be done in priuate houses so that whosoeuer should atteÌ„pt the contrary should be depriued const 57. Moreouer coÌ„cernyng Clerkes leauyng their Churches const 58. Also concerning the order maner of funerals const 59. And that Byshops should not keepe froÌ„ their flocke const 67. The same IustiniaÌ„ grauÌ„ted to the Clergy of ConstaÌ„tinople the priuiledge of the secular court in cases onely ciuile and such as touched not the disturbauÌ„ce of the Byshop otherwise in all criminall causes he left them to the iudgemeÌ„t of the secular court const 83. He geueth also lawes decrees for breach of matrimonie const 117. in diuers other places And in his const 123. after the doctrine of S. Paule he commauÌ„deth all Byshops Priestes to sounde out their seruice to celebrate the misteries not after a secrete maner but with a loude voyce so as they might not onely be heard but also be vnderstand of the faythfull people what was sayd done Whereby it is to be gathered that diuine prayers and seruice then was in the vulgar toung And as the said Iustinian other Emperours in those dayes had the iurisdictioÌ„ and gouernement ouer spirituall matters persons the like examples also may be brought of other kyngs in other laÌ„des who had no lesse authoritie in their Realmes then Emperours had in their Empire As in FrauÌ„ce Clodoueus the first Christened kyng at Orleans caused a CouÌ„cell of 33. Byshops where .33 Canons were instituted coÌ„cernyng the gouernemeÌ„t of the Church within .200 yeares after Christ. Ex primo Tomo Concil Carolus Magnus beside his other lawes and edictes political called v. Synodes one at Mentz the second at Rome the third at Remes the fourth at Cabilone the fift at Arâ—late where sundry rites ordinauÌ„ces were geuen to the Clergy about .810 yeares after Christ. The same Carolus also decreed that onely the Canonicall bookes of Scripture should be read in the Church none other Which before also was decreed an 4.17 in the third generall Councel of Carthage Item he exhorteth and chargeth Byshops and Priests to preach the word with a godly iniuÌ„ction Episcopi verò vt siue per se siue per vicarios pabulum verbi diuini sedulò populis annuncient Quia vt ait beatus Gregorius Iram contra se occulti iudicis excitat Sacerdos si sine praedicationis sonitu incedit Et vt ipsi clerum sibi commissum in sobrietate castitate nutriant Superstitiones quas quibusdam in locis in exequijs mortuorum noÌ„nulli faciunt eradicent that is That bishops either by them selues or their deputies shall shew forth the foode of Gods word to the people with all diligeÌ„ce For as Gregory sayth the Priest procureth against him the wrath of the secret iudge which goeth without the sound of preaching And also that they bring vp their Clergy to theÌ„ coÌ„mitted in sobernes chastitie The superstitioÌ„ which in certaine places is vsed of some about the Funerals of the dead let them exterminate plucke vp by the rootes c. Moreouer instructing informyng the sayd Byshops Priestes in the office of preaching willeth theÌ„ not to suffer any to fayne or preach to the people any new doctrine of their owne inueÌ„tion not agreing to the word of God but that they them selues both will preach such thyngs as lead to eternall life and also that they set vp other to do the same ioyneth with all a godly exhortation Ideo dilectissimi toto corde praeparemus nos in scientia veritatis mox vt diuina donante gratia verbum Dei currat crescat multiplicetur in profectum Ecclesiae Dei sanctae salutem animaruÌ„ nostrarum laudem gloriam nominis Domini nostri Iesu Christi Pax praedicantibus gratia obedientibus gloria Domino nostro Iesu Christo Amen Furthermore the said Carolus in his constitutions diuideth the goodes geueÌ„ to the Church so that in the more welthy places two partes should go to the vse of the poore the third to the stipeÌ„d of the Clergy Otherwise in poorer places an equall diuisioÌ„ to be made betwene the pouertie the Clergy vnles the gift had some speciall exception Ex Ansegiso lib. 1. cap. 80. And in the same booke a little after cap. 83. the author declareth by the sayd Carolus to be decreed that no Ecclesiasticall person or persons froÌ„ thenceforth should presume to take of any person any such gift or donation wherby the childreÌ„ or kinsfolkes of the sayd Donor should be defeited of their inheritance duly to them belongyng Ludouicus Pius king of France after Emperor was sonne to the foresaid Charles who being ioined together with the said Charles his father in the Empire ordained also with his father sundry actes obseruaunces touchyng the gouernement of the Church as in the author before alledged may appeare As first that no entry should be made into the Church by Symony Agayne that Byshops should be ordained by the free electioÌ„ of the Clergie of the people without all respect of person or reward onely for the merite of life and gift of heauenly wisedome Also the sayd Kynges Emperours forbad that any free maÌ„ or Citizen should enter the professioÌ„ of Monkery without licence asked of the kyng before added a double cause wherfore First for that many not for meere deuotioÌ„ but for idlenes and auoyding the kynges warres do geue theÌ„ selues to ReligioÌ„ againe for that many be craftely circumueÌ„ted deluded by subtile couetous persons seekyng to get froÌ„ them that which they haue Lib. 1. cap. 114. ibidem IteÌ„ that no young childreÌ„ or boyes should be shaueÌ„ or enter any profession without the will of their PareÌ„tes And no young maydens should take the veale or profession of a Nunne before she came to sufficient discretion of yeres to discerne chuse what they will follow That none should be interred or buried theÌ„ce forth within the Church which also was decreed by Theodosius Valentinianus 40. yeares before them Item the sayd Carolus .22 yeares before this Emperour enacted that murderers such as were giltie of death by the law should haue no sanctuary by flying into the Church c. which also was decreed by IustiniaÌ„ .300 yeares before this Carolus Ex Nouel Iustinia Moreouer the foresayd Ludouicus Pius with his sonne Clothariê° or as some call him Lotharius ioyned with him among other Ecclesiasticall Sanctions ordained a godly law for laymen to coÌ„municate the Sacrament of the body bloud of the Lord in these wordes Vt si noÌ„ frequeÌ„tius vel ter laici homines communicent nisi fortè grauioribus quibusâ—am criminibus impediaÌ„tur That laymen do communicate at least thrise if not ofter except they be let percase by some more haynous greuous offences Anseg lib. 2. cap. 43. Item they enacted that no goodes of the Church should be alienated vnder the payne Leoninae
iurisdiction in which poynt this new Church of Rome hath swarued from the auncient Church of Rome which was as is sufficiently proued THe third point wherein the church of Rome hath broken and is departed from the Church of Rome is the forme of stile title annexed to the Bishop of that Sea As where he is called Pope most holy father vicare generall vicare of Christ successour of Peter vniuersall Byshop Prince of Priestes head of the Church vniuersall Summus orbis pontifex Stupor mundi head Byshop of the world the admiration of the world neither God nor mā but a thyng betwene both c. for all these termes be geuen him in Popish bookes Albeit the name Pope beyng a Greeke name deriued of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which soūdeth as much as Father in the Syracusane speach may peraduenture seeme more tolerable as which hath bene vsed in the old time among Byshops for so Austen was called of the Coūcell of Aphrike Hierome of Boniface other Also Cyprian Byshop of Carthage was called Papa 24. q. 1. cap. loquitur dist 50. cap. De eo tamen Item Clodouaeus or as Rheanus calleth him Ludouicus first Christiā king of Fraūce calleth a certain simpler Byshop Papam Hierome also in his Epistle to Chromatius calleth Valerianus by the name of Pope likewise writyng to Eustachium and Fabiola he calleth Epiphanius beatum Papam In the Apologies of Athanasius we read oft tymes that he was called Papa and Archiepiscopus Ruffinus also Lib. 2. cap. 26. calleth him Pontificem maximum Also Aurelius President in the vi Councell of Carthage was called of the sayd Councell Papa ex cap. 4. vi Concil Carthag And before this Eleutherius Byshop of Rome writyng to kyng Lucius the first Christian kyng in this land calleth him in his Epistle the vicare of Christ. c. But that any of these termes were so peculiarly applied to the Bishop of Rome that other bishops were excluded from the same or that any one bishop aboue the rest had the name of Oecumenicall or vniuersall or head to the derogation of other Bishopps or with such glory as is now annexed to the same that is not to be found neither in histories of the old tyme nor in any example of the primitiue Church nor in the testimonies of auncient approued Doctours First before the Councell of Nice it is euident by Pope Pius the ij that there was no respect had to the church of Rome but euery church then was ruled by his owne gouernance til the yeare of our Lord 340. Then folowed the Councell of Nice wherin was decreed that throughout the whole vniuersitie of Christes Church which was now far spread ouer all the world certaine Prouinces or precincts to the number of foure were appointed euery one to haue his head church and chiefe bishop called then Metropolitane or Patriarch to haue the ouersight of such churches as did lie about him In the number of which Patriarches or Metropolitanes the Bishop of Rome had the first place The Bishop of Alexandria was the second The Bishop of Antioche the third The Bishop of Hierusalem was the fourth Patriarch Afterward in the number of these Patriarches came in also the Bishop of Constantinople in the roome of the bishop of Antioch So these foure or fiue Metropolitanes or Patriarches had their peculiar circuites and precincts to them peculiarly appointed in such sort as one of them should not deale within an others precinct also that there should be among them equalitie of honour wherupon we read so oft in the decrees of the olde Councels 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is equall degree of thrones and of honour among priests and ministers Againe speaking of the said Patriarches or Primates we read in the 2. and 3. chap. of the Councel of Constant 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is That bishops should not inuade the Dioces of other bishops without their borders nor confound togither churches c. Moreouer the old Doctours for the most and best part do accord in one sentēce that all bishops placed wheresoeuer in the church of God be eiusdem meriti honoris successores Apostolorum that is to be of one merite of like honour and all to be successors together of the Apostles Also he that is the Author of the booke called Dionysius Areopagita calleth all the Bishops 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is of equall order and of like honor c. All this while the Bishop of Rome was a Patriarch and a Metropolitane or bishop called of the first sea but no Oecumenicall Bishop nor head of the vniuersall Church nor any such matter In so much that he with all other Bishops was debarred from that by a playne decree of the Councell of Carthage Can. 39. in these wordes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is That the bishop of the first seat shall not be called the Prince of priests or the high priest or any such thing And least any here should take occasion of cauilling to heare him called bishop of the first sea here is to be expounded what is ment by the first sea and wherfore he was so called not for any dignitie of the persō either of him which succedeth or of him whom he is said to succeede but onely of the place wherin he sitteth This is plainly proued by the councell of Calcedone cap. 28. Wherin is manifestly declared the cause why the sea of Rome among all other Patriarchall seas is numbred for the first sea by the auncient fathers For why saith the Councell 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is for that our forefathers did worthily attribute the chiefe degree of honour to the sea of old Rome because the principall raigne or Emperie was in that Citie c. The same also is confirmed by Eusebius Caesariensis declaring quòd excellentia Romani Imperij extulit papatum Rom. Pontificis supra alias Ecclesias That the excellencie of the Romaine Emperie did aduance the Popedome of the Romaine bishop aboue other churches c. Ex Gab. Biel. Moreouer saith the said Caesariensis Nicena synodus hoc contulit priuilegium Rom. pontifici vt sicut Romanorum rex Augustus prae caeteris appellatur ita Rom. pontifex prae caeteris Episcopis Papa vocaretur That is The Councell saith he of Nice gaue this Priuiledge to the Bishop of Rome that like as the king of the Romaines is named Emperour aboue all other kings so the bishop of the same citie of Rome should be called Pope aboue other bishops c. By these places hitherto alledged and such other many more then be here alleaged it appeareth that though these titles of superioritie had bene attributed to the Bishop of Rome yet it remaineth certaine that the said Bishop receiued that preferment Iure non diuino sed humano by mans law not by the law of God And so is the distinction of the Popes proued false where
vsurpe them so falsely and obtrud them vpon vs so straitly Moreouer if the sayd our aduersaries being conuicted by plaine euidence of hystorye and example of time will yeld vnto vs as they must needes in part and not in the whole let vs come then to the particulars and see what part of this regalitie they wil defend and deriue from the auncient custome of the Primitiue Church that is from the first fyue hundred yeares I meane after Christ. First in the Coōcell of Nyce which was the yeare of our Lord. 340. and in the .vj. Canon of the sayd Councell we finde it so decreed that in euery prouince or precinct of some one Church and Byshop of the same was appointed and set vp to haue the inspection and regiment of other churches about him Secundum morem antiquum that is after the ancient custome as the wordes of the Councell do purport so that the Byshop of Alexandria shoulde haue power of Lybia Pentapolis in Egypt for as much as the Byshop of the Cytie of Rome hath the like or same maner And in like sort also in Antioch in other countreyes let euery Church haue his due honor consequently that the Bishop of Ierusalem haue also his due honor to him reserued so that such order be kept that the Metropolitane Cities be not defrauded of their dignitie which to them is due and proper c. In this Councell and in the same Canon vj. and vij where the Byshops of Alexandria of Rome and of Antioch are ioyned together in on like maner of dignity fyrst there appeareth no difference of honor to be ment therin Secondlye for somuch as in the sayde two Canons after mention made of them immediately followeth that no Byshops should be made without consent of their Metropolitanes yea and that the City also of Hierusalem should be vnder hys Metropolitane and that the Metropolitane should haue the ful power to confirme euery Byshop made in his prouince Therfore it may be well suspected that the third Epistle decretall of Pope Anacletus and of Pope Stephanus with other mo are forged wherin these Byshops and especially the Byshop of Rome is exempted and desceuered from the name of a Metropolitane or an Archbyshop to the name of a Patriarch or Primate as appeareth in the decrees dist 22. cap. Sacro sancta wherefore as wee must needes graunt the Byshop of Rome to be called a Metropolitane or an Archbyshop by the Councell of Nice so we will not greatly sticke in this also to haue him numbred with Patriarches or primates which title seemeth in the old tyme to be common to mo Cities then to Rome both by the Epistle of Anacletus of Pope Stephanus of Pope Iulius and Leo c. After this followed a generall Councell in Aphricke called the vj. Councell of Carthage an 420. where were congregated 217. Byshops among whom was also Augustinus Prosper Orosius with diuers other famous persons This Councell continued the space of v. yeares wherein was great contention about the supremacie and iurisdiction of Rome The Byshop wherof then was Zosimus This Zosimus the Romane Bishop had receaued the same time into the communion of the church without any examination one that came to complaine to him out of Aprike named Apiarius a Priest whom Aurelius the Metropolitane with the Councell of Aphrike had worthelye excommunicated for his detestable conditions before Uppon this Zosimus after that hee hadde receaued and shewed such fauor to Apiarius for that he did appele to him sendeth to the Councell his messengers to wit Fastinus Byshop of Potentine and two Priestes of the Churche of Rome named Philippus and Asellus with these foure requestes first that Apiarius whom he had absolued might be receaued of them againe and that it might be lawful for Byshops or Priestes to appeale from the sentence of their Metropolites also of the Counsell to the sea of Rome Secondly that Byshops should not saile ouer importunely ad comitatum Thirdly that if any Priest or Deacon were wrongfully excommunicate by the Byshops of their owne prouince it should be lawfull for thē to remooue the hearing and iudgeing of their cause to their neighbour bishops Forthly that Vrbanus there Byshop either should be excommunicated or els sent vp to Rome vnlesse he would correct those things that were to be corrected c. For the approbation whereof the sayde Zosimus alledged for him the words as he pretended taken out of Nicene Councell The Councell of Carthage hearyng this and remembring no such thing in the Councell of Nice to bee decred yet not suspecting the Byshop of Rome to dare wrongfully to falsefie the wordes of that Councell writeth againe to Zosimus declaring that they neuer reade to their remembraunce in their common Latine exemplare of Nicene Councell any such Canon yet notwithstanding for quietnes sake they woulde obserue the same tyll time they might procure the originall copies of that councell to be sent to them from Constantinople Alexandria and from Antioch In like effect afterward they wrote to Pope Boniface which then succeded Zosimus And thirdly also to Celestinus which shortly after succeeded Boniface In the meane time this foresayd Councell sent their Legates Marcellus and Innocentius to Atticus Patriarche of Constantinople and to Cyrillus Patriarch of Alexandria for the autentique copies in Greeke of Nicene Councell which being sent vnto them they finding in the true originals no such Canon as the Bishoppe of Rome had falsely forged they wrote a sharpe an handsome letter to Celestinus Byshop of Rome calling him in the said letter by the way Domine frater declaring to him how they had perused all the copies of the Councell of Nice coulde finde no such Canon as he and his predecessours had falsely alledged and therewithall reciting the vj. Canon afore mentioned declared how the decrees of Nicene Councell had committed all and singular persons Ecclesiasticall as well Byshops as other vnto the charge of their Metropolitanes Moreouer expounding the same decree they shewed the reasons thereof 1. For that sayd they the fathers of that councell did well foresee to be most iust and conuenient that all controuersies there be ended in ijsdem locis where they begin 2. For that it is not to be supposed contrary but that the grace of God wil be as prest and ready in one prouince as in other to instruct his ministers both prudētly to vnderstand iudgement and constantly to mayntayne the same 3. For that there is no need to seeke further to any outlandish helpe because especially that the party whosoeuer is not contented with the determination of his iudges or commissioners may lawfully appeale either to the prouincial or to any generall counsell 4. That way to be better then to runne to any forranine Iudge it must needes be graunted because it is not like that our God will inspire his iustice and truth of
examining vnto one Byshop and denie it to a multitude congregated in a whole Councell 5. Neither can it be that any such outlandish iudgement in hearing and determining causes can stand perfect and vpright for that the necessary persons of witnesses either for infirmitie of sexe of age of sickenes or some other impeachment are not able to be present by whom the truth of the sentence should be directed Wherefore as by these other reasons they thought it not conuenient from them to bryng their matters ouer vnto Rome so neither was it to be found sayd they by any councell of the old fathers decred that any Legates should be sent frō Rome to thē for deciding of their matters And therefore exhorted they the sayd bishop of Rome that he would not induce fumosum typū or rather as I may call it typhos seculi in Ecclesiam Christi quae lucem simplicitatis humilitatis prefaert ijs qui Deum Diligunt that is that he would not induce the swelling pride of the worlde into the Church of Christ which church sheweth and giueth the light of simplicitie of humilitie to such as loue to see God c. In these foresaid letters moreouer is signified how the forenamed malefactor Apiarius whom the bishop of Rome before had absolued receiued to the communion of the church was afterward found culpable and therfore the councell proceded against him brought him to open confession of his faults so enioined him due penance for his demerites notwithstanding the absolution and inconsiderate clearing of the Bishop of Rome before proceeding In summe out of this Councell of Carthage these are to be noted First how glad the Bishops of Rome were to receiue such as came to them for succour 2. What pride they tooke by the occasion therof thinking and seeking thereby to haue all vnder their subiection 3. To the intent to allure other to seeke to them how redie they were to release and quit this Apiarius as guiltles which after was tried culpable by his owne confession 4. How contrary to the actes and doings of the Romish bishop this Councell condemned him whom the said bishop of Rome before had absolued litle respecting the proceedings of the Romish church 5. How the bishops of old time haue bene falsifiers of ancient Councels and writings wherby it may be suspected that they which shamed not to falsifie corrupt the Councell of Nice much lesse would they sticke to abuse and falsifie the decretall Epistles and writings of perticular Bishops Doctors for their owne aduantage as no doubt they haue done many one 6. In this foresaid Councell whereat Augustine himselfe was present where Aurelius President of the same was called Papa the bishop of Rome was called expresly in their letters but bishop of the citie of Rome and Dominus frater that is brother Bishop 7. Seuenthly the dominion of this Romain Patriarch in the said Councel of Carthage was cut so short that neither it was permitted to thē of Affrike to appeale ouer the sea to him nor for him to send ouer his Legates to them for ending their controuersies Wherby it may sufficiently appeare that the Bishop of Rome in those dayes was not fully admitted to be the chiefe of all other Bishops nor the head of the vniuersall church of Christ in earth c. 8. We heare in this Councell fiue causes or reasons giuē why it is not necessary nor yet conuenient for all forraine causes to be brought to one vniuersall head or iudge as is before recited 9. Lastly by the said Councell of Carthage we heare a vertuous exhortation to be giuen to the bishop of Rome that he would not induce into the meeke humble church of Christ the fuming and swelling pride of the world as is before declared c. In this or in some other Councell of Carthage it was moreouer prouided by expresse law and also specified in the Popes decrees that no Bishop of the first sea should be called the Prince of Priests or the chiefe priest or any such like thing but onely the bishop of the first seat as followeth more in the said decree Vniuersalis autem nec etiam Rom. pontifex appelletur that is Be it enacted that no bishop no not the Bishop of Rome be called vniuersall bishop c. And thus much cōcerning this foresaid Councell of Carthage Not long before this Councel was celebrate in Affrike an other Councel called Synodus Mileuitana about the yere of our Lord 442. at the which Councell also S. Augustine was present where it was decreed vnder payne of excommunication that no minister or bishop should appeale ouer the sea to the bishop of Rome whereby it may appeare that the bishop of Rome all this space was not vniuersally called by the terme of Oecumenical or vniuersal bishop but Bishop of the first sea so that if there were any preferment therein it was in the reuerence of the place and not in the authoritie of the person And yet it was not so in the place that the place importeth the Cittie of Rome onely but the first seate then was called Metropolitane Church as by the woordes of Nicene Councell and other constitutions moe is to be seene where the foure Patriarches were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as namely by the wordes of the Councell of Carthage may appeare which be these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is except he haue some special licēce or exception by the consent of the first seat of the proper bishop in euery country that is of him that is the Primate in the said countrey c. Also the wordes of the can 39. of the Councell of Carthage before touched be these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is that the bishop of the first sea be not called Prince of Priestes or head Priest or els any such like Againe Anicetus the x. bishop of Rome and Pope Stephen Pope Felix making a difference betwene Primate Metropolitane writeth thus Let no Archbishops bee called Primates but onely such as haue the first seat c. Thus it is made plaine how the bishop of the first seate or first bishop or Primate is none other but he which was called Patriarch and belonged not only to the church of Rome but to all such cities places where as before among the Gentiles were primi flamines c. dist 80. cap. vrbes loca in illis Where by the way is to be noted the repugnance or contrarietie of such as crastily but falsly haue counterfaited the Popes decretall epistles which besides other great and many coniectures also hereby may be gathered For where Clement Anacletus epist. 12. Anicetus and other ioyning together the office of Patriarchs Primates do deuide the same from the order of Metropolitanes or Archbishops alledging therin the constitution of the Apostles
the same For in matters of the church which are spirituall all preeminence standeth vpon spirituall inward gifts spiritualia enim spiritualibus comparantur as fayth pietie learning and godly knowledge zeale and feruencie in the holy ghost vnitie of doctrine c. which giftes many tymes may excel in a church where the minister or bishop is inferiour to bishops or ministers of other churches As the most famous schoole in a realme hath not alway the most famous schoolemaister neither doth make him therby most excellent in learning aboue of all other So if our aduersaries do meane by this preemineÌ„ce of the church of Rome such inward gifts of doctrine faith vnitie and peace of religion then say I the excellencie hereof doth not inferre or argue the excellencie of the Bishop And thus concerning the principallitie of the Church of Rome commended at that time of the Doctors it may be true so well expounded one way And thus do I graunt the antecedent of this argument and deny the consequent But here will our aduersaries peraduenture reply againe and say that the principallitie of the church of Rome which is commended by the Doctours is not ment here so much by inward gifts and induments belonging to a christian church as by outwarde authoritie and domination ouer other churches whereto is to be aunswered First what necessitie is there or where did our Papists learne to bring into the spiritual church of Christ this outward forme of ciuile regimeÌ„t and pollicie that as the Romaine Emperours in tyme past gouerned ouer all the world so the Romaine bishop must haue his monarchie vpon the vniuersall Clergy to make all other churches to stoupe vnder his subiection And where then be the wordes of our Sauiour Vos autem non sic If they hold their affirmatiue quòd sic where then is Christes negatiue non sic if they say there must needes be distinction of degrees in the church and in this distinction of degrees superioritie must necessarily be graunted for the outward discipline of the church for directing matters for quieting of schismes for setting orders for commensing of Conuocations and Councels as neede shall require c. Against this superioritie we stand not therefore we yeld to our superior power kings and princes our due obedience and to our lawfull gouernours vnder God of both regiments Ecclesiasticall and Temporall Also in the Ecclesiasticall state we take not away the distinction of ordinarie degrees such as by the Scripture be appointed or by the primatiue church allowed As Patriarchs or Archbishops Bishops Ministers and Deacons for of these foure we especially read as chiefe In which foure degrees as we graunt diuersitie of office so we admitte in the same also diuersitie of dignitie neither denying that which is due to ech degree neither yet maintaining the ambition of any singuler person For as we geue to the minister place aboue the Deacon to the bishop aboue the minister to the Archbishop aboue the Bishop so we see no cause of inequalitie why one minister should be aboue an other minister One bishop in his degree aboue an other bishop to deale in his Diocesse or one Archbishop aboue another Archbishop And this is to keepe an order duely truly in the church according to the true nature and definitioÌ„ of order by the authoritie of August lib. De ciuit Dei Where he thus defineth that which we call order Ordo est parium dispariumque rerum sua cuique loca tribuens dispositio Order saith he is a discretion or diâ—position giuen to all things according as they are matches or not matches proportionally to euery one his owne right and proper place This definition of S. Augustine standing with the things before premised now here ioyneth the questioÌ„ betwene vs and the Papistes whether the Metropolitane Church of Rome with the Archbishop of the same ought to be preferred before other Metropolitane churches Archbishyps through vniuersall Christendome or not To the answer wherof if the voyce of order might here be heard it would say geue to things that be matches like like honour to things vnlike vnlike honour c. Wherefore seyng the sea of Rome is a Patriarchall sea appointed by the Primitiue Church and the Bishop thereof an Archbishop limited within his owne bordering churches which the Councel of Nice calleth suburbicas Ecclesias as other Archbishops be he ought therfore orderly to haue the honor of an Archbishop ordering himselfe thereafter such outward preeminence as to other Archbishops is due More if he do require he breaketh the rule of right order he falleth into presumption and doth wrong vnto his fellows and they also do wrong vnto themselues whosoeuer they be which feeding his humour of ambition geue more vnto him theÌ„ the foresaid rule of order doth require For so much as they yeld to him more theÌ„ is his right so much they take froÌ„ theÌ„selues which is due to theÌ„ And the same is the cause why both Gregory and Pelagius his predecessour reprehendeth them which gaue to the Archbishop of Constantinople that which now the bishop of Rome clauneth to himselfe charging them with the breach of order in these words Nedum priuatim aliquod daretur vni honore debito sacerdotes priuarentur vniuersi that is least that while any singular thing is giuen to due person all other Priestes be depriued of their due honour And for the like case Pelagius exhorteth that no Priest do giue to any one Archbishop the name of vniuersall bishop ne sibi debitum subtrahat cum alteri honorem offert indebitum That is least saith he in so doing he take from himselfe his due honour while he yeldeth that which is not due to another And also in the same Epistle Quia si summus Patriarcha vniuersalis dicitur Patriarcharum nomen caeteris derogatur For saith he if he be called the chiefe vniuersal Patriarch then is the name of Patriarchs derogated from other c. Wherefore as is said seing the bishop of Rome is an Archbishop as other be Order giueth that he should haue the dignitie which to Archbishops is due whatsoeuer is added more is derogation to the rest And thus much concerning distinction of degrees and order in giuing to euery degree his place and honour The second reason or answer to the obiectioÌ„ before moued pag. 16. is this that beyng graunted to the Papists that the Doctours aforesaid speaking of the principallitie of the church of Rome doe meane not onely of the inward vertues of that church but also of the outward authoritie and iurisdiction of the same aboue other churches yet the cause wherfore they did attribute so much to the church is to be expeÌ„ded which was this as before was alledged out of the Councel of Calcedon cap. 28. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is for the title and Imperie which that citie of Rome had then aboue other
properly appertain briefly with this one short distinction I answer these all such other like places where S. Peter with his successours are called head of the church chiefe of Bishops Prince of the Apostles c. In which places this worde head chiefe and Prince of the Apostles may be taken two maner of waies to note either dominiō or els commendation For so we read sometime Caput and princeps to be wordes not of authoritie but of excellencie wherby is declared the chiefest and worthiest part among many parts and not possessour and gouernour of the whole Like as in the person of mā the hed is the principal part of the whole body being endued with reason furnished with most excellēt senses by the which the whole body of mā is directed so thereof is deriued by a metaphor to what man or thing soeuer nature or condition hath giuen the greatest excellēcie of gifts and properties aboue other partes or mēbers the same societie to be called of the said parties Caput or Princeps head or Prince And yet the same head or Prince so called hath not alwayes dominion or iurisdictiō of the rest So we call in our vulgar speach the head or chiefe men of the parish who for their riches wisdom or place are most specially noted After like phrase of speach we call the head man of the Inquest him that hath the first place And yet neither they nor these haue any dominion or iurisdiction vpon the residue In a schoole the chiefest Scholer in learning is not therefore the maister or gouernour of his fellowes Neither hath M. Cicero any title thereby to claime subiection and seruice of all other Oratours because he is named Princeps eloquentiae and goeth before them in that kind of phrase The same Cicero Lib. 1. offic calleth Cratippū principem huius aetatis Philosophorum as Homerus also may be called Poetarum Princeps And yet neither Philosophers to Cratippus nor Poetes to Homere owe anye thing els but onely fame and praise And what if S. Peter the blessed Apostle be called and counted of the old auncient Doctours as head and Prince of the Apostles which is as much as Coryphaeus Apostolorum for his excellent faith for his deuine confession singular affection to the Lorde Iesus yet what Interest or charge either hath he to chalenge ouer the Apostles or the Pope after him ouer all other bishops the whole church of Christ although the Pope haue the like excellencie of Christes faith which Peter had as would God he had As concerning these allegations therfore out of the Doctors two thinges are to be obserued First that neither these names and titles though they be geuen to Peter doe geue him any state or dominion aboue other Apostles nor yet the succession of him doth further any whit this celsitude and regalitie of the Pope to aduance him aboue his fellow Archbishops as he now doth And if our aduersaries would needs prouoke vs to the numbring of testimonies deuiding the house speaking of the writers and Counsels of the Primitiue age for these aforesaid testimonies alleaged on their side I could on the contrary part recite out of the witnesse of Doctours out of the examples of Councels practises of Emperors no lesse then 60. voices much more repugnant against their assertion then there is for the Pope The tractation wherof for this present I do refer either to them that haue more laisure at this time to discourse them or els omit it to an other time if the good pleasure of the Lord shall be to graunt me further laisure in an other Booke to intreat thereof at large in such order as if the Lord so graunt shal appeare sufficient matter to proue by the Doctors general Councels examples and histories of time that the Bishops of Rome during the first 500. yeres after Christ although for the greatnes of the Empire were somewhat more magnified then the other and therfore were sought of many and were flattred of some and they themselues diuers did set forth themselues more then they should yet by the commō consent of churches were stopped of their purpose so that by the consension of the most part within the compasse of that age the Bishops of Rome had not this regall state of title iurisdiction and fulnes of power which now they vsurpe but were taken as Archbishops of equal honour of equal merite with other Archbishops rulers of the church And if any preferment was giuen vnto them some thing aboue the rest yet neither was it so giuen of all nor of the most part secondly neither was it so giuen of them for any such necessitie of Gods worde aut iure aliquo diuino as which did so bind them thereunto nor yet so much for the respect of Peter his succession as for certaine other causes and respects as may be gathered to the number of 13. Of which the first is the greatnesse of the citie and Monarchie of Rome The second is the authoritie of the Emperor Constantine the great first of the Emperors conuerted to the faith and ruling in the same citie by whom the vniuersal libertie of the church was first promooted and the causes of the bishops being then at variance were committed partly to the bishop of Rome partly to other bishops nere by to be decided as appeareth Euseb. lib. 10. cap. 5. The third was the Councel of Nice which confirmed the preeminence of that church to haue the ouersight of the churches bordering about it The fourth cause of aduauncing the church of Rome was the vnquiet state of the Greek church much troubled in those dayes with sects factions and dissentions wherof we may read Socrat. lib. 2. cap 15. Sozom. lib. 3. cap. 8. The fift when Synodes were called by other Metropolitanes then if it chanced the bishops of Rome to be absent and their sentence being absent to be required by the occasion therof they began at length to take their sentence for a Canon or rule Ecclesiasticall thereby to refuse other Synodes where their decree or sentēce was not required An other cause was that when any common matter was in hand in other places whatsoeuer was done commonly the maner was to write to the Romaine bishop for his approbatiō in the same for publike vnitie and consent to be had in Christes church as appeareth Lib. 10. Epist. 78. Ambrosij ad Theophilum Item for that the testimonie somtimes of the Romain bishop was woont in those dayes also to be desired for admitting teachers and bishops in other churches whereof we haue example in Socrat lib. 4. cap. 37. Moreouer this was a great setting vp of that church when as their sentence not only was required but also receiued diuers times of other bishops And when Bishops of other prouinces were at any dissention among thēselues they of their owne accord appealed to the bishop of Rome desiring him to
whereof the occasion beyng taken onely of the Iewes the slaunder therof therfore he prooueth to be falsly and wroÌ„gfully laid to the charge of the Christians And likewise against all other lies and slaunders obiected of the Heathen against the Christians the sayd Tertullian purgeth the Christians declaring them falsly to be belied wrongfully persecuted not for any defect of theirs but only for the hatred of their name And yet notwithstaÌ„ding by the same persecutions he prooueth in the same Apologie the religion of the christians nothing to be empaired but rather encreased The more saith he we are mowen doune of you the moe rise vp The bloud of Christians is seede For what man sayth he in beholding the painfull torments and the perfect patience of them will not search and inquire what is in the cause And when he hath found it out who will not agree vnto it And when he agreeth to it who will not desire to suffer for it Thus faith he this sect will neuer die which the more it is cutdoune the more it groweth For euery man seing and wondring at the sufferance of the Saints is mooued the more therby to search the cause in searching he findeth it and in finding he followeth it Tertul in eodem Apolog. Thus Tertullian in this daungerous tyme of persecution being stirred vp of God defended the innoceÌ„cie of the Christians against the blasphemy of the aduersaries and moreouer for the instruction of the church compiled many fruitfull workes whereof some are extant some are not to be found Notwithstanding the great learning famous vertues of this worthy maÌ„ certaine errors and blemishes are noted in his doctrine as were before both of Origine Irenaeus and likewise of them were they neuer so excellent that followed them Which errors all here in order to note and comprehend were too long a matter for this story to prosecute This by the way shall be sufficient to admonish the Reader neuer to looke for any such perfection of any man in this world how singular so euer he be Christ onely excepted but some blemishe or other ioyneth himselfe withall whereof more perchaunce shall be sayd when we come to Cyprian And now to returne agayne to the order of bishops of Rome intermitted after Eleutherius afore mentioned next in the bishoprike of Rome succeded Victor who as Platina sayth died quietly in the dayes of Seuerus But Damasus Supplementum Lib. 8. and such as folow the common Chronicles affirme that he died a Martyr after he had sitten x. or as some say xij yeares This Victor was a great styrreâ— as partly before is signified in the controuersie and contention of Easterday For the which he would haue proceded in excommunication against the churches of Asia had not Irenaeus then bishop of Lions with the counsaile of other his brethren there asseÌ„bled repressed his intended violence As touching that coÌ„trouersie of Easter in those dais of the primitiue Church the originall thereof was this as Eusebius Socrates Platina and other record First certain it is that the Apostles onely being intentiue and attendaunt to the doctrine of saluation gaue no heed nor regard to the obseruation of dayes times neither bound the Church to any ceremoniâ—s and rites except those things necessary mentioned in the Actes of the Apostles as strangled and bloud which was ordayned then of the holy Ghost notwithout a most vrgent and necessary cause touched partly in the history before For when the murdering and bloud of Infants was commonly obiected by the Heathen perseâ—utors agaynst the Christians they had no other argumeÌ„t to help theÌ„selues nor to refell the aduersarie but only their own law by the which they were commauÌ„ded to abstaine not onely from all mens bloud but also from the bloud of all coÌ„mon beastes And therefore that law seemeth by the holy Ghost to be geuen also to the same end continued in the Church so long as the cause that is the persecutions of the Heathen Gentiles continued Beside these we read of no other ceremonies or rites which the Apostles greatly regarded but left such things free to the libertie of Christians euery man to vse therein his own discretion for the vsing or not vsing thereof Whereupon as concerning all the ceremoniall obseruations of dayes tymes places meates drinks vestures and such other of all these things neither was the diuersitie among men greatly noted nor any vniformitie greatly required In so much that Irenaeus writing to Victor of the tradition of dayes and of fastings and of the diuersitie of these things then vsed among the primitiue fathers saith Nihilo tamen minus omnes Illi pacem inter se retinuerunt retinemus etiamnuÌ„ leiunij dissonantia fidei concordiam commendat c. That is Notwithstanding all this varietie all they kept peace among themselues yet we keepe it still and this difference of fasting among vs commendeth more the concord of faith And so long did the doctrine of Christian libertie remaine whole sounde in the Church till the tyme of Victor which was about the yeare of our Lord 200. Although the diuersitie of these vsages began something before also in the dayes of Pius and Anicetus about the yere of our Lord 163. to be misliked yet restraint hereof was not so much vrged before as in the tune of Victor And yet neither did the violeÌ„ce of Victor take such place but that the doctrine of Christian libertie was defended and maintained by meanes of Irenaeus and other and so continued in the Church till after the Councell of Nice And thus much concerning the doctrine of Christian libertie of the differences of rites and ceremonies Now to returne to Victor agayne to shew what diuersitie there was in obseruing the day of Easter and how it came thus is the story First in the tyme of Pius and Anicetus an 163. the questioÌ„ of Easter day began first to be moued at what tyme Pius by the reuelation of Hermes decreed the obseruatioÌ„ of that day to be chaunged from the wonted maner of the 14. day of the moone in the first moneth vnto the next Sonday after After him came Anicetus Soter and Eleutherius Bishops of Rome which also determined the same Agaynst these stode Melito Bishop of Sardis Polycarpus and as some thinke Egesippus with other learned men of Asia which Polycarpus being sent by the brethren of Asia came to Rome as is aforesayd to coÌ„ferre with Anicetus in that matter wherin when they could not agree after long debating yet notwithstanding they did both coÌ„municate together with reuereÌ„ce departed in peace And so the celebration of Easterday remained Adiaphoron as a thing indifferent in the Church till the time of Victor Who folowing after Anicetus and hys fellowes and chiefly stirring in this matter endeuoured by all meanes and might to draw or rather subdue the Churches of Asia vnto hys opinion thinking moreouer to
Images inuented of the Diuel the which all men that beleue on Christ ought of necessitie to forsake and detest least they should be an offence to those Iewes that were amongst the Gentiles For this cause dyd S. Paule Circumcise Timothie for this cause did hee sacrifice in the temple and did shaue his head with Aquila and Priscilla at Corinth all which thinges were done to none other purpose then to eschue the offeÌ„ce of the Iewes Hereupon also said Iames to Paule thou seest brother howe many thousand Iewes do beleue all these be zealous notwithstanding of the law Yet seing the Gospell is so manyfestly preached in the worlde it is not lawfull for the faithfull to bee Circumcised neither to offer sacrifice oâ— carnall things to God Therefore Iohn according to the custome of the law the xiiij day of the first moneth at euening did begin the celebration of the feast of Easter nothing respecting whether it were relebrated in the Sabboth or in any other feriall day But Peter when hee preached at Rome remembring that the Lord did arise from death on the first day after the Sabboth giuing thereby an hope to the world of the resurrection thoughht good to institute Easter on the day not after the vse and precepts of the law that was the xiiij day of the first moneth Euen so Iohn looking for the Moone at night if it did arise the next day after were Sonday which was then called the Sabboth then did he celebrate the Easter of the Lord in the euening like as wee vse to do eueÌ„ at this day But if Sonday were not the next day after the xiiij day but fel on the xvi day or xvij or on any other day vnto the xxi he taried alwayes for it and did begin the holy solemnitie of Easter on the euening nexte before the sabboth And so came it to passe that Easter was alwaies kept on the Sonday and was not celebrated but from the xv day vnto the xxj Neither doth this tradition of the Apostle breake the law but fulfilled the same In the which it is to be noted that Easter was instituted froÌ„ the xiiij day of the first moneth at euening vnto the xxj day of the same moneth at euening the which manner all S. Iohns successours in Asia after his death did follow and the Catholike Church throughout the whole worlde And that this is the true Easter and onely of all Christians to be obserued it was not newly decred but confirmed by the Councell of Nice as appeareh by the Ecclesiasticall history Wherupon it is manifest that you Colman do neither folow the example of S. Iohn as ye thinke nor of S. Peter whose tradition you do willingly resist nor of the church nor yet of the gospel in the celebration of Easter For S. Iohn obseruing Easter according to the preceptes of the law kept it not on the first daye after the Sabboth But you precisely keepe it onely on the first day after the Sabboth Peter did celebrate Easter from the xv daye of the moone to the xxj day but you keepe Easter from the xiiij vnto the xx day so that you begin Easter oftentimes the xiij day at night of which maner neither the law nor the Gospell maketh any mention But the Lord in the xiiij day either did eate the olde passouer at night or els did celebrate the sacraments of the new Testament in the remeÌ„braunce of his death and passioÌ„ You doe also vtterly reiect from the celebration of Easter the xxj daye the whiche the law hath chiefly willed to be obserued And therfore as I saide in the keeping of Easter you neither agree wyth S. Iohn nor with Peter nor with the lawe nor yet with the Gospel Then Colman againe aunswered to these things saying Did then Anatholius a godly man and on much coÌ„mended in the foresaid Ecclesiasticall history agaynst the law the Gospell who writeth that the Easter was to be kept froÌ„ the xiiij day vnto the xx or shal we thinke that Columba our reuerend father and his successors being meÌ„ of God who obserued the Easter after this maner did against the holye Scripture where as some of them were men of such godlines and vertue as was declared by their wonderful miracles And I hereby nothing doubting of their holines do endenor to fallow their life order dyscipline Then saide Wilfride it is certaine that Anatholius was both a godly and a learned man and worthy of great commendation but what haue you to do with him seyng you obserue not his order For he following the true rule in keping his Easter obserueth the circle of xix yeares The which either you know not or if you do you coÌ„temne the common order obserued in the vniuersal church of Christ. And moreouer the saide Anatholius doth so count the xiiij day in the obseruation of Easter as he confesseth the same to â—e the xv day at night aâ—ter the maner of the EgiptiaÌ„s and likewise noteth the xx day to be in the feast of Easter the xxi in the euening the which distinctioÌ„ that you know not by this may appeare for that you keepe the Easter on the xiij daye before the full Moone Or otherwise I can aunswere you touching your father Columba and his successors whose order you say you follow moued therto by their miracles on this wise that the Lorde will aunswere to many that shall say in the day of iudgement that in his name they haue prophesied cast out deuils haue done many miracles c. that he neuer knew theÌ„ But God forbid that I should say so of your fathers bicause it is much beter to beleue wel of those we know not then ill WherevpoÌ„ I deny not but they were the seruaunts of God and holy men the which loued the Lord of a good inteÌ„t though of a rude simplicitie And I thinke that the order whiche they vsed in the Easter did not much hurt them so long as they had none amongst them that could shew theÌ„ the right obseruation of the same for them to follow For I thinke if the truth had beene declared vnto them they woulde as well haue receiued it in this mater as they did in others But you and your felowes if you refuse the order of the apostolicall sea or rather of the vniuersal Church which is confirmed by the holy scripture without al doubt you doe sinne and though your forefathers were holy meÌ„ * what is their fewnes being but a corner of an IlelaÌ„d to be preferred before the vniuersall Churche of Christ dyspersed throughout the whole world And if Columba your father ours also being of Christ were mighty in miracles is he therefore to bee preferred before the Prince of the holy Apostles to whom the Lord said thou art Peter and vpon this rocke will I builde my Church and the gates of hell shal not preuayle against it
of the first institutors and commenders of that superstition Chrysostomus Nazianzenus Euagrius Sozomenus Dionysius and diuers other In the number of these monkes which then were deuided into Herâ—mites or Anachorites and into Coenobites wexe Antonius Paulus Ioannes wyth diuers other recluses Among the which was Hierome Basile Macarius Isidorus Pambus Nilammon Simeon with infinite other both in Palestina Syria Thebaide Mesopotamia in Egypt in Africa and Scythia In so much that Cassianus Lib. 2. cap. 4. de Canon Noctur orat maketh mention of a certaine Monastery in Thebaide wherin were aboue 5000. monks vnder the gouernment of one Abbot And here also in England mention is made before of Bangor wherein were two thousand two hundred Monkes vnder one mans ruling in the yeare of our Lord 596. wherby it appeareth that Monkes were then and 2000. yeares before in the primitiue tyme of the Church But what monks these were is to be considered Such as either by tiranny of persecution were driuen into solitary and desert places or els such as not constrained of any but of their owne voluntary deuotion ioyned with some superstition among for the loue they had to spirituall contemplation and for hatred of the wicked world withdrewe themselues from all company either hauyng nothyng to themselues proper or els all things common with other And all these were then nothing els but lay men Of which lay men there were two sundry sortes one of the vulgare common people which onely were pertakers of the Sacraments the other in folowing a Monasticall kynde of lyfe were called Monkes beyng nothing but lay men leadyng a more seuere and straighter trade of lyfe then the other as may sufficiently appeare by August Lib. de moribus Ecclesiae cap. 13. Item Lib. de operibus Monachorum Item Epistola ad Aurelium Also by Hierome ad Heliodorum writing these wordes Alia Monachorum est causa alia clericorum Clerici pascunt oues ego pascor c. That is One thing pertaineth to Monkes an other thing to them of the Clergy They of the Clergy feede their flocke I am fed c. Et ex Dionysio Also the same appeareth likewise by the 4. Canon of the Councel of Chalcedone where it is prouided Ne Monachi se Ecclesiasticis negocijs immisceant That is That Monkes should not intermedle with matters of the Church c. Et Leo Epistola 62 vetat Monachos laicos etsi scientie nomine glorientur admitti ad officium docendi concionandi By these foresayd authors alledged it is euident that Monkes in the former age of the church albeit they lyued a solitary life yet they were then no other but only lay meÌ„ differing from priests differing from the other monkes which succeeded them afterward in the middle age of the Church and that in iij. pointes First they were tyed and bound to no prescript forme eyther of diet or apparel or any thing els as we may see testified by the wordes of S. Augustine which be these Neque inter haec nemo vrgetur in aspera quae ferre non potest Nulli quod recusat imponitur Nec ideo contemnitur à caeteris in quod eis imitandis se fatetur inualidum Meminerunt enim quantoperè commendata sit in Scripturis charitas Meminerunt omnia munda mundis c NoÌ„ quod intrat in os coinquinat hominem sed quod exit Itaque non reijciendis generibus ciborum quasi pollutis sed concupiscentiae perdomandae dilectioni fratrum retinendae inuigilat omnis industria And Sozomenus Lib 3. cap. 16. speaking of the Monkes of the same time which in cities had seuerall mansions froÌ„ other sayth Alij in turba ciuitatum conuersabantur sic seipsos gerentes vt nullius momenti viderentur à multis nihil differrent c. 1. Some liued in cities so behauing themselues as seeming nothing worth and they differed nothyng from the multitude c. The second point wherin they were discrepant from the latter Monkes was in that they remained no other but in the order of lay men onely beyng of a straighter lyfe then the rest and had nothing to do in matters charges Ecclesiasticall Which was afterward broken by Pope Bonifacius the 4. as followeth more the lord willing to be sene and sayd Thirdly the foresaid monkes of that age albeit the most part of them liued sole single from wiues yet some of them were maried certes none of them were forbidden or restrayned from mariage Of such as were maried speaketh Athanasius in Epistola ad Dracontium qui ait se nouisse Monachos Episcopos coniuges liberorum patres c. That is which sayth that he knew both Monkes and Bishops maried men and fathers of children c. And yet the said Monkes of the old tyme though they were better then the other which folowed them yet al that notwithstanding superstitioÌ„ with them and among them begaÌ„ then to creepe into the church through the crafty subtilty of Sachan and all for the ignorance of our free iustification by faith in Iesus Christ. Examples do declare the vaine and prodigious superstitioÌ„ of these Monasticall sort of men which examples do not lacke if 〈◊〉 rather did not lacke to bring them in But ij or iij. shal suffice for many which I purpose the Lord willing here to insert to the intent the mind of the godly reader may the better consider and vnderstand how shortly after the tyme of Christ and his Apostles the doctrine of christian iustification began to be forgotten true religion turned to superstition the price of Christes passion to bee obscured through the vayne opinion of mens merites c. A certaine Abbot named Moses thus testifieth of himselfe in the Collations of Cassianus that he so afflicted himselfe with much fastyng and watching that sometimes for ij or iij. dayes together not onely he felt no appetite to eate but also had no remeÌ„braunce of any meat at all and by reason thereof was driuen also froÌ„ sleepe In so much that he was caused to pray to God but for a little refreshing of sleepe to be geuen him some piece of the night In the same author mention is made of a certaine old man an Hermite who because hee had conceiued in himselfe such a purpose neuer to eat meat without he had some guest or straÌ„ger with him sometyme was constrained to abstaine v. daies together vntil Sonday while he came to the Church and there brought some stranger or other home with him Two other examples yet more will I adde out of the said Cassianus to declare how the subtiltie of Sathan thorough superstition and false colour of holynes blindeth the miserable eyes of such which rather attend mens traditions then the word of God In the xl chap. of the sayd author in his booke de Gastrimargia is told of a certain Abbot named Ioannes
of our auncestors which doubted not to shedde their owne bloud for the encrease and defence of the Churches liberty and the faith and coueting to prouide for the puritie of faith and the state of the Church as also to auoid the hurt of the generall slaunder being not able to passe ouer any longer the premisses with wincking and dissembling and my conscience driuing to the same seeing this estimate opinion of him in these matters is not rashly of vs conceiued but vehemently and plainly increased by many and continuall cryings of credible men and great authoritie oft and oftentimes beaten vnto vs fearing moreouer the destruction of the faith both of vs and of al other subiects and specially of kings and princes of the world which ought to reproue negligence which acknowledge that we haue receiued power geuen vs from the Lord to the promoting and increasement of it we agree to your requestes in this behalfe and to the calling and assembling a councell for the glory of God sauing the honour and reuerence that is due to the holy Romish church in all thinges whereby the trueth may appeare in the premisses and all errour auoided that the state of the vniuersall Church and all Christianitie and the matters of faith and the holy land may be prouided for the slauÌ„ders ieoperdies haÌ„ging ouer vs may be withstanded we be ready offer our selues gladly as much as in vs is to bestowe our labour and diligent paine therabouts Earnestly requiring and beseeching in the mercifull bowels of Iesu Christ you Archbishops and other Prelates here present as children of the Church and pillers of faith called of the Lorde to the promoting encrease and preseruing thereof to care for the same that with all diligence ye wold geue heede as becommeth you and effectually you would labor by al wayes and fit meanes to the calling and assembling of this councel in which we intend to be personally present And left the said Boniface which hath boldly and wrongfully many times threatned to proceede against vs stopping and hindring our purposes and intent â—â—ast any of his workes of darkenesse if there be any should come to light directly or indirectly hindering the calling and gathering of this councel or least any state being in the same realme that wil in dede procede against vs or our state churches Prelates Barons other faithfull vassals our subiects our lands or our realme and the state of the realme by abusing any spirituall sworde in excommunicating suspending or otherwais by any meanes for vs and our welwillers and them that will followe vs we prouoke appeale in wryting to the foresayd general councell which we instantly desire to be called and to one lawâ—ull chiefe Bishop that shall be or to any other to whome we shoulde appeale and yet not going from the appellation made by M. William of Nagareta to whom we sticked then and also yet sticke requiring earnestly a witnes of our appellation of you Prelates Notaries expressedly to renue such prouocation and appellation when and afore whome it shal be thought meete to you Then the Archbishops within wrytten byshops Abbots and Priors aunswered the premisses as it is founde in the actes prouoked and appealed agreed to and protested and made prouocation and appellation agreement and protestation as is contained more fully in a certaine paper there openly and plainely red whose tenor followeth with these wordes We Archbishoppes of Nicosen Remen Senoren Narbonen Turonen and bishops of Landuiren Belnacen Catolacen Antisiodorem Meldimen Nurmen Carnotem Aurelianen Ambiauen Morinen Silanen Andeganen Abricen Constant Ebroicen Lexonicen Sagien Caloromont Lemonicen Auicen Masticoren And we Abbots of Cluniac promostraten of the greater monasterie of the court of S. Dionise in Fraunce Camped S. Victors S. Genoueue S. Marten Landmoen Figiacem Bellicem in Lemociuio and Frier Hugh visiter of the houses of the order of knights of S. Iohn in Ierusalem in Fraunce and the father Priour of S. Martine in the fieldes hearing these things which were sayd propounded and obiected yesterday to day by you the Lords Earles and William aforesaide against the Lorde Boniface the 8. and Pope being mooued with suche sayings purposes assertations and your othes your request and other lawfull causes and were compelled by need considering that the matter of our faith which is Christes is handled in the premisses Wee that be called to part of this care to the defence and maintenaunce of the faith of soules of the realme although vnworthy yet coueting to with stande the ieoperdies that hang ouer vs by reason of the premisses and other causes thinking the calling gathering of the sayd Councell profitable necessary that the innocencie of the Lord Boniface himself may clearely be discussed as we desire our coÌ„sciences bearing witnesse that it may be determined on him by the Councell touching such things as are laide against him and that may be done which they decree according to the Canons We aunswere you our Lord king and you our Lordes Earles and William that the honor reuerence of the holy Romish church salued in all poyntes wee agree to your due requestes in this behalfe for the calling of the Councell and are ready to geue helpe and diligent labour to the calling and gathering of the said CouÌ„cell according to the decrees of the holy fathers and to the lawfull orders of the Canons not intending by any meanes to make parties of this matter nor to sticke to any that maketh parties Yet least the sayde Boniface being mooued or prouoked by these things as wee feare by likely coniectures and threatnings made against vs for the foresayde things that he will proceede against our parish Churches and our subiectes by some meanes or cause to proceede against vs by some authoritie of his owne or others by excommunication suspension interditing deposing depriuing or by some other meanes and colour sought to some impeachment or trouble of the sayd Councell and that we may sitte in the same Councell to iudge and do al other things that belong to the office of Prelates that our frends that sticke to vs would sticke to vs in all thinges may remaine safe for our selues our parish Churches our subiectes and them that sticke to vs or would sticke to vs in this behalfe we prouoke and appeale in wryting to the foresayde Councell that is to be gathered and to him that shall be the true and lawfull highest Bishop and to him or them to whome of right we shoulde appeale too and earnestly require our appellations committing vs our parish churches our subiectes friendes and them that sticke to vs our state and theirs our right goodes to the godly defence of the foresaide councell and of him that shall be the true and lawfull highest bishop and we protest to renewe this appellation where when and afore whome it shal be thought meete This was done at Paris at Lupara in the chamber of the sayd Lord
and aduersary of S. Peter of our Lorde Iesus Christe and also the vicare of Iudas Iscarioth I aunswere the wordes of my book are these If he which is called the vicare of S. Peter walke in the wayes of Christian vertues aforesayd we do beleue verely that he is the true vicar and true Byshop of the Church whiche ruleth but if he walke in contrary pathes and wayes then is he the messenger of Antechrist cōtrary both to S. Peter and our Lord Iesus Christ. And therfore S. Bernard in hys 4. book did write in this sort vnto pope Eugenie Thou delitest walkest in great pride and arrogancie being gorgeously and sumptuously arayd what fruit or profite do thy flocke or sheepe receiue by thee If I durst say it these be rather the pastures and feedinges of deuils then of sheepe S. Peter S. Paul did not so wherfore thou seemest by these thy doings to succeede Constantine not S. Peter These be the very wordes of S. Bernard It followeth after in my booke that if the maner and fashion of his life and liuing be contrary to that which S. Peter vsed or that he be geuen to auarice and couetousnes then is he the vicar of Iudas Iscarioth which loued and chose the reward of iniquitie dyd set out to sale the Lord Iesus Christ. As soone as they had read the same those which ruled and gouerned the coūcell beheld one an other making mockes and moes they nodded theyr heades at hym The xi article Al such as doe vse Symmony priests liuing dissolutely and wantonly do hold an vntrue opinion of the 7. Sacramentes as vnbeleuing bastardes and not as Children not knowing what is the office duety of the keyes or censures rites and ceremonies neither of the diuine seruice of the Churche or of veneration or worshipping of reliques neither of y◠orders constituted and ordeined in the Church neither yet of indulgences or pardons I answere that it is placed in this maner in my book Thys abuse of authoritie or power is committed by such as doe sell make marchandise of holy orders and get and gather together riches by Symonie making fayres and markets of the holy Sacramentes and liuing in all kynd of voluptuousnes and dissolute maners or in any other filthy or vilanous kind of liuing They do polute and defile the holye ecclesiasticall state And albeit that they professe in wordes that they do know God yet doe they deny it again by their deeds and consequently beleue not in God But as vnbeleeuing bastardes they holde a contrarye and vntrue opinion of the 7. Sacramentes of the Church And this appeareth most euidently for somuch as all suche doe vtterly contemne and despise the name of God according to the saying of Malachy the first chapter Unto you O Priestes be it spoken which doe despise and contemne my name The xii Article The papall dignitie hath hys original from the Emperours of Rome I answere and mark wel what my wordes are The preeminence and institution of the Pope is sprong and come of the Emperours power authoritie And this is proued by the 96. distinction for Constantine graunted thys priuiledge vnto the Bishop of Rome and other after hym confirmed the same That like as Augustus for the outward and temporal goodes bestowed vpon the Churche is counted alwayes the most high king aboue al others so the bysh of Rome shold be called the principal father aboue all other bishops This notwithstanding the papall dignitie hath hys original immediately from Christ as touching hys spirituall administration and office to rule the Church Then the Cardinall of Cabray sayd in the tyme of Constantine there was a generall Councell holden at Nice in the whiche albeit the highest rowme and place in the Church was geuen to the Bishop of Rome for honours cause it is ascribed vnto the Emperour wherefore then do you not aswell affirme and saye that the Papall dignitie tooke hys originall rather from that councel then by the Emperours authoritie and power The 13. article No man would reasonably affirme weout reuelation neyther of hymselfe nor of any other that hee is the heade of any particular Churche I aunswere I confesse it to be written in my booke and it followeth straight after Albeit that through hys good liuing he oght to hope and trust that he is a member of the holy vniuersal Church the spouse of Iesus Christ according to the saying of the Preacher No man knoweth whether he be worthy and haue deserued grace and fauour or hatred And Luke the 17. when ye haue done all that ye can say that you are vnprofitable seruauntes The 14. Article It ought not to be beleeued that the pope whatsoeuer he be may be the head of any particular Churche vnles he be predestinate or ordayned of God I aunswere that I doe acknowledge thys preposition to be myne and thys is easie to proue forsomuche as it is necessary that the Christian faith shuld be depraued for somuch as the Churche was deceiued by N. as it appeareth by S. Augustine The 15. article The popes power as Uicare is but vayne and nothing worth if he do not confirme addresse hys lyfe accordyng to Iesus Christ and not followe the maners of S. Peter I answere that it is thus in my book that it is meet and expedient that he which is ordayned vicar should addresse and frame himselfe in maners and conditions to the authoritie of hym which did put him in place And Iohn Hus sayd Moreouer before the whole councell I vnderstand that the power and authoritie in such a pope as doth not represent the maners of Christ is frustrate and voyd as touching the merite and rewarde which he shold obtayne and get therby and doth not get the same but not as concerning hys office Then certayne others standing by asked of hym saying where is that glose in your book I. Hus answered you shall finde it in my treatise agaynst M. Palletz wherat all the assistaunce looking one vppon an other began for to smile and laugh The 16. Article The pope is most holy not because hee doth supply and hold the rowme and place of S. Peter but because he hath great reuenues I answere that my words are mutilate for thus it is written He is not most holy because he is called the vicar of S. Peter or because he hathe great and large possessions But if he be the follower of Iesus Christ in humilitie gentlenes paciēce labour and trauayle and in perfect loue and charitie The 17. Article The Cardinals are not the manifest and true successours of the other Apostles of Iesus Christ if they liue not according to the fashion of the Apostles keping the commaundementes and ordinaunces of the Lord Iesus I answere that it is thus written in my booke and it proueth it selfe sufficiently For if they enter in by an other way then by the dore whiche is the
but according to their owne wil and disposition They doe greatly esteeme and regard this which was spoken vnto Peter Tu vocaberis Cephas i. Thou shalt be called Cephas by the which worde they make hym the head of the Church Also I will geue thee the keyes of the kingdome of heauen and whatsoeuer thou shalt bind vpon earth c. I haue prayed for thee Peter that thy Faith would not faile And againe feede my sheepe Last thy net into the depe Be not afrayd for from theÌ„ceforth thou shalt be a fisher of men Also that Christ commaunded Peter as the Prince of the Apostles to pay tolle for them bothe and that Peter drew the net vnto the land full of great fishes that onely Peter drew his sword for the defence of Christ. Al which places these meÌ„ do greatly extol altogether neglecting the expositions of the fathers the which if as reason were they would consider they shuld manifestly perceine by the authorities aforesayde that the Pope is not aboue them when they are gathered together in Councell but when they are separate and deuided But these things being passed ouer for somuch as answere shall appeare by that which heereafter shall followe we will now declare what was reasoned of by the learned men vppon thys question But first wee woulde haue it known the all men which are of any name or estimation do agree that the Pope is subiect to the Councell and for the proofe therof they repeat in a maner al those things which were before spoken of the church for they suppose all that which is spoken of the Churche to serue for the generall Councell And first of all they alledge this saying of the Gospel Dic Ecclesiae tell it vnto the Church In the whych place it is conuenient to vnderstand that Christ spake vnto Peter instructing him what he should doe as touching the correction of his brother He saith if thy brother offend or sinne against thee rebuke him betwene thee and him alone If hee geue care vnto thee thou hast wonne thy brother but if he doe not geue eare vnto thee take in thee one or two that in the mouth of two or thee witnesses all truth may stand if theÌ„ he wil not geue eare vnto thee Dic Ecclesiae tell it vnto the Church What shal we vnderstand by the church in that place shall we say that it is the multitude of the faithfull dispersed throughout the whole worlde My yoke is pleasaunt sayth the Lord my burden is light But howe is it light if Christ commaunde vs to doe that which is impossible to be done For howe coulde Peter speake vnto the Churche which was dispersed or to seeke out euery Christian scattered in euery Towne or Citie But the meaning of these words is farre otherwise and they must be otherwise interpreted for which cause it is necessary that we remember the double person which Peter represented as the person of the high byshop and a priuate man The sense and meaning of his words are euident and plaine inough of themselues that they neede no supplement or alteration We must first marke and see what thys worde Ecclesia signifieth the which we do find but only to be twise spoken of by Christ once in this place and againe when as he said vnto Peter Tu es Petrus super hanc Petram edificabo Ecclesiam meam That is Thou art Peter and vpon this rock wil I build my Church Wherfore the Church signifieth the connocation or congregation of the multitude Dic Ecclesiae tell it vnto the church That is to say tel it vnto the Congregation of the faithful the which forsomuch as they are not accustomed to come together but in a generall Councel this interpretation shall seeme very good Dic Ecclesiae tel it vnto the Church that is to say Dic generali Concilio tel it vnto the generall Councell In this case I would gladly heare if there be any man which doth thinke thâ—se words to be more properly expressed in any Prelate then in the councell when as they must put one man for the multitude whych if it be admitted in the scriptures we shall from hencefoorth finde no firme or stable thing therein But if any man doe maruaile at thys interpretation let him search the old wryters and he shall finde that thys is no newe or straunge interpretation but the interpretation of the holy fathers and olde Doctours whyche haue first geuen lyght vnto the Churche as Pope Gregorie witnesseth a man worthy of remembrance both for the holines of his life and his singular learning whose wordes are these wrytten in his Register vnto the bishop of Constantinople And wee sayde hee against whome so great an offence is committed through temeratious boldnesse do obserue and keepe that which the truth doth commaunde vs saying Si peccauerit in te frater that is If thy brother do offend against thee c. And afterward he addeth more if my rebukes and corrections be despysed it remaineth that I do seeke helpe of the church The which words doe manifestly declare the Church heere to be taken for the generall Councell Neither did Gregory say that he wold seeke helpe of the Church that is dispearsed abroad in euery place but of that which is gathered together that is to say the generall Councell for that whych is dispearsed abroad cannot be had except it be gathered together Also Pope Nicholas reproouing Lotharius the king for adultery sayd if thou doest not amend the same take heede that we tell it not vnto the holy Church In the which saying Pope Nicholas did not say that he wold go throughout the world to certifie euery one man by man but that hee would call the Church together that is to say the general councell and there would publish and declare the offence of Lotharius the he which had contemned the Popes commaundements shoulde feare the reuerence of the general councell I could recite an infinite nuÌ„ber of witnesses for that purpose the which all tende vnto one ende but this one testimony of the Councell of Constance shall suffice for them all wherein it is sayde that not onely the Pope in the correction of his brother is remitted vnto the Councell when as he can not correct him of hymselfe but also when as any thing is done as touchyng the correction of the Pope himselfe the matter ought to be referred to the councel Wherby it appeareth our interpretation to be most true which doth expound the Church to be in the generall Councell Hereupon the Actes of the Apostles the Congregations whych were then holden were called the Church Also in the councell of Nice and in other Councels wheÌ„ as any man shuld be excommunicated alwayes in a maner thys sentence was adioyned Hunc excommunicat Catholica Apostolica Ecclesia The Catholicke and Apostolicke Church doth excommunicate thys man And heereuppon that title is geuen
read ouer hee shall finde the Byshoppe of Rome to be comprehended amongst the other Bishops It was also prohibited by the councels of Africa that the Bishops of Rome shoulde not receiue or heare the appeales of any which did appeale froÌ„ the Councell whych altogether declare the superioritie of the CouÌ„cell And this appeareth more plainly in the Actes of the Apostles where as Peter is rebuked by the congregation of the Apostles because he went in to Cornelius a Heathen man as if it had not bene lawfull for him to attempt any great matter weout the knowledge of the congregation and yet it was said vnto him as wel as others Ite Baptizate c. Go baptise But this seemeth to make more vnto the purpose which S. Paule wryteth vnto the Galathians whereas he sayth he reststed Peter euen vnto his face because he did not walke according to the verity of the Gospell Which words if they be wel vnderstand signifie none other thing by the veritie of the Gospel then the Canon of the Councel decreed amongest the Apostles for the Disciples being gathered together had so determined it Whereupon S. Paule doth shew that Peter ought to haue obeyed the generall Councell But nowe to finish thys disputation we will here adioyne the determination of the Councell of Constance the which Councell aforesayd willing to cut off al ambiguitie and doubts and to prouide a certain order of liuing declared by a solemne decree that all men of what estate or condition so euer they were yea although that they were Popes themselues be bound vnder the obedience and ordinances of the sacred generall Councels And although there be a certaine restraint where as it is sayde in suche thinges as pertaine vnto the faith the extirpation of schisme and the reformation of the Churche as well in the heade as in the members notwithstanding thys amplificatiue clause whych is adioyned is to be noted Et in pertinentibus ad ea that is to say withall the appertenauntes The which addition is so large that it containeth all thinges in it whych may be imagined or thought For the Lord said thus vnto hys Apostles goe ye forth and teach all people He did not say in three poynts onely but teach them to obserue and keepe al thinges what soeuer I haue commaunded you And in an other place he sayeth not thys or that but whatsoeuer yee shal binde c. which altogether are alledged for the authority of the Church and generall Councels For the preserment wherof these things also come in place He that heareth you heareth me And againe It is geuen vnto you to knowe the mysteries of God Also where 2. or 3. bee gathered in my name c. Againe whatsoeuer yee shall aske c. O holy father saue them whom thou hast geuen me c. And I wil be with them euen vnto the ende of the worlde Also out of S. Paul these places are gathered We are helpers of God c. Which hath made vs apt ministers of the new Testament c. And he appoynted some Apostles and some Prophetes c. Iu all which places both Christ and the Apostles spake of the authority of many which altogether are alledged for the authority of that vniuersall Church But for somuche as that Churche being dispersed and scattered abroad can not decree or ordaine any thing therfore of necessity it is to be said that the chiefe and principall authority of the church doth consist in the generall Councels where as they assemble together And therfore it was obserued in the primatiue Church that hard and waightie matters were not intreated vpon but onely in the general councels congregations The same is also founde to be obserued afterward For when as the churches were deuided general councels were holden And in the Councel of Nice we do finde the heresie of Arrius condemned In the Councel of Constantinople the heresy of Macedonius In the Councell of Ephesus the heresye of Hestorius In the Councell of Chalcedon the heresies of Eutichius were also condemned for somuch as they thought the iudgement of the bishop of Rome not to suffice to so great waighty matter and also they thought the sentence of the Councell to be of greater force then the sentence of the Pope for somuch as he might erre as a man but the Councell wherein so many meÌ„ were gathered together being guided with the holy ghost could not erre Also it is a very excelleÌ„t saying of Martianus the Emperour which serueth for that purpose whose words are these Truely he is to be couÌ„ted a wicked and sacrilegious person which after the sentence of so many good and holy men wil sticke to withdraw any part of his opinion For it is a poynt of meere madnesse at the noone time faire day light to seeke for a fained lighte for he which hauing found the truth seketh to discusse anything further seeketh but after vanities and lies Now I thinke it is euident inough vnto all men that the bishop of Rome is vnder the Councell Notwithstanding some do yet still doubt whether he may also be deposed by the Councel or not For albeit it be proued that he is vnder the Councell yet for all that will they not graunt that hee may be also deposed by the Councell Wherefore it shall be no digressing at all from our purpose somewhat to say vpoÌ„ that matter and first of all to speake of these railers which are yet so earnest for the defence of the Byshop of Rome which being vanquished in one battaile still renew an other and coÌ„tend rather of obstinacie then of ignoraunce They would haue here recited againe that whych we haue before spoken as touching the preeminence of the Bishop of Rome or the Patriarcke And as there are many of theÌ„ more ful of words then eloquent they stay much of this poynt where as Christ sayd vnto Peter Tibi dâ—bo claues regni coelorum I wil geue thee the keies of the kingdom of heauen what soeuer thou shalt binde vpon earth shal be bounde in heauen as though by those wordes hee should be made head ouer the other And againe they do amplify it by this Pasce oues meas Feede my sheepe whyche they do not finde to be spoken to any other of the apostles And because it is sayde that Peter was the chiefe and the mouth of the Apostles therefore they iudge it well spoken that no man shall iudge the chiefe and principall sea being all of thys opinion with Boniface which sayde the the Pope ought to be iudged for no cause except he bee perceyued or knowen to swarne from the farth although he do cary innumerable people with him headlong into hel there to be perpetually tormented as though hee coulde not open the kingdome of heauen to others if any other could shut it against him neither that he could feede other if hee
the Bishops handling and of his Articles in his history maketh no memoriall Belike it made but little for the honestye of his great maister the Pope From persecution burning in England now out of the way to digresse a little to speake of forraine matters of the church of Rome you remēber before in the latter end of the Councell of Basill howe Eugenius was deposed Of whose conditiōs and martiall affayres how he made war agaynst Sfortia a famous Captaine of Italy and what other warres he raised beside not onely in Italy but also in Germany agaynst the City and Councell of Basill I shal not need to make any long rehearsall After his depositiō ye heard also how Foelix duke of Sauoy was elected pope Wherupō another great schisme folowed in the church during all the life of Eugenius After his death his next successor was pope Nicholas the fift who as you before haue heard brought so to passe with the Emperour Fredericke the third that Foelix was contented to renounce and resigne his papacy to Nicolas and was therfore of him afterward receiued to the rowme of a Cardinall for his submission Friderick for his working was confirmed at Rome to be full Emperor there crowned an 1451. For Emperors before they be cōfirmed crowned by the pope are no Emperors but onely called kinges of Romaynes This Pope Nicholas here mentioned for to get gather great sūmes of mony appoynted a Iubile in the yeare of our Lorde 1450. at whiche time there resorted a greater number of people vnto Rome thē hath at any time before bene seene At which time we reade in the story of Platina to haue happened that I thought here not vnworthy to be noted for the example of the thing As there was a great concourse of people resorting vp to the mount Uaticane to behold the Image of our Sauior which there they had to shew to Pilgrimes the people being thicke going to fro betwene the mount the City by chaunce a certayn Mule of the Cardinals of saynt Marke came by the way by reason whereof the people not being able to auoyde the way one or two falling vpon the Mule there was such a prease and throng vpon that occasion on the bridge that to the nūder of two hundred bodyes of men and three horses were there strangled and on each side of the bridge many besides fell ouer into the water and were drowned By meanes of which occasiō the Pope afterward caused the smal houses to be plucked downe to make the way broder And this is the fruite that commeth by Idolatrye Ex Platin. In the time of this Pope one Mat. Palmerius wrote a booke De Angelis in defending whereof he was condemned by the Pope and burned at Corna an 1448 Ex Tritemio After him succeeded Calixtus the thyrd who amongest diuers other things ordeined both at noone and at euening the bell to tole the Aues as it was vsed in the popish time to helpe the souldiours that fought agaynst the Turkes for which cause also he ordeined the feast of the transfiguration of the Lord solemnising it with like pardons and indulges as was Corpus Christi day Also this Pope proceding contrary to the Councels of Constance and Basill decreed that no man should appeale from the Pope to any Councell By whome also Sayncte Edmunde of Caunterbury with diuers other were made Sayntes Next after this Calixtus succeeded Pius secundus otherwise called Aeneas Syluius who wrote the two bookes of Commentaries vpon the Councell of Basill before mētioned This Aeneas at the time of the writing of those hys bookes seemed to be a man of an indifferent and tollerable iudgement and doctrine from the which he afterward being Pope seemed to decline and swarue seeking by all meanes possible how to deface abolish the bookes which heretofore he had written ¶ Sentences attributed vnto this Pius THe diuine nature of God may rather be comprehended by fayth then by disputation Christian fayth is to be considered not by what reason it is proued but from whom it proceedeth Neyther can a couetous man be satisfied with money nor a learned man with knowledge Learning ought to be to poore men in stead of siluer to noble men in stead of golde and to Princes in stead of precious stones An artificiall oratiō moueth fooles but not wise men Suters in the Lawe bee as Byrdes the Courte is the bayte the Iudges be the nettes and the Lawyers be the Foulers Men are to bee geuen to dignityes and not dignityes to men The office of a Byshoppe is heauy but it is blessed to him that doth wel beare it A Bishop without learning may be likened to an Asse An euill Phisition destroyth bodies but an vnlearned Priest destroyeth soules Mariage was taken from Priestes not without great reason but with muche greater reason it ought to be restored agayne The like sentence to this he vttereth in his second book of the Councell of Basil before specified saying peraduenture it were not the worst that the most part of priestes had theyr wiues for many shoulde be saued in Priestly mariage whiche nowe in vnmaryed Priesthoode are damned The same Pius also as Celius reporteth dissolued certayne orders of Nunnes of the order of S. Briget and S. Clare bidding them to depart out that they should burne no more nor couer a Harlotte vnder the vesture of Religion This Pius if he had brought so much piety and godlinesse as he brought learning vnto his Popedome had excelled many Popes that went before him It shall not be impertinent here to touch what the said Eneas called Pius the Pope writeth touchinge the peace of the church vnto Gaspee Schlick the Emperors Chaūcellor in his 54. Epistle All men do abhorre and detest schisme The way to remedye this euill Charles the French king hath shewed vs both safe and briefe which is that princes or their Oratours should conuent c assemble together in some cōmon place where they may cōclude vpon matters amongest themselues To bring this to passe it were needfull writinges to be sent agayne to all Kynges and Princes to send theyr Oratours to Strawes borow or to Constance with theyr full authority there to entreate of matters appertayning to the peace of the Church Neyther woulde it require so great expenses Forasmuch as we see the yeare before 300. gildernes to be sufficient Constantine the Emperour bestowed not muche more in the congregation of the Councell of Nice And this way could not be stopped neyther could the Pope or the Councell withstād it or make excuse as though this might not easily be done without them For why the secular princes may conuent and assemble together will they nill they and yet notwithstanding vnity may there be concluded For he should be an vndoubted Pope whom all Princes would obey Neyther do I see any
Queene Elizabeth The trayterous murdering of the Lord Iames Regent of Scotland Martyr The chiefe cause of al these latter persecution in the Church is onely the priuate quarrell of the Bishop of Rome The plantation of the Popes supremacie proued not to be of God Iohn 8. Luke 18. The 3. question Apocal. 13. The two beastes in the booke of ReuelatioÌ„ described The second beast with the hornes like a Lambe The misterie of the first beast rising out of the Sea applied The Image of the beast resembled to the Monarchie of Rome Apocall 13. Of these 42. monethes and the exposition thereof read page 101. The wounded head of the beast in the reuelation what it meaneth The second beast rising out of the land pretending the hornes of a Lambe what it meaneth Apocall 13. The Misterie of the 13. chapter of the Reuelations expounded Ex platina in vita Gregoâ—ij 7. The Image of the old Monarchie reuiued by the Bishop of Rome Power to doe the workes of the beast before his sight Apocal. 13. The 4. question 2. Thess. 2. Religion of Christ spiritual and not corporall The Pope turneth the spirituall religion of Christ to a corporall religion The whole summe of the Popes Catholicke religion set forth in partes A man may be Catholique by the Popes religion without any working of the holy ghost The nature of tâ—ue Christian Religion described Saluation of man standeth onely in fayth of Christ. Fayth in Christ no light matter to fleshe and bloud Many thinges incident to saluation besides fayth but not as causes thereof Workes of sanctification how they come and follow fayth Esay 58. Math. 25. Euseb. lib. 8. cap. 1. Plat. de rep 8. Hippocrates Constantinus erus Ad Martyres Ad deum de inundantibus bellorum procellis Math. 16. Three thinges noted in Christes wordes The order of the disposition of this history 1 The suffering time of the church 2 The florishing time of the Church 3 The declining time of the church 4 The time of Antichrist in the Church 5 The reformation of the Church Church of Rome Foure thinges to be considered in the Church of Rome 1. Title 2. Iurisdiction 3. Lyfe 4. Doctrine The title of the Pope The iurisdiction of the Pope The iurisdiction of the Pope The properties of life in the Romish Clergy The doctrine of the Pope Pope siluester the second Pope Gregory 7. called Hildebrand Pope innocentius the third Pope Bonifatius the eight Equinocé That is in name onely and not in very deede Vutuocè That is both in â—ame and also in definition and effect agreeing with the name The Church of Rome as now it is is not Apostolicall but onely aequiuocè The argument of Pighius Hosius and Eckius for the aucthoritie of the Church of Rome Aunswere Fallacia aquiuoci The minor examined The maior examined A distinction The church of Rome distincted into a double consideration of tymes The 〈◊〉 of Rome how it was commendâ—d of the 〈◊〉 Doctours The principall obiection of the Papistes agaynst the Protestants Aunswere to the obiection The church of Rome reuolted from the Church of Rome An other obiection of the papists An answere to the obiection No man bound to follow the opinions of hys Godfathers in all poyntes vnlesse they be consonant in al things The church of Rome distincted froÌ„ the Church of Rome Two times of the Church of Rome considered and examined The first poynt The enormities of life in the latter Churche of Rome described Policies and practises of Rome to get mony XV. Practises of the newe Churche of Rome to get mony Summa totalis The iurisdiction and power of this new church of Rome examined This â—ewe Church of Rome in three poyntes challenged Nicen. Con. Cap. 6. Victor stopped from his excommunication by Ireneus Boniface the first falsefieth the Councell of Nice The 6. Councell of Carthage Appellations to Rome forbidden in England Appellations to Rome forbiddeÌ„ in Fraunce Ex Annonio de gestis FraÌ„corum Lib 5. Cap. 33. The Popes iurisdiction resisted in Fraunce Pragmatica sanctio The Popes iurisdiction concerning elections examined Platina Sabel Enead 8. lib. 6. ConstaÌ„tine the 4. Emperour of Constantinople The Popes bibliothe carie suspected The constitution of Constantine the 4. Emperour of ConstaÌ„tinople examined Rubrica de ordinatione Episcopi ex Caelestino Papa dist 63. Cap. Cleri Dist. 63. Cap. Sacrorum Libertie graunted to the Clergy and to the people to chuse their Bishop Carolus Magnus Ludouicus Pâ—us The decree Ego Ludocus dist 63. suspected Gratianus Volâ—teranus what ground they haue of their recordes Dist. 63. ca. Ego Ludouicus Election of the Bishop of Rome standeth vpon the coÌ„sent of the Clergy and the people of Rome The decree Ego Ludouicus proued fals Dist. 23. ca. In Nomine Domini The iudiciarie power of the Pope examined Georg. Turonens in Francorum hist. lib. 10. ca. 18. The Popes jurisdiction vsurped in geuing and disposing ecclesiastical promotions 16. q. 7. cap. emnes Basilicae The Councell of Nice cap â— The generall Councell of Antioch cap. 9. 9. q. 3. cap. per singulas Pragmatica sanctio sancti Ludouici Impropriations and first finites of benefices Institutiones canonicae sub Ludouico Pio. The wordes of Prosper Aug. ad Bonifac Vowsons and pluralities of benefices Three points wherein the Popes Church erreth in his iurisdiction 1 Ecclesiasticall iurisdiction falsly restrained impropriate to the Church of Rome which ought to be generally equall to all Churches Christian. 2 Ecclesiasticall iurisdiction abused and extended in the church of Rome further then the word limiteth Christening of Bels. 3 The iurisdiction of the Pope abused and vsurped in temporal matters where he hath nothing to doe Popes submitted in the olde tyme to Emperours Ex cap. 1. de iuramentis calumniat Dist. 97. cap. 1. Plat. in vita Euge. 2. Euidences prouing ecclesiasticall persons to haue bene subiect to their Magistrates in causes both Ecclesiasticall temporall Euidences out of the Scripture Dauid 1. Par. cap. 30.31 Ezechias 4. Reg. 18. The order of Abias was the eight order among the Priests 1. Par. 24. Salomon Iudas Machabeus 1. Mac. 10. 1. Mac. 14. Iosaphat 2. Par. 19. Iohn 19. Rom. 13. Theophilactus Aug. ad Bonifacium Aug. contra CresconiuÌ„ li. 3. cap. 5. Thomas de regim princip li. â— cap. 32. 1. Pet. 2. Gregor ad Maurit Aug. lib. 3. epist. 61. The Pope calleth king Lucius Christes Vicar 23. q. cap. 5. principes cap. Administratores Dist. 97. ca. ecclesiae cap. Victor Dist. 79. ca. Si duo 24. q. 3. cap. De illicita Ex Nouel 5. Iustinian Diuine seruice vsed in the vulgare tongue Clodoueus Concilium Aureliense Carolus Magnus Canonicall Scripture onely to be read in Churches Conc. Cartha 3. cap. 47. Bishops and Priests charged to pâ—each with diligence Superstition in Funerals forbidden Ex. Ansegiso Abbate lib. 1. cap. 76. Ludouicus Pius Ex Ans. lib. 1. cap. 20. Lib. 2. C de
of this displing was withawhite rodde thrise laid vpon the head of the penitenciary He meaneth the wicked byshops of that time whose curses God did blesse This proueth Sir I. Oldecastle to be no traytour The wordes of ha Register Iohn Goddesell of Dichingham Sir Hugh Pye Priest Image of the crosse not to be worshipped A letter of the king William Bishop of Norwich William BernhaÌ„ hys ChauÌ„celor A cataloge of good mé and women troubled for suspition of heresie Bonermight see the church here in this age more then xl yeres before he was borne These men are falsely slaundered about Baptisme The papistes are but quarel pickers Articles * In case of necessitie vrgent they meane The death of Thomas Becket In this article is ment that the wicked be in the church but not of the Church W. White Martyre Anno. 1428. â—â— Waldeno * Eccle. 50. 〈◊〉 The Romiâ—â— church apâ—â— resembled to the cuâ—sed figâ—uce The bishops man smitâ—th him on the mouth exhorting the people Father Abraham Iohn Waddon priest martyrs and burned A letter of the bishop of Norwich The maner at the popes penaunce Iohn Beuerley * alias sustigated Iohn Skilley The penance of Iohn Skilley Margery Backster A woman brought in for witnes in the popes court The Bee will stinge Against Images The sacrament is not God Tho. Becket a traytour Thomas Becket slain not before the aulter but in his flying Father Abraham W. White I. Wadden Against the popes fasting dayes W. Whyte willing to speake at the stake was stroken on the mouth Agaynst auricular confession Against Image worship Iohn Piry Iohn BuÌ„gay Iohn Vsher. William Euerden W. Tailour of Ludney The wife daughter of Tho. Moone Rich. Fletcher Nicho. Belware A new testament then cost 4. markes and â—â— pence Tho. Grem â—â—r I. Clarke W. Bate W. Skiruing W Osberne Iohn Rene. Bawdwin Cooper Iohn Pert. Sir Hugh Pie Priest I. Perker A prophesi Ex Regist. Norw Iohn Burrell Lent fast fishe dayes Pilgrimage to the poore Masses for the dead vnprofitable Tho. Moone of Ludney William White Hugh Pye Thomas Pert. W. Callis priests persecuted Robert Grigges of Martham Articles Iohn Finch of Colchester Popishe penaÌ„ce Nicholas CanoÌ„ of Eye Anno. 1431. Depositions If the SacrameÌ„t be very fleshe then the priests eat fleshe on Friday Nicholas Canon turned his backe to the sacrament An other examination of Nicholas Canon Articles obiected The iudgement of the Prior and doctors vpon his articles An heresie to doubt whether the sacrament be the perfect body of Christ or no. Nicholas Canon declared an hereticke Penance enioyned to Nicholas Canon Tho. Bageley priest Martir Paule Craw martiâ— Ex Hector Boerâ—o Tho. Rhedonensis Martir Ex Antonin 3. parte host fol. 165. Tho. Rhedoneasis coÌ„meth into Italy The golden citie of Rome All thinges corrupt at Rome The wickednes pride that raigneth at Rome The corruptioÌ„ of Rome will admitte no reformation Pictie rewarded with persecutioÌ„ Heresie made where none â—s Popery armed with policie and defâ—nded with tirannie His articles Ex Antonin 3. part hist fol 165 W. Cardinalis Rhotomagensis his peâ—â—ecatâ—ur Tho. Rheâ—onensis brought before Pope Eugenius Thomas degraded Tho. RhedoneÌ„sis a French man burned at Rome Henry Grunfelder priest Henry Radtgeber priest Ioh. Draendorfe priest Pet. Thoraw Mat. Hager Martyrs Pope Eugenius 4. The Councell of Basil. Ex Aenea Syluio Ex Cocleo in Hist. Husut Et ex paralipom Abbat Vrsperg The death of P. Martin Pope Eugenius 4. Pope Eugenius seeketh to dissolue the councell of Basill Dissention betweene the councell of Basill and Pope Eugenius The prelats of the councell refused the Popes request The princes assembled at Mentz to make vnitie betweene the councell the pope Three opinion touching the Pope The Ambassadours returne froÌ„ Mentz The Popes heresie discussed The bishop of Millaine taketh Eugenius part for feare of a schisme Conclusions of the disputation Panormitane speaketh againe for the Pope Articles of faith deuided into 3. sortes Panormitane preferreth the iudgement of the Cardinals of Rome before all the world The pope pretendeth the vniting of the Greekes when he meaneth an other thing The pope no relaps but prolaps Iohn Segouius answereth to Panormitane The pope neglecting to doe good is a member not of christ but of the deuil Councels bouÌ„d to no positiue lawe Panormitaâ— appointeth the Pope Lord of the Church The Pope the clergy desire dominion contrary to the scriptures The French kinges Ambassadour The Byshop of Burgen The councel aboue the Pope The force of truth which appeared also in Eneas himselfe the writer hereof although afterwarde when he was pope he denied the same Note what it is a man to labour against hys knowledge The conclusions of the disputation The first coÌ„clusion A king is not of more authoritie then is his kingdome These kinde of flatterers came now in our daies What a king is The instituâ—â— of kings The pope ought to be subiect vnto the councell This place Tu es Petrus c. expounded Sinnes are the gates of hell Against the papittes opinion that the pope can not erre The interpretatioÌ„ of this place Oraui pro te Petre. is ment of the Church Bishops of Rome are heretiques He meaneth Siluester the secoÌ„d The church is without sinne the pope is a sinner The church one flesh with christ The Church is without spot or sinne is to be vnderstand not by nature but onely by imputation The church with out sinne how to be vnderstand The errour of those which say that onely the virgin Mary did perseuer constaÌ„t at the time of â—hristes passion The Church comprehendeth both the euill and good Math. 20. This saying of Ecclesiastes is not translated also serueth to other sense then is here ment Christ is the rocke wherupon the Church is builded He proueth by authoritie the pope to be vnder the couÌ„cell If the Church be the mother the Pope must be her sonne The church being the spouse the pope caÌ„ not be the head therof but he must also be the head of Christ forsomuch as Christ his spouse be both one The exposition of this place quodcunque ligaueris The church may depose the pope if he abuse the keyes The church and not the pope compared to the Sunne The pope if he do not harken to the church is an Ethnicke and Publicane It is to be feared least the church hath had many such Popes Whether the pope is to be iudged by the generall councell c These are the Canons and the schoole diuines and begging friers Diuersitie of iudgementes touching the B. of Rome How folishly the church of Rome doth wrast the the scriptures neglecting the expositions of the fathers Those thinges which were spokeÌ„ of the church serue also for the generall councell Peter representeth the double person Christ nameth the Church bâ—â— twise in the Gospell What the Church is The interpretatioÌ„ of this place dic ecclesiae The church taken for the
generall councell The councell of Constance decreeth the Pope to be vnder the Councell The actes of the Apostles The cauncell of Nice The title of the Councels The constitutions of the B. of Rome are not the lawes of the church By the church the councell is vnderstand Simons obedience necessary in the Byshops of Rome The fauourers and mainteiners of the pope goe about to mainteine preferre the pleasure profit of one before a common commoditie The pope can abide no generall Councels Non obstante In the Popes Bulles The councel to be aboue the pope The full iudgemét of the church is not to be found but in the generall Councel No appealâ— to be made froÌ„ the couÌ„cel to the P. Acts 13. Gal. 2. Peter constrayned to obey the generall councell The decree of the councel of Constance The pope bound vnder the obedience of the generall Councel Diuers places rehearsed out of the Gospels and Apostles for authoritie of the Church and generall councels aboue the Pope Weight is matters intreated but onely in generall councels The Pope not sufficient of him selfe to connince or iudge heretickes The pope may erre Whether the pope may be deposed by the councell or not The places Tibi dabo claues regniâ—exlorum Pasce oues meas make nothing for the popes supremacye The Popes supremacie consuted Peter representeth the person of the church and not of the Pope The keyes geueÌ„ to the church and not to one man Pope Boniface erreth The B. of Rome vnproperly called the head of the Church The dote which say that the pope cannot be deposed for any other cause then for heresie Fruiteles braunches are to be cutt of If the pope be vnsauery salt he is to be cast away A note for all naughty prelats The wordes of â— Peter to Clement The epistle of Clement to Iames doubted The pope may and ought to be both accused punished for ill doing Whether the pope may be deposed by the counsell or no. The pope is rather to be called the vicar of the Church then of Christ. Pope Iohn 23. deposed and yet for no heresie Whether councells may be coÌ„gregated without the authority of the Pope They erre that say the Pope ought onely to appoint the councells Marke wherefore the popes will haue no generall couÌ„cell The first councell of the apostles The 2. couÌ„cell of the Apostles The 3. couÌ„cell of the Apostles The 4. couÌ„cell of the Apostles Generall councells in tymes past coÌ„gregated by Emperours not by popes If the greater part of the Church do consent a councell may be holdeÌ„ whether the Pope will or no. How the Pope is a schismaticke The Pope can not dissolue a generall councell against the will of the same The saying of Macrobius Whether the pope in certaine cases may dissolue the councell The definition of faith The definition of the catholicke faith Rom. 3. Catholicke what it is The councel of CoÌ„stance Vid. supra pag. 650. The wordes of the councel of ChalcedoÌ„ where by he is declared an hereticke that holdeth any opinion contrary to the councell Panormitan is noted and veriâ— well nipped by his owne supposition Tell the church that is to say the generall councell The Byshop of Burgen Panormitanes oration Foure thinges to be considered in euery request Panormitane would haue dignitie to be coÌ„sidered in couÌ„cell not voices Panormitane seemeth to delay the proces against the pope The 3. part of Panormitans oration Persuations of Panormitane The praise of Lodouicus the prothonotarie Bishops onely to haue determining voyce in councells It is no maruell why he alleadged no more or better matter for of noughty Lether no man can make a good shoe And note here how God with draweth his giftes when men dissemble cloke the truthe Truth seeketh no corners The patieÌ„ce and answere of Arelatensis Didimus reprehended that which was in his owne booke founde He meaneth Panormitane and Lodouicus the Prothonotary Marke O ye Bishops the couÌ„cell of Basill contendeth for you and ye will not vnderstaÌ„d it This was a â— true Cardinall out of whose mouth the veritie did speake which feared not the threatnings of princes neither sought any worldly glory or dignitie Marke what worldly pompe dignitie and wealth had brought the prelates to in those dayes Note here the great godlynes most christian saying of this good Bishop Truth many times dwelleth vnder the ragged cloke Steuen the first martir Note the finâ—etitie ritie of this good Bishop which stayed himselfe vpon the examples of the primitiue church not vpon customes popes Athanasius beeing but a priest and no Bishop vanquished an Archb. The name of priests or elders commoÌ„ both to Bishops and priests Paule Bishop of Antioch Paule the hereticke with his godly eloqueÌ„ce S. Augustines minde vpon this sentence Tibi dabo claues regni caelorum Byshops are of greater power then priests rather by custome then dispensation of truth Byshops and priestes ought to rule the church together Aeneas Siluius Note that Abbots were not instituted by Christ. Italy surmounteth all other nations in number of Byshops Note the terrible persecution of those dayes and the great constancie of the godly for the truthes sake O zeale of fayth worthie the crowne of martyrdom Eccle. 7. The bishops â—eare the earthly power but not God The bishops of the primitiue church what they were Poore men more meete to geue iudgement then riche for riches wealth and dignitie bringeth feare but pouertie causeth libertie * The Byshoppes in this age of the church what they are In matters of faith and religion there ought to be no delayes The eight yeare of the councell of Basill How subtelly they sought delayes The decrees of the councell of Constance If these thinges seeme so vntollerable what shall we say wheÌ„ as they make the Pope a God They which teach this doctrine are heretickes schismaticks but blessed are those heretickes for theirs is the kingdome of heauen A christian exhortation to constancy and martirdome This came so to passe 23. yeares after when Christendome lost Constantinople and all the east partes vnto the Turkes Examples of good men dying for their couÌ„trey The noble Laâ—cedemonians The blessed state of the life to come The worthy aunswere of Theodorus Cyrenensis No death to be feared for christs Church Example of Mariners HuÌ„ters Example of the 11. thousand virgins Iewes Patriarke of Aquileia Duke of Decke in â—weuia The Earle of Diersten The prayse of the citizens of Basill Humilitie sister to nobilitie Amodeus Archbishop of Lions Anno. 1438. Bishops that he at home haue toÌ„gue here to speake for the Pope Marke how they are turned back which somtime fauoured the truth are now become liers flatterers Constancie lacked in diuers of this councell Panormitane speaketh like himselfe Nicholas Amici a diuine of Paris The oration of Segouius Ambros. ad Valentinianum How farre wherein Bishops ought to iudge vpon Emperours He excuseth the Patriarke
tripled besides Annates and Palles whiche all together are thought to make the totall summe yearely goyng out of Fraunce to the Popes coffers â—f late yeares x. Myriades or MillioÌ„s euery Myriade mountyng to x. thousand crownes Now what hath risen besides in other Realmes and NatioÌ„s let other men coniecture Wherfore if the Gospell send vs to the fruites to know the tree I pray you what is to be thought of the Churche of Rome with these fruites of lyfe Or if we will seeke the Church in length and number of yeares where was this Church of Rome with these qualities then at what tyme the Church of Rome was a persecuted Church not a persecutyng Church And when the Byshops therof did not make Martyrs as these do now but were made Martyrs them selues to the number of xxv in order one after an other Or when the Byshops therof were elected exalted not by factioÌ„s conspiring not by power or partes taking not by money or frendes makyng as they be now but by the free voyces of the people of the Clergy with the consent of the Emperour ioyned with all and not by a few coÌ„spired Cardinals closed vp in a corner as they be now c. ANd yet if there were no other difference in the matter but onely corruptioÌ„ of life all that we would tollerate or els impute to the common fragilitie of man and charge them no further therein then we might charge our selues Now ouer and beside this deformitie of life wherein they are cleane gone froÌ„ the former steppes of the true Church of Rome we haue moreouer to charge them in greater pointes more nearely touchyng the substauntiall ground of the Church as in their iurisdiction presumptuously vsurped in their title falsely grounded and in their doctrine heretically corrupted In all which three pointes this latter pretenced Churche of Rome hath vtter sequestred it selfe from the Image and nature of the auncient and true Church of Rome and haue erected to them selues a new Church of their owne makyng as first vsurping a iurisdiction neuer knowen before to their auncient predecessors For although the Churche of Rome in the old primitiue tyme had his due authoritie and place due vnto that sea among other Patriarchall Churches ouer and vpon such Churches as were within his precinct bordering neare vnto it as appeareth by the Actes of Nicene CouÌ„cell yet the vniuersall fulnesse and plenitude of power in both the regimentes spirituall temporall in deposing dispensing matters of the Church not to him beloÌ„ging in taking Appeales in geuyng elections inuestyng in benefices in exeÌ„pting him selfe from obedience subiection of his ordinary power Magistrate with his coactiue power newly erected in the church of Rome was neuer receaued nor vsed in the old Romane church froÌ„ which they disagree in all their doings For although Victor theÌ„ bishop of Rome an 200. went about to excoÌ„municate the East Churches for the obseruation of Easter day yet neither did he proceede therein neither was permitted by Irenaeus so to doe And although Boniface the first likewise writyng to the Byshops of Carthage required of theÌ„ to send vp their appellatioÌ„s vnto the Church of Rome alledgyng moreouer the decree of Nicene CouÌ„cell for his authoritie The Byshops Clergy of Carthage assemblyng together in a generall CouÌ„cell called the vj. Councell of Carthage to the nuÌ„ber of .217 Byshops after they had perused the decrees in the autentike copies of the foresayd Nicene Councell fouÌ„d no such matter by the sayd Bonifacius alledged made therefore a publike decree that none out of that countrey should make any appeale ouer the sea c. And what maruell if appeales were forbiddeÌ„ them to be made to Rome wheÌ„ as both here in EnglaÌ„d the kyngs of this land would not permit any to Appeale froÌ„ them to Rome before king Henry the ij because of the murther of Thomas Becket beyng thereunto compelled by Pope Alexander the iij. And also in Fraunce the like prohibitions were expressely made by Ludouicus Pius an 1268. which did forbid by a publicke instrument called Pragmatica sanctio all exactions of the Popes court within his Realme Also by kyng Philip named Le bel an 1296. the like was done which not only restrayned all seÌ„dyng or goyng vp of his subiectes to Rome but also that no money armour nor subsidy should be transported out of his Realme The like also after him did king Charles the v. surnamed the Wise and his sonne likewise after him Charles the vj. who also punished as traytours certaine seditious persons for appealyng to Rome The like resistauÌ„ce moreouer was in the sayd countrey of FrauÌ„ce against the Popes reseruatioÌ„s preueÌ„tioÌ„s other like practises of his vsurped iurisdictioÌ„ in the dayes of pope Martin the v. an 1418. Item when kyng Henry the vj. in England and kyng Charles the 7. in FrauÌ„ce did both accord with the Pope in inuesting in collatioÌ„ of benefices yet notwithstandyng the highe Court of Parliament in Fraunce did not admit the same but still maintayned the old libertie customes of the French Church In so much that the Duke of Beâ—hfort came with the kynges letters pateÌ„t to haue the Popes procurations reseruations admitted yet the court of ParliameÌ„t would not agree to the same but the kyngs Procurator generall was fayne to go betwixt them as is to be sene in their Registers an 1425. the fift day of Marche In the dayes of the which kyng Charles the vij was setforth in Fraunce Pragmatica sanâ—tio as they call it agaynst the Annaâ—es reseruations expectatiues and such other proceedyngs of the Popes pretenced iurisdictioÌ„ an 1438. Wherfore what maruell if this iurisdiction of the Popes Court in excommunicatyng in takyng Appeales and geuyng of benefices was not vsed in the old Church of Rome when as in these latter dayes it hath bene so much resisted And what should I speake of the forme and maner of elections now vsed in the Church of Rome cleane coÌ„uerted from the maner of the old Church of their predecessors For first in those auncient dayes when as yet the Church remayned in the Apostles onely a few other Disciples the Apostles then with prayer and imposition of handes elected Byshops Ministers as by the Apostles Iames was made Bishop of Hierusalem Paule in Creta elected Titus and Timothe in Ephesus Also Peter ordayned Linus and Clement in Rome c. After which tyme of the Apostles when the Church began more to multiply the election of Byshops and Ministers stode by the Clergie the people with the consent of the chief Magistrate of the place and so continued during all the tyme of the Primitiue Church till the tyme and after the time of Constantine the 4. Emperour which Emperour as writeth Platina and Sabellic Enead 8. lib. 6. published a law concernyng the election of the Romane Byshop that
Church of Rome now beyng hath no coÌ„formitie with the old Romane Churche heretofore For then Byshops debated all causes of fayth onely by the Scriptures and other questions of Ecclesiasticall discipline they determined by the CanoÌ„s not of the Pope but of the Church such as were decreed by the auncient Councels as writeth Greg. Turonensis in Francorum historia Where as now both the rule of scripture sanctions of the old Councels set aside all thynges for the most part are decided by certaine new decretall or rather extradecrâ—tall extrauagant constitutions in the Popes Canon law compiled and in his Consistories practised And where as the old ordinaunce and disposition as well of the common law as of the sacred CouÌ„cels and institution of auncient fathers haue geuen to Byshops other prelates also to patrons and donors of Ecclesiastical benefices euery one within his owne precinct and dominion also to cathedrall Churches and other to haue their free elections to prosecute the same in full effect ordryng and disposing promotions collatioÌ„s prouisions dispositions of prelacies dignities and all other Ecclesiasticall benefices whatsoeuer after their owne arbitremeÌ„t as appeareth by the first generall Councell of Fraunce 16. q 7. cap. Omnes Basilicae by the first generall Councell of Nice cap 6. Also by the generall Councell of Antioche cap. 9. and is to be seene in the Popes Decrees 9. q. 3. Per singulas And also beside these auncient decrees the same is confirmed agayne in more latter yeares by Ludouicus the ninth French kyng in his constitution called Pragmatica sanctio made and prouided by full Parliament agaynst the popes exactions An. 1228. in these wordes as folow Item exactionâ—s onera grauissima pecuniarum per curiam Romanam Ecclesiae regni nostri impositas vel imposita quibus regnum miserabiliter de pauperatum existit siue etiam imponendas vel imponenda leuari aut colligi nullatenus volumus nisi duntaxat pro rationabili pia vrgentissima causa vel ineuitabili necessitate ac etiam de expresso spontaneo iussu nostro ipsius Ecclesiae regni nostri c. that is Item all exactions importable burdens of money which the Court of Rome hath layd vpon the Church of our kingdome whereby the said our kingdome hath bene miserably hetherto impouerished or hereafter shall impose or lay vpon vs we vtterly discharge and forbyd to be leuied or collected hereafter for any maner of cause vnlesse there come some reasonable godly most vrgent ineuitable necessitie that also not to be done without the expresse voluntary commaundement of vs of the Church of the same our foresayd kingdome c. Now contrary and agaynst to these so manifest expresse decrementes of generall Councels constitutions Synodall this latter Church of Rome of late presuÌ„ption degeneratyng froÌ„ all the steppes of their elders haue taken vpon them a singular iurisdiction by them selues for their owne aduauntage to entermedle in disposing traÌ„sposing Churches Colledges Monasteries with the collations exemptions elections goodes landes to the same belongyng by reason and exaÌ„ple wherof haue come in these impropriations first fruites reseruations of benefices to the miserable dispoyling of Parishes horrible decay of Christen fayth which thynges amoÌ„g the old Romaine elders were neuer knoweÌ„ For so much then did it lacke that due necessities were pluckt froÌ„ the Church that Emperours Kyngs Princes plucking froÌ„ their owne rather did cumulate the Church with superfluities Agayne when such goodes were geuen to the Church by those auncetors they were neither so geuen nor yet taken to serue the priuate vse of certaine churchmen takyng no paynes therein but rather to serue the publique subueÌ„tioÌ„ of the needy as is coÌ„teined in the canonicall institutioÌ„s by the Emperour Ludouicus Pius set forth An. 830. The wordes be these Res Ecclesiae vota sunt fidelium pretia peccatorum patrimonia pauperum that is The goods of the church be the vowes and bequestes of the faythfull prices to raunsome such as be in captiuitie or prison and patrimonies to succour them with hospitalitie that be needy Wherunto agreeth also the testimony of Prosper whose wordes be these Viros sanctos ecclesiae non vendicasâ—e vt proprias sed vt commendatas pauperibus diuisisse that is good men tooke the goodes of the church not as their own but distributed theÌ„ as geueÌ„ bequeathed to the poore And sayth moreouer Quod habet Ecclesia cum omnibus nihil habentibus habet commune that is Whatsoeuer the church hath it hath it common with all such as haue nothyng c. Adde to these the worthy testimony of S. August ad Bonif Si autem priuatim quae nobis sufficiant possidemus noÌ„ sunt illa nostra sed pauperum quorum procurationem quodammodo gerimus non proprietatem nobis vsurpatione damnabili vendicamus c. Likewise vowsons and pluralities of benefices were thyngs then as much vnknowen as now they are pernitious to the church taking away all free election of ministers from the flocke of Christ. All which inconueniences as they first came and crept in chiefly by the pretensed authoritie iurisdiction abused in this latter church of Rome so it can not be denyed but the sayd latter church of Rome hath taken and attributed to it selfe much more theÌ„ either the limites of Gods word do geue or standeth with the example of the old Romane church in these three thynges especiall Whereof as mentioÌ„ is touched before so briefly I will recapitulate the same The first is in this that whatsoeuer the Scripture geueth and referreth either to the whole church vniuersally or to euery particular church seuerally this church now of Rome doth arrogate to it selfe absolutely and onely both doyng iniury to other churches also abusing the Scriptures of God For albeit the Scripture doth geue authoritie to binde and loose it limitteth it neither to person nor place that is neither to the Citie of Rome onely more theÌ„ to other Cities nor to the sea of Peter more theÌ„ to other Apostles but geueth it clearely to the Church wherof Peter did beare the figure so that where soeuer the true Church of Christ is there is annexed power to bynde loose geuen and taken meerly as from Christ and not mediatly by the Pope or Byshop of Peters sea The second poynt wherein this present Churche of Rome abuseth his iurisdiction contrary to Scripture and steps of the old Romane Church is this for that it extendeth his authoritie farther and more amply theÌ„ either the warrant of the word or example of time will giue For although the Churche of Rome hath as other particular churches haue authoritie to binde and absolue yet it hath no such authoritie to absolue subiectes froÌ„ their othe subiection and loyaltie to their rulers Magistrates to dispeÌ„se with periury to denounce
in Ecclesiasticall matters as in callyng the people to Gods seruice in cutting down groues in destroying images in gathering tithes into the Lordes house in dedicating the teÌ„ple in blessing the people in castyng downe the brasen SerpeÌ„t within the teÌ„ple in correcting deposing Priestes in coÌ„stituting the order offices of Priestes in commaundyng such thynges as pertained to the seruice worshyp of God in punishyng the contrary c. And in the new Testament what meaneth the exaÌ„ple of Christ himselfe both geuing teaching tribute to be geuen to Caesar to Caesar I say not to the high Priest What meaneth his wordes to Pilate not denying power to be geuen to him from aboue And agayne declaryng the kynges of nations to haue dominioÌ„ ouer theÌ„ willing his Disciples not so to do geuyng vs to vnderstaÌ„d the difference betwene the regimeÌ„t of his spirituall kingdome of the kingdome of this world willyng all worldly states to be subiect vnder the superiour rulers Magistrates in whose regiment is dominioÌ„ and subiectioÌ„ not in the other Whereunto accordeth also the doctrine of S. Paule where it is written let euery soule be subiect to the higher powers vnder whose obedience neither Pope Cardinall Patriarch Byshop Priest Frier nor Monke is excepted nor exempted as Theophilactus expouÌ„dyng the same place declareth sayth Vniuersos erudit siue sacerdos sit ille siue monachus siue Apostolus vt se principibus subdant that is he teacheth all sortes whether he bee Priest or Monke or els Apostle that they should submit themselues vnder their Princes c. And S. Augustine writyng ad Bonifacium sayth in much like sort Quicunque autem legibus imperatoris quae pro Dei veritate feruntur obtemperare non vult acquirit grande supplicium that is whosoeuer refuseth to obey the lawes of the Emperor which make for the veritie of God incurreth the daunger of great punishmeÌ„t c. Also in an other place writyng coÌ„â—ra Cresconium hath these words In hoc enim reges sicut eis diuiniâ—us praecipitur Deo seruiunt in quantum reges si in suo regno bona iubeant mala prohibeant non solùm quae pertinent ad humanam sâ—cietarem verumetiam quae ad diuinam religioné c. that is Kynges accordyng as it is inioyned them of God do serue God in that they are kynges if they in their kyngdome commaunde those thynges that be good forbid thynges that be euill such as appertaine not onely to humaine societie but also to Gods Religion c. And yet to come more neare to the Popes owne Doctours Thomas Aquine not much discrepant from the iniunction of the Apostle aboue alledged thus describeth the office of a kyng Hoc inquit officium rex se suscepisse cognoscat vt sit in regno sicut in corpore anima sicut Deus in mundo c. Let a kyng sayth he vnderstand that he hath taken this office vpon him to be as the soule within the body and as God in the world In like agreemeÌ„t with the holy Apostle S. Paule ioyneth also S. Peter be you subiect sayth he to euery humaine creature whether it be to the king as most preeminent or to other set ouer you c. Where the common Glose addeth thereto to obey the same whether they be good or euill These places rightly pondered let any maÌ„ now iudge whether the Pope hath done open wrong to the Emperour in surprising aboue the iurisdiction of his lawfull Prince and Magistrat notwithstaÌ„dyng whatsoeuer his owne Canon law sayth to the contrary And as it is sufficiently hetherto proued by Gods law that all Ecclesiasticall persons owe their due subiection to their lawfull Princes in matters as well teÌ„porall as spirituall so no lesse euideÌ„ces may also be inferred out of maÌ„s law and examples of the oldest fathers to proue the same And first to begyn with the example of Gregory the great who in his Epistle to Mauritius writeth thus Dominus meus fuisti quando adhuc Dominus omnium non eras Ecce per me seruum vltimum suum vestrum respondebit Christus c. that is You were theÌ„ my Lord wheÌ„ you were not the Lord of the whole Empire behold Christ him selfe shall make you auÌ„swere by me which am his most simplest seruauÌ„t and yours c. And before him Eleutherius his predecessour Byshop of Rome writyng to Lucius kyng of this Realme calleth him by the name of Christes Uicare But what needeth much confirmation of this matter wheÌ„ the Popes decrees Canons be full of recordes hereof testifiyng how the auncient Church of Rome not onely receaued but also required of the Emperours lawes coÌ„stitutions to be made touchyng not onely such causes but also such persons as were Ecclesiasticall And here to omit by the way the chap. Principes seculi also cap. Administratores 23. q. 5. with diuers other beside I will recite out of the Epistle of Boniface the 1. to the Emperour Honorius so much as serueth for our purpose written dist 92. cap. Ecclesiae cap. Victor Where it is mentioned that the sayd Bonifacius Byshop of Rome sent an huÌ„ble supplication to the forenamed Emperour desiryng him by his authoritie to prouide some remedy against the ambitious coÌ„tentions of the clergie concerning the bishoprike of Rome Which Emperor Honorius incontinent at his request directed stablished a law that none should be made Byshop of Rome through ambitioÌ„ charging all Ecclesiasticall Ministers to surcease froÌ„ ambition appointyng moreouer that if two were elected together neither of them both should be takeÌ„ but the election to proceed further to an other to be chosen by a full consent of voyces as is expressed Dist. 79. cap. Si duo To this I adioyne also the law constitution of Iustinian the Emperour ratified and renued afterward in the counsell of Paris in tyme of king Ludouicus Pius Where all Byshops Priestes be expresly forbiddeÌ„ not to excommunicate any maÌ„ before his cause was knowen proued to be such as for the whiche the auncient Canons of the Church would him to be excoÌ„municate And if any should otherwise proceede coÌ„trary to the same theÌ„ the excoÌ„municate person to be absolued by the authoritie of an higher degree the excoÌ„municate to be sequestred froÌ„ the communioÌ„ so long as should seeme conuenieÌ„t to him that had the executioÌ„ therof as is expressed 24. q. 3. De illicita The same Iustinian moreouer in his lawes coÌ„stitutions how many thynges did he dispose ordeine in Church matters as to haue a determinate number of Churchmen or Clerkes in Churches coÌ„st 3. Also coÌ„cerning Monasteries MoÌ„kes const 5. how Byshops Priestes should be ordeined coÌ„st 6. concerning remouyng of Ecclesiasticall persons froÌ„ one Church to an other Also concernyng the constitution of the Churches in Affrike And that the holy misteries should not
and their successors that is to be found false by the Canōs of the Apostles by the Councell of Nice and by the councell of Antioche with other moe For in the Canons of the Apostles where in euery Canon almost mention is made of Bishops Priestes and Deacons no worde is there touched neither of any order aboue the Bishop or lower then the Deacon saue only in the 33. Canon setting an order among bishops the Canon willeth the Bishops of euery nation to know their first or chiefe bishop him to be taken for the head of them he saith not the head of the church or head of the world but the head of those bishops And where not in Rome onely but plainely and expresly in euery nation for so the wordes purport 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is the bishops of euery nation ought to know the first or chiefe 〈◊〉 them c. Moreouer the Councell of Antioch reciting 〈◊〉 foresaid Canon worde for worde expoundeth the 〈◊〉 plainly in stead of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 writing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Which is as much to say as Metropolitan and in the end of the said Canon calleth him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Id est Metropolitanum 6. q 3. per singulas Wherby it is concluded that to be false that Clement and Anacletus and Anicetus bee reported but falsedly to put a difference betwene Primates or Patriarchs and Metropolitanes or Archbishops Whereas by sufficient authoritie it is to bee proued that in the old church both Primates first bishops bishops of the first seat Patriarchs Metropolitanes bishops of the Mother citie and Archbishops were all one First that Primates and Metropolitanes were both one is before declared by the Canons of the Apostles by the Councell of Antioch aforesaid Agayne that Patriarches and Archbishops were all one it is euident Ex Nouella Iustiniani cap. 23. where the sayd constitution reciting the 4. Patriarches aboue mentioned calleth them by the name of Archbishops And a little after calleth the Patriarch of Constantinople Archbishop by these wordes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is which be vnder the Archbishop and Patriarch of Constantinople And after speaking more plainly in the matter setteth an other order diuers from that of Clement Anacletus and Anicetus in placing these foresayd persons first beginning with bishops then ouer them setteth the Metropolitane and ouer him againe the Archbishop and there staieth making no further mention of any other aboue him whose wordes be these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is if a Bishop be accused the Metropolitane to haue the examination of these things that are brought against him if the Metropolitaine be accused then the Archbishop to haue the hearing therof vnder whom he dwelleth pertaineth c. And in the same constitution moreouer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. If any sute or supplicaton be brought against a Bishop by a minister first the Metropolitane to haue the deciding of the matter and if any default shall be found in the iudgement thereof then the hearing and ending of the case to be brought before the Archbishop c. In this constitution of Iustinian although the Metropolitane be placed aboue the Byshop and the Archbishop aboue the Metrapolitane yet notwithstanding by this is sufficiently confuted the forged constitution of Clement Anacletus Anicetus Stephanus Felix who in their Epistles decretall doe ioyne together in one forme and order both Archbishop and Metropolitane and aboue them both do place the Patriarch and aboue the Patriarch the Apostolicall sea to wit the Bishop of Rome as may appeare in reading the first Epistle of Clement In illis autem ciuitatibus c. the second Epistle of Anacletus Art 4. prouinciae dist 99. prouincie multo and the Epistle of Anicetus art 23. dist 99 cap. Nulli Archiepiscopi Also the Epistle of Pope Stephen the first Art 5. where note by the way that Gratianus referreth this place of the Epistle to Pope Lucius Item the Epistle of Pope Felix the second Art 12. in which all foresayd Epistles this order and difference of degrees is taken that the first and principall place is giuen to Primats or Patriarches the second to Metrapolitanes or Archbyshops the third to Byshops and finally aboue all these is extolled the Apostolicall sea of the Byshop of Rome contrary to all that which before hath bene alledged out of Iustinian the Councell of Nice of Antioch c. Whereby it may appeare that either Iustiniā in preferring Archbishops aboue Metropolitanes did not read these Epistles decretall if they were vnfayned or if they were forged they which forged the said Epistles in their names did not wel aduise that Iustinian had written in this matter before Thus then these titles aboue recited as Byshop Metropolitane Byshop of the fyrst seat Primate Patriarche Archbyshop that is to meane chiefebyshop or headbishop to other Byshoppes of his prouince wee deny not but were in the olde time applyed and myght be applyed to the Byshoppe of Rome lyke as the same also were applyed to other Patriarches in other chiefe Citties and prouynces As touching the name likewise of the high Priest or hyghpriesthood neither doe I denye but that it hath bene found in old monuments and recordes of auncient times but in such wise and sort as it hath beene common to Byshops indifferently and not singularly attributed to any one Byshoppe or sea Whereof testimony we haue out of the .vij. generall Councell dist 38. cap. Omnes where the Byshoppes office is called Summum sacerdotium the hygh Priesthood in these wordes Substantia summi sacerdotii nostri sunt eloquia diuinitus tradita .i. vera diuinarum Scripturarū disciplina etc. That is the substance say they of our hygh Priesthood is the word of discipline of holy scriptures geuen vs from aboue c. And likewise the Councell of Agatha maketh relation De pontificibus in sūmo sacerdotio constitutis of Bishops set in the high Priesthood meanyng not of any one but indiffynitly indifferently of whomsoeuer 12. q. 3. cap. Pontifices Also Fabianus Byshop of Rome an 240. wryting in generall to his brethren and to all Byshoppes and Ministers Ecclesiasticall doth attribute to them the same title of Summum sacerdotium in these words Deus ergo fratres qui praeordinauit vos omnes qui Summo sacerdotio fūguntur c God which hath preordayned you brethren and all them which beare the office of high priesthoode 3. q. 1. cap. Deus ergo With like phrase of spech Anacletus also in his second Epistle speaking of Bishops in general calleth them Summos sacerdotes vnde inquit liquit quod summi sacerdotes i. Episcopi a Deo sunt iudicandi c. The high priests that is Byshops saith he And moreouer in the same place calleth thē Apostles and successours of the Apostles c So doth Innocentius the first
M CC.L. and threw them in prison And not long after the sayd Alexander with Euentius his Deacon and Hermes and the rest were burned in a fornace Theodulus an other Deacon of Alexander seeyng and rebuking the crueltie of the tyrant suffered also the same Martyrdome Quirinus also the same tyme as sayth Antoninus hauyng first his tongue cut out then his hands and feete afterward was beheaded and cast to the dogs Equilinus saith that he was beheaded and cast into Tyber in the raigne of the Emperour Claudius but that cannot be Albeit Platina maketh relation but onely of Alexander with his two Deacons aforesayd Declaring moreouer that in the tyme of this Bishop Saphira of Antioch and Sabina a Romaine suffred Martyrdome Florilegus the Author of Flores Historiarum affirmeth that Alexander Byshoppe of Rome was beheaded seuen myles out of Rome where he lyeth buried anno 105. but that agreeth not with the Chronicles aboue recited Eusebius recordeth of him no more but that in the third yeare of Hadrian he ended his life and office after he had bene bishop ten yeares Diuers miracles are reported of this Alexander in the Canon Legends and liues of Saintes which as I deny not but may be true so because I cannot auouch them by any graue testimony of auncient writers therefore I dare not affirme them but dd referre them to the authors Patrons thereof where they are founde Notwithstandyng whatsoeuer is to be thought of his miracles this is to bee affirmed and not doubted but that he was a godly vertuous Bishop And as I say of his miracles the like iudgement also I haue of the ordinaunces both of him and of Euaristus his predecessour testified in the Popes Decrees by Gratianus as 93. Dist. cap. Diaconi where is sayd that Euaristus deuided diuers titles in the Citie of Rome to the Priestes also ordeined in euery Citie vij Deacons to associate and assist the bishop in his preaching both for his defence and for the witnes of truth Notwithstāding if probable coniectures might stand against the authoritie of Gratianus and his decrees here might be doubted whether this absolute ordination of Priestes was first forbidden by Euaristus and whether the intitulation of Priestes was first by hym brought in or not wherein an instaunce may be geuen to the contrary that this intitulation seemeth to take his first beginning at the Councell of Chalcedon and of Pope Vrbane in the Councell of Placent In the which Councell of Chalcedon the wordes of the Canon making no mention of Euaristus at all doe expressely forbid that any Ecclesiasticall person eyther Priest or Deacon should be ordayned absolutely otherwise the imposition of handes without some proper title of the party ordayned to stād voyde and frustrate c. And likewise Vrbanus in the counsell of Placentia doth decree the same alledging no name of Euaristus but the statutes of former Councels Moreouer in the time of Euaristus the Church then being vnder terrible persecutions was deuided in no peculiar Parishes or Cures wherby any title might rise but was scattered rather in corners and desertes where they could beast hide themselues And as the Church of Rome in those dayes was not deuided into seuerall Parrishes or Cures as I suppose so neyther was then any such open or solemne preaching in Churches that the assistaunce or testimony of vii Deacons eyther could auayle among the multitude of the Heathen or els needed amongst the christian secret congregations Agayne the constitution of vii Deacons seemeth rather to spring out of the counsell of Neocesaria long after Euaristus where it was appoynted that in euery Citie were it neuer so small there should be vii Deacons after the rule And this rule the sayd Councel taketh out of the booke of the Actes of the Apostles making no word or mentiō of Euaristus at all Dist. 93. but these as is said be but onely coniectures not denying that which is commonly receiued but onely shewing what may bee doubted in their Epistles Decretall More vnlike it seemeth to be true that is recorded and reported of Alexander that he should be the first founder and finder of holy water mixt with salt to purge and sanctifie them vpon whom it is sprinckeled The wordes of the Dist. be these Aquam sale conspersam in populis benedicimus vt ea cuncti aspersi sanctificentur purificentur quod omnibus sacerdotibus faciendū esse mandamus c. That is We blesse water mixt with salte among the people that all men being sprinckled therewith may be sanctified and purified And this we commaund all Priests to do c. The opinion is also but how true I haue not to affirme that by him first was ordained water to bee mixte with wine in the chalice Item that by him was brought in the piece of the Masse Canon beginning Qui pridie c. And thus much of these foresayd Bishops of Rome martired in the dayes of Traian and Hadrian * The third Persecution BEtwene the second Romain persecution and the third was but one yeare vnder the Emperour Nerua After whom succeeded Traianus And after him followed the third persecution So the second and the third are noted of some to be both one hauing no more difference but one yere betwene them This Traianus if we looke well vpon his politike and ciuill gauernance might seeme in comparison of other a right worthy and commendable Prince Much familiar with inferiors and so behauing himself toward his subiectes as he himselfe would haue the Prince to be to him if he himselfe were a subiect Also he was noted to be a great obseruer of iustice in so much that when he ordained any Pretour geuing to him the sword he would bid him vse the sword against his enemies in iust causes and if he him selfe did otherwise then iustice to vse then his power against him also But for all these vertues toward christian Religion he was impious and cruel who caused the third persecution of the Church In the which persecution Plinie the second a man learned and famous seyng the lamentable slaughter of Christians and mooued therewith to pitie wrote to Traianus of the pitifull persecution certifiyng him that there were many thousāds of them daily put to death of which none did any thing contrary to the Romaine lawes worthy persecution sauing that they vsed to gather together in the morning before day and sing Hymnes to a certaine God whom they worshipped called Christ. In all other their ordinaunces they were godly and honest Wherby the persecution by commaundement of the Emperour was greatly stayd and diminished The forme and copy of which Epistle of Plinie I thought here not inconuenient to set downe as followeth * The Epistle of Plinie an Heathen Philosopher to Traiane the Emperour IT is my propertie and maner my soueraigne to make relation of all those thinges vnto you
although saith he Alexander beyng perswaded through the entreating of his mother MaÌ„mea did fauour the Christians yet notwithstanding there was no publike Edict or Proclamation prouided for their safegard By reasoÌ„ wherof diuers there were which suffered Martyrdome vnder Almachius other iudges In the number of whom after some stories was Calixtus Bishop of Rome who succeded next vnto Zephyrinus aboue mentioned And after him Vrbanus also which both beyng Bishops of Rome did both suffer by the opinioÌ„ of some writers vnder Alexander Seuerus This Calixtus in his two decretal Epistles written to Benedictus and to the Bishops of Fraunce geueth these ordinances that no actions or accusations agaynst the Prelates or teachers of the church should be receaued that no secret conspiracies should be made against bishops Item no man to communicate with persons excoÌ„municate Also no bishop to excommunicate or to deale in an other Dioces And here he expoundeth the Dioces or the Parish of any bishop or minister to be his wife The wife sayth the Apostle is bound to the law so long as the husbaÌ„d liueth when he is dead she is free from the law So saith Calixtus the wife of a bishop which is his Church so long as he liueth is bound duely to him neither ought to be iudged or disposed by any other man without his will and iudgement after his death she is free from the lawe to marrie to whoÌ„ she will so it be in the Lord that is regulariter regularly In the end of the sayd his epistle decretall he confuteth the error of them which hold that they which are fallen are not to be receiued agayne Which heresie after the tyme of Calixtus or Calistus came in first by Nouatus in the dayes of Cornelius Moreouer in his sayd first Epistle decretall is contayned the fast of the foure tymes commonly called the Imber fast whereof also Marianus Scotus maketh mention But Damasus speaking of the same fast sayth he ordayned the fast but of three tymes which was for the encrease of corne wyne and oyle By these hetherto premised it is not hard for a quicke Reader to smel out the crafty iugling of that person or persons whosoeuer they were the falsly haue ascribed these decretall institutions to those holy fathers For first what laysure had the Christians to lay in their accusations against their bishops when we neuer read nor finde in any story any kynde of variaunce in those dayes among them but all loue mutuall compassion and harty communion among the Saintes And as we read of no variaunce among the people in those dayes nor of any fault or backsliding among the Bishops who for the most part then died all constant Martirs so neither do we read of any tribunall seat or Consistorie vsed or frequented then about any such matters Agayne if a man examine well the dangers of those busie days he shall see the poore flocke of the christians so occupied and piteously oppressed by the cruell accusations of the Heathen Infidels that though the cause did yet the tyme would not serue them to commense any law against their bishops SecoÌ„dly as touching their conspiracie against bishops what conspiracie either would they then practise agaynst them which always gaue their liues for their defence Or how could they then conspire in any coÌ„panies together when neuer a true thristian man durst once put his head out of his dores neither was there in the church any Christian man in those perilous dayes except he were a true man in deed such as was farre from all false conspiracies And when as all the world almost in all places conspired agaynst them What tyme what cause or what hart trow ye could they haue to coÌ„spire against their instructors Thirdly concerning the confutation of that heresie how standeth the confutation with the tyme of Calistus wheÌ„ Nouatus the author of that heresie was after him in the tyme of Cornelius Fourthly if by the lawe of Calixtus euery Dioces be the proper wife of euery bishop or minister then how many bishops wiues and persons wiues hath the adulterous Pope of Rome defloured in these latter dayes of the Church which so proudly and impudently hath intermedled and taken his pleasure his owne profit in euery Dioces and Parish almost through all Christendome without all leaue and licence of the good man who hath bene in the meane tyme yet is compelled stil where so euer the Popes holines commeth Vigilante sternere naso and to giue him leaue vnasked to do what he list Wherefore if this Canon decretall be truly his why is it not obserued so as it doth stand without exceptioÌ„ If it bee not why is it then falsly forged vpon him and the Church of Christ deceaued And certes lamentable it is that this falsifiyng of such trifling traditions vnder the false preteÌ„ce of antiquitie either was begon in the Church to deceaue the people or that it hath remayned so long vndetected For as I thinke the church of Christ will neuer be perfectly reformed before these decretall constitutions Epistles which haue so long put on the visard of antiquitie shal be fully detected and appeare in their owne colour wherein they were first paynted And yet neither do I say this or thinke contrary but that it may be that bishops of Rome and of the same name haue bene the true authors of these traditions but here coÌ„meth in the error as I credibly suppose that when other later bishops of the like name haue deuised these ceremoniall inuentions the vulgar opinion of men hath transferred them to the first primitiue fathers although beyng of an other time yet bearing the same name with the true inuentors thereof But of Calixtus enough who as Damasus sayth in the dayes of this Alexander Seuerus died a Martyr Vincentius affirmeth that he was tied to a great stone and so out of a window was thrown into a ditch Eusebius speakyng of his death maketh no mention of his Martyrdom and sayth he sate v. yeares Platina sayth vj. yeres Sabellicus giueth him vij yeares and so doth Damasus After Calistus folowed Vrbanus about the yeare of our Lord 227. who in his epistle decretall comming out of the same forge which he wrote in common to all bishops making no mention of the heauy persecutions of the Church nor ministring any exhortation of comfort or constancie to the brethren onely geueth many straight precepts for not transporting or alienating the goods of the Church and to pay truly their offâ—â—â—ngs which they vow also to haue all common among the Clergie Moreouer about the ende of his epistle he instituteth the confirmation of children after Baptisme which the Papistes bee woont to take into the number of their vii Sacraments affirming and denouncing more then Scripture will beare that the imposition of the Bishops hand bringeth the holy ghost and thereby to be made full ChristiaÌ„s c. But of these
of the same And therefore wryting to Anilinus his chiefe captaine declareth his will minde to him in letters concerning the goodes whych did appertaine to the Churches of the Christians that hee shoulde procure vigilantly for the same that all suche goodes houses and gardens belonging before to the right of Churches shoulde agayne be restored in all speedie wise and that hee therein might be certified with speede c. Moreouer he writing to the saide Anilinus in an other letter signifieth vnto him in this effect that for so much as the contempt of God his reuerent religion is hath bene euer the greatest decay to the name people of Rome as contrary the maintaining and reuerencing the same hath euer brought prosperitie to all common weales Therfore he in consideration therof hath taken that order geueth to him in charge that through the prouince where he hath to doe which was in Aphrica where Cecilianus was Byshop he should there see prouide that all such ministers and Clerkes whose vocation was to serue in the Church should be freed and exempted from all publike duties and burdens whereby they being so priuileged and all impediments remoued which shoulde hinder their diuine ministration thereby the cōmon vtilitie of the people might the better flourish c. Furthermore the sayde Constantinus in an other letter wryting to Miltiades Byshop of Rome and to Marcus declareth in his letters to them howe Cecilianus Byshop of Carthage hath ben accused vnto him by diuers of his colleages and fellow byshops Wherfore his will is that the sayd Cecilianus with x. byshops his accusers with x. other his defendants should repaire vp to him at Rome where in the present assistance of the foresayde Miltiades Rheticus Maternus Marinus and of other their fellowe Colleages the cause of Cecilianus myght be harde and rightly examined so that all schisme and deuision might be cut of from among them wherein the feruent desire of Constantinus to peace and vnitie may well appeare Upon the lyke cause and argument also he wryteth to Chrestus Byshop of Syracusa so desirous to nourish peace and concord in the church that he offereth to him with his vnder Ministers and three seruaunts hys free caryage to come vp to him vnto the Councel of other bishops for the agreeing of certaine matters belonging to the Church Hee writeth also an other letter to the forenamed Cecilianus Byshop of Carthage To the prouinces likewise of Palestina those partes about hee directeth his Edict in the behalfe of the Christians for the releasing of such as were in captiuitie and for the restoring againe of them which had sustained any losse in the former persecution before for the refreshing of such as heeretofore had bene oppressed with any ignominie or molestation for their confession sake declaring in the sayd Edict howe that his whole body life and soule and what soeuer is in hym hee oweth to God and to the seruice of him c. Moreouer an other leter he wryteth to Eusebius for the edifying of newe Christian Churches restoring of them whych had bene wasted before by forreine enemies And after hee had collected the Synode of Nice for the studie of peace and vnitie of the Church he wryteth vpon the same to Alexander and Arrius In which hys letters hee most lamentably vttered the great griefe of his hear◠to see and heare of theyr contention and diuision whereby the peace and common harmonie of the Churche was broken the Synode prouoked resisted the holy people of the Lorde deuided into partes and tumultes contrary to the office of good and circumspect men whose duetie were rather to nourish concorde and to seeke tranquillity And though in some small poynts and light trifles they did disagree from other yet as the example of Philosophers might teache them who although in some part of a sentence or peece of a question some might dissent from other yet in the vnitie of their profession they did all ioyne as fellowes together In like case were it theyr duetie in such fruitles questions or rather peeces of questiōs to keepe them in the conceptions of their mindes in silence vnto themselues and not to bring them foorth into publicke Synodes to breake therefore from the communion of the reuerent Councell Declaring moreouer in the sayde Epistle the first origine and occasion of thys theyr contentious dissention to ryse vpon vaine trifling termes vile causes and light questions and peeces rather of questions about such matters as neither are to be moued nor to be answered vnto being mooued more curious to be searched and perillous to be expressed then necessary to be inquired magisque puerilibus ineptijs quam sacerdotum ac cordatorum virorum prudentiae conuenientia as he there doth terme them Wherefore by al maner meanes he doth labour them doth entreate them and perswade them not onely with reasons but also with teares and sighing sobbes that they would restore againe peace vnto the Church and quietnesse to the rest of his life which otherwise would not be sweet vnto him and that they would returne againe to the communion of the reuerent Councell Who in so doing should open his way and purposed iourney into the East partes which otherwyse hearing of their discorde and dissention would be sorye to see with his eyes that which greeueth him nowe to heare with hys eares with much more in the same Epistle contained but this is the effect of the whole Euseb. de vita Constant Lib. 2. Thus much I thought summarely to comprehende whereby the diuine disposition and singular gentle nature of this meeke religious Constantine might more notoriously appeare to all Princes for them to learne by hys example what zeale and care they ought to beare toward the Church of Christ how gently to gouerne and how to be beneficiall to the same Many other Edicts Epistles wrytten to other places and parties be expressed at large in the seconde booke of Euseb De vita Constantini wherein the zealous care and Princely beneficence of this noble Emperour toward the Church of Christ may appeare Wherof in a briefe recapitulation such specialities we haue collected as here followeth and is to be seene in Zozo Lib. 1. Cap. 8.9 First hee commaunded all them to be set free who soeuer for the confession of Christ had bene condemned to banishment or to the mines of metall or to any publike or priuate labour to them inflicted Such as were put to any infamie or open shame among the multitude hee willed them to be discharged from all such blemish of ignominie Souldiours whych before were depriued eyther of theyr place or put out of theyr wages were put to their liberty eyther to serue againe in theyr place or quietly to lyue at home Whatsoeuer honour place or dignitie had bene taken away frō any man should be restored to them againe The goods and possessions
yeres and halfe til Edwine the eldest sonne came to age This Edrede with great moderation and fidelitie to the young children behaued himselfe during the tyme of his gouernement In his tyme Dunstane was promooted through the means of Odo the Archbishop from Abbot of Glastenbury to be Bishop of Wirceter and after of London By the counsayle of this Dunstane Edrede was much ruled and too much thereto addicted In so much that the sayd Edrede is reported in stories to submit himselfe to much fond penance and castigations inflicted to him of the said Dunstane Such zelous deuotion was then in princes and more blynd superstition in bishops And here agayn is an other miracle as fantasticall as the other before forged of Dunstane That whē that Edrede beyng sicke sent for Dunstane to be hys confessor by the way Dunstane should heare a voyce declaring to him before that Edrede was already departed at the declaring wherof Dunstans horse fel immediately dead vnder hym with lye and all * King Edwine EDwine the eldest sonne of king Edmund afore mētioned after his vncle Edrede began his raigne about the yere of our Lord 955. being crowned at Kingston by Odo the Archbishop of Caunterbury Of this Edwine it is reported of diuers writers that the first day of his coronation sitting with his Lordes brake sodainly from them entred a secrete chamber to the company of a certaine woman whom he inordinately retained being as some say an other mans wife whose husband he had before slayne as other say being of his aliance to the great mislikyng of hys Lordes and especially of the Clergy Dunstane was yet but Abbot of Glastenbury who following the king into the chamber brought him out by the hand and accused him to Odo the Archbishop causing him to be separate from the company of the foresayd partie by the which Odo the king was for his fact suspended out of the Church By reason whereof the king beyng with Dunstane displeased banished him his land forced him for a season to flee to Flanders where he was in the monastery of S. Amandus About the same season the Monasticall order of Benedict Monkes or blacke monkes as they were called began to multiply and encrease here in England In so much that where before tyme other priestes Canons had bene placed there monkes were in their roumes set in and the secular priests as they then were called or Canōs put out But king Edwine for the displeasure he bare to Dunstan did so vexe all the order of the said monkes that in Malmesbury Glastenbury other places mo he thrust out the monkes and set in secular priestes in their stead Notwithstanding it was not long but these priestes and Canons were agayne remooued and the said monkes in their stead restored both in the foresayd houses and in diuers other Churches Cathedrall besides as in the next story of Kyng Edgar Christ willyng shall at more large appeare In fiue kyng Edwine beyng hated by reason of certaine his demeanours of all his subiectes especially the Northumbrians and Mercians was by them remooued from his kingly honour and his brother Edgar in his steade receiued so that the Riuer of Thamis deuided both theyr kingdomes Which Edwine after he had raigned about the terme of foure yeares departed leauing no heyre of hys bodye Wherefore the rule of the lande fell vnto Edgar his younger brother ¶ King Edgar EDgar the second sonne of Edmund and brother to Edwine being of the age of xvj yeares began his raygne ouer the realme of England in the yeare of our Lord 959. but was not crowned till 14. yeares after the causes whereof here vnder follow Christ willing to be declared In the beginning of his raigne he called home Dunstane whome king Edwine before had exiled Then was Dunstane which before was Abbot of Glastenbury made bishop of Worcester then of London Not long after this Odo the Archbishop of Cant. deceaseth after he had gouerned the Church 24. yeares After whom Brithelinus bishop of Winchester first was elected But because he was thought not sufficiēt to furnish the roome Dunstane was ordained Archb. and the other sent home agayne to his old Church Where note by the way how in those dayes the donatiō and assignyng of ecclesiasticall dignities remayned in the kings hand onely they fet their palle frō Rome as a token of the Popes confirmation So Dunstane beyng by the kyng made Archb. tooke hys iourny to Rome for his palle of Pope Iohn the 13. which was about the beginning of the Kings raygne Thus Dunstane obtayning his palle shortly after his returne agayne from Rome entreateth King Edgar that Oswaldus who as is said was made monke at Floriake and was nephew to Odo late bishop of Cant. might bee promooted to the bishoprike of Worcester which thyng to him was granted And not long after through the means of the sayd Dunstane Ethelwoldus whom stories doe fayne to be the great patrone of Monkery first Monke of Glastenbury thē Abbot of Abbendon was also made Bysh. of Winchester Of this Ethelwold Gulielmus libro de gestis pōtificum recordeth that what tyme he was a Monke in the house of Glastenbury the Abbot had a vison of him which was this How that there appeared to him in hys sleepe a certayne great tree the branches wherof extended through out all the foure quarters of the Realme which branches were al couered with many little Monkes coules where in the top of the tree was one great maister coule which in spreading it selfe ouer the other coules inclosed all the rest which maister coule in the tree top myne Authour in the interpretation applyeth to the lyfe of this Ethelwold Of such prodigious fantasies our monkish histories bee full and not onely our histories of England but also the Heathen histories of the Gentiles be stuffed with such kynd of dreames of much like effect Of such a lyke dreame we read of the mother of Ethelstane how the Moone did spring out of her wombe gaue light to all England Also of king Charles the Emperour how he was led by a threed to see the torments of hel Like wise of Furceus the Heremite mentioned in the third booke of Bede who sawe the ioyes of heauen and the 4. fires that should destroy the world the one of lying for breakyng our promise made at Baptism The second fire was of couetous The third of dissention The fourth was of the fire of impietie and wrongfull dealing Item in like sort of the dreame of Dunstane and of the same Ethelwold to whom appeared the three bishops Bristanus Birinus and Swithinus c. Itē of the dreame of the mother of this Ethelwold who beyng great with him did see a golden Egle flee out of her mouth c. Of the dreame likewise or the vision of Kyng Edgar concerning the falling of the two apples and of
the pots one being full of water the other empty c. Also of king Edward the Confessor touching the ruine of the lande by the conquest of the Normands We read also in the history of Astiages how he dreamed of Cyrus And likewise of many other dreames in the bookes of the monkes of the Ethnike writers For what cannot either the idle vanitie of mans head or the deception of the lying spirite worke by man in foreshewing such earthly euentes as happen commonly in this present world But here is a difference to be vnderstood betwene these earthly dreames speaking of earthly things and matters of humaine superstition betwene other spiritual reuelations sent by God touching spirituall matters of the Church pertayning to mans saluation But to our purpose by this dreame and by the euent which followed after it may appeare how by what meanes the multitude of Monkes began first to swarme in the Churches of England that is in the dayes of this Edgar by the meanes of these three Bishops Dunstane Ethelwold and Oswold Albeit Dunstane was the chiefest ring leader of this race yet Ethelwold beyng now Bishop of Winchester Oswald bishop of Worcester were not much behind for their partes By the instigation and counsail of these three aforesaid king Edgar is recorded in histories to build either new out of the ground or to reedifie monasteries decayed by the Danes mo then xl As the house of Ely Glastenbury Abington Burgh by Stamford Thorney Ramsey Wilton Wenton Winchtombe Thamstock in Deuonshire with diuers other moe In the settyng vp and building of the which the foresayde Ethelwold was a great doer and a founder vnder the king Moreouer thorough the motion of this Dunstane and his fellowes kyng Edgar in diuers great houses and Cathedrall Churches where Prebendaries and priestes were before displaced the priests and set in Monkes Whereof we read in the chronicle of Rog. Houeden in wordes and forme as followeth Hic namque Ethelwoldus Regem cuius eximius erat consiliarius ad hoc maximè prouocauit yt clericos à Monasterijs expelleret monachos sanctimonialesque in eis collocaret c. That is Ethelwold bishop of Winchester who was then one of the kings couÌ„saile did vrge the K. chiefly to expel Clerks out of Monasteries and in their rowmes to bestow Monks and Nunnes c. whereunto accordeth likewise Historia Iornalensis containing the like effect in these wordes Hoc anno Ethelwoldus Wint. Oswaldus Wygornensis Episcopi iussu Regis Edgari clericis de quibusdam maioribus Ecclesijs expulsis Monachos instituerunt aut de eisdem clericis alijs monachos in eisdem fecerunt Gulielmus also writing of the tyme of Dunstane maketh the matter somwhat more plain where he sayth Itaque clerici multarum Ecclesiarum data optione vt aut amictum mutarent aut locis valedicerent melioribus habitacula vacuefacientes Surgebant itaque in tota insula religiosorum monasteria cumulabaÌ„tur mole pretiosi metalli sanctorum altaria c. Thus the secular priests being put to their choise whether to chaunge their habite or to leaue theyr roumes departed out of their houses geuing place for other better men to come in Then the houses Monasterics of Religious men through all the Realme went vp apace c. After the kings mynd was thus perswaded and incited by these bishops to aduance Monkery then Oswaldus bishop of Worcester also made Archbishop of Yorke after the decease of Oskitellus sui 〈◊〉 compos effectê° as Houeden writeth hauing his sea in the cathedrall Church there of S. Peter began first with faire perswasions to assay the myndes of the Canons and priests whether they could be content to change their profession and to be made monks or no which when he saw it would not take effect he practised this pollicie with theÌ„ Nere to the said Church of S. Peter within the churchyard he erected an other Church of our Lady which when he had replenished with Monkes there he continually frequented there he kept there he sat and was euer there conuersant By reason whereof the other church was left naked and desolate and all the people gathered there where the bishop was The priests seyng themselues so to be left and neglected both of the Bishop and of the people to whome nothing remayned but shame and contempt were driuen of shame either to relinquish the house such as would not enter the Monkish profession or els to become monkes such as had nothyng els to stay vpon After the like superstition although not after the same subtletie did Ethelwold also driue out the Canons and priests from the new Monastery in Winchester afterward called Hida and placed his monkes So in Oxford and in Mildune with diuers other places moe the secular Priests with their wiues were expelled to geue place to Monkes The cause wherof is thus pretended in certaine story writers whom I see also Fabian to folow for that the priests and Clerkes were thought slack and negligent in their Church seruice and set in Uicares in theyr stead while they liued in pleasure and mispent the patrimony of the Church after their owne lust Then king Edgar gaue to the Uicars the same land which before belonged to the Prebendaries who also not long after shewed themselues as negligent as the other Wherfore king Edgar as mine authors write by the consent of Pope Iohn 13. voyded clerely the priests and ordained there monkes Although certaine of the nobles and some of the Prelates were therewith not well contented as in the chapter following may partly appeare But for so much as we haue entred into the mention of Monkes Nunnes and of their profession which I see so greatly in our Monkish stories commended lest perhaps the simple Reader may be deceiued thereby in hearing the name of monkes in all histories of tymes to be such an ancient thing in Christian life euen froÌ„ the primitiue church after the Apostles tyme both commonly recited and well receiued therfore to helpe the iudgement of the ignorant and to preuent all errour herein it shall not be vnprofitable in followyng the present occasion here geuen by way of a little digression to entermedle somewhat concerning the originall institution of monkes what they were in the old tyme which were called Monachi wherin the monkes of the primitiue tyme did differ from the Monkes of the middle time and from these our Monkes now of this latter age Moreouer wherein all these three do differ from Priests as we call them and froÌ„ men of the clergy Wherfore to aunswer to the superstitious scruple of such which alledge the old antiquitie of the name and title of monks first I graunt the name and order of Monkes to be of old continuance during neare from the tyme of 300. yeares after Christ. Of whom diuers old authors do record as Augustinus Hieronymus Basillus Magnus who was also himself one
it was enacted and decreed that the Canons of diuers Cathedral churches Colleginars Persons Uicars Priests and Deacons with their wiues and childrē either should geue ouer that kind of life or els geue roume to Monkes c. For execution of which decree two principall Uisitors were appointed Athelwold or Ethelwold bishop of Winchester and Oswold bishop of Worcester as is partly before touched Osbernus in vita Dunstani Malmesb. De vit pontif Rog Houed And thus much concerning the history of king Edgar and of such things as in his tyme happened in the church Which Edgar after he had entred into the partes of Britannie to subdue the rebellion of the Welchmen and there had spoiled the coūtrey of Glamorgan wasted the country of Ono within x. dayes after when he had raigned the space of xvj yeares died and was buried at Glastenbury leauing after him two bastards to witte Editha and Edward and one sonne lawfully begottē named Ethelred or otherwise by corruption called Egelred For Edmund the elder sonne died before his father Ye heard before how king Edgar is noted in all stories to be an incontinent liuer in deflouring maydes and virgines Of which virgins iij. notoriously are expressed in authors to witte Wlftrude or Wlfride The second was the dukes maid at Andeuar nie to Winchester The third was Elflede mother of Edward for the which Elflede he was stayd and kept backe from his Coronation by Dunstane Archbishop of Cant. the space of 7. yeares and so the sayd kyng beginning his raigne in the 16. yeare of his age beyng the yeare of the Lord 959. was crowned at his age 31. An. dom 974. as is in the Saxon Chronicle of Worcester church to be prooued For the more euident declaration of which matter concerning the coronation of the kyng restrained and the presumptuous behauiour of Dunstan against the king and his penance by the sayd Dunstane enioyned ye shall heare both Osborne Malmesb. and other authors speake in their owne wordes as followeth Perpetrato itaque in virginem velatam peccato c. After that Dunstane had vnderstanding of the kings offence perpetrated with the professed Nunne and that the same was blased amongst the people with great ire and passion of mynde he came to the king Who seing the Archb. comming eftsones of gentlenes arose from his regall seate towards hym to take him by the hand and to geue him place But Dunstan refusing to take him by the hand and with sterne countenance bending his browes spake after this effect of words as stories import vnto the king You that haue not feared to corrupt a virgine mayde handfast to Christ presume you to touch the consecrated handes of a bishop you haue defiled the spouse of your maker thinke you by flattring seruice to pacifie the friend of the bridegrome No sir his frend will not I be which hath Christ to his enemy c. The king terrified with these thundring wordes of Dunstan and compuncted with inward repentance of his crime perpetrated fel down with weping at the feete of Dunstane Who after he had raysed him vp from the ground againe began to vtter to him the horriblenes of his fact and finding the king redy to receiue whatsoeuer satisfaction he would lay vpon him enioyned him this penance for 7. yeres space as followeth That hee should weare no crowne all that space that he should fast twise in the weeke he should distribute his treasure left to him of his auncesters liberally vnto the poore he should build a Monasterie of Nunnes at Shaftsbury that as he had robbed God of one virgine through his transgression so should he restore to him many again in tymes to come Moreouer he should expell Clerkes of euil life meaning such priests as had wiues and children out of churches and place Couents of Monkes in their rowme c. It followeth then in the story of Osborne that whē the 8. yeres of the kings penance were expired Dunstan calling together all the pieres of the Realme with Bishops Abbots and other ecclesiasticall degrees of the Clergy in the publike sight of all the multitude set the crowne vpon the kings head at Bathe which was the 31. yeare of hys age and the 13. yeare of his raigne so that he raigned only but 3. yeares crowned king All the other yeares besides Dunstan belike ruled the land as he listed Furthermore as touching the sōne of the sayd Elfled thus the story writeth Puerum quoque ex peccatrice quondam progenitum sacro fonte regeneratum lauauit aptato illi nomine Edwardo in filium sibi adoptauit i. The child also which was gotten of the harlot he baptised in the holy fountaine of regeneration and so geuing his name to bee called Edward did adopt him to be his sonne c. Ex Osberno By the which narration of Osberne agreing also with the story of the Saxon booke aboue mentioned is conuinced a double vntruth or error eyther negligently ouerseen or of purpose dissembled in our latter Monkish storywriters as in Malmesbury Math. Paris Math. Westm. other mo Who to conceale the fault of king Edgar or to beare with Dunstans fact in setting vp Edward for the maintenance of their monkish order first doe falsly affirme that Editha the daughter of Ulfride was borne after Edward that for her this penance was enioyned to king Edgar which neither is nor can be so as in processe hereafter the Lorde willing shall appeare Secondly they are deceiued in this that they affirme king Edgar to haue two wiues and that Elfleda the mother of Edward was not a professed Nunne in deede but dissembled so to be to auoid the violēce of the king where as in deede the truth of the story both geueth her to bee a Nunne and her sonne to be base and she her selfe neuer to be maried vnto the king Now forasmuch as we haue hitherto entred mention of Elfleda and Editha also of Wlfrede and Dunstane here would not be let passe to speake something of their lying miracles falsly forged to the great seductiō of christen people by superstitious Monkes who cared not what fables and lyes they brought into the church so they might haue the vantage of poore mens purses and oblations And first here commeth in the fabulous myracles wrought at the tombe of Elfleda the kings concubine which W. Malmesb. in these verses expresseth Nam nonnullis passa annis morborum molestiam Defecatam excoctam Deo dedit animam Functas ergo vitae futo beatas exuuias Infinitis clemens signis illustrauit Deltas Inopes visus auditus si adorant tumulum Sanitati restituti probant sanctae meritum Rectum gressum refert domum qui accessit loripes Mente captus redit sanus boni sensus locuples The English of which verses is needelesse here to bee recited Briefly the effect is this That both the blynde deafe halte
also being sent by the Romanes for feare of the Emperours displeasure who assigned an other bishop a Germaine called Uictor 2. This Uictor hauing a Councell at Florence deposed diuers Bishops and Priestes for simony and fornicatiō For simony in that they tooke of secular men their dignities for money for fornication in that contrary to their Canon they were maried c. The 2. yeare of his papacie and little more this Pope also followed his predecessours being poysoned by the foresaide Brazutus through the procurement of Hildebrand and his maister Here now began the Church and Clergie of Rome to wring out of the emperours hand the election of the pope electing Stephen the 9. for pope contrary to their oth and to the Emperours assignement Here was the Churche of Millan first brought to obedience of the Romish Church by this Stephanus the 9. bishop of Rome Who also shamed not to accuse the Emperor Henry of whom mention is made before of heresy for minishing the authority of the Romane sea So this was their heresie at that time not to maintaine the ambitious proceedings of the Romish prelate And simonie they called this to take enioy any spirituall liuing at a secular mans hand Wherefore Stephen hearing this simonie to raigne in diuers places namely in the Churches of Burgundy and Italy sent foorth the Cardinal Hildebrand to reforme the matter who was no lesse earnest in that kinde of commission to help the matter forwarde In the meane time Stephanus the pope tasting of Brazutus cup fel sick Hildebrand hearing that applieth home with all post speede So being returned to Rome assembleth all the companies and orders of the Clergy together making thē to sweare that they should admit none to be Byshop but which should be appointed by the publike cōsent of them altogether This being done Hildebrande taketh his iorney to Florēce belike to fetch the bishop of Florēce to stal him bishop the clergy swearing to him that no bishop shuld be ordained before his returne againe But the people of Rome not suffering the election to stand so long after the death of Stephan elected one of their owne citie called Benedictus the 10. Hildebrand hearing of this was not a little offended wherefore returning to Rome wyth one Gerhardus bishop of Florēce caused the clergy to procede to a newe election saying that Benedictus was not lawfully called but came in by force bribing But the clergie not daring to attempt any new election at Rome wēt to Sene and there elected this Garhardus bishop of Florence whome Hildebrande brought with him So were 2. popes in Rome together But Garhardus named Nicolaus 2. holding a councel at Sutrium through the helpe of Duke Godfride and Guibert and other bishops about Italie caused the other Pope to be deposed Benedictus vnderstanding them to be set against him through the means of Hildebrand vnpoped himself and went to Uelitras liuing there more quietly thē he shuld haue done at Rome Here is to be touched by the way the error of the glose vpon the 23. dist which falsly alledgeth out of the Chronicles that Benedictus 10. which succeeded Stephen was deposed after whō came Ioannes bishop of Sabine for money he againe deposed Benedictus was then restored and after displaced againe and then Ioannes Archdeacon ad portam latinam was made Pope and he againe deposed by the Emperor and all this wtin one yere Which history neither is founde in any Chronicle nor agreeth vpon any Benedictus saue only that Benedictus 9. was deposed then reigned 3. popes together Benedictus 9. Siluester 3. Gregorius 6. which before was called Ioannes ad portam latinam whome the Emperor deposed all three together But that Benedict neither was the 10. neither did hee succeede pope Stephen as the glose recordeth Nicolas thus being set vp without the minde both of the emperour of the people of Rome after his fellow Pope was driuen away brake vp the Synode of Sutrium came to Rome where he assembled an other councel called concilium Lateranum In which councel first was promulgate the terrible sentence of excommunication mentioned in the decrees beginneth In nomine Domini nostri c. The effect whereof is this First that he after a subtile practise as farre and as plainly as he durst speake vndermindeth the Emperours iurisdiction and transferreth to a few Cardinals and certaine Catholike persons the full authoritie of chusing the Pope Secondly against all such as do creepe into the seat of Peter by money or fauoure wtout the full consent of the Cardinals he thūdreth with terrible blasts of excommunication accursing them and their children with deuils as wicked persons to the anger of almighty god geuing also authoritie and power to Cardinals with the Clergie and laitie to depose all such persons and cal a councel general wheresoeuer they wil against them Item in the sayde Councell of Laterane vnder Pope Nicholas the seconde Berengarius Andegauensis an Archdeacon was driuen to the recantation of his doctrine denying the reall substance of Christes holy body and bloud to be in the Sacrament otherwise then sacramentally and in mysterie In the same councell also was hatched inuented the new found deuise and terme of Transubstantiation It were to long heere to declare the confederation betwixt this Nicholas and Robertus Guiscardus whome this pope cōtrary to all right and good law displacing the right heire made Duke of Apulia Calabria Sicilia and captain general of S. Peters lands that through his force of armes and violence he might the better subdue all such as should rebell to his obedience and so did Nowe let all men iudge vnderstand which be godly wise howe this standeth with the doctrine of Christ the example of Peter or the spirit of a christen bishop by ourward armes violēce to conquer christen men countreis vnder the obedience of a bishops sea Thus Pope Nicolas the 2. well aunswering to his Greeke name by might and force continued 3. yeres and a halfe But at length he mette with Brazutus cup and so turned vp his heeles At the beginning of this Nicolas or somewhat before about the yere of our Lorde 1057. Henricus the 4. after the decease of Henrie the 3. was made Emperour being but a childe raigned 50. yeres but not without great molestatiō and much disquietnes and all through the vngracious wickednesse of Hildebrand as hereafter the Lord so permitting shal be declared Here by the way commeth to be noted an exāple wherby all Princes may learne and vnderstand how the pope is to be handled whosoeuer loketh to haue any goodnesse at his hand If a man stand in feare of his curse he shall be made his slaue but if he be despised of you ye shal haue him as you list For the Popes curse may well be assimiled to Domicianus
Lord and to reforme the same and not only to reforme and amend his fault but also to satisfy it to the vttermost if the law shall so require him Wherfore seing he is so willing to recōpēce satisfy the iudgemēt of the church in al things appertaining to the church refusing no order that shal be takē but in al thīgs submitting his neck to the yoke of Christ with what right by what canon or reason can you interdict him or vse excommunication against him It is a thing laudable a vertue of great cōmendation in wise men wisely to goe with iudgement and reason and not to be caried with puffes of hasty violence Whereupon this is the onely and common petition of vs all that your fatherly care will diligently prouide for your flocke and sheepe committed to you so that they miscary not or runne to any ruine through any inconsiderate or to much heady counsell in you but rather through your softnes and sufferance they may obtayne life peace and security It doth moue vs all that we heare of late to be done by you agaynst the Byshop of Salisbury the Deane of the same church prosperously as some men suppose against whom you haue geuen out the sentence of excommunication and condemnation before any question of their crime was following therein as seemeth more the heat of hastynesse then the path of righteousnesse This is a new order of iudgement vnheard of yet to this day in our lawes and canons first to condemne a man and then to enquire after of the fact committed Which order least ye should hereafter attempt to exercise in like maner agaynst our soueraigne and king or agaynst vs and our Churches and Parishes committed to vs to the detriment of the Pope and the holy church of Rome and to the no little confusion of vs all therefore we lay here agaynst you for our selues the remedy of appellation And as before openly in the publicke face of the Church with liuely voyce we appealed to the Pope for feare of certayne perils that might haue happened So now agayn in writing we appeale to the same assigning the terme of our appellation the day of the Lordes Ascention Most humbly and reuerently beseching your goodnesse that you taking a better way with you in this matter will let your cause fall sparing herein both the labours and charges as well of your selfe as ours also And thus we wish you right well to fare reuerend in the Lord. The rescript or aunswere agayne of Thomas Becket to all his suffraganes not obeying but confuting their counsayle sent FRaternitatis Gestra scriptum quod tamen prudentia Gestra cōmuni consilio non facilè credimus emanasse nuper ex insperat◠suscepimus c. Your brotherly letters sent albeit not by the whole assent of your wisedomes written as I suppose of late I receiued vpon a sodayne the contentes whereof seeme to contayne more sharpenesse then solace And would to God they proceeded more of sincere zeale of godliness or affection of charity then of disobedience or froward wilfulnesse For charity seketh not the thinges that be his owne but which appertayne to Iesus Christ. It had bene your duety if there be truth in the Gospel as most vndoubtedly there is and if you would faythfully haue accomplished his busines whose person you represent rather to haue feared him which can cast both body and soule to hell then him whose power extendeth no further then to the body rather to haue obeyed God then man rather your Father then your Maister or Lord after the example of him who was to his Father obedient vnto the death Which dyed for vs leauing vs example to follow hys steps Let vs dye therefore with him and lay downe our liues for the deliueraunce of his Church out of the yoke of bondage and tribulation of the oppressor which Church he hath founded and whose libertye he hath procured with his owne proper bloud Least if we shall do otherwise it may happely fall vpon vs whiche is written in the Gospell Who so loueth his owne life more then me is not worthy of me This ye ought to know that if it be right which your captayne commaundeth your duety requireth to obey his will if not ye ought then rather to obey God then men One thing I will say if I may be so bolde to tell it vnto you I haue now suffered and abstayned a long space wayting if the Lord had geuen you to take a better hart vnto you which haue turned away cowardly your backes in the day of battayle or if any of you would haue returned againe to stand like a wall for the house of Israel at least if he had but shewed himselfe in the field making but the countenaunce of a warrier agaynst them which cease not dayly to infest the Lambe of God I wayted and none came I suffered and none rose vp I held my peace none would speake I dissembled and none would stand with me in like semblance Wherefore seing I see no better towardnesse in you thys remayneth onely to enter action of complaynt agaynst you and to cry agaynst mine enemies Rise vp O Lord and iudge my cause reuenge the bloud of the church which is wasted and oppressed The pride of them which hate his libertye riseth vp euer neyther is there any that doth good no not one Woulde God brethren beloued there were in you any minde or affection to defend the libertye of the Churche for she is builded vpon a sure rocke that although she be shaken yet she can not be ouerthrowne And why then seek ye to confoūd me Nay rather your selues in me then me in you A man which hath taken vpon me all the peril haue sustained all the rebukes haue sustained all the iniuries haue suffered also for you all to the very banishment And so it was expedient one to suffer for that Church that thereby it might be released out of seruitude These thinges discusse you simply with your selues and weigh the matter Attend I say dilligently in your mindes for your partes that God for his part remouing from your eies all maiesty of rule and impery as he is no accepter of persons may take from your hartes the veile that ye may vnderstand and see what ye haue done what ye entend to do and what ye ought to do Tell me which of you all can say I haue taken from him since the time of my promotion either Oxe or Asse if I haue defrauded him of any peny If I haue misiudged the cause of any man wrōgfully Or if by the detrimēt of any person I haue sought my owne gaine let him complayn I will restore him fourefolde And if I haue not offēded you what then is the cause that ye thus leaue and forsake me in the cause of God Why bend ye so your selues agaynst me in such a cause that there is none more speciall belonging to the
Church Brethren seeke not to confound your selues and the church of God so much as in you is but turne to me you shal be safe For the Lord sayth I will not the death of a sinner but rather he should conuert and liue Stand with me manfully in the warre take your armour and your shield to defend me Take the sword of the word of the mighty God that we altogether may withstand more valiauntly the malignant enemies such as goe about to take away the soule of the church which is her liberty without which liberty she hath no power agaynst them that seeke to incroche to their inheritaunce the possession of Gods sanctuary If ye will heare and follow me know ye that the Lord will be with you and with vs all in the defence of the libertye of his church Otherwise if ye will not the Lord iudge betwixt me and you and require the confusion of his Church at your handes Which church whether the world will or no standeth firmely in the word of the Lord whereupon she is builded and euer shall till the houre come that she shall passe from this world to the Father For the Lord euer doth support her with his hand Wherefore to returne to the matter brethren remember well with your selues which thing ye ought not to forget what daunger I was brought vnto and the Church of God also while I was in England at my departing out of England and after my departure from thence also in what daunger it standeth at thys present day But especially at that time when as at Northampton Christ was iudged agayne in my person before the iudgement seat of the high president Who euer heard the Archb. of Canterbury being troubled for iniuries done to him and to his church and appealing to the Pope of Rome to be iudged condemned appealed and put to his sureties and that of his owne suffraganes Where is this law seene or the authority nay rather peruersity of this Canon heard of And why yet shame ye not at this your enormity Why are ye not confounded Or why doth not this confusion worke in you repentaunce and repentance driue you to due satisfaction before God and men For these and suche other iniuries done to God and to his church and to me for gods cause which with a good conscience I ought to suffer because that without daunger of soule I ought not to dissemble them I choose rather to absent my selfe for a season and to dwell quietly in the house of my Lord then in the tabernacle of sinners vntill the time that their iniquity be complete the hartes of the wicked and the congitations of the same shal be opened And these iniuries were the cause both of my appeale from the king and of my departure from thence which ye terme to be sodaine But if ye will speake the truth which ye know it ought no lesse then to be sodaine least being foreknowne it might haue bene preuented and stopped And as God turned the matter it happened for the best both for the honor of the king ard better safety of them which seeking my harme should haue brought slaunder to the king If such troubles followed vpon my departing as ye say let them be imputed to him which gaue cause the fault is in the worker not in the departer in him that pursueth not in him that auoydeth iniuries what would ye more I presented my selfe to the court declaring both the causes of my comming and of my appeale declaring also the wronges and iniuries done to me to my Church and yet could haue no auÌ„swere neither was there any that layd any thing agaynst me before we came to the king Thus while we stood wayting in the court whether any would come agaynst me or not they sent to my officials charging them not to obey me in my temporalities nor to owe any seruice to me or to any of mine After my appellation made in the Court my Church was spoyled we and they about vs depriued of our goods outâ—awed both of the Clergy and of the layty men women and infantes the goods of the Church that is the patrimony of the crucifix confiscate and part of the mony turned to the kinges vse part to your owne cofers Brother Byshop of London if this be true that we here of you and that to the vse of your owne Churche ye conuert this money we charge you and require you forthwith by vertue of obedience that within fourtye dayes after the sight of these letters all delaye and excuse set aâ—ide ye restore agayne within the time aforesayd all suche gooddes and percelles as you haue taken away For it is vnmeete and contrarye to all lawe one Churche to be enriched with the spoil of an other church If ye stand vpon the authoritie that set you a worke you must vnderstand that in matters concerning the church goods he can geue no lawfull autoritie which committeth violent iniurie c. What authoritie and what scripture geueth this prerogatiue to PrinceÌ„s vpon Church goodes which you would attribute to them What will they lay for them the remedie of appeale God forbid It were euill with the Church of God if when the sacrilegious extorcioner hath violently inuaded other mennes goodes especially the goods of the church he shoulde after defend him with the title of appeale c. Doe not brethren so confounde altogether the right of the Church and of the temporall regiment For these two are muche differeÌ„t one borowing his authority of the other Read the scriptures and ye shall finde what and how many kings haue perished for taking vpon them the priestly office Therefore let your discretion prouide least for this your doing Gods punishmeÌ„t light vpon you which if it come it will be hard for you very easely to escape Prouide also and see to your king whose fauour ye prefer before the wealth profit of the Church least if it happen which God forbid that he doth perish with all his house after the example of them which for the like crime were plagued And if yee cease not off from that ye begin with what conscience can I dissemble or forbeare but must nedes punish you let him dissemble with you who list hauing authoritie so to doe truely I will not there shal be no dissimulation found in me And where you write in your letters coÌ„cerning my promotion that it was against the voice of the whole realme that the church did reclaime against it What should I say to you but that ye knowe right well the lie which the mouth doeth willingly speake killeth the soule but especially the wordes of a Priestes mouth ought euer to goe with verity As touching this matter I appeale to your own coÌ„scieÌ„ce whether the forme of my election stoode not fully with the consent of them all to whome the election belonged hauing also the assent of the prince by his
the other side vpon occasion as followeth Gaufridus or Geffray sonne to King Henry 2. and brother to King Richard whom the King had elected a little before to the Archbyshoprick of Yorke vpon the euen of the Epiphany which we call Twelfe day was disposed to heare Euēsong with all solemnity in the Cathedrall church hauing with him Hamon the Chaunter with diuers other Canons of the church Who tarying something long belike in adourning and attyring himselfe in the mean while Henry the Deane and Bucardus the treasurer disdayning to tary his comming with a bolde courage lustilye began theyr holy Euensong with singing theyr Psalmes ruffling of descant and mery piping of Organs Thus this Catholicke Euensōg with as much deuotion begon as to gods high seruice proceeding was now almost halfe complete when as at lenth they being in the midst of theyr myrth commeth in the new elect with his trayne and gardeuiaunce all full of wrath and indignatiō for that they durst be so bolde not wating for him to begin gods seruice and so estsoones commaunded the Duyre to stay holde theyr peace The Chaunter likewise by vertue of his office cōmaūdeth the same But the Deane and Treasurer on the other side willed them to proceed and so the song on and would not stint Thus the one halfe crying agaynst the other the whole Duyre was in a roare theyr singing was turned to scolding theyr chaunting to chiding and if in stead of the Organes they had had a Drumme I doubt they would haue solsede by the eares together At last through the authority of the Archb. and of the Chaunter the Queare began to surcease and geue silence Then the newe elect not contented with that had bene song before with certayne of the Quire beganne the Euensong new agayne The Treasurer vpō the same caused by vertue of his office the candles to be put out Wherby the euensong hauing no power further to proceede was stopped forthwith For like as without the light and beames of the sun there is nothing but darcknes in all the world euen so you must vnderstand the Popes church can see to do nothing without candle light albeit the sun do shine neuer so cleare and bright This being so the archb thus disapointed on euery side of his purpose made a greeuous plaint declaring to the clergy and to the people what the Deane and Treasurer had done and so vpon the same suspended both them and the church from all diuine seruice till they should make to him due satisfaction for their trespasse The next day which was the day of Epiphany when all the people of the City were assembled in the Cathedrall church as theyr maner was namely in such feasts deuoutly to heare diuine seruice as they call it of the church there was also present the Archb. and the Chaunter with the residue of the Clergy loking when the Deane and Treasurer would come and submit themselues making satisfaction for theyr crime But they still cōtinuing in their stoutnes refused so to do exclaiming vttering contemptuous wordes agaynst the Archb. his partakers Which when the people heard they in a great rage would haue fallē vpon them but the Archb. would not suffer that The Deane thē his fellowes perceiuing the stirr of the people for feare like prety men were fayne to flye some to the tombe of S. William of Yorke some ran to the Deanes house there shrowded themselues whom the Archb. then accursed And so for that day the people returned home without any seruice Ex veteri Chronico manu scripto cui initium Anno gratiae Milles. c. After this King Richard preparing to set all thinges in an order before his going committed the whole gouernement of the realme principally to William Bishoppe of Ely his Chauncellor to Hugh B. of Durhā whom he ordayned to be the chiefe Iustice of all England in his absence the one to haue the custody of the tower with the ouersight of all other parts of the land on this side of Number the other which was the B. of Durham to haue charge vpon all other his dominions beyond Number Sending moreouer to Pope Clement in the behalfe of the foresayd William B. of Ely to be made the Popes Legate through all England and Scotland which also was obtayned Thus the B. being aduaunced in high authority to furnish the king toward his setting forth prouideth out of euery city in England ij Palfreys and ij sumpters out of euery Abbey one palfrey and one sumpter These thinges and other thus set in a stay the king according to his former appointment about the time of Easter sailed to Fraunce where the French king and he conferring together because they could not make redy at that time of Easter concluded to take a longer day proroging their voyage till after midsommer In which meane time the king occupying himselfe in redressing stablishing such things as further were to be ordred there determined that Baufridus Iohn his brethrē shuld not enter into England in 3. yeres after his departure Neuertheles he released that band afterward to his brother Iohn Thēn he appoynted the Captaynes Constables ouer his nauy set lawes to be obserued in his iourney vpon the seas But especially his care was to make vnity and concord betwene parties that were at variaunce and to set them together at one At which time the long contētion began also to be appeased which so many yeres had continued betwene Bald winus Archb. of Cant. and his monkes of Christs church The discourse whereof although it be some what tedious to be set forth at large being enough to make a whole tragedy yet to the intent the age now present may see what great conflictes and disquietnes vpō what litle trifles hath bene stirred vp what litle peace vnity hath bene not onely in this church but commōly in all other churches vnder the popes catholicke regiment I thought it labour not ill bestowed somewhat to intermeddle in opening to that eyes of the Reader the consideration of this matter Wherein first is to be vnderstood that the Archbishops of Cant. cōmonly being set vp by the pope especially since the time of the conquest haue put the Kinges of this land to much sorrow trouble as appeared by William Rufus Lanfrāck and also Anselme By Henry 1. and Anselme King Stephen Theobald Henry 2. Becket c For which the Kinges of this land haue vsed the more care circumspectiō to haue such Archbishops placed in that sea as either should stand with them or at least should not be agaynst them Now to the purpose of our matter entended First after Laufrancus who was Archb. xx yeares the sea standing vacant v. yeares succeded Anseimus sat 17. yeares After whom the sea stāding vacant 4. yeres succeded Radulphus and continued 9. yeares Then followed
wherin they had iniuried him Itē that the thinges which had bene graunted before to the Prior in the Court might be called in againe Thirdly that the archb might haue licence to proceed in building his Colledge of Canons c. After this was called in M. Pilleus the attourney for the Monkes of Cant. Who alledging many great thinges against the archb for his contempt and disobedience to the popes precepts required that he rather should make restitution to the Monks for his iniuries done to them also that his new foundation of secular canons tending to the ouerthrow of the conuentuall Church of Cant. should be vtterly rased and throwne down to the ground Thus betweene these two parties pleing repleing one against the other much hard hold there was But in conclusiō for al that kings letters for all that the Archb. and Bishops could do the matter wēt on the Monks side So that there was no remedy but the pope would nedes haue y◠archbishops new building to come down and the Monks to be restored agayne to their full possessions The executiō whereof was committed to the 3. Abbottes aforesayd to witte of Battail of Feuersham of S. Austens in Cant. to Beffrey Supprior of Cant. Which things being thus determined at Rome then Raduph Granuille Lord Stuard of England writing to the sayd Abbot of Battaile and to the Supprior and Couent of Cant. commaundeth them in the kings name and vpon their othe fealtie geuē vnto him that they nor any of them do proceed in this controuersy betwene the monkes and the archbishop of Cant. before they come and talk with him there to know further of the kinges pleasure furthermore charging the Couent of Cant. not to enter further in any examinatiō concerning the archb matters and also citing the Supprior of the sayd house to appeare before him at London at the feast of S. Iames the same yere which was 1187. Notwithstanding he excusing him selfe by sicknes sent two Monkes in his sted and so kept himselfe at home To whom commaūdement was geuen that the Monks of Cant. within 15. dayes should saile ouer to Normandy to the king and there to shew the tenor and euidences of their priuiledges And also that such stuards and Balifs whom they had placed in their farmes lordships cōtrary to the wil of the archb should be remoued And likewise the 3. Abbots in the kings name were commaunded in no wise to execute the popes commaundement agaynst the archb Not long after this the Archb. took shipping at Douer and went ouer to the king where he ordeyned three principall officers ouer the Monkes of Christs Church the Sacrist the Cellarer and Chamberlaine contrary to the will of the Couent with other greuances mo wherby the Monks were not a little offended so that vpon the same they made a new appellation to the Pope Wherupon pope Urbane by the setting on of Honorius the prior who was now come agayn to the court wrote to him another letter after a sharper and more vehement sort to the effect as followeth The Tenor of Pope Vrbanes letters to Baldwine Archb. of Cant. VRbanus Episcopus seruus seruorum Dei Baldwino Centuar Archiepiscopo Apostolicae sedis Legato salutem Apostolicam benedictionem c. In that we houe borne with your brotherhood hitherto and haue not proceeded in such grieuous maner agaynst you as wee might although being thereto greatly prouoked the chiefest cause was this that we supposed your hart would haue relented from the oppression of the conuentuall church of Cant. committed vnto you if not for our reuerence which you seeme to haue contemned more then became you yet at least for feare of Gods iudgemēt For well we hoped our conscience perswading vs to the same that after you had obteined that high state dignity in the church of England you would haue bene an example to other of obedience and reuerence to be geuen to the sea Apostolick of all Ecclesiasticall persons Wherfore at the first beginning both of our and also of your promotion we did not spate to aduaunce and honor you as we haue done few other besides thinking no lesse but that we had found a faithfull frend of the church for our honor Wherein We perceiue now which 〈◊〉 vs not a litle to maruell our expectation greatly deceiued And whome we well trusted to be a sure stay for the maintenaunce of our estate him now we finde a persecuter agaynst vs in our members For where as we sondry times haue written to you in the behalfe of our brethren and the church committed to your charge that you should desist from disquieting them and not vexe or disturbe their liberties at least for reuerence of vs you not onely in this but in other thinges moe as commonly is reported of you in all places setting at light our letters and appellations made to the Apostolicall Sea what you haue wrought agaynst them after their so manifolde appellations layd vnto vs and our inhibitions agayn vnto you we are ashamed to vtter But reuolue and consider in your minde if ye haue well done and aduise in your owne conscience what you haue done We for our part because we may ne ought not with deafe eares to passe ouer the clamours mours of the brethren and such contempt of the Apostolick Sea although our biddings and warninges geuen to you seeme to be all in vayne yet notwithstanding we send our mandates agayne to your brotherhood in these Apostolicall writinges districtly and in vertue of obedience commaunding you that whether ye be present in your Church or absent all that notwithstanding whatsoeuer you haue done in building of your Chappell which you to the destruction of the Monastery of Cant. haue erected after the time of their appeale made to vs or our inhibition sent to you you fayle not of your proper costes and charges to demolish vndoing agayne and making voyde whatsoeuer ye haue begon and innouated concerning the institution of the canons and other things belonging to the erection of the sayd Chappell accounting moreouer and reputing the place where the Chappell was to be accused and prophane and also that all such whosoeuer haue celebrated in the same place shall stand suspended till the time they appeare before our presence Commaunding furthermore that all those Monkes whom you haue presumed to remoue from their office or to excommunicate since the tyme of their appeale made you shall restore and affoyle agayne rendring also and restoring all such farmes manors tenementes and oblations as you alter their appeale made haue inueigled from them And finally that you innouate nothing touching the state of that Monastery during the time of this controuersye depending before vs. Geuing you to vnderstand that in case you shall continue in your stubbernesse and rebellion vpon this present warning or differre the execution of this precept 30. dayes after the
dissolue the buildyng of hys new Church though he chaunged the place yet thought not to chaunge his intent and therefore making exchaunge of landes with the Byshop and Monkes of Rochester purchased of them their ground in Lambeth an 1191. which done he came to hys Clerkes whome he had placed to be Canons in his new Colledge of Hakingtō and willed them to remoue al their goodes furniture to Lambeth ouer agaynst Westminster where he erected for them an other church and there placed the said Canōs About which colledge of Lambeth afterward much trouble likewise ensued by the styrring of the sayd Monkes of Cant. in the time of Hubert the archbish in the reygne of the sayd King Richard and in the yeare of our Lord. 1196. Furthermore after the deposing of Roger Norys Pryor of Cant. aforesaid Baldwyn the archb enforesaid to graūt them an other Pryor by the assent of the king and of the Couent assigned Olbernus to theyr Pryor who had takē part before with the archbish but the monkes not pleased with him after the death of Baldwine the Archb. remoued hym agayne And thus haue you the tedious discourse of this Catholike tragedy betweene the monkes of Cant. and theyr Archb. scarse worth the rehearsall Notwithstanding thys I thought to geue that reader to see of purpose first to shewe forth vnto the world the stout sturdines of this monkishe generatiō who professing profoūd humilitie in their coat what little humilitie they had in their hart what pride arrogancie in their conuersation and what hipocrisie in theyr religiō this one example amongst a thousand other may geue some experience Secondly that the posteritie nowe may see how little kinges coulde then doe in theyr owne Realmes for the Pope And thirdly to the entent it may more notoriously appeare to all readers what stryfe and debate what dissention and deuision what little vnity and concord hath alwaies followed the popes Catholicke church wheresoeuer the corrupt religiō and vsurped ambition of the pope preuayled For not to speake onely of this monkishe house of Cant. what Churche Cathedrall Collegiate or Conuentuall what sea Church Monastery or Chappell was vnder all the popes gouernement but euer there happened some variance eyther betweene the king and the archb as betwene K. William Lancfranck king Henry 1. and Anselme king Stephen and Richard king Henry 2. and Becket king Iohn Stephen Lancton king Henry 3. and Boniface c. or els betwene archb and archb for making profession for caryeng y◠Crosse for sitting on the right hād of the popes Legate c. or els betweene archbishops and their Suffraganes or betweene Archbishops and their Couentes or betweene Byshops and monkes betweene Deane and the Chapter betweene monkes and seculer Priestes monkes of one sorte agaynst an other Fryers of one order agaynst an other students against Friers townes men against scholers c. As for example what discord was betweene the archb Of Canterbury and Richard archbish of York Betweene Lancfrancus and archb Thomas betweene Theobalde archb of Cant. and Siluester Abbot of S. Austens betweene Walter of Christes Church and Siluester Abbot aforesaid betwene William archb of Cant. and Ieremias Prior of Cant. an 1144. betweene the monkes of Cant. and O do their Prior for translating the reliques of Dunstane betweene King Stephen and Roger bishop of Salisbury the byshop of Lincolne and Roger byshop of Ely hys sonne an 1138. betweene Pope Innocent and Anacletus the space of seuen yeares the Cardinals for money sayth Gernasius sometyme holdyng with the one sometyme with the other at at last the election was determined by a sore battayle betwene Lotharius Emperour Rogerius Duke of Apulia an 1137. Also betwene pope Innocent 4. and Fredericke Emperour 2. betweene R. Hēry 3. and William Rale byshop of Winchester when the kyng had the gates of Winchester towne to be shut against hym an 1250. betweene Boniface Archbishop of Canterb. and Canons of S. Paule Item betweene the sayd Boniface and Monkes of S. Bartholomew who sate there in harnes in hys visitation an 1250. betweene the Abbot of Westminster and monkes of the same house an 1251. Itē betweene the foresayd William Rale Byshop of Winchester and Boniface archbishop of Canterbury for a priest of the Hospitall in Soutwarke an 1252. betweene the sayde Boniface and Canons of Lincolne after the death of Robert Grosthead for geuing of Prebends an 1253. betwene the monkes of Couentry and Canons of Lichfield for chusing their byshop in the time of R. Henry 3. And what should I speake of the discord which cost so much money betweene Edmund archbishop of Canterb. and the monkes of Rochester for chusing Richard Wandour to be their bishop an 1238. betwene Robert Grosted Byshop of Lyncolne and Canons of the same house for which both he and they were driuen to trauaile to Rome an 1244. betwene Gilbert byshop of Rochester delegate to archbishop Baldwine and Robert the Popes Legate for sitting on the right hand of the Legate in his councell at Westminster an 1190. betwene the Abbot of Bardeney and the sayd Grosted about the visitation of their Abbay an 1243. Item betwene the Couent of Canterb. the sayd Robert byshop of Lyncolne an 1243. betwene Hugo B. of Durham and Hubert Byshop of Sarum and Geffrey Archbishop of Yorke an 1189. betwene William Byshop of Ely the kings Chancellor the Canons of Yorke for not receauing him with procession an 1190. betweene the Abbot of Westminster and hys Couent of Black monks whom king Henry the 3. had much adoe to still and agree an 1249. Item betweene the foresayd bishop of Lincolne the Abbot of Westminster Likewise betweene Nicolas bysh of Durhā and Iohn Abbot of S. Albones an 1246. Also betweene Hubert archbishop of Canterbury and the monks there for the house of Lābeth an 1146. And what a styrre was betwene the preaching Fryers and the gray Friers mentioned In. Math. Paris for superioritie an 1243. Also betweene the sayd gray Friars and the Prelates and Doctors of Paris about ix conclusions and condemned of the Prelates to be erroneous 1. Concerning the deuine essence that it can not be seene of the aungels or men glorified 2. Concerning the essence of the holy Ghost 3. Touching the proceeding of the holy ghost as he is loue 4. Whether men glorified shal be in coelo Empyreo or in coelo Christallino 5. That the euill Aungell at his first creation was euill and neuer good 6. That there haue bene many verities from the beginning which were not God 7. That an angel in one instant may be in diuers places 8. That the euill angell neuer had wherby he might stād no more had Adam in his state of innocencie 9. That he whiche hath meliora naturalia that is to say more perfect strength of nature working in him shal haue more full measure of necessitie to obtayn grace and glory To the which
togither sent word to the kings that they would leaue and forsake them vnlesse they were made partakers also of the gaynes for the whiche they had so long trauailed To whom aunswere was sent agayne by the kinges that their wills should be satisfied How beit because of loÌ„g differring of their promise many constrayned by pouerty departed from them The xx day of Iuly king Richard speaking with the French king desired him that they two with their armies would binde theÌ„selues by oth to remayne there still in the laÌ„d of HierusaleÌ„ the space of 3. yeares for the winning and recouering again of those couÌ„tryes But he would sweare he sayd no such oth and so the next day after K. Richard with his wife and sister entreth into the citty of Achon and placed there himselfe in the kinges Palace the French K. remayning in the houses of the Templaries where he coÌ„tinued till the end of that month So about the beginning of the month of August Phillip the Frenche king after that he and king Richard had made agreemeÌ„t betwene Guido and Conradus the Marques about the kingdome of Hierusalem went froÌ„ Achon to Tyrus notwithstaÌ„ding kyng Richard al the Princes of the ChristiaÌ„ army with great entreaty desired him to tarye shewing what a shame it were for him to come so far now to leaue vndone that for which he came on the 3. of August froÌ„ Tyrus departed leauing his halfe part of the citty of Achon in the handes of the foresayd Conradus Marques After whose departure the Paganes refused to keep their couenaunts made who neither would restore the holy crosse nor the mony nor their captiues sending worde to king Richard that if he beheaded the pledges left with him at Achon they would chop of the heads of such captiues of the christians which were in their handes Shortly after this the Saladine sendyng great gifts to king Richard requested the times limited for beheading of the captiues to bee proroged but the king refused to take his giftes and to graunt his request WhereupoÌ„ the Saladine caused all the christian captiues within his possession forthwith to be beheaded which was the xviii day of August which albeit K. Richard vnderstode yet would not he preuent the time afore limitted for the execution of his prisoners being the xx day of August UpoÌ„ which day he caused the prisoners of the Saracens opeÌ„ly in the sight of the Saladines army to lose their heads the number of whom came to two thousand and fiue hundreth saue only that certayne of the principall of theÌ„ he reserued for purposes considerations especially to make exchaunge for the holy crosse and certayne other of the Christian captiues After this king Richard purposed to besiege the Citty of Ioppe â—o hereby the way betweene Achou and Ioppe neare to a Town called Assur Saladine with a great multitude of his Saracens came fiercely agaynst the kinges reareward but through Gods merciâ—ull grace in the same battayle the kinges warriours acquited them so well that the Saladine was put to flight whom the ChristiaÌ„s pursued the space of iii. myles lost the same day many of his nobles and captaynes in such sort as it was thought that the Saladine was not put to such confusion xl yeares before and but one Christian captaine called Iames Auernus in that conflict was ouerthrowne From thence kyng Richard proceeding further weÌ„t to Ioppe and theÌ„ to Ascalon where he found first the city of Ioppe forsaken of yâ— Saracens who durst not abide the kinges comming AscaloÌ„ the Saladine threw downe to the ground likewise forsooke the whole land of Syria through all which land the king had free passage without resistaunce neither durst the Sarazen prince encounter after that with K. Richard Of all whiche his acheuances the sayd king Richard sent his letters of certificate as well into England as also to the Abbot of Clara Ualle in Fraunce well hoping that he God willing should be able to make his repayre agayne to them by Easter next A briefe story of William Byshop of Ely the Kynges Chauncellour ANd nowe to leaue king Richard a while in the field let vs make a step into Englande and looke a little what is done at home while the king was abroad and so returne to the king agayne Yee heard before how king Richard at his setting forth committed the gouernement of the realme to Hugo Byshop of Durham and to WilliaÌ„ Bishop of Ely so that to the byshop of Durham was coÌ„mitted the keeping of the Castle of Wyndsore the other which was the Bishop of Ely had the keeping of the tower of LondoÌ„ about which he caused a great ditch with a raÌ„pear to be cast which is yet remayning Furthermore to these 2. Bishops the king also assigned 4. other chiefe Iustices whiche ioyntly with them should haue the hearyng and ouersight of all causes as well to the clergy as the layty appertaining to witte Hugh Bardolfe William Marshall Geffrey Peterson and William Bruer But the byshop of Ely was the principal or at least he that took most vpon him Who both was the kinges Chauncellour and bought with hys money to be the popes Legate through England Ireland ScotlaÌ„d as is before specified Touching the excessiue pride and pompe of which Byshop hys ruffings outragious fall most shameful it would make a long tragedie to discourse the whole circumstaÌ„ces at full Onely to demonstrate certayne specialties thereof for our present purpose it may suffice First this William called Longchamp being thus aduaunced by the king to be his high Chauncellor and chiefe Iustice of the realme and also the popes Legate to shew abroad the authoritie of his Legatshyp began to suspend the Canons Clerkes Uicares of the Church of s. Peter in York because they receiued him not with processioÌ„ vnder which interdiction he held them til they were fayne at last both Canons Clarkes and Uicares to fall downe at his foote causing al their belles to be let downe out of the steple After this commeth Hugo bishop of Durham whoÌ„ the king sent home out of Normandy with hys letters who meeting with the foresayd William Byshop of Ely in the towne of Blye shewed hym the kings letters wherin was graunted to him the keeping of Windsore Castle and to be the kinges Iustice from the riuer of Humber to the borders of Scotland To the which letters the Chauncellour answered that the kings commaundemeÌ„t should be done and so brought him with him to Suwell where he tooke him and kept him fast til he was forced at last to surrender to him the Castle of Wyndsore other things whiche the king had committed to his custody moreouer was constrayned to leaue with the sayd Chauncellour Henry de Puteaco hys own sonne Gilbert Ley for pledges hostages of his fidelitie to be true to the king and the realme And thus the bishop of Durham
not rule al things as the other Pope did thâ—nking therby that he would haue done all thyngs to their commoditie but they founde it otherwise For he made al them which were excommunicate to pay double and treble ere they could be restored againe to their former liuings And in the selfe same yeare as king Ihon was come to Swinestead Abbey not farre from Lincolne hee rested there two dayes where as most writers testifie he was most traiterously poisoned by a monke of that Abby of the secte of the Listercians or S. Bernardes brethren called Simon of Swinsted As concerning the noble personage of this Prince this witnes geueth Roger Houeden therein Princeps quidem magnus erat sed minus foelix atque vt Marius vtramque fortunam expertus Doubtles sayth he king Iohn was a mighty prince but not so fortunate as many were Not altogether vnlike to Marius the noble Romaine he rasted of Fortune both wayes bountifull in mercie in warres sometime he wanne sometime againe he lost Munisicus ac liberalis in exteros fuit sed proditionis causa suorum depraedator plus aduenis quam suis confidens Hee was also very bounteous liberal vnto strangers but of his owne people for their daily treasons sake hee was a great oppressor so that he trusted more to foreiners then to them Among other diuers and sundry coÌ„ditions belonging to this king one there was which is not in him to be reprehended but commended rather for that being far from the superstition which kings at that time were commonly subiect vnto regarded not the popish Masse as in certaine Chronicles wryting of him may be collected for so I finde testified of him by Mat Parisiensis that the king vpon a time in his hunting comming where a very fat stag was cut vp and opened or howe the Hunters terme it I cannot tell the king beholding the fatnesse and the lyking of the stagge See saith he how easily and happily he hath liued and yet for all that he neuer heard any Masse It is recorded and founde in the Chronicle of William Caxton called fructus temporum and in the 7. Booke The foresayde monke Simon being much offended with certaine talke that the king had at his table concernyng Ludouicke the Frenche kings sonne which then had entred and vsurped vpon him did cast in hys wicked heart howe he most speedely might bring him to his ende And first of all he counselled with his Abbot shewing hym the whole matter and what hee was minded to doe Hee alledged for himselfe the Prophecie of Cayphas Iohn 11. saying It is better that one man die then all the people should perish I am well contented sayeth he to loose my life and so become a Martyr that I may vtterly destroy this tyraunt With that the Abbot did weepe for gladnes and much commended hys feruent zeale as hee tooke it The Monke then being absolued of his Abbot for doyng this acte aforehand went secretely into a garden vppon the backe side and finding there a most venemous Toad he so pricked hym and pressed him with his penknife that he made him vomit all the poyson that was wythin hym This done he conueyed it into a cuppe of wine and with a smiling and flattering countenance he sayde thus to the King If it shall like your Princely maiestie here is inch a cuppe of wine as yee neuer dronke a better before in all your life time I trust this Wassail shal make al England glad And with that he dranke a great draught thereof the king pledging him The Monke anone after went to the farmerye and there died his guts gushing out of his belly and had continually from thence fooâ—th three Monkes to sing Masse for his soule confirmed by theyr generall chapter What became after that of king Iohn yee shall knowe right well in the processe following I woulde ye did marke well the wholesome proceedings of these holy votaries howe vertuously they obey their kings whome God hath appoynted and howe religiously they bestow their confessions absolutions and masses The king within a short space after feeling great griefe in his body asked for Symon the monke and aunswere was made that he was departed this life Then god haue mercy vpon me sayd he I suspected as much after he had sayd that al England should therof be glad he ment now I perceiue then of his owne generation With that he commanded his chariot to be prepared for he was not able to ride So went he from thence to Slaford Castel and from thence to Newerke vpon Trent and there wtin lesse then 3. daies he died Upon his death bed he much repented his former life and forgaue all them with a pitifull heart that had done him iniury desiring that his elder sonne Beurie might be admonished by his example and to learne by his misfortunes to be natural fauourable gentle and louing to his natiue people When his body was enbaumed and spiced as the maner is of kings his bowels or intrailes were buried at Cropton Abbey which was of the secte of Premonstratenses or Chanons of S. Norbert His hired souldiours both Englishmen and straungers were still about him and folowed his corpes triumphantly in their armour till they came to the Cathedrall Church of Worcester and there honourably was he buried by Siluester the bishop betwixt S. Oswalde and S. Wolstane 2. Byshoppes of that Church He died in the yeare of our Lord 1216. the 19. day of October after he had raigned in suche calamitie by the subtile conueyaunce of his Cleargie 18. yeares 6. monethes and odde dayes So soone as Kyng Iohn was dead and buryed as is said afore the Princes Lordes and Barons so many as were of his part as wel of straungers as of them that were borne heere by counsaile of the Legate Gualo gathered themselues together and all with one consent proclaimed Henrie his sonne for their king Of whome more shall followe the Lorde willing hereafter Many opinions are among the Chroniclers of the death of king Iohn Some of them doe wryte that he died of sorrowe and heauinesse of heart as Polydorus some of surfetting in the night as Radulphus Niger some of a bloudy flixe as Roger Houeden some of a burning agewe some of a cold sweat some of eating apples some of eating peares some plummes c. * The Description of the poysoning of King Iohn by a Monke of Swinestead Abbeye in Lincolneshire In Gisburn I finde otherwise who dissenting from other sayeth that he was poysoned with a dish of Peares which the Monke had prepared for the king therewith to poison him Who asking the king whether he would taste of his fruite being bid to bring them in according to the kings bidding so did At the bringing in whereof saith the said story the pretious stones about the K. began to swete In somuch that the king misdoubting some poyson demanded of
beggers against one yeâ—â— Why procurest thou men to yeue thee their almes and sayest it is so needefull and thou wilt not thy selfe wynne thee that mede 22. Why wilt not thou beg for poore bedred men that benâ— poorer then any of youe sect that liggen and mow not goe about to helpe himselfes sith we be all brethren in God that bretherhed passeth any other that ye or any maÌ„ coulde make and where most neede were there were most perfection either els ye hold them not your pure brethren but worse but then ye be vnperfite in your begging Why make ye so many maysters among you sithe it is agaynst the teaching of Christ and his Apostle 23. Whos 's bene all your rich courtes that ye han and all your rich inells sith ye seyne that ye han nought ne in properue in common If ye sayne they bene the popes why gether ye then of poore men and Lords so much out of the kinges hand to make your pope riche And sithe ye sayne that it is great perfection to haue nought in proper ne in commen why be ye so fast about to make the Pope that is your father rich and put on him imperfection sithen ye sayne that your goodes bene all hys and he should by reason be the most perfite man it seemeth openlich that ye ben cursed children so to sclaunder your father and make hym imperfect And if ye sayne that the goodes be yours then do ye ayenst your rule and if it be not ayenst your rule theÌ„ might ye haue both plough and cart and labour as other good men done and not so to beg by losengery and idle as ye done If ye say that it is more perfection to beg them to trauell or worch with your hand why preach ye not openly and teach all men to doe so sithe it is the best most perfite life to the helpe of their soules as ye make children to beg that might haue bene riche heyres 23. Why make ye not your festes to poore men and yeueth hem yeftes as ye done to the rich sith poore men han more nede then the rich What betokeneth that ye go tweyne and tweyne together If ye be out of charitie ye accord not in soule Why beg ye and take salaries thereto more then other priestes sith he that most taketh most charge hath 24. Why hold ye not S. Frauncis rule and his testameÌ„t sith Frauncis sayth that God shewed him this liuing and this rule and certes if it were Gods will the Pope might not fordoe it or els Frauncis was a lyer that sayd on this wise And but this testament that he made accorde with Gods will or els erred he is a lyer that were out of charitie and as the law sayth he is cursed that letteth the rightfull last will of a dead man And this testament is the last will of Frances that is a dead man it seemeth therefore that all his Freres bene cursed 25. Why will ye not touch no coyned mony with the crosse ne with the kings hed as ye done other iuels both of gold and siluer Certes if ye despise the Crosse or the kinges hâ—d then ye be worthy to be despised of God and the king and sith ye will receiue mony in your harts and not with your handes and it seemeth that ye holde more holines in your hands than in your hartes and then be false to God 26. Why haue ye exempt you from our kinges lawes and visiting of our byshops more then other Christen men that liuen in this realm if ye be not gilty of traitory to our realme or trespassors to our Bishops But ye will haue the kinges lawes for the trespasse do to you and ye wyll haue power of other Byshops more then other priestes and also haue leaue to prison your brethren as Lordes in your courtes more then other folkes hauâ— that bene the kinges liege men 27. Why shall some sect of you Freres pay eche a yeare a certayne to her generall prouinciall or minister or els to her souereignes but if he steale a certayne number of children as some men sayne and certayne if this bene sothe then ye be constreâ—â—ed vpon certayne payne to do theft agaynst Gods commaundement Non furtum facies 28. Why be ye so hardy to graunt by letters of fraternitie to men and women that they shall haue part and merite of all your good dedes and ye witen neuer whether God be apayd with your dedes because of your sinne Also ye witten neuer whether that man or woman be in state to be saued or damned then shall he haue no merite in heuyn for hys owne dedes ne for none other mans And all were it so that he should haue part of your good dedes yet shuld he haue no more then God woulde geue him after that he were worthy and so mich shal ech man haue of Gods yeft without your limitation But if ye will say that ye bene Gods fellowes and that he may not doe without your assent then be ye blasphemers to God 29. What betokeneth that ye haue ordeyned that wheÌ„ such one as ye haue made your brother or sister and hath a letter of your scale that letter mought be brought in your holy chapter and there be rad or els ye will not praye for him And but ye willen pray especially for all other that were not made your brethren or sistren then were ye not in right charitie for that ought to be commen and namely in Ghostly thinges 30. Frere what charitie is this to ouercharge the people by mighty begging vnder color of preaching or praying or masses singing sith holy write biddeth not thus but euen the contrary for all such ghostly dedes shuld be done freely as God yeueth them freely 31. Frere what charitie is this to beguile children or they commen to discretion and bynde hym to your orders that byn not grounded in Gods law against her frendes will sithen by this folly bent many Apostataes both in wil and dede and many bene Apostataes in her will during al her lyfe that would gladly be discharged if they wist how and so many bene Apostataes that shoulden in other states haue byn true men 32. Frere what charitie is this to make so many Freres in euery country to the charge of the people sith persons vicares alone ye secular priests alone ye monkes Chanons alone with bishops aboue them were inough to the church to doe priestes office And to adde moe then inough is a foule error and great charge to the people and this openly agaynst Gods will that ordayned all thinges to be done in weight number and measure and Christ himselfe was apayd with 12. Apostles and a few disciples to preach and doe priestes office to all the whole worlde then was it better do then is now at this tyme by a thousand dele and right so as foure fingers with
valiauntly that they chased him to Perusium Then hauing no other remedie wherewith to reuenge his persecutors fiersly did excommunicate them Ex Mat. Paris pag. 69. ¶ Heere by the way is to be obserued and considered Christian reader not only by this sedition but by so many other schismes diuisions tumults fightings braules and contentions in the Church of Rome from the first beginning of the popes vsurped power that not only within the Citie of Rome but vniuersally almost in all Popish Monasteries Collegies Churches and Couents vnder the Pope subiected continually raigning amongst them what is to be thought of their religion holines hauing so litle peace so great disquietnes dissentions and wrangling amongst them as in stories both manifest it is to behold and wonderous to consider And for as much I haue eutred here into the mention of this schisinatical commotion betwene the none and his citizens it followeth moreouer in the history of Parisiensis who maketh relation of a like brawling matter which befell the same yeare time An. 1228. betwene the prior and couent of Durham and this king Henry the â— vpon this occasion After the death of Richard Bishop of Durham the Prior and Chapter of the said church came to the king to obteine license for the electing of their bishop The king offered to them one Lucas a Chaplaine of hys requiring them instauntly to elect him for their Bishop To this the Monkes answered that they would receaue no man but by their order of Canonicall election Meaning belike by their Canonical election that is when as they elect either some Monke out of their own company or els some monkish priest after their owne liking Contrary the king againe sendeth word vnto them and bound it with an oth that they should tary 7. yeares without a Byshop vnlesse they would admit the foresayd Lucas to that place of that dignitie All which notwtstanding the monkes proceding in their election refused the sayde Lucas and preferred an other clerk of theirs named William archdeacon of Worcester and him they presented to the king But the King bringing in exceptions and causes against the party would not admit him Then the monkes in al hasty â—pede sent vp to Rome certain of their Couent to haue their electioÌ„ ratified by the authoritie Apostolicall On the other side the king likewise hearing sendeth also to Rome against the Monkes the Bishop of Chester and the Prior of Lentonie on his behalfe to withstande the purpose of the monks And so the matter being trauised with great alteration on both sides did hang in suspense sayeth mine author till at length thus it was coucluded betwene both that neither master William nor yet Lucas shoulde be taken but that Richard Byshop of Sarum should be translated to Durham and be Byshop there An. 1228. ex Mat. Parisiens The like stirre also happened both the same yeare and for the like matter betwene the monkes of Couentry and the Canons of Lichfield about chusing of theyr Byshop which of them should haue the superior voyce in the election of their Prelate Aftermuch a doe the cause at length being hosted vp to Rome had this determination that the monks of Couentry and the Church of Lichfield shoulde chuse their Bishop by course eche part keeping his turne the one after the other prouided notwithstadyng that the Prior of Couentry should alwaies haue the first voyce in euery election where as the old custome was sayth mine author that the Couent wyth the Prior of Couentry was wont to haue the whole election of the bishop without the Canons This was An. 1228. Ex Parisiens pag. 68. In the which yeare died Stephen Langton Archb. of Cant. by whome as is recorded by Nic. Triuet the Chapters of the Bible in that order and number as we nowe vse them were first distincted The sayde Langthon aâ—so made Postiles vpon the whole Bible The same moreouer builded the new hall in the palace of Canterbury After the death of thys Langthon insued an other variance about the election of the Archbishop of Canterbury betwene the monkes of Canterbury and the kâ—ng The purturbation whereof as it was no lesse seditious so the determination of the same was much more costly After the death of Stephen Langthon the monkes of Canterbury obtaining licence of the king to procede in the election of a new archbishop did chuse one of their own society named master Walter Demesham Whom when the monks had presented to the King he after long deliberation began to obiect against that election saying first that the monkes had elected such one as neyther was profitable to hym nor to his kingdom Secondly he obiected against the party elect that his father was conuict of felony hanged for yâ— same Thirdly that he stode in causes against his father k. Iohn in the time of the interdict Moreouer the bishops his suffraganes charged the partie elect that hee had lien wyth a certaine Nunne and had children by her adding farther that the election of the archbishop was without their presence which ought not to be c. But the archbishop againe stoutly standing to his electioÌ„ appealed vp to Rome and estsoones taking with him certaine monks presented him selfe to the popes owne proper person there to sue his appeale instantly intreating that hys election might stande confirmed by his authority pontificall But the pope vnderstanding that the said election was resisted by the king the bishops differred the matter till he did heare farther of the certeinty therof The king the bishops hauing intelligence that the Archb. with hys monkes were gone to Rome thought good to articulate the foresayd obiections aboue alledged or wryting and sealing the same wyth the seales both of the king and of the bishops to exhibite them to the Bishop of Rome The messengers of these letters were the Byshop of Rochester of Chester and the Archdeacon of Bedforde maister Iohn c. who comming to Rome and exhibiting their message with their letters vnto the Pope consideration being had vppon the same were commanded to wait attendance against the next day after Ash wednesday then to haue a resolute answer coÌ„cerning the cause which was the 2. day of March the yere next folowing videlic An. 1229. In the meane season the kings proctors ceased not with all instance to labour the Pope and his Cardinals to be fauorable to the kings side But fineding them somewhat hard straite in the matter as is the guise of that Court they began to misdout their speeding Wherfore consulting together with themselues vpon the premisses they came 〈◊〉 the Pope promising in the kings behalf to be geuen and granted to him out of the realmes both of England and Scotland the rith or tenth part of al the goods within the sayd Realmes mooueable to susteine his warres against the Emperor so that he would incline fauorably to the kings
an example to the flocke and when the chiefe Pastor shall appeare you shall receiue an incorruptible crowne of eternall glory c. And this is the doctrine of Peter as they shal se which do not obey it As for vs the other part of the sayd Epistle is sufficient Wherein he willeth thē to reioice which are in heauines through manifolde temptations that the triall of theyr sayth being much more precious thē gold that perisheth and is tryed in fire may be theyr laud honour and glory at the appearing of the Lord Iesu. c. But beare with me I pray you O holy Father and of all your Predecessors most meekest and suffer my wordes though the seme something sharpe for they be sighings of a sorrowfull hart Wherefore gird about your loynes with fortitude and light vp the candle of your descretion and seeke the groat that is lost of the vnity I meane of sayth And we will also with like compassion ioyne with your holynesse and will not spare this weake body of mine in pretending any excuse either of age or lēgth of the way For the more laborous the trauell is the moe crownes it bringeth And S. Paule sayth Euery man shall receiue reward according to his trauell c. Neither are we ignoraunt if it please your holinesse that like as we Grecians for our partes do labour in all respectes to keepe and obserue the sincerity of true sayth and doctrine not to erre ne swerue in any part or poynt from the statutes of the blessed Apostles and auncient fathers so the Church likewise of old Rome doth for her part labour also we know well to follow the sincere verity of Christian doctrine and thinketh her selfe to erre in nothing nor to neede any remedye or reformation And this we know is the iudgement and saying of both the Churches aswell of the Greekes as of the Latines For no man can see any spot in his owne face without he stoope downe to the glasse or els be admonished by some other whether his face be blotted or no. Euen so haue we many great sayre glasses set before vs first the cleare Gospell of Christ the Epistles of the Apostles and diuinitie bookes of auncient writers Let vs therefore looke in them well They will shew euery mans minde and iudgement whether he go right or wrong The God of peace tread downe Sathan speedely vnder our feet The author of peace confound the sower of discord He that is the cause of all goodnes destroy the hater of that which is good and which geueth cause of offence and slaunder And he which is God of all ioy and peace send to vs whiche are the shepheardes of his sheepe reasonable the aungell of peace and messenger of great glad tidings as he did in the Natiuitye of Christ to the shepheardes of brute sheepe and vnreasonable and make vs worthy to sing that ioyfull song of Gods prayse Gloria in excelsis Deo in terra pax hominibus bona voluntas and to receiue one an other with an holy kisse The grace of our Lord Iesus Christ and the peace of God the Father and the communion of the holy spirit be with you alwayes Amen ¶ An other Epistle of the sayd Germanus Patriarch of Constantinople and Primate of the Greek Church to the Cardinals of Rome AN other letter the sayd Germanus Patriarch of Constantinople wrote also the same time to the Popes Cardinals wherin he first commending them for theyr wisedome and counsell and shewing what vtility commeth by good counsell geuing for so much as God sayth he many times that he hydeth from one inspireth to an other so that that good thing which by the almighty God is sonderly dispensed to diuers through common counsell and conference spreadeth to the publicke vtility of many c. After this eftsoones he beginneth to exhort them that they like charitable ministers and discrete counsellors will take in hand the spirituall armour of God to cast downe the stoppe partition walle of the olde discord betweene the Greekes and Latine Church that they will be a meanes to the Bishop of Rome that they which so long haue bene disseuered by dissention may now be conioyned in vnity of peace in brotherly charity and communion of fayth Concerning which matter I haue sayth he already written to his holynesse And now I beseech the king of heauen whiche tooke the shape of a seruaunt to helpe his miserable seruauntes and was exalted vpon the crosse to raise them vp which were fallen into the profundity of desolation that he will vouchsafe to put from your hartes all elation of minde extolling it selfe ouer and aboue the vnity of your brethren and fellow seruauntes and to lighten your consciences with the true light of vnderstanding that we may altogether agree in one that there be no schisme amongst vs. Let vs therefore as we are instructed so abide in one minde that it be not sayd of vs as it was of the Corinthians before vs I hold of Paule I of Apollo I of Coephas and I of Christ but that all we as we holde the name of Christ and are all called Christians so may also abide in that wherein we are instructed in one minde that is to follow loue and charity in Christ Iesus hauing alwayes in our hartes the wordes of the Apostle saying One Lord one Fayth one Baptisme And now to be playne with you in that I haue to say I shal desire you not to be offended with me in vttering the trueth as a frend vnto you The wordes sayth Salomon of a wise man telling trueth be like to nayles which be driuen in deepe And truth for the moste parte breedeth enemies And therefore though I am partly afrayd yet will I simply confesse the trueth vnto you Certes this diuision of Christian vnity amongst vs proceedeth of no other cause but onely of the tiranny oppression and exactiōs of the Church of Rome which of a mother is become a stepdame and hath put her children from her whome long time she nourished after the maner of a rauening bird which driueth her yong from her which children how much the more humble and obedient they are to her the lesse she esteemeth them and treadeth them vnder foot not regarding the saying of the Gospel Who so humbleth himselfe shal be exalted Let modesty therefore something temper you and let the auarice of the Court of Rome although it can not well out of the flesh which is bred in the bone yet surcease a while and let vs together condescend to the triall of the trueth which trueth being found out on both sides let vs constantly embrace the same For why we haue bene altogether some times both Italians and Grecians in one fayth and vnder the same Canons hauing peace each with other and defending one an other and confounding the enemies of the Church At what tyme many flying out of the west
kings hart was confirmed and he receiued Ex Mat. Parisiens fol. 164. 240. After the death of Stephen Langhton Archb. of Canterbury ye heard before how the monks had elected walter a Monke of Launterbury But the king to stop that election sent vp his Proctors M. Alexander stanes and M. Henry Sandford bishop of Rochester to the Pope to euacuate that election and to place Richard Chauncellor of Lincolne Which Proctors perceiuing at first the Pope and Cardinals how hard vnwillingly they were therunto considering how all thinges might be bought for mony rather then the king shoulde fayle of his purpose they promised on the kinges behalfe to the pope for mainteining his warres agaynst Fredericke the Emperour a disme or tenth part of all the moueables in the Realme of England and of Ireland At the contemplation of which mony the Pope estsoones thinking to passe with the king began to pick quarrels with the foresayd Gualter for not answering rightly to his questions about Christes descēding to hell making of Christes body on the aulter the weeping of Rachell for her children she being dead before about the sentence of excommunication and certain causes of Matrimony His aunsweres wherunto when they were not to the Popes mind he was therefore put backe and the kings man preferred which cost the whole realm of England and Ireland the tenth part of their moueable goods By reason whereof what money was raysed to the Popes Gazophylacium I leaue to the estimation of the Reader an 1229. Ex Mat. Paris fol. 71. And yet for all this the sayd Richard the costly Archbishop of Caunterbury within lesse then two yeres after falling out with the king about the castle and Lordshippe of Tunbridge went and complayned of him to the Pope In the trauers whereof it cost the king a great piece of mony besides and yet mist he his purpose In the which iourney the sayd Archbishop in his returne homeward by the way departed an 1231. Of the like dissentiō ye heard before betwene the king and the couent of Durham for not choosing M. Lucas the kinges Chaplaine About the sute whereof when much money was bestowed on both sides welfauoredly the pope defeiting thē both admitted neither M. William nor M. Lucas but or deined the Byshop of Sarum to be theyr byshop an 1228 Ex Paris Betwene the Monks of Couentry and the canons of Liechfield rose another like quarell which of them should haue the superior voyce in chusing their bishop In which sute after much mony bestowed in the court of Rome the pope to requallify agayn ech part with some retribution for their mony receiued tooke this order indifferētly betwene them that each part by course should haue the choosing of their bishop an 1228. Ex. Paris fol. 68. What busines fell likewise betweene Edmund Archb. of Caunterbury and the Monkes of Rochester about the electiō of Richard Wēdour to be theyr bishop And what was the end first the Archbishop was sayne to trauel◠himselfe to the Pope and so did the Couent also send their Proctors Who be like being better moued weyed downe the cause so that the good Archbishoppe in that cause agaynst the Monkes and partly in an other cause agaynst the Earle of Arundell was condemned of the Pope in a thousand Markes Whereof the greatest part no doubly redounded to the Popes coffers an 1238. Math Parisiensis fol. 114. After the returning of the sayd Edmund Archbishop of Canterbury agayne from Rome it chaunced that the Monkes of Canterbury had elected theyr Prior without his assent for the which he did excommunicate the monks and euacuate theyr election Not long after this the popes exactours went about to extort from the churchmen the fift part of theyr goods to the Popes vse fighting then agaynst the Emperour This cruell exaction being a great while resisted by the Prelates and Clergy at length the foresayd Archb. thinking therby to get the victory agaynst the monks was contented to graunt to the sayd exaction adding moreouer of his own for an ouerplus 800. marks whereupon the rest of the Clergy was fayne to follow after and contribute to the popes exactors an 1240. Ex Mat. Paris fol. 132. b. In the church of Lincolne whose sea before the conquest was in Dorkester and afterward by williā Rufus translated from thence to Lincolne rose a greuous contētiō beweene Rob. Grosted then bishop and the canons of the cathedrall church about theyr visitation whether the bishop should visire them or the Deane which matter being put to arbiters could not so be composed before the B. and the chapter after theyr appeale made to the Pope went both to Rome and there after they had well wasted theyr purses they receiued at length their aunswere but payd full sweetly for it an 1239. Paris fol. 119. At what time the Canons of chichester had elected Robert Passelew to their bishop at the kings request the Archb. with certein other bishops taking part against the kings chaplaine repelled him and set vp Richard Wirch Upon this what sending and going there was to Rome and what mony bestowed about the matter as wel of the kings part as bishops read the story thereof in Mat. Paris fol. 182. 184. 186. Robert Grosted bishop of Lincolne of whom relation was made before hauing a great care howe to bring the priuiledged orders of religious houses within his precinct vnder his subiectiō and discipline went to Rome there with great labor much effusion of mony as the story sayth procured of the pope a mandate wereby all such religious orders were commaunded to be vnder his power and obedience Not long after the Monkes not abyding that who could soone wey downe the Bishop with mony sent theyr factors to the Pope who with their golden eloquence so perswaded him and stirred affections in such sort that soone they purchased themselues freedome from their ordinary Bishop wherof Robert Grosted hauing intelligence made vp to Rome and there complayning to the pope declared how he was disappoynted and confounded in his purpose contrary to promises and assurance made to him before Unto whom Pope Innocent looking with a sterne countenaunce made this aunswere agayne Brother sayd he what is that to thee Thou hast deliuered and discharged thine owne soule It hath pleased vs to shew fauor vnto them Is thine eie euill that I am good And thus was the Bishop sent away with a flea in his care murmuring with himself yet not so softly but that the Pope heard him say these words O mony mony what canst not thou do in the court of Rome Wherwith the Pope being somewhat pinched gaue this aunswere agayne D ye Englishmen Englishmen of all men most wretched For all your seeking is how ye may consume deuour one an other c. anno 1250. Ex. Math. Parisiensi fol. 230. It happened moreouer the same yeare that the sayd Robert Grosted
presēted or els themselues to place fit men in their churches as neede required So did the Emperours of Constantinople receiuing the order and maner from Constantine the great vse and geue the right of Ecclesiasticall function with the consent both of the people and ecclesiastical persons long so retayned they the same As Honorious the Emperor vnto Boniface canon 8. dist 79. canon 2. dist 97. Also of Pelagius and Gregorius Magnus of the whiche one in the raigne of Justinian the Emperour and Totila gouerning Italy the other in the tyme of Mauritius the Emperour when the Lombardes possessed Italy were appoynted Byshops to the Church of Rome can 15.21 24. And where as Bratianus in the beginning of the 96. and 97. distinction doth declare that the rescript of Honorius the Emperour is voyde and of none effect for that he determined the election of the bishop of Rome cōtrary to the authoritie of the holy canons when as yet neither to that ciuill magistrate nor to any of the ecclesiasticall order cābe read of any licence geuen them for to dispence withal each man may playnly see and discerne his great foly and want of vnderstanding As though at that tyme any decrees were made which shoulde debarre Emperours for the consritituring of that ecclesiasticall ministers Or that it were doubtfull whether the Emperours at that time had past any cōstitutions touching the causes of Ecclesiasticall discipline and the same lawes then put in vre when that contrary most manifestly both by the lawes histories of that age and time as well of the church as of the Empire may appeare And that we need not seek farre for the matter this thing is sufficiently proued by these titles De sacrosanctis Ecclesijs Episcopis Clericis besides other eccclesiasticall chapters matters touching religion All which are to be seene in the bookes of the principall and chiefest constitutions collected and set forth by Iustinian Amongst the whiche many of the chapiters are said to be accepted and allowed of Honorius Theodosius So in like case the 21. can in the 63. distinction doth declare that the Grecian Emperours that next insued after Iustinian did obserue that maner of ordeining and election of the Bishop of Rome although thē at that tyme interpellatum erat it was somewhat sporned at Amongst whom mention is made of Constantinus the fourth which was surnamed Pogonatus Carolus Magnus in like maner followed theyr steps and maner in the same as in the 22. canon and the same distinctiō is declared And farther it was at a Synodal coūcell in Laterane Adrian beyng hygh Bishop where were conuented and assembled 153. other Bishops decreed that the power and authoritie of creating the bishop of Rome and ordayning of all other prelates ecclesiasticall orders should be in the power and will of Carolus Magnus as well in Italy as other his dominions and prouinces and that whosoeuer was not promoted allowed by him should not be consecrated of any And that those which repugned and disobeyed this decree should incurre the most sharpe paine of proscription and publication of law The worthy example hereof is extāt in the 18. can and 18. title Yet notwithstanding Stephanus the 4. author of this rescript agaynst the sayd decree and wtout the Emperours consent was made Bishop of Rome who to the intent he might delude the decreed solemnised penalty therby to excuse himselfe went into Fraunce to Ludouicus Pius the sonne of Carolus Magnus at Rheimis crowned he him with the Imperiall diademe Neither could this Byshop here stay himselfe but spying the great lenitie of the Emperour assayed to make frustrate the foresayd constitution For hys purpose was so brought it to passe as in the 27. canon and the lame distinction appeareth that it might be lawful for the Ecclesiasticall order with the people and senate of Rome without the authoritie of the Emperour to chuse the Byshop of Rome reseruing that he shoulde not be consecrated without the will and consent of the Emperour Thus is it manifest that the Byshops of Rome themselues not regarding but despising the straite penalty and sanction of the foresayd decree of the Laterane Councell were not onely the first that brake the same but also by contrary rescriptes and constitutions laboured endeuoured to extoll set vp themselues aboue al other Whereupon Lotharius afterward being Emperor and nephew to Carolus Magnus comming into Italy there to dissolue the cōspiracy and confederacy of Leo the fourth about the translation of the Empire renewed stablished agayne the Synodal decree of Laterane touching the iurisdiction of the Emperour for the election of the Byshop of Rome and other ecclesiasticall persons And hereof it came that those Epistles were written of Leo in the 16. 17. canon and the same distinction which also as in the 9. canon and x. distinction made a profession that the same Imperiall preceptes should be kept in all ages This Leo when he was reproued of treason and other euils pleaded his cause before Ludouicus the 2. Emperoure of Rome and sonne of Lotharius aboue recited 2. q. 7. canon 40. But after this as tyme grew on the bishops of Rome nothing relinquishing their ambitious desires Otho the first Emperour of that name depriued and put from the sea of Rome that most filthy and wicked Bishop Iohn the xiij both for diuers and sundry wicked and haynous acts by him committed as also for his great treasons conspiracies agaynst his royall person and did substitute in hys place Leo. the 5. who calling a Synode at Laterane in the same temple and place where the other before was kept◠did promulgate a new constitution with consent of the Senate people of Rome concerning the Emperours iurisdiction in the foresayd election whiche in the 23. canon is contained and 63. distinction Whereby the old right and power of the Emperour in the election of the Byshop of Rome and other ecclesiasticall prelates was agayne with more sharper and straighter sanctiō confirmed ratified Agayn Iohn the 18 whō Cressentius the Romayn vsurping that Imperiall crowne had made bishop by the consēt of the people of Rome the Ecclesiasticall order hauing his nose cut off hys eyes put out so thrust out of the capitoll was agayn of Otho 3. established and made Byshop But when as yet notwithstanding the Byshops of Rome would not alter their olde accustomed disposition but with all their industry indeuoured to abrogate that iurisdiction of the Emperor ouer the bishop of Rome as people loth to be vnder subiection Henry the 3. then Leo the 9 beyng constituted byshop did once agayne ratifie that same and caused the byshop which extolled himself before al his fellow bishops to stoup and geue place to Moguntinus So after the death of Henry the 3. Emperor Nicholas the 2. although in hys decree whiche in the first canon and
declareth to extoll himselfe aboue measure and to oppresse yâ— few that be godly and to haue many falâ—e prophets about him which neglecting the word and the name of Christ do preach extoll him only obscuring the name of Christ. The church of Rome and the Pope he describeth in these words I was praying sayd he on my knees looking vpward to heauen nere to the aulter of S. Iames in Paris on the right side of the aultar saw in the ayre before me the body of a certain high bishop all clothed in white silke who turning his backe on the East lift vp his hand toward the west as the Priestes are wont in theyr Masse turning to the people but his head was not seene And as I was considering aduisedly whether he had any head or no I perceiued a certayne head in him all dry leane withered as though it had bene a head of wood And the spirit of the Lord sayd to me This signifieth the state of the Church of Rome Moreouer the same author in his visions well describing the maner of the schole sophisters and Sorbonists addeth in this wise An other day as I was in like conteÌ„plation as before I beheld in spirit and beholde I saw a man apparelled like to the other before which weÌ„t about hauing fine bread and excellent wine that hanged about him on both sides And the same hauing in his hand a loÌ„g and an hard flint stone was gnawing hungerly vpon the same as one being hungry is wont to bite vpon a loafe of bread Out of the which stone came two heads of two serpentes the spirit of the Lord instructing me and saying This stone purporteth the friuilous intricate curious questions wherein the hungry do trauaile and labor leauing the substauntiall foode of their soules And I asked what these two heads did meane And he sayd The name of the one is vaine glory the name of the other is the marring and dissipation of religion Also concerning reformation of the church this vision he declareth It happened as I was sayth he in the same City in the house of a certaine noble man a Britaine and was there speaking with certayne I saw a crosse of siluer very bright much like to the Crosse of the Earle of Tholouse But the 12. apples which did hang beside in the armes of the crosse were very vile like the apples which the sea is wont to cast vp And I sayd what is this Lord Iesu and the spirit answered me This crosse which thou seest is the church which shal be cleare and bright in purenes of life and shall be heard and known all ouer through the shrill voice of the preaching of sincere verity Then being troubled with the apples I asked what these apples so vile did signify and he said it is the humiliation of the Church c. This godly man did forewarne as in a certain chroâ—ticle is declared how God would punish the simony and auarice of the clergy with such a plague that riuers should runne with bloud c. It is sayd that there is remayning a great volume of his visions whiche are not yet abroad for these that be abroad are but a briefe extract out of hys visions and reuelations After yâ— we haue thus loÌ„g straid in these forrein stories of Fredericke and in the tractation of other matters pertayning to other countreys Now after this sufficient disgression it is time that we returne to our own country agayne where in folowing the continuatioÌ„ of time course of the Church we will now adioyne to these good fathers and writers the history of the learned Bishop of Lincolne named Robert Grosted a man famously learned as that time serued in the three toungs both Latin Greeke and Hebrue also in all liberall sciences whose works Sermons yet this day are extant which I haue seene in the Queenes Maiestyes Library at Westminster wherin is one speciall Sermon writteÌ„ and exhibited in foure sundry skrolles to the pope and to other foure Cardinals beginning Dominus noster Iesus Christus c. Nicolas Triuet in his chronicle writing of this bishop affirmeth that he was borne in Suffolke in the Dioces of Northfolke who geuing him the prayse to be a man of excellent wisedome of profound doctrine an example of all vertue witnesseth that he being maister of Arte wrote first a Commentary in librum posteriorum of Aristotle Also that he wrote Tractations de sphera de arte comput And that he set forth diuers books concerning Philosophy Afterward being Doctor in Diuinity and expertly seene in all the 3. tongues drew out sundry Treatises out of the Hebrue gloses also translated diuers works out of the Greeke as namely the Testamentes of the xij Patriarches the bookes of Dionisius commenting vpon the new translation with hys owne glose Haec ille Many other workes and volumes besides were written by the said Grosted as De oculo morali de Dotibus De cessatione legalium paruus Cato Annotationes in Suidam in Boetium De potestate pastorali expositiones in Genes in Lucam with a number moâ— besides diuers Epistles Sermons and Inuections sent to the Pope for his vnmeasurable exactions wherwith he ouercharged oppressed the Church of England This godly and learned Bishop after diuers conflicts and agonies sustayned agaynst the Bishop of Rome after the example of Fredericke of Guiliel de sancto amore of Nico Gallus and other after minded at length after great labors and trauells of life finished his course departed at Buckdone in the moneth of Octob. an 1253. Of his decease thus writeth Mat. Parisiens pag. 278. Out of the prison and banishmeÌ„t of this world which he neuer loued was takeÌ„ the holy bishop of Lincolne Robert at his manor of Buckâ—one in the euen of S. Dionise who was an open reprouer of the Pope and of the King a rebuker of the prelats a corrector of the Monkes director of the Priestes instructor of the clerkes fauâ—or of scholers a preacher to the people persecutor to the incontinent a diligent searcher of the Scriptures A malle to the Romaines and a contemner of theyr doings c. Haec Mat. what a malle hee was to the Romaines in the sequele hereof Christ willing shall better appeare The story is this It so befell among other dayly and intollerable exactions wherein Pope InnoceÌ„t was greuous and iniurious manifold wayes to the Realme of England he had a certaine cosin or nephew so Popes were wont to call theyr sonnes named Fredericke being yet youÌ„g vnder yeres whom the said Innocent the Pope would needs preferre to be a Canon or Prebendary in the church of Lincolne in this time of Robert Bishop of the sayd Church And vpoÌ„ the same directed down letters to certayn his factors here in England for the execution thereof The copy of which letter by chaunce yet not by chaunce
but by the oportune sending of God came to my haÌ„des as I was peÌ„ning this present storye written in the ende of an olde parchment book and otherwise rare I suppose to be fouÌ„d As is this Dilectis filijs Archdiacono Cant. magistro InnoceÌ„t scriptori nostro in Anglia commoranti salutem Apostolicam benedict Cum dilectus filius noster G. Sanct Eustachij Diaconus cardinalis dilecto filio Fridericho de Lauania clerico nepoti nostro de speciali mandato nostro Canonicatum Lincolniens cuÌ„ plenitudine iuris canonici duxerit coÌ„ferendum ipsum per suum anulum corporaliter praesentialit inuestiens de eodem vt extunc canonic Lincolniensis existat plenum nomen ius Canonici consequatur ibidem ac prebendam si qua vacauerit in Ecclesia Lincolâ— a tempore quo dudùm litere nostrae super receptione ac prouisione facienda sibi in Eccles. eadem de praemissis venerab fratri nostro Episcopo Lincoln preseÌ„tatae fueruÌ„t a lioqui post vaâ— caturam conferendaÌ„ sibi donationi Apostolicae reseruarit decernendo irritum inane si quid de praebeÌ„da huiusmodi a quoqÌ„ fuerit attentatum nec non in contradictores rebelles excommunicationis sententiaÌ„ vbique promulgando prout in literis eiusdem exindè de coÌ„stitutis pleniùs coÌ„tinetur Nos ipsius Frede rici deuotis supplicationibus inclinati quod ab eodeÌ„ Cardin. factum est super hoc ratum gratum habentes idem autorit Apostolic duximus confirmandum Quocirca Discretioni vestrae per Apostolica scriptaâ—mandamus quatenus eundem FredericuÌ„ vel procuratorum suum eius nomine in corporalem possessioneÌ„ praedictorum Canonicatus praebeÌ„dae autorite nostra inducatis defendatis inductum coÌ„tradictores per censuram EcclesiasticaÌ„ appellatione postposita coÌ„pescendo Non obstaÌ„tibus aliquibus consuetudinibus vel statutis inramentis vel confirmationibus sedis Apostolicae seu quacunque alia infirmitate roboratis vel quòd dictus Frider. praesens non fuerit ad prestandum iuramentum de obseruandis consuitudinib eiusdem Eccles. consuetis Siue si praedicto Episcop vel Capitulo ipsius Ecclesiae communiter vel singulatim â—eu alijs quibuscuÌ„que personis a dicta sede indultum existat quòd ad receptionem vel prouisionem alicuius coÌ„pelli nequeant siue quòd nullus alius in eorum Ecclesia nemini prouidere valeat vel quod interdici suspendi aut excommunicari non possint per literas apost sub quacuÌ„que forma verboruÌ„ obtentas vel obtinendas etiamsi totus tenor indulgeÌ„ tiarum huiusmodi de verbo in verbum in ijsdem literis sit insertus siue quibus alijs indulgentijs quibuscunque personis dignitati vel loco sub quacunque forma verborum concessis a sede Apost vel etiam concedendis per quas effectus huiusmodi prouisionis posset impediri aliquatenus vel differri Tamen volumus ea de certa scientia quantum ad prouisionem factam faciendam Frederico praedicto in Ecclesia Lincoln viribus omnino carere Coeterum si aliqui praedicto Frederico vel procuratori super praemissis vel aliquo praemissorum aliquatenus duxerit apponendum Illos ex parte nostra citari curetis vt peremptoriè infra duorum meÌ„sium spacium post citationem vestraÌ„ personaliter coÌ„pareant coram nobis eidem Friderico super praemissis legitimè responsuri Non obstantibus priuilegijs siue quibuslibet indulgeÌ„tijs personis regni Angliae generaliter vel cuiuis alij personae vel dignitati vel loco specialiter a praedicta sede sub quacunque forma verborum concessis Quod non possunt vltra mare seu extra ciuitatem vel Diocesin suam in iudiciuÌ„ euocari per literas apost sub quacunque forma verboruÌ„ obteÌ„tas quod priuilegium indulgentias eisdeÌ„ personis de certa scientia nullatenus volumus suffragari constitutione aedita de duabus dictis in coÌ„cilio generali non obstante Diem autem citationis formam nobis vestris literis tenorem praesentium continentibus fideliter intimetis Quòd si non ambo his exequendis interesse poteritis alter vestrum nihilominus exequatur Datum Perus 7. Cal. Febr. Pontificat nostro anno decimo Which letter to be englished is this Vnto our welbeloued sonnes the Archdeacon of Cant. to maister Innocent our scribe abiding in England greting and Apostolicall benedictioÌ„ For so much as our welbeloued sonne G. of S. Eustace Deacon Cardinal vpon our speciall commauÌ„demeÌ„t hath geuen and graunted to our welbeloued sonne Frederick de Lauania a Clarke and our nephew a CanoÌ„ship in the Church of Lincolne with full power and graunt of the same Inuesting him also corporally and presently with his owne ring in the said canoÌ„ship to be froÌ„ heÌ„ceforth CanoÌ„ of Lincolne to haue ful power of the sayd canonship in the church and a prebend when anye shall fall in the Churche of Lincolne From that time since whiche our former letters of late concerning this receiuing and prouision to be geuen to him in the sayd Church were preseÌ„ted exhibited to our reuerend brother Bishop of Lincolne Or els after the next auoyding the said prebendship to be reserued to the Apostolical donation to be geueÌ„ to him making it void frustrate if the sayd prebeÌ„dship shall be geueÌ„ to any other man beside and also denouncing the sentence of excoÌ„munication agaynst all them that shall rebell and gainsay the same as in the letters of the sayd Cardinall is more fully contayned We therfore graciously inclined by the deuout supplication of the said Friderick ratifying gratefully approuing that which hath bene done by the said cardinals in the premisses haue thoght good by the authority Apostolicall to confirme Wherefore we geue in coÌ„maundement by our letters Apostolicall to your wisedomes that you will see the sayd Frederick or his proctor in hys behalfe to be really and corporally possessed in the sayd Canonship or prebeÌ„d by our authority also defend the sayd party being therin possessed denouncing the sentence of excommunication against all such as shall withstand the same All maner of customes or statutes to the contrary notwithstaÌ„ding corroborated either with oath or coÌ„firmatioÌ„s of the sea Apostolick or by what stay or let soeuer Or whether that the said Frederick be not present to take the oath accustomed to be geuen for obseruing the customes of the sayd church Or whether it be geuen and graunted by the sayd sea to the foresayd Bishop or to the chapter of the sayd church ioyntly and seuerally or to what person or persons els that no man by compulsion should haue admission or prouision for any person in their Church wherby they cannot be interdicted suspended or excommunicate by the letters Apostolicall obtained or to be obtained hereafter vnder what form or words soeuer yea although the whole tenour of the sayd indulgence be inserted word for word in the sayd
and aboue whereas the mere reuenues of the crowne came not to 30000. Of this Robert Grosted wryteth Cestrensis in his 7. booke of his historie that partly for that it greeued hym to see the intollerable exactions of the Pope in this realme and partly because he refused to admitte a certaine younge nephew of the Pope to be canon of his Church as hath bene before recited He therefore wryting to the Pope and signifying that he could not admit any such persons into hys Church which neither knewe themselues nor the tounge of the people nor the charges committed vnto them was called vp to Rome and there excommunicated who then appealing from the Pope shortly after departed which was An. 1253. It chanced within 2. yeares after his decease the sayde Pope Innocent being a slepe a certaine Bishop apparelled bishop like appeared vnto him and striking him with his staffe on his left side sayde Surge miser veni in iudicium That is Rise wretch and come to thy iudgement The next day after the Pope was found amased as a man stroken on the side with the stroke of a staffe This Robert though he was greatly commended for his sanctimony as Cestrensis sayeth for his myracles yet was he not permitted in the court of Rome to be ascribed in the Cataloge of Saintes And thus much out of Cestrensis concernyng thys matter But Math. Paris and the author of Flores historiarum prosecuting thys storie more at large addeth thys more vnto it sayth That Pope Innocent the next yeare folowing which was An. 1254. being passing angry contrary to the minde of his brethren the Cardinals woulde haue the bones of the foresayd byshop of Lincolne cast out of the Church and purposed to bring him into suche spite and hatred of the people that he shuld be counted an Ethnicke a rebell and disobedient person through the whole worlde And thereuppon caused his letters to be wrytten and sent downe to the king of England knowing that the king would gladly serue him therein to haue the spoyle of the bishop and of his church But the night following the said B. of Linc. appeared vnto him as coÌ„ming in his pontificalibus and with a seuere couÌ„tenance and sterne loke and terrible voyce speaketh vnto him being in his rest smiting him on the side with a vehement stroke with the ende of his crossestaffe thus said O thou scourfie lazie old bald lousie wretched doting Pope Hast thou purposed to cast out my bones out of the Church to the shame and slaunder of me Now commeth this rash wilfulnesse in thy head It were more meete for thee being this aduaunced by God honoured to make much of the zelous seruaunts of God although departed The lord wil not suffer thee heÌ„ceforth to haue any more power ouer me I haue writteÌ„ vnto thee in the spirit of humilitie and loue that thou shouldest correct thy manifolde errors But thou wyth a proud eye and disdainful hart hast despised my wholesome admonitions Woe to thee that despisest shalt not thou also be despised And so the Bishop departing from the Pope stroken as is said on the side leâ—t him for half dead and so lying in sorow lamentation Wherupon his chamberlains being amased hearing these things came ruÌ„ning to the pope to know what him ailed To whome the Pope much troubled and bexed in his spirit sayd that great terrors in his slepe vehemently disturbed and molested him in such sorte that he thought he should neuer recouer it nor be restored to himselfe againe Oh sayeth he howe sore is my side and howe egerly it vexeth me as being runne through with a speare Neither did the Pope eate or drinke all that day but faining himself to be sicke of a burning ague kept in And yet the indignation of the irefull hand of God sayth the story so left him not For after these wholesome admonitions geuen to hym by the seruaunt of God the Pope not regarding them but all set vpon warre suppression of his enemies and secular affaires gaue his minde wholy vnto them And yet all his labors counsailes expences bestowed vpon them could neuer prosper after that day in that he weÌ„t about For the Pope the same time hauing warre with the Apulians all his army fighting vnder the Popes nephew their captaine were slaine confounded the number of many thousands whose lamentable slaughter al the countrey of the Romains did much bewaile The Pope not yet quiet in his minde directeth his iorney towarde Naples although sore vexed in his side like a man sicke of a plurisie or sâ—itten rather with a speare Neither could any phisicke of his Cardinals help him For Robert of Lincolne sayth the story did not spare him And hee that woulde not heare him gently correcting him being aliue his stripes did he feele wheÌ„ he was dead So that hee neuer after that enioyed any luckie or prosperous day till time of his death nor yet any prosperous or quiet night vntill the morning And so continued he vnto his death which shortly after ensued he being at Naples An. 1255. or as N. Triuet recordeth An. 1254. And thus haue ye the whole discourse betweene Robert Grosted Pope Innocent ¶ In the which story is to be noted gentle reader that although in the storie of Cestrensis of Mathewe Paris and of Flor. hist. it is expresly testified and reported that the Pope was smitten with the staffe of Robert the foresaid Byshop of Lincolne yet thou must wisely vnderstand that how so euer Gods hand dealeth heere in this world in punishing his enemies or how so euer the Image of things not sene but phantasied offer themselues to the secrete cogitation of man his senses being a slepe by the operation or permission of God woorking after some spirituall influence in our imaginations certaine it is that no dead man materially can euer rise againe or appeare before the iudgement day to any man with his staffe or without his staffe to woorke any feate after he haue once departed this life After the death of this Robert Grosted bishop of Lincolne great dissention fel betwene the Archb. of Cant. Boniface and the canons of the said church of Lincolne about the right of geuing prebendships and about the reuenues of the said church in time of the bishops see being now vacant Which right power the Archbishop claimed to him selfe but the canons of that Church maintaining the contrary side stood against him and for the same were excommunicated of the Archbishop AmoÌ„g whom one M. Wolf resisting the Archb. to the face in the name of all the other canons made vp his appeale to Rome where much money on both sides was spent At length after this Grosted was elected Henry Lexinton in the see of Lincolne About which time the wicked Iewes at Lincolne had cruelly crucified whipped tormented a certaine child named Hugo of 9. yeres of age An.
Barons as Lord Iohn Fitze Iohn L. Hastings L. Geoffrey Lucie Lorde Iohn Uescy L. William Segraue Hugh Spencer L. Roberte Uespoynt with diuers and many mo whose aunswere to y◠king againe was this That the prouisions made at the counsaile of Oxforde whereunto they were sworne they would hold defend and maintaine to their liues end forso much as they did sound and also were agreed vpō both to the honor of God to the profit of the prince stable wealth of the Realme c. And thus partes on both sides discording among themselues would so haue departed had not certaine of the Bishops comming betwene both laboured betwene thē to take vp the matter By whose meane saith Gualt Gisburn and procurement the determination of the cause was brought in comprimis and referred to Ludouick y◠French king to iudge betwene them who hearing both the allegations sayth he like no equal iudge but a partial frende inclined wholy and fully to the kings sentence and condemned the nobles But the author of Flores Hist. sayth that by the mediation of certaine discrete men two were chosen one for one side the other for the other To whome the thirde also was adnexed who hearing as well what was brought of the kings part as also what was aunswered of the other should define betweene them both And so peace was betwene them cōcluded til the comming of Edward Al this while as yet the Popes absolution for the king although it was graūted and obtained at Rome yet was it not brought downe in solēne wryting neither was prince Edward as yet returned out of Fraunce to England At length the wryting of the kings absolution being brought from Rome the king eftsoones commaunded the same to be published throughout the Realme and sendeth to the French king and other straungers for helpe Moreouer sesseth all his Castels into his owne hand reiecting the counsaile of the Lords to whose custody they were before committed Also remoouing the former officers as instices and the Chancelour with other placed afore by the Lordes he appoynted new in their stead To this foresald absolution procured frō Rome for the king and his sonne Edward returning out of Fraunce at that time did not geue his consent but held with the Lordes Who then putting themselues in armes with a great power repaired vp to London keping there in the suburbes and places about while the king kept wtin the tower causing the citie gates to be watched and lockt and all within the said citie being aboue the age of 12. yeares to be sworne vnto him But at length through the meanes of certaine comming betweene this tumultuous perturbation was somwhat appeased at least some hope of peace appeared so that the matter was takē vp for that time without war or bloudshed Notwtstanding some false pretensed dissemblers there were which secretly disclosing all the counsails and doings of the Lords vnto the king did all they coulde to hinder concord and to kindle debate By the meanes of whom the purpose of the Lords came not to so good effect as otherwise it might Ex Flor. Hist. In this present yere as affirmeth that forenamed author it was rumored abroade that all the Bishops of England went about to recouer againe out of that handes of religious men all such churches and benefices which were to them improperated or appropriated and y◠they for the expeditiō of the same had sent vp to Rome both messengers mony nothing misdoubting to obteine their purpose But as a litle good fruite in those daies vsed to spring out of that sea so I do not finde that godly sute and labour of the bishops to take any fruitfull effect The same yere died Pope Alexander after whom succeeded Pope Urban the fourth Of the which Pope Urbane the king also obtained or rather reuiued a new releasemēt from hys oth made to the prouisiōs and statutes of Oxford Which being graunted he commaundeth incontinent all the foresaid lawes prouisions through England to be dissolued and brokē This done the King with the Queene taketh hys voiage into Fraunce where he fell into great infirmitie of sicknes and the most part of his familie taken with the fener quartane of which many died In the number of whome beside other died Richard the worthy Earle of Glocester and Heriord after whom succeeded Gilbert Clare his sonne The Welshmen this yere breaking into the borders of England did much annoyance in the lands of Roger lord Mortimer but mightely again by him were expulsed not without great slaughter of the inuaders About which time the king through some discrete counsaile about hym inclined to peace and concorde with his nobles graunting of his mere voluntarie will the constitutions and prouisions of Oxforde to take place in the Realme directing his commaundement to euery shire All be it the Realme yet was not altogether pacified for all that In the latter end of this yere the kings palace at westminster was brent and for the most part was al consumed with fire which seemed to many an euill prognosticate against the king Ex Flor. Hist. In some English Chronicles it is also recorded that the same yeare 500. Iewes at London were slaine for taking vsurie more then 2.d a weeke for 20. s. being before forbid by the king to take aboue that rate by the weeke After this foloweth the yeare 1263. in which the Barons of England confederating themselues together for maintaining the statutes and lawes of Oxford and partly moued with the old grudge conceiued against the straungers maintayned by the King and the Queene and Edward their sonne in the realme of England ioyned powers in all forceable wise and first inuaded the sayd straungers namely thē which were about the king Their goods and manors they wasted and spoyled whether they were persons ecclesiasticall or temporall Among whom besides other was Peter a Burgundian Bishop of Hereford a rich prelate with al his treasure apprehended and spoiled also his coūtreymen whom he had placed to be Canons of the same church With like order of handling other alienes also to whom was cōmitted the custody of diuers castels as of Gloucester of Worcester of Brignorth were spoiled imprisoned and sent away Briefly whatsoeuer he was in all the land that could not vtter the English toung was of euery rascall disdained and happy if he might so escape By reason where of it so came to passe that a great number as wel of other foreners as especially religious men and rich Priestes which here had gathered much substance were vrged to that extremitie that they were glad to flee the lande In the catalogue of whō was one most principally named Iohn Maunsel a priest notoriously growen in riches and treasures not to be told hauing in his hand so many rich benefices that neare no bishop of this realme might compare with him in riches Who notwtstanding
decided in iudgemeÌ„t contradictory many of the Barons dissenting not coÌ„seÌ„ting therunto is much therby confirmed This custome I say of the church hath bene fast established by the coÌ„sent and assent of the Prelats and then confirmed by the kings of FrauÌ„ce your predecessors and so peaceably obserued of the Church And yet may the church chalenge this by prescription For that there are but 3. things which are required in prescription that is to say title true dealing and continuance of time And it is without doubt that the Churches both purely hath and in time past had a good title as appereth by thy priuiledge grauÌ„ted of Theodosius the Emperor confirmed by Charles Who gaue in commaundement to keepe the same inuiolably which title it hath both by diuine natural and humaine law as before is mentioned Wherfore it must needes haue true dealing when so many great and cleare titles are knowne to condescend therunto Also concurreth such continuance of time that euen against Ius fisci it is prescriptible For it hath not onely continued by the space of 100. yeares but also more then 600. yeares last past Neither is this alwayes true that this law is imprescriptible especially of the church the which in as much as it appertayneth to the spiritualty is not subiect to the king but is much more noble and farre excelleth Euen no lesse then the Sunne doth the Moone golde lead and heauen the earth And this is certaine and no lesse reason that the higher equall may duely prescribe law against him that is either equall or lower in degree As one king may do to another Wherfore it appeareth that the church may prescribe this although it were Ius fisci as in deed it is not Finally this is proued by priuiledge grauÌ„ted by Carolus the great king of Fraunce as before by Ludouicke the second and by Philipp your vncle and Ludouike and Philip your kinsemeÌ„ which priuiledges we haue here redy to shew But perhappes you will say that these things cannot agree that the Church hath this iurisdiction both by law custome priuiledge which all cannot well hang together For if the church haue it by one of these it should folow that the church lacketh it by another But this may I answere two maner of wayes First that the priuiledge may be double one as a bringer in of a new law thus it cannot be reconciled The other as a confirmatiuâ— and declaratiue of the old law and this way it may well be agreed which distinctioÌ„ may also take place in custome Wherfore it may thus be answered that although this incudiction is due vnto the Church by lawe it appertaineth also vnto the same by priuilege and custome but yet not by suche kind of custome and priuiledge which induceth new law but which declareth and confirmeth the olde law And â—any will reply demanding wherfore the church of Fraunce shuld more chaleÌ„ge this then any other churches in other realmes which haue no such prerogatiue I can soone answer them If the kings of Fraunce whome God wyth singular grace honour and priuilege farre aboue al other Princes hath blessed and endued them for 3. speciall causes to wit for their great faith deuotion vnto God for their honor reuerence to the Church and for theyr good iustice shewed vnto the people hath graunted to the church special liberties or haue permitted those which before wer graunted peaceably to be kept and obserued Why then they should haue them it is no meruaile Yea and further theyr deuotion vnto the Church hath bene suche that the nearer the Churches were vnto them the more liberties they enioyed and yet had these princes neuerthelesse therfore but rather the more whych is euident and redoundeth to the great honor and nobilitie both of the king and his realme I haue oftentimes heard of other howe that 4. or 5. things doth especially habilitate and adorne this realme First their sincere and inuiolable faith for it was at no time red that the kings of Fraunce since the receiuing of the faith did euer swarue from the same Secondly the nobility of bloud which descended from Priamus the king of the Troianes and successiuely from Carolus and other royall kings Thirdly the vnitie and peace of concord which especially aboue all other raigned and florished in the Realme of Fraunce Fourthly the solemnity and pompe of the prelates and Clergie Fiftly the good disposed readinesse of the Barons and subiects to obey If therfore the prelates of this realme shâ—â—ld not haue this law and priuiledge but shuld be depriued therof then should the king his realme lose one of hys noble estates wherby they are highly magnified I meane the brauerie solemnitie royaltie of the prelates For then they should not onely be neither poÌ„peous nor royal but more beggerly miserable then any other the most part of their liuing consisting herein I do coÌ„clude therfore to be proued both by deuine law natural law canon law ciuil law custome and priuiledge that the right of determining such teÌ„porall matters of the Churche may of right appertaine to the Church of Fraunce and soâ—â— returne the Lorde Peters theame against himselfe Besides this will I propounde that which is most plaine and manifest that what so euer thynges be offered vp to the Church and are conuerted to the dominion and property of the same be Gods appertaineth to him For so much as they are saide to be dedicacated sanctified by hym as sufficiently throughout the Leuites may appeare as is declared in the 21. cap. 1. Regum concerning the bread offered to God where it is sayde I haue no common bread vnder my handes to eate but holy bread Wherfore it was not lawfull for the Laity to eat of the same bread but in time of great neccesity which is also proued in Daniel 5. chapter where it is read Because king Balthazar and his Lordes with his Queen â—ronke in the golden and siluer vessels which his father Nabuchodonoser had taken out of the temple of Ierusalem In the same very hour there appeared fingers as it had bene of a mans hand writing right ouer the candle sticke vpoÌ„ the playne wall in the kinges pallace And the King saw the palme of the hand that wrote and that which was writteÌ„ was Mane Thetel Phares the interpretation wherof is this as there it appeareth Mane God hath numbred this kingdome and brought it to aâ—end Thetel thou art weyed in a ballaunce and art found to light Phares thy kingdome is delt in partes and geuen to the Medes and Perses The very selfe same night was Balthazar the king of the Caâ—des slayne and Darius succeeded in the kingdome of the Medes the Monarchy of the Assirians being then trâ—â—slated vnto the Medes Whereby it appeareth that these things which are offered vp to the church belong to God so dedicated to him that
Antechrist alledgeth the sayinges and writinges of the Uniuersity of Paris also the writings of Guilielmus de sacto amore and of Militzius afore noted About the same time or shortly after an 1384. we read also of Ioannes of Mountziger Rector of the Uniuersity of Ulme who opēly in the scholes in his Oratiō propoūded that the body of Christ was not God and therfore not to be worshipped as God with that kinde of worship called Latria as the Sophister termeth it meaning thereby the Sacrament not to be adored which afterward he also defended by writing affirming also that Christ in his resurrection tooke to him agayne all his bloud which in hys passion he had shed Meaning thereby to inferre that the bloud of Christ which in many places is worshipped neither can be called the bloud of Christ neither ought to be worshipped But by and by he was resisted and withstood by the Monks and friers who by this kinde of Idolatry were greatly enriched till at length the Senate councell of the city was fayne to take vp the matter betwene them Nilus was Archbishop of Thessalonica liued much about this time He wrote a long worke agaynst the Latins that is agaynst such as tooke part and held with the Church of Rome His first book being written in Greeke was after translated into latin lately now into english in this our time In the first chap. of his book he layeth all the blame and fault of the dissention schisme betwene the East and the West Church vpon the Pope He affirmed that the Pope onely would commaund what him listed were it neuer so contrary to all the olde auncient canōs That he would heare and folow no mans aduise that he would not permit any free coūcels to be assēbled c. And that therfore it was not possible that the cōtrouersies betwene the Greeke Church and Latine Church should be decided and determined In the second chap. of his book he purposedly maketh a very learned disputation For first he declareth that he no whit at all by Gods commaūdement but onely by humain law hath any dignity more thē hath other bishops which dignity the Councels the fathers the Emperors haue graunted vnto him Neither did they graūt the same for any other consideration more or greater ordinaunce then for that the same City then had the Impery of all the whole world and not at all for that that Peter euer was there or not there Secondarily he declareth that the same premacy or prerogatiue is not such and so great as he and his Sicophāts do vsurpe vnto thēselues Also he refuteth the chiefest propositions of the Papistes one after an other He declareth that the Pope hath no dominion more thē other Patriarches haue and that he himselfe may erre as well as other mortall men and that he is subiect both to lawes councels as well as other Bishops That it belonged not to him but to the Emperor to call generall councels that in Ecclesiasticall causes he could establish and ordeine no more then all other Bishops might And lastly that he getteth no more by Peters succession then that he is a Byshop as all other Bishops after the Apostles be c. I can not among other folowing here the occasion of this matter offered leaue out the memory of Iacobus Misnensis who also wrote of the comming of Antechrist In y◠same he maketh mentiō of a certayn learned man whose name was Militzius which Militzius sayth he was a famous and worthy preacher in Parga He liued about the yere 1366. long before Husse and before Wickliffe also In the same his writings he declareth how y◠same good man Militzius was by the holy spirit of God incited and vehemently moued to search out of the holy Scriptures the maner and comming of Antechrist and found that now in his time he was all ready come And the same Iacobus sayth that the sayd Militzius was constrayned by the spirite of God to go vp to Rome there publickely to preach And that afterward before the Inquisitour he affirmed the same That the same mighty and great Antechrist the which the Scriptures made mention of was already comen He affirmed also that the Church by the negligence of the Pastors should become desolate and that iniquitye should abound that is by reason of Mammon master of iniquitie Also he sayde that there were in the Church of Christ idols which shoulde destroy Ierusalem and make the tēple desolate but were cloked by hypocrisy Further that there be many whych deny Christ for that they keepe silence neither do they heare Christ whome all the world should know and cōfesse his verity before men which also wittingly do detaine the verity and iustice of God There is also a certaine Bull of Pope Gregory 11. to the Archbishop of Praga wherin he is commanded to excommunicate and persecute Militzius and his auditours The same Bull declareth that he was once a Chanon of Praga but afterward he renounced his Canonship began to preache who also for that he so manifestly preached of Antichrist to be already come was of Iohn Archbishop of Praga put in prison declaring what hys errour was To wit howe he had his company or cōgregation to whō he preached and that amongst the same were certain conuerted harlots which had forsaken their euill life and did liue godly and well whych harlots he accustomed in hys sermons to preferre before all the blessed virgins that neuer offended He taught also openly that in the Pope cardinals Bishops prelates priests other religious men was no truth neither that they taught the way of truth but that onely he such as held with him taught the true way of saluation His Postill in some places is yet to be sene They alledge vnto him certaine other inconuenient articles which notwtstanding I thinke the aduersaries to depraue him with all haue slanderously inuented against hym He had as appeared by the foresaid Bull very many of euery state and condition as wel rich as pore that cleaued vnto him About the yeare of our Lord. 1371. liued Henricus de Iota whom Gerson doth much commend and also his companiō Henricus de Hassia an excellent learned and famous man An Epistle of this Henricus de Hassia which he wrote to the Bishoppe of Normacia Iacobus Cartsiensis inserted in his booke De erroribus Christianorum In the same Epistle the author doth greatly accuse the spirituall men of euery order yea and the most holyest of all other the Pope himselfe of many and great vices He sayd that the Ecclesiasticall gouernors in the primitiue Church were compared to the sunne shining in the day time and the politicall gouernors to the Moone shyning in the night But the spirituall men he said that now are do neuer shine in the day time nor yet in the night time but rather with theyr darcknes do obscure both the day
or otherwise considering so great a porcion of the reuenewes of his realme was by this meanes conueyed awaye and employed either to the reliefe of his enemies or mayntenaunce of the forreners Amongst whiche number the Cardinals of the courte of Rome lacked not their share As may appeare by this which followeth The Lord Fraunces of the title of S. Sabyne Priest and Cardinall of the holy Church of Rome doth hold and enioy the Deanry of the Cathedrall Church of Lichfield whiche is worth in the iurisdiction of Lichfield fiue hundreth marks by the yeare And the Prebend of Brewood the personage of Adbaston to the same Deanry annexed which prebend is worth by the yeare foure score marks and the personage twenty pound which deanry with the prebendes personage aforesayd hee hath holden and occupyed by the space of 3. yeres And one maister de in gris a straÌ„ger as proctor to the saide Cardinall doth hold and occupy the same Deanry with other the premisses with thappurtenances by name of Proctor during the yeares aforesayd and hath taken vp the fruites and profites to the sayd Cardinall dwelling not in the Realme L. William Cardinall of S. Angelo a straunger doth holde the Archdeaconrye of Suff. by vertue of prouision Apostolicall from the feast of S. Nicholas last past he is not resident vppon his sayd Archdeaconry And the sayd Archd. together with the procuratioÌ„s due by reason of the visitation is worth by yeare Lxvi li.xiii.s.iiii.d And maister Iohn of Helinington c. doth occupy the seale of thosficiall of the said Archdeaconry c. L. Reinnald of S Adriane Deacon Cardinall hath in the said County the personadge of Godalmonge worth by yeare xl pound and one Edward Teweste doth ferme the sayd personadge for ix yeares past The L. Anglicus of the holy Church of Rome prieste and Cardinall a straunger was incumbent did holde in possession the Deanry of the Cathedrall Churche of Yorke from the 11. day of Nouember Anno. Dom. 11366. and is yearely worth according to the true valor thereof iiij C.li. and maister Iohn of Stoke Canon of the sayd Churche doth occupy the said Deanry and the profites of the same in the name or by the authoritie of the sayd L. Deane c. But the said Deane was neuer resident vppon the sayd Deanry since he was admitted thereunto Item L. Hewgh of our Lady in Deacon and Cardinall a straunger doth possesse the Prebend of Dristild in the sayd Church of Yorke from the 7. day of Iune Ann. Do. 1363. from whiche day c. Iohn of Gisbourne and George of Conpemanthorpe c. doe occupy the said Prebend worth by yeare C.li. the sayd L. Hewgh is non Resident vpon the sayd Prebend Item L. Simon of the Title of S. Syxt priest and Cardinall c. doth possesse the Prebend of Wystow in the sayd Churche of Yorke worth by yeare C.li. And the foresaid maister Iohn of Stoke doth occupy the foresayd Prebend and the profites thereof c. But the sayd Lord Symon is not resident vpon the said Prebend Item L. Frauncisce of the Tytle of S. Sabyne Priest and Cardinall a straunger doth possesse the Prebend of Stransall in the sayd Church of Yorke worth by yeare C. markes And mayster William of Merfield c. doth accupy the sayd Prebend c. but the sayd L. Fraunces is not resident vpon the sayd Prebend L. Peter of the title of S. Praxed priest and Cardinall a straunger doth hold the Archdeaconry of York worth by yeare C.li. and M. William of Mecfeld c. for fermers The Deanry of the cathedral church of Sar with churches and chappels vnderwritten to the same Deanry annexed doth remayne in the hands of L. Reginald of the title of S. Adrian deacon and Cardinall and so hath remayned these 26. yeares and is neuer resident his protector is Laurence de ingris a straunger is worth by yeare CCLiiii li xiij s.iiij.d Richard Bishop doth hold vycaradse of Meere to the sayd Deanry annexed and hath holden the same for xix yeares worth by yeare xl li Robert Codford fermer of the Churche of heightredbury to the same annexed worth by yeare l.li. The Church of Stoning and the chappell of Rescomp to the same Deanry annexed worth by yeare lxx markes The Chappell of herst to the same Deanry annexed worth by yeare xl li The Chappell of wokenhame to the same Deanry annexed worth by yeare xxxvi li The Chappell of Sanhurst worth by yeare xl.s. The Church of Godalininge to the same Deanry annexed in the dioces of Winchester worth by yeare xl li The dignitie of Treasorer in the Church of Sar. with Church and Chappels vnderwritten to the same annexed is in the haÌ„ds of L. Iohn of the title of S. Mark priest Cardinall and hath so contained 12. yeares who was neuer resident in the same worth by yeare Cxxxvi. li.xiij.s.iiij.d The Church of Figheldon to the same annexed worth by yeare xxvj li.xiij.s.iiij.d The church of Alwardbury with the chappell of Putton worth by yeare x li. The Prebend of Calue to the same Treasorer annexed worth by yeare C.li. The Archdeaconry of Berck in the Cathedrall Church of Sarisbury with the the church of Mordon to the same annexed is in the hands of Lord William of the title of S. Stephen who was neuer resident in the same worth by yeare viij score markes The Archdeaconry of Dorset in the Church of Sarisbury with the Church of Gissiche to the same annexed in the handes of L. Robert of the title of the xij Apostles priest and Cardinall and is worth by yeare Ciij markes The Prebende of Woodforde and Wyuelefforde in the Church of Sarisbury is in the handes of the Robert Cardinall aforesayd and is worth xl markes The Prebend of Heiworth in the Church of Sarisbury is in the handes of the L. Cardinall of Agrisolio who is neuer resident and is worth by yeare lxxx li The Prebend of Netherbarnby and Beinynster in the Church of Sarisbury one Hewgh Pelgrini a stranger dâ—d hold xx yeares and more and was neuer resident in the same worth by the yeare viij score markes The church Prebendary of Gillinghame in the noonery of Salisbury lately holden of L. Richard now Byshop of Elye is in the hanhs of the Lord Peter of the title of S. Praxed priest and Cardinall c. worth by the yeare lxxx li L. William of the holy Churche of Rome Cardinall a straunger doth hold the archdeaconry of Canterbury and is not Resident the true valor of all the yearely fruites Rentes and profites is worth seuen hundreth Florens The L. Cardinall of Caunterbury is Archdeacon of Welles hath annexed to his Archdeaconry the churches of Hewish Berwes and Sowthbrent which are worth by yeare with their procuration of visitations of the sayd Archdeaconry C threescore pound Item the L. Cardinall is treasorer of the church of wels and hath the moyty of
and consent as wel of them as of vs and so declared that some of those conclusions were heretical and some of them erroneous repugnant to the determination of the Church as here vnder are described Wee will and commaund your brotherhoode and by vertue of holy obedience straightly enioyne all and singular our brethren and Suffraganes of our body and Church of Canterbury that with all speedye diligence you possible can you likewise enioyne them as we haue enioyned you and euery of them And that euery one of them in their Churches other places of their Citie and Dioces doe admonish and warne and that you in your Church and other Churches of your Citie and Dioces do admonish and warne as we by the tenor of these presents do admonish and warne the first time the second time and the third time and yet more straightly doe warne assigning for the first admonition one day for the second admonition an other day for the third admonition canonicall and peremptorie an other day That no man from hence forth of what estate or cōdition soeuer do hold preach or defend the foresayd heresies and errors or any of them nor that hee admitte to preach any one that is prohibited or not sent to preach nor that he heare or hearken to the heresies or errours of him or any of them or that he fauour or leane vnto hym either publiquely or priuely But that immediatly he shonne hym as he would auoide a Serpent putting forth most pestiferous poison vnder paine of the greater curse the which we commaund to be thundered against all and euery one which shal be disobedient in this behalfe and not regarding these our monitions after that those 3. dayes be past which are assigned for the canonical monition and that their delay fault or offence committed require the same That then according to the tenour of these wrytings wee commaund both by euery one of our felowe brethren our Suffraganes in their Cities and Dioces and by you in your City and Dioces so much as belongeth both to you and them that to the vttermost both ye and they cause the same excommunications to be pronounced And furthermore wee will and commaunde our foresayd felowe brethren and all singular of you a part by your selues to be admonished and by the aspersion of the bloud of Iesus Christ we likewise admonish you that according to the institution of the sacred Canons euery one of them in their Cities Dioces bee a diligent inquisitour of this hereticall prauitie and that euery one of you also in your Cities and Dioces be the like inquisitor of the foresayd heretical prauitie And that of such like presumptions they and you carefully and diligently inquire and that both they and you according to your dueties and office in this behalfe wyth effect do procede against the same to the honor and praise of his name that was crucified and for the preseruation of the Christian faith and Religion Here is not to be passed ouer the great miracle of gods diuine admonition or warning for when as the Archbyshop and suffraganes with the other Doctours of diuinitie and lawyers with a great company of babling Friers religious persons were gathered together to consult as touching Iohn Wickleffes bookes and that whole secte When as they were gathered together at the Gray fryers in Lōdon to begin their busines vpon S. Dunstons day after dinner about 2. of the clocke the very houre instant that they should go forward with their businesse a wonderfull and terrible earthquake fell through out al England wherupon diuers of the suffraganes being feared by the strange and wonderfull demonstration doubting what it shuld meane thought it good to leaue of from their determinate purpose But the Archbyshop as chiefe captaine of that army more rash and bold then wise interpreating the chaunce which had happened cleane contrary to an other meaning or purpose did confirme strengthen their harts and minds which were almost daunted with feare stoutly to proceede and go forward in theyr attempted enterprise Who then discoursing Wickliffes articles not according vnto the sacred Canons of the holy Scripture but vnto theyr owne priuate affections and traditions pronounced and gaue sentence that some of them were simply and plainely hereticall other some halfe erroneous other irreligious some seditious and not consonant to the Church of Rome Item the 12. day of Iune in the yeare aforesaid in the chamber of the Friers preachers the foresayd M. Robert Rigges Chauncelor of the vniuersitie of Oxford Thomas Brightwell professors of diuinitie beyng appoynted the same day and place by the foresayde reuerend father in God Archbyshop of Canterbury appeared before hym in the presence of the reuerend father in God Lord William by the grace of God Byshop of Winchester and diuers others doctours and bachelers of Diuinitie and of the Canon and ciuill lawe whose names are before recited And first the sayd Chauncelor by the said Lord Archb. of Cant. being examined what his opinion was touching the foresayd articles Publiquely affirmed and declared that certaine of those conclusions were hereticall and certaine erronious as the other doctors and clerks afore mentioned had declared And then immediately next after hym the foresaid Thomas Brightwel was examined which vpon some of the conclusions at first somewhat staggered but in the end being by the sayd Archbishop diligently examined vpon the same did affirme and repute the same to be hereticall and erroneous as the foresayd Chancelor had done An other Bacheler of Diuinitie also there was named N. stammering also at some of those conclusions but in the end affirmed that hys opinion therein was as was the iudgement of the foresayd Chauncelour and Thomas as is aboue declared Whereuppon the sayde Lord Archb. of Cant. willing to let and hinder the perill of such heresies errours Deliuered vnto the foresayd Chauncelour there being publiquely read his letters patents to be executed the tenour whereof in these wordes doth folow WIlliam by the grace of God Archb. of Cant. primate of all England and Legate of the Apostolicall see To our welbeloued sonne in Christ the Chancelor of the vniuersitie of Oxford within the diocesse of Lincolne greeting grace and benediction The prelates of the Church about the Lordes flocke committed to their charge ought so much to be more vigilāt as that they see the wolfe clothed in sheepes attire fraudulētly go about to worow and scatter the sheepe Doubtles the common fame brute is come vnto our eares c. Vtin mandato praecedenti We will therefore and commaunde straightly enioyning you that in the Church of our blessed Lady in Oxforde vpon those dayes the which accustomably the Sermone is made as also in the schooles of the sayde Vniuersitie vppon those dayes the Lectures be read ye publish and cause by others to be published to the clergie and people as well in their
wryteth thus When we were amongst you wee declared this vnto you that he that would not worke should not eate Wherefore the law of nature doth licence al such as haue the gouernance of kingdoms to correct the abuse of the temporalities which wold be the chief cause of the destruction of their kingdoms whether the tēporall Lords or any other had endowed the Church with those temporalities or not It is lawful for them in some case to take away the temporalities as it were by way of phisicke to withstand sinne notwithstanding any excommunication or other Ecclesiasticall censure For so much as they are not endowed but only with cōditiō therunto anexed Heereby it appeareth that the condition annexed to the endowing or enriching of any church is that God shuld be honoured the which condition if it once fail the contrary taking place the title of the gift is lost and consequently the Lord which gaue the almes ought to correct the offence Excommunication ought not to let the fulfilling of iustice Secondly according to the Canon lawe 16. quest 7. This sentence is noted where it is thus spoken as touching the children neuewes and the most honest of the kindred of him which hath builded or endowed any church That it is lawful for them to be thus circumspect that if they perceiue the priest doe defraude any part of that which is bestowed they should either gently admonish or warne him or els complaine on him to the bishop that he may be corrected But if the bishop him selfe attempt to do the like let them complaine of him to his Metropolitane and if the Metropolitane do the like let them not defer the time to report it in the eares of the king For so saith the canon Let them not deferre to report it in the eares of the king To what ende I pray you but that he shuld do correction neither is it to bee douted but that correction doeth more appertaine vnto he king in this poynt for their goods wherof he is chiefe Lord by a substraction proportional according to the fault or offence Item it is thus proued It is lawful for the seculer Lords by their power to do correction vpon the clergy by some kind of fearfull discipline appertaining to their seculer power Ergo by like reason it is lawful for them by their power to do such correction by all kind of fearful discipline pertaining vnto their seculer power For so much then as the taking of their temporalities is in kinde of fearful discipline pertaining vnto the seculer power It foloweth that it is lawfull for them therby to doe such correction And consequently it followeth that the truthe is thus to be prooued The consequent is euident and the antecedent is proued by Isidore 23 quest 5. Principes Where it is thus wrytten There shuld be no seculer powers within the church but onely for thys purpose that whatsoeuer thing the priests or ministers cannot bring to passe by preaching or teachings the seculer powers may command the same by the terror and feare of discipline For oftētimes the heauēly kingdom is profited and holpen by the earthly kingdom that they which are in the church and do any thing contrary vnto faith and discipline by the rigour of the princes may be troden downe And that the power of the rulers may lay that discipline vpon the neckes of the proude and stifnecked which the vtility and profit of the church can not exercise or vse Item all things that by power ought to worke or bring to any perfect ende by the reasonable measuring of the meane thereto it may lawfully vse by power the substraction or taking away of the excesse and the addition of the want of the meanes according as shall be conuenient or meete for the measure to be made For so much then as the seculer Lordes ought by their power to prouide for the necessary sustentation of the Christian clergie by the reasonable measuring of their temporalties whych they are bounden to bestow vpon the Christian cleargie it followeth that they may lawfully by their power vse the taking away or putting vnto of those temporallities according as shall be conuenient for the performance of that reasonable matter Item it is lawfull for the clergie by their power to take away the sacramentes of the Church from the laitie customably offending forsomuch as it doeth pertaine to the office of the Christian ministers by their power to minister the same vnto the lay people Wherefore for so much as it doeth pertaine vnto the office of the laitie according vnto their power to minister and geue temporallities to the clergie of Christ as the Apostle sayeth 1. Cor 9. It followeth that it is also lawfull for them by their power to take away the temporallities from the clergie when they do customably sinne and offend Item by like power may he which geueth a stipende or exhibition withdraw and take away the same from the vnworthy labourers as hee hath power to geue the same vnto the worthy labourers for so much then as temporallities of the clergie are the stipendes of the laitie it followeth that the lay people may by as good authority take away the same again from the clergy which will not worthely labour as they might by their power bestowe the same vpon those which would worthely labour according to the saying of the Gospel Mat. 21 The kingdome shal be taken away from you and geuen vnto a people which shall bring foorth the frutes thereof Item it is also lawfull for the secular Lordes by their power to chastice and punish the lay people when they do offend by taking away of their temporalties according to the exigēt of their offence forsomuch as the lay people are subiect vnder their dominion Wherefore the clergy being also subiect vnder the dominion of the seculer Lordes as appeareth Rom. 13. and many other places it is euident that it is lawfull by their power to punish the cleargie by taking away of their temporalities if their offence do so deserue Item the true and easie direction of the cleargie vnto the life of Christ and the Apostles and most profitable vnto the laity that the cleargie shuld not liue contrary vnto Christes institution semeth to be the taking away of their alms and those things which they had bestowed vppon them And it is thus proued that medicine is most apt to be laide vnto the sore whereby the infirmitie might soonest be holpen and were most agreeable vnto the pacient Such is the taking away of the temporallities Ergo this article is true The minor is thus proued for so much as by the aboūdance of temporallities the worme or serpent of pride is spronge vp where vppon vnsaciable desire and lust is inflamed and thereby proceedeth all kinde of gluttonie and lecherie It is euident in this poynt for so much as the Temporallities being once taken away euery one of those sinnes is either vtterly taken away or
conuicted of certayne articles and conclusions being erroneous schismaticall and hereticall preached by him at diuers places and times before a multitude of faythfull christian people And the same Articles and conclusions did he by force of lawe reuoke and abiure some as hereticall and some as erroneous and false Aduouching and beleuing them for such as that from thenceforth he would neuer preach teach or affirme openly or priuily any of the same conclusions And if by preching or aduouching he shoulde presume to doe the contrary that then he shoulde be subiect to the seuerity of the Canons accordingly as he did take a corporall oth iudicially vpon the holy Gospels 2. Also the conclusions which by the same William were first openly taught and preached and afterward abiured reuoked as is aforesaid are contained before in the processe of the B. of Lincolne euen as they be there written worde by worde And for the cases and articles they were consequently exhibited by the forenamed faithfull christian people against the said William Swinderby together with the conclusions before sayd hereafter written of which cases and articles the tenour hereof ensuâ—th 3. Item the sayd William contrary to the former reuocation abiuratioÌ„ not conuerting to repentance but peruerted from ill to worse and geuen vp to a reprobate sense came into your diocesse where he running about in sondry places hath presumed to preach or rather to peruert and to teach of his own rashneâ— many heretical erroneous blasphemous and other slaunderous things contrary and repugnant to the sacred Canons and the determination of the holy Catholike Church What those things were at what place and what time it shall hereafter more particularly be declared Item the same William notwithstanding your commaundementes and admonitions sealed with your seale to all the Curates of your diocesse directed contayning amongst other thinges that no person of what state degree or condition soeuer he were shold presume to preach or to teach or els expound the holy scripture to the people either in hallowed or prophane places within your diocesse with out sufficient authoritie by any maner of pretence that could be sought as in the same your letters monitorie of inhibition the tenor wherof hereafter ensueth is more largely conteined which letters the same William did receiue into his handes did read them word by word in the towne of Monemouth of your diocesse in the yeare of our Lord .1390 so that these your letters and the contentes thereof came to true and vndoubted knowledge of the same William yet notwithstanding hath the same William presumed in diuers places and times to preach within the same your diocesse after and agaynst your commaundement aforesayd The tenour of the same letters before mentioned followeth and is this IOhn by the sufferance of God Bishop of Hereford to the deane and Chapter of our Church of Hereford and to all and singuler Abbots Priors Prouostes Deanes rurall Parsons and Vicares of Monasteries Priores Churches Colledges and Parishes and to other hauing cure of soules within the Citty and diocesse of Herford and to all and euery other being within the same Citty and diocesse Greeting grace and blessing Forasmuch as the golden laurell of teaching doctorall is not from aboue indifferently euery mans gift neyther is the office of preaching graunted saue to such as are called and especially by the Church admitted therunto we doe admonishe and require you all and singuler Clerkes aforesayd and do straightly enioyne you all in the vertue of holy obedience that you nor any of you do admitte any man to preach or to teach the Catholique fayth sauing such as the same office of preaching shall by the authoritie Apostolicall or els your Byshop be specially committed vnto but that as much as in you shall lye you doe by worde and deede labour to let those that woulde attempte the contrary And you Lordes Ladyes Knightes Barons Esquires and all and singular persons of what estate degree preheminence or condition soeuer ye be remayning within the city and diocesse of Herford we doe beseech and exhort in our lord that following the wordes of our sauiour you beware of the leauen of the Phariseis Item according to the saying of the Apostle be not ye caryed away with diuers and straunge doctrines and that in the meane while as sayth the Apostle you be not remoued from the sense of the holy auncient fathers least that any man by any meanes shold seduce you but you agreeing together in one minde see that you honor God with one mouth But if any man to whom that thing is not specially as is aforesayd committed shall attempte to instructe or in this your life to directe you into the Catholicke faith do ye denye to geue them audience and refuse you to be present at their assembles and shun ye theyr teachinges because they be wicked and peruerse And as for vs we will not omitte to proceede according to the sacred Canons and preceptes of the holye fathers agaynst such as doe the contrary Dated at London in the house of our habitation vnder our seale the last day saue one of December in the yeare of our Lorde 1389. and of our consecration the first 5. Item the same William in his preaching to the people on Monday being the first of August in the yeare of our Lord 1390. in the parishe of Whitney of your diocesse dyd hold and affirme That no Prelate of the world of what estate preheminence or degree so euer he were of hauing cure charge of soule he being in deadly sinne hearing the confession of any vnder his hand in geuing him absolutioÌ„ doth nothing As who neither doth lose him froÌ„ his sinne nor in correcting or excoÌ„municating him for his demerites doth bind him by his sentence except yâ— prelate shall be free himself from deadly sinne as S. Peter was to whom our Lord gaue power to binde and lose 6. Item yâ— same William in many places said affirmed in the presence of many faythfull christen people that after the sacramentall wordes vttered by the priest hauing the purpose to consecrate there is not made the very bodye of Christ in the sacrament of the aulter 7. Item that accidencies cannot be in the sacrament of the aulter without a subiect and that there remayneth materiall bread there to such as be partakers communicant wyth the body of Christ in the same sacrament 8. Item that a priest being in deadly sin cannot be able by the strength of the sacramentall words to make the body of Christ or bring to perfection any other sacrament of the Church neither yet to minister it to the members of the Church 9. Item that all priestes are of like power in all things notwithstanding that some of them in this worldâ— are of higher and greater honour degree or preheminence 10. Item that onely contrition putteth away sinne if so be that a man shal be duely contrite
eritis cum maledixerint homines c. Et in Psalmo Maledicent illi et tu benedices Et Augustinus xi q. iij chap. illud The sixt conclusion is this that Fryers and Priestes putten vppon me falsely that each Priest may assoyle hym that sinneth contrition had and notwithstanding forbiddinges of the Bishop is holden to preach to the people the Gospell Thus I sayd not but thus I sayd and yet say with protestation made before that each true Priest may counsaile sinfull men that shewen to him her sinnes after the witte and cunning that God had geuen him to turne fro sinne to vertuous life And as touching preaching of the Gospell I say that no B. owes to let a true priest that god had geuen grace witte and cunning to doe that office for both Priestes and Deacons that God had ordeyned Deacons and Priestes ben holden by power geuē hem of God to preach to the people the Gospell and namely somely popes bishops prelates and curates For this is due to the people and parochiens for to haue and aske of hem and they duely and freely owen to done it Math. 5. Luke 5. Ite ecce ego mitto vos Et Math. 16. Euntes in mundum vniuersum Et Math 5. Euntes autem praedicate Et dist 21. ca. In nouo testamento Et Ysidor de summo bono 44. Et Chrisost. distinct 34 ca. Nolite Et August distinct 34 ca. Quisquis Et Greg in suo pastorali ca 38. Et in Tollitano ca. ignorantia Et Ierom. distinct 95. ca. Ecce Ego The 7. conclusion is this that Fryers and Priests falsely putten vpō me that a Priest taking any thing for annuell through couenaunt in that he is schismaticke cursed This sayd I neuer in these termes But thus I sayde yet say with protestation put before that no Priest owes to sell by bargaining and couenaunt his ghostlye trauaile ne his masses ne his prayers ne Gods worde ne hallowinges baptisme ne confirming order geuing for a codinges for Christ for housell or for ennoynting any worldly mens reward to aske or take for these or for any of there or for any ghostly thing he erres and doth simony Vt patet 1. q. 2. ca. Nullus Et ex consilio Triburenti capit Dictum est Et Christus in euangelio vendentes et ementes eiecit de templo Math. 22. The viii conclusion is this that Fryers and Priestes putten vnto me falsely saying that I beleeue sadly as my tell sayes that yche priest being in deadly sinne yet he put him to make Christes body rather he dos idolatrye then makes it Thus sayd I not but thus I sayd and yet saye wyth a protestation put before that what Priest that puts himselfe presumptuously and vnworthily in deadly sinne wittingly to minister and to receaue that holy sacramēt and so records hit cursedly and damnably he receaues his dome Qui manducat et bibit indignè iudicium sibi manducat bibit 1. Corin. 11. The ix conclusion is this that Friers Priestes falsely putten vpon me that no Priestes entres into any house but euill for to treat the wife the daughter or the wenche and therfore they saydē that I prayed the people that their husbandes should beware that they suffer no priest to enter into her house And if I had sayd thus then I had prayed agaynst my selfe for I come oft into mens houses But thus I sayde and yet I do praying christen men to beware that they nourish nor mayntayne no lecherous Priestes in their sinnes for there be where as men well knowne they ben mayntained in many places continuing homely with her women And ich man there sayne they payne therefore a certaine to the B. almes Et ideo ait Ysido 11. q. 4. Qui consentit peccantibus defendit alium delinquentem maledictus erit apud deū homines The x. conclusion is this that Friers and priestes putten vpon me falsely that a childe is not verely baptised if the priest that baptiseth the godfather or the godmother ben in deadly sinne God wot in heauen they sayd full false but thus I said and yet I say that the prayers that an euill Priest prayes liuing in lechery or other deadly sinne ouer y◠child when it shal be holowed ben not acceptable to God as ben the prayers of a good priest And the better clenner the priest is the Godfather and the godmother the more graciously God will heare him if all they bene not greatest nor most rich in this worlde Vnde gg xiij q. vij cap. in grauibus Cum is qui displicet ad intercedendum peccator admittitur irati animus proculdubio ad deteriora prouocatur The xi conclusion is this that Friers and priests putten vpon me falsely that no man liuing against the law of God is a priest how euer he were ordayned Priest of any Byshop Certes this is false for I sayd neuer thus in these termes but thus I sayd and thus I say with a protestation put before that what euery pope or Cardinall Byshop or Priest or any Prelate of the Churche comes to his state or dignitie by Simony in simony occupies that office holy churches goodes I say that he is a theefe and that by the dome of God and comes but to steale and kill Iob. 10. Fur non venit nisi vt furetur mactet pardat And furthermore I say that what Pope Cardinall Byshop prelate or priest in maner of liuing or teaching or lawes making contrary to Christes liuing and hys lawes or anye other ground put in ruling of the church of Christ but by Christ his lawes is very Antichrist aduersary to Iesus Christ and his Apostles Aliud fundamentum nemo potest ponere praeter id quod positum est quod est Christus Et patet 1. q. 3. c. Si quis Et 1. q. 6. c. Ego autem Quicunque But this worshipfull father B. of Hereford that here is sayes thus in hys writing that I William of Swinderby notwithstanding the foresayd reuocation and abiuration not setting at hart but from euill to worse he sayes peruerted so his dioces he sayes I come running about by diuers places and by mine own folly he sayes that I haue presinner to preach manye heresies errours blasphemies schismes and other diffauies and to holy canons and determinatiō of holy church contrary and repugnant which where when within forth more specially it shal be shewed that ye be false enformed that I haue presumed in diuers places in your dioces to preach heresies errors blasphemies schismes and other diffames And syr all the coūtry knowes whether this be sooth or not for sire I presum not sithen it is the office of a priest by the law of Christ to preach the Gospell ne nought I did it for presūption but for the charge that I haue of God by
that there do not remain accidencies without substance or subiect after the coÌ„secration of the body of Christ. And touching this matter the doctors holde diuers opinions Furthermore as concerning the Pope he said helde and auouched that he is the very Antichrist because yâ— in lyfe and maners he is contrary to the lawes doctrines and deedes of Christ our Lord. All and euery of these things were done euen as they be aboue writteÌ„ and rehearsed in the yeare of our Lord poÌ„tificall office month day place aforesayd at supper time of the day aforenamed theÌ„ and there being present the worshipful and discrete men sir Walter Ramsbury chiefe chaÌ„ter of the sayde Cathedrall Church of Hereforde Roger Hoore Chanon of the same Church Walter Wall Chaplain of the said church of Hereford being a vicar of the Choral certaine other worthy witnesses of credit that were specially called and desired to the premisses Ex Regist. Herford And I Richard Lee whelar clerke of Worcester being a publike notarye by the authoritie Apostolike was personally present at all and singuler the premisses whilest that as is before rehersed they were done and a doing in the yere of our lord 1391. pontisical office month day place the houre aforesaid I did see write and heare all and singuler those things thus to bee done and haue reduced theÌ„ into this publike maner and forme being desired truely to restifie the premisses haue sealed the sayde instrument made hereupon with mine accustomed scale and name In the name of God Amen Be it plainly knoweÌ„ to all persons by this present publike instrumeÌ„t that in the yere from the incarnation of the lord after the course and coâ—â—pâ—â—tation of the church of England 1391. the indiction fifteene in the 3. yere of the pontifical office of the most holy father in Christ and our Lord Lord Boniface Pope by the prouydeÌ„ce of God the 9. in the 19. day of the month of Ianuary Walter Brute layman of Hereford dioces personally appearing before the reuereÌ„d father in Christ and Lord. Lord Iohn by gods grace B. of Herford in the presence of me being a publike notarie one of the witnesses vnder written did say hold publish affirme the coÌ„clusioÌ„s hereafter written the is to say yâ— christen people are not bouÌ„d to pay tithes neither by the law of Moses nor by the law of Christ. Item that it is not lawful for Christians for any cause in any case to sweare by the creator neither by the creature Item he confesseth openly and of his owne accord that within the same month of Ianuary he did eate drink and communicate with William Swinderby not being ignorant of the sentence of the said reuerend father whereby the same William Swinderby was pronounced an heretique schismatique and a false seducer of the common people Which conclusions the same reuerend father caused to bee writteÌ„ and in writing to be deliuered to the same Walter Which when he had seene and red he sayd also that he did maintaine and iustifie them according to the lawes aforesayd These thinges were done in the chamber oâ— the sayd bishop of Herford at his manor of Whitborne of the sayde dioces of Hereford then being there present the same Byshop abouesaid M. Reynold of Wolsten Canon of Hereford sir Phillip Dileske parson of the parish church of Blamurin Thomas Guldefeld parson of the Church of Englisbyknore Iohn Cresset parson of the church of Whytborne and Thomas Wallewayne housholde seruant for witnesses specially called and desired to the premisses of the dioces of Hereford and S. Asse And I Benedict Come clerke of the dioces of S. Asse publike notary by the Apostolike authoritie of the dioces of S. Asse was personally present together with the witnes before named at all and singuler these and other thinges here premised whilest they were so done and a doing did see heare write those things so to be done as is before mencioned and did write the same and reduce them into this publike forme with my wonted accustomed seale and name haue sealed it being desired and required truly to testifie the premisses At the last the aforesaid Walter Brute did present and cause to be presented to vs at diuers places and times assigned by vs to the same Walter to aunswere to yâ— former conclusions and articles diuers scroules of paper writteÌ„ with his owne proper hand for his aunswers to the same Articles and conclusions aboue written he partly appearing by his owne selfe before vs sitting in our iudgement seat and partly by his messengers specially appoynted to that purpose of which scroules the tenors do follow in order worde by worde and be on this maner In the name of the father and of the sonne and the holy ghost Amen I Walter Brute sinner layman husbaÌ„dmaÌ„ a Christian hauing mine ofspring of the Brittons both by my father mothers side of the Britons haue ben accused to the B. of Hereford that I did erre in many matters concerning the catholike Christen fayth by whoÌ„ I am required yâ— I should write an aunswere in Latin to all those matters whose desire I wil satisfie to my power protesting first of al before God before al the world the like as it is not my mind through Gods grace to refuse the knoweÌ„ truth for any reward greater or smaller yea be it neuer so bigge nor yet for the feare of any temporal punishment eueÌ„ so it is not my mind to maintain any erroneous doctrine for any coÌ„modities sake And if any maÌ„ of what state sect or condition so euer he be wil shew me that I erre in my writings or sayings by the authoritie of the sacred scripture or by probable reason grounded in the sacred scripture I wil humbly and gladly receiue his information But as for the bare wordes of any teacher Christ onely excepted I wil not simply beleue except hee shal be able to stablish theÌ„ by the truth of experience or of the Scripture for because that in the holy Apostles elected by Christ there hath beue fouÌ„d errour by the testimony of the holy scripture because that Paule himselfe doth coÌ„fesse that he rebuked Peter for that he was worthy to be rebuked Galat. the 2. Chapiter There hath ben errors fouÌ„d in the holy doctors that haue ben before vs as they themselues confesse of them selues And oftentimes it falleth out that there is error founde in the teachers in our age who are of contrary opinions among themselues and sâ—me of them do sometimes determine mine one thing for truth and others do condemne the selfe same thing to be heresye or error Which protestation premised I wil here place 1. suppositions or cases for a grouÌ„d and a foundatioÌ„ of all things that I shall say out of which I would gather two probable conclusions stablished vpoÌ„ the same and vpon the sacred Scripture By which coÌ„clusions when as
called vnto him the Archbishop of Yorke Richard London Henry Winchester Robert Chichester Alexander Norwich the noble prince Edmond the Duke of Yorke Rafe Earle of Westmerland Thomas Beaufort Knight Lord Chancellour of England and the Lord Beamond with other noble men as well spirituall as temporall that stood and sate by whome to name it would be long Before whome the said Iohn Badby was called personallie to answere vnto the Articles premised in the foresaid instrument Who when he came personallie before them the articles were read by the Officiall of the court of Cant. and by the Archb. in the vulgare tong expounded publikely and expresly and the same Articles as he before had spoken and deposed he still held and defended and said that whilest he liued he would neuer retract the same And furthermore he said specially to to be noted that the Lord duke of Yorke personallie there present as is aforesaid and euery man els for the time beeing is of more estimation and reputation then the Sacrament of the aulter by the priest in due forme consecrated And whilest they were thus in his examination the Archbishop considering and waying that he would in no wise be altered and seing moreouer his countenance stout and hart confirmed so that he began to persuade other as it appeared in the same These things considered the Archprelate whē he saw that by his allurements it was not in his power neither by exhortations reasons nor arguments to bring the said Iohn Badbye from his constant truth to his Catholique faith executing and doing the office of his great maister proceeded to confirme and ratifie the former sentence giuen before by the Bishop of Worcester against the said Iohn Badby pronouncing him for an open and publique hereticke And thus shifting their hands of him they deliuered him to the secular power and desired the sayd temporall Lords then and there present verie instantlie that they would not put the same Iohn Badby to death for that his offence nor deliuer him to be punished or put to death in y◠presence of all the Lordsabone recited These things thus done and concluded by the Bishops in the forenoone on the afternoone the Kings writte was not far behind By the force wherof I. Badby still perseuering in his constancie vnto the death was brought into Smithfield and there being put in an emptie barrell was bound with iron chaines fastened to a stake hauing drie wood put about him And as he was thus standing in the pipe or tonne for as yet Cherillus Bull was not in vre among the bishops it happened that the Prince the kings eldest sonne was there present Who shewing some part of the good Samaritane began to endeuour and assay how to saue the life of him whome the hypocriticall Leuites and Phariseis sought to put to death He admonished and counsailed him that hauing respect vnto himselfe he should spedelie withdraw himselfe out of these dangerous Laberinths of opinions adding oftentimes threatnings the which might haue daunted anie mans stomacke Also Courtney at that time Chancellor of Oxford preached vnto him and enformed him of the faith of holie Church In this meane season the Prior of S. Bartlemewes in Smithfield brought with all solemnitie the Sacrament of Gods body with twelue torches borne before and so shewed the Sacrament to the poore man being at the stake And then they demanded of him how he beleeued in it he answering that he knew well it was halowed bread and not gods body And then was the tunne put ouer him and fire put vnto him And when he felt fire he cried mercie calling belike vpon the Lord and so the Prince immediatelie commanded to take awaie the tunne and quench the fire The Prince his commandement being done asked him if he would forsake heresie to take him to the faith of holie Church which thing if he would doo he should haue goods inough promising also vnto him a yearelie stipend out of the kings treasurie so much as should suffice his contentation ¶ The description of the horrible burning of Iohn Badby and how he was vsed at hys death This godly Martyr Iohn Badby hauing thus consummate his testimony and martyrdome in fire the persecuting Bishops yet not herewith contented and thinking themselues as yet eyther not strong inough or els not sharpe enough agaynst tht poore innocent flock of Christ to make all thinges sure and substantiall on theyr side in such sorte as this doctrine of the Gospell nowe springing should be suppressed for euer layd theyr conspiring heads together hauing now a king for theyr own purpose ready to serue theyr turn in all poynts during the time of the same Parliamēt aboue recited yet cōtinuing the foresayd bishops and clergy of the realme exhibited a Bul vnto the kings maiestie subtily declaring what quietnes hath ben mayntayned within this realme by his most noble progenitours who alwayes defended the auncient rites and customes of the Church and enriched the same with large gifts to the honor of God and the realme and contrariwise what trouble and disquietnes was now risen by diuers as they termed them wicked and peruerse men teachinge and preachinge openlye and priuilye acertayne new wicked and hereticall kinde of doctrine contrary to the Catholicke fayth and determination of holye Church whervpon the king alwayes oppressed with blynd ignoraunce by the crafty meanes and subtile pretences of the clergie graunted in the sayd Parliament by consent of the nobilitie assembled a statute to be obserued called Ex officio as followeth The Statute Ex officio That is to say that no man within this Realme or other the kinges maiesties dominions presume or take vpon him to preach priuily or apertly without speciall licence first obteyned of the ordinary of the same place Curates in theyr owne parishe Churches and persons heretofore priuiledged and others admitted by the Canon law onely excepted Nor that any hereafter do preach mayntayne teach informe openly or in secret or make or write any booke contrary to the catholique fayth and determination of the holy Church Nor that any hereafter make anye conuenticles or assemblies or keepe and exercise anye maner of schooles touching this sect wicked doctrin and opinion And further that no man hereafter shall by any meanes fauour anye such preacher any such maker of vnlawfull assemblies or any such booke maker or writer and finally any such teacher informer or stirrer vp of the people And that all and singuler persons hauing anye the sayd bookes writinges or schedules contayning the sayd wicked doctrines and opinions shall within forty dayes after this present proclamation and statute really and effectually deliuer or cause to be deliuered all and singuler the sayd bookes and writinges vnto the ordinary of the same place And if it shall happen anye person or persons of what kinde state or condition soeuer he or they be to doe or attempt anye manner of thing contrarye to this
to the relation of these foresayd coÌ„stitutious of that clergy meÌ„ here coÌ„meth in more to be said and noted touching yâ— foresayd Statute ex Officio to proue the same not onely to be cruell and impious but also to be of it selfe of no force and validitie for the burning of anye person for cause of Religion for the disprofe of whiche statute we haue sufficient authoritie remayning as yet in the parliament Rolles to be seene in her maiesties Courte of Recordes which here were to be debated at large but that vpon speciall occasioÌ„ we haue differed the ampâ—e discourse therof to the cruell persecution of the Lord Cobhame hereafter ensuing as may appeare in the defence of the sayd lord Cobham agaynst Nicholas Happeffield vnder the title and name of Alanus Copus And thus referring them for the examination of this statute to the place aforesaid let vs now returne to Thomas Arundel and his bloudy constitutions aboue mentioned The stile and tenour wherof to the intent the rigour of the same may appeare to all men I thought hereunder to adioyne in wordes as followeth * The constitution of Thomas Arundell agaynst the followers of Gods truth Thomas by the permission of God Archbishop of Canterbury Primate of all Englande and Legate of the see Apostolicke To all and singuler our reuerend brethren fellow Bishops and our Suffraganes And to Abbots Priours Deanes of Cathedrall Churches Archdeacons Prouostes and Canons also to all persons vicares chaplaynes Clerkes in Parish Churches and to all lay meÌ„ whome and where so euer dwelling win our prouince of Canterbury greeting grace to stand firmely in the doctrine of the holy mother Church It is a manifest playne case that he doth wrong and iniury to the most reuerend councell who so reuolteth from the thinges being in the sayd Councell once discussed and decided And whosoeuer dare presume to dispute of the supreme or principall iudgment here in earth in so doing incurreth the payne of sacrilege according to the authoritie of ciuill wisedome and and manifest tradition of humayne law Much more then they who trusting to theyr own wittes are so bold to violate and with contrary doctrine to resist and in word and deede to contemne the preceptes of lawes and Canons rightly made and proceeding from the kaybearer and porter of eternall life and death bearing the rowme and person not of pure man but of true God here in earth which also haue bene abserued hitherto and of yâ— holy father 's our predecessoures vnto the glorious effusion of theyr bloud voluntary sprinkling out of theyr braynes Are worthy of greater punishmeÌ„t deseruing quickly to be cut off as rotten members from the body of the Church militent For such ought to consider what is in the old testament written Moses and Aaron among hys Priestes that is were chiefe heads amongst them And in the new Testament among the Apostles there was a certayne difference And though they were all Apostles yet was it graunted of the Lord to Peter that he should beare preeminence aboue the other Apostles And also the Apostles themselues woulde the same that he shoulde be the chiefetayn ouer all the rest And being called Cephas that is head shold be as Prince ouer the Apostles Unto whome it was sayd Thou beyng once conuerted confirme thy brethren as though he wold say If there happen any doubt among them or if anye of them chaunce to erre and stray out of the way of fayth of iust liuing or right conuersation Doe thou confirme and reduce him in the right way againe Which thing no doubt the Lord would neuer haue sayd vnto him if he had not so minded that the rest should be obedient vnto him And yet al this notwithstanding we know and dayly proue that we are sory to speake howe the olde Sophister the enemy of mankinde foreseeing and fearing left that sound doctrine of the church determined from ancient times by the holy forefathers should withstand his malices if it might keep the people of god in vnitie of faith vnder one head of yâ— church doth therfore endeuour by al meanes possible to extirp the sayd doctrine feyning vices to be vertues And so vnder false pretences of veritie dissimuled soweth discorde in catholike people to the intent that some goyng one way some an other He in the meane time may gather to himselfe a Church of the malignant differing wickedly from the vniuersall mother holy church In the which Satan transforming hymselfe into an Angell of light bearing a lying and deceitfull ballaunce in hys haÌ„d pretendeth great righteousnes in contrarying the ancient doctrine of the holye mother church and refusing the traditions of the same determined and appoynted by holy fathers perswading meÌ„ by fayned forgeries the same to be nought and so inducing other new kindes of doctrine leading to more goodnes as he by his lying perswasions pretendeth although he in very truth neither willeth nor mindeth any goodnes but rather that he may sow schismes wherby diuers opinions contrary to themselues being raysed in that Church fayth thereby may be diminished and also the reuerend holy misteries through the same contention of words may be prophaned with Paganes Iewes and other infidels and wicked miscreantes And so that figure in the Apos 6. is well verified speaking of him that sate on the blacke horse bearing a payre of balaunce in hys hand by that which heretiques are vnderstand Who at the first appearaunce lyke to weightes or ballance make as though they would set forth right and iust thinges to allure the hartes of the hearers But afterward appeareth the blacke horse that is to say their intention full of cursed speaking For they vnder a diuers shew and colour of a iust ballance with the tayle of a blacke horse sprinkling abroad heresies and erroures do strike And beyng poysoned themselues vnder colour of good rayse vp infinite slaunders and by certayn persons fitte to doe mischiefe do publish abroad as it were the sugred tast of hony mixt with poyson therby the sooner to be taken working and causing through their slight and subtiltyes that errour shoulde be taken for veritye wickednes for holines and for the true will of Christ. Yea and moreouer the foresayd persons thus picked out do preach before they be sent and presume to sow the seede before the seede discreetely be seperate from the chaffe Who not pondering the constitutions and decrees of the Canons prouided for the same purpose agaynst suche pestilent sowers do preferre sacrifice Diabolicall so to terme it before obedience be geuen to the holy Church militant We therfore considering and weying that error which is not resisted seemeth to be allowed and hee that openeth hys bosome to wyde whiche resisteth not the viper thinking there to thrust out her venome And willing moreouer to shake off the dust from our feete and to see to the honor of our holy mother Church whereby one
the time thus passed the people and Cardinals were in great expectation waiting when the Pope according to his othe would geue ouer wyth the other pope also And not long after the matter began in deede betwene the two Popes to be attempted by letters from one to another assigning both day and place where and whē they should meete together but yet no effect did folow This so passing on great murmuring was among the Cardinals to see their holy periured father so to neglecte his othe and vow aforenamed In so much that at length diuers of them did forsake the Pope as being periured as no lesse he was sending moreouer to kings and princes of other lands for their counsell and assistance therein to appease the schisme Amongest the rest Cardinall Bituriensis was sent to the king of Englande who publishing diuers propositions and cōclusions remaining in the registers of Thomas Arundell disputeth that the pope ought to be subiect to lawes and councels Then K. Henry moued to write to Gregory the pope directeth his letter here vnder ensuing which was the yeare of our Lorde 1409. The contents of the letter be these The letter of king Henry the fourth to Pope Gregory 12. MOst blessed father if the discrete prouidence of the Apostolike sea would call to mind with what great pearils the vniuersall world hath ben damnified hetherto vnder pretēce of thys present schisme and especially would consider what slaughter of Christen people to the number of two hūdreth thousand as they say hath bene throughe the occasion of warre raised vp in diuers quarters of the world and now of late to the number of thirty M. souldiours which haue bene slaine through the dissention moued about the Bishopricke of Leodium betwene two set vp one by the authoritie of one Pope the other by the authoritie of the other Pope fighting in campe for the title of that Bishoprike Certes yee would lament in spirite be fore greeued in minde for the same So that with good conscience you wold relinquish rather the honour of the sea Apostolike then to suffer such horrible bloudshed heereafter to ensue vnder the cloake of dissimulation followinge herein the example of the true mother in the booke of kings who pleading before Salomon for the right of her childe rather would depart from the childe then the childe shoulde bee parted by the sword And although it may be vehemently suspected by the new creation of 9. Cardinals by you last made contrary to your othe as other men do say that you do but little heede or care for ceasing the schisme Yet farre be it from the hearing and noting of the world that your circumspect seat shoulde euer be noted distained with such an inconstancie of minde whereby the last errour may be worse then the first Ex Chron. D. Albani part 2. ¶ King Henry the 4. to the Cardinals ANd to the Cardinalles likewise the sayde King directeth an other letter wyth these contentes heere following Wee desiring to shewe what zeale wee haue had and haue to the reformation of peace of the Churche by the consent of the states of the Realme haue directed to the Byshop of Rome our letters after the tenoure of the copie herewith in these presentes enclosed to bee executed effectually Wherefore we seriously beseeche your reuerende colledge that if it chaunce the sayde Gregory to be present at the councell of Pise and to render vp hys Popedome according to your desire and hys owne othe you then so ordaine for hys state totally that chiefly God may be pleased therby and that both the sayde Gregory and also wee which loue intierly hys honor and commodity may haue cause to geue you worthely condigne thankes for the same Ibid. This being done in the yere of our Lorde 1409. afterward in the yere next folowing an 1410. the Cardinals of both the Popes to witte of Gregorius and Benedictus By common aduise assembled together at the citie of Pise for the reformation of vnity and peace in the Churche To the which assembly a great multitude of Prelates and bishops being conuented a newe Pope was chosen named Alexander 5. But to thys election neither Gregorius nor Benedictus did fully agree Whereby there were 3. Popes together in the Romaine churche that is to vnderstande not 3. crownes vpon one Popes head but 3. heads in one Popish churche together This Alexander being newly made pope scarcely had well warmed his triple crowne but straight geueth out full remission not of a fewe but of all maner of sinnes whatsoeuer to all them that conferred any thing to the monastery of◠Bartlemew by Smithfeld resorting to the saide church any of these dayes following to wit on Maundy thursday good Friday Easter euen the feast of the Annunciation from the first euēsong to the latter But thys Pope which was so liberall in geuing remission of many yeares to other was not able to geue one yere of life to himselfe for within the same yere he died In whose stead stept vp Pope Iohn 23. In the time of this Alexander great stirre began in the country of Bohemia by the occasion of the bokes of Iohn Wickliffe which then comming to the hands of I. Husse and of other both men women especially of the lay sort and artificers began there to doe much good In so much that diuers of them not onely men but women also partly by reading of those bookes translated into their tounge partly by the setting forwarde of Iohn Husse a notable learned man and a singulare preacher at that time in the vniuersitye of Prage were in short time so ripe in iudgement and prompt in the scriptures that they began to moue questions yea and to reason wyth the Priestes touchyng matters of the Scriptures By reason whereof complaint was brought to the sayd Pope Alexander the fifte who caused eftsoones the forenamed Iohn Husse to bee cyted vp to Rome But when hee came not at the Popes citation then the sayde Pope Alexander addressed hys letters to the Archbyshop of Suinco Wherein he straightly charged him to prohibit and forbid by the authority Apostolicall all manner of preachings or sermons to be made to the people but onely in Cathedrall Churches or Colledges or Parish churches or in Monasteries or els in theyr Churchyardes And that the articles of Wickliffe shoulde in no case of any person of what state condition or degree so euer be suffered to be holdē taught or defended eyther priuily or apertlye Commaunding moreouer and charging the sayde Archbyshop that wyth foure Bachelers of Diuinitie and two Doctours of the Canon lawe ioyned vnto hym would proceede vpon the same and so prouide that no person in churches schooles or any other place should teach defend or approoue any of the foresayd Articles So that who so euer should attempt the contrary should be accounted an hereticke And vnles he
good is not forbidden or that which is mere ill is not commaunded but is meane or indiffereÌ„t betwene both Which mean or indifferent thing yet notwithstanding by circumstances of time place or person may be either good or euill 4 Item that euery one shall sweare confesse by his oth that the opinions of Wickliffe and others touching the 7. sacraments of the church and other things aboue notified being contrary to the sayd church of Rome be false 5. Item that an othe be required of them all that none of them shall hold defend or maintaine any of the 45. articles of Iohn Wickliffe aforesayd or in any other matter catholick and especially of the 7. Sacraments and other articles aboue specified but only as doth the Church of Rome and no otherwise 6. Item that euery ordinary in his dioces shall cause the sayd premisses contained in the 1.2.3.4 articles aforesayde to be published in his Sinodes and by his preachers to be declared to the people in the kingdome of Boheme 7. Item that if any Clerke student or lay man shal with staÌ„d any of the premisses that the ordinary haue authority if he be conuicted therof to correct him according to the old lawes and Canons and that no man shal dâ—â—end such one by any meanes for none but the ordinary hath power to correct such a man because the Archbishop is chauncellour both of the kingdome and vniuersity of Prage 8. Item that the songes lately forbidden being odious â—auÌ„derous and offensiue to others fame be not long neyther in streetes tauernes nor any other place 9. Item that maister Iohn Hus shall not preach so long as he shall haue no absolution of the court neither shal hinder the preaching in Prage by his presence that by this his obedience to the Apostolicall sea may be knowne 10. Item that this Councell doth appeare to be good and reasonable for the putting away of ill report and dissentioÌ„ that is in the kingdome of Boheme 11. Item if maister Iohn Hus with his complices will performe this which is conteined in the 4. former Articles then we will be ready to say as they woulde wishe vs and haue vs whensoeuer need shall require that we do agree with them in matter of fayth otherwise if they wyll not so doe we in geuing this testimony should lye greatly vnto our Lord the King to the whole world And moreouer we will be content to write for them to the Court of Rome and do the best we can for them our honors saued This counsell and deuise being considered amongest the head of the vniuersity of Prage the foresayd administrator named Conradus presented to the king and to the barons of the realme and also to the Senate of Prage Whereof as soone as word came to Iohn Hus and his adherents they likewise drew out other Articles in maner and forme of a councell as foloweth For the honor of God the true preaching of hys gospell for the health of the people and to auoyd the sinister false infamy of the kingdome of Boheme and of the Marquiship of Morauia of the city and vniuersity of Prage and for the reforming of peace vnity betweene the clergy and the scholers of the vniuersity 1. First let the right and iust decrement of the princes and of the kinges councell be holden and stand in force which betwene the L. Archbi Suinco on the one party and betwene the rector maister Iohn Hus on the other party was made proclaimed sâ—aled and solemnly on both parts receiued and allowed in the court of our soueraigne Lord the king 2. Item that the kingdome of Boheme remain in his former rites liberties common customes so as other kingdomes landes do enioy that is in all approbations condemnations and other actes concerning the holy mother vniuersall church 3. Item that maister I. Hus agaynst whom the foresayd Lord Suinco could obiect no crime before the couÌ„cell that the sayd Iohn Hus may be present in the congregation of the Clergy and there whosoeuer will obiect to him either heresy or error let him obiect binding himself to suffer the like payne if he do not proue it 4. Item if no man will set himselfe on the contrary part against him then let the coÌ„maundement be made by our soueraigne Lord the king through all his Cittyes and likewise let it be ordeined and proclaimed through all villages and townes that maister Iohn Hus is ready to render account of his fayth and therfore if any will obiect vnto him any heresy or errour let him write his name in the chauncery of the Lord Archbishop and to bring forth his probations openly before both the parties 5. Item if no such shal be founde to obiect or which will write his name then let them be called for which caused to be noised rumored in the Popes Court that in the kingdome of Boheme in the Citty of Prage and in the Marquesdome of Morauia many there be whose harts be infected with heresy and error that they may proue who they be and if they be not able to proue it let them be punished 6. Item that commaundement be directed to Doctors of Diuinity and of the Canon law and to the Chapter of Cathedrall churches and that it be required of them all and of euery one particularly that they wil bring forth his name if they know any such to be an heretick or erroneous And if they deny to know any such then let them make recognition therof before the publike Notary confirming the same with their seales 7. Item these things thus done premised then that our soueraigne Lord the king also that the Archb. will geue commaundement vnder payne that no man shall call one another hereticke or erroneous vnles he will stand to the probation of that heresy or error as it becommeth him 8. Item after these thinges obteined that our soueraigne lord the king with the consent of his Barons will theÌ„ leuy a subsidy or collect of the clergy direct an honest ambassy to the Popes court with the which embassadors let theÌ„ also go vpoÌ„ theyr owne proper charges or expenses for theyr purgation which haue caused this kingdome falsly greuously to be infamed in the Apostolicall court 9. Item in the meane season for the presence of master I. Hus no Interdict ought to be made as it was made of late contrary to the order and determination of our holye mother church c. As this matter was thus in altercatioÌ„ betwene the two parts the one obiecting the other answering in articles as is aforsayd In the meane time it happened by the occasioÌ„ of Ladislaus king of Naples who had besieged the Popes townes and territories that Pope Iohn raising vp warr agaynst the sayd Ladislaus gaue ful remission of sinnes to all them which would warre of his side to defeÌ„d the church When this Bul of the popes indulgeÌ„ce was come to Prage and there published
vnto Rome And as he was about to rehearse his appeale agayne they mocked hym ¶ For so much as mention here is made of the appeale of the sayd Hus it seemeth good here to shewe the manner and forme therof The copy and tenour of the appeale of Iohn Hus. FOrasmuch as the most mighty Lorde one in essence 3. in person is both the chiefe and first c also the last and vttermost refuge of al those which are oppressed and that he is the God which defendeth verety and truth throughout all generations doynge iustice to such as be wronged being ready and at hand to al those whiche call vppon him in veritie and truth and bindyng those that are bond and fulfilleth the desires of all those which honour and feare hym defending and keeping al those that loue him and vtterly destroyeth and bringeth to ruine the stiffnecked and vnpenitent sinner and that the Lorde Iesus Christ very God and man being in great anguish compassed in with the priestes Scribes and Phariseis wicked iudges and witnesses willing by the most bitter and ignominious death to redeme the chosen children of God before the foundation of the world from euerlasting damnation hath left behinde him this godly example for a memory vnto them which should come after hym to the intent they should commit al their causes into the handes of God who can doe all thinges and knoweth and seeth all thinges saying in this maner O Lorde beholde my affliction for my enemy hath prepared hymselfe against me and thou art my protector and defendor O Lorde thou hast geuē me vnderstanding and I haue acknowledged thee thou hast opened vnto me all their enterprises and for mine owne parte I haue bene as a meeke lambe which is led vnto sacrifice and haue not resisted agaynst them They haue wrought their enterprises vpon me saying Let vs put wood in hys bread and let vs banysh him out of the land of the liuing that hys name be no more spokē of nor had in memory But thou O Lord of hostes whiche iudgest lustly and seest the deuises and imaginations of theyr hartes hasten thee to take vengeance vpon them for I haue manifested my cause vnto thee for so much as the number of those which trouble me is great and haue counsayled together saying the Lorde hath forsaken hym pursue hym and catch hym O Lord my God behold their doinges for thou art my pacience deliuer me from myne enemies for thou art my God doe not seperate thy selfe fan from me for so much as tribulation is at hand and there is no mā which will succour me My God my God looke downe vpon me wherefore hast thou forsaken me So many doggs haue compassed me in and the company of the wicked haue besieged me round about for they haue spoken agaynst me with the deceitfull tonges and haue compassed me in with wordes full of despite and haue inforced me without cause In stead of loue towardes me they haue slaundered me and haue recompensed me wyth euill for good and in place of charitie they haue conceaued hatred agaynst me Wherfore behold I staying my selfe vppon this most holy and fruitfull example of my sauiour and redeemer do appeale before God for this my grief and hard oppressiō from thys most wicked sentence and iudgement and the excommunication determined by the Byshop Scribes Phariseis and Iudges which sit in Moyses seate and resigne my cause wholly vnto hym so as the holy Patriarke of Constantinople Iohn Chrisostome appealed twise from the Councell of the Byshops and Clergy And Andrew Byshop of Prage and Robert Byshop of Lincolne appealed vnto the soueraign and most iust iudge the which is not defiled with crueltye neyther canne he be corrupted with gifres and rewardes neyther yet be deceiued by false witnesse Also I desire greatly that all the faythfull seruauntes of Iesus Christ and especially the Princes Barons Knightes Esquires and all other whiche inhabite our Country of Boheme should vnderstand know these things and haue compassion vpon me which am so greeuously oppressed by the excommunication whiche is out agaynst me the whiche was obtayned and gotten by the instigation and procurement of Michaell de Causis my great enemy and by the consent and furtheraunce of the Canons of the Cathedrall Churche of Prage and geuen and graunted out by Peter of Sainct Angelles Deane of the Church of Rome and Cardinall and also ordayned iudge by Pope Iohn the xxiij who hath continued almost these two yeares and would geue no audience vnto my Aduocates and Procurators which they ought not to deny no not to a Iew or Pagan or to any hereticke whatsoeuer he were neyther yet woulde he receiue any reasonable excuse for that I did not appeare personally neyther would he accept the testimonials of the whole Vniuersity of Prage with the seale hāging at it or the witnes of the sworn Notaries and such as were called vnto witnesse By thys all men may euidētly perceiue that I haue not incurred any fault or crym of contumacie or disobedience for somuche as that I did not appeare in the Court of Rome was not for any contempte but for reasonable causes And moreouer for somuch as they had layd embushmentes for me on euery side by wayes where I shoulde passe and also because the perils dangers of others haue made me the more circumspect and aduised and for somuche as my procurours were willing and contented to bind themselues euen to abide the punishment of the fire to answere to all such as would appose or lay any thing agaynst me in the Court of Rome as also because they dyd imprison my lawfull procuratour in the sayd Court without any cause demerite or faulte as I suppose For somuch then as the order and disposition of all auncient lawes as well deuine of the old and new testament as also of the Canon lawes is this that the Iudges should resorte vnto the place where the crime or faulte is committed or done and there to enquire of al such crimes as shal be obiected and layd agaynst hym which is accused or slandered and that of such men as by conuersation haue some knowledge or vnderstanding of the party so accused the whiche may not be the euill willers or enemies of hym which is so accused or slaundered but must be men of an honest conuersation no common quarrell pickers or accusers but feruent louers of the law of God and finally that there shold be a fit and meete place appoynted whether as the accused party might without daunger or perill resorte or come and that the Iudge and witnesses should not be enemies vn to hym that is accused And also forsomuche as it is manifest that all these conditions were wanting and lacking as touching my appearaunce for the safegard of my life I am excused before God from the friuolous pretended obstinacie and excommunication Whereupon I I. Hus do present
and bondes for the worde of God ¶ Another letter of Iohn Hus. IOhn Husse in hope the seruant of God to all the faithfull at Boheme which loue the Lord wisheth to stand and die in the grace of God and at last to attaine to eternall life Amen Ye that beare rule ouer other and be rich and ye also that be poore well be loued and faithfull in God I beseeche you and admonish you all that ye will be obedient vnto God make muche of his worde and gladly hearing the same will humbly perfourme that which yee heare I beseeche you sticke fast to the veritie of Gods worde which I haue written and preached vnto you out of his lawe and the Sermons of his Saintes Also I desire you if any man either in publicke Sermon or in priuate talke heard of me any thing or haue read any thing written by me which is againste the verity of God that he do not follow the same Albeit I do not finde my conscience guiltie that I euer haue spoken or wrytten any such thing amongst you I desire you moreouer if any man at any time haue noted any leuitie either in my talke or in my conditions that he doe not follow the same but pray to God for me to pardon me that sinne of lightnes I pray you that ye wil loue your priests and ministers which be of honest behauiour to prefer and honor them before others namely such priests as trauaile in the worde of God I pray you take hede to your selues and beware of malitious and deceitful men and especially of these wicked priests of whom our Sauiour doth speake that they are vnder shepes clothing inwardly are rauening wolues I pray suche as be rulers superiors to behaue them selues gently towardes their poore inferiours and to rule them iustly I beseche the citizens that they will walke euery man in his degree and vocation with an vpright conscience The Artificers also I beseeche that they will exercise their occupations diligently and vse them with the feare of God I beseeche the seruauntes that they wil serue their maisters faithfully And likewise the scholemaisters I beseeche that they liuing honestly will bryng vp their Scholers vertuously and to teach them faythfully First to learne to feare GOD then for the glory of GOD and the publicke vtilitie of the common wealth and their owne health and not for auarice or for worldly honor to employ their myndes to honest Artes. I beseech the Studentes of the Vniuersitie and all Scholes in all honest thynges to obey their Maisters and to follow them and that with all diligence they will study to be profitable both to the settyng foorth of the glory of God and to the soules health as well of themselues as of other men Together I beseech and pray you all that you will yeld most harty thankes to the right honorable Lordes the Lord Wencelaus de Duba Lord Iohn de Clum Lord Henry Lumlouio Lord Vilem Zagecio Lord Nicholas and other Lordes of Boheme of Morauia and Polony that their diligence towardes me may bee gratefull to all good men because that they like valiaunt champions of Gods trueth haue oftentymes set themselues agaynst the whole Councell for my deliueraunce contendyng and standyng agaynst the same to the vttermost of their power but especially Lord Wencelaus de Duba and Lord Iohn de Clum What so euer they shall report vnto you geue credite vnto them for they were in the Councell when I there aunswered many They know who they were of Bohemia and how many false and slaunderous thynges they brought in agaynst me and that Councell cryed out agaynst me and how I also aunswered to all thynges wherof I was demaunded I beseech you also that ye will pray for the kyng of Romaines and for your kyng and for his wife your Queene that God of his mercy would abide with thē and with you both now and henceforth in euerlastyng life Amen This Epistle I haue writtē to you out of prison and in bandes lookyng the next day after the writyng hereof for the sentence of the Councell vpon my death hauyng a full trust that he will not leaue me neither suffer me to deny his truth and to reuoke the errours whiche false witnesses maliciously haue deuised agaynst me How mercyfully the Lord GOD hath dealt with me and was with me in maruailous temptations ye shall know when as hereafter by the helpe of Christ we shall all meete together in the ioye of the world to come As concernyng M. Hierome my dearely beloued brother and fellow I heare no other but that he is remayning in straight bandes lookyng for death as I doe and that for the fayth which he valiauntly mainteyned amongest the Bohemians our cruell enemies of Boheme haue geuen vs into the power and handes of other enemies and into bandes I beseech you pray to God for them Moreouer I beseech you namely you of Prage that we will loue the temple of Bethleem and prouide so long as God shall permit that the word of God may be preached in the same For because of that place the Deuill is angry and agaynst the same place he hath stirred vp Priestes and Canons perceiuyng that in that place his kyngdome should be disturbed and diminished I trust in GOD that he will keepe that holy Church so long as it shall please him and in the same shall geue greater encrease of his worde by other then he hath done by me a weake vessell I beseech you also that ye will loue together and withholdyng no man from the hearyng of Gods word ye will prouide and take care that good men be not oppressed by any force and violence Written at Constance the yeare of our Lord. 1415. ¶ An other right godly letter of Iohn Hus to a certaine priest admonishing him of his office and exhorting him to be faithfull worthy to be red of all Ministers THe peace of our Lorde Iesus Christ. c. My deare brother be diligent in preaching the Gospel and do the worke of a good Euangelist neglect not your vocation labour like a blessed souldiour of Christ. First liue godly and holily Secondly teach faithfully and truely Thirdly be an example to other in well doing that you be not reprehended in your sayings correct vice and set foorth vertue To euill liuers threaten eternall punishmēt but to those that be faithfull and godly set forth the comforts of eternall ioy Preach cōtinually but be short and fruitfull prudētly vnderstanding discretly dispēsing the holy Scriptures Neuer affirme or maintaine those things that be vncertaine and doubtfull least that your aduersaries take holde vpon you which reioyce in deprauing their brethren whereby they may bring the ministers of God into contempt Exhort men to the confession of their faith and to the communion of both kindes both of the body bloud of Christ wherby such as do repent earnestly of their sinnes may the more often come to
not onely left such articles and opinioÌ„s wherin he was defamed but also did abstaine from all company that were suspected of such opinions so that he should neither geue ayd helpe councell nor fauor vnto them And moreouer the sayd Iohn was asked by the sayde Archbishop whether he euer had in his house since his abiuration in his keeping any bookes written in Englishe Wherunto he confessed that he would not deny but that he had in his house and in his keeping many english bookes for he was arested by the Mayor of the city of London for such bookes as he had which bookes as he thought were in the Mayors keping Upon the which the Mayor did openly confesse that he had such bookes in his keping which in his iudgement were the worst and the moste peruerse that euer he did read or see and one booke that was well bound in red leather of parâ—chment written in a good english hand and among the other bookes found with the said Iohn Claydon the Mayor gaue vp the sayd booke afore the Archbishop Whereupon the sayde Iohn Claydon being asked of the Archbishop if he knewe that booke dyd openly confesse that he knew it very well because he caused it to be written of his owne costes and charges for he speÌ„t muche money thereupon since his abiuration Then was he asked who wrote it He did aunswere one called Iohn Grime And further being required what the said Iohn Grime was he aunswered he coulde not tell Agayne being demaunded whether he did euer read the same booke he dyd confesse that he could not read but he had heard the fourth part therof red of one Iohn Fullar And being asked whether he thought the contentes of that booke to be Catholicke profitable good and true he aunswered that many thinges which he had hearde in the same booke were both profitable good and healthful to his soule and as he sayde he had great affection to the sayd book for a Sermon preached at Horsaldowne that was written in the sayd booke And being futher asked whether since the tyme of hys sayd abiuration he did commune with one Richard Baker of the City aforesayd he did answere yea for the sayde Richard Baker did come often vnto his house to haue coÌ„munication with him And being asked whether he knew the said Richard to be suspected and defamed of heresy he did aunswere agayne that he knew well that the sayd Richard was suspected defamed of many men and women in the City of LondoÌ„ as one whom they thought to be an hereticke Which confession being made did cause the sayd bookes to be deliuered to maister Robert Gilbert Doctour of diuinity to William Lindewood Doctor of both lawes and other Clerkes to be examined and in the meane time Dauid Beard Alexander Philip and Balthasar Mero were taken for witnesses agaynst him and were committed to be examined to Maister Iohn Escourt generall examiner of Canterbury This done the Archbishop continued hys Session till Monday next in the same place Which Monday being come which was the xx of the sayd moneth the sayd Maister Escourt openly and publickely exhibited the witnesses being openly read before the Archbishop and other Bishops which being read then after that were read diuers tractations founde in the house of the sayde Iohn Claydon out of the which being examined diuers points were gathered and noted for heresies and errors and specially out of the booke aforesaid which booke the said Iohn Claydon confessed by his owne costes to be written and bound which booke was intituled the Lanterne of light In the which and in the other examined were these Articles vnder written conteyned 1. First vpon the text of the Gospell how the enemy dyd sowe the tares there is sayd thus that wicked Antichrist the Pope hath sowed among the lawes of Christ his popish and corrupt decrees which are of no authoritye strength nor valure 2. That the Archbishops and Bishops speaking indifferently are the seates of the beast Antichrist when he sitteth in theÌ„ and raigneth aboue other people in the darck caues of errors and heresyes 3. That the Bishops licence for a man to preach the word of God is the true caracter of the beast i. Antichrist therfore simple and faythfull Priestes may preache when they will agaynst the prohibition of that Antichrist and without licence 4. That the court of Rome is the chiefe head of Antichrist and the Bishops be the body the new sectes that is the monks canons and friers brought in not by Christ but damnably by the pope be the venimous pestiferous tail of Antichrist 5. That no reprobate is a member of the Church but only such as be elected and predestinate to saluation seing the church is no other thing but the congregation of faythfull soules which doe and will keepe their faith constantly as well in deed as in word 6. That Chryst did neuer plante priuate religions in the church but whilest he liued in this world he did root them out By which it appeareth that priuate religioÌ„s be vnprofitable branches in the church and to be rooted out 7. That the materiall churches should not be decked with golde siluer precious stone sumptuously but the folowers of the humility of Iesus Christ ought to worship their Lord God humbly in mean simple houses not in great buildings as the churches be now a dayes 8. That there be ij chiefe causes of the persecution of the christians one is the priestes vnlawfull keeping of teÌ„poral and superfluous goods the other is the vnsatiable begging of the friers with their hye buildings 9. That almes is not geuen vertuously nor lawfully except it be geuen with these 4. conditions first vnlesse it be geuen to the honor of God 2. vnlesse it be geuen of goodes iustly gotten 3. vnlesse it be geueÌ„ to such a person as the geuer therof knoweth to be in charity And 4. vnles it be geueÌ„ to such as haue need and do not dissemble 10. That the often singing in the church is not founded in the scripture and therefore it is not lawfull for priestes to occupy theÌ„selues with singing in the Church but with the study of the law of Christ and preaching his word 11. That Iudas did receiue the body of Christ in breade his bloud in wine In the which it doth playnly appeare that after consecration of breade and wine made the same bread and wine that was before doth truely remayne on the aultar 12. That all ecclesiasticall suffrages do profit all vertuous and godly persons indifferently 13. That the Popes and the Bishops indulgences be vnprofitable neither can they profite them to whom they be geuen by any meanes 14. That the laity is not bound to obey the prelates what so euer they commauÌ„d vnles the prelats do watch to geue God a iust account of the soules of them 15. That Images are not to be
speciall licēce the word of God and that those that do agaynst the same should suffer the ecclesiasticall censurs 8. Item I confesse that priuate religiōs as wel of monks canons and other as also of the begging Friers being allowed by the church of Rome are profitable to the vniuersall church and in no meanes contrary to Gods law but rather founded and authorised thereon 9. Item I promise and sweare vpon these holy Euangelies which I hold here in my hands that I will hēceforth neuer hold affirme nor by any meanes teach any thing cōtrary vnto the premisses either openly or priuately After the setting out of the constitution aforesaid in the dayes of the aboue named Henry Chichesley Arbishop of Caunterbury great inquisition hereupon followed in England and many good men whose harts began to be won to the Gospell were brought to much vexation and caused outwardly to abiure Thus while Christ had the inward hartes of men yet the Catholicke Antichrist would needes possesse their outward bodyes and make them sing after his song In the number of whom being compelled to abiure besides the other aforesayd was also I. Taylor of the parishe of Saynt Michaels at Duerne William Iames maister of Art and Phisition who had long remained in prison and at length after abiuration was licēced with his keper to practise his Phisicke Also Ioh. Dwerf so named for his low stature which was sent by the Duke of Bedford to the foresayd Chichesly and other bishops to be examined before them in the cōuocation there he at length reuolting from his doctrine recanted and did penaunce In like maner Iohn Iourdelay of Lincolnshire well commended in the registers for his learning accused by the priestes of Lincoln for a certayn book which he contrary to the former decree of the bishops did conceale dyd not exhibite vnto thē was therfore enforced to abiure After whō was brought likewise before the Byshops one Katharin Dertford a Spinster who being accused and examined vpon these 3. articles concerning the Sacrament of the popes altar adoration of Images and of pilgrimage answered that she was not able being vnlearned to answere to such high matters neither had she any further skil but only her Creed and x. commaundements and so was she committed to the vicar general of the B. of Wint. for that she was of the same dioces to be kept and further to be examined of the same Ex Regist. Hen. Chichesley At the same sitting was also brought before the sayde Archb. and his fellow bishops by the liuetenant of the Tower the person of Heggely in Lincolneshyre named M. Robert who being long kept in the tower at lēgth by the kinges writte was brought and examined the same tyme vpon the like articles to witte touching the sacrament of their aultar peregrinatiō adoration of images whether it was lawfull for spirituall men to enioy temporall Lordships c. To the which articles he answered saith the Register doublely and mockingly saue onely in the sacramēt he semed something more conformable albeit not yet fully to their contētation Wherfore being committed to the custody and examination of Richard Bishopp of Lincolne where in the end he was also induced to submit himselfe The same likewise did W. Henry of Tenterden being suspected and arested for company keping with thē whom the Bishops called Lollardes and for hauing suspected bookes Besides these diuers other there were also which in the same conuocation were conuented and reuoked theyr opinions as Iohn Galle a Priest of London for hauing a booke in English intituled A booke of the new law Item Richard Monke vicar of Chesham in Lincolnshyre who submitted himselfe likewise In this race and number followed moreouer Bartholomew Cormnonger Nic Hoper seruaunt to the Lord Cobham Tho. Granter with other mo mentioned in the foresayd register Among the rest which were at this time troubled for theyr fayth was one Radulph Mungin priest who for the same doctrine was arested and sent vp by the L. Chancellor of England to the foresayd Arch. and by him committed to Dauid Price Uicar generall to the B. of London Where after he had endured 4. moneths in prison he was by the sayd Dauid presented to the conuocation agaynst whom diuers articles were obiected But for the better explaining of the matter first here is to be noted that during the time of this conuocation prouinciall Pope Martine had sent downe to the Clergye of Englande for a subsidye to be gathered of the Church to mayntayne the Popes warre agaynst the Lolards so the Papistes did terme them of Bohemia Also an other subsidy was demaunded to persecute one Peter Clerke mayster of art of Oxford who flying out of England was at the councell of Basill disputing on the Bohemians side And thirdly an other subsidy was also required to persecute W. Russell Warden of the Gray Friers in London who the same time was fled from England to Rome to mayntayne his opinion before the Pope and there escaped out of prison c. of whom more largely hereafter Christ willing we shall entreat In the meane time marke here the preey shiftes of the Pope to hooke in the English mony by all maner of pretences possible Thus Rafe Mungyn the foresayd examinate appearing before the bishops in the conuocation it was articulated agaynst him first that he should affirme and hold not to be lawfull for any Christian to fight and make warre agaynst the heretickes of Bohemia Item it was to him obiected that he did holde say not to be lawfull for any man to haue propriety of goodes but the same to be cōmon which he expressely denyed that euer he so sayd or affirmed Whereby we haue to obserue how the crafty malice of these aduersaries vseth falsely to collect and surmise of men what they neuer spake wherby to oppresse them wrongfully whom by playne trueth they cannot expugne Moreouer they obiected agaynst him that he shoulde keepe company with Mayster Clarke aforesayde and also that he dispersed in the City of London certayn bookes of Iohn Wickliffe and of Peter Clarke namely the booke Trialogus and the Gospels of Iohn Wickleffe c. He was charged moreouer to haue spoken agaynst the Popes indulgences for that the Pope had no more power to geue indulgences then he had Upon these and other such Articles obiected the sayde Mungyn being asked if he would reuoke aunswered that it seemed to him not iust or meet so to doe whiche dyd not know himself guilty of any heresy Thus he being respited for that time was cōmitted to prison till the next sitting who then being called diuers and sundry times afterward before the Bishops after long inquisition and straight examination made also depositions brought in agaynst him so much as they could search out he notwithstanding styll denyed as before to recant Wherefore the foresayd Henry the Archbishop proceeding to his sentence
22. Item whether he beleueth that an euill Priest with due maner and forme and with the intentiō of doing doth verily consecrate doth verily absolue doth verily baptise and doth verily dispose all other sacramentes euen as the Church doth 23. Item whether he beleeue that Saint Peter was the Uicar of Christ hauing power to bynde and to lose vppon the earth 24. Item whether he beleue that the Pope being canonically elect whiche for the tyme shall be by that name expresly be the successor of Peter or not hauing supreme authoritie in the Church of God 25. Item whether he beleue that the authoritie of iurisdiction of the Pope an archbishop or a Bishop in binding loosing be more then the authorititie of a simple priest or not although he haue charge of soules 26. Item whether he beleue that the pope may vpon a iust and good cause geue indulgēces and remission of sins to all Christian men being verily contrite and confessed especially to those that go on pilgrimage to holy places and good deedes 27 Item whether he beleue that by such graunt the pilgrimes that visite those Churches and geue thē any thing may obtayne remission of sinnes or not 28. Item whether he beleue that all Bishops may graūt vnto their subiectes according as the holy Canons doe limit such indulgences or not 29. Item whether he beleue and affirme that it is lawfull for faythfull Christians to worship Images and the reliques of sayntes or not 30. Item whether he beleue that those religions whiche the Churche hath allowed were lawfully and reasonably brought in of the holy fathers or not 31. Item whether he beleueth that the pope or any other Prelate for the time being or their vicars may excommunicate their subiect Ecclesiasticall or secular for disobediēce or contumacie so that such a one is to be holden and taken for excommunicate or not 32. Item whether ye beleue that for the disobediēce and contumacie of persons excommunicate increasing the prelates or their vicares in spirituall thinges haue power to agrauate and to reagrauate to put vpon men the interdict and to call for the secular arme and that the same secular arme or power ought to be obedient to the censures by their inferiors called for 33. Item whether he beleue that the pope and other prelates or els their vicares haue power in spirituall things to excommunicate priestes and lay men that are stubberne and disobedient from theyr office benefice or entrance into the church and from the administration of the sacraments of the Church also to suspend them 34. Item whether he beleue that it is lawfull for ecclesiasticall persons without committing sinne to haue anye possessions temporall goodes and whether he beleeue that it is not lawfull for lay men to take away the same from thē by their authoritie but rather that such takers away incrochers vpō ecclesiasticall goods are to be punished as committers of sacriledge yea although such Ecclesiasticall persons liue naughtely that haue such goodes 35. Item whether any such taking away or incrochyng vpō any priest rashly or violently made although the priest be an euill liuer be sacriledge or not 36. Item whether he beleue that it is lawfull for lay mē of whether sexe soeuer that is men and women to preache the word of God or not 37. Item whether he beleue that it is lawfull to al priestes freely to preach the word of God whersoeuer whensoeuer and to whom soeuer it shal please them althogh they be not sent at all 38. Item whether he beleue that all mortall sinnes and especiall such as be manifest and publike are to be corrected and to be extirpate or not Furthermore wee will commaunde and decree that if any by secrete information by you or any other to be receiued shall be founde either enfamed or suspected of anye kind of the pestiferous sect heresie doctrine of the most pestilence men I. Wickleffe I. Hus and Hierome of Prage the archheretickes aforesaid or of fauoring receiuing or defending the foresayd damned men whilest they liued on the earth their false followers and disciples or any that beleeueth their errours or any that after their death pray for thē or any of them or that nominateth them to be amongst the number of catholick men or that defendeth them to be placed amongst the number of y◠saintes either by their preaching worshipping or otherwaies wherin they deserue to be suspected y◠then they by you or some of you may be cited personally to appeare before you or some of you wtout either Proctor or Doctor to answere for them an oth being opēly taken by them as is aforesayd to speak the plain mere veritie of the articles aboue written and euery of them or other oportune as case and circumstance shall require according to your discretion as you or anye of you shall see expediēt to proceed against them or any of them according to these presentes or otherwise canonically as you shall thinke good Also that you do publish solemnly cause to be published these present letters omitting the articles interrogatories herein contayned in the citties other places of your dioces where conueniently you may vnder our authoritie there to denounce and cause to be denounced all singular such hereticks with their abbetters fauorers of their heresies erroures of what sexe or kinde soeuer that do hold defend the sayd erroures or doe participate any maner of way with heretickes priuely or apertly of what state dignitie or condition soeuer he or they be Patriarche Archbishop king Queene Duke or of what other dignitie either Ecclesiasticall or seculare he be also with their aduocates and procurators whosoeuer whiche are beleuers followers fauourers defenders or receiuers of such heretickes or suspected to be beleuers followers fautors defenders or receiuers of them to be excommunicate euery sonday and festiuall day in the presence of the people Furthermore that you dilligently do to be inquired by the sayd our authoritie vpon all and singular such persons both men and women that mayntayne approue defend teach such erroures or that be fauourers receauers and defenders of them whether exempt or not exempt of what dignitie state preeminence degree order or condition soeuer And such as you shal finde in the sayd your inquisition either by their own confession or by any other meane to be diffamed or otherwise infected with the spot of suche heresie or errour you through the sentence of excommunication suspension interdict and priuation of their dignities personages offices or other benefices of the Church and fees which they hold of any church monastery and other Ecclesiastical places also of honours and secular dignities and degrees of sciences or other faculties as also by other paynes and censures of the Church or by wayes and meanes whatsoeuer els shall seeme to you expedient by taking and imprisoning of their bodies and other corporall punishmentes
forced to obiure and suffred like penance as the other before had done THomas Moone of Ludney was apprehended and attached for suspition of heresy agaynst whom were obiected by the Bishop the articles before written but specially this article that he had familiarity communication with diuers heretickes and had receiued comforted supported and mayntayned diuers of them as sir William White syr Hugh Pye Thomas Pert and William Callis Priestes with many other more vpon the which articles he being coÌ„uict before the bishop was forced to abiure and receiued the like penance in like maner as before In like maner Robert Brigges of Martham was brought before the Bishop the 17. day of February in the yeare aforesayd for holding and affirming the foresayd articles but especially these hereafter folowing That the sacrament of confirmation ministred by the Byshop did auayle nothing to saluation That it was no sinne to withstand the ordinaunces of the Church of Rome That holy bread and holy water were but trifles and that the bread and the water were the worse for the conturacions characters which the priestes made ouer them Upon which Articles he being conuict was forced to abiure and receiued penance in maner and forme as the other had done before him The like also albeit somewhat more sharp happened vnto Iohn Finch of Colchester the 20. day of September who albeit he was of the dioces of London being suspecte of heresye was attached in Ipswich in the dioces of Norwich brought before the bishop there before whom he being conuict of the like articles as all the other before him was enioyned penance three displings in solemne procession about the Cathedrall Church of Norwich three seuerall Sondayes three displinges about the market place of Norwich three principall market dayes his head necke and feet being bare his body couered onely with a short shirt or vesture hauing in his handes a taper of waxe of a pound waight which the next Sonday after his penance he shoulde offer to the Trinity and that for the space of 3. yeres after euery Ashwednesday Maundy Thursday he should appeare in the Cathedrall Church of Norwich before the Bishop or his Vicegerent to do open penaunce amongest the other penitentiaries for his offences There were besides these men which we haue here rehearsed diuers and many other who both for the concordaunce of the matter and also for that theyr Articles punishmeÌ„ts were all one we haue thought good at this time to passe ouer especially forsomuch as their names be before recited in the Catalogue The burning of Rich Houeden Nicholas Canon of Eye NOw to proceed in our story of Norfolke and Suffolk in folowing the order of yeres we finde that in the yere of our Lord. 1431. One Nich. Canon of Eye was brought before the Bishop of Norwich for suspicion of heresy with certayne witnesses sworne to depose against him touching his maners and conuersatioÌ„ which witnesses appointing one William Christopher to speak in the name of them all he deposed in maner and forme folowing First that on Easter day when all the parishners weÌ„t about the church of Eye solemnely in processioÌ„ as the maner was the sayd Nicholas Canon as it were mocking deciding the other parishioners went about the Church the contrary way and met the procession This article he confessed and affirmed that he thought he did well in so doing Item the sayd Nicholas asked of maister Iohn Colman of Eye this question Maister Colman what think you of the Sacrament of the aulter To whome the sayde Colman aunswered Nicholas I thinke that the SacrameÌ„t of the aultar is very God and very man the very flesh and very bloud of our Lord Iesus Christ vnder forme of bread and wine Vnto whom Nicholas in decision sayde Truly if the Sacrament of the aultar be very God very man and the very body bloud of our Lord Iesu Christ then may very God and very man be put in a small roome as when it is in the priests mouth that receiueth it at mas And why may not we simple men as well eate flesh vpon Fridayes and al other prohibited dayes as the priest to eat the flesh and the bloud of our Lord euery day indiffereÌ„tly The which article the sayd Nicholas denied that he spake vnto Maister Colman but vnto a Monke of Hockesney And furthermore he thought he had spoken well in that behalfe Item that on Corpus Christi day at the eleuation of high masse when all the parishioners other straungers kneeled downe holding vp their handes and doing reuerence vnto the sacrament the sayd Nicholas went behinde a piller of the church and turning his face from the high aulter mocked them that did reuerence vnto the sacrament This article he also acknowledging affirmed that he beleued himselfe to do well in so doing Item when his mother would haue the said Nicholas to lift vp his right hand and to crosse himselfe froÌ„ the craftes and assaults of the deuill forsomuch as he deferred the doing therof his mother tooke vp his right haÌ„d crossed him saying In nomine patris filij spiritus sacti Amen Which so ended the sayde Nicholas immediately deciding hys mothers blessing tooke vp his right hand of his owne accord and blessed him otherwise as his aduersaryes reporte of him This Article the sayde Nicholas acknowledged to be true Item that vpon Alhallowen day in the time of eleuation of high masse when as many of the parishioners of Eâ—e lighted many torches and caried theÌ„ vp to the high aultar kneling down there in reuerence and honor of the Sacrament the sayd Nicholas carying a torche went vp hard to the high aultar and standing behind the priestes backe saying masse at the time of the eleuation he stood vpright vpoÌ„ his feet turning his back to the priest and his face toward the people and would do no reuerence vnto the sacrament This article he acknowledged affirming that he thought he had done well in that behalfe All which Articles the Byshops coÌ„missary caused to be copied out word for worde to be seÌ„t vnto M. William Worsted Prior of the cathedrall church of Norwich and to other doctors of diuinity of the order of begging Friers that they might deliberate vpon them and shew their mindes betwene that and Thursday next folowing Vpon whiche Thursdaye being the last of Nouember the yeare aforesayd the sayd Nicholas was agayne examined before M. Barnam and diuers other vpoÌ„ two other articles which he had confessed vnto I. Exetor notary Tho. Bernsten bacheler of diuinity and others Whereof the first Article was this that the sayd Nicholas Canon being of perfect minde and remembrance confessed that he doubled whether in the Sacrament of the aulter were the very body of Christ or no. This article he confessed before the Commissary to be true Item that he beyng of perfecte minde
and remembraunce beleued that a man ought not to coÌ„fesse his sinnes to a Priest This Article he also confessed that he doubted vpon Now remayneth to declare what these doctors aforesayd concluded vpon the articles whose aunswere vnto the same was this First of all as touching the first article they sayde that the article in the same termes as it was propouÌ„ded is not simply an heresy but an error Item as touching the second article the doctors agree as in the first Item as touching the third Article they affirme that it is an heresy Vnto the fourth Article they aunswered as vnto the first and second Item the doctors affirme the 5. article to be an heresy Item as touching the 6. Article the doctors conclude that if the sayd Nicholas being of perfect mind and remeÌ„brance did doubt whether the sacrament of the aulter were the very perfect body of Christ or no then that Article is simply an heresy Wherupon the sayd Commissary declared pronounced the sayd Nicholas Canon vpoÌ„ the determinatioÌ„ of the foresaid doctors to be an heretick and therupon forced the sayd Nicholas to abiure all the sayd Articles That done he enioined the sayd Nicholas penance for his offeÌ„ces thre displinges about the cloyster of the Cathedrall Churche of Norwich before a solemne procession bare headed barefoote carying a Taper of halfe a pound in his hand going after the maner aforesayd like a mere peniteÌ„tiary the which his penance the iudge commaunded should be respited vntill the comming of the Bishop into his dioces and that in the meane time he should be kept in prison to the end that he should not infect the flock with his venune and poyson of errors and heresyes Thus haue we briefly discoursed vnto you the greate troubles and afflictions which happened in Norfolke and Suffolke by the space of those 4. yeares before mentioned hauing drawen out briefly for euery yere certayne notable examples sufficient for the declaration of all the rest for so much as their opinions being nothing different theyr penaunce and punishment did also nothing differ otherwise then by those particuler examples may be playnely seene Thomas Bagley Priest ANd now to proceede as we haue begon with our former storyes generally we find in Fabians Chronicles that in the same yere of our Lord. 1431. Thomas Bagley a priest Vicar of Monenden beside Malden being a valiant disciple and adherent of wickliffe was condemned by the Byshops of heresy at London about the midst of Lent was disgraded and burned in Smithfield ¶ Paule Craw a Bohemian THe same yeare also was Paule Crawe a Bohemian taken at S. Andrewes by the Bishop Henry and deliuered ouer to the secular power to be burnt for holding contrary opinions vnto the Church of Rome touching the sacrameÌ„t of the Lords supper the worshipping of Sainets auricular confession with other of Wicklesses opinions The story of Thomas Rhedon a French man and a Carmelite Frier burnt in Italy for the profession of Christ. WE haue declared before how this cruell storme of persecution which first began with vs in England after it had long raged heere against many good and godly men it brake out passed into Boheme and after within a short time the fire of this persecution increasing by little and little inuaded Scotland and from thence now wyth greater force and violence this furious deuouring flame hath entred Italy and suffereth not any part of the world to be free from the murther and slaughter of most good godly men It hapned about this time that one Thomas Rhedon a Frier of that sect which taketh his name of the mount Carmelus by chance came with the VenetiaÌ„ Ausbassadours into Italy This maÌ„ although he was of that fort and secte which in stead of Christians are called Carmelites yet was he of a farre other religion vnderstood the word of God iudging that God ought not to be worshipped neither in that mount nor at Ierusalem onely but in spirit truth This man being a true Carmelite â— fauoring with his whole hart that new sweet must of Iesu Christ with earnest study desire seeking after a ChristiaÌ„ integritie of life prepared himselfe first to go into â—â—ly trusting that he should find there or else in no place sonne by whole good life and liuing he might be editied and instructed For where ought more aboundance of verme good liuing to be then in that place which is counted to be the forte and fountaine of all religion And how could it otherwise be but that wheras so great holines is professed wherupon all mens cies are bent as vpon a stage vnderas S. Peters seate is and is thought to be the ruler gouernour of all the Church all things should florish and abesid worthy of so great expectatioÌ„ in that place This holy man hauing these things before his eies and considering the same with himselfe forsooke his owne countrey Citie went vnto Rome conceiuing a firme sure hope that by the example of so many notable and worthy me he should greatly profile in godlines learning but the successe of the matter did vtterly frustrate his hope for all things were cleane coÌ„trary Whatsoeuer he saw was nothing else but meere dissimulatioÌ„ and hypocrisie In stead of gold he found nothing but coales and for to say the truth he found nothing else there but gold and siluer In stead of heauenly gifts there raigned amongst them the pompe and pride of the world In place of godlines riot In stead of learning and study douthfulnes and superstition Tyrannie and hautinesse of mind had possessed the place of Apostolicke simplicitie that now there remained no more any place or libertie for a man to learne that whiche hee knew not or to teach that which he perfectly vnderstoode Finally all things were turned artic versie all things hapned vnto him contrary to his expectation wheresoeuer he went But nothing so much offended this good mas mind as the intolerable ambition and pompous pride in them whome example of humilitie should especially commend and praise to the whole worlde And albeit that hee saw here nothing which did accord agree with the rule of the Apostles yet these things did so much passe all measure and pacience that he could by no meanes resraine his long in so great abuse and corruption of the Church seing such ambitions pride in their buildings apparell in their places in their daintie fare in their great traynes of seruants in their horsse and armour finally in all things pertaining vnto them Which things how much they did vary from the prescript rule of the Gospel so much the more was this good maÌ„ forced to speake Albeit he did well vnderstand how litle he shoulde preuaile by speaking for if admonition would profite any thing at all the bookes of Wicklesse and diuers other were not wanting The famous testimonies of Iohn Hus
make the Pope subiect vnto the Church for it is conuenient that the lesse perfect be subiect vnto the more perfect There be also many other testimonies reasons wherof we will now somewhat more entreate If authoritie be sought for sayth S. Hierome for I willingly occupie my selfe in his senteÌ„ces as in a most fertile field the world is greater then a Citie What then I pray you Hierome Is the Pope mighty because he is head of the Church of Rome His authoritie is great notwithstanding the vniuersall Church is greater which doth not onely coÌ„preheÌ„d one Citie but also the whole world Hereupon it followeth that if the Churche be the mother of all faithfull then she hath the Bishop of Rome for her sonne Otherwise as S. Augustine saith he can neuer haue God for his father which will not acknowledge the Church for his mother The which thing Anacletus vnderstandyng called the vniuersal Church his mother as the writers of the Canons do know And Calixtus sayth as a sonne he came to doe the will of his father so we do the will of our mother which is the Church Whereby it appeareth that how much the sonne is inferiour to the mother so much the Church is superiour or aboue the Bishop of Rome Also we haue sayd before that the Churche was the spouse of Christ the Pope we know to be a Vicare but no maÌ„ doth so ordaine a Vicar that he maketh his spouse subiect vnto him but that the spouse is alwayes thought to be of more authoritie then the Vicar for somuch as she is one body with her husbaÌ„d but the Vicar is not so Neither will I here passe ouer the wordes of S. Paule vnto the Romaines Let euery soule sayth he be subiect vnto the higher powers Neither doth he herein except the pope For albeit that he be aboue all other meÌ„ yet it seemeth necessary the he should be subiect to the Church Neither let him thinke himselfe hereby exeÌ„pt because it was said vnto Peter by Christ whatsoeuer thou bindest c. In this place as we wil hereafter declare he represeÌ„ted the person of the Church for we finde it spoken afterward vnto theÌ„ Quaecunque ligaueritis super terraÌ„ ligata eruÌ„t in coelis i. Whatsoeuer ye shal binde vpoÌ„ earth shall be also bounde in heaueÌ„ And furthermore if all power be geueÌ„ of Christ as the Apostle writeth vnto the CorinthiaÌ„s it is geuen for the edifiyng of the Church not for the destruction therof why then may not the Church correct the Pope if he abuse the keyes and bring all thinges vnto ruine Adde hereunto also an other argument A man in this life is lesser then the aungels for we read in Mathew of Iohn Baptist that he whiche is least in the kingdome of heauen is greater then he Notwithstanding Christ sayth in an other place that amongest the children of women there was not a greater then Iohn Baptist. But to proceede meÌ„ are forced by the exaÌ„pâ—e of Zacharias to geue credite vnto auÌ„gels least through their misbelief they be striken blind as he was What more The Bishop of Rome is a maÌ„ Ergo he is lesse then the aungels and is bound to geue credite to the aungels But the aungels learne of the Church and do reuereÌ„tly accorde vnto her doctrine as the Apostle writeth vnto the EphesiaÌ„s Ergo the pope is bouÌ„d to do the same who is lesse then the aungels and lesse then the Churche whose authoritye is suche that worthely it is compared by S. Augustine vnto the Sunne that lyke as the Sunne by his light doth surmount all other lightes so the church is aboue all other authority and power Wherupon S. Augustine writeth thus I would not beleue the Gospel saith he if the authority of the church did not more me thereunto the which is not in any place souÌ„d to be spoken of the bishop of Rome who representing the Church and being minister thereof is not to be thought greater or equall to hys Lorde and maister Notwythstanding the wordes of our Sauiour Christ do specially proue the Byshop of Rome to be subiect to the church as we will hereafter declare For he sending Peter to preach vnto the church sayd go and say vnto the Church To the confirmation of whole authoritye these wordes do also pertaine hee that heareth you heareth me The which wordes are not onely spoken vnto the Apostles but also vnto their succesaurs and vnto the whole Church Wherupon it foloweth that if the Pope do not harken geue eare vnto the Church he doeth not geue eare vnto Christ consequently he is to be counted as an Ethnicke Publicane For as S. Augustine affirmeth when as the Church doth excommunicate he which is so excommunicate is bounde in heauen and when the Church looseth he is loosed Likewise if he be an heretike which taketh away the supremacie of the Churche of Rome as the Decrees of the councel of Coustance doth determine how much more is he to be counted an hereticke which taketh away the authoritye from the uniuersall Church wherein the Church of Rome and all other are conteined Wherefore it is now euident that it is the opinion of al men before our daies if it may be called an opinion which is confirmed by graue authors the the Pope is subiecte vnto the vniuersall church But this is called into question whether he ought also to be iudged of the general Councel For there are some which whether it be for desire of vaine glory or that thorough their flattery they looke for some great reward haue begon to teach new and strange doctrines and to exempt the byshop of Rome from the iurisdiction of the generall Councel AmbitioÌ„ hath blinded them wherof not only this present Schisme but also all other Schismes euen vnto thys day haue had their originall For as in times past the gredy desire ambition of the papacy brought in that pesriferous beast which through Arrius then first crept into the church euen so they do specially norish and mainteine this present heresie whych are not ashamed to begge Of the which number some cry out say the workes of the subiects ought to be iudged by the Pope but the Pope to be reserued only vnto the iudgemeÌ„t of God Others said that no man ought to iudge the high and principall Seate and that it can not be iudged either by the Emperour either by the Clergy either by any king or people Other affirme that the Lord hath reserued vnto himselfe the depositions of the chiefe Bishop Others are not ashamed to affirme that the Byshop of Rome although hee cary soules in neuer so great number vnto hell yet hee is not subiect vnto any correction or rebuke And because these their words are easily resolued they runne straight waies vnto the Gospell and interprete the wordes of Christ not according to the sense and meaning of the holy Ghost
take which part he would but his opinion was rather that the dominion of Church matters should bee in the power of Christ and the Prelates with the other Clergy are but Canonicall administratours in maner of tutors but they haue more power administration then tutors and by constitutyng a Steward or Uicegerent c. Their constitution beyng duely made the Steward or Uicegerent hath the same coactiue power and exercise of iurisdiction Also as touching the fourth Article for the declaration of the first conclusion it is agreed that these wordes Iuste requisita i. iustly gotten alledged therein determine all thynges conteined in the same Also as touchyng the second conclusion where as the sacred Canons and holy Doctours speake thus the goods of the Church the substaunce of the Church and the possessions of the Church and diuers other opinions there be amongest the Doctours in whose power the rule thereof should be as it is noted in the Glose Cap. expedit xij quaest i. they do not intend to constraine any man to any of those opinions neither to exclude any of them but that euery man should haue libertie probably to mainteine which of them he thinketh best Moreouer the Bohemians sayd that they did beleue that the Clergy are but administrators of the tēporalties of the Church and not Lordes thereof accordyng to the maner of speaking of the Scriptures holy Doctours and Canons Also the Bohemians sayd that in all occasions which shall hereafter rise they would wholy stand to the determination of the iudge agreed vpon in Egra with one consent In this maner did the Ambassadours make aunswere vnto the Bohemians At the last after much communication had to and fro a concorde and vnitie was concluded and confirmed by setting to their handes The Bohemians promised to receiue the peace and vnitie of the Church and the declaratiō of the three Articles This was done in the yeare of our Lord. 1438. About the feast of S. Martin it was afterward agreed both by the Ambassadours of that Councel and of Boheme that whatsoeuer remayned should be determined agreed vpō first at Ratisbona afterward at Bruna in the Dioces of Olymutes then at Alba in Hungary before the Emperour Sigismūd but the matter could not be ended in no place At the last the concorde was confirmed by writyng with their seales at Inglania a Citie of Morauia the fift day of Iuly in the presence of the Emperour ¶ Certaine petitions which the Bohemians put vp last of all in the sacred Councell of Basill An. 1438. in the moneth of Nouemb. VNto the most reuerēd fathers in Christ and our most gracious Lords We the Ambassadors of the kingdom of Boheme do most humbly and hartely require you that for the perpetuall preseruation of the peace concord and for the firme preseruation of all things conteined in the composition you will vouchsafe of your clemencie to giue and graunt vnto vs all and singular our requests heere vnder written with effectuall execution of the same First and aboue all things we desire and require you for the extirpation of diuers dissentions and cōtrouersies which will vndoubtedly folow amongst our people vpon the diuersitie of the communion for the abolishing of infinite euils which we are not able to expresse as we haue conceiued them that you will gently vouchsafe of your goodnes liberality to giue grant command vnto our kingdome of Boheme Marquesdome of Morauia one vniforme order of the cōmunion vnto all mē vnder both kindes that is to say vnto the Archb. of Prage the Byshop of Luthonus Olimutz other prelates of the kingdome and Marquesdome hauing charge of soules to their vicares also to their flocks subiects that according to those things which are cōteined in the Bull of the Ambassadours in the cōpositions made in the name of the whole Councel written in the chap. Pro firmitate where it is thus said and all other things shall be done which shall be meete and necessary for the preseruation of the peace and vnitie For thys done by your benefite the whole kingdome shall be comforted aboue measure and established in brotherly loue whereby an vniforme subiection and obedience shall be perpetually attributed vnto the holy Church Item we require and desire as before that for the auoiding of all false suspition and doubtfulnes of manie which suppose that the sacred Councell hath graunted the saide Communion vnder both kindes vnto vs but for a time as neither profitable nor wholesome but as the libell of diuorcement that you will vouchsafe according to this chapter alledged in the compositions First they sayde that it was not the entent of the sacred Councell c. wholesomely and speedely to prouide for our safety and your graunt in this behalfe and with the Bulls of your letters to confirme that chapter together with the other perteining to the office of your Ambassadours Item we beseech you as afore that for the confirmation of obedience and for the discipline of all the Cleargy and for the small defence and obseruation of all things determined and agreed vpon and for the good order in spiritualties ye will vouchsafe effectually to prouide for vs a good lawfull pastor Archbishops and Bishops which shall seeme vnto vs most meete and acceptable for our kingdome to execute those offices and dueties Item we require you as aforesaid that your fatherly reuerēces will vouchsafe for the defence of the worthy fame of the kingdome and Marquesdome to declare and shew our innocencie in that they haue cōmunicated do hereafter shall communicate vnder both kindes to giue out ordaine and direct the letters of the sacred Councell in maner and forme most apt and meete for such declaration vnto all Princes as well secular as spirituall Cities and communalties according to the compositions and as the Lords the Ambassadours are bound vnto vs for to do Item we desire you that in the discussing of the matter for the Communion vnder both kindes and of the commandement thereof giuen vnto all faithfull yee will not proceed otherwise then according to the concordatum agreed vpon in Egra that is to say according to the law of God the order of Christ and his Apostles the generall Councels and the mindes of the holy Doctours truly grounded vpon the law of God Item we desire that your fatherly reuerences considering the great affectiō of our people will giue vs the desired libertie to communicate vnto the yonger sort the Sacrament of the Supper For if this vse of communicating should be taken away which our kingdome being godly moued by the writings of most great and holy Doctours and brought in by examples hath receiued as Catholicke and exercised now a long time verely it shoulde raise vp an intollerable offence amongst the people and their minds would be greeuously vexed and troubled Item we require you as before that for like causes
disordinate persones we may well and vpon probable causes repute deme culpable not only of heretical prauitie but also of high treason and as rebels to our persone Maiestie and violatours of the peace and dignity of our Realme as with all breakers and trespassours against the sacred Canons of the Churche who dare so presumptuously aduenture to worship the said Richard as a Sainct whereas it is not lawfull to worship any manner of person be he neuer so holy before he be canonised by the authority of the B. of Rome We therefore being very carefull for the good preseruatiō of our peace and desirous to abolish from out al the coastes of the same al maner Idolatry do charge command you that in certain places within your liberties wher you shal think most cōuenient you cause forthwith proclamatiōs to be made on our behalf straightly charging that no person from hencefoorth presume to resort to the place where the saide Richarde was executed vnder colour of Pilgrime or for any other cause of deuotion what so euer nor send any offering thither nor worship him hereafter openly or secretly nor adiudge esteme repute name or talke of him as otherwise iustified or innocent then such as the said reuerend father by his former definitiue sentence hath pronounced him to be vpon paine and penaltye to be taken and reputed for an hereticke or a fauourer of hereticks and to receiue condigne punishment prouided for hereticks And that you arrest all euery person whom you shall finde to do any thing cōtrary to this our Proclamation and the same so arested commit to our prisone there to remaine vntil we shal thinke good to send countermaund for their deliuerance Witnes the king at his Manor of Estampstede the 15. day of Iuly in the 18. yere of his reigne Per ipsum Regem Like writtes and to the same effect were directed to al the shrines through all the realme bearing all one and the same Date By the vertue of which letter the Maior and sheriffes did such diligence that shortly after that cōcourse and seking of the people was left of After the burning of thys man which was about the moneth of Iune in the same yere about Nouember a connocation was called by Henry Archbish. of Cant. wherein was propounded among the clergie to consult with them selues what way were best to be taken for the remoouing a way the law of Premuniri facias for so were the harts then of the temporalty set against the ecclesiasticall sort that where any vantage might be geuen them by the law they did nothing spare by reason whereof the churchmen at that time were greatly molested by the sayd law of Premuniri and by the kings writtes and other inditements to their no smal anoyance By long consultation and good aduisement at last this way was taken that a petition or supplicatiō should be drawen and presented to the king for the abolishing of the foresaid lawe of Premuniri facias and also for the restraining of other briefes wryts and inditements which seemed then to lie heauy vppon the Clergy This bill or supplication being contriued and exhibited by the Archbish. of Canter and of Yorke vnto the king standing in neede the same time of a subsidie to be collected of the cleargie thys aunswer was geuen to their supplication on the kings behalfe that for somuche as the time of Christenmaste then drewe neare whereby he had as yet no sufficient leisure to aduise vppon the matter he woulde take therein a farther pause In the meane time as one tendering theyr quiet he would send to al his officers and ministers wtin his realm that no such briefe of Premuniri shoulde passe against them or any of them from the saide time of Christenmas till the next Parliament An. 1439. Ex Regist. Cant. In my former edition of Acts monuments so hastely rashed vp at that present in such shortnesse of time as in the sayde booke thou mayst see gentle reader declared and signified among many other matters therein contained there is a shorte note made of one Eleanor Cobham Duchesse of Gloucester of Syr Roger Onley knight priest it should haue ben printed which two persons about the yeare of our Lord. 1440. or the next yeare following were condemned the one to death the other to perpetual prison Of this litle short matter maister Cope the Popes Scout lying in priuie wait to spie faults in al mēs works wherso euer any may appeare taketh pepper in the nose falleth againe vnto his olde barking against mee for placing these foresayd persons in my booke of Martyrs but especially he thinketh to haue great vantage against me for that in the same story I do ioyne withal one Margaret Iourdeman the witch of Eye condemned also wyth them the same time and burned for practising the kings death by an image of waxe c. To answere hereunto first I say as I before sayde that I professe no such title to wryte of Martyrs but in generall to wryte of rites and Monuments passed in the church and realme of England Wherein why should I be restrained from the free walke of a story wryter more then other that haue gone before me Secondly touching my commendation of Sir Roger Onley and the Lady Eleanor if maister Alane be therewith offended I aunswer that I commended them for sauoring and fauoring of the truth of Christes doctrine For the fact if any such were in them I do not commend them And although I did commend them yet neither did I it w e any long tarying vppon it nor yet all together vpon mine owne head without some sufficient warrant of authoritie For why may not I as well beleeue Iohn Bale as M. Alane beleue M. Fabian especially seeing I do knowe and was priuie that the saide Iohn in recognising his Centuries followed altogether the history of Leland De Catalogo virorum illustrium which booke being borowed of master Cheke I my selfe did see in the hands of the foresayd Iohn Bale what time we were both together dwelling in the house of the noble Lady Duches of Richmond Wherefore if he thinke me so leud to speake without mine authors he is deceiued And if he thinke mine authors not to be beleeued then let thys Nomothetes or iolly Dictator come foorth and prescribe vs a law what authors he would haue vs to take and what to refuse For els why is it not as free for me to credite Iohn Bale and Leland as for him to credite Robert Fabian and Edw. Hall especially seeing they had seene hys bookes and workes left behinde him wherupon they might better iudge and so did neuer these Thirdly for the name of Roger Onley if Cope denie that there was any such name in stories mētioned but that there was one called Roger Bolingbroke c. heereby it may appeare that either his prompter out of England deceiued him or els that hee going
which hee aunswered agayne what nede I say that I beleeue that thing I know There the Inquisitor something stirred wyth the matter as hote as a toste as they say cried out with a loude voice maister Ioannes maister Ioannes maister Ioannes say Credo say Credo Then he answered Credo After thys being demaunded whether he had wrytten any treatise concerning the binding of humaine lawes to one Nicolas of Boheme and whether he had written any treatise of the Ecclesiasticall power of indulgences pardons and of fasting and other treatises he beleued that he had so written and had conferred with diuers learned men Also that he had sent to the Bishops of Wormes a certaine treatise of fasting Many other interrogatories were ministred vnto him whereof some were vaine some false Such as were more principal here we will briefly touch leauing out superfluitiâ—s Being demaunded whether hee was a fautour of the Bohemians he sayde he was not Also being demaunded concerning the Sacrament of the holy body and bloude of our Lorde whether he thought Christe there to be contained really or only diuinely and whether he dyd beleeue in the sayde Sacrament the substaunce of breade there to remaine or onely the fourme thereof to thys he aunswered not denying but the body of Christe was there really contained and also wyth the body of Christe the substaunce of bread to remaine After this he was demaunded his opinion concerning religious men as Monkes Nunnes or begwines whether he thought them to be bound to the vow of chastitie or to the keping of any other vow and whether he said to the Friers Minorites any such worde in effecte I can not saue you in this your state and order Thys he confessed that he had sayde howe that not your religion saueth you but the grace of God c. not denying but they might be saued Item being required whether he beleued or had wrytten that there is no mortall sinne but whyche is exprest to be mortal in the canon of the holy Bible to this he answered that he did so beleue as he hath written til he was better informed Likewise being required what he thought of the vicar of Christ in earth he aunswered that he beleeued that Christe left no vicare in earth For the confirmation whereof he alledged and sayde that Christ ascending vp to heauen said Ecce ego vobiscum sum c. Behold I am with you c. In the which wordes he plainly declared that hee would substitute vnder him no vicare in earth and sayde moreouer if a vicare signified any man which in the absence of the principal hath to do the works of the principall then Christ hath no vicar here in earth In like maner concerning indulgences and pardons such as the church doth vse to geue they demanded of him whether they had any efficacy what he thought thereof who answered againe that he had written a certaine treatise of that matter what hee had wrytten in that treatise he would persist therin which was thus that he beleeued that the treasure boxe of the merits of Saints could not be distributed of the Pope to others because that treasure is not left here in earth For so it is wrytteÌ„ in the Apocalips Opera enim illoâ—um sequuntur illos c. that is their workes follow them Item that theyr merites could not be applied to other men for the satisfaction of theyr paine due vnto them and therefore that the Pope and other Prelates cannot distribute that treasure to men It was obiected to him moreouer that in the sayde his treatise he called pardons indulgences Pias fraudes fidelium that is holy fraudes and deceits of the faithful Also being demaunded what he thought of the halowing and blessings of altars chalices vestiments wax candeâ—s palmes herbes holy water and other diuine things c. Hee aunswered that they had no spirituall vertue and power in them to driue away deuils and that holye water hath no more efficacie then other water not hallowed as concerning remission of veniall sinnes and driuing away deuels and other effectes which the schoole doctours do attribute to it Item for degrees of mariage forbidden in the Scryptures he beleueth that all Christian men vnder deadly sin are bound vnto the same Item that he beleeueth that God may geue grace to a man hauing the vse of reason without all motion of Free wil. Also he thinketh that S. Paule in his conuersion dyd nothing of his owne free wil for his conuersion He beleeueth moreouer that God may geue such grace to a manne hauing the vse of reason not doing that which in hym is Item he affirmed that nothing is to be beleued which is not conteined in the Canon of the Bible Also that the elect are saued onely by the grace of God Besides al these moreouer he was charged with the old opinion of the Grecians which they dyd holde contrary to the Romaine church vnto the time of the councell of Ferraria aboue mentioned concerning the proceedyng of the holy Ghost The Wednesday next following 3 Doctours the suffragane Herwicus Iacobus Sprenger were sent vnto him with perswasions to exhort him and when he would not stand to their Canons wherby they went about to refute his doctrine he was then demanded of Herwicus why he would beleue rather the 4. Euangelists then the Gospel oâ— Nicodemns To whoÌ„ he answerd because he wold Being asked againe why he beleued the 4. Euangelists he said because he so receiued of his parents Then being demaunded why he would not beleue the Doctours because said he their doctrine is not canonical scripture Againe it was to him obiected why he would be credited himself when he preached seing he would not beleue the holy doctors To whome hee answered in this wise saying that he did preach as his duety was but whether they gaue credit to his words he did not care Thys examination being ended after these Articles were condemned by the Inquisitour his assistance then said he after this maner As you do with me if Christ himselfe were here he might be condemned as an heretike After this they sent diuers to him to haue communication with him and to perswade him sending also to him with his Articles a forme of asking pardone at length within 3. or 4. daies after hee was content to condescend vnto them and to submit himselfe to their holy mother Churche and the information of the Doctors In the boke of Orthuinus Gratius and in Paralypomena adioyned to Abbas Vrspergensis we reade these woordes wrytten of this Ioannes de Wesalia Dempto solo articulo de processione spiritus sancti in alijs videtur non ita graui censura c. That is except onely the Article of the proceeding of the holy Ghost in other Articles it semeth that he was not to be chastened with so sharpe censure if respit and space had ben geuen
Decretal De transl Epis◠cap. Quanto Do you not see there manifestly expressed how not man but God alone seperateth that which the bishop of Rome doth dissolue and seperate Wherfore if those thinges that I do be sayd to be done not of man but of God What can you make me but God Agayne if Prelates of that churche be called and counted of Constantinus for Gods I then being aboue all prelates seeme by this reason to be aboue all Gods Wherefore no maruell if it bee in my power to chaunge time and times to alter abrogate lawes to dispense with all thinges yea with y◠preceptes of Christ For where Christ biddeth Peter put vp hys sword monished his Disciples not to vse any outward force in reuenging themselues Do not I Pope Nicholaus writing to the byshops of Fraunce exhort them to drawe out theyr materiall swordes in pursuing theyr enemies and recouering their possessions setting against the precepte of Christ the Prophet saying Dissolue colligationes impietatis c Item where Christ was present himselfe at the maryage in Cana Galilea do not I pope Martinus in my distinction inhibite the spiritual clergy to be present at mariage feastes and also to mary themselues Item where matrimony by Christ cannot be losed but onely for whore dome do not I pope Gregorius Iunior writing ad Bonifacium permitte the same to be broken for impotencie or infirmitie of body Item agaynst the expresse caution of the Gospell doth not Innocentius the 4. permitte vim vi repellere Likewise against the old testament I do dispēce in not geuing tythes Itē against that new testament in swearing and that in these 6. causes Pax fama fides reuerentia cautio damni Defectus veri poscunt sibi magna caueri Wherein two kindes of othes are to be noted Whereof some be promissoria some be assertoria c. Item in vowes and that ex toto voto where as other Prelates cannot dispense ex toto a voto I can deliuer ex toto a voto lyke God himself Itē in periury if I absolue my absolutiō standeth Where also note that in al swearing alwaies the authority of the superiour is excepted Moreouer where Christ biddeth to lend without hope of gain vp not I Pope Martinus geue dipensation for the same notwithstanding the Councell of Thuron enacted the contrary yet with two Bustes I disanulled that decrement What should I speake of murder making it no murder nor homicide to slay them that be excommunicate Likewise agaynst the law of nature Item against the Apostle Also agaynst the Canons of the Apostles I can and do despense For where they in theyr Canon commaund a Priest for fornication to be deposed I thorough the authoritie of Siluester do alter the rigour of that constitution considering the mindes and bodyes also of men now to be weaker then they were then Briefly agaynst the vniuersal state of that Church I haue dispensation scilicet quando status ecclesiae non decoloratur And for mariage in the second degree of consanguinitie and affinitie In collateralibus aequali linea that is betweene the brethrens children although not in aequali linea so that the vncle may not mary hys nice vnles for an vrgent and weighty cause As for all such contractes betwixt party and party where that matrimonie is not yet consummate by carnall copulation it is but a small matter for me to dispense withall In summa if ye lyst briefly to heare the whole number of all such cases as properly do apertayne to my Papall dispensation which come to the number of one and fifty poyntes that no man may meddle with all but onely I my selfe alone I will recite them first in Latin then in Englishe as they be set forth in my Canonicall Doctours Casus Papales 51. apud Fratrem Aste sanum siue de Ast. Doctorem solemnem in summa confessionis Item apud Hostiensem De offic legat reperti his versibus comprehensi SI sit Catholicus Papam non iudicat vllus Erigit subdit Cathedras Diuidit vnit Mutat vota crucis i. votam terrae sanctae Restituit i. degradatos Eximit i. episcopos alios Ad se Maiores causae referuntur Legitimatque Promouet i. insufficientes Appellare vetat i. intrantes religionem Prohibet profiteri Deponit transsert suppletque i. defectum regi vacante regno Renunciat illi Praeful Symonia Iuramentum Excommunicatio á Papa facta exemptus Simon Iurans Anathema Vel proprium vel legati vel lex vtriusque tam Papa quam legati Tum neque participans i. soluitur papa Etsi quam sponte salutat Quem Canon damnat sibi soli quando reseruat Soluitur a Papa nec non quem regula damnat qui irrelugaritatem incurrit Addas suspensum Causam scilicet addas cum fertur ad ipsum Rescriptum i. addas fidei dubium i. pluralitatem beneficiorum Confert bona plura Irritat infectum Legem condit generalem Approbat imperium i. imperatorem firmat deponit vngit Consilium generale facit Sacrat quoque canonizat Sanctos Ens non esse facit de aliquo facit nihil non ens fore de nihilo aliquid Pallia semper Portat Concedit Legi non subiacet vlli Appellatur ad hunc medio sine i. immediate Iudiciumque Est pro lege suum de monacho non monachum facit Monachum reuocat renuentem Maius adulterio soluit generaliter i. incestum c. Arctat Et laxat quicquid sponsis nocet i. impedimentum matrimoniale Ordinat extra Tempora dando sacrum i. extra 4. tempora Promotum promouet idem Ordinat atque die qua consecratur ipse Viuentisque i. sacerdotium confert nondum vacans locum concedit Iureque priuat In signit in signia Episcopalia concedit Laico sacro donat i. decimis eximit Chrisma ministro i. praesbytero concedit infantes vngere Summa sede sedet plenusque vicarius extat Si sit Catholicus Papam non iudicat vllus Cases Papale to the number of one and fiftie wherin the Pope hath power onely to dispense and none els besides except by speciall licence from hym FIrst the determination of doubts and questions belōging to faith Translation of a bishop electe or confirmed Likewise of Abbots exempted Deposition of Bishops The taking of resignation of Bishops Exemptions of Bishops not to be vnder Archbyshops Restitution of such as be deposed from theyr order The iudiciall definition or interpretation of his owne priueledges Chaunging of Byshoprickes or dimission of Couentes c. New correction of Bishops seates or institutiō of new Religions Subiection or diuision of one Byshopricke vnder an other Dispensation for vowing to go to the holy land Dispensation for the vow of chastitie or of Religion or of holy
wicked accuser and after a martyr Nicanor one of the seuen Deacons with 2000. other martyred Ex Dorotheo in Synops Symon a Deacon martyred S. Thomas the Apostle suffered Symon Zelotes crucified Thaddeus the Apostle slayne Simon Cananeus crucified Marke the Euangelist burned Battholomew the Apostle crucified and beheaded Ex Ioan. de Monte Regals Andrew the Apostle crucified for the Gospel Ex Hieronemo in Catologo scrip Eccles. Ex Cypriano lib. De duplici Martyrio Ex Barnardo serm 2. de Sanct. Andraa The words of Andrew to the CouÌ„sell The feruencie of Andrew agaynst Idolatry The constant fayth of Andrew to the end The crosse here is not taken for the materiall crosse of wood but for the maner of death vpon the Crosse whiche death was to him welcome S. Mathew the Apostle slayne with a speare Euseb lib. 3. Cap. 24. 39. Irenaus lib. 3. cap. 1. Hiero. in catalogo script Mathias the Apostle stoned and headed Philip the Apostle crucified Ex Isido lib. de patribus noui testaÌ„ Iames Byshop of Ierusalem Fx Clemente Ex Egesippo in Commenturro Apoc. 12. Cap. 3. Luc. 23. Iosephus lib. 20. Martyrs The first x. persecutions in the primitiue Church The sondry tormentes of the holy Martyrs in the Primitiue Church Aug. de Ciuit. Lib. 22. cap. 6. The number of holy Martyrs in the primitiue Church 1 The first persecution Anno. 67. Histor. Ecclesi Lib. 2. Cap. 24.25.26 Orosius Lib. 7. Nero thought to be Antichrist S. Peter the Apostle crucified at Rome Hieron lib. Deuiris illustris This report seemeth neyther to come of Ierome not to be true in Peter Egesippus Lib. 3. De excidio Hieroso cap. 2. Abdias lib. 1. De vitae Patri Euseb. lib. 30 hist. eccle c. 30. Peters wife put to death for Christ. The wordes of Peter to hys wife goyng to death Paule the Apostle Ex Hieronimo Lib. de viris illust Saule brought vp vnder Gamaliell Saule a persecutor Saule conuerted Saulus turned to Paulus Paule sent to the Gentiles Act. 28. 2. Tim. 4. The epistles of S. Paule to viâ— Churches The Epistle to the Hebrues The Epistle to Laodicia Abdias de viris lib. 2. Paule declareth his doctrine to the Emperour The summe of Paules doctrine Paule condemned Paule suffereth A Legende miracle The story of Abdias suspected Historyes doe varry about the tyme of their Martyrdome If this be true that PrudeÌ„tius recordeth of Paule to suffer vnder Nero and the yeare after Peter then is it false which Hierome before testifieth Peter to suffer the 〈◊〉 yeare of Nero. The second persecution Anno. 69. Ex Orosio Lib. 7. The tyranny and intemporaunce of Domitian Symeon Byshop of Hierusalem crucified Iohn the Euangelist Isidorus de patribus nous Testaments Euseb. Lib. 3. Cap. 10. Histor Eccle. Anno. 97. Iohn banished Iohn released out of banishement Euseb. lib. 3. Cap. 23. Iren. Lib. 3. Clemens Alexandrinus A notable history of Iohn the Euangelist What wicked company doth A notable lesson for al ministers to seeke againe their lost sheepe O vnspeakable loue shevved out to a wicked sinner An example of the godly to flye the coÌ„pany of the wicked A Catholique question concerning auriculer confession Solutio An other Catholique question Solution Albert. super EuaÌ„gelium Missus est An other question with the solution Albert. ibidem ca. 17. S. Thomas par 3. ques 37. art 5. Flauia the daughter of a Consul banished for the testimony of christ Ex Euseb. Lib. 3. ca. 19 The Emperour maketh inquirie for all that were of Dauids stocke Dauids stocke feared of the Emperours Two Nephewes of Iude the Lordes brother preserued The kingdome of Christ not of this world The causes why the Emperours and Senate of Rome did so rage agaynst the Christians The kingdome of Christ feared of the Romaines Lex antiqua Romana contra Christianos Ex Euseb. lib. 2. cap. 21. The kingdome of Christ hated of Romaine Princes False accusations and slaunders agaynst the Christians Ex Apologiae Iustini Marty Publius Tarquinius Mamertinus persecutors Ex Iust. Mart. in 2. Apolog. The forme of inquisition agaynst the Christians in the old tyme. The cruelty of tyrauntes in killing of Christen men Ex Epist fratrum Viennensium Lugdunensium ad fratres per Asiam Phrigiam scripta Ex Nicephero Lib. 3. cap. 22. Ex Iustino Martyr in Dialogo cum Tripheo The Church increaseth by persecution Disagreement in authors touching the liues and tymes of Martyrs Linus Byshop of Rome Cletus and Anacletus both one Clement Byshop counted a Martyr The liues of Martyrs paynted out with fayned miracles Euaristus Byshoppe of Rome and martyr The decretall Epistles Nâ—uel 〈◊〉 Platina Volateran Anthropo Lib 22. Euseb. Lib. 3. Cap. 24. Alexander Byshop of Rome and Martyr Authors disagree Alexander Euentius Theodulus Hermes with hys houshold Quirinus with hys houshold Martyrs Ex Platina in vita Alexandre Saphyra Sabina Martyrs Ex Florilego The ordidinaunces of Euaristus Dist. 93. cap. Diaconi Ex Dist. 70. cap. Neminem Ibedem cap. Sanctorum Ex Dist. 93. cap. Diaconi The Institutions of Alexander Holy water first inuented De consecrat Dist 3. The mixting of water with the wine in the chalice Qui predie put in the Masse Canon The third persecution of the Church An. 100. Plinius secundus wrote to Traian to stop the persecutioÌ„ The Epistle of Plinie to Traianus The vse of Christians in the primitiue Churche The testimony of the Heathen of the Christians Two maydens racked for Christ. The aunswere of Traian to Plinies letter The stocke of Dauid feared and inquired for of the Romaine Emperours Ex Egesippo Simeon sonne of Mary Cleophas A iust punishment of God vpon the malitious accusers of the Christians The age of Simeon The death and Martyrdome of Simeon Phocas Byshop of Pontus Martyr Sulpitius 〈◊〉 Exphrofina 〈◊〉 Martyrs Sabina Martyr Ex. Suâ—ple Chr. Seraphia Nereus Achilleus Martyrs Sagaris Martyr Ignatius Martyr Anno. 111. Ex Euse. Lib. 3. Cap. 35.36 Ex Hier In catalogo Scrip. Eccles. Onesimus Pastor at Ephesus The wordes of Ignatius The straigâ—â— handling of Ignatius The notable constancy and burning zeale to Christ in this blessed martyr to be marked Ignatius denoured of wild beasts Ex Hier. Lib. de viris illust Publius Byshop of Athens Martyr Zenon with 10000. Martyrs slayne for Christ. Ex Henr. de Exfordia alijs Achaichus Heliades Theodorus Carcerius with ten thousand Martyrs Eustachius with hys wife and Children Martyred for Christ. Faustinus and Iobita Calocerius Martrys Elutherius with hys mother Anthia Martyrs Ex Nicephorâ— ex Onam â—ustus and Pastor brethren and Martyrs Symboris with her 7. Children martyred Sophia with her 3. children Martired Quadratus Byshop of Athens offereth an Apology of Christian doctrine Aristides a Philosopher of Athens defeÌ„deth before the Emperour the religion of Christ. Serenus Granius a defender of Christian Religion Euseb. lib. 4 Cap. 8. The Emperour writeth for the Christians The letter of Hadrian the Emperour to Fundanus
the constitutions decretall to magnifie the Church â—â— Rome The Epistle of Caius A great part of the Epistle of Caius taken out of the Epistle of Leo to Leo the Emperour The Epistle of Marcellinus The epistle decretall of Marcellus 24. q. 1. Regamus vn fratres In what chapter or leafe in all the Byble doth the Lord commaund the sea of Peteâ— to be translated from Antioche to Rome The church of Rome â—â—â—eth to the Church of Antioche to yeld vnto her The second Epistle of Marcellus written to Maxentius The Epistle of Marcellus to Marentius blanched The church of England gouerned by the popeâ— CanoÌ„ law without sufficient ground of antiquitie The Epistles decretall of Eusebius and Miltiades Ex Epist. Decretal Miltiades A place of the third Epistle decretall of Eusebius sound vntrue Miltiades the last Byshop of Rome being in danger of persecution The end of these persecutions in all the West Churches The persecutioÌ„ vnder Licinius Hermylus Straconicus Martyrs Theodorus Captayne Martyr Milles martyr The kinges of Persia were commonly called by the name of Sapores Persecution in Persia. Acindimus Pegacius Anempodistus Epidephorus Symeon Archbishop Cresiphon Byshop Martyrs 128. Martirs in Persia. The story of Symeon Archb. of Seleucia Ex Sozom. lib. 2. cap. 8.9.10 The worthy answere of Symeon vnto the king The constancie of Simeon The fall of Vsthazareâ— The fruite of Ecclesiasticall discipline and chastisment The repentance of Vsthazares The aunswere of Vsthazares to the king Vsthazares the kinges tuâ—or condemned to be beheaded The message of Vsthazares To the king The cause openly cryed why Vsthazares was beheaded The end and martirdome of Vsthazares The martirdome of Symeon Archb. The exhortatioÌ„ of Symeon the Archbishop to the martyrs at their death when he also hymselfe should suffer Abedecalaas Ananias Martirs The story of Pusices Martyr The free speach and boldnes of Pusices The cruell martyrdome of Pusices The daughter of Pusices Martyr A cruell edict of Sapores agaynst the Christians Innumerable martyrs in Persia Azades a noble 〈◊〉 yet Martyr The proâ—â—â—â— of God 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 Trabula 〈◊〉 her sister martyrs Trabula 〈◊〉 sister of Symâ—â—on False accusaâ—â—on rashly beleued Trabula and her sister sawne in sâ—â—der The blinde charme of the wicked Queene Example of maydenly chastitie in Trabula Ex ecclesiast Hist. Zozom lib. 2. cap. 13. Persecution agaynst the â—â—shops and teachers of the church in Peâ—sia Acepsimas byshop Martyr Iacobus Priest Martyr Example of true Christian charitie and singuler piety in Iacobus Athalâ—â— Deacon Azadanes Deacon Abdiesuâ— Deacon Martyrs This Archimagus and magi as â—onophon sayth was as order of religion among the Persians which had the greatest strâ—ke in the land next to the king The end and martirdome of Acepsimas Byshop Athalas lost the vse of both hys armes beyng pluckt from the ioyntes of his body Ex Sozo li. â— cap. 13. ex Nicepho Lib. 8. cap. 17. Barbasimes Paulus Gaddiabes Sabinus Mareas Mocius Iohannes Hormisdas Papas Iacobus Romas Maares Agas Bochres Abdas Abiesus Ioannes Abramius Agdelas Sabores Isaac Dausaâ— Bicoâ— Maureanda with 250. other martirs The number of the martirs that suffered in Persia were 16. thousand Constantinus the Emperour writeth to the king of Persia in the behalfe of the afflicted Christians The copy and effect of the Epistle of Constantine Sapores Of this Galienus and Valerianus read the pag. 75. The generall care of godly Constantinus for all christians in all places Other forrayne persecutions in Persia. Andas Byshop martir The story of Hormisda Martyr Ex Theodor. Lib. 5. cap. 39. The faythfull constancie of Hormisda Hormisda banished the country of Persia. Suenes Martir The constancy of Suenes The story of Beniamin Deacon and Martyr Beniamin tormented The martirdome of Beniamin The martirs vnder Iulianus Apostata Aemilianus Domitius Martyrs The story of Theodorus Martyr Ruff. Lib. 5. cap. 36. Theodor. lib. 3. cap. 11. Zozom lib. 5. Cap. 10. A miracle to be noted Artemius Martyr Eusebius Nestabus brethren Nestor Martirs Eupsychius with other men of Cesarâ—a martyr Miserable crueltie agaynst the Christian virgins of Arethusia The people made to be pluckt from their olde customes though it be neuer so wicked The story of Marcus Arethusius The true conscience of Marcus Arthusius Great cruelty shewed Couetousnes the cause of cruelty A notable saying Hierony in Aba cap. 1. The wicked in this world doe most florish and preuayle Persecution commeth by no chaunce Persecution of Gods people prefigured and forewarned of God The Churche forewarned of Christ by speciall reuelation in the Apoc. The beast 〈◊〉 the Apoc. expounded 42. montheâ— in the Apoc. cap. 13. expounded The beast had power to make 42. monthes The persecuting tyme of the primitiue Church vnder the beâ—â— lasted 300. yeares The Israelites 300. yeares 1 MCCLX Reuelation 11.12 2 Three dayes and a halfe Reuela cap. 11. 3 A time tymes and halfe a time Reuela cap. 12. 4 Xlii. monethes or 3. yeares and a halfe Reuel cap. 11. Ezech. cap. 47. The persecuted Israelites bearing a figure of the persecuted Church of Christ. From the first persecution of the primitiue Church to the last persecution 294. yeares Vniuersall persecution ceaseth for a 1000. yeares in the Church Apoc. 10. From the tyme of Licâ—â—â—us to Wirkliffe 1000. yeares Sathan bound vp for a thousand yeares The time of Sathans binding opened Doxologia The good quallities of Constantinus The cause of all hys prosperous successe Constantine sometime by meanâ—s of hyâ— wife was an Idolater Euseb. lib. 4. de vita Constant. The common saying of Constantinus August contra Crescon epist. 49.50 The raygne of Constantinus The effect of some of hys constitutions Euseb. Lib. 10. cap. 5. The law of nature made perfect compared with the knowledge of God Lithernes the nurse of ignoraunce and ignoraunce the enemy to wisedome Tyranny depriueth Emperours Bloudy tyrantes make ciuile warres Apollo gaue answere out of a caue in the ground that he was disquyeted by the Christians The 〈◊〉 geuen for to be 〈◊〉 vpon malefactoâ— A great â—â—â—mendation of the christians The earth bewayled the martyr deathes The authors of all mischiefe punished Apollo lying oracles the cause of so many martirs deathes Constant. prayer Constant. Fayth confirmed by the myracles of the crosse The clemâ—â—â—cy of a good Emperour A good iudgement One religion from the beginning of the world The prayer of Constantine was fulfilled Ech thing in their creation preach the very and true God The earth stayd vp by the power of God Who they be that Constant. accompteth wise in deede Experience a tryall of the truth Constantinus neyther for feare dissembleth hys fayth neyther through pollicye defaceth Gods glory Constantinus compared to Moses in deliuiring the people and agreeing them together The letter of Constantinus to Aâ—ilinus hys captayne Another letter of Constantine to Aâ—ilinus The contempt of gods religion chiefest decay of common weales An other letter of Constantine to Miltiades Byshop of Rome The
fruites for 2. yeares graunted to the kyng Ex vetusto Chronico Albanensi A parliament in Fraunce assembled wherein is discussed the iurisdiction ecclesiastical how farre it extendeth Anno. 1329. The letter of Philip king of Fraunce to the byshops prelates The Parliament conuented Lord Peter speakes in the Parliament The theaâ—e of his oration The oration deuided in two partes Obedience to the kyng Difference betweene the iurisdiction of the state temporall and ecclesiasticall Articles in the Parliament propounded contayning the iust complaints of the laitie against the clergie Causes real Prelates intermedle in temporall mens matters Ex Officio Imprisonment pertaineth not to the Clergie Action reall personall No maÌ„ may appeale froÌ„ a spirituall iudge to the temporall law by the Popes diuinitie Deanes of the Clergie Maryed clear Gynnes to gâ—â— money Resortum The clergie preiudiciall to common iustice Ex Officio Vsury craftely obiected by the clergie against laye men The prelates make the church a denne of theeues Note the practise of officials to get money B. Eduen and Archb. of Seâ—â—â— elect Prolocutor for prelates Repetition of the L. Peters oration aboue touched page 358. Luke 22. Math. 17. Two gifts giue Priesthood Empyre Prouerb 22. Dif 10. 1. Peter 2. Actes 5. 2. Mach 7. 11. quast 1. Feare of God staÌ„deth in three pointes Num. 18. 1. Paral. cap. vlt. What benefite commeth by geuing to the church Luke 6. Time of warre 1. Mach. 3. Exod. 17. 2. Mach. Time of peace Prouerb 16. 1. Esdras 6. Eccle. 2. The 2. part of fearing God Hebr. 12. Honouring of spirituâ—â—â— fathers 4. Keg 6. Luke 10. 1. Thess. 4. 11. q. cap. â— Sacerdâ—â—â—bus Exod. 22. Malach. 2. Honour to be giuen to priestes Two powers temporall and spirituall and what difference betwene them both De mai obed cap. Solit. Double subiection vpon merite of vertue and vpon duetie of necessitie The authoritie of a byshop and a king compared The pride of the prelacye Siâ—upekings Eccle. 4. Eccle. 4. The third part of fearing God Eccle. 18. A thing made myne diuers wayes 6. Proofes 1. Diuine lawe 2. by the law of nature 3. by canon lawe 4. by ciuill lawe 5. by custom 6. by priuiledge Formes being dislike not contrary may be compatible in one subiect Proofes out of the olde Testament Melchisedech was both kyng and Priest Ergo the P. may haue both iurisdictions Gene. 14. Deut. 17. Samuell was iudge in temporall matters Ergo the Pope may haue both iurisdictions 1. Mach. â— Ierem. 1. Proofes taken out of the new Testament Apoc. 19. Christ by his humaine nature had both powers Psal. 8. Hebr. 2. Phil. 2. Act. 10. Acts. 5. Math. 8. Omnia terminus distributiuus Luke 22. 1. Cor. 6. 22. q. 1. cap. futuram Esay 13. Probation by ciuil lawe and reason 1. Peter 2. Probation by the Canon lawe Custome Iudicium contradictorium Three things pertayning to prescription 1. Titulus 2. bonafides 3. TemporiÌ„s continuatio Ius fisci The church not subiect to the kyng Obiection Answere The French 〈◊〉 more blessed then other in 3 thinges 1. Faith to God 2 Honour to the Church 3. Iustice to the people 5. thinges doth nobilate the realme of Fraunce The bloud of Fraunce came out of Priamus king of Troy 1. Reg. 2.1 Daniel 5. Ambrose in case denieth to obey the Emperour 3. Reg. 21. Nabaoth denyeth to the kyng his Vineyard Gene. 48. Math. 17. Offence how it ought to be auoyded Rom. 14. Math. 16. The 3. note of the feare of God Eccle. 15. Honour of the kyng Eccle. 10. Two kinde of honour Math. 17. Double honour with lippes and with heart A prince â—â—ther to be beloued 〈◊〉 feared Seneca de clementia ad Gerâ—â—â—â— A sentence Prouerb 22 In alteration what is to be coÌ„sidered 3. Reg. 11. Math. 20. 25. Quaestâ—â—â— cap. Si. Marke here a fable A dreaming fable Iohn 8. Eccle. 4. Rom. 11. Who honoreth the K. Prouer. 22. Conscience and good name Eccle. 4. 24. q. 5 cap. Regnum Eccle. 37. Eccle. 3. The 4. honoring of the kyng Mat. 6. 1. Reg. 15. The oth of the French kinges Aâ—g by the possessions of the church many brethren and kinsmen of the nobles be maintayned Ergo such possessions are not to be grudged at To beleeue in the Church is not in our faith 1. Reg. 21. To the bill of articles exhibited An other dayes sitting in the parliament Bishop of Eduen againe speaketh Math. 12. Marke 12. 11. q. 1. cap. 1. 2. 22. q. 4. cap. Si vero Math. 26. Why Christ payd tribute 16. Dist. cap. Constantiâ—â—â— 35. Dist. cap. ab exordio Eccle. 6. Speciall answeres to the articles premised by B. Eduen An other dayes sitting in the Parliament â—â— Dist. cap. sum ad vetum Shauing of Priestes crownes wherefore 11. quest 2. The B. findeth fault with the kings answere The gentle answere of the king to Bishope The finall answere of the kyng to the Prelates Notes vpon the bishops answerâ— Pag. 36â— col 2. Feare of God consisting in three thinges 1. In geuing 2. In honoring 3. In restoring Honour to the kyng double In word flattering in deede effectuall Honour effectuall standeth in foure pointes 1. in maintayning the kings loue 2. in maintayning his dignitie 3. in maintayning his good name 4. in maintayning his conscience Pag. 361. col 2. Pag. 361. col 2. Religio peperit diuitias nunc filia deuorauit matrem 4. incommodities that come in geuing to the church Pag. 361. col 2. 3. Things to be noted in offering to God and to the church Rom. 12. Pag. 361. col 1. Pag. 362. col 1. 1. Tim. 5. 2. Things â—â— be noted â— geuing honour whâ—â—in consiâ—â—â— honour geuing to Priestes 1. Tim. 5. Titus 2. Qui benè praesunt How far honour giuen to priestes extendeth Marke 7. Pag. 362. col 1. Tit. 2. Pag. 362. col 1. 2. formes not contrary maybe compatible in one subiect Pag. 363. col 1. Rom. 13. Pag. 363. col 1. Noe was a priest and had both iurisdiction in the Arke Pag. 363. col 1. A. Pag. 363. col B. Page 363. col 1. C. Pag. 363. col 1. D. E. Pag. 363. col 1. Pag. 364. col 1. Pag. 364. col 1. Pag. 364. col 1. Anno. 1307. The sicknes and death of K Edward Godly lessoÌ„s and precepts geuen to the yong prince The kyng coÌ„maundeth his bones to be caryed in the field against the Scottes The fatherly care of kyng Edward in excluding wicked coÌ„pany froÌ„ his sonne A rashe vow of kyng Edward The kyngs heart to be carâ—ed to the holy land The Epitaph of kyng Edward King Edward the second Anno. 1308. King Edward led by wicked counsaile Peter Gaueston or Gauerston a wicked doer about the kyng Anno. 1310. Peter Gaueston The vnordinate affection of the kyng to Peter Gaueston The pride of Peter Gaueston Peter Gaueston spoileth the kynges treasure The queene complaineth to the freÌ„ch kyng her Father of Peter Gaueston Gaueston againe
Iacob Vikyll Iuchell All which kings after they had geuen their fidelitie to Edgar the next day following for a pompe or royaltie he entred with these aforesaid kings into the riuer of Dee Where he sitting in a boate tooke the rule of the helme and caused these 8. kings euery person taking an ore in hys hand to row him vp and downe the riuer to and from the Church of S. Iohn vnto his palace agayne in token that he was maister and Lord of so many prouinces whereupō he is reported to haue sayd in this maner Tunc demum posse successores suos gloriari se Reges Angliae esse cum tanta praerogatiua honorum fruerētur But in my mynd this king had sayd much better if he had rather said with S. Paule Absit mihi gloriari nisi in cruce Domini nostri Iesu Christi And thus ye haue heard hetherto touching the cōmendation of king Edgar such reportes as the old Monkish writers thought to bestow vpon him as vpon the great patron of their monkish religion who had builded so many monasteries for them as were Sondayes in the yeare as some say or as Edmer reporteth but 48. Now on the other side what vices in him were raigning let vs likewise consider according as we find in the sayd authors described which most write to his aduancement Wherof the first vice is noted to be crueltie as well vpon others as namely vpon a certaine Erle being of his secret counsaile called Ethelwold The story is this Ordgarus Duke of Deuonshire had a certaine daughter named Elfrida whose beautie beyng highly commended to the king he being inflamed therwith sent this foresaid Ethelwold whom he especially trusted to the partie to see and to bring him word againe if her beautie were such as was reported willing him also to make the match betwene them Ethelwold wel viewing the partie and seing her beautie nothing inferior to her fame and thinking first to serue his owne turne tolde all things contrary to the king Wherupon the king withdrawing his mynd otherwise in the ende it came to passe that Ethelwold hymselfe did marry her Not long after the king vnderstanding further by the complaints and rumors of certayne how he was preuented and beguiled set a faire face vpon the matter before Ethelwold and merily iesting with hym tolde hym how he would come and see his wyfe in deed appointed the day when he would be there Ethelwold the husband perceauing this matter to go hardly with hym made hast to hys wife declaring to her the comming of the king and also opening the whole order of the matter how he had done desired her of all loue as she would saue his life to disgrace deforme her selfe with garmentes and such attyre as the king might take no delighting in her Elfrida hearing this what did she but contrary to the request of her husband promise of a wife against the kings commyng trimmed her selfe at the glasse decked her in her best aray Whom when the king beheld he was not so much enamoured with her as in hatred with her husband who had so deceaued him Wherupon the king shortly after making as though he would goe to hunt in the forest of Harwood sent for Ethelwold to come to him vnder the pretence of huntyng there ran him thorow and slew him After this the bastard sonne of Ethelwold comming to him the king asked hym how he liked that hunting Who aunswered againe that which pleaseth the king ought not to displease him For the death of which Ethelwold Elfrida afterward builded a Monastery of Nunnes in remission of sinnes An other fault which Malmesbury noteth in hym was the comming in of strangers into this land as Saxones Flemmings Danes whome he with great familiaritie retained to the great detriment of this land as the forsaid story of Malmesbury recordeth whose wordes be these Vndè factum est vt fama eius per ora omnium volitante alienigenae Saxones Flandritae ipsi etiam Dani huc frequenter annauigarent Edgaro familiares effecti quo rum aduentus magnū prouincialibus detrimentum peperit Inde meritò iureque reprehendunt eum literae c. That is wherby it happened that diuers straungers out of foraine countreys allured by hys fame came into the land as Saxones Flemmings and Danes also all which he retained with great familiaritie The comming of which straungers wrought great dammage to the realme and therfore is Edgar iustly blamed in stories c. with the which reprehension all the Saxone stories also do agree The third vice to him obiected was his incontinent lasciuious lust in deflouring maides as first of a Dukes daughter being a Nūne and a virgin named Wilfrida or Wilftrude of which Wilfride was borne Editha a bastard daughter of Edgar Also of an other certaine virgin in the town of Audeuar who was priuily conueied into his bed by this meanes The lasciuious king commyng to Andeuar not farre from Winchester and thinking to haue his pleasure of a certayne Dukes daughter of whose beautie he heard much speaking commaunded the mayde to bee brought vnto him The mother of the virgine grieued to haue her daughter made a concubine secretly by night cōueyed to the kings bed in stead of her daughter an other mayden of beauty and fauour not vncomely who in the morning rising to her worke and so beyng known of the king what she was had graunted vnto her of the king such libertie and freedome that of a seruant she was made mistresse both to her maister and also to her mistresse Ex Mat. Paris lib. de Regib An other concubine he had also besides these aforesaid which was Egelfleda or Elfleda called Candida the white daughter of duke Ordinere as Guliel Malmesb. recordeth she beyng also a professed Nunne of whom he begot Edward in bastardy For the which he was enioined by Dūstane 7. yeares penance After which penance beyng complete then he tooke to him a lawfull wyfe as Malmesbury sayth Elfritha the mother of Edmund and Ethelred or otherwise called Egelred whereof more shall be sayd the Lord willing hereafter Ouer and besides all these vices noted and obiected to king Edgar in our monkish storywriters I also obserue another no lesse or rather greater vice then the other afore recited which was blynd superstition and idolatrous mōkery brought into the church of Christ with the wrongfull expulsing of lawful maried priests out of their houses Whereupon what inconueniences ensued after in this realm especially in the house of the Lord I leaue it to the consideration of them which haue heard of the detestable enormities of these religious votaries The occasiō wherof first and chiefly began in this Edgar through the instigation of Dunstane and his fellowes who after they had inueigled the kyng had brought him to their purpose they caused him to call a Councell of the Clergy where
vnto the Councelles whereby we do say that the generall Councell doth represent the vniuersall Church Wherefore the lawes and decrees of the Councell are called the lawes of the Churche for that the Church doth not set foorth any lawes in any other place then in the general councell except we will call the Popes cōstitutions the lawes of the church which can not be properly said but of the Councel whereas albeit all those which are of the church do not assemble and come together yet the most part of them are accustomed to be there present and in those whiche come the whole power of the Church doth consist Wherupon we read in the Acts of the Apostles It pleased the Apostles and Elders with all the Church For albeit that al the faithfull were not there present because a great nūber of them remained at Antioche yet notwithstanding it was called the whole Church because the whole power of the Church consisted in the coūcell Thus for this present it is sufficient that we vnderstand by the Church the generall Councell And nowe to returne vnto our purpose lette vs heare what our Sauiour sayeth vnto Peter If thy brother doe offend against thee vnto this text folowing tell it vnto the church and let vs vnderstand the Councel by the Church Who is greater in thys place hee whych is sent vnto the Councel or the Councel whereunto Peter was sent The uevity doth remit the Byshop of Rome vnto the generall Coūcell And why so verely because the bishops of Rome should not disdaine to acknowledge some power in earth to be aboue them the which they should consult withall in matters of importaunce and agree vnto the determinations thereof Whereupon Peter is also called by an other name Symon the which as Rabanus in hys Homilies wryteth is interpreted in the Hebrew tounge obedience that all men might vnderstande obedience to be necessary euen in the Bishop of Rome The authority of the Councel of Constance might suffice vs in this poynte but we thinke it good to stay a little vpon thys matter to leaue no place open for our aduersaries which whilest they goe about to maintaine the vnsatiable wilfulnes of oue man preferring a priuate wealth before a commō commodity is it incredible how great errors they doe stirre vp Against the which besides many other Zacharias bishop of Chalcedon a man both famous and eloquent did earnestly strine who in the great and sacred Synode of Chaleedon when as the sentence of the B. of Rome was obiected vnto him that the Canon of Pope Nicholas and other Patriarkes was aboue the Councell he replied against it And Zosimus the Pope sayth thus as touching the decrees of the general Councel the authority of this seat cannot make or alter any thing contrary to the decrees of the fathers Neither doth he heare speake of the decrees of the fathers which are dispersed abroad in cities or wildernesse for they do not binde the Pope but of them which are made and published by the fathers in the generall Councell For the more manifest declaration whereof the words of pope Leo the most eloquent of all the bishops of Rome are here to be annexed who wrote vnto Anatholius that the decrees of the Councel of Nice are in no part to be violate and broken thereby as it were excluding himselfe and the high Patriarke The authoritie also of Damasus vppon thys sentence is more manifest wryting vnto Aurelius the Archbish. as Isidorus declareth in the booke of Councels whose worthy saying as touching the authority of the synode is thys That they which are not cōpelled of necessity but of theyr owne wil either frowardly do any thing either presume to do any thing or willingly consent vnto those which wold do any thing contrary and against the sacred Canons they are worthely thought and iudged to blaspheme the holy ghost Of the which blasphemy whether Gabriel whyche calleth himselfe Eugenius be presently partaker let them iudge which haue heard him say that it is so farre from his office and duety to obey the general Councels that he saith he doeth then best merite and deserue when as he contemneth the decrees of the Coūcel Damasus addeth yet moreouer For this purpose sayeth he the rules of the sacred canons which are consecrated by the spirite of God and the reuerence of the whole world are faithfully to be knowne and vnderstand of vs and diligently looked vpon that by no meanes wythout a necessitye which cannot be eschued which God forbid we do transgresse of the decrees of the holy fathers Notwithstanding we daily see in al the Popes Bulles and letters these woordes Non obstante that is to say notwithstandin which no other necessitie hath brought in then onely vnsatiable desire of gathering of mony But let them take heede to these things whych be the authours thereof But now to returne againe vnto Damasus mention is made in the Epistles of Ambrose bishop of Millaine of a certaine Epistle which is laid to be writtē by Damasus vnto the iudges deputed by the Councel of Capua where he declareth that it is not his office to meddle with any matter which hath ben before the Councell By the which saying he doth manifestly reproue all those which affirme and say the Byshop of Rome to be aboue the Councell The which if it were true Damasus might haue taken into his handes the cause of Bonosius the Byshop to determine which was before begon by the Councell but for somuche as the Councell is aboue the Pope Damasus knewe hymself to be prohibited Wherupon Hilarius also acknowledging the Sinode to be aboue him would haue his decrees confirmed by the Councell Also the famous Doctour S. Augustine in his Epistle whych hee did wryte vnto Glorius Eleusius and Felix the Gramarian declareth the case Cecilianus the Byshoppe was accused by Donatus wyth others Melchiades the pope with certaine other bishops absolued Cecilian and confirmed him in hys bishopricke They being mooued wyth those doinges made a schisme in the partes of Africa S. Augustine reprooueth them which hauing an other remedy against the sentence of the Pope did raise a schisme and doth mucy against them in this maner Behold let vs thinke those Bishops which gaue iudgemēt at Rome not to haue ben good iudges ther remained yet the iudgemēt of the uniuersall church where as the cause might haue ben pleaded euen with the iudges themselues so that if they were conuict not to haue geuen iust iudgement their sentence might be broken Wherby it appeareth that not only the sentence of the Pope alone but also the Pope wyth hys Byshops ioyned with him might be made frustrate by the Councell for the full iudgement of the uniuersall Church is not founde elswhere then in the generall Councell Let not any manne doubt in that S. Augustine seemeth here onely to speake of Byshops for if the text of hys Epistle be
DispensatioÌ„ from Pope Alexander to forsake his first wife and to marry an other Ludouicus Vladislaus sonne king of Hungary Boheme Warre betwene Charles Duke of Burgoyne Fredericke the Emperour Anno. 1475. Charles Duke of Burgoyne slaine in warre Anno. 1477. Mary daughter of Charles of Burgoyne maried to MaximiliaÌ„ Warre dissention among Christen princeâ— The discord of Christians scourged by the Turkes Discord and dissention in the Church noted Ambition auarice of the church of Rome Ex Rapulario Henrici Token The sea of Rome is turned into an Oceane that haâ—â— no bottome What a million is Concilium Bituriense Pragmatica Sanctio Ex loan Maria Belga de Schismat Conciliis cap. 24. Pope pius laboreth that Pragmatica Sanctio should be abolished The counsaile of Paris appealeth from the pope to the generall Councell Vid. supra pag. 670. The complaint of the Germaines to the Emperour for helpe and ayde against the oppression of the Pope Fredericke made the Germaines twise subiect vnto the Pope Frid. Albertus his brother and Sigismundus striue for the dukedome of Austria Warre betwene Franciscus Sfortia and the Venetians about Millaine Warre betwene Lewes the French king and the citie of Millaine Iohn a Notherde of Franconia Martyr Anno. 1476. Iohn de Wesailia persecuted Anno. 1479. The articles and opinioÌ„s of Iohn de Wesalia Free will nothing Prelates haue no more power ouer scriptures then other men Extreme vnction reproued Against the primacy of the Pope Iohn de Wesalia brought before the prelates The Inquisitour speaketh The answer of Wesalianus reasonable The cruell proceeding of the Inquisitour The greater cause of the Pope described Scio. Credo His opinion of the sacrament His opinion of Monkes and Nunnes The vowe of chastitie Mortall sinne founnd by the Pope beside that which is expressed to be mortall in the scripture What is this article but to make the Pope a god Christ left no vicar in earthe Pardons and indulgences be of no effect The treasure of saintes merites is not in earth This saying waâ— taken out of one Cantor Pariensis which was went to say thaâ— pardoÌ„s were holy decertes because that laye men there were prouoked by naughtie decerteâ— to geue good almes Degrees â—nscripture forbidden to marry Nothing to be beleued but which is in scripture conteyned The Church geueth witnes who were the writers of the scripture but hath no authoritie aboue that which is writteÌ„ By this inquisition Christ himselfe might be condemned Ex Orth. Grat. Ex Paralip Abat Vrsper Discorde betwixt Reals Nominals Ex Orth. Grat. Doct. Iohn de Wesalia reuoketh his opinioÌ„s Albert duke of Saxonie called Dextra manus imperis Albert Marques of Brandenburg called Achilles Germanicus Anno. 1484. The abhomination of Pope Sixtus Ex Declamatione Agrippa ad Lonanienses The warres of Pope Sixtus Ex Ioan. Laziardo lib. Historia Vniuersalii cap. 284. A large gift of the Pope to the begging Friers Alanus author of our Ladies Psalter Then had the blessed virgine Mary two husbandes An olde knaue to sucke his wiues brest The detestable impietie and blasphemie of the popishe lying religion Mendacem memorem esse oportet Ex Latinâ— Codice impresso cui tituluit Rosasea Maria Corona The death of Pope Sixtus 4. Here endeth Platina The death of king Edward 4. Anno. 1483. Burdet Tyranny in miscoÌ„string a mans wordes The lawes of the realme misconstred for the princes pleasure K. Edward 5 Eccle. 10. Vaepuero regi in suo regno Richard Duke of Glocester made protectour The young king committed to Duke of Gloucester The Duke of Buckingham a great doer for the protectour Both king Edwardes children in the possessioÌ„ of the protectour The deuelisliâ— protectour picketh quarelles The Queene Shores wife falsely accused of the protector to bewitch his arme Adultery punished of God Murder iustly punished of god L. Hastings arrested for a traytour L. Stanley wounded B. Morton The tyranny of the protectour The L. Hastings beheaded The beastly protectour accuseth his owne mother Doct. Shawes impudent sermoÌ„ at Paules crosse Sap. 4. Example for all flattering preachers to bâ—ware The Duke of Buckingham an other minister for the protectours furie The Duke of Buckingham speaketh for the protectour in the Guildhall An hard thing to make the tongue speake against the hart A stolne consent in the Guild-hall Fye of hipocrisie The hypocrisie of the protector denying the crowne thrise before he would take it King Richard 3. vsurper King Richard crowned The truth of Robert Brabenbury to his prince Iames Tyrel I. Dighton Miles Iorest cruell traytors and murtherers of their Prince YouÌ„g princes The 2. children of king Edward murdered The iust punishmeÌ„t of God vpoÌ„ the minderers of them two The punishment of God vpon K. Richard The punishmeÌ„t of God vpon the Duke of BuckinghaÌ„ Doct. Shaw and Doct. Pinkie two flattering preachers Gods iudgement vpon flattering preachers The first motion of ioyning the two houses Yorke and Lancaster togeather Earle Henry maketh preparation toward his iourney The arriuing of Henry Earle of RichmoÌ„d in Wales K. Richad gathered his power to encounter with Earle Henry K. Richard taketh the field of Bolworth This Lord Stanley was he which was hurt at the Tower when the L. Hastings was arested vide pag. 727. Bosworth field The history of Sir Tho. More word â—or word taken out of Polid. Virg. W. Brandon Charles Brandon The death of king Richard Duke of Northfolke slaine Lord Tho. Haward Earle of Surrey aduaunced by K. Henry 7. K. Richards sonne punished for the wickednes of his father K. Richard proposed to marry Elizabeth his brothers daughter L. Stanley husband to K. Henries mother forsooke k. Richard The L. Strange meruelously preserued The shamefull tossing of king Richardes dead Corpes Anno. 1485. King Henry 9. K. Henry marieth with Elizabeth The two houses of Yorke and Lancaster ioyned together Anno. 1486. Maximilianus Emperour The reigne and death of Fridericus Emperour Anno. 1494. Maximilian marieth the Duches of Burgoyne This Mary was neece to king Edward 4. The learning of Maximilian coÌ„mended Maximilian writer of his owne stories Ex leaÌ„ Carione Maximilian first ordeiner of the vnyuersitie of Wittenberg Learned meÌ„ begin to grow in Christendome Doct. Weselus Groningensis Weselus called Lux Mundi The doctrine of Weselus Groningensis Ex lib. D. Weseli De sacrameÌ„to peniteÌ„tia The Popes supremacie written against Ex Epist. cuinsilam in opere Weseli Christes aunswere to Tho. de Corselis touching this place Quicquid ligaueris Not what so euer is said to be loosed in earth is loosed in heauen but whatsoeuer is loosed in very deede in earth that is also loosed in deede in heauen Against tiches in the Church The preceptes of the Pope prelates how they binde The Popes keyes Vowes Doctrine not to be receaued without examinatioÌ„ Excommunication Ex Nouiomago A prophesie of Weselus This Oftendorpius was a man well learned and Canon of the minster of Lubecke Here it appeareth that
this R. Agricola was of good iudgement though the Friers after ward buried him in a Friers weede Rodol Agricola Weselus lamenteth the darcknes of the Church Anno. 1464. Ioane Boughton mother to the lady Young martir Anno. 1497. Richard Milderale Iames Sturdye Hugh Glouer Foure other beare fagots Anno. 1498. A priest burnt Babram brent in Northfolke Martir An olde man burned Anno. 1499. Hieronimus Sauonarola with two fryers Martirs Prophesie of Hie. Sauonarola against Italy Pope Aleâ—â—deâ— besieged by Charles the Freâ—â—ch Lâ—â—g Sauonaroâ—â—â— ted to appeaâ—â— before the Pope The doctrine of Sauonarola condemned because he would not come before the Pope Sauonarola preacheth contrary to the Popes commauÌ„dement Hieron with â—â— other Friers coÌ„mitted to 〈◊〉 The comâ—â—â—â— rie of Hierome Sauon vpon the Psalme beginning In te domine speraui Articles obiected against Hierome the two Fryers The prophesies of Hierome Sauonarola Ex Ioan. Francis Mirandula Ex Marsilio Ficino Ex Philip. Cominca The complaintes of the Germaines against the Popes greuances renued Ten greuances complayned of by the Germaines Remedies against the â—â—nclayde greeuances The Archbishops Palle of MeÌ„tz what it cosâ—eth The Popes palle dearely bought The people polled for the popes Palle Aboue 50. Byshopricks in Germany The Emperour aduertised of the subtill practises of the pope and popish prelates The popes pretence of building S. Peters church in Rome A supplication or exhortation to Maximilian Emper for redresse of the church No man to haue two Canonships or prebeÌ„ds at once Pope Alexander 6. The pope poyloneth Gemes the turks brother beyng committed to his custodie Ex Paul Iouio lib. 2. lib 5. Ex Hieronym Mario The Pope setteth the great turke against the French K. Ex Seb. Munstero lib. 4. Cosmograph Mancinellus writing against the wickednes of the pope loste hys handes and tongue Poyson requited with poyson The high Angel of the poper pallace throwne Pope Pius 3. Pope Iulius 2. The popes law geueth leaue to kyll all that be accursed of him The warres and bloudshed of pope Iulius 2. The pope periured A councell called to depose pope Iulius The Pragmaticall Sanction established mentioned before pag. 674. No vniust excommunication to be feared The turkes doing requisite to be knowen of Christians The first cause The seconde cause The third cause The fourth cause The fift cause Admonition to fight against the turke Christian fayth necessary to be ioyned with outward force against the turk Gratis venum â—atiâ—stis gratis â—eâ—imemini Elai 52. Omnes sâ—tientes venite ad aquas emite absque argento et commutatione Elai 55. Reformation of religion requisite before we fight with the turkes Faith getteth victory The sixt cause Earnest inuocation necessary in the Church of Christ. 2. thess 2. The place of S. Paule expounded 2. thess 2. speaking of the defection to come The number of the Apocalips cap. 13. expounded An other place Apocal. 16. Et sextus Angelus effudit phialam suam c. The time of Mahumete the false prophet expounded The number of the beast in the Apo. cap. 13. Mahumet of the stocke of the Ismalites dwelling in Arabia The prodigious lyes blasphemies of Mahumets Alchoran Mahumetes Alchoran mingled with diuers lawes The numeration of the Apoc. 666. Damascus subdued of the Saracens Mahumet put to flight by Cosroes kyng of the Persians Hierusalem beâ—ieged Cesaria got of the Saracens The kyngdome of the Persians subdued to the SaraceÌ„s Arabia Palestina Phenicia Syria Egypt and Persia subdued of the Saracens Constance the Emperour ouercome by the Saracens Murder coÌ„monly prospereth not with the Lord. Rhodes spoyled of the SaraceÌ„s Sultanes first called The first rysing of the turkes The turkes dominions parted into 4. familyes The dissensention of the Christians do make the turkes so strong No impeâ—lall countrie in all the turkish dominions The description of the turkes vnordinate Empyre Ezech. 39. Apoc. 20. The Christen kingdomes and churches destroyed by the turkes are a warning for vs whom God hath yet spared Foure principall families of the turke The family of Ottomannus Ottomannus the first Emperour of the Turkes Inward warre amonge the Turkes The comming vp of OttomaÌ„nus Bithinia Natolia Ancyra Sinope Sebastia subdued Ezech. 38. Orchanes the second Emperour of the Turkes after Ottomannus Mysia Lydia Lycaonia Phrigia Caria Prusia Nicia Nicomedia Christen Cities subdued of the Turkes Ciuil warre among the Grecians By the discorde of Christians the Turkes encrease Amurathes the third â—â—â—ter Ottomannus Amurathes seeketh occasion to inâ—ade Europe The first comming of the Turke into Europe The couetousnes of Christians brought ouer the Turkes Callipolis Philippolis Adrianopolis Thracia gotten of the Turkes The Turkes entreth into Mysia and Bulgaria and Seruâ—a Lazarus Despota ouercome of the Turkes Example of a faythfull seruant The death of Amurathes Baiazetes the 4. after Ottomannus Marcus Despota slayne of the Turke Seruia Macedonia Bulgaria Phocides Thracia Attica Thessalia with other Christian couÌ„tries cóquered of the Turkes Constantinople besieged 8. yeares by the Turkes The Christians ouerthrowen of the Turkes Sigismund Emperour put to flight The barbarous cruelty of the turks against the Christians Tamerlanes a Parthian stirred vp of God to reuenge the cause of the Christians Baiazetes sonne taken and slaine Cruelty iustly reuenged with cruelty Baiazetes raiseth hys siege from Constantinople Baiazetes ouercome of Tamerlanes king of Parthians The iust haÌ„d of God vpoÌ„ a cruell persecutour Baiazetes made for a blocke for Tamerlanes to get vpon his horse Viâ—d supra pag. 73. The great victories of Tamerlanes in Asia Ex Seb. MuÌ„stero lib. 4. Cosmograph Tanais is the vttermost floud in the North side and Nilus the vttermost floud in the South side of Asia A generation of Vipers Calepinus the fift after Ottomannus Vide supra pag. 7â—9 The ouerthrow of Sigismund fighting agaynst the Turke Some stories record this coÌ„flict to be after the time of thys Turke Orchanes and Moses his vncle Diuersitie in hystories Tirany betwene vncle and nephew Murther reuenged with murther Mahometes the 7. after OttomaÌ„nus Wallachia assaulted by Mahometes The Turkes seat at Adrianopolis Vide supra pag. 719. Amurathes the 8. after Ottomannus Mustaphas murthered by Amurathes his nephew The turke murthereth his brother Amurathes set against the Grecians Thracia subdued to the turke Thessalonica subdued The defection spoken of Saint Paule declared 2. Thess. 2. Ioannes Castriotus Croia geuen to â—â— turke 〈◊〉 sonnes of â—â—â—triotus hostages with the turke Georgius Scanderbeius Alexder the great The valiant Actes of Georgius Scanderbeius * Georgius Scáderbeius stealeth away from the turke to hys countrey Croâ—ia recouered Epyrus and Macedonia recoueâ—â—d from the turke The valiaunt aâ—â—es of Georgâ—us Scanderbeiâ—â—â— against the turkes Illiâ—leâ— or Selauonia Dalmatia Croatia Istria Liburnia Albania Bosna spoyled and wasted by the turke Georgius Despota prince of Seruia An vngodly graunt of a Christen father to Marye hys daughter to the turke Scopia Sophia NouomoÌ„te Mysia subdued of the turke Georgius Despota fled