Where he saith Therfore let vs keepe the feast not in the leauen of malice and iniquity but with the vnleauened loues of syncerity and truth The communion is twofold wherefrom the Excommunicate are excluded Internall Externall The Inward is that by which euery faithfull man in faith and charity is first knit vnto God then to all the Saints and the whole body of the Church with the bond of the spirit which is in the Creed called the Communion of Saints of which that place of Iohn is meant 1. Ioh. 1. That which wee haueseene that which wee haue heard do wee preach vnto you that you the faithfull might haue communion with vs and that our communion might bee with the Father and with his sonne Christ Iesu From this communion it is not the Excommunication of the Presbytery but their owne sinnes which excludeth offendours For the Prophet as the mouth of God saith Your sinnes haue diuided me and you Esay 45. But Excommunication doth declare and confirme by the Churches authority that the irrepentant sinner is excluded and cut off from this communion The saying of the Schoole to that purpose is The Church doth not damnifie any man but pointeth him out that is damnified Euen as when in the Law the Priest did forbid the infected with the leprosie to enter within the Congregation This act of the Priest did not bring the sore vpon him but only declared that he was infected and hence it is the if the key go not right as the saying is but hit vpon such as be innocent the sentence pronounced is void Externall communion is of two kindes either in Church or Common wealth This latter concerneth negotiating trading and commerce in matters of ciuill course belonging vnto this present life Excommunication doth not actually depriue a man from the benefit of this but it remaines lawfull for any in ciuill affaires to negotiate with him to doe him all duties and bounden offices such as the sonne should do the father the wife her husband the subiects their magistrate for euen to Ethnickes and Pagans such natural seruices be returnable Ecclesiastical communion is that wherein we communicate together in those things which in the Church of God concerne his seruice as publicke praier preaching of the Word participation of the Sacraments This last is cleerly and wholly forbidden the Excommunicare both vpon warrant of Christ his precept Matth. 7.6 Giue not holy things vnto dogges Cast not pearles before swine as also in regard of their fruit and effects lest happily they turne vnto their condemnation because they receiue vnworthily it being the nature of the Sacrament to profit onely the worthy receiuer Concerning the preaching of the word although the vnfaithfull and vnbeleeuers by warrant of the Scripture should haue accesse thereto He vseth this word so often as being the practise where he liued that so they may the sooner be reclamed by repentance yet their case is otherwise who by the Presbytery are giuen vp to Sathan And although that in former time they were not wholly excluded yet neither were they licenced but respectiuely as hauing need of rather correction than instruction conscience than science Concerning the end you alleadge very fitly Pope Nicolas saying That Excommunication is not poison to destroy but Physick to recure Which is true indeed and cleane cuts the throat of your killing office vnlesse perdy with you to kill and to heale are two words of one signification For without all question Excommunication and brotherly correction haue both but one end which end is this that A brother may be gained if it be possible the Church edified the glory of God therby aduaÌ„ced So saith the apostle in expresse words 1 Cor. 5. First it is his purpose to deliuer vp to Sathan the incestuous person for the mortifying of his flesh that his spirit may be saued And secondly the wicked man is reiected from Communion with the faithfull Iest the Church might happily partake in his infection His words be these 1. Cor. 5.8 Cast you out therfore the old leauen that you may be a new lumpe Know you not that a little leauen leaueneth the whole masse Hereout the third Gods glory will easily be aduanced for when mis beleeuing Infidels shall behold that wicked and notorious offendours be in no case tolerated in the Church it cannot be but they wil greatly commend the founder thereof Iesus Christ our Lord. These things premised so pregnant that they stand without contradiction let vs see their agreement and coherence with the practised excommunication in the Papacy which will appeare void and a meere nullity Brutum fulmen rather than a censure of the Church or an holy and sacred action First it is a right resting in the whole Church But the Pope claimes it absolutely for his owne peculiar so farre as he may absolue and excommunicate at his pleasure yea actually doth both bind and loose Francis Vargas in Râ—sp de iurisdict Episcop in the most remote places from him The power saith Franciscus Vargas resteth only in his hands to Excommunicate Absolue Dispence Reserue cases Conferre Indulgences Benefices and such like to make Lawes enact Statutes punish reward rule and moderate the Hier archie of the Church All which power and if there be any other of like nature hereto is thought to be deriued vpon Inferior Bishops from the chiefe Bishop alone And not only so but to rest in him as in the Originall and sure head from whom al other do receiue that whasoeuer which they haue As though Christ the springing Well of life or those Fountains from whence we are willed by Esay to draw foorth saluation with reioycing Esay 12. were dried vp and no hope to attaine eternall life but by recoursing to the Cesterns of Rome Thus neuer did the auncient Councels decree it was not their intent that all power in the Church should be confined vpon this proud Tarquine Read and obserue but these Canons The 6. of the Nicene Councell Let ancient Customes bee retained Concil Tom. 1. The Churches in Lybia Egypt and Pentapolis let them obey the Bishop of Alexandria seeing this is the vsage in the Church of Rome In like maner throughout all other prouinces let the Metropolitanes of Antioch and Ierusalem retaine their rights and priuiledges without impeachment What singular priuiledge or prerogatiue hath the Bishop of Rome bestowed on him heere beyond the other his equall Patriarchs The 13. Canon of the Councell of Antioch Concil Tom. 1. Let no Bishop dare to passe from Prouince to Prouince and giue orders in Churches there vnlesse hee bee sent for by the Metrapolitane and the Bishops that bee with him But if not beeing sent for or called at all he shall inordinately and insolently presume to goe and giue Orders make Ecclesiasticall constitutions whereto hee hath no right let there bee a Nullitie of all his acts himselfe be put vnder censure for his insolency and
punished for his vnreasonable attempts as condemned by this synode for such his presumption What more can we say vnto the Bish of Rome who violently intrudes himselfe without being sent for into all causes in all Churches taking euery occasion to intermeddle so insolently and impudently as he doth Of the same argument be the 15.21 and 22. Canons which expresly forbid all Bishops to enter vpon or meddle with ought in any Diocesse beside their owne What neede wee more Can. 6. In the Aphrican Councel there is a Prohibition that the Bishop of the first Sea be not called Prince of Priests or chiefe Priest or by any such like title as these but only Bishop of the first Sea And the 92. Canon of that Councell prouides that no appeales do stand good which are made vnto places beyond the Sea that is to the seat of Rome and if any man shall appeale he is to be excluded from communion with any within the boundes of Africa And hereof there were letters written vnto Caelestinus the then Bishop of Rome wherein the Africans intreat him that he would forbeare from thence forward to receiue into Communion with him any man excommunicated by them which should bee derogatorie to the authoritie of the Churches of Africa and the Canons of the Nicene Councell For say these Fathers very wisely and equally haue they prouided that matters be determined there and not else but there where first they had beginning That it was not to be doubted but that the spirit of grace would be in such sort present in euery prouince as to inable the Priest of Christ wisely to see the trueth and constantly to follow it being seene especially seeing it was denied none if he were aggrieued with the sentence of his Ordinarie to appeale from him to a prouinciall or to a generall Councell vnlesse perhaps a man can imagine that God can giue seuerall men discerning iudgement and deny it or not giue it vnto many conuening together in a Councell And so the first Nullitie in Excommunication Papall is the Incompetencie as they terme it of the Iudge therfore Incompetent because hee vsurpeth on an others right which the Scholemen themselues agnise as sufficient to annihilate the sentence of Excommunication vpon the 4. booke of Sentences and 18. Distinct A second Nullity is that Excommunication is by the Popes denounced against Innocents as well as Nocents For they vse to punish not them alone against whom their quarrells lie but for some one or few mens sake they rage against Cities Prouinces whole Kingdomes as is to be seene in their Bulls where Excommunicating Kings Princes or Magistrates they insnare together all their Subiects which wickednes the Lord doth condemne by his prophet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ezech. 18.20 The sonne shall not beare the fathers sinne but the soule which hath sinned that soule shall die But this destroyer curseth downe to Hell and deuoureth to perdition not only the son for the fathers fault but onely whole families * which Augustine condemned Epist 75. but populous cities whole kingdomes for the offence if yet offence of their gouernours Wherin there is some ods betweene Christ and him whose Vicar neuerthelesse he needs wil be â—uk 19 10. For * Christ saith he came to seeke and to saue that which was lost but the Pope little priseth myriads of soules bought and redeemed with Christs bloud so be he may raigne and Lord it alone Christ proclaimeth himselfe The annointed of Iehoua Esay 61.1 to comfort such as mourn in Sion to giue vnto them beauty for ashes the oile of ioy for mourning the garment of gladnesse for the spirit of heauinesse that they might build the old waste places and raise vp the former desolations and repaire the cities that were abandoned and waste through many generations But the Pope turneth vpside downe Common-wealths setled well and in peace changing mattockes into speares sithes into swords and sheathing swords in the bowels of men Leo the 10. in whose time liued his like and was a retainer vnto that house I meane Angelus Poli who vsed to say merily vnto his fellows Let vs goe ad audiendam fabulam de Iesu Christo In effect Let go to Church forcing kings to quit their kingdomes altering states lawes times at his pleasure treading vnder foot the crownes of Emperors by pretext of excommunication forcing them to leaue their seat royall and lay their neckes vnder his feet to tread vpon The third nullity is from the causes of Excommunication For tell me whom euer for Idolatry or for Atheisme did hee excommunicate These impieties passe without controlement euen at Rome in the Popes Court which euery man knows that hath read their stories For to say nothing of Idolatry which by prescription in the Romane vse is now receiued for Religion was not that Pope a flat Atheist who in a passage of speech with Cardinall Bembo called the Gospell of Iesus Christ a fable And what I pray you cause was there at all why Henry the 111. the most Christian King of France should so be censured vnlesse for his too great zeale forwardnesse in the superstitions of Rome For as one said very truly At Rome you may be what you will So that you be a rakehell still But lest happily I seeme ouer seuere against transgressions in the first Table hearken what some ages since an ey-witnesse did write I tooke a iourney to see Rome and since I did it see I haue inough Then farewell Rome I 'le come againe to thee When Pandar Brothel Buffon or a Cynede I shall be And lest I be said to produce namelesse authours do but marke what Baptista Mantuan a Carmelite Frier hath written of the maners and customes of Rome S. Peters lust worn family in riot wast their daies Exiling far all honesty when buffons rents do raise Vpon Gods owne inheritance when hallowed altars feed Leud losels and loose Catamites within his Church do breed What maruell though they rise in wealth and houses build on high If Tyrus sends them scarlet gownes Th'arabian spicery And frankincense they vent out much temples are set to sale Priests altars praiers crownes are sold yea heauen nay God and all But what do I insist in this when as Iohannes Casa Archbishop of Beneuento and legat Apostolique with the Venetians in the daies of Iuly the 111. wrot and published a booke in Print in Italian rhythmes Taxa Cancellariae Apostolicae Luterâ—e apud Toss Dionysian â—520 therein extolling the sinne of Sodomy And to conclude The taxing of the chancery of Rome may witnesse without all contradiction in what low account be at Rome the most grieuous and capitall offences The words of that booke are these The Absolution for him who hath carnally knowen a woman in the church Grossus is the 8. part of an ounce a small fine for such a fault gross 6. The Absolution for him that hath had carnally to
Concerning the Excommunication of the Venetians A DISCOVRSE Against CAESAR BARONIVS Cardinall of the Church of ROME In which the true nature and vse of Excommunication is briefly and cleerly demonstrated both by Testimonies of Holy Scripture and from the old Records of Christs Church Written in Latine by NICOLAS VIGNIER and translated into English after the Copie printed at Samur 1606. Whereunto is added the Bull of Pope PAVLVS the Fift against the Duke Senate and Commonwealth of VENICE With the protestation of the sayd Duke and Senate As also an Apologie of Frier PAVL of the Order of Serus in VENICE LONDON Printed by M. B. for C. B. and are to be sold in Pauls Church-yard at the signe of the White-swan 1607. CAESAR BARONIVS his aduice vnto Pope PAVL the Fift to excommunicate the Venetians PEters office Holy Father is twofold To Feed and to Kill for the Lord said vnto him a Ioh. 21.15 Feede my sheepe and he heard a voice from heauen b Act. 10.13 Kill and Eat To Feede the sheepe is with care to watch ouer the faithfull and obedient Christians resembling Sheep and Lambes in all humility and religious piety When he hath to do not with Sheepe and Lambes but Lions and like beasts of fierce natures refractary stubborne and disobedient then Peter hath charge to Kill that is to resist fight against and root out such and that such killing should euer be in Charity he is willed to Eat that which he had slaine in effect through that Loue which he beares to them in Christ to lay them vp within him euen in his owne bowels that In Christ we may be c Galat. 3.28 one which is the Apostles owne saying d Philip. 1.8 I long after you in the bowels of Christ And so this killing is not Cruelty but Piety and syncere Charity When so by killing he saueth that which by being suffered so to liue had otherwise perished for euer And therefore as Pope Nicolas the first sheweth Excommunication is not a poison to kill but rather a e Potion Receit to recure And we see that a Father thinks well of those bands wherewith the Physitian hath bound his franticke sonne because he hopeth it will doe him good Go on then on Gods name most holy Father in your course begun and suppose not that any man can iustly tax your too great hastines in these proceedings That which S. Paul hath written to his brethren f 2. Cor. 10 6. the Corinthians that the Church is ready to reuenge all disobedience is a Command that the Church should bee forward to do it Your Holinesse happily hath beene too backward as yet not proceeding farther then to write For my owne part I professe I am glad and reioice in my spirit nay I will say with the Apostle I do g 2. Cor. 7.4 Ouer-abound in ioy seeing I see now in my h The man is about 68. years old Gregory 7. Hilachrand Alexander 3. Vide Plat. decrepit age to sit on Peters seat Gregory or Alexander the first two liuely roots from whence the dead Church-liberty began to reuiue both called from Siena the place from whence i Being named before his Papacy Camillo Borghese of Siena your Holinesse is extract to the Chaire of Peter Of which two the one gat the better of the Emperour k Henry the 4. Henry a most wilfull and peruerse man and the other by his incredible strange constancy vtterly vanquished l Frederick Barboros s a. Frederick Your Holinesse hath the like cause now in hand In your hands to borow the m Esay 3.6 Prophets words these ruines lie to reedifie the Liberty of the Church fallen downe deiected and laid low on the Earth Aduance with victory that attends you For God is with vs n Matth. 16.18 The gates of hell they be Christs wordes shall not preuaile against you You are placed in the Church Peters successor and haue the promise made to him Let corne be giuen them out of the rocke and as it is in the Prophecy of Ieremy I haue made thee a o Ier. 1.28 piller of iron and a wall of brasse Remember you are placed as p Esay 8 a rocke in the Church on which all that stumble shall be dashed in pieces But you shall continue without hurt ioined close and vnited vnto Christ who shall fight for you ouercome THE ANSWER OF NICOLAS VIGNIER vnto Caesar Baronius Nicolaus de Clamengis libro de ruina reparatione ecclae IT is an ancient speech vsed by one who was not vnacquainted with the dealings of Rome That were a Painter desirous to draw the picture of Pride his best course were to represent a Cardinall If a modest man and inwardly familiar with some Popes themselues had iust cause thus to write two hundred yeeres since how much more iustly doth it sute these times in which they want neither high-swelling wordes nor detestable impieties to effect and bring about their wicked designes Very lately there flew abroad into the world a certaine writing from Cardinall Baronius concerning the excommunicating the State of Venice directed vnto Pope Paul the fift In which the truth is so cleerly euidenced that though a man would deny the Sunne to shine at noone yet could hee not at all deny it So liuely and in such a plain sort doth the man paint out himselfe his Colleagues that in them you would sweare you saw Pride herselfe What leaueth he vndone or vnattempted to set vp his Iuppiter Capitoline an Idoll to be adorned in the place of Christ And what I pray you be his meanes Surely the same and no other whereby that Angell of darknesse deceiueth the simple counterfeiting himselfe an Angell of light For so crafty is that blood-sucker Sathan that he neuer appeareth in his natiue shape but putteth on the person of another So he assaied and deceiued Saul 1. Sam. 28.14 in apparition of graue and holy Samuel So seduced he Abab by the mouth of his Prophets 1. Reg. 22.22 So he drowned many of the Iewes in the Sea taking vpon him to lead them in the likenesse of Moses So in like sort at this day he exciteth and eggeth forward Paul the fift chiefe Bishop on earth Vicar of Christ Successor of Peter Prince of Prelates King of Kings Lord of Lords Father of Fathers head of the Church the essentiall forme of Iustice the Spouse of Christ the Christ of God as they instile him to commit murthers wage warres become an Incendiarie be the subuertor and ruiner of the state of Venice the most noble and auncient Common-wealth of the world and that in the person of a reuerend old man clad in scarlet robes a Cardinall of marke famous for learning pretending nothing but alone the word of God Peters office as you say Holy Father is twofold to Feed and to Kill Diuinitie not drempt of by our Predecessors Peters office is to Feed
with the vaine rumbling of the Papall cursings haue termed now at last Galli alluding to the French in the ambiguitie of words who heertofore sided with the Popes against Venice The Armes of France Saint Antonies fire Lib. 22. cap. 19. Mushromes much eaten in Italy and haue a poisonous qualitie in them saith Atheneus But he meaneth the pride and vanitie the word being fungus In fasciculo rerum expetendarum that your fire is no better than a painted flame and the thunder-cracks of your terrible Salmoneus no more to be feared then childrens rattles For so long as the Cocks set not vp their combes not affright with their crowing the howling of these night birds are but toies Or what cause is there why the Lions of Venice should be afraid of your fire who carrie about them Lilies an excellent remedie as Physitians write against the disease called Ignis sacer and not so alone but as Pliny writeth against the stinging of serpents and poison of mushromes Indeed I confesse the lightning of Gods seruants is not rashly to bee vilepended and yet there is no cause to stand in feare therof alwaies especially when as Vdalrichus Huttenus a knight of Germany writeth it proceedeth from Humane passion I tremble at the indignation of Christ I feare not the displeasure of the Pope and this is not Christs cause but the Popes quarrell These nets are not cast to catch soules but to draw in gold and siluer for seeing that the late Censure of Clement the Eight against the state of Ferrara thriued so well as to enlarge Peters patrimonie with an accesse of not a sew townes these Scarlet Fathers haue made them selues a promise that this against Venice shall speed as well But I wish them take heed lest Ill counsell fall heauiest on the giuers Iohan de Mandeuilla lib. 1 Venetians by their long continued trade with the Grecians may happely haue learned to answere Paul 5. to the same purpose as the Greekes sometimes did Iohn the two and twentieth Wee beleeue thy authoritie is within thy owne dominions supreme we can not indure thy pride which is extreamen we are not able to satiate thy Auarice The Diuell be with thee because God is with vs. Now therefore to returne from whence we haue digressed by the premises Baronius you may perceiue the vanitie and follie of that your exhortation which you annex vnto your Pope B Go on then a Gods name holy Father as you haue begun suppose not that no man can iustly tax your too much hastinesse c. For it had been your part first to haue proued the thing right and honest wherto you would lead him which failing to do you shall haue no thankes for your idle attempt in seeking to match Paul your Pope in equall termes with Paul the Apostle of the Gentiles much lesse to preferre him before and incite him as you do to proceed There is no delay can excuse much lesse commend that which originally was vniust nay rather the longer debated demurred the greater the fault in execution But this palpable flatterie makes me remember a worthie saying of Roderigo Bishop of Zamora In specâ—ritae hum lib. 2. c. 3. The Pope though he hath all things a yet euermore stands in need of one thing viz. a faithfull Counsellor to tell him the trueth For from the highest vnto the lowest euerie one is giuen to sooth him vp they tell him smooth tales but all to deceiue him Cunningly they aduise him for their owne aduantage Fraudulently they supplicate to attaine their own wishes and for that flatterie is associate with guile as euery man can tell they combine among themselues like craftie companions as they bee not to crosse or thwart the one the other And as the scope of an Orator is to perswade the end of Physicke is to recure so the intent of a flatterer is to colour and deceiue The fowlers call is a pleasing note but the end is to deceiue the bird And as Ierome said once Poisons are giuen mixt with hony These are the men that make God and the Pope fellowes ascribing some Deitie vnto him But and if I mistake not the trueth the Popes should indeed heerein shew themselues like God if they would command such Varlets to the halter but out of all doubt true seruers of God if such coosining deceiuers were well punished for their paines So far that Bishop But that which I maruell at most of all is that Baronius a man who knoweth all things the skilfullest antiquarie in the Church stories that liueth the man who when first hee gaue his mind to write Genesed out of Terence set it downe as his principall intent and purpose that the lies he committed to the presse might finde acceptance with the vulgar sort that hee should set down so barsh a comparison of Paul the fift with Gregorie the Seuenth and Alexander the third wherof the first was the vilest Varlet that euer sate in that sea and the latter to bee detested for his intolerable pride B I for my part so you say do professe ingenuously that I reioice in my Spirit I will say with the Apostle I do ouerabound in ioy And let mee also speake in the Apostles wordes Act. 23. God shall smite thee thou painted wall that darest belch foorth of thy vnsanctified throat the wordes of so great an Apostle who as truly canst say with a pure conscience which hee once spake I vse great boldnesse of speech toward you 2. Cor. 7.4 I glorie greatly in you I am filled with comfort and am exceedingly ioyous in all our tribulation as thou canst those former words of the same Apostle I haue wronged no man I haue corrupted no man I haue defrauded no man when the words thou speakest these verie wordes are only to wrong to defraud to corrupt B But let vs heare the iust cause of this so supera bounding ioy * When I behold in my decrepit age Gregorie or Alexander in Peters chaire Heare ô you Kings hearken ô Princes giue eare ô Potentates of the Christian world by the testimonie of Caesar Baronius a Reuerend old man a sincere Cardinall an eie witnesse a man of credit Gregorie sitteth in Peters chaire not you must know Saint Gregory the first whose Christian speech this is I speake it with confidence Greg. in epist lib. 4 epist 30. whosoeuer he be that names himselfe or would be named vniuersall Bishop in that his pride hee sheweth himselfe the forerunner of Antichrist that aduaunceth himselfe beyond all equalls who calleth the Title of Vniuersall Bishop wherein the now Popes do so much glory a Swelling a new name a word of rashnesse See the 2. and 24. episties of the 4. and 6. booke Proud Pompaticall Peruerse Superstitious Prophane Impious a Name of Error of Singularity Vanitte Hypocrisie Blasphemie That Gregorie I say the first of his name who wrote with such reuerence of Arian Princes
Lib. 7. epist 1. Whereof I would haue you informe your gratious soueraignes Lib. 7. Ep. ◠That seruant would haue made my self a party in contriuing the destruction of the Lumbards there had not been any nation at this day of that name to haue had either King or Duke or Earie But because I feare God I dare not make a party to destroy any man This is not the man who sits in Peters chaire but at which my hart trembles that Gregory who first was called Hildebrand as much as see Antonin p. 2. Benno the Cardinal of the life and acts of Gregory the VII otherwise called Hildebrand the life of Henry iiii Sigebert and others A fire brand of hell Gregory I say that Coniurer the Monke who cursed the Emperour Henry iiii and made him come vnto him so farre as Canusium without his robes royall in woollen cloth bare footed and bare legged in a sharpe winter and there for all the meanes he could make by himselfe by mediators in most base sort submitting himselfe yet made him dance attendance three whole daies Who hauing at last receiued him to grace vpon another forged quarrell did accurse him again depriued him of his ancient hereditary right in collation of Ecclesiasticall preferments and made that most vnequall and intolerable constitution which princes should in no case suffer If heereafter any man do receiue the inuesture into a Bishopricke or an Abbey at the hand of any lay persons let him in no case be held as an Abbat or Bishop nor haue audience as an Abbat or Bishop and moreouer wee denie him the grace of S. Peter and forbid him to come within the Church That Gregory who absolued the Princes of Germanie from the oath of allegeance which they haue taken causing them to take the field against their soueraigne and lawfull Prince by him deposed setting vp Ralph Duke of Sweueland in his roome vnto whom hee sent a crowne of gold with this motto The rocke to Peter gaue the crowne Peter to Radolph sends it downe That Gregory sate in Peters chaire who at length was abandoned of his owne men saw the city of Rome surprised himselfe laid prisoner in Crescentius or Angels Castell after that exiled to Selerno where he confessed his capitall treason against Saint Peter Gods Church his Lord the Emperour which by the Diuels perswasion hee put in practise and so in horrible anguish and torment of mind miserably ended his wretched daies hauing formerly in the Councels of Brixia and Mentz beene depriued of all Papall dignitie condemned as a breaker of good orders in the Church as a disturber of the Empire a sower of scandals a church-robber a magitian a relapse from the saith giuen to diuinations and to sorcery one that had a familiar spirit with him And as for Alexander the third his pride intolerable appeareth hence Frederick the second of that name being by him formerly excommunicate came vnto Venice to make his peace with him promising to vnder goe any penance the agreement passed betweene them so Alexander the Pope standing in the doore of S. Markes Church in the view and sight of all people bad the Emperour cast himselfe downe vpon the ground and there in open audience desire absolution which he accomplishing the Pope setting his foot vpon the Emperors necke said these words It is written Psal 91. Thou shalt walke vpon the Aspe and the Basiliske thou shalt tread the Lion and the Dragon vnder foot The Emperour heereat protesting he did it not To him but to Peter the Pope replied Both to mee and Peter putting himselfe not only aboue the Emperour but before S. Peter also And these are the men Gregory the VII and Alexander the III. whom Baronius calleth the Principall rootes of the decaied liberty of the Church And with whom he dareth match Paul the Fift present Pope Surely it bodeth no good to Kings to Princes to the Christian world vnlesse he missed happily in his parallels which I rather thinke the man did than that the Christian world should feare any such vaine coniecturall opinion And hee had almost beene in the Conclaue of Leo the eleuenth wanting but 5. or 6. voices But so the case standeth Baronius if he will be some body I had almost said if he will be Pope must resolue vpon somewhat worthy the halter or the hangman But happily heere he will except and say The Emperour Henry was a most froward and peruerse man and so worthy to be handled as he was by Hildebrand But sure both are false For neither was he such as you defame him nor if he had beene was he so to be vsed of Christ his Vicar who ought to haue hearkned vnto his Masters words Matth. 11. Infasciculo rerum expetendarum Learne of me for and humble minded That the Prince was not so appeareth by his life written by one that lined in those daies not very long after his death where hee giueth him high commendations for his loue to God liberality to the poore iust carriage toward all I haue not saith the writer any priuate cause of griefe piety compels me to bewaile the publick losse when he left vs iustice left the earth peace went away treachery succeeded in place of faithfulnesse the Quire of Gods seruants held their peace c. Monasteries lost their patron Cloysters their Father c. Alas what a losse hadst thou ô Mentz in so worthy a workemaster to repaire the ruines of thy Monastery Had he liued to consummate the worke begun in thee he had made it answer able to that famous pile at Spire where hee raised the Monasterie from the ground and brought it to perfection so huge a piece of building so beautified exceedingly with excellent ingrauerie equall nay exceeding the praise and commendation of all the antick monuments of kings c. As for you poore people you haue cause to grieue for now you are become poore indeed hauing lost your comforter in your pouerty he fed you with his owne hands he washed you he clothed all your nakednesse Lazarus lay not before his gate but was set downe at his table But with you Baronius as to Kill and Feed is all one so is there no difference betweene piety and peruersnesse or to speake in plaine termes Those are the Peruersest men aliue with you who take a way knowledge of your peruersenesse But it is no maruell this good Emperor is so stiled by you who durst sharpen your railing pen against Henry the iiii the presently most Christian French King by the hand of God preserued hitherto to suruiue all murthering emissaries subornd against him and worthy to line Nestors yeares For if you remember in the Epistle to Panigarolla prefixed before the first Tome of your Annales speaking there of the siege of Paris 1. Tem. An. ex editione Mogunt 1601. a a towne that stood against the King thus you write But yet at length though somewhat late wicked
the lake of fire and brimstone Apoc. 20. and be tormented day and night for euer and euer Euen so Lord Iesu come Apoc. 22. Amen THE BVLL OF POPE PAVLVS the Fift against the Common wealth and Senate of Venice With the Protestation of the said Duke and senate PAVL Bishops Seruant of the Seruants of God To our most deare and venerable brethren the Patriarches Archbishops Bishops and our beloued Sons Vicars Abbats Priors and other Prelates aswell Secular as Regular and other persons Ecclesiasticall appointed and ordeined throughout the whole Common wealth and Seigniory of Venice Salutations and Apostolike benediction We haue beene giuen to vnderstand that the Duke and Senate of the Common wealth and Seigniory of Venice haue for certaine yeares made in their Councels many and diuers Decrees and Statutes contrary not only to the authority of the Sea Apostolike liberty and immunity of the Church to generall Councels and Sacred Canons but also to the constitutions and decrees of the Bishops of Rome And amongst others that about the 23. of May in the yeare 1602. taking occasion of certaine processe and difference moued betweene Doctor F. Zabarella on the one part and the Monkes of the Monastery of Praxilia of the order of S. Bennet otherwise S. Iustin in the Diocesse of Padoua on th' other part They had ordeined that the foresaid Monkes from thencefoorth and for alwaies after should haue no action for vnder any title or colour whatsoeuer to be preferred vpon the goods Ecclesiasticall possessed by laie persons vnder title of Emphiteuse and cannot by right of preference or re-union of the propriety with the vsufruit or of extinction of the persons comprised in the inuestiture or for any other cause challenge vnto themselues the propriety of the foresaid goods but only the right of the direct dominion declaring that this shall take place Doresnauant hereafter aswel for th' other persons Ecclesiasticall Monasteries and other religions places being in their Seigniory and territory of their obedience And about the sixteenth of Ianuary 1603. renuing as they say certaine Statutes and Decrees made by their predecessors to this effect That any be he Lay or Ecclesiastical may not build Churches Monasteries Hospitals and other places of piety and deuotion without speciall permission of the Seigniory they had againe ordeined in their Councell that the same should take place in all places vnder their subiection vpon paine to all transgressors of banishment or perpetuall imprisonment and confiscation of the ground and sale of the edifices And moreouer the said Duke and Senate the 26. of March 1605. following an other decree made by the same Senate in the yeere 1536. by the which as they affirme it was expresly forbidden that any vnder certaine penalties contained in the foresaid decree might net alienate in the same Citie and Duchie of Venice nor leaue by will and testament or donation betweene the liuing any goods immoueable for pious and religious causes nor bind ouer or pawne to such intent but only for a certaine time there expressed a thing neuer before receiued or put in practise had againe not only made the lame inhibition but also expresly prohited the alienations of the foresaid immoueable goods made in fauour of the Ecclesiasticall persons without the permission of the said Senat had moreouer extended the foresaid decree and penalties therein contained to all lands vnder their obedience and had caused it to be published throughout all places and townes of their Seigniory ordaining that all the foresaid vnmoueable goods which were sound to haue beene sold or otherwaies aliened besides the paine of nullity should be confiscate and sold and the price thereof diuided betweene the Magistrate executing the tenor of the foresaid decree his officers and the informer and others as hath beene reported vnto vs to be at large set out in the said decree and mandates of the said Duke and Senate Moreouer that the said Duke and Senate had caused to be imprisoned Scipio Sarracino Canon of Vicenza and Brandelino Valdemariuo of Fornoue Abbat of the Monastery or Abbey of Neruesa in the Diocesse of Tarrase persons placed in dignity Ecclesiasticke and this for certaine crimes which are pretended to haue beene committed by them in the towne of Vicenza and other places vnder pretence that the connisance thereof belonged vnto them and that it is of their Iurisdiction grounding themselues vpon certain priuiledges granted as they pretend to the said Duke and Senate by certaine of our predecessours Popes wherein they preiudice the right of the Church and impugne the liberty and immunity Ecclesiastical and authority of the holy Sea Apostolike And because this turneth to the great scandale of the Church and the perdition of the soules of the said Duke and Senate insomuch as hauing dared to publish the forsaid Decrees and Statutes they haue thereby incurred the Ecclesiasticall censures ordeined by the sacred Canons of generall Councels and by the decrees and constitutions of the Bishops of Rome and the penaltie of goods lands which they hold of the Church of the which penalties and censures they cannot bee absolued nor discharged but by vs or our successour the Pope for the time being and that moreouer they are vnable and vncapable to enioy the benefit of the foresaid absolution vntill they haue actually reuoked the said Statutes and Decrees by them published and returned all againe that thereof hath ensued to his former estate For that also the said Duke and Senate after many fatherly admonitions which to them haue beene made on our part they haue made no account to reuoke the said Decrees and Statutes and that they still keepe prisoners the said Canon Saracino and Abbat Brandelino and that they haue taken no order to put them as they ought into the handes of our Nuntio and of the holy Sea Apostolique Wee who must in no case suffer that the libertie and immunitie of the Church and our authoritie and of the holy Sea Apostolique be violated and despised following the Decrees of many generall councels and the examples of our predecessors Innocentius the Third Honorius the Third Gregorie the Ninth Alexander the Fourth Clement the Fourth Martin the Fourth Boniface the Eight Boniface the Ninth Martin the Fift Nicolas the Fift and other Bishops of Rome which haue held this holy Sea before vs some whereof haue reuoked the like statures as void of themselues and declared them void and of no force or vertue being made against the libertie and immunitie of the Churche and others haue yet gone further euen to excommunicate the authors of such statutes and ordinances hauing duely consulted with our most venerable brethren the Cardinals of the holy Romane Church with their counsell and consent albeit the said decrees edicts and mandates be of themselues void of none effect we haue notwithstanding anew declared them void of no force and vertue and being such declare that no man is bound to the obseruation of them
the Prince of the Apostles and of our Chancery Apostolike and published in Campo de Flore as it hath beene accustomed haue as great force against the foresaid Duke and Senate and all other and you all in generall and euery one respectiuely as if they had beene personally addressed intimated and presented to euery one of them and you Giuen at Rome at S. Peters Sous l'aneau du pescheur the seuenteenth of April 1606. and the first yeare of our Popedome M. Vestrius Barbianus THE PROTESTATION OF the Duke and Senat of Venice against the Bull of Pope PAVL the Fift LEONARD DONAT by the grace of God Duke of Venice to the most Honourable Patriarches Archbishops Bishops Abbats Priors Rectors of parish Churches and other Prelates Ecclesiasticall throughout our Common wealth and Seigniory of Venice Salutations We are giuen to vnderstand that by commandement of our most holy Father Paul the Fift a certaine Briefe hath beene thundred and published at Rome the 17. of Aprill last past against our person the Senat and Seigniory and sent to you to bee published in our townes and territories of our obedience and subiection And because wee who are bound to preserue the tranquillity and peace of the State and gouernment to the which we are ordeined and appointed by God and to maintaine the authority of our Common wealth which besides the Maiestie Diuine acknowledgeth no Superiour in matters Temporall we protest by these presents before God and the whole world that wee haue omitted nothing of that which belonged to vs to make knowen to his holinesse the iustice and equitie of our lawes as well by our Ambassador ordinary at Rome and by letters by the which wee haue sufficiently answered to the former Briefes to vs directed as also by another Ambassadour extraordinarie sent by vs of purpose for this businesse But hauing vnderstood that his holinesse hath from time to time set light by our remonstrances without giuing audience vnto our most iust reasons hath decreed this briefe against all right against that which holy Scripture the doctrine of the holy Fathers sacred Canons do teach in preiudice of that power secular which God hath giuen into our hands and of the libertie of our common-wealth to the end to molest and trouble not without great scandall the life the goods and honors which our faithfull subiects do peaceably and quietly enioy vnder our authoritie we make no doubt to esteeme the said Briefe as vnlawfull and in it selfe void as well in fact and deed as in law and therfore haue thought it necessarie to take those remedies which our predecessors and other Princes of Christendome haue vsed against the Popes when they haue exceeded their power assuring our selues that you and other our faithfull subiects and all the world will so iudge thereof And as hitherto you haue diligently looked to the cure of the soules of our subiects and carefully trauelled to keepe the seruice of God in his integritie that heereafter you will continue in the same dutie of true and good pastors considering that our intention is to persist in the holie Catholique and Apostolique faith and euermore to continue in the reuerence accustomed towards the holy Church of Rome so we command you that you cause to be affixed these presents in the most open places of this town and others of our obedience to the end they may come to the knowledge of all our subiects and of all those that haue heard of the foresaid briefe so that it may come to the eares of our holy Father whose vnderstanding we desire God by his holy Spirit so to illighten that he may see the nullitie of all that he hath done against vs and that hauing vnderstood the iustice and equitie of our cause he giue vs cause to continue in the obseruance and respect which our predecessors and all the common-wealth haue hitherto rendred to the Sea Apostolique whereto they haue alwaies shewed themselues most affectionate Giuen in our Pallace the 16. of May Indiction the fourth the yeere of our Lord 1606. FATHER PAVLS Apologie for his not appearing at Rome being called thither by citation To the right Honourable Lords and most reuerend Fathers Pinello Ascalano S. Cecilie de Ciury Blanchetto Arigonio Bellarmino Sappata de Bubalis Monopolitano Cardinals of the most holy Church of Rome named Inquisitors Generall Most Noble and Reuerend Lords I Frier Paul a Venetian of the order of Seruants appeare before you by these letters and most humbly and submissiuely intreat that ye would reuoking those things that are inacted against mee in your congregations daine to accept and admit vnto due examination those my exceptions against them For about the twentieth day of September it was decreed in your congregation that a certaine booke composed by me in Italian thus intituled Considerations vpon the censure of the holinesse of Pope Paul the Fift against the renowmed Common wealth of Venice should not bee diuulged abroad or read or yet retained by any one which had it Neither also one other booke intituled An Apology for the oppositions of the renowmed and reuerend Lord Cardinall Bellarmine to the treatises and resolutions of Iohn Gerson touching the validity of excommunication Neither yet one other booke composed by me with sixe other bearing this inscription A tractate of the interdict of the holinesse of Pope Paul the Fift with some other bookes of the same Argument composed by others with all other which should afterward be published of that argument for that many things were found in them very rashly deliuered calumnious scandalous seditious scismaticall erroneous and hereticall respectiuely In the next place the thirtieth day of the moneth of October a Citation was decreed against me with Commandement that it should bee hanged in the Court at Rome with the penalty of Excommunication the sentence being denounced against me as also of perpetuall infamie and depriuation from all and singular offices and dignities and other penalties inflicted by the Canoicall constitutions and to be imposed at your pleasure that I should within the space of twentie and foure dayes appeare in mine owne person and not by a proctor to giue an account of my faith and to purge my selfe from all crimes obiected against me for that it was obiected by and vnder the lawfull oath of men of credit and manifest by other proofes that there was no safe accesse to be made vnto me as it is reported to be conteined more fully and more at large in the foresaid decrees and edicts imprinted to which c. Truely most Reuerend Lordes I am readie according to the commandement of Saint Peter to render an account of that faith and hope whereby I liue to euerie one which demandeth it and doe constantly affirm that a publique examination of our faith is most profitable and necessarie in the Church to the intent that we may not be carried about with euerie wind of doctrine and that we may not be deceiued at vnawarres