to make lawes and that ther is one high bishop which is aboue al y◠residue for the prerogatiue graūted to Peter vnto whō the gouernment of the vniuersall church was committed of Christ yet so as other bishops also haue part of the cure euery mā in his own church that by cōfirmatiō chrisme is receiued y◠holy gost so that they may resist the deceits of the deuil the flesh the world that the bishop only is minister of this sacramēt how the sins must be rehersed to the priest such as come to memory That by satisfactiō which cōsisteth in the frutes of repētāce especially through fasting praying almosgeuing are cut of the causes of sinnes temporal punishment ether taken away or mitigated that holy vnctiō hath bene in the church since the time of the Apostles that ether it might help the body or the mind it self against the firy darts of the deuil wherfor it must be vsed what time the hour of death apeareth to draw nere how mariage contracted wtout the cōsēt of the parēts ought to be ratified but yet are the childrē to be admonished in sermons that they folow thaduise of their parēts how christ at his last supper did institute the sacramēt of his body blud first that the same might be receiued of the faithful as the holsom meat of the soul secondli that it might be offred vp in memorial of his death For ther be in al .ii. sacrifices of christ the one blody vpō the crosse thother wherin vnder the form of bread and wine he him self offred vp vnto his father his body blud after deliuered y◠same to his apostles successers to be don in the memorial of him vnto the worlds end by the first was mākind reconciled to god the father but through this same that is not blody Christ is represēted to his father not that we shuld agaī deserue that remissiō of sins but that we might apply vnto our selues y◠recōcilemēt prepared by the death of Christ and that in this sacrifice wherin we celebrate the death of Christ the morial of saints must be renued that they may make intercessiō for vs to god the father help vs by their merits we must also remēber the dead cōmend thē to almightye God After this is prescribed that the old ceremonies accustomably vsed in baptisme be stil obserued the xorsisme renouncing cōfession of the faith Chrisme Moreouer that in the ceremonies of the masse ther be nothing chaūged that in al towns great churches ther be saide daily .ii. Masses at the least in the country villages one especially on holy daies and that in the canō of the inasse nothing at all be altered and that al the rest be obserued after thold vsage yet if any thing be crept in that may geue occasiō to superstitiō let it be takē away Let vestments ornaments vessels crosses altars cādels images be kept stil as certein monumēts let not those ordinari praiers godly singing of Psalmes be abrogated wher they be takē away let thē be restored let the obits for the dead be kept after the maner of thold church also sainctes holy daies yea let thē be worshipped also vnto whō it is decreed that supplicatiō shuld be made The day before Easter Witsontide let the water in the fōtstone be hallowed after a solēne maner let riot be refrained to thintent to stir vp the mind to godly exercises certen daie◠let mē fast abstain frō flesh finally though it wer to be wished that ther be diuers many ministers of the church foūd that would liue chast yet for that many haue wiues euery wher whiche they will not forsake nether can this now be altred without a great tumult therfore must we tary herein for a decre of a generall counsel likewise are we cōtēted to bear with thē that receiue the Lords supper vnder both kindes yet so as they shal not reproue others that do the contrary For vnder ether kind the body bloud of Christ is conteined wholy After this sort was the boke setforth at the last as after you shal heare but not so pēned at the beginninge For it was oft corrected the copy that Bucer saw was somwhat purer Wherfore after it had ben tost lōg much among the states of thempire it was sēt also to Rome
demerites Which he sheweth may thus be don if that citie be inuironed with a trēche a bulwark made the siege cōtinued til thei be subdued For vnlesse that licēcious obstinat rebellion be repressed they se how gret a daūger shame it wil be to thempire Thus therfore Duke Maurice whiche had busied him self herein as I said before was by cōmon assēt made high generall of the warre And for the charges of the war were appointed .lx. thousand crownes monethly and an hōdreth thousand crownes payed for the charges past Concerning the counsell the Emperour affirmeth to the Princes that it shal be continued againe at Trent before Easter For so doeth the Byshop promyse him Yet doeth he in the meane season vrge the decree of Auspurge and commaundeth them to declare the causes vnto hym why those orders that were wrytten two yeares synce of Religion and reformation of the Clergie be not obserued The Archebyshops Electours saye howe they haue omitted nothing and are yet wholy about the same But the cause which letteth that they are not fully accomplished is the exemptions and priuileges of certen The deputes of the Electours absent say they haue applied the thing diligently but the long continuaunce of tyme hath bene a hinderaunce For this Religion can not so sodenly be plucked out of mens myndes that they had nede to be instructed that men might by litle and litle accustome them selues who are thorowly perswaded that thesame decree dissenteth much from the holy Scriptures that nothing can be violently altered without trouble and sedition And if any man should cōstraine the prechers to it ther would no man serue in that churche For hardely can there any one be found that wyll abase him selfe hereunto for the state of the syngle lyfe and condition of the Lordes supper The residue of Prynces and states of the Romyshe Religion alledge these causes that Scholes wherin yougth is not ryghtly instructed The Ministers of the churche that diswade the people from the same decree The want of priestes The negligēce of Magistrates And saye moreouer that this thing is an hinderaūce that many of the spiritualtie liue vitiously Again that many inuey rayle vpon the decree made with bokes of reproche vnpunished Iuly the Byshop of Rome being oft treated with by the Emperour about the eight day of Nouember sending forth his bulles calleth a coūsell affirming it to be coincident to his office to call and directe counsels That he coueteth also to prouyde for the trāquillitie of Germany which hath alwayes ben most obediēt to the church Byshops of Rome who in earth are Christes Uicars Wherfore let all men repare to Trente against the first day of May whiche either by ryght custome or priuilege haue interest to be there and suche as Paule the thirde hath called before what tyme he somoned the counsell in the same place For that daye shall the counsell be there continued And if it so fortune that either for age or sicknes or affayres of the commōwealth he can not himselfe be present yet will he by his Legates be president of the same This bulle he sent after to themperour Duke Maurice being made chiftayne attempteth the thing with great force and buylding vp certē bulwarkes that the souldiours myght wynter therin about th ende of Nouember he assayleth the citie Whiche citie is diuided into thre partes Wherof one whiche is called newe he surpriseth by nyght scalyng the walles and gates and neither drumme went nor trompet blewe tofore he had brought in his souldiours The citezens reised vp with the clamour so many as were found in armure are put to the sworde the rest being taken and spoiled are expulsed Wherfore they of the citie to the intēt they might take away from the ennemy this commoditie sendyng forth their souldiours burne that part that was theirs Agayn the other part whiche is called Sudeburg they sette on fyre also receiuing the townes mē into the citie About this tyme came Lazarus Schuendie into the campe to Duke Maurice that he myght in the Emperours name gyue his counsel The same tyme was Erle Hedeck in Saxony whome the Emperour had outlawed two yeares past as before is mentioned He and Albert Erle of Maunsfeld do leuie bandes of souldiours in the cities by the Sea coaste to ayde them of Maydenburge Duke Maurice therfore in the moneth of December goeth vnto thē with part of his armie and scattereth them and allureth vnto him foure enseignes of the same men and after also counte He decke as you shall heare The .ix. daye of December the Emperour in a long proclamation and with heinouse words inueieth against them of Maydenburge and commaundeth that no man ayde them and straightly chargeth the Captains and soldiours whiche be within the citie that within fourtene daies after these letters be deliuered they departe out of the citie geue knowledge hereof vnto Duke Maurice or in his absence to Lazare Schuendie If they obeye he promyseth pardon if not he appointeth extreme punishement There was in the citie Albert Erle of Mansfelde whome the Emperour in dede had not banyshed but had tourned him out of al his possessiōs what tyme he perseuered in the fidelitie and frendship of Iohn Friderick Duke of Saxon. Howe the Emperour left the Lantgraue at Machline taking his iourney to Auspurg it is before declared Duke Maurice and the Marques of Brandenburge were earnest suters that he might be deliuered but aunswere was made them how not he only but also his sonnes and coūsellours so demeane them selues that as yet he might not be deliuered His kepers also said vnto him how he should be caried into Spaine Wherupon he requireth ayde of his sonnes admonishynge them of the faith and duty they owe vnto hym commaundeth them to sue Duke Maurice and the Marques of Brandenburg that they yelde them selues prysoners according to the forme of their obligation and fulfill their promise His sonnes obey him herein and sending Ambassadours most earnestly and oft admonish and sue them But they one whyle ioyntly together another whyle either of thē seuerally by him selfe some tyme by messengers sometime presently excuse the matter and declare that it is not expedient either for them or for their father that it should so be euer bring newe reasons wherby they trust he may be deliuered without any daunger Therfore they desire them to forbeare thē a whyle and to geue them respite But the Emperour who before had moued the Lātgraue by Lirane to deliuer those obligations as is declared whan he was further sued vnto he sendeth Lazare Schuendie to his sonnes and counsellours commaunding them not only from henceforth neither to cōmence action nor sue Duke Maurice and the Marques of Brandēburg but that also they sende vnto him all suche maner of wrytinges surcease their sute vnlesse they obeye he threateneth thē with the greatest punishment that
sore afflicted and seing the matter is thus for so much as he dealeth so sharply roughly with him which is theldest sonne of the church he protesteth as he saith is likewise done at Rome first that for the most troublesome tumultes of warre he may not send the bishops of his realme vnto Trent again that he taketh not this for a publike or general coūsel but rather for a certain priuate conuention which is not instituted for the profit of the common wealthe but for the vtilitye of a few Finally that nether he nor any man within his realme can be bounden to the decrees therof but declareth also furthermore that he wil vse suche remedies if the case so require as in a like matter his progenitors haue accustomed he will be euer of a sounde and sincere mind towardes religion and the Church of Rome neither wil he cōmit any thing worthy of iust reprehension but in as much as he is burthened with thiniuries and hatred of certain without his desert he can not otherwise do at this present Therfore let thē take this protestation in good parte and Communicate vnto him the doctrine or testimony of this action to th end he may certify other Princes and people of Christendome concerninge the whole matter But wheras he saith he wil vse the remedies of his progenitoures thus it standeth like as in all other Regions so also in Fraunce if any Bishoppricke or Abbotship be vacant such as are called Chanons or Monkes had fre election to chuse them but the meane benefices which were not electiue as they terme it the Bishops and Patrones bestowed Moreouer all maner of sutes and controuersies touching benefices or matters of the church wer decided within euery prouince But bishops of Rome as Couetousnes increased began to subuert those elections and by reseruatiōs and graces expectatiue as they name them haue deriued all the gaine to Rome and to them selues called also to Rome all sutes euen the fyrst instaunces as they call them And the beginning of this alteration chanced in Fraunce in the time of King Lewes the ninth but he resisted stoutly and in the yeare of our Lord M CC. lxvii made a law that thold custome shuld be reteined nether that any tribute shuld for that cause be paid to the bishop of Rome This law was verely of force many yeares but at the lengthe the violence of the bishops preuailed against it and so far as christendome stretcheth they published those foresaid graces and reseruations and were very chargeable to all men vntill the Synode of Basill toke away this kinde of pillage and restored the aunciente lawes of contributions and elections and prohibited firste frutes to be paid This decre of the counsel the King of France Charles the seuenth by thaduise of his Counsell did ratify and in the yeare M CCCC xxxviii confirmed by Proclamation But Eugenius the fourth pronounced this counsell to be frustrate and of none effect as I said in the first boke and the Bishops that succeded him reiected that decre and said it was Scismaticall and in dede Pius the second sendinge his Ambassadoure to Lewes the eleuenth sonne to Charles the seuenth moued him earnestly to abolish that same confirmation and the king asketh counsell of the Senate of Paris the moost famouse of all Fraunce which in a maner consisteth wholy of lawyers They repeting many thinges of great antiquity declare what the bishops of former time what the Counsels and finally what his progenitors Clodowey Charles that great Phillip Deodate Lewes the ninth Philip le Beau Lewes Hutine Ihon the first and laste what his father and grandfather haue herein determined and except thauncient lawes be obserued it wil come to passe say they that al thecclesiastical ordre shal be brought to confusion and that Fraunce shal be lesse populous whan so many shal run to Rome and shal be so much impouerished that churches and many such other sumptuous buildings in France shal be neglected and fall to ruine And as touching the mony matter vnles your fathers confirmation of the decree at Basill maye be of force there shal be caried yerely out of Fraunce vnto Rome ten C M. Crownes For to let other thinges passe in the time of Pius the second now bishop there haue bene vacant at the least twentye Bishopprickes which haue paid euery one of them aswel for their first frutes as for other charges vi M. There haue fallen abbotships about lx and euery one of them haue paied two thousand of other benefices haue bene void aboue two hondreth whiche haue paid v C. crownes a piece Moreouer within your realme are an hondreth thousand parishes and aboue out of the which an infinite quantity of gold hath bene gathered by that same deuise of the bishop of Rome Walke therfore in your fathers fotesteps swarue not from the decre of Basil Certainly this was the counsell of the Senate but the king being ouercommen with the Bishops either authority or policy would neades abolish the confirmation the chief worker of this matter was Cardinall Baluen in great fauor with the king whom the bishop of Rome had corrupted how be it both the kinges procurer and also the vniuersity of Paris whome it much concerned resisted with a stout courage and appealed frō the bishop to the counsel Afterward Lewes the twelfth had great emnity for the same cause with Iuly the secōd and the matter was brought into the counsel of Laterane and Fraunces the firste that succeded Lewes concluded at the length with Leo the tenth vpon certaine conditions at Bononie after he had taken Millan verely that when a Bishoppricke or Abbotship were vacante the Couent in dede should not haue thelection therof but that the king shoulde within .vi. monethes nominate some man to the Bishop of Rome whome he thought worthy of that office This same therfore is the thing amongs others which King Henry now by his ambassador signified vnto them of a remeady For kings are on this wise wōt to bridle the bishops when they are at dissention with them and so to put in practise the confirmation of the decre of Basil espectally at this time when their thondrebolt is not so greatly feared as it was in time paste And for so muche as the Realme of Fraunce is both most large and rich also Rome can not without great hinderance want the reuenues therof And that which he signified here that he would do the same did he not longe after as you shal hear The same remeadye also in times paste vsed the King of Fraunce Phillip le Beaw against Boniface the eight For wheras he commaunded him to war against the Sarazens and refusing his excuse forbad that he shuld take no mony of the churches within his owne Realme which the King was driuen to do for the necessitye of his warres and vnlesse he obeyed the same did suspend him out of the Church he assembleth all
treated of penaunce and extreame vnction Than also the electoure of Brandenburge Ioachim sending his ambassadour Christopher Strasie a doctour of the ciuill law offered his duety and obeisance And certainly thāmbassadour spake manye thinges at large of the great good wil of his Prince They answer again how they haue taken much pleasure to hear his whole Oration especially that part wher the Prince submitteth him self wholy to the counsell and saith that he will obserue the decrees of the same For their truste is that the thing which he hath nowe presently spoken that same will he perfourme in dede After the deathe of Ihon Albert whiche had the Archbishoppricke of Maidenburge both wealthy and large the gouernement was committed to Fridericke sonne to thelectour of Brandenburge whome the Colledge had desired for their archbishop but the matter was impeached and could not be broughte to passe at Rome And because thelectour Ioachim was before of the Protestantes religion as it was openly knowen that same was a great let Wherfore to auoid the suspicion this ambassadoure was sent who fawning vpon the Prelates omitted no poynt of exquisit diligence Ther was peace concluded at Wittenberge And all beit the siege was not leuied immediatelye yet were there frendly metinges betwene them the xii day of Octobre And the self same time Duke Moris constraineth the Chats a people in the countrye of Hesse which wer iii. yeres past by themperours sentence taken frō the Lantz graue being prisoner to be sworne vnto him by the consent of the Lātzgraues sonne by reason of the league of inheritāce as he saith which is betwene the house of Hesse and Saxon so that for default of heirs males the one house should succede thother And no man doubted but this concerned the iniury of themperor that had geuen the sentence and some new commotion and all mē marueled what would be th end therof but in the Emperors court was in a manner no talcke of it and made as they knew not therof At this time was the Duke of Somerset vncle to the kinge of Englande apprehended the seconde time and with him the Lorde Paget the Lord Gray and certain others Than had Ihon the Duke of Northumberlande the chiefe rule and gouernemente The cause of his apprehension was as it is reported that the Duke of Northumberland said howe the other laid wait for his life For this by a law newly made was deathe amonges them About the eight day of Octobre the Bishop of Rome created Cardinall George Martinuse bishop of Wardin of high authority in Hongary the common people named him Monke because he was of thordre of Paule the first Hermit How the French ambassadour was commaunded to attend for an answer at the xi daye of Octobre so that the king would acknowledge the counsell I haue tould you before Certes he came not but yet in the Counsels name was setforth a wryting to the king First they recken vp how they loked for most ample things at his hands and that for sondry causes but at the comminge of this messenger and after they had red his letters they conceiued an inward sorow for that they are fallen from their expectation and yet forsomuch as they are neither touched with the gilt of conscience nor haue geuen none any occasion of displeasure they haue not yet laid aside thold hope they had of him wherfore thopinion which he hath conceiued as though this counsel were called for the priuate profit of a few can least of all take place in so worthy a Sinode For the causes of calling this Counsell were propounded not only of this Bishop but also of Paule the thirde verelye that heresies mighte be roted oute the schole of Discipline amended and peace be restored to the Church is not this plaine inoughecan ther be any more godly or Christianlike thing be done For now are heresies spredde not only throughout Germany but in manner in all Countries which great calamity the counsell is in will to redresse This is the very cause and this is also the end of all theyr doyng and all thinges are referred to this poynt Let him therfore permit the Bishoppes of his realme to further so godly a busines For he neaded not to feare least they might not be suffred to speake frely that they thought For lately was his ambassadoure bothe quietly and patiently heard whan he told no ioyfull newes Than seing a priuate man was heardwith such a lei tie why should any man beleue that the same shuld be denied vnto publike parsons such as are placed in so high dignity how be it though he send no man yet shall the counsell neuertheles haue bothe his dignitye and authoritye for that it was lawfullye summoned and now for iust causes restored And where he signified that he would vse the remedies that his progenitoures had done before they supposed he would neuer procede so farre as to reuoke those thinges which were taken away abolished in times past to the great commodity of the kinges of Fraunce and seing that god hath so highly auaunced him and indued him with so great benefites they truste verely that he wil do nothing wherby he shuld seme vnthankeful ether towards God or to our mother holy church let him only haue a respect to his progenitors to that same title and surname of most christen king Finally to his father king Fraunces who honoured the former Sinode by sending thither his bishoppes and ambassadors Men of most excellent learning he oughte to walcke in these fotesteps which are both fresh and domestical and follow this exāple and remit priuate displeasures for the common wealthes sake Themperor and the Bishop had exhorted the Swisses that they shuld be at the counsel but it was in vaine and the Bishop in dede treated with them by Hierome Francke as before is saied but the French king gaue charge vnto Morlet that was his ambassador there that he shuld indeuor to perswade them all that they send no man thither Morlet fineding some difficultye herein sendeth for Uergerius an expert man in such affaires out of Rhoetia and axeth his counsel He both furnished him of argumentes and shortly after setforth a boke of eschuing the counsell Morlet beinge thus instructed came vnto thassemble of Baden and there alledgynge his reasons perswaded not only them which had longe sence forsaken Papistry but also all the residue of the Swisses euen as he desired Wherfore none of them came to Trent Out of Rhetia cam thither at the Bishop of Romes commaundement Thomas Plāt bishop of Chur but whan the Rhetians vnderstode by the aduertisement of Uergerius what the bishop of Rome intended howe he would by him recouer his authority amonges them he was called home againe The Spaniardes which wer in the land of Wirtemberge were sent for about this time by themperor and sent into Italy to serue in the warre of Parma By theyr departure
thys wyse pacified them she appointed certen to defende the citie and assigneth the Erle of Penbroke to haue the charge abroade Nowe was Wiat proclaimed before by an Heraulte of Armes Rebell and Traytour to the Realme and to bryng hym in greater hatred there were read his requestes sent vnto the Quene wherof the fyrste as they saye was that he would haue the Quene in his custody that it should be lawfull for him to determine concerning her mariage and either to reteine or displace her counsellours at his pleasure The third daye after was proclaimed a pardon to all the cōmon people so that they would forsake the captaines and authours of rebellion and to him that would bring Wiat prysoner was appointed a great rewarde The Duke of Suffolke was also accompted in the nūber of traitours And wheras the same daye the conspiratours came nere vnto the citie the Quene cutteth in two London bridge ouer the Ryuer of Temse least any should go out to them The next day thei come into Southwarke supposing that the citezēs would haue ioyned with them But they were holden in with a garrison In the meane season the Duke of Suffolke is taken in an other parte of the Realme by the Erle of Huntington whome the Quene sent after him with horsemen Whan the confederates had spent two daies at the citie and traueled on that syde in vayne taking an other way they passe ouer the Temse at King stone ten miles aboue London and so marche towardes the citie There at the laste was Wiat and his felowes intercepted of that power whiche the Quene had sent out with the Erle of Penbroke and committed to pryson The next daye whiche was the seuenth daye of the same moneth proclamation was made vnder payne of death that who so euer had receiued any of these rebelles into his house should brynge them forthe and present them immediatly A fewe dayes after the Duke of Suffolke is brought prysoner to London And the .xii. daye of February the Duke of Northumberlandes sonne Guilford Dudley and the lady Iane his wyfe the Duke of Suffolkes daughter which after kyng Edwarde I sayde was admitted Quene were both beheaded for that contrary to the lawfull succession they had aspired to the crowne And the Lady Ianes mishappe in a maner all men lamented that so vertuouse a Lady so wel brought vp and so learned should chaunce into so great a calamitie for none other cause verely thā that she had not refused the kingdome offered She made an oration to the people very Godly and modeste and calling to God for mercy through Iesus Christe toke a clothe of one of her gentilwomen and couered her own face and bound it about her eies and than offered to the hangeman her necke to be striken of The self same daye was Corteney Erle of Deuonshire whome the Quene a fewe monethes before had deliuered from long captiuitie agayn taken vpon suspicion of a conspiracie made After this in Londō and Westminster where the Quene than was many were caried to execution and that of the Nobilitie not a fewe Some of them also escaping and amongest them a worthie Knight syr Peter Carrew fled into Fraunce The Duke of Suffolke also the .xxi. daye of February was beheaded whan he had bene condemned foure dayes before Whylest these thynges are done in Englande Sibille of Cleaue the wyfe of Iohn Fridericke Duke of Saxon the foresaed .xxi. daye of February departeth at Weymer and the .xi. daye after her the Prynce hym selfe whan he had layen a whyle sicke They died bothe in the true knowledge of God And suerly he whan his wyues tombe was a making in the churche had commaunded a certen place to be reserued for hym by the syde therof for that he should shortely followe after Neyther was he disceaued in his opinion For the thyrd daye of Marche about ten of the clocke before noone whan he had heard a Sermon liyng in his bed callyng vppon Gods mercy and commending his spirite vnto God he flitted out of this myserable life into the heauenly countrie And nowe was the composition made betwene hym and Duke Augustus For where the kyng of Denmarke sendynge Ambassadours as I sayd before made great intercession after much and diuerse and almost an half yeares disceptation now at this tyme was the matter appeased vpon these condicions Iohn Fridericke departeth from the Electourshyp from Meissen and from the Townes of mettell mines Duke Augustus disceasing without Heires males all these thinges retourne to the Duke of Saxon his heires males In the meane tyme the Duke of Saxon may vse the name and the armes of Electourship as well in sealing of letters as in coyninge of monie Duke Augustus also graunteth to hym and to his sonnes certen townes and gouernementes and for the debtes that were behynde of certen fourmer yeares whiche Duke Maurice had not payed to his sonnes he payeth downe to the summe of an hondreth thousand crownes He redemeth also the Castell and towne of Conigsperge standing in Franconie and layed to morgage to the Bishop of Wirtemburge for .xl. thousande crownes and restoreth it to the Duke of Saxon his sonnes Finally the league of inheritaunce of the house of Saxon in these fourmer yeares infringed is renewed and established agayne The same composition Iohn Fridericke lying on his deth bed not long before he ended his lyfe confirmed with his wryting and seale and commaūded that his sonnes should doe likewyse Wherfore with a noble courage vanquishyng all euilles and miseries wherinto he chaunced he died not in prison nor in the custody of foreine soldiours wherūto he was appointed but through the notable benefit of God set at libertie and retourning home to his wyfe his children and his owne religion ended his lyfe moste peaceably leauing to his sonnes and subiectes peace and quietnes His wyfe also the Duchesse hauing her owne wyshe left this earthly mansion For often tymes she had saied that she coulde be content to dye with all her harte so that she might first se her husband safe at libertie And the same many times did she pray to the liuing God for with many teares and sighinges The same daye that she ended her lyfe had Duke August a sonne borne named Alexander In these same dayes the rest of the straungers that were in Englande yea and many of the same natiō forsakyng their countrie for the alteration of Religion and the Quenes proclamatiōs conueye them selues into Germany wherof some tary at Wesell some at Franckefurte and many also at Strasburg Iohn Alascus a Polonian a noble man borne brother to Hierome a man of excellent learning went thence before wynter with diuerse others into Dēmarke But where as he was ther not very frendly receiued by reason of his contrary opinion touching the Lordes supper and for thesame cause was denied to dwell in the lower partes of Saxony he came at the
Rome homewarde The Pope allowed well enough al other thinges that they had retourned to repentaunce and craued pardon But that the churche goodes should not be restored he saide it was in no wyse to be suffered Amōgest the Ambassadours was the Byshop of Ely The king of Denmarke had a nauie at that time which sailing towardes the North made men to talke diuersly For some said it was done by the Emperours counsell who mynded to put the kinges sonne or his brother in to the possession of Scotlande Others sayde it was prepared for the vse of the Frenche kyng others for this cause only that if the Emperour or king Philip his sonne whose power was waxed great by reason of Englande should straye any further they might be restrayned And therfore were the cities of the Sea coaste thought also to haue borne the charges of the same nauie After lōg and great expectation all this rumour vanished away and all this preparation was found to be made against Pirates Than was the state of Rome troublesome For that Pope hauing cōceiued a suspicion of certen nobles prouided him garrisons and placing soldiours here and there in the Citie committed Ssortia Cardinall of Sanflorian and Camillus of the house of Columnois to prison And for as muche as they were of the Emperours part many men thought he went about a greater matter And that suspicion was increased what tyme he required of the Duke of Florēce the Emperours client a wonderous great summe of mony whiche both Clement the seuenth lent Alexander Medices and lately Iuly the third lent him at the siege of Sene. The captiue Cardinalles at the length putting in suerties are inlarged The Spanishe flete that tyme came towardes Flaunders laden with all kynde of Marchaundise And when it came vpō the coastes of Normandie the Frenchemen whiche knewe it long before set vpon them with a great force And the fight conflicte was terrible the shippes being sunke and burnte on either parte and very many loste wherof some with weapon others with fire many swallowed vp of the billowes did perishe The Frenche men caried away certen shippes that they toke into Depe hauon from whence they came This was in the monthe of August whereas about the end of the same moneth kyng Philip sayling out of Englande into Flaunders came to the Emperour his father at Brusselles accompanied with the Nobles of Englande Truckesins Cardinall of Auspurge had a fewe yeares past founded an Uniuersitie at Dillinge a towne situated vpon the Riuer of Danubius by the wyll and permission of Pope Iuly the thirde who had graunted for the same a publique bull with exceading great fredoms priuileges as a wryting set forth in print declareth Hither therfore amonges other came he whome themperour of many yeares had vsed for his ghostly father or confessour as they terme him Peter Asot a Spaniarde a blacke freer He this yeare began with a contrary wryting to impugne the booke conteyning the sōme of the christen doctrine the which boke Christopher Duke of Wirtemberge sent by his Ambassadours to the fathers of the counsell of Trent as before is sayde whiche also he was not afrayde to dedicate to the same Duke But Iohn Brentius about this time aunswereth it at large and confuteth his sophisticall reasons Whiche boke of Brentius Uergerius afterwarde translated into Italian to the ende that men of his owne nation might vnderstande both what thing came in to controuersie and whether parte handled the scriptures more purely and sincerely About the Ides of September George Counte of Mountpelicarte vncle to the Duke of Wirtemberge maried the Lady Barbara the Lantgraues daughter After the arriuall of the Duke of Alba in Lumbardie the king of Fraunce also sendeth thither new ayde and many warlike captaines which ioyned them selues to Monsour Brissake as companions of his perils and fortune There is a towne wherof we haue spoken before called Uulpian which fortified with a garrison of Spaniards was a great annoyaunce to Frenche matters seing that from thence roades were made as farre as Taurin and further To the intent therfore that this only let might be taken away that they might haue victualle the Frenchemen towarde the ende of August besiege it with al their force and batter it with muche harme done and receiued At the length the .xxii. day of September they take it by surrendry and rase the walles both of the towne and Castell and make it in shape of a Uillage And a fewe dayes after they take also the Towne and Castell of Mountcalue betwixt Aste and Casale The dissention that hath bene nowe these .xxx. yeares betwixt learned men aboute the Lordes supper and of the presence of Christes body began at this time to be renewed and bokes were set forth by the ministers of the churches of Breme and Hamborough namely againste Caluine Iohn Alascus Caluine afterward aunswereth sharpely and defendeth the cause Thesame doeth Bullinger and Iohn Alascus also For setting forthe a booke to the Kyng of Poole he complayneth and bewayleth that there is no examination had or made by talke or cōference of the sentences but that the opinion is only condemned by preiudice verely after the maner of the Papistes whiche also procede not by argumentes and scripture but only by wyll and violence About the end of September Augustus Duke of Saxony had a sonne borne called Magnus his Godfathers at the fōtstone were amongest others Henry Duke of Brunswicke and Iohn Fridericke the Lantgraues sonne in lawe I haue spoken before of the Archebyshop of Cantorbury of Ridley Byshop of London and Hughe Latimer howe they being caried to Oxforde and reasoning with the diuines there were of them condemned being therfore kept in prison vnto this tyme nowe at the last in the moneth of October Ridley and olde father Latimer were burnt The Archebyshop was also brought forth with them and at the place of execution did openly call vpon God for mercy with them but he was lead againe to pryson In this same moneth the Cardinalles of Lorayne and Tournon went to Rome Then also the Senate of Paris whiche they cal the Parliament aunswering the king to that whiche the Cardinall of Loraine requested them to as before is mentioned By that proclamation of yours say they whiche came forth foure yeares since moste mighty kyng you reserued to your selfe and to your iudges the examination and punishment of Luthers heresie Neither in it was any thinge exceptep vnlesse it were what time it required any declaration of heresie or that sentence were to be pronounced of suche as had taken orders But this proclamation of yours that is now set forth doth plainly establish the contrary For it submitteth the people of your Realme to the ecclesiasticall iudgement and to the Inquisitours and by this meane it diminished your dignitie wherby you excelle all men and geueth to your subiectes a
carefulnes I haue suppressed the parte of the proclamation touching the Lordes supper promysing hereafter all diligence that a reconcilement may be had For what causes I can not reuolte from the lawes and ceremonies of the churche I haue shewed For both Christ sayeth that the church must be heard and also the thing it selfe teacheth the fourmer age whiche renewyng nothing abode in the Religion of their forefathers to haue bene muche more quiet and fortunate in all thinges than this is nowe where all thinges are tourmoyled with sectes and dissentions and many men rauished toste hither and thither with euery wynde of doctrine Wherby I would the rather haue thought that you would not haue answered in this sorte And nowe albeit that this aunswere of yours may be throughly confuted yet for as much as we must treate of contributions and subsidies and therof shortly determine vnlesse you be determined to suffer extreme miserie I wyll not be ouer longe trusting also that you wyl doe both as the matter it selfe and also as the consideration of your dutie requyreth They agayne solicite the same thing and saye howe they can not leaue it And in case they can obteyne nothinge they saye it wyll be the cause that the same consultation of geuing him ayde wyl surely be hindered and letted For that they haue no commission to promyse any thing herein vnlesse they haue first good assuraunce for Religion and Ministers of the churche and for Scholemaisters that they may be authorised to teache frely In the moneth of February Henry Duke of Brunswick taketh to wyfe the sister of Sigismunde king of Poole About this tyme dieth Iohn Isemburg Byshop of Treuers and hath Iohn Ley his successour The .xxvi. daye also of the same moneth departeth at Alzeme Fredericke the Pausgraue Prince Electour a man of great yeares Whome Otto Henrick his brothers sonne succedeth who had lōg since receiued the doctrine of the Gospell and was in daunger therfore to haue lost al his possessions Taking an othe of his people he commaundeth by and by that no man within his dominion should say Masse or vse any other ceremonies Of the trouble that Osiander styred vp in Prusse who had brought in a newe doctrine of iustificatiō is spoken in the xxii boke But where as the moste part of learned men reprehended that opinion Albert Duke of Prusse by open wryting professeth that he wyll followe the doctrine of the confession of Auspurg He commaundeth therfore the ministers of the churche that they teache according to the same and promyseth to saue them harmeles in case they obeye And to the ende the matter might be throughly appeased Iohn Albert Duke of Megelburge sonne in lawe to the Duke of Pruse a Prince excellently learned going thither and hauing learned men about hym brought Iohn Funccius who was chief of the secte of Osiander to that poinct that both he acknowledged his errour and affirmed that he would confesse it openly and would hereafter teache after the confession of Auspurg Where as others would do the same they were agreed with the other diuines and the state of the churche was appeased The fourth daye of Marche began to shine a blasing starre and is sene by the space of twelue dayes In this moneth the Ambassadours of Princes and cities mete at Regēspurge and treate the cause of Marques Albert of Brandenburge For his aduersaries in the counsell of the last yeare had againe required the ayde of Princes against him but through the mediatiō of his frendes and that the matter should be heard by intercessours Where he therfore in the moneth of February of this yere came out of Fraūce into Germany his matter was heard the causes of thempire differred till the moneth of Aprill The Archebishop of Cantorbury already condēned after the death of Ryddley Latimer retourned to prison as before is said the .xxi. of this moneth is burnt at Oxforde Certen daies before being put in some hope of life through the perswasion of certen he had reuoked diuerse articles of doctrine neither shewed he constancie And when he sawe he must die he made an oration to the people and speaking many thinges of the amendement of life of maners to the ende he might haue his audience attētiue at the lēgth sheweth how greuously he had offended God by denying of the truthe reciting the chief articles of doctrine declareth briefly what he thought and confirmeth Papistrie to be the kingdome of Antichriste He had no so ner said so but he was had thence not without moste bitter railyng wordes to the place of execution And when he came thither stretching forth his right hand this hād saith he hath wickedly offended in subscribing to the wicked opinions which the ennemies of the truthe had propounded to me Wherfore it shall first suffer punishment Thus being tied to the stake so sone as the fire began to burne he stretched forth his hande into if as far as he coulde reache that it might first fele the torment And so was burnt the primate of Englande a man of greatest learning authoritie From the time that the Popishe marke was taken from him they call it degrading whiche is wont to be done with many cerimonies they put vpon him a most vile garmēt so brought him forth amonges the people to be laughed at But many hauing cōpassion of his vnworthy chaūce could not kepe thē frō sheding of teares although thei doubted nothing but that he should flitte out of this miserable lyfe in to the heauenly countrie and life euerlasting His promotions got Cardinall Poole made Archebyshop when he had Massed before And like as they of Austriche so also the Bauariās sollicited Albert their Duke cōcerning religiō in maner at the same time The Duke seing that kyng Ferdinando his father in lawe had permitted some thing to his subiectes he also when he exacted mony graunted some thing for a time that they might receiue the Lordes supper whole and on daies prohibited when necessitie requireth to eate flesh Howbeit he prosesseth with many wordes that he wyll not departe from the Religion of his auncesters nor alter any thing in ceremonies such other thinges for the same not to be lawfull for him to doe without the consent of his supreme Magistrate both spirituall and temporall And where he permitteth these two to be for a tyme only tyll some thing be established by publique authoritie or a reconcilement made For he wyll that his proclamations of fourmer tyme concerning Religion be exactely and stryghtly kept these two thinges only excepted He wyll procure also as muche as in him lieth that the Metropolitane and Byshops shall confirme this graunte and that they shall not for this cause seke to moleste any man This proclamation was written the daye before the Kalendes of Aprill The Metropolitan of whome he speaketh is the Archebyshop of Salisburg At this time certen noble men of
they coÌ„sult of the Interim The constaÌ„cie of the Ministers Freight caried to prysoÌ„ with others The Duke of Saxon the LaÌ„tgraue led away prysoners Letters of Strasburgh to Themp. Strasburge recitueth that Interim The reformatioÌ„ of the Chamber They of CoÌ„stance geue theÌ„selues to the howse of Austrich Augustus maried a wyfe A coÌ„motion at Burdeux The slaughter that was at Burdeux Fraunces Spier a Lawier His recantation Spier wold receiue no comforte He dieth in dispaire A woÌ„derfull conuersioÌ„ of Uergerius Uergerius vanquisshed with the force of truth Inquisitours agaist Uergerus Uergerius repareth to Mantua He isputont of that counsell Uergerius preacheth that Gospell in Rhetia The abhominable filthynes of an Archebyshop Maried priestes pluct froÌ„ their wyues The inheritour of Scotland led into Fraunce The Empe. sonne commeth into Flaunders He is receyued at MillaÌ„ A meting of Diuines in Saxony 1549. Ciuile warres in Affrica Strasburgs wryteth letters to the Emperour Thei of Maidenburg are made a pray for their god lines Trouble in England The Admi. of England b. headed Thomas Cranmer a furtherer of learning Godlines Bucer and Fagius cominto EnglaÌ„d The byshop of Strasb singeth his first Masse The duke of Swaybrig molested for Religion His playne trouth The Inter. confuted by them of Lubeck and others Adiaphora Melanchton defendeth that Adiaphorist The force of holy water Hallowyng of churches Hallowyng of belles Hallowyng of aultars Luther brought in coÌ„tempt the popysh ceremonies The Popes Legates to that Emperour The Pope graunteth licence to eate fleshe The Archbyshop of Meiz to the councelloure of that Lantgraue The Godly answer of that Preachers An open disputation at Oxforde The king is receiued in to Paris Erecution done in his sight The king coÌ„maundeth to go on procession Ueruine beheaded A coÌ„uocatioÌ„ at Lipsia Rebellion in Englande The French king stealeth fortes King Philip inuested in Flaunders The Senate of Strausburge do coÌ„pounde with their bishop The pearil fear of them of Mayden burge Theyr Purgation Why they caÌ„not get pardon The sayinge of Gordiê° the martyr They betray the truthe that hold it in sylence The deathe of pope paul the third A boke in ItaliaÌ„ against the Pope His Sister a whore made him cardinal The monstrus lechery of the Pope The Popes rauening Paule geuen to Astrology coniuratioÌ„ An assemble of Cardinals to chuse a newe Pope The masters of ceremonis The custody of that CoÌ„claue The othes of the cardinals The maner how to chuse the Pope Thre factioÌ„s of cardinals The cause why Pole was not Pope The yeare of Iubiley Paules ioye was vain 1550. A straunge sight neuer hard of A trouble in the thurch of Strausburg The Protector of englaÌ„d The French kynges Proclamation against Lutheranes Iuly that third Thopenyng of the golden gate A iest of the Cardinall of Auspurge Ganimede nouryshed of Poope Iuly Dute of the Conclaue came most fil thye letters The Emperours letters to the â—ates of th empyre A peace concinded betwixt FraÌ„ce Englande A confession of faith by the Ministers of the Churche there The cleargy of Strausburge renueth their misteries A proclamation againste the Lutheranes A register of the deuines of Louaine To talcke of faith is for bidden Rewards for promotours A proclamation for printers Andwarp astonied at the Emperors proclamatioÌ„ The death of the cardinall of Lorayne The archbyshop of Collon entreth the city with pompe The protestation of D. Moris agaiÌ„st the counsell The knauery of Spanyardes The death of Granuellan Duke Henry besiegeth the Citye of Brunswick Dracutus an archpirate The taking of the city of Africa A goodlye situatioÌ„ of the same The ouerthrowe of the Maidenburgians The princes letters to theÌ„ of Maydenburg A woman in perill for a light worde The proclamation for religion is mitigated Forces bent against Maydenburg An Ambassade againste them of May denburge The answer of the MaydeÌ„burgians The death of Ulriche Duke of Wirtemb A cruell decree against the Magdeburgians Duke Maurice general of this war The causes that the decre is not obserued Pope Iuly somoneth a counsell Thei repare to Trent beÌ„fore contemned Maurice besegeth Maydenburg Hedeck and Mansfeld discomsited by Duke Maurice The Empe. proclamatioÌ„ against theÌ„ of Maydenburge The Lantgraues soÌ„ns sue for their father The Lantgraues purpose His deuise of fleing bewrayde The issuyng out victory of the MaydeÌ„burgians The Duke of Megelb takeÌ„ prisoner Marimilian cometh out of Spayne CoÌ„tentioÌ„ for the Empyre betwirte the Emperour Ferdinando what things offend many Thei of Maidenburg are moued to reÌ„der A writing of the Clergie against the citie Their actes against the Clergie The slaughter of the citezens The answer of that citezens Why that clergle forsoke that citie All Godly folke are afflicted for prosessinge the veritie All thynges must be suffered for the truthes sake God woundeth healeth The prayse of great Otto Folyshe ceremonies 1551. A newe doctrine of Osiander The Duke of Pruisse addicte to Osiander MelanchthoÌ„ best learned and modeste The decree of Auspurg Mony for that warre of MaydeÌ„burg Octauian Farnese cliente to the FreÌ„ch king The death of Bucer Complainte of the Bysh of Strasb WoÌ„ders in Saxonye The Pope accuseth Octauian Farnese The counsel at Trente is cold Erle Hedeck frende to theÌ„ of Maidenb The war of Parma betwixt themperoure and french king The French kings excuse to the Pope The sterse minde of Pope Iulye The confession of Duke Moris by Melanchton The humanity of the Duke of wirtemberge to ward Brentius Duke Moris letters to the Emperour The burnt child the fyre dreades Interrogatories for the Ministers of Auspurge The constancy of the prelates The preachers exiled The French king warreth vpon themperour CoÌ„trarye tales of the King and the Emperour The counsel renued at Trent The French kinges letters to the counsel ReseruatyoÌ„s and graceser pectatiue The sum of mony that is caried to Rome The vniuersity of Parts apealeth froÌ„ the Pope Tharrogancye of Poope Boniface against the king of Fraunce Twelue archbishopriks in Fraunce Theames geuen to the deuines The order of speaking The maner of making the Articles of faith The maner of making the decrees The holy ghoste at the Popes commaundemeÌ„t The French kinges wryting agaynst the Pope A cruell proclamation againste the Lutheranes The wicked lustes of the popes sonne A purgation of the french kyng The cause of dissention be twixt the pope and emperor A decree at Trent of the Lordes supper The safeconduit of the fathers at Trent The Marques of BraÌ„denburge statereth the counsell Duke Moris seaseth vpon the dominioÌ„ of Chats The duke of Somerset apprehended The counsel writeth to that french king Causes of calling the counsell The French disswageth that Swisses froÌ„ the counsell The land of WirteÌ„berge delyuered of Spaniardes Thambassadour of Wirtemberge to the counsell The pacificacion of Maydenburge The noble fame constaÌ„cy of Maiden burge Duke Maurice inteÌ„deth to war vpon the Emper. Iohn Slefdan Ambassadour for Strasburge in