honesty Certaine of Rome came to Charles to accuse this Pope Charles putteth of the examinacion of the matter till an other time promisinge that he woulde within a while come to Rome himselfe whiche he did after he had finished his warres He was honorably receiued of the Pope The eight day after his cominge into Rome he commaunded all the people and the Cleargy to be called togeather into S. Peters churche appointing to here and examine the Pope touchynge that he was accused of in the open assembly When the Cleargie and the people were assembled the Kinge examineth them of the Popes life and conuersacion and the whole company beinge willed to saie their mindes answeare that the manner hath béene that the Popes shoulde be iudged of no man but of them selues Charles beinge mooued with so sore gréeuous an answeare gaue ouer further examinacion Leo the Pope saith Piatina who did earnestly desire that kinde of iudgement to geue sentence he meaneth in his owne cause wente vp into the pulpit and holdinge the Ghospels in his handes affirmed by his Othe y t he was guiltes of all those matters wherewith he was chardged Whereunto Sabellicus addeth the Popes owne testimonie of him selfe was so waighty as if it had beene geuen on him by other so muche auaileth a mans owne good reporte made of himselfe in due season for wante of good neighbours This matter if it were as the Popes flatterers write thus subtily compassed although Martinus saith flatly that he was driuen to purge him selfe of certaine crimes laide to his chardge yet not withstanding the kinge toke vpon him both to examine the matter to determine therein and as appeareth tooke their answeare no lesse insufficient than gréeuous although he winked at it bicause he looked for a greatter pleasure to be shewed him againe in consecratinge him Emperour promised longe before whiche this Pope perfourmed and solemply with great acclamations of the people crowned him Emperour of Rome For saithe Platina The Pope did this to shewe some thankefulnes againe to him who had well deserued of the Churche Ansegisus Abbas gathereth together the decrées that this Charles and his sonne Lodouicus had made in their times for the reformation of the Church causes Amongst other these The Canonicall Scriptures onely to be redde in the Churches For the office of Bisshops in diligēt preaching and that onely out of the holy Scriptures that the communion shoulde be receiued three times in the yeere The abrogatinge and taking away a great number of holy daies besides sondaies and that childrē before ripe yeeres should not be thrust into religious houses And that no man shoulde be professed a Monke except licence were first asked and obteined of the King He decreed also and straightly cōmaunded that Mōkes being Priestes should studie diligently should write rightly shoulde teache children in their Abbayes and in Bisshops houses That Priestes should eschue couetousnes glotony ale houses or tauernes seculer or prophane busines familiaritie of women vnder paine of depriuation or degradation He prouided to haue and placed fit pastours for the Bishoprikes and cures to feede the people He ordeined learned Scholemaisters for the youth and made deuout abbottes to rule those that were enclosed in Cloisters saith Nauclerus As it is saide of kinge Dauid y t he set in order the Priestes Leuites singers porters ordered all the offices officers required to be in the house of the Lorde for the settyng foorth of his seruice and Religion Euen so this noble Charles lefte no officer belonginge to Goddes Churche no not so much as the singer porter or Sexten vnapointed taught his office duety as Nauclerus telleth Besides the authoritie of this noble Prince in gouerning directing al Church matters his zeale care therfore in such sort as the knowledge of y t superstitious time would suffer is plainely shewed in an Iniunction that he gaue to al estates both of the Layty Cleargie to this effect I Charles by the grace of God Kinge and gouernour of the Kingdome of Fraūce a deuout and humble maintainour and ayder of the Churche To al estates both of the Layty and the Cleargy wishe saluatiō in Christ Considering the exceeding goodnes of God towardes vs and our people I thinke it very necessary wee rendre thankes vnto him not onely in harte and woorde but also in continuall exercise and practise of well doing to his glory to the ende that he who hath hitherto bestowed so great honour vpon this kingdome may vouchesaulfe to preserue vs and our people with his protectiō VVherfore it hath seemed good for vs to mooue you ô yee pastours of Christes Churches leaders of his flocke and the bright lightes of the worlde that yee will trauaile with vigilant care and diligent admonition to guide Goddes people thorough the pastures of eternall life c. Bringinge the stray sheepe into the foulde least the wolfe deuoure them c. Therfore they are with earnest zeale to be admonished and exhorted yea to be cōpelled to keepe them selues in a sure faith and reasonable continuaūce within and vnder the rules of the Fathers In the which woorke and trauaile know yee right wel that our industrie shall woorke with you For whiche cause also wee haue addressed our messengers vnto you who with you by our authoritie shall amende and correct those thinges that are to be amended And therefore also haue wee added such Canonicall constitutions as seemed to vs most necessarie Let no man iudge this to be praesumptiō in vs that we take vppon vs to amende that is amisse to cut of that is superfluous For wee reade in the bookes of Kinges howe the holy Kinge Iosias trauailed goynge the circuytes of his kingedome or visitinge correctinge and admonishinge his people to reduce the whole kingedome vnto the true Religion and Seruice of God I speake not this as to make my selfe equall to him in holines but for that wee ought alwaies to follow the exāples of the holy kinges and so much as we can we are bounde of necessitie to bring the people to follow vertuous life to the praise and glory of our Lorde Iesus Christ c. And anon after amongst the rules that he prescribeth vnto them this followeth First of al that all the Bisshoppes and Priestes reade diligently the Catholique Faith and preache the same to all the people For this is the first precept of God the Lorde in his Lawe Heare ô Israel c. It belongeth to your offices ô yee pastours and guydes of Goddes Churches to sende forth thorough your Diocesses Priestes to preache vnto the people and to see that they preache rightly and honestly That yee doo not suffer newe thinges not Canonycall of their owne minde forged and not after the holy Scriptures to be preached vnto the people Yea you your owne selues preache profitable honest and true thinges whiche doo leade vnto eternall life And
Catholique Churche notified in the order of this general Councell the supreme gouernment in Ecclesiasticall causes is in the Emperour and ciuill Magistrates your opinion condemned by the vniforme agreement of 318. of the most Catholique Bishoppes in the worlde commendinge and allowynge for moste godly what so euer the Emperour did in or about this councell The occasion of this famous and moste godly councell was the great dissention kindled partly about a necessary Article of our beliefe partly about a ceremony of the Churche Arius incensed with ambitious enuie againste Alexander his Bishop at Alexandria who disputed in one of his lessons or treatises more subtily of the diuinitie than aduisedly as the Emperour layeth to his chardge quarelled Sophistically against him and mainteined an horrible Heresie Besides this the Churches were also deuided amongest them selues aboute the order or ceremony of kéepinge the Easter daie The Emperour sente Hosius with his letters as I saide before into the Easte parties to appeace the furious dissention about bothe these matters and to reconcile the parties dissentynge But when this duetifull seruice of the Emperour tooke not that effect whiche he wisshed and hoped for then as Sozomenus writeth he summoned a councell to be holden at Nice in Bythinia and wrote to all the chiefe Mynisters of the Churches euery where commaundinge them that they shoulde not fayle to bée there at the day appoynted The selfe same also dothe Theodoretus affirme bothe touchynge the occasion and also the summons made by the Emperour Eusebius also writinge the life of Constantine sheweth with what carefulnes the godly Emperour endeuoured to quenche these fiers And when the Emperour saieth Eusebius sawe that he preuailed nothing by sending of Hosius with his letters Considering this matter with him selfe saide that this warre against the obscure enemy troubling the Churche must be vanquished by an other meaning hym selfe Therefore as the capitaines of Goddes armie towardes his voyage he gathered together a Synode oecumenical and he called the Byshoppes together by his honorable letters and that they should hasten themselues from euery place These thinges touching the occasion and calling of this generall counsaile by the Emperour are affirmed to be true also by Nicephorus the Ecclesiasticall historian Yea the whole counsayll in their letters to the Churches in Aegipt and the East partes doo testifie the same Synode to be called by the Emperour saiyng The great and holy Synode was gathered together at Nice by the grace of God and the moste religious Emperour Constantine c. The Bishoppes as I said before when they thought them selues or their Churche iniuried by others were wont to appeale and flie vnto the Emperour as the supreme gouernour in al matters and causes Temporall or Spirituall the whiche appeareth moste playne to be the practise of the Church by these Bishops called vnto the Nicene counsaill For when they came to Nice supposing them selues to haue nowe good oportunitie beyng nighe vnto the Emperour to reuenge their priuate quarelles and to haue redresse at the Emperours handes of suche iniuries as they thought them selues to susteyne at others byshops handes eche of them gaue vnto the Emperour a Libell of accūsatiōs signifiyng what wronges he had susteyned of his felowe Bishoppes and prayed ayde and redresse by his iudgement The Emperour forseyng that these pryuate quarelings if they were not by some policy and wyse deuise sequestred and layde aside would muche hynder the common cause tooke deliberation appointing a day against the which they shuld be in a readines and commaunded them to prepare and bring vnto him all their libelles and quarelling accusations one against an other Marke by the waie the craft and practise of Sathan to stay and ouerthrow good purposes that euen the godly fathers and Bishoppes wanted not their great infirmities preferring their own priuate trifles before the weighty causes of Gods Churche And the wisdome zeale and humblenes of this moste christiā Emperour who so litle estemed his own honour and authoritie that he wold rather seeme to be inferiour or for the time no more than equall with his subiectes to the ende he might by his humbling of him selfe aduance and exalt Gods glory to the edifiyng and quietnes of his Churche The day came whiche was the day before the first Session should be in the councell as Socrates saith the Bishoppes did not sleape their owne matters but had their billes in a readines and deliuered them vnto the Emperour This vigilant noursefather vnto Gods Churche had cared and deuised so diligently for the common cause as the Bishoppes had doon for their priuate quarelles and therefore when he had receiued their Libelles very politiquely saieth bicause he woulde irritate none of them for that tyme That the daie of generall iudgement should be a fitte time for these accusations and Christe the Iudge then woulde iudge all men As for me it is not leafull to take vpon me the iudgement of suche Priestes accused and accusing one an other Whereunto neuertheles he added this priuy nippe to pynche them withall For of all other thinges saith he this is least seemely that Bishoppes shoulde shewe them selues suche as ought to be iudged of others And so caused the Libelles to be cast into the fire giuing them an earnest exhortation to peace and quietnes The next daye after after they assembled at the Emperours palayce he commaunded them to go into the councell house to consult of the matter the councell house was within Themperours pallayce trimly furnished with seates aptly ordred for suche purpose as it were in rowes They entred in and wayted without any doinges till the comming of the Emperour whose seate was of gold placed at the first beginning of the rowes who being entred and placed in his feate maketh an oration vnto them declaring the contētions sprong vp amongest them selues to be the occasion wherfore he called them togither and the ende is saith he that this disease might be healed through my ministery After this he maketh an earnest exhortatiō mouing them to quietnes forgiuing one an other for Christ commaundeth saieth he that who will receiue pardon at his hande shall also forgiue his brethren After this moste graue exhortation to vnitie and concorde in truthe he giueth them leaue to consult of the matters in hande prescribeth vnto them a rule whereby they muste measure trie and discusse these and all other suche disputations and controuersies in matters of Religion to witte Sanctissimi spiritus doctrinam praescriptam The doctrine of the moste holy spirite before writen For saieth he the bookes of the Euangelistes and of the Apostles and also the prophecies of the olde Prophetes doo euidently teache vs of Goddes meaning VVherefore laiyng a syde al discorde of enemitie let vs take the explications of our questions out of the saiyngs of the holy Ghost When the parties waxed warme in the disputations and the contention somwhat sharp then
the Emperour as a wyse moderatour and Ruler would discourage none but myldely caulmed such as he saw ouer hasty with wilde wordes cooling their heate and commended such as reasoned deepely with grauitie When they had agreed of the chiefe pointes wherefore they were assembled the Emperour him self calleth forth Acesius a Byshop at Constantinople of the Nouatians Religion and examineth him openly touchyng these articles wherunto the whole counsaile had agreed and subscribed He wryteth his lettres to the Churche at Alexandria where the controuersy touchynge the diuinitie of Christ began declaring that he him selfe together with the Byshops in the counsayl had taken vpō him the searchinge foorth of the truthe and therefore assureth them that all thinges were diligently examined to auoyde all ambiguitie and doubtfulnes wherefore he exhorteth and willeth them al that no man make any doubt or delases but y e cherefully they retourne againe into the moste true waye He writeth an other to al Byshops people where so euer wherein he commaundeth that no wryting of Arius or monument conteining Arius doctrine be kepte openly or secretly but be burnt vnder payn of death After that all the matters were concluded and signed with their handes subscription the Emperour dissolueth the counsaile and licenseth euery one of them to retourne home to his own Byshoprike with this exhortation that they continue in vnitie of fayth that they preserue peace and concorde amongest them selues that from thence forth they abyde no more in contentions and last of al after he had made a long oration vnto them touchynge these matters he commaundeth them that they make prayer continually for hym his children and the whole Empyre Arius counterfeyting a false and feyned confession of beliefe like an hypocrite pretending to the Emperour that it was agreable vnto the faithe of the Nicen counsayl humbly beseching the Emperour That he would vnitie and restore him to the mother Churche and therefore hauinge friendes in the Emperours Courte as suche shall neuer want fautours about the best Princes was brought into his presence whom the Emperour him selfe examined diligently and perceyuing no disagrement as he thought from the agreement made in Nicene councell absolued restored him againe whereunto Athanasius who knew Arius throughly would not agrée and being accused therfore vnto the Emperour was charged by lettres from hym that he should receiue Arius with these threates that if he would not he would depose him from his Byshoprike and commy◠him to an other place The Arians heaped vp many and horrible accusations and slaunders vpon Athanasius whereupon the Emperour dooth sommon a counsaill at Tyre and sendeth cōmaundement by his letters to Athanasius that without al excuse he shuld appeare there for otherwyse he should be brought whether he would or no. He writeth to the coūcell his letters wherein he declareth the causes why he called that councell He shewed what he would haue and they ought to doo and prescribeth vnto them the fourme and rule wherby they shall iudge and determine in that Synode Athanasius appeared appealed fled to the Emperour and declared the iniuries offered against him in that councell The Emperour tooke vpon him the hearing of the cause sent his letters to the whole Synode commaūding them without all excuse or delay to appeare before hym in his palayce and there to shewe how vprightly and sincerely they had iudged in their Synode as I haue shewed before Wherein obserue diligently that the Emperour taketh vpon him and no fault found therewith to examine and iudge of the doinges of the whole councell Thus farre of Constantine and his doynges in the execution of his ministerie and especially in perfourming that part whiche he calleth the best part that is his gouernement and rule in Ecclesiasticall matters wherein it is manifest that by the practise of the catholique Churche for his time approued commended by al the catholique priestes and Bishoppes in the Nicen counsaile the supreme gouernement authoritie and rule in all maner causes both Ecclesiastical and Temporall were claimed and exercised by the Emperour as to whom of right suche like power and authoritie belonged and apperteined Constantines sonnes claymed and tooke vpon them the same authoritie that their father had doon before thē and as Zozomen reporteth of them did not only vpholde mainteine the ordinances made by their father Constātine in Churche matters but did also make newe of their owne as occasiō serued the necessitie of y e time required Constantinus after the death of his father restored Athanasius whom his father had deposed to his Bishoprike againe writing honourable and louing letters to the churche of Alexandria for his restitution Constantius deposed Liberius the Bishop of Rome for that he would not consent to the condemnation of Athanasius in whose place Foelix was chosen whome also the Emperour deposed for the like cause restored againe Liberius vnto his Bishoprike who beinge moued with Themperous kindnes as some write or rather ouercome with ambition became an Arian This Emperour deposed diuerse Bishops appointing others in their places He called a Synode at Millayn as Socrates witnesseth saiyng The Emperour commaunded by his edict that there should be a Synode holden at Millayn There came to this coūsaile aboue 300. Bishopppes out of the West countreis After this he mynded to cal a general councel of al the East West Bishops to one place whiche coulde not conueniently be brought to passe by reason of the great distaunce of y e places therefore he commaunded the councell to be kept in two places at Ariminum in Italy at Nicomedia in Bythinia Valentinianus the Emperour after the death of Auxentius an Arian byshop of Millayn calleth a Synode of bishops at Millayn to consult about the ordering of a new bishop He prescribeth vnto them in a graue oration in what maner a man qualified ought to be who shuld take vpō him the office of a bishop They passe to the electiō the people were diuided til at the last they al crye with one consent to haue Ambrose whom although he did refuse the Emperour commaunded to be baptized to be consecrate byshop He called an other Synode in Illirico to appeace the dissentiōs in Asia Phrygia about certein necessary articles of the christian faith and did not onely confirme the true faith by his royal assent but made also many godly and sharpe Lawes as well for the maintenance of the truthe in doctrine as also touching many other causes or matters Ecclesiastical Theodosius was nothing inferiour to Cōstantine the great neither in zeale care or furtherāce of Christes Religion He bent his whole power and authoritie to the vtter ouerthrowe of superstition false Religion some what crept in againe in the times of Iulianus Valens the wicked Emperours And for the sure continuance of Religion refourmed he made many godly Lawes he defended the godly
your order and praecept wherein for the Seruice and Mynisterie sake that yee owe to God you had the chiefe rule and gouernmēt hath in all pointes followed the doctrine of the Apostles and approued Fathers I doo detest therefore and curse all Heretiques yea Honorius also late Bishop of this sea who laboured prophanely to betray and subuerte the immaculate faithe O holy Churche the mother of the faithfull arise put of thy mourninge weede and clothe thy selfe with ioyefull apparaile beholde thy Sonne the moste constant Constantine of all Princes thy defendour thy helper be not afraide hath girded him selfe with the swoorde of Goddes woorde wherewith he deuideth the miscreauntes from the Faithfull hath armed him selfe in the coate armour of Faithe and for his helmet the hope of Saluation This newe Dauid and Constantine hath vanquished the great Goliath thy boastinge enemy the very Prince and chieftaine of all mischiefe and errours the Deuill and by his carefull trauaile the right faith hath recouered her brightnes and shineth thorough the whole worlde Bamba Kinge of Spaine commaunded a Synode to be had at Toletum in the fourthe yéere of his reigne the occasion was this There had béene no Synode by the space of 18. yéeres before as it is saide in the preface to this Councell by meanes whereof the woorde of God was despised the Churche discipline neglected all Godly order distourbed and the Churche toste and tumbled as a shippe without a rower and sterne meaninge a Kinge to call them togeather in Synode By the carefull zeale of this Kinge beyng called togeather they consulte how to refourme errours about Faithe corruption of discipline and other disorders againste godlines and Religion And at the ende they doo geue great thankes vnto the noble and vertuous Kinge by whose ordinaunce and carefull endeuour they were commaunded to this consultacion who as they affirme of him comminge as a newe repayrer of the Ecclesiasticall discipline in these times not onely intended to restore the orders of the Councelles before this time omitted but also hath decreed and appoincted yeerely Synodes to bée kepts hereafter Eringius kinge of Spaine commaundeth the Bishopps and other of his Clergie to assemble togeather at Toletum in one Synode the first yere of his reigne And called an other to the same place the fourth yeere of his reigne to consulte about reformation of the Churche discipline When the Bishoppes and the residue of the Cleargie were assembled in their conuocation at the commaundemente of the kinge he him selfe with many of his nobilitie and counsailours commeth in to them he declareth the cause wherefore he summoned this Synode he sheweth the miseries the whole countrey hath susteined and the plagues he declareth the cause to be Goddes wrathe kindled by meanes of the contempte of Goddes woorde and commaundement And be exhorteth them that they will with Godly zeale studie to purge the lande from prauitie by preachinge and exercise of godly discipline and that zealeouflye He doth exhorte his nobles that were there presente that they also woulde care diligently for the furtherance hereof he deliuereth vnto the Synode a booke conteininge the principall matter wherof they shoulde consulte And last of all he promiseth by his hande subscription that he will confirme and ratifie what the cleargie and nobilitie shall conclude touchinge these articles for the furtherance of godlinesse Churche Discipline Egita Kinge of Spayne caused in his time also three Councelles to be hadde and celebrated at Toletum for the preseruation of Religion with the Churche Discipline in sinceritie and puritie who also confirmed and ratisied the same with his Royall assent and authoritie Although aboute this time the Popes deuised horrible practises whereby to winne them selues from vnder the ouersight and controlment of the Emperour or any other and to haue the onely and supreame authoritie in them selues ouer al as thei had already obteined to their church the Supreme title to be head of other Churches Yeat the Emperoures had not altogeather surrendred from them selues to the Popes their authoritie and iurisdictions in Church matters For whan the Churche was gréeuously vexed with the controuersie about Images there were diuers great Synodes or Councelles called for the deciding of that troublesome matter by the Emperours and at the laste that whiche is called the seuenth generall or oecumenicall Conncell was called and summoned to be holden at Nice in Bithynia by Constantine and Irene the Emperesse his Mother who was the supreme worker and gouernour although but an ignoraunt and very superstitious woman I will say no worse in this matter For her Sonne was but aboute tenne yéeres olde as Zonoras affirmeth and she had the whole rule although he bare the name After the deathe of Paule the Emperour appointeth Tarasius the Secretary to be Patriarche at Constantinople the people lyked well thereof But Tarasius the Emperours Secretarie refused the office and woulde not take it vppon him till the Emperour had promised to call a generall Councell to quiete the brawles in the Churche aboute Images The Emperour writeth to the Patriarche of olde Rome and to the other Patriarches willinge them to sende their Legates vnto a Councell to bée holden at Nice in Bithynia The Bishoppes assemble at Nice by the commaundement and decrée of the Emperour as they confesse in diuerse places of this Councell Whan the Bishoppes were sette in Councell and many Laye persones of the nobilitie with them the holy Ghospelles were brought foorth as the maner was although the holy Ghospelles were not made Iudges in this councell as they ought to haue been and were in al the forenamed generall councels Tarasius commendeth the vigilant care and feruent zeale of the Emperours about Churche matters for ordering and pacifiyng wherof they haue called saith he this councell The Emperour sendeth vnto the Synode certeine counsailours with the Emperours letters patentes to this effect Constantinus and Irene to the Bishoppes assembled in the second Nicene Synode by Gods grace our fauour and the commaundement of our Emperiall outhoritie He sheweth that it apperteineth to the emperial office io mainteine the peace concorde and vnitie of the whole Romayne Empire but especially to preserue the estate of Gods holy Churches with all possible care and councell For this cause he hath with paine gathered this councel together geueth licence also and libertie to euery man without al feare to vtter his minde and iudgemont frankely to the ende the truthe may the better appeare He sheweth the order he obserued in making Tarasius Bishop He prescribeth vnto the Bishoppes what is their office and what they should doo propoundinge vnto them the holy Ghospelles as the right onely true rule they should folowe After this he mencioneth letters brought from the Bishop of Rome by his Legates the whiche he commaundeth to be openly redde in the councell and so appointeth also other thinges that they should reade There was nothing attempted or done in this councel
Frenche kynge prouing them to be as in deede they were no other but temporall neuerthelesse not standinge muche about the name nor taking them all away from their iurisdiction he onely said he would reforme them Neuerthels for certeine daies there was muche disputing to and fro whether they belonged to the kinge to reforme or no till the king by his foresaide procuratour gaue them the kinges determinat aunswere declaring vnto them howe that they ought not to be troubled bicause the kinges intention was to keepe those rightes and customes of the Churche and Prelates which were good and reasonable but by reason of their faults the iudgement whiche were good and reasonable apperteined not vnto thē to determine but to the king Bicause the Decree Nouit c. saieth that the kinge of Fraunce in matters de Facto hath not his superiour c. VVhereuppon hee concluded that the kinge woulde heare all the informations And those Customes of the whiche he shoulde be fully enfourmed that they were good and reasonable he woulde make onely to bee obserued In cōclusion the Prelates made such importune labour that the forsaide attourney aunswered them for the kinge that if the Prelates themselues would amende those thinges that were to be amended and corrected the king would abide till the feaste of the Natiuitie next to come within whiche terme he woulde innouate nothing but if within the saide terme the Prelates had not amended those thinges that were to be amended and corrected that then the kinge would put to suche remedy as should be acceptable to God and the people Whiche in conclusion the king was faine to do by a sharpe seuere Lawe whan he sawe howe the Prelates dallied him of with faire wordes and therefore he him selfe Composuit rem sacerdotum did set in order the matters of the Priestes In England at this time many abuses about Ecclesiasticall causes were reformed although the Pope his Clergie did earnestly mainteine them by king Edwarde the. 3. who wrote his letters to y ◠Pope admonishing him to leue of his disordered doinges whan that woulde not serue he redressed them by act of parliament and as Nauclerus saith he commaunded that from thenceforth no body shoulde bring into the Realme any kinde of the Popes letters vnder the paine of drowning and expelled all persones out of his kingdom that weare by the Pope promoted to any benefice Next to Lewes was Charles the. 4. chosen Emperour who helde a councel at Mentze with y e Prelates Princes in the yere of the Lorde 1359. wherein he much reproued the Popes Legate for his disorders and commaunded the Archbishop of Mentze to reforme his Clergie and the disorders amongest them for otherwise he woulde see to it him selfe The Popes Legate seyng howe the Emperour tooke vpon him gate him to his shippe and saylled to Colayn as one that fledde awaye With whiche doynges the Emperour became very famouse for he was a man of great workes who dyd lyghten the kyngdome of Boheme bothe with the the settinge foorth of Religion and with the discipline of Lawes and good manners At this time wrote Nilus the Bishoppe of Thessalonica declaringe the onely cause of the diuision betwéene the Gréeke and the Latine Churche to be for that the Pope will not suffer frée and generall Councelles to be called by the Emperours accordinge to the auncient custome that his authoritie is not by the Lawe of God but by the positiue Lawes of Princes graunted onely because that than Rome was the greatest Citie in the worlde and hath no prerogatiue of Christ or Peter more than any other Bishoprike Kinge Richarde the. 2. called a Councell at VVestminster saith Polydore wherein it was thought good to the Kinge and the Princes for the weale of his realme of Englande if a parte of the Popes authoritie were bounded within the limites of the Occean sea he meaneth that it were driuen out of the Isle of Britaine wherfore it was decreed that hereafter it shoulde be lawfull to no man to trie any cause before the Bishop of Rome nor that any man be publikly pronounced wicked or enemy of Religion that is to wit as the common people terme it be excommunicate by his authoritie nor that if any man haue any suche commaundement from him they execute the same The penaltie ordeined to those that violate this lawe was that losinge all his goodes he shoulde be caste into perpetuall pryson The Churche of Rome at this time was maruailously torne in sunder with an horrible Schisme whiche continued about xl yéeres hauinge at ones thrée heades callinge them selues Popes euery one of them in moste despitefull wise calling the other Antichrist Schismatique Heretique tiraunt thiefe traytour the sonne of perditiō sower of Cockle the childe of Belial c. diuerse learned men of that time inueighed against them all thrée as Henricus de Hassia 10. Cerson Theodorych Nyem secretary before this to Pope Boniface who prooueth at lardge by good reasons by the woorde of God and by the Popes decrées that the refourmation of these horrible disorders in the Churche belonge to the Emperour and the secular Princes Sigismunde the noble Emperour vnderstandinge his duetie herein amongest other his notable actes called a Councell togeather at Constantia and brought againe to vnitie the Churche deuided in three partes whiche Councell saithe Nauclerus beganne by the Emperours commaundement and industry in the yeere 1414. To the whiche Councell came Pope Iohn before the Emperours comminge thinkinge to haue outfaced the Councell with his pretensed authoritie till the Emperour came who geuinge to all men in the Councell free libertie to speake their mindes a great companie of horrible vices were laide streight way to his chardge To the whiche when he was not hable to answeare he was deposed and the other twoo Popes also and an other chosen chiefly by the Emperours meanes called Martyn the. 5. After these thinges finished they entred into the communication of a reformation bothe of the Cleargie and the Layty to whiche purpose the Emperour had deuised a booke of Constitucions and also willed certaine learned Fathers there but specially the Bishoppe of Camera a Cardinall there presente to deuise what faultes they coulde finde and how they shoulde be redressed not sparinge any dégrée neither of the Prelates nor of the Princes them selues Whiche the Bishoppe did and compiled a litle booke or Libell entituled a Libell for reformation of the Churche gathered by Peter de Aliaco c. and offered to the Churche rulers gathered togeather in Constaunce Councell by the commaundement of the Emperour Sigismonde c. In this Libell of reformation after he hath touched the notable enormities in the Pope in the Courte of Rome in the Cardinalles in the Prelates in Religious personnes and in Priestes in exaction in Canons and Decretalles incollations of benefices in fastinges in the diuine seruice in Piaures in