she was taken down cast into prison and reserved for further Torment Attalus also a Famous Man and notably exercised in the Christian Profession was led within compass of the Theatre with a Scroll before him wherein was written in the Roman Tongue This is Attalus the Christian The President knowing that he was a Roman commanded him to be imprisoned and closely kept with the other prisoners concerning whom he had written unto Caesar and expected an Answer Alexander a Phrygian born and a Physician having dwelt in France many years a man well known for his great Zeal towards God and boldness of speech stood hard by the Tribunal-Seat and comforted and encouraged many Martyrs at their Examination When the people that stood by took in evil part that they which before had recanted did now confess Christ with one consent they cry out against Alexander as Author thereof Then the President demanding of him what he was he Answered I am a Christian for which Answer he was allotted to be torn in pieces by the wild Beasts Attalus was fryed to death in a scalding Iron Chair so that the savour of his broiled body filled their nostrils who being demanded what Name God had Answered God is not called after the manner of Men. Blandina together with Ponticus a youth of fifteen years of Age was brought forth whom they would have compelled to swear by their Idol's Name But they contemning their Idol the multitude were enraged against them tormenting them with all manner of punishments Ponticus being comforted and confirmed by Blandina in presence of the Pagans after he had suffered most exquisite Torments yielded up the Ghost Last of all Blandina like a noble Mother having exhorted her Children and sent them before as Conquerours unto the King pondering with her self all the punishments of her Children hastened after them joying and triumphing at her end as if she had been invited and going to a wedding dinner After scourging after combating with wild Beasts after the broiling of her body as it were in a frying-pan at length she was wrapped in a Net and tumbled before a wild Bull which fanned and tossed her on his horns to and fro yet had she no feeling thereof in the end she was beheaded the Pagans themselves pronouncing That never any Woman among them was heard to have suffered so many and so great Torments As many as were choked with the noisom stench of the prison were thrown to be devoured of Dogs the Pagans keeping a watch day and night that none of them might be buried by their Friends To be short after that the bodies of the blessed Saints had been every kind of way spitefully and scornfully entreated lying six whole dayes unburied at length they were burned to ashes the ashes also they gathered together and scattered in the River Rhodanus which passed by so that no jot or relique thereof should any longer remain upon the earth This they did that there might as they said be no further hope of their Resurrection Irenaeus after Photinus was Bishop of Lions he flourished in the dayes of the Emperour Commodus his meek disposition and peaceable carriage answered to his Name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Peaceable and made his Name to be in great account among Christians Euseb Eccles Hist Lib. 4. The Martyrs forementioned did highly commend Irenaeus unto Eleutherius Bishop of Rome as their own words do declare in this manner Father Eleutherius we wish you health in all things and alwayes in God We have requested Irenaeus our Brother and Fellow-labourer to deliver you these Letters whom we pray you to accept of as a zealous follower of the Will of Christ For if we understood that any mans degree yielded forth and delivered Righteousness unto the Graduate namely as being Minister of the Church which this man is we would have chiefly commended this in him Iren. Lib. 3. cap. 3. Eusebius hath set down out of Irenaeus a Catalogue of the Roman Biships unto his time Iren. Lib. 2. cap. 57. Irenaeus sheweth how unto his time Miracles were wrought by the faithful some saith he do soundly and truly cast out Devils others have the foreknowledge of things to come they see Divine Dreams and Prophetical Visions others cure the diseased and restore them to health by their laying on of hands The dead were raised to life saith he and lived together with us many years Again in another place Irenaeus thus writeth We have heard of many Brethren in the Church which had the gift of prophesying which were able through the Holy Ghost to speak with sundry Tongues Iren. Lib. 5. which could reveil the secrets of men where it so behoved and expound the dark mysteries of God Then arose a Controversie about the keeping of Easter for the Church of the West and part of that of the East did Celebrate the Feast of Easter upon the Lord's day but part of the Church of the East did Celebrate it upon the fourteenth day of the Moon of March not looking for the Lord's day Towards the end of this second Century Victor the successour of Eleutherius Bishop of Rome took that business in hand with eagerness and for that cause separated the Oriental Churches from his Communion Polycrates Bishop of Ephesus resisted him Victor being incensed with that resistance excommunicateth all the Eastern Churches Eusebius saith That this did not please all the Bishops wherefore also they made him a contrary Command that he should keep Peace Union and Charity with his Neighbours Among other Examples he brings forth the Epistle of Irenaeus to Victor whereby he accuseth him to have violated Charity and to have departed from the Example of his Ancestors Ruffinus relateth the same Eusebius makes mention of what Irenaeus wrote concerning the Holy Canonical Scriptures and the translation of the Septuagint Irenaeus wrote divers Epistles to confute such as at Rome corrupted the sincere Rites of the Church He wrote one to Blastus of Schism another to Florinus of Monarchy or shewing that God is not the Author of Evil which Opinion Florinus seemed to be of but afterwards he was seduced with the Errour of Valentinus Irenaeus in his Epistle to Florinus Reporteth that he had conversed with Polycarpus so that he remembred the place where Polycarpus sate when he taught his course of Life the figure and proportion of his body the Sermons he made unto the Multitude the report he made of his Conversation with St. John the Apostle and others which saw the Lord how he remembred their sayings and what he heard out of their mouths touching the Lord of his Power and Doctrine These things saith he I diligently marked and printed them in my heart And I am able to testifie if that Holy and Apostolick Elder had heard any such thing he would have presently stopped his ears and reclaimed it To be short this may be reported for true out of the Epistles which he wrote for the
Jurisdiction nor Domination of the Bishop of Rome over the Churches of France Hilary called himself Primate of the Churches of Gauls subject to the Roman Empire that is of Provence and Daulphine for the rest of the Gauls was then held by the Visigoths and by the Francks The quarrel was that Hilary conferred the degree of Bishop in his Diocess not expecting the consent and approbation of the Bishop of Rome but Leo would oblige him to acquaint the Roman See with it and to get his approbation Upon that Leo sends Letters to the Bishops of Daulphine where after he haâ—◠〈◊〉 swe ling words exalted the Dignity of the Roman See he addâ—â—h Hillary To trouble the State of the Church Leon. Epist 87. ad Episcop per Viennensem provinciam constitutos and the Concord of Bishops by new presumptions hath exceeded measure desiring so to subject you to his power that he will not suffer you to be subject to the blessed Apostle Peter challenging to himself the Ordination of all the Churches in Gauls But Hilary came to Rome not regarding the Anathema's of Leo and to his face affirmed that neither did Christ appoint Peter to be Head of the rest of the Apostles neither had the Bishop of Rome a Sovereignty over the Churches of France In that strife Leo according to his custom had his recourse to Valentinian who presently without hearing what Hilary could say for himself gave sentence for Leo and made a Law which is extant in the Theodosian Code among the Novel Constitutions in the 24th Title the Law runs in these words Whereas the merit of Peter who is the Prince of the Episcopal Society and the Dignity of the Roman City and Authority of the Sacred Synod have established the Primacy of the Apostolick See let not presumption attempt any lawful thing against the Authority of that See for then shall the peace of the Churches be maintained every where if the Vniversality do acknowledge their Governour In which words we may observe by the way that Valentinian doth not ground the Popes Primacy upon the Word of God He addeth We Decree by a perpetual Ordinance That it be not lawful either to the Bishops of Gauls or to those other Provinces to attempt any thing against the venerable Pope c. but that to them and to all whatsoever the Authority of the Apostolick See hath decreed or shall decree may be a Law so that what Bishop soever being evocated to the judgement of the Roman Prelate shall neglect to appear he be constrained by the Governour of the Province to make his appearance But Valentinian being deprived of Africa by the Vandals of Africa and of Spain and Guienne by the Gothes and of most part of Gauls by the Franks nothing remaining to him but Italy Sicily Provence and Daulphine all the East being in the power of Theodosius that Law was but of little force How much that Law was despised in the Empire of the East it is easie to see for in the Year 472. that is about 22 or 23 years after that Law of Valentinian a contrary Law was established by the Emperour Leo which is the 16th Law in the Code De Sacrosanctis Ecclesiis The words of the Law are these Whereby the Emperour decreeth that the Church of Constantinople be the first of all Churches and the Bishop of Constantinople be the first of all Bishops We judge and decree that the most holy Church of this Town which is Mother of our Piety and of all Christians of the Orthodox Religion and the most holy See of the same most Religious City have all the privileges and honours concerning the Creation of Bishops and the right of sitting before others c. Baronius declaimeth against that Law of Leo and saith It proceeded from him who is the Head over all the Sons of pride Baron Annal. ad Ann. 472. Then lived Sidonius Apollinaris Bishop of Clermont in Auvergn whose Epistles are extant great part of which are written to the Bishops of France his Colleagues but in none of them is there any trace of subjection to the Roman See or of communication with the Bishop of Rome The same Sidonius calls Lupus Bishop of Troyes Bishop of Bishops and the first Bishop of the world and saith That he is sitting in the Apostolick See This Man wrote all his Epistles in Latin and Preached also in Latin In the tenth Epistle of the second Book he complaineth That in his time among the Vulgar the purity and property of the Latin Tongue decayed and degenerated into barbarousness And in the Epistle to Pope Perpetuus for then all the Bishops that were a little more respected than the ordinary Bishops were called Popes there is a Latin Sermon made by the said Sidonius unto the people of Bourges a certain proof that the people of Bourges understood Latin About this time flourished Prosper of Aquitain so called from his Countrey not the place of his Bishoprick as Baronius saith He wrote De Vitâ Contemplativâ Of a Contemplative Life In his first Book Chap. 23. he prescribeth That the Preacher's Language be simple and plain though it be not very good Latin yet that it be orderly and grave Usser de Britan. Eccles Primord Cap. 8. that it may hinder no body though ignorant to understand it He wrote a Book De Ingratis by which name he alway marketh out the Pelagians that sprung out of the ashes of that Arch-Heretick Pelagius Regiensem Episcopum fuisse recentiores commemorant In sententias quasdam Augustini Epigrammata varia conscripsit Catal. Test Verit. He wrote many excellent things in defence of the Grace of Christ against the Pelagians and sheweth himself to be a Disciple and vehement defender of St. Augustine saith Bellarmine Salvianus Bishop of Marseilles lived then when the Nation of the Goths oppressed France and many began to doubt of the Providence of God in regard that those wicked wretches had got the upper hand and prospered so much in the world therefore he wrote an excellent Treatise De Judicio Providentia Dei to Salonius Bishop of Vienna One entitleleth him Gallicae Gentis Episcoporum Magistrum The Master of the Bishops of the French Nation Salonius wrote upon the Books of the Proverbs and Ecclesiastes Claudianus Mammertus Bishop of Vienna is praised by Sidonius with excessive commendations as if all the Graces of Jerome Augustine Patr. Syms Eccles Hist Basil Nazianzen and many other Fathers had been incorporated in him He wrote three Books De Statu Animae Of the State of the Soul to the same Sidonius with two Epistles How much the Popish Bishops differ from those Famous Bishops that flourished in those dayes the Reader may understand by this following Epitaph of Claudianus Mammertus made by Sidonius Hoc dat cespite membra Claudianus Triplex Bibliotheca quo Magistro Romana Attica Christiana fulsit Quam totam Monachus virente in aevo Secreta bibit instructione
Brother Eudes They caused Charles to quit the Crown discharging him with the name of simple or foolish and declaring him incapable of so great a charge Robert arms boldly against Charles to dispossess him of his Estate Charles flees to Henry the third Emperour and laboureth to calm this storm At the approach of their Armies Robert to have some Title to make a War causeth himself to be Crowned King at Rhemes by Herve the Arch-Bishop who died three days after this unlawful Coronation As the Armies approach near Soissons striving in the view of Paris they joyn the combate is cruel but Robert fighting in the Front is slain leaving for that time the victory to King Charles who seeks a Treaty of Peace out of an unseasonable fear Hebert Earl of Vermandois Son-in-law to Robert beseecheth Charles to come to St. Quintins to confer together Charles cometh thither without Hostages Hebert there takes him Prisoner and conveys him to Soissons where he had assembled the chief of the Realm chosen after his own humour where he makes him to resign the Crown to Raoul his God-son the first Prince of the Blood by his Mother Hermingrade Daughter to Lewes and Wife of Boson King of Burgundy So this poor Prince is led from Prison to Prison for five years and dyeth of a languishing melancholy He had by his Wife Ogin a the Daughter of Edward King of England a Son named Lewes She takes her Son Lewes and flees into England to her Brother Athelstan who then Reigned But the Reign of Raoul was unfortunate who Reigned thirteen years during Charles his imprisonment and after his Death But Raoul after many broils dyeth at Compiegne Anno 936. Now are great confusions in France there is nothing sacred all is violated for Rule all respect is laid aside every one plays the King within himself for one King there are many and where there are many Masters there are none at all In this confusion there were many Kings Dukes and Earls although these Titles were but temporary having no other Title but the Sword There was no Governour of any Province throughout the Realm which held not proper to himself and his Heirs those things which were given to them but as Offices From hence sprang so many Dukedoms Earldoms Baronies and Seignories which for the most part are returned to their beginnings Italy given to an Infant of France was now possessed by divers Princes Germany withdrawn from the Crown was banded into divers factions so as the Empire of the West confirmed in the person of Charlemaigne continued scarce one hundred years in his Race for Lewes the Son of Arnulph was the last Emperour of this Blood In his place the Germans erected Conrade Duke of East Franconia Anno 920. the Empire being then very weak After Conrade was chosen Henry the Fowler Duke of Saxony and after him his Son Otho Princes adorned with singular virtues fit for the time to preserve the West For the Emperours of the East did run headlong to their ruine who were men either of no valour or altogether wicked attending the last blow by the hand of the Mahumetans whose power they strengthned by their vitious lives until they had lodged them upon their own heads In these confusions of State the power of the Pope of Rome encreased daily by the ruines of the Empire The design of the Popes was to erect a Monarchy in the Church by Power and Authority Seignories civil Dissentions Arms Revenues and Treason And soon after they grew to that greatness as they sought to prescribe Laws to Emperours and Kings who refusing it and disputing this primacy many dissentions arose and were dispersed among the people After the Death of Raoul Athelstan King of England having drawn unto him William Duke of Normandy sends an honourable Ambassage to the States of France entreating them to restore his Nephew Lewes to his lawful and Hereditary Dignity The French consent to it So Lewes the Son of Charles is called home by the Estates of France being accompanied with a great Troop of English-men and Normans Lewes hegan to Reign Anno 935 and Reigned 27 years About this time Ambrose Ansbert a French-man wrote Commentaries on the Psalms and Canticles and part of the Revelation In this tenth Century there was little study of liberal Sciences the Schools were few and empty of Languages The Popish Priests and Clergy having forsaken their old Discipline were given to filthy lucre nor were they respected by their flocks only Monks were noted to have some Eloquence And such was the corruption of the times that none durst scarce speak of the Corruptions Idolatries Superstitions and wickednesses of that Age which at that time were so luxuriant Divers Signs were seen in Heaven and great changes happened almost in every Kingdom The Hungarians oppress Italy and Germany besides many other broils in both those Nations France will shortly have another Race of Kings great were the Wars in Spain between the Moors and the old Inhabitants and the Saracens suffered neither Greece nor Asia to rest in peace Bellarmine speaking of this Century saith Behold an unhappy Age Bellarm. in Chronol in which are no famous Writers few or no Councils bad Emperours and no good Popes Baronius on the beginning of this Century saith Baron ad Anno 900. Sect. 1. A new Age beginneth which for rudeness and barrenness of goodness may be called The Iron Age and for deformity of evil abounding The Leaden Age and for want of Writers is called The Dark Age. Under the Reign of Charles the Simple King of France a Council was called at Rhemes for correcting the abuse of Church-rents for Noble-men in Court such as Hugo and his Brother Robert Master of the King 's Horses and Vincmarius with divers others under pretence of sustaining the King 's Honourable Estate and paying wages to Souldiers had converted to their own use a great part of Church-rents especially belonging to Abbeys Fulco Arch-Bishop of Rhemes uttered his mind freely in the Council Vincmarius one of the notable oppressours in the Court defiled the Council with Blood and killed Fulco Bishop of Rhemes The Fathers of the Council returned unto their own Churches with great fear for the like of this was not heard since the second Council of Ephesus in which Flavianus Bishop of Constantinople was slain Du. Haillan in vit Caroli Simpl. A Council also was held in France in which it was permitted Priests to marry Virgins At this time there was a great Famine in France The People had been much given to Gluttony and Drunkenness and God punished them with penury and scarcity of Victuals Lewes dyeth Anno 955. at Rhemes hated of the French leaving to Lothair his Son a Crown near the ruine and to Charles the youngest the favour of his eldest Brother Lothair detested of all men died Anno 964. leaving behind him an execrable memory of his actions and Lewes his Son for a final conclusion of
his race as an out-cast of great Charlemagne Lewes V. reigned one year only and dyed without Heir leaving his place void in troubles of State and confusion of times horribly corrupted unto the House of Hugh le grand Earl of Paris God had prepared the means both for the Father to lay the foundation and for his Son Hugh Capet appointed for the Regal Dignity to finish this goodly building Now cometh in the third race of the Kings of France called Capets of the name of Hugh Capet Charles Duke of Lorrain was first Prince of the Blood-royal he was Son to Lewes IV. Brother to Lothair Unckle to Lewes V. the last King to whom the fundamental Laws of France did adjudge the Crown But Hugh Capet was chosen King by the French assembled in Parliament and Charles Duke of Lorrain was rejected from the Crown This change happened in July Anno 987. This new King was sirnamed Capet or Capitosus either for that he had a great Head or that being young he was accustomed to catch at his Companions caps as a presage of that he should do unto Kings Otho and Henry two other Sons of Hugh le grand were Dukes of Burgundy one after another his other Sons were advanced to Ecclesiastical Dignities the one Arch-Bishop of Tholouse the other of Rovan and another dyed young Charles of Lorrain gathered an Army and entring France came to the City of Laon within which City he by the Treason of Anselm the Bishop of that City was taken and delivered with his Wife and Children into the hands of his Enemies Hugh being crowned King causeth his Son Robert to be crowned King at Rhemes Anno 990. three years after his Father's election Hugh decreeth that the elder Son should reign alone among his Brethren and suppresseth the Majors of the Palace He likewise decreed that hereafter Bastards should not be only rejected from the Crown but also from the sir-name of France the which before was allowed them To him likewise are due the goodly Ordinances of Justice Paris was the chief place of Hugh's residence which City was greatly augmented and beautified in his Reign Arnulph Bastard to Lothair was the only Man which had favoured Charles of Lorrain against Hugh Capet This Man was both perverse and disloyal having deceived both Charles of Lorrain and Hugh Capet who had given him the Arch-bishoprick of Rovan in recompence of the service he promised him against Charles to whom notwithstanding contrary to his Faith he gave means to seize upon the Cities of Rhemes Laon and Soissons Hugh therefore resolves to suppress Arnulph but respecting his quality he assembled a National Council of the French Church in the City of Rhemes This Assembly deposed Arnulph as guilty of Treachery and a troubler of the publick quiet and they substitute Gilbert in his place who had been School-master unto Robert Afterwards Hugh confines him to Orleans with Charles of Lorrain there to end his days in rest The Prelates of France in this Synod made a Declaration that the Popes have nothing to do to usurp the power and authority of Kings Arnalt Bishop of Orleans maintained in that Synod that the Popes have no power at all over the Bishops of France so as to have any cognizance of Cases belonging to them and he declaimed most stoutly against the avarice and corruption of the Court of Rome Seguin Arch-Bishop of Sens was sent also to Orleans to be imprisoned because he consented not freely to the deposition of Arnulph Pope John 12. being displeased with Hugh for that he had not appealed to him for his confirmation in this new Royalty disanulleth this Decree of the Council of Rhemes excommunicates the Bishops which had assisted restores Arnulph and deprives Gilbert of the Arch-bishoprick of Rovan and to temper this sharp and rough proceeding with some lenity he doth invest Gilbert with the Arch-bishoprick of Ravenna And this was a means to raise him to the dignity of Pope Acta Synodi Rhemensis Anno 990. The Acts of this Council of Rhemes under Hugh Capet have these words Poor Rome What clear lights of Fathers hast thou brought forth in the time of our Predecessors What horrible darkness hast thou poured out upon our times which will redound to our shame and dishonour in future Ages The Pope threatens his curse against Hugh and his Son Robert The King returned Answer that he had done nothing in contempt but that he was willing to justifie what He or his Bishops had done if it pleased the Pope to meet him at Gratianople on the Frontiers of Italy and France or if rather he would come into France he promised to receive him with the highest honour The Pope sent his Legates into France Gerebert Arch-Bishop of Rhemes sent an Epistle unto Seguin forementioned who was said to favour the deposed Arnulph the tenour whereof is Morn in Myst iniqu It became your worthiness to eschew the craftiness of deceitful men and to hear the voice of the Lord saying Here is Christ Hist Magdeb. in Actis Synodi or there is Christ follow not One is said to be in Rome who justifieth those things which ye condemn and condemneth those things which ye think just God saith If thy Brother offend against thee go and rebuke him How then say some that in the deposition of Arnulph we should have waited the determination of the Romish Bishop can they say that the Judgement of the Bishop of Rome is greater than the Judgement of God But the Prince of the Apostles saith We must obey God rather than Man St. Paul also cryeth If any Man Preach unto you otherwise than what you have received although he were an Angel from Heaven let him be accursed Because Pope Marcellinus offered Incense unto Idols should therefore all Bishops offer Incense I say boldly that if the Bishop of Rome himself sin against a Brother and being often admonished will not hear the Church even the Roman Bishop according to the command of Christ should be esteemed as an Heathen and a Publican for the highest rise hath the lowest fall And if he think us unworthy of him because none of us assenteth to him when he judgeth contrary to the Gospel he cannot therefore separate us from the Communion of Christ seeing even a Presbyter unless he confess or be convict should not be removed from his Office c. The Priviledges of St. Peter saith Leo the Great are not where Judgement is not exercised according to Righteousness Wherefore occasion should not be given unto these our envyers that the Priesthood which is one every where as the Catholick Church is one should be subject unto one Man that if he be corrupt with Money favour fear or ignorance none can be a Priest except whom these virtues recommend unto him Let the Law of the Catholick Church be common Farewel and suspend not your selves from the sacred Mysteries Pope John had intelligence of this Letter and summoned the
tribulations will not mourn who hearing of our calamities will not lament Affliction is on every side and we know not what to do O ye Christians behold the dayes of trouble the dayes of mourning and bitterness are come upon us It is come as we feared from the Lombards for we are afflicted distressed and besieged on every side by their most ungodly King Aistulph and that Nation Therefore with the Prophet we pray the Lord saying Help us O God of our Salvation and for the honour of thy Name deliver us c. And now because Aistulphus with an Army hath pitched his Tents and encamped against us and hath often said unto us Open unto me the Gate of Salaria that I may enter into your City and give me your High Priest and I will shew Clemency unto you If not beware lest when I have battered down your walls I kill you altogether with the sword and let me see who can deliver you out of mine hand Wherefore our Beloved I beseech you and as if I were present I adjure you by the mysteries before the true and living God and before St. Peter the Prince of the Apostles that with great speed you help us lest we perish seeing under God we have committed all our lives into your hands forsake us not After this the Pope sent another Letter in the Name of St. Peter A Letter sent in the name of St. Peter as if it had been written from Heaven which beginneth thus Peter called an Apostle Grace Peace and Power to deliver the Holy Church of God and the People of Rome committed to me from the hands of their enemies be fully given from the Lord God unto you most excellent men Pepin c. and to the most holy Bishops Abbots Presbyters and all Religious Monks c. I Peter the Apostle of God who have you my adopted Children to deliver from the enemies hand this Roman City and the people committed of God unto me provoking all your Love do exhort and protesting do admonish you to deliver the Church of God which by Divine Power is commended to me seeing they suffer very great afflictions and oppression by the most wicked Nation of the Lombards Think not otherwise but certainly believe it that I my self am standing alive in the flesh before you and our Lady the Mother of God the Virgin Mary with us doth adjure you with the greatest Obligations and Protesteth Admonisheth and Commandeth c. Behold here with what fooleries and impieties they would bewitch the world But Pepin did not leavy an Army until Pope Stephen came into France And when he took his journey he commended himself to St. Mary and his flock unto St. Peter Pepin hearing of his coming sent his Son Charles an hundred miles to meet him and when he came within three leagues of Carisiac Pepin went forth unto him and returned on foot and the Pope on horseback Then Pepin was crowned again by the Pope for the greater pomp Pepin went into Italy and forceth Aistulph to give hostages to render unto the Pope all due Right But after the return of Pepin into France Aistulph with new Forces doth more mischief to Rome Then Pope Stephen wrote another Supplication to Pepin who made no delay but forceth Aistulph to perform the former conditions and to give unto the Pope the exarchate of Ravenna Within a year Aistulph dieth then a division ariseth between Rachis and Desiderius for the Kingdom Then Stephen wrote his fourth Epistle unto Pepin giving him thanks for his aid wishing many blessings unto him and shewing that Aistulph was stricken by the hand of God and drowned in the bottom of Hell and that by the hands of Peter Prince of the Apostles and by thy most powerful arm speaking unto Pepin Desiderius a most mild man was Ordained King of the Lombards who had sworn to restore unto St. Peter the Cities Faventia Insubres and Ferrara with all their Territories and also Ausimo Ancona Humana Bona with all their Territories and he had sworn to keep peace with the Church of St. Peter and to be Loyal unto the Crown of France and entreated Pepin to approve the Coronation of Desiderius upon these conditions Henceforth the Pope began to lift up his head and having large Territories given unto him will not rest until he be Monarch of the world When Stephen had peace he began to repair the Churches which Aistulph had caused to be thrown down and died in the sixth year of his Papacy Fabian's Chroni Part. 6. Then Gaifer Duke of Guienne imposed a Tribute upon the Lands of the Clergy in his Dukedom without their consent wherefore the Bishops for a redress complained unto King Pepin thereof Pepin reproved the Duke for it but the Duke not regarding the Kings Admonition Pepin soon after with an Army entred the Territory of Guienne wasting and spoiling the Countrey Hereupon the Duke hearkened to him and bound himself to restore unto the Clergy what he had extorted from them But the King being returned into France the Duke gathering Forces together sent them to the City of Chalours in Burgundy and did much hurt to that Town and Countrey The King being sorely discontented at it returned with his People into Guien and therein beat down many strong holds and Castles and took or won Burbon Cancarvile and Cleremont and wasted the Country with fire and sword till he came to Limoges The winter coming on the King having strengthened the foresaid Cities Towns and strong Holds that he had won and then rode to a place called Caus there kept his Christmass and Easter In the next Spring he re-entred the foresaid Dutchy and took by force the Cities of Bourges and Tours The People of that Countrey considering the obstinacy of their Duke murthered the said Duke and after yielded themselves and their Country to the King with all such Treasure and Jewels as to the said Duke belonged whereof King Pepin offered a great part unto St. Denis Then this victorious Prince was vexed with grievous sickness wherefore in all hast he sped him to St. Martin's where he made certain Prayers and Oblations And from thence his sickness increasing he was conveyed unto Paris where he shortly after died when he had reigned as King there by the space of eighteen years After the death of Pepin the Estates of France Assemble and by their consents Charles and Carloman his Sons divide the Realm between them by equal portions Charles was Crowned at Wormes Carloman at Soissons But by the death of Carloman the whole Realm came to Charles within three years after the death of his Father Charles was endued with singular gifts both of body and mind he had the instructions of a virtuous Conversation and was bred up in Learning and Arms He was Religious and reverenced the Churches and Pastors he was a great Justitiary a reliever of the poor and kept his Faith both to friend and foe he was a lover of
recommending different persons The Princes finding all their intercessions ineffectual returned as they came leaving the whole business to the Cardinals In the first assembly after the Kings were departed John Cardinal of Porto observing the pertinacity of the Cardinals whilst they were together invocating the Holy Ghost cryed out publickly and with a loud voice My Lords let us uncover the Roof of this Chamber perhaps the Holy Spirit will not come where we are thorow so many Roofs It would be necessary to have a Holy Ghost for every one seeing there is no two will agree The Holy Ghost descended upon the Apostles because they were met together with one mind but how can we expect him that are so strangely divided At length the Cardinals being weary of going up and down to the places of their Assemblies and doubting by their delay to bring in some new schism into the Church two thirds of the Cardinals agreed in the Election of Tibaldo Visconte a Milanese Arch-Deacon of Lodi who was called Gregory the tenth not yet return'd from his Voyage into Asia whither he was sent by Innocent IV. upon whose Election Cardinal Giovanni del Porto made these Verses Papatûs munus tulit Archidiaconus unus Quem Patrem Patrum fecit discordia fratrum The Cardinals at odds and out of hope Arch-Deacon Tibald was created Pope Gregory endeavouring to make peace between the Genoans and Venetians who had been at Wars one with another for several years together went into France in the year 1273. where he gave beginning to the Council of Lyons Philip King of France was present at that Council with an infinite number of Noble and Learned persons both French and English He called four Bishops from Germany four from England four from France two from Spain from Sicily from the Kingdom of the Church Hungary Dacia Bohemia Poland Sweden Spottiswood Hist of Ch. of Scotland lib. 2. Norway and Scotland from each of these one There were two Patriarchs fifteen Cardinals five hundred Bishops and one thousand mitred Prelates besides the King of France the Emperour of Greece and many other Princes 1. In this Council the first proposition was for the Holy War and for it they decree that a tenth part of all Benefices in Christendom the priviledged Churches not excepted should be paid for six years That all Penitentiaries or Confessors should urge offenders to assist that holy business with their wealth and riches and that every Christian without exception of Sex or Quality should pay a penny yearly during that space under pain of Excommunication 2. For remedying abuses in the Church it was ordained Petr. Church Hist Cent. 13. 1. That no procurations to Bishops nor Arch-Deacons should be paid unless they do visit the Churches in their own persons 2. No Church-man should possess more Benefices than one and should reside at the Church he retaineth 3. None of the Clergy shall without the Pope's license answer the impositions which shall be laid upon them by any Prince or State 4. The mendicant Fryars shall be reduced to four Orders the Minorites Predicants Carmelites and Hermites of St. Augustine who shall continue in their present Estate until the Pope shall otherwise think good 5. A prohibition was made to admit or advise any new order besides these named Here also was decreed the Union of the Greek and Latin Church and the peace betwixt the Princes of Christendom But many of these Statutes in a short time turned into smoak pluralities being of new dispensed with the clause of non obstante which then first came in use The Orders of Fryars and Monks were restored one by one The Cistertians redeemed their liberty by payment of 500000 Marks The Bernardines paid 600000 Crowns and other Orders made their composition Whereby it appeareth that the Statutes which were enacted were only devised to raise sums of Money and not of any purpose to redress their abuses This Pope advanced the Dominicans highly even to the wearing of red hats In that Council of Lyons Canons were made for the manner of electing the Pope for from Sylvester's time unto this Gregory's Popedom they were not used to be shut up in a conclave but if they were in Rome the Electors met either in the Church of St. John Lateran or of St. Peter or in some other place as occasion offered if they were out of Rome they met in the Cathedral of the place where they were or in some other Church more convenient But the Electors many times regarded not expedition in their Elections of the Pope Hist of Cardinals part 3. lib. 1. whilst they had liberty to command to go and come as they thought fit therefore the invention of the conclave by Gregory was rationally thought very good and necessary There were likewise established by the said Gregory several Laws and Orders for the conclave which were afterwards by several Popes reduced into better form till that in process of time they were reduced into that which I shall insert in this place The principal Laws which are usually observed in the Creation of the Pope 1. That the Election be made in a proper and convenient place and ordinarily there where the last Pope dyed If that cannot commodiously be done let it be made in that City to whose jurisdiction that place doth belong provided it be not under interdiction for in that case they are to chuse another City in the same Diocess or at least not far off c. 2. That after the death of the Pope there shall be no discourse of the Election of a Successour till ten days be past in which time the absent Cardinals are to be expected and the nine days obsequies for the deceased Pope be celebrated with due respect by all the Cardinals that are present in the place 3. That no absent Cardinal shall send his Vote in any manner whatsoever by which it is intended they shall be deprived of their Voice as often as they are absent from the Election 4. That the nine days ceremony for the death of the Pope being over the Mass Dello Spirito santo solemnly said and the prayer de eligendo Pontifice recited let all the Cardinals which are present in the palace which shall be called the Conclave which is to be in a secure place close in all parts and well guarded be shut in with two or three servants only for their necessities Let it not be lawful for any to enter after the conclave is shut up nor for any to come forth except in the case of infirmity And if any be obliged to go in or out let it be by consent of the whole Colledge Nor is this conclave to have any Wall or partition to distinguish one chamber from another but let there be certain traverses of Linnen or cloath to divide their Lodgings and they to be given to the Cardinals by lot to prevent all controversies for place 5. That it be not only unlawful to Elect those
reconcile himself to her favour but all in vain she was still so implacably bent against him that the Peace of Italy being now concluded and the time come wherein the King had promised her to remove the Cardinal she was importunately instant with the King for the accomplishment of his Royal word At last the order was signed for the Cardinal's removal The Cardinal withdrawes himself a little time from the Court but by the advice of the Cardinal de la Valette restores himself again with the the King and so the Queen-Mother not only fell from her hopes but also from her credit with the King whereupon she departeth out of France and goeth to Bruxels Monsieur the King's Brother requesteth the Parliament to indict the Cardinal so doth the Queen-Mother But the King justifies Richlieu by his Letters and Declarations The Duke of Espernon stops the progress of a new Insurrection by dismantling several strong Cities of the Hugonot Party as Millant St. Afrique Pont de Camares Saint-Rome Tarn and several other places The King of Sweden having invaded Germany the French King makes an Alliance with him he establisheth a Chamber of justice in Paris who give judgement against several persons Then is the Cardinal Richlieu created Duke and Peer of France The French Protestants had obtained permission by the King 's Breviate about the beginning of this year to make a National Assembly of their Ministers of France for the maintaining of their Order and worship The Cardinal was of opinion that his Majesty should require them to meet at Charenton because being within his view they would have the less freedom to renew such Cabals as they had formerly made in their Assemblies of Guienne and Lauguedoc This Order was followed and the Sieur de Galland Counsellour to his Majesty was sent to be President in the King's behalf his Loyalty was not to be suspected and they were obliged to accept of him in regard of divers authentique testimonies which made appear that this Order was conformable to that of Councils assembled in the Primitive times which they professed to honour The King especially commanded him to be careful that no Proposition were made which did not concern their Faith or Discipline to silence them in his Majestie 's name in case they should discourse of any other affairs and to establish such Rules as the Cardinal had proposed to keep that Party in submission To this end he used his utmost Prudence and Loyalty he perswaded them to enact that there should not any more National Assemblies be made but in the presence of a Commissary from the King who might by testifying their obedience be a means of continuing them in quiet Besides he induced them to resolve upon the absolute excluding of all Stranger Ministers this being intended of all that were not natural French and to inhibite their Ministers from leaving the Kingdom without his Majestie 's Licence by this means to prevent all intelligences associations and correspondencies with the enemies of the State according to the Laws of the Kingdom and his Majestie 's particular prohibitions In fine he used so much prudence that they required their Ministers not to intermeddle in any affairs Politick or Military and condemned a Book of Berraut Minister of Montauban as erroneous because he maintained that Ministers had a particular call from God to bear Arms. Divers Ordinances were made there for the subsistence of their Party The Emperour of Germany sendeth Cardinal Pasman to Rome to endeavour to break the French King's Alliance with the King of Sweden The French King having lately been in Lorrain The Administ of Card. Ricâ—â—eu after his return the Cardinal undertook to compose a difference between the Bishops and Friers which had made a great noise for sundry ages together The Friers relying upon their priviledges obtained from Rome pretended to have power both to Preach and confess without permission from the Bishops And the Bishops unto whom all people within their Diocess are subject by common right did perpetually thwart that pretension They could not down with the Friers Priviledges alledging they ought to be declared void as being repugnant to the Primitive Constitutions of the Church This quarrel had been especially fomented during the last year by reason some Books had been published in the name of the English Catholicks which preferred the Monastical life before that of the Prelates and seemed to imply that Friers were more necessary at least more useful to the Church than the ordinary Pastors Was it probable that the whole Society of Friers would relinquish the Priviledges they had obtained from the See of Rome On the other side what reason was there that the Prelates should have so little Authority over them in Administration of Sacraments and the Word of God seeing of old Friers were only mixed among the Laity and addressed themselves unto the Bishops Congregations to receive the Sacraments from their hands or those who executed their charge The Cardinal took upon himself to end this difference though he was at that time employ'd in the most important affairs of Christendom He therefore caused the Superiours of the Orders to come before him one by one well knowing that to negotiate such a business in a publick Assembly would be a labour in vain He was a person well versed in all Antiquities and accordingly he represented to them how that in the first institution of Monks they were Consecrated unto God by the mediation of Bishops who received their Vows instructed them and directed their Consciences He laid before them the Original of the whole affair and shewed them how that the Son of God had subjected all those who sold their goods and followed him unto the Apostles whose Successours the Bishops are whereupon they making a strict profession of leading an Evangelical life were more particularly obliged to observe the Order established in and by the Gospel not that he would question the validity of those exemptions granted from the See of Rome unto which he owed much more respect and obedience than to debate the Ordinances thereof yet that he must needs inform them that they could not be dispensed with from following the Order established by Jesus Christ or his Apostles in Administring the Sacraments and Word of God That in fine themselves could not deny but they were obliged to relinquish some part of their pretensions for the avoiding of trouble to the Church which was likely to ensue upon this account and whereof the Hugonots discoursed with much freedom That this peace would be more acceptable to God than all the advantages it could otherwise procure unto particular persons That it would tend unto their honours by testifying unto the world the moderation of their minds and humility of their spirits and that the world would esteem the better of them That he should not willingly propose that the Bishops should have ordinary jurisdiction over their persons or power to visit their Monasteries but
Penance Extream Unction Order and Matrimony and that they do confer grace and of these that Baptism Confirmation and Order cannot be reiterated without sacriledge And I receive and admit the received and approved rites of the Catholick Church in the solemn administration of all the foresaid Sacraments I embrace and receive all and every thing which have been defined and declared in the holy Council of Trent concerning Original sin and Justification Likewise I profess that there is offered up unto God in the Mass a true proper and propitiatory Sacrifice for quick and dead and that in the most holy Sacrament of the Eucharist there is truly really and substantially the body and blood together with the Soul and Divinity of our Lord Jesus Christ and that there is made a conversion of the whole substance of the Bread into the Body and of the whole substance of the Wine into the Blood Which conversion the Catholick Church calleth Transubstantiation I confess also that under one kind only whole Christ and the true Sacrament is received I constantly hold that there is a Purgatory and that the souls detained there are helped by the suffrages of the faithful Likewise that the Saints reigning together with Christ are to be Worshipped and called upon and that they do offer up prayers to God for us And I assert that their Relicks are to be Worshipped That the Images of Christ and the Mother of God alwayes a Virgin and also of other Saints are to be had and retained and that due honour and veneration is to be given to them And I affirm that the power of Indulgences was left by Christ in the Church and that the use of them is very comfortable to Christian people I acknowledge that the holy Catholick and Apostolick Roman Church is the Mother and Mistress of all Churches And I freely promise and swear true obedience to the Roman Bishop the Successour of the blessed Peter the Prince of the Apostles the Successour of Jesus Christ And I undoubtedly receive and profess all other things delivered by the Sacred Canonical and Oecumenical Councils and especially the holy Council of Trent Moreover I condemn reject and anathematize all contrary things and heresies whatsoever condemned rejected and anathematized by the Church And this Catholick faith without which no man can be saved which I freely profess and truly hold for the present the same I will retain and profess constantly unto the end of my life by the help of God c. And this I promise vow and swear so help me God and his holy Gospels 3. The third Decree was concerning Divine Worship in general 4. Concerning the Sacraments As for the Sacrament of Confirmation it was to be done frequently and Gratis by the Bishops through the Towns in their Diocesses 5. Concerning Bishops where diverse qualifications are pre-requisite before any one be admitted to the Office of a Bishop 6. Concerning the Offices of Bishops 7. Concerning the Offices of Curates and other Presbyters and Parish-Priests 8. Concerning Monasteries wherein divers Instructions and Rules are prescribed to the Abbots and Priors for the better governing themselves and their Monasteries 9. Concerning Ecclesiastical Jurisdicton There were also divers Statutes made in the same Provincial Synod concerning the foundation of Schools and Seminaries The Decrees of the Provincial Council of Rhemes Anno 1583. 1. COncerning the Catholick faith and the reason of professing the same 2. A Form of Confession is set down 3. Concerning Divine Worship 4. Concerning the Breviary Missal and Manual 5. Concerning Festival Dayes 6. Concerning Divination by lots and other things contrary to Christian piety 7. Concerning the Sacraments 1. Of Confirmation 2. Of Penance 3. Of the Eucharist 4. Of Order 5. Of Matrimony Whereunto is added the Decree of the Council of Trent concerning the reformation of Matrimony ex Sess 24. 6. Of Extream Unction 8. Concerning Seminaries 9. Of the Clergy in general 10. Of Regulars and their Monasteries 11. Of Curates 12. Of Chapters and Canons 13. Concerning Bishops 14. Concerning Simoniacks and Fiduciaries 15. Concerning Burials 16. Concerning Usury 17. Concerning Jurisdiction 18. Concerning a Visitation 19. Concerning a Diocesan Synod 20. Of a Provincial Synod The Decrees of the Provincial Council of Bourdeaux together with the Laws of the Seminaries Anno 1583. all approved by the Pope 1. COncerning a Confession of Faith 2. Of those things which have respect to Divine Worship and Religion 3. Of Ecclesiastical Prayers 4. Of the Breviary Missal and other Books pertaining to Divine Offices 5. Of those things which either are to be observed or to be taken heed of in the holy Sacrifice of the Mass as they call it and in Divine Offices 6. Of Festival-dayes 7. Of Magick Arts and other things contrary to Christian Religion 8. Of the Sacrament 9. Of Baptism 10. Of Confirmation 11. Of the Eucharist 12. Of Penance 13. Of Extream Unction 14. Of Order 15. Of Matrimony 16. Of Bishops 17. Of Chapters and the Canons of Cathedral and Collegiate Churches 18. Of Parish-Priests 19. Of the Residency of Pastors 20. Of preaching the Word of God 21. Of the life and manners of Clergy-men 22. Of the Examination of those that are to be promoted to benefices with cure 23. Of Simoniacks and Confidentiaries 24. Of Monasteries 25. Of Seminaries 26. Of the not alienating the things of the Church 27. Of Schools Printers and Book-sellers 28. Of Hospitals 29. Of Usuries and unlawful Contracts 30. Of Burials 31. Of Jurisdiction 32. Of a Visitation 33. Of a Diocesan Synod 34. Of a Provincial Council 35. Of Punishments Of the Institution and Laws of the Seminaries of the Province of Bourdeaux 1. OF the Houses of a Seminary That they be built in a large and spacious place near unto the Cathedral Church That there be a Chappel wherein the Clergy may meet at prayers That the dormitory be open and common in which every one may have his own bed c. That an Hospital be appointed in an open place for sick folks in which all things may be provided for the sick with singular piety and charity 2. Of the manner of admitting Clerks into Seminaries The election and admission of Clerks shall be in the power of the Bishop or of those to whom this care shall be committed by name That out of all youths very fit youths may be chosen the Bishop shall cause it to be proclaimed through all the Cities and Towns of the Diocess especially where there are Schools that if any be poor and born of lawful Matrimony who desire to be promoted to the Priesthood and who have attained to the age of twelve years and have not exceeded the twentieth and have made some progress in the Grammar that they appear to be examined at the time and place which he shall appoint them The Bishop shall not admit any to be examined whom he shall behold to be maimed or deformed Then shall he enquire diligently concerning the condition estate