the beginning or Prologue of the Booke the sayde writer maketh mention of the ruinous walles of the towne of Verolamium containing the storye of Albanus and of his bitter punishments which walles were then falling downe for age at the wryting of the sayde booke as he saith Therby it seemeth this story to be written a great while after the martyrdome of Alban either by a Britaine or by an English mā If he were a Britaine how then did the Latin translation take it out of the English tounge as in the Prologue hee him selfe doeth testifie If hee were an Englishmā how then did he go vp to Rome for baptisme being a Pagan when he myght haue bene baptised amōg the Christian Britaines more neare at home But among al other euidences and declarations sufficient to disproue this Legendary story of S. Alban nothing maketh more against it then the very storie it selfe as where he bringeth in the head of the holy martyr to speake vnto the people after it was smitten of from the body Also where he bringeth in the Angels going vp comming downe in a piller of fire singing al the night long Item in the riuer which he sayth S Alban made drie such as were drowned in the same before in the bottome were founde aliue With other such like Monkish miracles and grosse fables wherewith these Abbey Monkes were wont in time past to deceaue the Church of God and to beguile the whole world for their owne aduātage Notwithstanding this I write not to any derogatiō of the blessed and faithful martyr of God who was the first that I did euer finde in this Realme to suffer Martyrdome for the testimonie of Christ. And worthy no doubt of condigne commendation especially of vs here in this land whose Christian faith in the Lorde and charitie toward his neighbour I pray God all we may followe As also I wishe moreouer that the stories both of him and of al other Christian Martyrs might haue bene deliuered to vs simply as they were wtout the admixture of all these Abbey like additiōs of Monkish miracles wherwith they were wont to paint out the glory of such saintes to the moste by whose offerings they were accustomed to receaue most aduauntage As touching the name of the Clearke mētioned in this story whome Alban receaued into his house I finde in the Englishe stories to be Amphibalus although the latine authors name him not who the same time flying into Wales was also set from thence againe to the same towne of Uerolamium otherwise called Uerlancaster where hee was martyred hauing his bellie opened and made to runne about a stake while all his bowels were drawen out then thrust in with swordes and daggers and at last was stoned to death as the foresaid legend declareth Moreouer the same time with Alban suffered also ij citizens of the foresaide Citie of Uerlancaster whose names were Aaron and Iulius beside other whereof a great number the same time no doubt did suffer although our Chronicles of their names doe make no rehearsall The time of the Martyrdom of this blessed Alban and the other seemeth to be about the second or thirde yeare of this tenth persecution vnder the tyrāny of Dioclesian and Maximinianus Herculius bearing then the rule in England about the yeare of our Lorde 301. before the comming of Constantius to his gouernement Where by the way is to be noted that this realme of Britaine being so christened before yet neuer was touched with any other of the nine persecutions before this tenth persecution of Dioclesian Maximinian In which persecution our stories and Polichronicon doe recorde that all Christianitie almost in the whole Ilelande was destroyed the Churches subuerted all bookes of the Scripture burned many of the faithfull both men women were slaine Among whome the first and chiefe ringleader as hath bene sayde was Albanus And thus much touching the martyrs of Britaine Nowe from Englande to returne againe vnto other countries where this persecution did more vehemētly rage we will adde hereunto the Lorde willing the stories of other although not of all that suffered in this persecution which were impossible but of certaine most principal whose singular constancie in their strong torments are chiefly renowmed in latter histories beginning first with Romanus the notable and admirable souldiour and true seruaunt of Christ whose historie set forth in Prudentius doth thus proceede so lamentably by him described that it will be harde for any man almost with dry cheekes to heare it Pitiles Galerius with his graunde captaine Asclepiades violently inuaded the citie of Antioche entending by force of armes to driue all Christians to renounce vtterly their pure religion The Christians as god would were at that time cōgregated together to whom Romanus hastely ran declaring that the Wolues were at hande which woulde deuour the christian flocke but feare not sayde he neither let this imminēt perill disturbe you my brethren brought was it to passe by the great grace of God working in Romanus that olde men and matrones fathers and mothers young men and maidens were all of one will and minde most ready to shed their bloud in defence of their Christian profession Word was brought to the captaine that the band of armed souldiors was not able to wrest the staffe of faith out of the hand of the armed congregation and all by reason that one Romanus so mightely did encourage them that they sticke not to offer their naked throtes wishing gloriously to die for the name of their Christ. Seeke out that rebell quod the captaine and bring him to me that he may aunswer for the whole sect Apprehended he was bound as a sheepe appoynted to the slaughter house was presented to the Emperor who with wrathfull countenance beholding him sayde What Art thou the author of this sedition art thou the cause why so many shall loose their liues By the gods I sweare thou shalt smart for it and first in thy flesh shalt thou suffer the paines whereunto thou hast encouraged the hearts of thy felowes Romanus answered Thy sentence O Emperour I ioyfully embrace I refuse not to be sacrificed for my brethren and that by as cruell meanes as thou mayest inuent and whereas thy soldiors were repelled from the christian cōgregation that so happened because it lay not in Idolaters and worshippers of Deuils to enter into the holy house of God and to pollute the place of true prayer Then Asclepiades wholy enflamed with this stoute answere commaunded him to be trussed vp and his bowels drawne out The executioners themselues more pitiful in hart then the captaine said not so sir this man is of noble parentage vnlawful is it to put a noble man to so vnnoble a death scourge him then with whips quod the captaine with knaps o◠lead at the ends In stede of teares sighs grones Romanus song psalmes al the time of his whipping requiring
liuing Lord within the Arke of his true spirituall and visible Churche And where is then the friuolous bragge of the Papistes which make so muche of there paynted sheath would nedes beare vs downe that this gournment of the Church of Rome which nowis hath bene of such an old standing time out of minde euen from the primitiue Antiquitie that neuer was any other church demonstrable here in earth for men to follow besides the said only Catholick mother church of Rome whē as we haue sufficiently proued before by the continual descēt of the Church till this present tyme that the sayd Church after the doctrine which is now reformed is no new begunne matter but euen the olde continued Churche by the prouidence and promise of Christ still standing which albeit it hath bene of late yeares repressed by the tyranny of Romayne Byshops more then before yet notwithstanding it was neuer so oppressed but God hath euer maintayned in it the truth of his Gospell agaynst heresies and errours of the Church of Rome as in thys history more at full is to be seene Let vs now proceede farther as we began deducing this descent of the Churche vnto the 1501. yeare In which yeare the Lord began to shew in the partes of Germany wonderfull tokens and blody markes of his Passion as the bloudy Crosse hys nayles speare and Crowne of thornes which fell from heauen vpon the garments and cappes of men and rockes of woman as you may further read in this booke pag. 816. By the which tokens almighty God no doubt presignified what grieuous afflictions and bloudy persecutions shoulde then begin to ensue vppon his Churche for hys Gospels sake according as in this history is described wherein is to be seene what Christen bloud hathe bene spilt what persecutions raysed what tyranny exercised what tormentes deuised what trechery vsed agaynst the poore flocke and Church of Christ in such sort as since Christes tyme greater hath not bene seene And now by reuolution of yeares we are come from the time of .1501 to that yeare now present 1570. In which the full seuenty yeares of the Babilonicall captiuitie draweth now well to an ende if we count from the first appearing of these bloudy markes aboue mentioned Or if wee recken from the beginning of Luther and hys persecution then lacketh yet xvi yeres Now what the Lord wil do with this wicked world or what rest he will geue to hys Church after these long sorrowes he is our father in heauen his will be done in earth as seemeth best to his diuine maiestie In the meane time let vs for our partes with all patient obedience wayt vpon hys gracious leysure and glorifie his holy name and edifie one an other with all humilitie And if there cannot be an end of our disputing and contending one agaynst an other yet let there be a moderation in our affections And for asmuch as it is the good will of our God that Sathan thus should be let lose amongst vs for a short time yet let vs striue in the meane while what wee can to amende the malice of the tyme with mutuall humanitie They that be in errour let them not disdayne to learne They whiche haue greater talentes of knowledge committed instruct in simplicitie them that be simple No man liueth in that common wealth where nothing is amisse But yet because God hath so placed vs Englishmen here in one common wealth also in one Church as in one shippe together let vs not mangle or deuide the shippe which being deuided perisheth but euery man serue in his order with dilligence wherein he is called They that sitte at the helme keepe well the poynt of the needle to knowe how the ship goeth and whether it should Whatsoeuer weather betydeth the needle well touched with the stone of Gods word will neuer fayle Such as labour at the oares start for no tempest but doe what they can to keepe from the rockes Likewise they whiche be inferiour rowmes take heede they moue no sedition nor disturbance agaynst the rowers and mariners No storme so daungerous to a shippe on the sea as is discord and disorder in a weale publique What countryes and nations what kingdomes and Empyres what Cities townes and houses discord hath dissolued in storyes is manifest I neede not spend tyme in rehearsing examples The Lord of peace who hath power both of land and Sea reach forth hys mercifull hand to helpe them vp that sincke to keepe them vpp that stand to still these windes and sourging seas of discord and contention among vs that wee professing one Christ may in one vnitie of doctrine gather our selues into one Arke of the true Church together where we continuing stedfast in fayth may at the last luckely be conducted to the ioyfull porte of our desired landing place by hys heauenly grace To whome both in heauen and in earth be all power and glory with his father and the holy spirite for euer Amen The vtilitie of this Story SEyng the worlde is replenished with such an infinite multitude of bookes of all kinde of matters I may séeme perhaps to take a matter in hand superfluous and needles at this present to set out such Uolumes especially of histories considering now a dayes the world is so greatly pestered not only with superfluous plenty therof but of all other treatises so that books now seeme rather to lacke Readers then Readers to lacke bookes In which multitude of bookes I doubt not but many doe both perceiue and inwardly bewayle this insatiable boldnes of many now a dayes both in writing and printing which to say the truth for my part I do as much lament as any man els beside and would therefore no man should thinke that vnaduisedly or with rashnes I haue attempted this enterprise as one being not onely doubtful but also both bashfull and feareful within my self for setting the same abroad And why first I perceaued howe learned this age of ours is in reading of bookes neither could I tell what the secret iudgementes of readers woulde conceaue to see so weake a thing to set vpon such a weighty enterprise not sufficiently furnished with such ornamentes able to satisfie the perfection of so great a story or sufficient to serue the vtility of the studious and the delight of the learned Which abilitie the more I perceiued to be wanting in me the lesse I durst be bold to become a writer But agayne on the other side when I weyed with my selfe what memorable Actes and famous doynges this latter age of the Churche hath ministred vnto vs by the patient suffringes of the worthy martyrs I thought it not to be neglected that so precious Monumentes of so many matters meet to be recorded and regestred in books should lie buried by my default vnder darkenes of obliuion Me thought somewhat was to be sayd of them for their well deseruing and something agayne of our partes for benefites by
we may well argue his proceedings not to be of God and that he shal be brought low c. Luke 18. ¶ The third Question MY third question I take of the 13. chap. of the booke of Reuelation Which booke as it conteineth a Propheticall history of the Church so likewise it requireth by histories to be opened In this chapter mention is made first of a certayne beast comming out of the Sea hauing vij heads x. hornes with x. diademes of blasphemy Unto the which beast the dragon the deuill gaue his strength and great power to fight agaynst the Sayntes to ouercome them to make xlij monethes of the which beast one of his heades was wounded at length to death c. After this immediatly in the same chap. mentioÌ„ foloweth of an other beast rising out of the land hauing 2. hornes like a lambe spake like a dragon did all the power of the former beast before his face and caused all dwellers of the earth to worship the beast whose head was wounded and liued Who also had power to geue spirit life to the sayd former beast to make the Image of the beast to speak to cause al men froÌ„ the highest to the lowest to take the marke of the beast in theyr handes and foreheades whosoeuer worshipped not the Image of the beast should be killed c. Upon this description of these two beastes riseth my question wherin I desire all papistes from the highest to the lowest either to answere or to consider with theÌ„selues what the spirit of the prophesy meaneth by the sayd 2. beastes Neither is the mistery of this prophesy so obscure but being historicall by histories it may be explaned easely expouÌ„ded Writing therfore to the Papistes as men expert in histories my question is this that seing the prophesy of these 2. beastes must needes prefigure some people or dominioÌ„ in the world of some high estate power they will now declare vnto vs what people or domination this should be Which if they will do playnely and truely according to the markes propertyes of the sayd ij beastes here set forth they must needes be driuen of force ineuitable to graunt and confesse the same only to agree to the City Empyre of Rome to no other Which by these reasons folowing of necessity must needes be concluded First the beast wich came out of the sea hauing the strength the seat and power of the great Dragon the Deuill called the Prince of this world committed to him who also had power geueÌ„ ouer all tribes nations languages people and countryes in the earth must needes be an Empyre or Monarchy of great force passing all other Monarchies in the world besides and this must needes argue the Empyre of Rome and none other Secondly in that the best had vij heads x. hornes with x. diademes full of blasphemy vpoÌ„ theÌ„ those vij heades being expounded in the sayd booke cap. 17. for vii hilles notoriously importeth the Citie of Rome wherein were 7. hilles conteyned The like also may be thought of the x. hornes being there expounded for x. kinges signifying belike the x. Prouincies or Kingdomes of the worlde subdued to the Romayne Empyre with x. crownes of blasphemy vppon their heades all which conueniently agree to the Cittie of Rome Thirdly where the sayd beast had power to make 42. monthes and to fight against the Saintes and to ouercome them c. therby most manifestly is declared the Empyre of Rome with the heathen persecuting Emperours whiche had power geueÌ„ the space of so many monthes that is from Tiberius to Licinius 294. yeares to persecute Christs Church as in the Table of the primitiue Church hereafter following is discoursed more at large Fourthly where the prophet speaketh of the one of the heades of the beast to be wounded to the death the wouÌ„d afterward to be cured agayne by that ye haue to vnderstand the decay and subuersion of the Citie of Rome of Italy which being one of the heades of the Romayne Monarchie was subdued by the Gottes Uandals Lombards and the Cittie of Rome thrise sackt and taken betweene the reigne of Honorius Emperour of Rome and the tyme of Iustinian Emperor of Constantinople so remayned this head of Rome wounded a long time vnder the dominion of the Lombards till at length this wound was cured agayne as the sequele of this prophesie declareth For so it followeth in the foresayd chap. of the Reuelation And after this I saw sayth he an other beast rising out of the land hauing two hornes like the lamb and spake like the Dragon Who practiâ—ed all the power of the first beast before his face and caused all the inhabitantes of the earth to worship the first beast whose head was wounded and cured agayne c. And to him it was geuen to geue life to the Image of the beast and to make it speake and also to make all them that will not worship the image of the beast to bee slayne and caused all from the most to the least both rich and poore free men and bondmen to take the marke of the beast in their right hand and in their foreheades so that none should buy and sell vnles he had the beastes marke about him c. The description of this second beast being well viewed it cannot be auoided but needes must be applyed to the byshop of Rome and to none other as by the history and order of times is euident to be proued For who els representeth the hornes of the lambe of God which taketh away the sinnes of the world but only he who speaketh with the voyce of the Dragon so proudly as he The voice of the Dragon spake once to Christ That all the glory of the world was his to geue to whom he would that he would geue it c. And doth not thys falâ—e horned lambe speaking in the same voyce of the Dragon say by the mouth of Pope Gregory 7. that all the kingdomes of the earth were hys and that hee had power in earth to loose and take away Empyres Kingdomes Dukedomes and what els soeuer mortall menne may haue and to geue them where he would c. Ex platina in Vit. Gregorij 7. Furthermore at what time the declining state of Rome began to decay and Italy was brought vnder subiection of the Lombardes then the Pope stirred vp Pipinus and Carolâ—s Magnus to take his part agaynst the Lombardes and to restore agayne the old glory of the Monarchie to hys former state And therfore who cured the wounded head of this beast agayne but onely he who gaue life and speach to the Image of the beast but he who after that by helpe of the French kings had subdued those Lombardes with other aliens and had gotten the possession of Rome into hys own handes he so repared aduaunsed the fame and name of Rome
remissioÌ„ where no earnest repentaunce is sene before to number remission by dayes yeares to dispense with thynges expressely in the word forbiddeÌ„ or to restrayne that which the word maketh free to deuide Religion into Religions to binde and burthen consciences with constitutions of men to excommunicate for worldly matters as for breakyng of parkes for not ringyng bels at the Byshops commyng for not bringyng litter for their horse for not paying their fees and reÌ„tes for withholding the church goods for holding on their princes side in princely cases for not going at the Popes commaundement for not agreeyng to the Popes electioÌ„ in an other princes Realme with other such thyngs mo more vayne then these c. Agayne although the Scripture geueth leaue and authoritie to the Byshop and Churche of Rome to minister Sacraments yet it geueth no authoritie to make Sacramentes much lesse to worshyp Sacraments And though their authoritie serueth to baptise meÌ„ yet it extendeth not to Christen bels neither haue they authoritie by any word of God to adde to the word of God or take from the same to set vp vnwritten verities vnder payne of damnation to make other articles of belief to institute straunge worship otherwise theÌ„ he hath prescribed which hath told vs how he would be worshipped c. The third abuse of the Popes iurisdiction standeth in this that as in spirituall iurisdiction they haue vehemeÌ„tly exceeded the bouÌ„des of Scripture so they haue impudeÌ„tly intermedled them selues in temporall iurisdictioÌ„ wherein they haue nothing to do In so much that they haue traÌ„slated the Empire they haue deposed Emperours Kyngs Princes rulers Senatours of Rome set vp other or the same agayne at their pleasure they haue proclaymed warres haue warred them selues And where as Emperours in auÌ„cient tyme haue dignified theÌ„ in titles haue enlarged theÌ„ with donations they receauyng their confirmation by the Emperours haue like ingratfull clients to such benefactors afterward stampte vpon their neckes haue made theÌ„ to hold their sâ—urrup some to hold the bridle of their horse haue caused them to seeke their confirmation at their hand yea haue bene Emperours theÌ„selues Sede vacante in discordia electionis and also haue bene Senators of the Citie Moreouer haue extorted into their owne handes the plenary fulnes of power iurisdiction of both the swordes especially since the tyme of Pope Hildebrand which Hildebrand deposing Henricus the iiij Emperour made him geue attendance at his Citie gate And after him Pope Bonifacius the viij shewed him selfe vnto the people on the first day like a Byshop with his keyes before him the next day in his robes Imperiall hauyng a naked sword borne before him like an Emperour an 1298. And for so much as this inordinate iurisdiction hath not onely bene vsed of theÌ„ but also to this day is mainteined in Rome let vs therefore now compare the vsage hereof to the old maner in tymes past meanyng the primitiue and first age of the Church of the Romaines Wherein the old Byshops of Rome in those dayes as they were then subiect to their Emperours so were other Byshops in like maner of other nations subiect euery one to his Kyng Prince acknowledgyng them for their Lordes were ordered by their authoritie obeyed their lawes and that not onely in causes ciuile but also in regiment Ecclesiasticall as appeareth Dist. 10. cap. 1. 2. Dist. 97. cap. De illicita Also 24. q. 3. So was Gregorius surnamed Magnus subiect to Maâ—â—itius and to Phocas although a wicked Emperour So also both Pope people of Rome tooke their lawes of the Emperours of Constantinople were submitted to theÌ„ not onely in the time of Honorius an huÌ„dreth yeares after Constantine the great but also in the tyme of Martianus an 1451. so further vnto the tyme of Iustinian of Carolus Magnus and also after the dayes of them In all which coÌ„tinuance of tyme it is manifest that the Emperiall law of Martiane did rule bynde in Rome both in the days of Iustinian an 150. yeres after til the tyme of the Empire beyng translated from Grece vnto FrauÌ„ce Whereby it may appeare false that the Citie of Rome was geueÌ„ by Constantine the first vnto the bishop of Rome to gouerne for that Pope 〈◊〉 the first writyng to the Emperour Honorius câ—â—â—eth in the same place Rome the Emperours Citie Dist. 97. cap. 1. And Lotharius also Emperour appointed Magistrates and lawes in Rome as is aboue mentioned Moreouer for further probation hereof that both the Byshop of Rome all other Ecclesiasticall persons were in former tyme and ought to be subiect to their Emperours and lawfull Magistrates in causes as well spirituall as ciuile by many euidences may appeare takeÌ„ out both of Gods law and mans law And first by Gods law we haue exaÌ„ple of godly kyng Dauid who numbred all the Priestes and Leuites disposed theÌ„ into xxiiij orders or courses appointyng theÌ„ coÌ„tinually to serue in the ministery euery one in his proper order turne as came about which institution of the Clergy also good king Ezechias afterward renued of whoÌ„ it is written he did that was right in the sight of the Lord accordyng to all things as his father Dauid had done before he tooke away the high groues and brake downe Images c. 4. Reg. 8. The sayd Ezechias also reduced the Priests Leuites into their orders prescribed by Dauid before to serue euery one in his office of ministratioÌ„ .2 Paralip 30.31 And this order froÌ„ Dauid still continued till the time of Zachary at the coÌ„myng of Christ our Lord beyng of Abias course which was the viij order of the Priestes appointed to serue in the tabernacle Luc. 1. To passe ouer other lighter offices translated from the Priestes to the Kyngs authoritie as coÌ„cernyng the orderyng of oblations in the Temple and reparations of the Lordes house kyng Salomon displaced Abiathar the high Priest by his kyngly power and placed Sadoch in his stede 3. Reg. cap. 6 Also dedicatyng the temple of the Lord with all the people blessed the whole congregation of Israell 3. Reg. 8. Iudas Machabeus also elected Priestes such as beyng without spot had a zeale to the law of the Lord to purge the Temple which the Idolatrous Gentiles had before prophaned 1. Machab. 4. Also kyng Alexander writyng to Ionathas appointed him chief Priest in his couÌ„trey 1. Mac. 10. Demetrius ordeined Simon Alchinus in the like office of Priesthood Iosaphat likewise as in the whole laÌ„d did set Iudges so also in Hierusalem he appointed Leuites Priestes and heades of families to haue the hearyng of causes and to minister Iudgement ouer the people 2 Paral. 19. By these many other is to be sene the Kynges Princes in the old tyme as well when Priestes were borne Priestes as wheÌ„ they were made by election had the dealyng also
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
cities which cause being outward carnall was neither then cause sufficient and now ceasing importeth not to vs the like effect according as they say Sublata causa tollitur effectus So that by the reason therof the foresaid principallitie of the church of Rome did not hold then iure diuino sed humano And as it holdeth by mans law so by mans law may be repealed againe Wherfore be it admitted that both the Pope sitteth and succedeth in the chaire of Peter and also that he is the Bishop of the greatest citie in the world yet it followeth not therby that he should haue rule and lordship ouer all other bishops and churches of the world For first touching the succession of Peter many things are to be considered First whether Peter sate and had his chaire in Rome or not Secondly whether he sate there as an Apostle or as a Bishop Thirdly whether the sitting in the outward seate of Peter maketh successour of Peter Fourthly whether he sitteth in the chaire seat of Peter which sitteth not in the doctrine of Peter Fiftly whether the succession of Peter maketh rather an Apostle then a Bishop so should we call the Pope the Apostle of Rome and not the bishop of Rome Sixtly whether Ecclesiasticall functions ought to be esteemed by ordinarie succession of place or by Gods secret calling or sending Seuenthly and lastly whether it stand by Scripture any succession at all to be pointed in Christes Church or why more from Peter then from other Apostles All which Interrogatories being wel discussed which would aske a long proces it should wel appeare what litle hold the Pope hath to take this state vpon him aboue all other Churches as he doth In the meane tyme this one argument by the way may suffice in stead of many for our aduersaries to answer to at their conuenient leisure Which argument thus I forme and frame in Camestres Ca All the true successors of Peter sit in the chaire of the doctrine of Peter and other Apostles vniformly me No Popes of this latter Church of Rome sitte in the chaire of Saint Peters and other Apostles doctrine vniformely stres Ergo no Popes of this latter church of Rome be the true successors of Peter And when they haue well perused the Minor of this argument and haue well conferred together the doctrine taught them of S. Peter with the doctrine taught now by the Popes of iustification of a Christen man of the office of the law of the strength and largenes of sinne of mens merites of free will of works of supererogation of setting vp images of vij Sacramentes of auricular confession of satisfaction of sacrifice of the Masse of communicating vnder one kinde of eleuating and adoring the Sacramentall elements of Latine seruice of inuocation of prohibitiō of meates and mariage of vowing chastitie of sectes rules of diuers religions of indulgences and pardōs also with their doctrine taught now of magistrates of the fulnes of power and regalitie of the sea of Rome with many other like to these c. then will I be glad to heare what they wil say to the premisses Secondly if they would proue by the allegation of the Doctours Irenaeus Ambrose Augustine Theodoritus aforesaid the Bishop of Rome to bee the chiefe of all Bishops therfore because the citie wherof he is bishop is the chiefe and principall aboue all other Churches that consequent is to be denied For it followeth not taking as I said the principallitie of that church to stand 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is vpon the principal dominion of that citie no more then this consequent followeth London is the chiefe Citie in all England Ergo the bishop of London is the chiefest of all bishops in the Realme Which argument were derogatory to the bishop both of Canterbury and of Yorke Yea to graunt yet more to but aduersaries which is all they can require the minde of the foresaid Doctours Irenaeus Ambrose Augustine and Theodoritus in giuing principallitie vnto Rome to haue respect vnto the vertue of inscession from Peter and not vnto the greatnes of the Citie yet notwithstanding for all this their argument holdeth not if it be rightly considered to say The Apostolicall Sea of Rome hauing successiō from Peter with the bishops therof was chief then of all other churches in the primitiue tyme of these Doctours Ergo the Apostolicall sea of Rome with the Bishops therof hauing successiō from Peter ought now to be chiefe of all other churches in these our dayes This consequent might well follow if the tymes were like or if succession which gaue them the cause of principallitie were the same now which was then But now the time and succession is not correspondent for then succession in the time of these Doctours was as well in doctrine Apostolicall as in place Apostolicall Now the succession of doctrine Apostolicall hath not long ceased in the sea Apostolicall and nothing remaineth but onely place which is the lest matter of true spirituall and Apostolical succession And thus much to the authoritie and testimonie of these forenamed Doctors Besides these obiections heretofore recited out of Irenaeus Ambrose Augustine and Theodoritus our aduersaries yet obiect and heape vp against vs moreouer examples of the primitiue time of the church testimonies of generall Councels and opinions of auncient writers taken out of the booke of Councels Epistles decretall wherby their intent is to prooue the foresayd termes of the head of the church ruler of the church chiefe of all other Priestes to bee applied not onely to Peter but also to the Bishop of Rome within the compasse of the primitiue time And here commeth in the testimonie cited of Vincentius Lirinensis Of the Epistle of Paschasius and his fellowes writing to Leo from the Councel of Chalcedon The testimonie also of Iustinian the Emperour in his Codex where Ioannes then Pope was called caput omnium Ecclesiarum Epist. inter claras cap. De summa Trinit fide Cath. The testimonie also of Athanasius with his fellow bishops of Egypt of Thebaida and Libia in their Epistles to Pope Marcius Liberius Felix Likewise the testimonie of Hierome In praef in 4. Euang. Item Epist. 42. Tom. 1. Item Epist. 41. Tom. 2. Of S. Ambrose 1. Tim 3. Of S. Augustina to Boniface Ad Bonifac. contra duas Epist Pelagian Lib. 1. cap. 1. Item Lib. 2. De Baptism cap. 1. Of Theodoritus in his Epistle to Pope Leo. Epist Commentar in Pauli Epist. praefixa Of Chrysostome Epist ad Innocentium Tom. 5. c. By which testimonies our aduersaries would prooue S. Peter and after him the Bishop of Rome to be called and taken for head of the church chiefe bishop prince and ruler of the whole Clergy To all which obiections fully and exactly to aunswer in order would require a whole volume by it selfe In the meane time leauing the rest vnto them vnto whom it doth more
condition of the kingdome of Christ the vanitie of the one and stablshment of the other The vnprosperous and vnquiet state of the one ruled by mans violence wisdome And the happy successe of the other euer ruled by Gods blessing prouidence The wrath and reuenging hand of god in the one and his mercy vpon the other The world I call al such as be without or against Christ eyther by ignoraunce not knowing him or by heathenish life not following him or by violence resisting him On the otherside the kingdome of Christ in this world I take to be all them which belong to the faith of Christ here take his part in this world against the world The nūber of whom although it be much smaller then the other and alwaies lightly is hated molested of the world yet it is the number which the Lorde peculiarly doth blesse and prosper and euer will And this number of Christes subiects is it which we cal the visible Church here in earth Which visible Church hauing in it selfe a difference of 2 sorts of people so is it to be deuided in two parts of which the one standeth of such as be of outward profession only the other which by election inwardly are ioyned to Christ the first in words lips seemeth to honor Christ and are in the visible Church onely but not in the Church inuisible partaketh the outward Sacraments of Christ but not the inward blessing of Christ the other are both in the visible also in the inuisible Church of Christ which not in wordes onely and outward profession but also in hart doe truely serue honour Christ partaking not onely the Sacramentes but also the heauenly blessings and grace of Christ. And many times it happeneth that as betweene the world and the kingdome of Christ there is a continual repugnaunce so betweene these two partes of this visible Church aforesaid oft times groweth great variaunce and mortal persecution insomuch that sometime the true church of Christ hath no greater enimes than of their owne profession and company as happened not onely in the time of Christ and his Apostles but also from time to time almost continually Euseb. Lib. 8. cap. 1. But especially in these latter daies of the Church vnder the persecution of Antichrist and his retinue as by the reading of this volume more manifestly hereafter may appeare At the first preaching of Christ and comming of the Gospel who should rather haue knowen receaued him then the Phariseis and Scribes of that people which had his law And yet who persecuted and reiected him more then they themselues What followed They in refusing Christ to be their king and chosing rather to be subiect vnto Caesar were by the sayde their owne Caesar at length destroyed when as Christes subiectes the same time escaped the daunger Whereby it is to be learned what a dangerous thing it is to refuse the Gospell of God when it is so gently offered The like example of Gods wrathful punishment is to be noted no lesse in the Romanes also themselues For when Tiberius Caesar hauing receaued by letters frō Pontius Pilate of the doings of christ of his miracles Resurrection and ascention into heauen how he was receiued as God of many was himselfe also mooued with beliefe of the same and did conferre thereof with the whole Senate of Rome to haue Christ adored as god but they not agreyng therunto refused him because that contrary to the law of the Romanes he was consecrated said they for God before the Senate of Rome had so decred approued him c. Tertul. Apol. cap. 5. Thus the vaine Senate following rather the law of man then of God which were contented with the Emperour to reigne ouer them were not cōtented with the meeke king of glory the sonne of God to be their king And therfore after much like sort to the Iewes were scourged and intrapped for their vniust refusing by the same way which they themselues did preferre For as they preferred the Emperour and reiected Christ so the iust permission of God did stirre vp their owne Emperours against them in such sort that both the Senatours themselues were almost all deuoured the whole Citye most horrible afflicted the space almost of 300. yeares togither For first the same Tiberius which for a great part of his reigne was a moderate and a tollerable Prince afterward was to them a sharpe and heauy tyraunt who neyther fauoured his owne mother nor spared his owne nenewes nor the Princes of the City such as were his own counselers of whom to the number of xx he left not past two or three aliue so cruell was he to the Citye that as the story recordeth Nullus a paena hominum cessabat dies ne religiosus quidem ac sacer Suet. reporteth him to be so sterne of nature and tirannical that in time of his reigne very many were accused and condemned with their wiues children Maydes also first defloured then put to death In one day he recordeth .xx. persons to be drawen to the place of execution By whom also through the iust punishment of God Pilate vnder whom Christ was crucified was apprehended and accused at Rome deposed then banished to the towne of Lyonce and at length did slaye himselfe Neither did Herode and Cayphas long escape of whome more followeth hereafter Agrippa also by him was cast into prison albeit afterward he was restored In the raigne of Tiberius the Lord Iesus the sonne of God in the xxxiiij yeare of his age which was the xvij of this Emperour by the malice of the Iewes suffered his blessed passion for the conquering of sinne death and Sathan the Prince of this world and rose againe the third day After whose blessed Passion resurrertiō this foresayde Tiberius Nero otherwise called Liberius Mero liued vj. yeares duryng which time no persecution was yet stirring in Rome against the Christians through the commaundemēt of the Emperour In the raigne also of this Emperour and yeare which was the next after the passion of our Sauior or somewhat more S. Paule was conuerted to the faith After the death of Tiberius whē he had raigned 23. yeares succded C. Caesar Caligula Claudius Nero and Domitius Nero which 3. were likewise such scourges to the Senate and people of Rome that the first not onely tooke other mens wiues violentlye from them but also defloured three of his owne sisters and afterward banished them So wicked he was that he cōmaunded himselfe to be worshipped as God and temples to be erected in his name and vsed to sit in the temple among the Gods requiring his images to be set vp in all temples and also in the temple of Ierusalem whiche caused great disturbaunce among the Iewes and then began the abhomination of desolation to be set vp in the holy place spoken of
same time in battail Of Gallus and Volusianus his sōne Emperours after Decius both slaine by conspiracie of Aemilianus who rose against them both in warre and within three monthes after was slaine himselfe Next to Aemilianus succeded Valerianus and Galianus his sonne of whome Valerianus who was a persecuter of the Christians was taken prisoner of the Persians and there made a ridyng foole of Sapores their king who vsed him for a stoole to leap vp vpon his horse while his sonne Galienus sleepyng at Rome either would not or could not once proferre to reuenge his fathers ignominie For after the taking of Valerian so many Emperors rose vp as were prouinces in the Romaine Monarch At length Galienus also was killed by Aureolus which warred against him It were too long here to speake of Aurelianus an other persecuter slain of his Secretarie Of Tacitus and Florinus his brother of whom the first raigned 6. months and was slaine at Pontus the other raigned two months and was murdred at Tarsis Of Probus who although a good ciuill Emperour yet was he destroied by his souldiers After whom Carus the next emperour was slaine by lightning Next to Carus followed the impious and wicked persecuter Dioclesian with his fellowes Maximian Galerius Maximinus Maxentius and Licinius vnder whom all at one time during the life of Dioclesian the greatest and most grieuous persecution was mooued against the Christians x. yeares together Of which Dioclesian and Maximinian deposed themselues frō the Empire Galerius the chiefest minister of the persecution after his terrible persecutions fell into a wonderfull sicknesse hauing such a sore risen in the neather part of his belly which consumed his priuie members and so did swarme with wormes that being not curable neither by Surgerie nor Phisike he confessed that it happened for his crueltie toward the Christians and so called in his proclamations against them Notwithstanding he not able to sustain as some say the stench of his sore slue himselfe Maximinus in his warre being tormented with payne in his guttes there died Maxentius was vanquished by Constantine and drouned in Tiber. Licinius likewise beyng ouercome by the said Constantine the great was deposed from his Empire and afterward slaine of his souldiours But on the other side after the tyme of Constantine when as the fayth of Christ was receiued into Imperiall seate we read of no Emperour ofter the like sort destroied or molested except it were Iulianus or Basilius which expelled one Zeno was afterward expelled himselfe or Valende besides these we read of no Emperour to come to ruine as the other before mentioned Ex lib hist. tripart And thus haue we in a briefe summe collected out of the Chronicles the vnquiet and miserable state of the Emperours of Rome vntill the tyme of Christian Constantine with the examples no lesse terrible then manifest of Gods seuere iustice vpon them for their contemptuous refusing and persecuting the faith and name of Christ their Lord. Moreouer in much like sort and condition if leisure of tyme or haste of matter would suffer me a little to digresse vnto more lower tymes and to come more nere home the like examples I could also inferre of this our countrey of England concerning the terrible plagues of God against the churlish and vnthankfull refusing or abusing the benefite of his truth First we read how that God stirred vp Gildas to preach to the old Britains and to exhort thē vnto repentance and amendment of life and afore to warne thē of plagues to come if they repented not What auayled it Gildas was laughed to scorne and taken for a false prophet and a malicious preacher the Britains with lusty courages whorish faces and vnrepentant hartes went forth to sinne and to offend the Lord their God What followed God sent in their enemies on euery side destroied them and gaue the land to other nations Not many yeres past God seing idolatry superstition hipocrisie and wicked liuing vsed in this Realme raysed vp that godly learned man Iohn Wickliffe to preach vnto our fathers repentance and to exhort them to amend their liues to forsake their Papistry Idolatry their hypocrisy superstition and to walke in the feare of God His exhortations were not regarded He with his Sermons was despised His bookes and he himself after his death were burnt what followed they slue their right king and set vp three wrong kings on a rowe vnder whom all the noble bloud was slaine vp halfe the commons thereto what in Fraunce with their own sword in fighting among themselues for the crowne and the Cities and townes decayed and the land brought halfe to a wildernes in respect of that it was before O extreme plagues of Gods vengeance Since that tyme euen of late yeares God once againe hauing pitie of this realm of England raised vp his prophets namely William Tindall Thomas Bilney Iohn Frith Doctor Barnes Ierome Garret Anthonie Person with diuers other which both with their writings and sermons earnestly laboured to call vs vnto repentaunce that by this meanes the fierce wrath of God might be turned away from vs. But how were they intreated how were their painfull labours regarded they themselues were condemned and burnt as heretikes and their bookes condemned and burnt as heretical The time shall come saith Christ that whosoeuer killeth you will thinke that he doth God hie good seruice Whether any thing since that tyme hath so chaunced this Realme worthy the name of a plague let the godly wise iudge If God hath deferred his punishment or forgeuē vs these our wicked deedes as I trust he hath let vs not therfore be proud and hie minded but most humbly thanke him for his tender mercies and beware of the like vngodly enterprises hereafter Neither is it here any neede to speake of these our lower and latter tymes which haue ben in king Henry and king Edwards dayes seeing the memory thereof is yet fresh and cannot be forgotten But let this passe of this I am sure that God yet once againe is come on visitation to this church of England yea and that more louingly beneficially then euer he did afore For in this his visitation he hath redressed many abuses and cleansed his church of much vngodlines and superstition and made it a glorious Church if it be compared to the olde forme and state And now how gratefull receiuers we be with what hart study and reuerence we embrace that which he hath giuen that I referre either to thē that see our fruits or to the sequele which peraduenture will declare But this by the way of digression Now to regresse againe to the state of the first former tymes It remaineth that as I haue set foorth the iustice of God vpon these Romain persecutors so now we declare their persecutions raised vp against the people and seruauntes of Christ within the space of 300. yeares after Christ. Which persecutions in
number commonly are coūted to be tenne besides the persecutions first mooued by the Iewes in Hierusalem and other places against the Apostles In the which first S. Steuen the Deacon was put to death with diuers other moe in the same rage of tyme either slaine or cast into prisō At the doing wherof Saule the same tyme playd the doughtie Pharisie beyng not yet cōuerted to the fayth of Christ wherof the history is playne in the Actes of the Apostles set forth at large by S. Luke After the Martyrdome of this blessed Steuen suffered next Iames the holy Apostle of Christ and brother of Iohn Of which Iames mention is made in the Actes of the Apostles the xii chap. Where is declared how that not long after the stoning of Stephen king Herode stretched forth his hand to take and afflict certaine of the cōgregation among whome Iames was one whom he slew with the sword c. Of this Iames Eusebius also inferreth mention alleaging Clement thus writing a memorable story of him Thus Iames saith Clement when hee was brought to the tribunall seat he that brought him was the cause of his trouble seeing him to be condemned and that he should suffer death as he went to the execution he being mooued therewith in hart and conscience confessed himselfe also of his owne accord to be a Christian. And so were they both led foorth together where in the way he desired of Iames to forgiue him that he had done After that Iames had a little paused with him vpon the matter turning to him Peace sayth he be to thee brother and kissed him and both were beheaded together an 36. Dorotheus in his booke named Synopsis testifieth that Nicanor one of the vii Deacons with 2000. other which beleued in Christ suffred also the same day when as Steuen did suffer The faith Dorotheus witnesseth also of Simon an other of the Deacons Bishop afterward of Bostrum in Arabie there to be burned Parmenias also an other of the Deacons suffred Thomas preached to the Parthians Medes and Persians Also to the Germains Hiraconis Bactris Magis He suffred in Calamina a Citie of Iudea being slaine with a dart Simon Zelotes preached at Mauritania and in the Countrey of Affrike And in Britania hee was lykewise crucified Iudas brother of Iames called also Thaddeus and Lebeus preached to the Edessens and to all Mesopotamia He was slayne vnder Augarus king of the Edessens in Berito Simon called Cananeus which was brother to Iude aboue mentioned and to Iames the younger which all were the sonnes of Mary Cleopha and of Alpheus was Bishop of Hierusalem after Iames and was crucified in a Citie of Egypt in the tyme of Traianus Emperour as Dorotheus recordeth But Abdias writeth that hee with his brother Iude were both slayne by a tumult of the people in Suanyr a citie of Parsidis Marke the Euangelist and first Bishop of Alexandria preached the Gospell in Egypt and there drawen with ropes vnto the fire was burned and afterward buried in a place called there Bucolus vnder the raigne of Traianus Emperour Bartholomeus is sayd also to preach to the Indians and to haue conuerted the Gospell of S. Mathew into their tonge where he continued a great space doing many miracles At last in Albania a citie of greater Armenia after diuers persecutions he was beaten doune with staues then crucified and after being excoriate he was at length beheaded Ioan. De Monte Regali Of Andrew the Apostle and brother to Peter thus writeth Ierome in his booke De catalogo scriptorum Eccles. Andrew the brother of Peter in the tyme and raigne of Vespasianus as our aunceters haue reported did preach in the 80. yeare of our Lord Iesu Christ to the Scithians Sogdians to the Saxons and in a Citie which is called Augustia where the Ethiopians do now inhabite He was buried in Patris a citie of Achaia being crucified of Egeas the gouernour of the Edessians hitherto writeth Ierome Although in the number of yeares he semeth a little to misse for Vespasianus reached not to the yere 80. after Christ. But Bernard in his second Sermon and S. Cyprian in his booke De duplici Martyrio doe make mention of the confession and Martyrdome of this blessed Apostle wherof partly out of these partly out of other credible writers we haue collected after this maner that when as Andrew being conuersant in a Citie of Achaia called Patris through his diligent preaching had brought many to the faith of Christ Egeas the gouernour knowing this resorted thither to the intēt he might constraine as many as did beleeue Christ to bee God by the whole consent of the Senate to doe sacrifice vnto the Idols and so geue diuine honor vnto them Andrew thinking good at the beginning to resist the wicked counsaile and the doings of Egeas went vnto him saying in this effect vnto him that it behooued him which was Iudge of men first to know his Iudge which dwelleth in heauen and then to worship him being knowen and so in worshipping the true God to reuoke his mynd from false Gods and blynd Idols These wordes spake Andrew to the Consul But he greatly therwith discontented demaunded of him whether he was the same Andrew that did ouerthrow the Temple of the gods and perswaded men of that superstitious sect which the Romaines of late had commaunded to be abolished and reiected Andrew did plainely affirme that the Princes of the Romains did not vnderstand the truth that the sonne of God comming from heauen into the world for mans sake hath taught declared how these Idols whom they so honoured as Gods were not only not gods but also most cruell Deuils most enemies to mankind teaching the people nothing els but that wherwith God is offended and being offended turneth away and regardeth them not and so by the wicked seruice of the Deuill doe fall headlong into all wickednesse and after their departing nothing remaineth vnto them but their euill deedes But the Proconsul esteeming these thinges to bee as vayne especially seing the Iewes as he said had crucified Christ before therfore charged and commaunded Andrew not to teach and preach such thinges any more or if he did that he should be fastened to the crosse with all speede Andrew abiding in his former mynd very constāt answered thus concerning the punishment which he threatened he would not haue preached the honour and glory of the crosse if he had feared the death of the crosse Wherupon sentence of condemnation was pronounced that Andrew teaching and enterprising a new sect and taking away the religion of their gods ought to be crucified Andrew commyng to the place and seyng a farre of the crosse prepared did chaunge neither countenance nor colour as the imbecillitie of mortal men is woont to do neither did his bloud shrinke neither did he faile in his speech his body faynted not neither was
before him for feare least he were yet to come of the house of Dauid which should enioy the kingdome In the tyme of this persecutor Symeon Bishop of Hierusalem after other torments was crucified to death whom Iustus afterward succeeded in that Bishopprike In this persecution Iohn the Apostle and Euangelist was exiled by the sayd Domitianus into Pathmos Of whō diuers and sundry memorable actes be reported in sundry Chronicles As first how he was put in a vessell of boiling Oile by the Proconsul of Ephesus The Legend and Perionius say it was done at Rome Isidorus also writing of him and comprehending many things in few wordes declareth that he turned certaine peeces of wood into gold and stones by the seaside into Margarites to satisfie the desire of two whom he had before perswaded to renounce their riches And afterward they repenting that for worldly treasure they had lost heauen for their sakes agayne he changed the same into their former substance Also how he raised vp a widow and a certaine yong man from death to life How he dronke poison and it hurt him not raising also to life two which had dronke the same before These and such other miracles although they may be true are foūd in Isidorus other writers mo yet because they are no articles of our Christian belief I let them passe and only content my selfe with that which I read in Eusebius declaring of him in this wise That in the 14. yeare after Nero in the second persecution in the dayes of Domitian Iohn was banished into Pathmos for the testimonie of the word an 97. And after the death of the foresaid Domitian being slaine his actes repealed by the Senate Iohn was againe released vnder Pertinax the Emperor came to Ephesus an 100. Where he continued vntill the tyme of Traianus there gouerned the Churches in Asia where also he wrote his Gospell and so liued till the yeare after the Passion of our Lord 68. which was the yeare of his age 99. Moreouer in the foresayd Ecclesiasticall story of Eusebius we read that Iohn the Apostle and Euangelist whō the Lord did loue was in Asia where he being returned out of Pathmos after the death of Domitian gouerned the Churches and congregations Irenaeus in his second booke thus writeth And of him all the Elders do witnes which were with Iohn the Disciple of the Lord in Asia that he spake and wrote these thinges c. for there he continued with them vnto the tyme of Traianus c. Also the said Irenaeus Lib. 3. Hypothes in like wordes declareth saying The Church of the Ephesians being first founded by Paul afterward beyng confirmed of Iohn who continued in the same Citie vnto the tyme of Traianus the Emperour is a true witnesse of this Apostolicall tradition c. Clemens Alexandrinus moreouer noteth both the tyme of this holy Apostle and also addeth to the same a certain history of him not vnworthy to bee remembred of such which delite in things honest and profitable Of the which historie Sozomenus also in his Commentaries maketh mention The wordes of the author setting forth this historie be these Heare a fable and not a fable but a true report which is told vs of Iohn the Apostle deliuered and commended to our remembrance After the death of the tyrant whē Iohn was returned to Ephesus from the I le of Pathmos he was desired to resort to the places bordering neare vnto him partly to constitute bishops partly to dispose the causes and matters of the church partly to ordaine and set such of the Clergy in office whom the holy ghost should elect Wherupon when he was come to a certaine citie not farre of the name of which also many do yet remember and had among other thinges comforted the brethren he looking more earnestly vpon him which was the chiefe bishop among them beheld a yong man mighty in body and of a beautiful countenance and of a feruent mind I commend this man saith he to thee with great diligence in the witnesse here of Christ and of the Church When the Bishop had receiued of him this charge and had promised his faithfull diligence therein Agayne the second tyme Iohn spake vnto him and desired him in like maner and contestatiō as before This done Iohn returneth againe to Ephesus The Bishop receiuing the yong man commēded commicteth to his charge brought him home kept him and nourished him and at length also did illuminate that is he baptised him And in short tyme through his diligence brought him into such order and towardnes that he cōmitted vnto him the ouersight of a certaine cure in the Lordes behalfe The yong man thus hauing more his libertie it chanced that certaine of his companions old familiars being idle dissolute accustomed of old time to wickednes did ioyne in company with him Who first brought him to sumptuous riotous bankets Then entised him forth with them in the night to rob and steale After that he was allured by thē vnto greater mischiefe and wickednesse Wherin by custome of tyme by litle and litle he being more practised and being of a good wit and a stout courage like vnto a wild or an vnbrokē horse leauing the right way running at large without bridle was caried headlong to the profunditie of all misorder and outrage And thus being past all hope of grace vtterly forgetting and reiecting the wholesome doctrine of saluatiō which he had learned before began to set his mynde vpon no small matters And forasmuch as he was entred so farre in the way of perdition he cared not how further he proceded in the same And so associating vnto him the company of his companions and fellow thieues tooke vpon him to be as head and captaine among them in committing all kynd of murther and felony In the meane time it chaunced that of necessitie Iohn was sent for to those quarters againe and came The causes being decided and his busines ended for the which he came by the way meeting with the Bishop afore specified requireth of him the pledge which in the witnes of Christ and of the congregation then present he left in his handes to keepe The bishop something amased at the woordes of Iohn supposing he had meant of some money committed to his custody which he had not receiued and yet durst not mistrust Iohn nor contrary his woordes could not tell what to aunswer Then Iohn perceauing his doubtyng and vtteryng his mynde more plainely The yong man saith he and the soule of our brother committed to your custody I do require Then the bishop with a loude voice sorrowing and weeping said he is dead to whom Iohn said how And by what death The other said he is dead to God for he is become an euill man and pernicious to be briefe a thiefe now he doth frequent this mountaine with a company of villains
was how and when it should appeare they aunswered that his kingdome was no worldly nor terren thing but an heauenly and Aungelicall kingdome that it should appeare in the consummation end of the world what tyme he comming in glory should iudge the quicke and the dead and render to euery one according to his deseruinges Domitian the Emperour hearing this as the saying is did not condemne them but despising them as vile persons let them go also staid the persecution then mooued against the Christians They being thus discharged and dismissed afterward had the gouernmeÌ„t of Churches beyng taken for Martyrs and as of the Lords stock and so consumed in good peace till the tyme of Traianus Haec Egesip Euseb Lib. 3. cap. 20. By this story here recited may appeare what were the causes why the Emperours of the Romaine Monarchie did so persecute the Christians which causes were chiefly these feare and hatred 1. feare for that the Emperors and Senate of blinde ignoraunce not knowing the maner of Christes kingdome feared and misdoubted least the same would subuert their Emperie Like as the Pope thinkeeh now that this Gospel wil ouerthrow his kingdom of maiestie And therfore sought they all means possible how by death and all kindes of torments vtterly to extinguish the name and memorie of the christians And therupon semeth to spring the old law of the Romaine Senate Non debere dimitti Christianos qui semel ad tribunal venissent nisi propositum mutent i. That the Christians should not bee let goe which were once brought to the iudgement seate except they chaunged their purpose c. Euseb. Lib. 5. cap. 21.2 Hatred partly for that this world of his owne naturall condition hath euer hated and maliced the people of god from the first beginning of the world Partly agayne for that the Christians beyng of a contrary nature and Religion seruing only the true liuing God despised their false gods spake against their idolatrous worshippings and many tymes stopped the power of Sathan working in their Idoles And therfore Sathan the Prince of this world stirred vp the Romaine Princes blynd Idolaters to beare the more hatred and spite against them Upon these causes and such like rose vp these malicious slaunders false surmises infamous lies slanderous accusations of the Heathen idolaters against the Christian seruaunts of God which incited the Princes of this world the more to persecute them for what crimes so euer malice could inuent or rash suspicion could minister that was imputed to the Christians as that they were a people incestuous that in the night in their concourses puttyng out their candles they ranne together in all filthy maner that they killed their owne children that they vsed to eate mans flesh that they were seditious and rebellious that they would not sweare by the fortune prosperitie of Caesar that they would not adore the Image of Caesar in the market place that they were pernitious to the Emperie of Rome Briefly whatsoeuer mishappened to the Citie or Prouinces of Rome either famine pestilence earthquake warres wonders vnseasonablenes of weather or what other euils soeuer hapned it was imputed to the Christians as Iustinus recordeth Ouer and beside al these a great occasion that stirred vp the Emperours against the Christians came by one Publius Tarquinius the chiefe Prelate of the idolatrous sacrifices and Mamertinus the chiefe gouernour of the Citie in the tyme of Traianus who partly with money partly with sinister and pestilent counsaâ—â—e partly with infamous accusations as witnesseth Nauclerus incensed the mynde of the Emperour so muche against Gods people Also among these other causes abouesaid crept in some piece of couetousnes withal as in all other things it doth in that the wicked promooters and accusers for sucre sake to haue the possessions of the christians were the more redy to accuse them to haue the spoyle of their goods Thus hast thou Christian reader first the causes declared of these persecutions 2. The cruell law of their condemnation 3. Now heare more what was the forme of inquisition which was as is witnessed in the second Apologie of Iustinus to this effect that they should sweare to declare the truth whether they were in very deed Christians or not and if they confessed then by the law the sentence of death proceeded Iust. Apol. 2. Neither yet were these tyrants and organes of SathaÌ„ thus contented with death onely to bereaue the life from the bodye The kindes of death were diuers and no lesse horrible then diuers Whatsoeuer the cruelnesse of mans inuention could deuise for the punishment of mans body was practised against the Christians as partly I haue mentioned before and more appeareth by the Epistle sent from the brethren of France hereafter following Craftie traynes outcries of enemies imprisonments stripes and scourgings drawings tearings stonings plates of iron layd to them burning hote deep dungeons racks strangling in prisons the teeth of wild beasts gridirons gibbets and gallowes tossing vpon the hornes of Buls Moreouer wheÌ„ they were thus killed their bodies laid in heaps and dogs there left to keep them that no man might come to bury them neither would any prayer obtayne them to be interred and buried Ex Epistola fratrum Viennensium ac Lugdunensium c. And yet notwithstanding for all these continual persecutions and horrible punishments the church of the christians daily increased deepely rooted in the doctrine of the Apostles and of men Apostolicall and watered plenteously with the bloud of Saintes as saith Nicephorus Tib. 3. Whereof let vs heare the worthy testimony of Iustinus Martyr in his Dialogue with Tripheus And that none saith he can terrifie or remoue vs which beleue in Iesus by this it daily appeareth for when we are slaine crucified cast to wild beastes into the fire or geuen to other torments yet we goe not from our confession but contrary the more crueltie and slaughter is wrought against vs the mo they be that come to pietie and faith by the name of Iesus no otherwise then if a man cut the vine tree the better the branches grow For the vine tree planted by God and Christ our Sauiour is his people Haec Iust. ¶ To comprehend the names and number of all the Martyrs that suffered in all these ten persecutions which are innumerable as it is vnpossible so it is hard in such varietie and diuersitie of matter to keepe such a perfect order and course of yeares and times that either some be not left out or that euery one bee reduced into his right place especially seeing the Authors themselues whome in this present worke we follow doe diuersly disagree both in the tymes in the names and also in the kynd of Martyrdome of them that suffered As for example where the common reading and opinion of the Church and the Epistles Decretall doe take Anacletus to succeed after
sayd to bee Euphrosina and Theodora whom Sabina did cōuert to the faith of Christ and after were also Martyred Of which Sabina Iacobus Philippus author of the booke called Supplementum reporteth that in the mount of Auentine in Rome she was beheaded of Clepidus the gouernour in the dayes of Hadriā Under whom also suffred Seraphia a virgin of Antioche as Hermannus witnesseth The forenamed authors Anton. and Equilius make mētion moreouer of Nereus and Achilleus who in this persecution of Traiane had the croune of Martyrdom being put to death at Rome Eusebius in his iiij booke cap. 26. maketh mention of one Sagaris who about the same tyme suffered Martyrdome in Asia Seruilius Paulus beyng then Proconsul in that Prouince In this persecution beside many other suffred the blesed Martyr of Christ Ignatius who vnto this day is had in famous reuerence among very many This Ignatius was appointed to the bishoprike of Antioch next after Peter in succession Some do say that he beyng sent from Syria to Rome because he professed Christ was giuen to the wilde beasts to be deuoured It is also sayd of him that when he passed through Asia being vnder the most straight custody of his garders he strengthned and confirmed the parishes through all the cities as he went both with his exhortations and preaching of the word of God and admonished them especially and before all other things to beware and shunne those heresies risen vp and sprong newly among them and that they should cleaue and sticke fast to the traditiō of the Apostles which he for their better safegard beyng about to denoūce or put in writing thought it a thing very necessary to trauaile in And thus when he came to Smyrna where Polycarpus was he wrote one epistle to the congregation of Ephesus wherin he made mention of Onesimus their Pastor an other he wrote to the congregation of Magnesia beyng at Meandre wherein also he forgetteth not Dama their Bishop Also an other he wrote to the congregation of Trallis the gouernour of which Citie at that time he noteth to be one Polibius Unto which congregation he made an exhortation lest they refusing Martyrdome should loose the hope that they desired But it shal be very requisite that I aledge somewhat thereof to the declaration of this matter He wrote therfore as the wordes lye in this sort From Syria saith he euen till I came to Rome had I a battell with beastes as well by sea as land both day night being bound in the midst of ten cruell Libardes that is the company or band of the souldiers which the more benefites that they receaued at my hands became so much the woorse vnto me But I being exercised and now wel acquainted with their iniuries am taught euery day more and more but hereby am I not yet iustified And would to God I were once come to the beasts which are prepared for me Which also I wish with gaping mouthes were ready to come vpon me whō also I will prouoke that they without delay may deuoure me and forbeare me nothing at all as those whome before they haue not touched or hurt for feare And if they wyll not vnlesse they be prouoked I will then inforce them agaynst my selfe Pardon me I pray you How much beneficiall it is to me I knowe Now begin I to be a scholer I force or esteeme no visible thinges nor yet inuisible thinges so that I may get or obtaine Christ Iesu. Let the fire the galowes the deuouring of wild beastes the breaking of bones the pulling a sunder of my members the broosing or pressing of my whole body and the tormentes of the deuill or hell it selfe come vpon me so that I maye winne Christ Iesus And these things wrote he from the foresayde Citye vnto the congregations which we haue recited And when he was euen now iudged to be throwne to the beastes he spake for the burning desire that he had to suffer what tyme he heard the Lyons roaryng I am the wheat or grayne sayth he of Christ I shall be grounde wyth the teeth of wylde beastes that I may be found pure bread Hee suffered in the xj yeare of Traian the Emperour Haec Eusebius Hieronym Besides this godly Ignatius manye thousandes also were put to death in the same persecutiō as appeareth by the letter of Plinius secundus aboue recited written vnto the Emperour Hierome in his booke intituled De viris illustrib maketh mention of one Publius Byshop of Athens who for the sayth of Christ the same time during this persecution was put to death and martyred Hadrian Emperour NExt after this Traianus succeded Hadriā the Emperor vnder whom suffered Alexander the Bishop of Rome with his two Deacons Euentius and Theodorus Also Hermes and Quirinus with their families as latly before was declared It is signified moreouer in the historyes that in the time of this Hadrian Zenon a noble man of Rome with ten thousand two hundreth and three were slayne for Christ. Henr. de Erfordia and Bergomensis Lib. 8. make mention of tenne thousand in the daies of this Hadrian to be crucified in the mount Ararath crowned with crownes of thorne thrust into the sides with sharpe Dartes after the example of the Lordes passion Whose Captaines as Antonin us Vincentius in spec histor declareth were Achaicus Heliades Theodorus and Carcerius c. Whether this story be the same with the other aboue of Zenō or not it is doubted As touching the miracles done and the speaking of the angell I referre the certainty therof to Vincentius and such other like authors where mo things seme to be told then to be true There was one Eustachius a Captaine whom Traianus in tyme past had sent out to warre against the Barbarians After he had by Gods grace ualiantly subdued his enemies and now was returning home with victory Hadrian for ioymeting him in his iourney to bring him home with triumph by the way first would do sacrifice to Apollo for the victory gotten willing also Eustachius to doe the same with him But when Eustachius could by no meanes therto be inforced being brought to Rome there with his wife and children suffred Martyrdome vnder the foresayd Hadrian It were a long processe here to recite all the miracles conteined or rather suspected in this story of this Eustachius concerning his conuersion and death How the crucifixe appeared to him betwene the hornes of an Hart. Of the sauing of his wife frō the shipmen Of one of his sōnes saued from the Lion the other saued from the wolf Of their miraculous preseruation from the wild beasts frō the torments of fire mentioned in Bergomensis and Vincētius and other All which as I find them in no ancient records so I leaue them to their authors and compilers of the Legēds We read also of Faustinus and Iobita citizens of the Citie of Brixia which suffered Martyrdome
with like grieuous torments At the sight wherof one Calocerius seeing their so great pacience in so great torments cried out with these wordes Verè Magnus Deus Christianorum That is verily great is the God of the Christians Which woordes being heard forthwith he was apprehended and being brought to the place of their executioÌ„ was made partaker of their Martyrdome Ex Ant. Equilin The history of Nicephorus maketh mention of Anthia a godly woman who committed her sonne Eleutherius to Anicetus bishop of Rome to be brought vp in the doctrine of Christian faith who afterward beyng Bishop in Apulia was there beheaded with his foresayd mother Anthia Onomast Iustus also and Pastor two brethen with like Martyrdome ended their liues in a citie of Spaine called Gomplutum vnder the said Hadrian the Emperour Likewise Symphorissa the wife of Geâ—ulus the Martyr with her vij children is said about the same time to suffer who first was much and oft beaten scourged afterward was hanged vp by the haire of her head At last hauing an huge stone fastened vnto her was throwne headlong into the riuer after that her seuen childreÌ„ in like maner with sundry diuers kindes of punishment diuersly were martyred by the tirants The story of M. Hermannus and Antoninus and other report of Sophia with her three children also also of Serapia and Sabina to suffer vnder the said Emperour about the yeare of our Lord 130. As concerning Alexander bishop of Rome with his ij Deacons also with Hermes Quirinus Saphyra and Sabina Some writers as Bede and Marianus Scotus recorde that they suffred vnder Traianus Others againe as Otto Frisingensis with like mo report that they suffred in the iiij yeare of this Emperour Hadrian but of these Martyrs sufficiently hath bene sayd before While Hadrian the Emperour was at Athens he purposed to visite the countrey of Eleusina and so did where he sacrifising to the Gentiles Gods after the maner of the Grecians had geuen free leaue libertie whosoeuer would to persecute the Christians Whereupon Quadratus a man of no lesse zeale excellent as of famous learning being theÌ„ Bishop of Athens and Disciple of the Apostles or at least succeding incontinent the age of the Apostles and following after Publius who a litle before was martyred for the testimony of Christ did offer vp and exhibite vnto Hadrian the Emperour a learned and excellent Apologie in the defence of the Christian Religion Wherein he declared the Christians without all iust cause or desert to be so cruelly entreated and persecuted c. The like also did Aristides an other no lesse excelleÌ„t Philosopher in Athens who for his singular learning and eloquence being notified to the emperor and comming to his presence there made before him an eloquent Oration Moreouer did exhibite vnto the said Emperour a memorable Apologie for the christians so ful of learning and eloquence that as Hierome sayth it was a spectacle and admiration to men in his tyme that loued to see wit and learning Ouer and besides these there was also an other named Serenus Granius a man of great nobility who likewise did write very pithy graue letters to Hadrian the Emperour shewing and declaring therein to be consonant with no right nor reason for the bloud of innocents so to be geuen to the rage and fury of the people and so to be condemned for no fault onely for the name and sect that they followed Thus the goodnes of God being mooued with the prayers and constant labour of these so excellent men so turned the hart of the Emperour that he beyng better informed concerning the order profession of the christians became more fauorable vnto them And immediatly vpoÌ„ the same directed his letters to Minutius Fundanus as is partly before mencioned Proconsul of Asia willing him froÌ„ henceforth to exercise no more such extremitie against the Christians as to condemne any of them hauing no other crime obiected against them but onely their name The copy of which his letter because that Iustine in his Apologie doth alleage it I thought therefore to expresse the same in his owne wordes as followeth The letter of Hadrian the Emperour to Minutius Fundanus I Haue receiued an Epistle writen vnto me from Serennius Granianus our right worthy and welbeloued whose office you do now execute Therefore I thinke it not good to leaue this matter without further aduisement and circumspection to passe least our subiects be molested and malicious sycophants boldned and supported in their euill Wherefore if the subiects of our prouinces doe bring forth any accusation before the iudge agaynst the Christians and can prooue the thing they obiect against them let them doe the same and no more and otherwise for the name onely not to impeach them nor to cry out against them For so more conuenient it is that if any man will be an accuser you to take the accusation quietly and iudge vpon the same Therfore if any shall accuse the Christians and complaine of them as malefactors doing contrary to the law then geue you iudgement according to the qualitie of the crime But notwithstanding who so euer vpoÌ„ spite and maliciousnes shal commence or cauil against them see you correct and punish that man for his vnordinate and malicious dealing Thus by the mercifull prouidence of God some more quiet and rest was geuen to the Church although Hermannus thinketh these Alcione dayes did not very long continue but that the Emperour changing his Edict began to renue agayne persecution against gods people albeit this soundeth not to be so by the wordes of Melito in his Apologic to Antoninus hereafter ensuing In the meane tyme this is certain that in the dayes of this Hadrian the Iewes rebelled agayne spoyled the country of Palestina Against whom the Emperour sent Iulius Seuerus who ouerthrew in Iurie 50. castels and burnt and destroyed 980. villages and Tounes and slue of the Iewes 50. thousand so that with famine sickenes sword and fire Iuda was almost desolate But at length Hadrian the Emperour which otherwise was named Aelius repaired and enlarged the Citie agayn of Hierusalem which was called after his name Aeliopolis or Aelia Capitolina the inhabitaunce whereof he graunted only to the Gentiles and to the Christians forbidding the Iewes vtterly not to enter into the Citie After the death of Hadrian who died by bleeding at the nose succeded Antoninus Pius about the yeare of our Lord 140. and raigned 23. yeres Who for his clemency and modest behauiour had the name of Pius and is for the same in histories commended His saying was that he had rather saue one Citizen then destroy a thousand of his aduersaries At the beginning of his raigne such was the state of the Church as Hadrian his predecessour had left it as in which although there was no Edict set forth to persecute the Christians yet the tumultuous rage of the Heathen
their hartes For they falling prostrate vpon the ground prayed not onely for me but for the host also which was with me beseeching their God for helpe in that our extremitie of vittels and fresh water For we had bene now v. dayes without water and were in our enemies land euen in the middest of Germany who thus falling vppon their faces made their prayer to a GOD vnknowne of me and there sell amongest vs from heauen a most pleasaunt and cold shower but amongest our enemies a great storme of hayle mixt with lightning so that immediately we perceiued the inuincible ayde of the most mighty God to be with vs. Therefore we geue those men leaue to professe Christianitie least perhap by their prayer we be punished with the lyke and thereby make my selfe the author of such hurt as shal be receiued by the Christian profession And if any shall apprehend one that is a Christian onely for that cause I will that he being apprended without punishment may haue leaue to confesse the same so that there be none other cause obiected agaynst hym more then that he is a Christian But let his accuser be burned aliue Neither will I that he confessing and being founde a Christian shal be enforced to alter the same his opinion by the gouernour of any of our prouinces but leâ—t to hys owne choyse And this decree of myne I will to be ratified in the Senate house and commaund the same publiquely to be proclaymed and read in the Court of Traianus and that farther from thence it may be sent into all our Prouinces by the diligence of Veratius gouernour of our Citie Polione And further we geue leaue to all men to vse and write out this our decree taking the same out of our coâ—â—e publiquely in the common Hall set forth Thus the tempestuous rage of persecution against the Christians began for a tyme to asswage partly by the occasion hereof partly also vpon other causes incident coÌ„pelling the enimies to surcease their persecutioÌ„ as great plagues pestilence lying vpon the countrie of Italy lykewise great warres as well in the East partes as also in Italy and Fraunce terrible earthquakes great flouds noâ—some swarmes of flies and vermine deuouring their corne fieldes c. And thus much of thinges done vnder Antoninus Verus which Antoninus in the beginning of his raygne ioyned with him in the gouernement of the Empire hys brother Marcus Aurelius Commodus who also was wyth hym at the miraculous victory gotten by the ChristiaÌ„s as Eusebius cap. 5. Lib. 5. recordeth contrary Platina in vita Soteris and the book intituled Flores historiaruÌ„ referre the same to the time of Antoninus verus and his sonne Lucius Antoninus Commodus and not of Marcus Aurelius Commodus hys brother But howsoeuer the truth of yeares doe stand certaine it is that after the death of Antoninus Verus and of Aurelius Commodus succeeded Lucius Antoninus Commodus the sonne of Verus who raigned 13. yeares In the time of this Commodus although he was an incoÌ„modious Prince to the Senatours of Rome yet notwtstanding there was some quietnes vniuersally through the whole Church of Christ from persecution by what occasion it is not certaine Some thinke of whom is Xiphilinus that it came through Marcia the Emperouâ—s concubine which fauoured the Christians but how soeuer it came saith Eusebius the furye of the raging enimies was then somwhat mittigated peace was giuen by the grace of Christ vnto the Church throughout the whole worlde At what time the wholesome doctrine of the Gospel allured and reduced the harts of all forces of people vnto the true Religion of God insomuch that many both rich and noble personages of Rome with their whole families and housholdes to their saluation adioyned theÌ„ to the Church of Christ. Among whom there was one Apollonius a noble man and a Senatour of Rome mentioned in Eusebius Lib. 5. ca. 21. who being maliciously accused vnto the Senate by one whom Hierome writeth to be the seruaunt of the said Apollonius and nameth him Seuerus but whose seruaunt soeuer he was the wretched man came soone inough before the iudge being condignely rewarded for that his malicious diligence For by a law which the Emperour made that no man vpon paine of death shoulde falsely accuse the Christians he was put to execution had his legs broken forthwith by the sentence of Perenninus the iudge which being an heathen man he pronounced against him but the beloued martyr of God when the iudge with much a doe had obtained of hym to render an accout before the honorable Senate of his faith vnder whose defence and warrant of lyfe he did the same deliuered vnto them an eloqueÌ„t Apologie of the christian beliefe but the former warrant notwithstanding he by the decree of the Senate was beheaded and so ended his life For that there was an auncient law among them decreed that none that professed Christ and therefore araigned should be released without recantation or altering his opinion This Commodus is said in stories to be so sure steddy handed in casting the dart that in the open Theatre before the people he would encounter with the wild beasts and be sure to hit them in place where he appointed Among diuers other his vicious and wild parts he was to farre surpressed in pride arrogancy that he would be called Hercules and many times would shewe himselfe to the people in the skinne of a Lion to bee counted thereby the king of men like as the Lion is of the beastes Upon a certaine time being his birth day this Commodus calling the people of Rome togither in a great roialtye hauing his lions skinne vpon him made sacrifice to Hercules Iupiter causing it to be cried through the Citty that Hercules was the patrone and defender of the Citye There were the same time at Rome Vincentius Eusebius Peregrinus Potentianus learned men and instructors of the people who folowing the steps of the Apostles went about from place to place where the Gospell was not yet preached conuerting the Gentiles to the sayth of Christ These hearing the madnes of the Emperour of the people began to reproue their idolatrous blindnes teaching in villages townes al that heard them to beleue vpon the true and only God and to come away from such worshipping of deuils and to giue honor to God alone which only is to be worshipped willing them to repent and to bee Baptised least they perished with Commodus With thys their preaching they conuerted one Iulius a Senatour and other to the Religion of Christ. The Emperour hearyng thereof caused theÌ„ to be apprehended of Vitellus his Captaine and to be compelled to sacrifice vnto Hercules which when they stoutly refused after diuers greuous torments and great miracles by them done at last they were pressed with â—eaden waightes to death Vincentius Lib. 10. cap. 119. Chron. Henr. de Erfordia
brought by souldiours vnto Taposixis where as Timotheus by the prouidence of God neyther was present nor yet takē Who then returning home foūd his house desert and officers watching about the same vs within taken c. And agayne shortly after it foloweth And to see sayth he the admirable disposing of God his workes As Timotheus was thus flying with much hast great feare a certain man as happened a dweller neere by met him by the way asked whether he went so hastely to whome Timotheus aunswering declared all the matter simply as it was Which done the man proceedeth on hys iourney whether he was purposed to go which was to a mariage the maner of which mariages then was to sit vp all the night long feasting and drinking Thus as he was come sitting with them at the feast he telleth his companions what was done what he heard by the way This was no sooner told but all they forthwith vpon a head as stroken with a sodain fury rushing out together made toward vs as fast as they could with such crying noyse as might seeme very terrible At the first hearing wherof the souldiours that had vs in keping being afraid ran away by reason wherof we were left alone found as we were lying vpon fourmes benches I then the Lord knoweth thinking with my selfe that they had bene thieues which came to spoyle and rob being in my couch lay still in my shirt onely as I was the rest of my garments lying by me I offred to them They then willed me in all hast to rise and get away wherby I then perceauing the cause of their commyng cryed vnto them desiring that they would suffer vs so to do And if they would do any benefit for me for so much as I could not escape the hands of thē which would pursue me and cary me away I prayed them that they would preuent them and cut off my head before And as I was crying thus vnto them casting my selfe groueling vpon the pauement as my companions can testifie who were pertakers of all these thinges they brust forth violently takyng me by the handes and feete and caried me out of the doores and led me away There followed me Gaius Faustus Petrus Paulus who were witnesses of all the same which brought me also out of the Citie and so setting me vpon a bare Asse conueyed me away Thus much writeth Dionysius of himselfe the example of whose Epistle is cited in the Ecclesiasticall story of Eusebius Lib. 6. cap. 40. also Lib. 7. cap. 11. Nicephorus in his fift booke cap. 27. maketh mention of one named Christophorus which also suffered in this persecution of Decius Of which Christophorus whether the fable riseth of that mighty Giant set vp in Churches wadyng through the Seas with Christ on his shoulder and a tree in his hand for a walking staffe c. it is vncertayne Georg. Wicelius alledgeth out of Ruggerus Fulden and mentioneth of one Christophorus borne of the nation of the Cananites which suffered vnder Decius beyng as he sayth of xii cubites hye But the rest of the history paynted in Churches the sayd Wicelius he derideth as fables of Centaurus or other Poeticall fictions Bergomensis in hys viii booke maketh relation of diuers martyred vnder Decius as Meniatus which suffered at Florence of Agatha an holy virgine of Sicile who is sayd to suffer diuers and bitter tormentes vnder Quintinianus the Proconsul with prisonment with beatinges with famine with racking roled also vpon sharpe shelles and hot coles hauing moreouer her brestes cut from her body as Bergomensis and the Martyrologe of Ado recorde In the whiche Authors as I denye not but part of the story may be true so agayne concernyng the myracles of the aged man appearing to her and of the yong man clothed in a silken vesture with an hundreth yong mē after him and of the marble table with the inscription Mentem sanctam c. I doubt Hard it is to recite all that suffred in this persecution whē as whole multitudes went into wildernes mountains wandring without succour or comfort some starued with hunger and cold some with sicknes consumed some deuoured of beastes some with barbarous theeues taken and caried away Vincentius in his xj booke speakyng of Asclepiades writeth also of xl virgins and Martyrs which by sundry kindes of torments were put to death about the same tyme in the persecution of this tirant Likewise in the said Vincentius mentiō is made of Tryphon a man of great holines and constant in his suffryng who beyng brought to the Citie of Nice before the President Aquilus for his constant confession of Christes name was afflicted with diuers and grieuous torments and at length with the sword put to death At what tyme Decius had erected a temple in the midst of the Citie of Ephesus compelling all that were in the Citie there to sacrifice to the Idoles seuen Christians were found whose names were Maximianus Malchus Martianus Dionysius Ioannes Serapion and Constantinus who refusing the Idolatrous worship were accused for the same vnto the Emperour to be Christians Which when they constantly professed and did not deny notwithstanding because they were souldiours retayning to the Emperours seruice respite was geuen them for a certaine space to deliberate with themselues til the returne agayne of the Emperour which then was goyng to warre In the meane space the Emperour being departed they taking counsail together went and hidde themselues in secret caues of the Mount Caelius The Emperour returnyng agayne after great inquisitiō made for them hearing where they were caused the mouth of the place where they were to be closed vp with heapes of stones that they not able to get out should be famished within And thus were those good men martired The story if it be true goeth further that they betwene feare and sorrow fell a sleepe in which sleepe they continued the space of certaine ages after till the tyme of Theodosius the Emperour before they did awake as reporteth Vincentius Nicephorus Lib. 5. ca. 27. and partly also Henr. Erfordiens◠But of their awakyng that I referre to them that lift beleue it Certain it is that at the last day they shall awake in deede without any fable Hieronymus in the lyfe of Paulus the Hermite reciteth a story of a certaine souldiour whom the Pretor could not otherwise with torments remooue frō his Christianitie he deuised an other way which was this he comaunded the souldiour to be layd vpon a soft bed in a pleasant garden among the flourishing Lillies and red Roses which done all other beyng remoued away himself there left alone a beautifull harlot came to him who embracing him with al other intisements of an harlot laboured to prouoke him to her naughtines But the godly souldiour fearyng God more then obeying flesh bitte of his tong with hys owne teeth and spit it in the
the eares of Decius the Emperour he sendeth for Cornelius asking him how he durst be so bolde to shew suche stubbernes that he neither caring for the Gods nor fearing the displeasure of his Princes durst agaynst the cōmon wealth geue and receiue letters from other To whom Cornelius answering agayne thus purged himselfe declaring to the Emperour that letters in deede he had written and receiued agayne concerning the prayses honoring of Christ of saluation of soules but nothing as touching any matter of the common wealth And it foloweth in the storye Then Decius moued with anger commaunded him to be beaten with plumbattes which is sayth Sabellicus a kinde of scourging and so to be brought to the temple of Mars either there to do sacrifice or to suffer the extremitye But he rather willing to dye then to committe such iniquity prepared himselfe to Martyredome beyng sure that he should dye And so commending the charge of the Churche vnto Stephanus his Archdeacon was brought to the way of Appius where he ended his life in faythfull Martyrdome Eusebius in one place sayth that he sat ij yeares in an other place sayth that he sat three yeares and so doth Marianus Scotu following also the diuersity of the sayd Eusebius Damasus geueth him onely two yeares In this foresayde persecution of Decius it seemeth by some writers also that Cyprian was banished but I suppose rather his banishment to be referred to the reigne of Gallus next Emperour after Decius whereof more shall be sayd Christ willing in this place hereafter In the mean time the sayd Cyprian in his second booke Epist. 5. 6. maketh mention of two that suffered either in the time of this Decius or much about the same time Of whom one was Aurelius a worthy and valiant yong man who was twise in tormentes for his confession which he neuer denied but manfully and boldely withstood the aduersary till he was banished and also after And therefore was commended of Cyprian to certayne brethren to haue him for their lectorer as in the forenamed Epistle of Cyprian appeareth The other was named Mappalicus who the day before he suffered declaring to the Proconsul in the midst of his tormentes saying Videbis cras agonem that is to morrow you shall see the running for a wager c. was brought forth according as he forespake to Martyrdome and there with no lesse constancie then patience did suffer And thus much of the tyrannie of this wicked Decius agaynst God his Saintes now to touch also the power of God his vengeance and punishment against him like as we see commonly a tempest that is vehement not long to continue so it happened with this tyrannical tormenter who raigning but two yeares as sayth Eusebius or three at most as writeth Orosius among the middle of the Barbarians with whom he did warre was there slayne with his sonne like as he had slayn Philippus and his sonne his predecessours before so was he with his sonne slayne by the righteous iudgement of God himselfe Euseb. Lib. 7. cap. 1. Platin. Pomponius affirmeth that he warrying agaynst the Gotthians and beyng by them ouercome sest he should fall into their handes ranne into a whurlepyt where he was drouned and his body neuer found after Neither did the iust hand of God plague the Emperor onely but also reuenged as well the heathen Gentils and persecutors of hys word throughout all prouinces dominions of the Roman Monarchie amongst whom the lord immediatly after the death of Decius sent such a plage and pestilence lastyng for the space of x. yeares together that horrible it is to heare and almost incredible to beleue Of this plague or pestilence testifieth Dionysius to Hierax a bishop in Egypt Euseb. Lib. 7. cap. 21.22 Where he declareth the mortalitie of this plague to bee so great in Alexandria where he was bishop that there was no house in the whole Citie free And although the greatnes of the plague touched also the Christians somwhat yet it scourged the heathen Idolaters much more beside that the order of their behauiour in the one and in the other was much diuers For as the foresayd Dionysius doth recorde the Christians through brotherly loue and pietie did not refuse one to visit and comfort an other and to minister to him what need required Notwithstanding it was to them great danger for diuers there were who in closing vp their eyes in washyng their bodies interryng them in the ground were next themselues which folowed them to their graues Yet all this stayed not them frō doyng their duetie and shewyng mercy one to another Where as the Gentils contrarily beyng extremely visited by the hand of God felt the plague but considered not the striker neyther yet considered they their neighbour but euery man shifting for himselfe neither cared one for an other but such as were infected some they would cast out of the doores halfe dead to be deuoured of dogges and wilde beasts some they let dye within theyr houses without all succour some they suffred to lye vnburied for that no mā durst come neare him And yet notwithstandyng for all their voyding and shiftyng the pestilence followed them whether soeuer they went miserably consumed them In so much that Dionysius bishop the same tyme of Alexandria thus reporteth of his owne City that such a great mortalitie was then among them that the sayd City of Alexandria had not in number of all together both old and yong as it was woont to contayn before of the old men onely from the age of 60. to 70. such as were found in tyme past commonly almost in that Citie Pomponius Laetus and other Latine writers also makyng mention of the sayd pestilitie declare how the beginnyng therof first came as they thinke out of Ethiope and from the hote countreys and so inuading and wastyng first the South partes from thence spread into the East so further running and increasing into all other quarters of the world especially wheresoeuer the Edicts of the Emperor went agaynst the Christians it followed after and consumed the most part of the inhabitauntes whereby manye places became desolate and voyde of all concourse and so continued the terme of x. yeares together This pestiferous mortalitie by the occasion whereof Cyprian tooke the ground to write hys booke De mortalitate began as is sayd immediately after the death of Decius the persecutor in the beginning of the raigne of Vibias Gallus and Volusianus hys sonne who succeeded through treason next vnto Decius about the yeare of our Lord. 255. and continued their raygne but two yeares This Gallus although the first beginning of the raygne was some thing quiet yet shortly after following the steps of Decius by whō rather he should haue taken better heed set forth Edictes in like maner for the persecution of Christians albeit in this Edict we finde no number of Martyrs
superstition the creature to the creator that things signifying to the things them selues signified c. To the Church likewise and ceremonies of the church to generall Councels to the blessed virgin Mary mother of Christ to the bishop of Rome and to all other in like case not contented to attribute that which is sufficient they exceede moreouer the bounds of iudgement and veritie iudging so of the Church general coūcels as though they could neuer or did neuer erre in any iote That the blessed mother of Christ amongest al women was blessed and a virgine ful of grace the Scripture truth doth giue but to say that she was borne without al original sinne or to make of her an aduocate or mother of mercy there they run further then truth wil beare The ceremonies were first ordained to serue but onely for order sake vnto the which they haue attributed so much at length that they haue set in them a great part of our Religion yea also saluation And what thing is there els almost wherein the Papistes haue not exceeded Wherfore to auoyd this common error of the papists we must beware in cōmending the Doctors writers of the Church so commend them that truth and consideratiō go with our cōmendation For though this cannot be denied but that holy Cyprian and other blessed Martyrs were holy men yet notwithstanding they were men that is such as might haue had their falles faultes men I say not aungels nor gods saued by God not sauiours of men nor patrons of grace and though they were also men of excellent learning worthy Doctors yet with theyr learning they had their errors also annexed And though their bookes be as they ought to be of great authority yet ought they not to be equall with the Scriptures And albeit the saide well in most things yet it is not therefore inough that what they said it must stande for a truth That preeminence of authority onely belongeth to the worde of God and not to the pen of man For of men and Doctors be they neuer so famous there is none that is voyde of his reprehension In Origene although in his time the admiratiō of his learning was singuler yet how many things be there which the Church nowe holdeth not but examining him by Scriptures where he sayd well they admit him where otherwise they leaue him In Polycarpus the church hath corrected and altered that which he did holde in celebrating the Easter day after the Iewes Neither cā holy and blessed Ignatius be defended in al his sayings as where he maketh the fasting vpon the Sonday or the Sabboth day as great an offence as to kil Christ him selfe Ignat Epist. ad Phillip contrary to this saying of Saint Paule Let no man iudge you in meate drinke Also where the said Ignatius speaketh De virginitate and of other thinges mo Irenaeus did hold that man was not made perfect in the beginning He seemeth also to defend free will in man in those thinges also that be spirituall He saye◠that Christ suffered after he was fifty yeares old abusing this place of the Gospell Quinquaginta annos nondum habes c. Tertulianus whom S. Cyprian neuer laide out of his handes almost is noted to be a Chiliaste also to haue bene of Mōtanus sect The same did hold also with Iustine Cyprian other that the Aungels fel first for the concupiscence of women Lib. de habitu mulierum He defendeth fre wil of man after the corruption of nature inclining also to the errour of them which defend the possibilitie of keeping God his law Cōcerning Mariage Vnum matrimonium inquit nouimus sicut vnum Deum i. We know sayth he one Mariage as we know one God condemning the second maryage Lib de Monogam Diuers other things of like absurditie in him be noted Iustinus also seemeth to haue inclined vnto the errour of the Chiliastes of the fall of certaine Aungels by wemen offree will or man of possibilitie of keeping the lawe and such other Neither was this our Cyprian the great schooler of Tertulian vtterly exempt from the blot of them who contrary to the doctrine of the Church did hold with rebaptising of such as were before Baptised of heretikes Whereof speaketh S. Austen myslyking the same errour of Cyprian in these words contained in his 2. booke Contra Cresconium Cypriani inquit laudem ego consequi non valeo eius multis literis mea scripta non comparo eius ingenium diligo eius ore delector eius charitatem miror eius Martyrium veneror Non accipio quod de baptisandis haereticis schismaticis sensit c. Uppon the whiche matter there was a great contention betwene the sayd Cyprian and Stephen Bishop of Rome as partly afore is note◠Of Austen himselfe likewise of Ambrose Hierome Chrisostome the same maye be said that none of them also clearely passed away but their peculiar faultes and errours went with them whereof it were to long and out of our purpose at this present to entreate And thus much concerning the story of Cyprian the holy learned Martyr of Christ. Albeit here is to be noted by the way touching the life and story of Cyprian that this Cyprian was not he whome the narration of Nazianzen speaketh of as is aboue mentioned who from Arte Magicke was conuerted to bee a Christian which Cyprian was a Citizen of Antioche and afterward Bishop of the same Citie and was Martyred vnder Diocletian Where as this Cyprian was Byshop of Carthage and died vnder Valerianus as is sayd c. By the decrees of Gratiā Dist. x. Quoniam it appeareth moreouer that there was also a third Cyprian in the time of Iulianus the Emperour Apostata long after both these aforenamed For so giueth the title prefixed before the saide Distinct Cyprianus Iuliano Imperatori the distinction beginning Quoniam idem mediator Dei hominum homo Christus Iesus he actibus proprijs dignitatibus distinctis officia potestatis vtriusque discernit c. Upon the which distinctiō the glose commeth in with these words saying that the popedome and the seate Imperial haue both one beginning of one that is Christ who was both Bishoppe and king of Kings And that the said dignities be distincted albeit the Pope notwithstanding hath both the swords in his hand and may exercise them both some time And therefore although they be distincted yet in exercise the one standeth lineally vnder the other so that the imperiall dignitie is subiect vnder the Papall dignitie as the inferiour is subiect vnder the superiour that as there is one ruler ouer the whole which is God so in the Church is one Monarche that is the Pope to whom the Lord hath committed the power and lawfull right both of the heauenly and terrene dominion Haec Glosa Thus much I thought here
more griefe to me yet some solace it was to me that the brethren told me it was neare to a Citie named Paraetonium For as my being at CephroÌ„ got me the acquaintaunce of manye brethren of Egypt so my hope was that the vicinitie of that place where I shoulde be to the Citie might procure the familiaritie and concourse of certaine louing brethren which would resort and assemble with vs and so it came to passe c. Moreouer the said Dionysius in his Epistle ad Domiâ—ium DydymuÌ„ making mention of them whiche were afflicted in this persecution of Valerian recordeth in these wordes saying it were superflous saith he here to recite the names peculiarly of all our brethren slaine in this persecution which both were manye and to me vnknowne But this is certaine that there were men wemen younge men maydens olde wiues souldiers simple innocentes and of all sortes and ages of men Of whome some with â—courginges and fire some with sworde obtained victorye and got the crowne Some continued a great time and yet haue bene reserued In the whiche number am I reserued hetherto to some other oportune tyme knowen vnto the Lord which sayth In the time accepted I haue heâ—rde thee and in the daye of saluation I haue helped thee c. Nowe as concerning my selfe in what state I am if thou desire to know first howe I and Caius and Faustus Petrus and Paulus being apprehended by the Centurion were taken away by certayne of the towne of Mareote I haue declared to you before Now I and Caius and Petrus alone are left here included in a west place of Libya distant the space of thre daies iouâ—ney from Paraetonium c. And in processe farther he addeth In the Citie saith he were certaine priuily which visite the brethren of Priestes Maximus Dioscorus Demetrius and Lucius For they which were more notable in the world Faustinus and Aquilla do wander abroade in Egipt Of the Deacons besides them whoÌ„ sicknes hath consumed Faustus Eusebius Cheremon are yet alyue Eusebius hath God raised and stirred vp to minister to the confessours lying in bandes and to burye the bodies of the blessed Martirs not without great perill Neither doth the President cease yet to this day cruellye murderyng such as be brought afore him some tearynge with torments some imprisoning and keeping in custody commaunding that no man should come to them inquyring also who resorted vnto them Yet notwithstanding God with chearefulnes and dailye resorte of the brethren doth comfort the afficted Haec Dionysius Concerning these deacons aboue recited here is to be noted that Eusebius afterward was made Bishop of Laodicia in Syria Maximus the Priest aforesaide had the mynistration of the Church of Alexandria after Dionysius Faustus long after continued in great age vnto the latter persecution where he being a very old man at length was beheaded and died Martyr As touching Dionysius him selfe thus the stories report that he suruiuing all these troubles and persecutioÌ„s by the prouidence of God continued after the death of Valerian vnto the xij yeare of the raigne of Galienus whiche was about the yeare of our Lord. 268. and so departed in peace in great age after that he had gouerned the Church of Alexandria the space of xvij yeares before that had taught the schole of the sayd Citie of Alexandria the terme of xvj yeares After whom succeeded Maximus as is aboue specified And thus much touching the full storie of Dionysius Alexandrinus and of other also Martyrs and Confessours of Alexandria In Caesaria Palestine suffered also the same time Priscus Malchus and Alexander the which three dwelling in the countrey and good men seing the valiaunt courage of the Christians so boldly to venter constantly to stand and patiently to suffer in this persecutioÌ„ as men being greued with them selues began to repent accuse their so great sluggishnes and cowardly negligence to see other so zealous valiant themselues so colde faint harted in laboring for the crowne of Christian martyrdome first consulting and agreing within themselues came to Cesarea there stepping to the Iudge declared theÌ„selues what they were obtained the end they came for being giuen to the wilde beasts After which like maner also and in the same Citye of Cesarea a certaine woman whose name Eusebius expresseth not who had beene before of the secte of Marcion was brought before the President and likewise obtayned the same Martyrdome Euseb. Lib. 7. cap. 12. Neither was the citie of Carthage all this while free from the stroke of this persecution if credit should be giueÌ„ to the speculatiue glasse of Vincentius who cyting out of Hugo recordeth of 300. Martyrs of which 300. Martyrs the history saith thus that the President setting before the cooles and incense to doe sacryfice by a lyme kilne which was there neere at hand offred vnto them this condition either to set incense to the coales for sacrifice to Iupiter or els to go into the fornace of lyme wherupon they altogether with a generall motion sodenly rushed into the kilne and ther with the dusty smoke of the lime were smothered Vincent Erford In Aphrica also in the City of Tuburba the sayd VinceÌ„tius out of the Martyrologe inferreth mention of thre constaunt virgins Maxima Donatilla and Secunda who in the persecution of this Valerian and Galienus first had giuen for their drinke vinager and gaule then with scourges were tried after that vpon the gibbet were tormented rubbed with lime then were scorched vpon the fiery gridiroÌ„ at last were cast to the wilde beastes who being not touched of them finally with the sword were beheaded Vincent Erfor In Symela a City in Italy vnder the Alpes one Pontius beyng there apprehended by the commaundement of Claudius the President was hanged first vppon the racke then was cast to the wilde beastes of whom he being nothing hurt was after coÌ„mitted to the fire And finally neither touched therwith if the storye of Vincentius be true was headed by the ryuers side his body throwne into the floude where immediatlye the same houre the foresayde Claudius with his assistant Anabius were taken with wicked spirits by whom they were so miserablye vexed that they byt of their tongues and died Zenon also Byshop of Verona is saide also in the same persecution to sustayne Martyrdome Moreouer in the same Citie of Alexandria aforesayde Bergomensis in his 8. booke writing of the story of Valerianus Emperour maketh mention of Philippus bishoppe of the said sea of Alexandria who as he saith was vnder the sayd Valerian beheaded But that is not to be founde in any approued story nor staÌ„deth with the truth of time that any such Philip then was bishop of Alexandria or any other except onely Dionysius After whom next succeeded Maximus who remained xviij yeares and after him Theonas c. So that by the auncient recordes of
with the rest of the multitude and perswading them what they should do and what had bene obteined for theÌ„ caused them to void the citie and not onlie them but also a great number of other mo who perswaded by him vnder that preâ—ence changing themselues in womens apparell or faming some impotencie so escapeh out of the citie At whose comming out Eusebius on the other side was readie to receiue them and refreshed their hungrye and pined bodies whereby not onelye they but the whole Citye of Alexandria was preserued from destruction Eusebius lib. 7. cap. 32. By this little historie of Eusebius and Anatholius described in the vij booke of Eusebius cap. 32. and briefly here set foorth to thee gentle Reader thou mayest partly vnderstande the practise of the Prelates what it was in those daies in the church which was then onlie imploied in sauing of life and succouring the common weales wherein they liued as by these two godly persons Eusebius and Anatholius may wel appeare Unto the which practise if we compare the practise of our latter prelates of the church of Rome I suppose no little difference will appeare The next Emperour to Florianus as is said was Marcus Aurelius Probus a Prince both wise and vertuous and no lesse valiant in martial affaires as fortunate in the successe of the same During his time we reade of no persecution greatly stiring in the church but much quietnes as well in matters of religion as also in the common wealth In so much that after his great and manye victories such peace ensued that his saying was there needed no more souldiers seing there were no moe enimies to the coÌ„mon wealth to fight against It was his saying also that hys souldiers nede not to spend corne and victuale except they laboured to serue the common wealth And for the same cause he caused his souldiers to be set a worke about certayne mountaynes in Syrinia in Messia to be planted with vines and not so much as in winter suffered them to be at rest therfore by them at length he was slayne after he had reigned the space of vj. yeres and 4. moneths an 284 Eutrop. Carus with his two sonnes Carinus and Numerianus succeeded next after Probus in the Empire the raygne of which Emperors continued in all but iij. yeares Of the which three first Carus warring agaynst the Persians was slayne with lightning Of Numerianus his sonne beyng with his father in his warres against the Persians we finde much commendation in Eutropius Vopiscus and other writers which testified to him to be a valiaunt warriour an eloquent orator as appeared by his declamatioÌ„s and writinges sent to the Senate Thirdly to be an excellent Poet. This Numerianus sorrowing lamentyng for the death of hys father through immoderate weeping fell into a great sorenes of his eyes by reason whereof he keping close was slaine not long after of his father in lawe named Aper who traiterously aspiring to the Empire dissnnuled his death with a false excuse to the people asking for him saying for the payne of his eyes he kept in from the wind and weather til at length by the stinch of his body being caried about his death was vttered In the life of this Emperor Carus aforesaide written by Eutropius in the later edition set forth by Frobenius I finde whiche in other editions of Eutropius doth not appeare that Numerianus the sonne of this Carus was he that slewe Babylas the holye Martyr whose history before wee haue comprehended But that seemeth not to be like both by the narration of Chrysostome and also for that Vrspergensis declaryng the same hystorie and in the same wordes as it is in Eutropius saith that it was Cyrillus whome Numerianus killed the story whereof is this what time Carus the Emperour in his iourney going toward the Persians remayned at Antioche Numerianus his sonne would enter into the church of the christians to view and behold their misteries But Cyrillus their bishop would in no wise suffer him to enter into the church saying that it was not lawfull for him to see the misteries of God who was polluted with sacrifices of Idoles Numerianus full of indignation at the hearing of these words not suffering that repulse at the hands of Cyrillus in his fury did slay the godlye Martyr And therefore iustly as it seemed was he himselfe slayne afterward by the hands of Aper Thus Carus with his sonne Numerianus being slaine in the East partes as is declared Carinus the other sonne raigned alone in Italye where he ouercame Sabinus striuyng for the Empire and raigned there with much wyckednes till they returning home of the army againe from the Persians who then set vp Dioclesian to be Emperor by whome the foresayde Carinus for the wickednes of hys life being forsaken of his host was ouercome at length slayne with the hande of the Tribune whose wyfe before he had defloured Thus Carus with his two sonnes Numerianus and Carinus ended their liues whose raigne continued not aboue three yeares All this meane space we reade of no great persecution stirring in the Church of Christ but was in meane quiete state and tranquilitie vnto the xix yeare of the raigne of Dioclesian So that in counting the time from the latter ende of Ualerian vnto this foresaid yeare of Dioclesian the peace of the church which God gaue to his people semeth to continue aboue 44. yeares During the which tyme of peace and tranquilitie the church of the Lord did mightely increase and florish so that the more bodies it lost by persecution the more honor and reuerence it wan daily among the Gentiles in al quarters both Grekes and barbarous in so much that as Eusebius in his vij booke describeth amongst the Emperours themselues diuers there were which not onely bare singular good will and fauor to them of our profession but also did commit vnto them offices regiments ouer countries and nations so well were they affected to our doctrine that they priuileged the same with liberty and indemnitie What needeth to speake of them which not only liued vnder the Emperors in libertie but also were familiar in the court with the Princes themselues entertained with great honour and speciall fauour beyond the other seruitures of the court as was Dorotheus with his wife children and whole family highly accepted aduaunced in the palace of the Emperour Also Gorgonius in like maner with diuers other mo who for theyr doctrine learning which they professed were with theyr Princes in great estimation In like reuerence also were the bishops of cities and Diocesse with the Presidentes and rulers where they liued who not onely suffered theÌ„ to liue in peace but also had them in great price and regarde so long as they kept themselues vpright and continued in God his fauour Who is able to number at that time the mighty
diligence and deuotioÌ„ to induce all men to an vniforme life so that they which seemed to dissent from the Romaine custome by a straunge maner of liuing shoulde exhibite to the immortall Gods their due and proper worshipp but the wilfull and obstinate minde of diuers so much and so coÌ„tinually resisted the same that by no lawfull meanes they might be reuoked from their purpose neither made afraid by any terror or punishment Because therefore it so came to passe that by this meanes many put themselues in perill and ieoperdy The maiestie of our soueraigne Lordes the Emperours according to their noble pietie considering that it was far from the meaning of their princely maiesties that suche thinges should be whereby so many men and muche people should be destroyd gaue me in charge that with diligence I shoulde write vnto you that if any of the Christians from henceforth fortune to be taken in the exercise of their religion that in no wise you molest the same neither for that cause you doe iudge any man worthy of punishment for that in all this time it hath euidentlye appeared that by no meanes they might be allured from such wilfulnesse It is therefore requisite that your wisdome write vnto the Questors Captaynes and Constables of euery City and village that they may know it not to be lawfull for them or any of them to do contrary to the prescript of this commaundement neither that they presume to attempt the same Euseb. lib. 9. cap. 1. The gouernours therefore of euery prouince supposing this to be the determinate pleasure and not fayned of the Emperour did first aduertise thereof the rusticall Pagan multitude After that they released and set at libertye all suche prisoners as were condempned to the mettall mines to perpetuall imprisonmeÌ„t for their fayth thinking therby where in deed they were deceiued that the doing thereof would well please the Emperor This therfore seemed to them as vnlooked for and as light to trauellers in a darcke night They gather themselues together in euery City they call their Synodes and counsels much maruell at the sodden chaunge and alteration The Infidels themselues extoll the onely and true God of the christians The Christians receiue agayne all their former libertie and such as fell away before in the tyme of persecution repent themselues and after penaunce done they returned agayne to the congregation Nowe the Christians reioyced in euery Citty praying God with hymnes and Psalmes Eusebius ibidem This was a maruailous sodaine alteration of the Church from a most vnhappy state into a better but scarce suffered Maximinus the Tyraunt the same vj. monethes vnuiolated to continue For whatsoeeuer seemed to make for the subuersion of the same peace yet scarcely hatched that did he onely meditate And first of all he tooke from the Christians all libertie and leaue for them to assemble and congregate in churchyardes vnder a certayne coulour After that he sent certayne Miscreants vnto the Athenians to sollicite them agaynst the Christians and to prouoke them to aske of him as a recompence and great reward that he would not suffer any Christian to inhabite in their countrey and amongest them was one Theotechnus a most wicked miscreant an inchaunter and a most deadly enemy agaynst the Christians He first made the way whereby the Christians were put out of credite and accused to the Emperour to which fraud also he erected a certayne Idoll of Iupiter to be worshipped of the inchaunters and coniurers and mingled the same worship with ceremonies full of deceiueable witchcraâ—t Lastly he caused the same Idoll to geue this sound out of hys mouth That is Iupiter commaundeth the christians to be banished out of the Citie and suburbes of the same as enemies vnto him And the same sentence did the rest of the gouernors of the prouinces publish against the Christians and thus at length persecution began to kindle against them Maximinus appoynted and instituted high priestes and bishops in euery citie to offer sacrifice vnto Idoles inueigled all those that were in great offices vnder him that they should not onely cease to pleasure them to do for them but also that they should with new deuised accusatioÌ„s agaynst theÌ„ at their pleasure put as many to death as by any meanes they might They also did counterfet certaine practises of Pilate against our sauiour Christ full of blasphemie and sent the same into all the Empire of Maximinus by their letters commaunding that the same shoulde be published and set vp in euery citie and suburbes of the same and that they should be deliuered to the scholemaisters to cause their scholers to learne by roate the same After that one named Praefectus castrorum whome the Romaines do call captaine allured certaine light womeÌ„ partly by feare and partly by punishment dwelling at Damascus in Phenicia and taken out of the court wherein they were accused that they shoulde openly say in wryting that they were once Christians and that they knewe what wicked lasciuious actes the Christians were wont to execute amongst themselues vpon the sondaies what other things they thought good to make more of their own head to the slander of the Christians The capitaine sheweth vnto the emperour theer words as though it had bene so in deede and the Emperour by and by commanded the same to be published throughout euery city Furthermore they did hange vp in the midst of euery Citie which was neuer done before the Emperours edicts against the Christians grauen in tables of brasse And the children in the scholes with great noise and clapping of handes did euery day resound the contumelious blasphemies of Pilate vnto Iesus what other things so euer were deuised of the magistrates after most despitefull maner Euseb. lib. 8 cap. 3.4.5.6.7 And this is the copie of the edict which Maximinus caused to be fastened to pillers fraught with all arrogant and insolent hate against God and Christ. The weake and imbecil rebellion of mans minde all obscuritie and blindnesse of ignorance set aparte which hetherto hath wrapped the mindes of impious and miserable men in the pernitious darkenesse of ignoraunce is now at the length able to discerne that the same is gouerned as also corroborated by the prouidence of the immortall gods the louers of vertue which thing how acceptable it is to vs howe pleasant and gratefull and howe much proofe the same hath declared of your wel disposed willing minds is incredible to be tolde Although this was not vnknown before with what diligence and deuotion yee serued the immortall Gods whose wonderfull and constant faith is not knowen by bare and naked wordes but by your worthy notable deeds Wherefore worthely is your Citie called the habitation and seate of the immortall Gods and by many examples it appeareth that the same flourisheth and prospereth by the presence of the celestiall Gods For beholde your Citie
not regarding your priuate businesses nor esteeming that which shoulde haue bene for the speciall commoditie thereof when it perceaued that cursed vanitie to begin againe to creepe and as a fire negligently quenched when the dead brandes thereof began to kindle and make a great flame by and by without delay ye hauing recourse vnto our pietie as vnto the Metropolitan of all diuine worship and Religion craued remedie and helpe which wholesome minde for your pieties sake it is most manifest that the gods haue indued you with Therefore hee euen that most mightie Iupiter I say which preserueth your most famous Citie to that intent he might deliuer and make free your countrey Gods your wiues and children your housholde Gods and houses from all detestable corruption hath inspired you with this wholesome and willing minde shewing declaring howe worthy notable and healthfull a thing it is to worship to sacrifice to the immortall Gods For who is so void of reason vnderstanding that knoweth not that this thing happeneth vnto vs by the carefull studie of the goodnes of our gods that the grounde denieth not to geue her timely increase nor maketh frustrate the husband mans hope nor that wicked warre dare shew her face vpon the earth nor that the corruption of the aire is nowe cause of pestilence neither that the sea swelleth with immoderate windes neither that sodaine stormes are cause of hurtfull tempestes To conclude that the ground which is as the nurce and mother of all things is not swallowed vp of her deepe chappes and gapings by terrible earthquake neither that the hils made leuell with the earth are not with gaping cliftes deuoured all which euils and greater then these before this time to haue happened euery mā knoweth And all these mischiefes came vpō vs for the pernitious errours sake of the extreeme follie of those wicked men the Christanis when filthinesse it selfe as I may call it so occupied their mindes and ouerranne the worlde Let them beholde the fieldes nowe all about full of corne and ouerflowen as it were with eares of corne Let them vewe the pleasant medowes clothed with flowers and moistned with showers from heauen and also the pleasant and temperate weather Therefore let all men reioyce that by your pietie sacrifices worshipping the maiestie of the most stearne God of battell Mars is appeased that therfore we enioy pleasant firme peace And how many so euer haue left that blind errour and straying of the Christians vnfainedly and be of a better minde let them specially reioyce as men deliuered out of a sodaine great tempest and from a greeuous disease and haue afterward obtained a delectable and pleasant life For doubtlesse if they had remained in that execrable vanitie farre of had they bene chased from your Citie suburbs of the same according to your desire that your Citie by that meanes according to your commēdable diligence clensed from all impuritie and impietie may offer sacrifices according to the meaning of the same with due reuerence of the immortall Gods And that you may perceiue in how good part your supplication yea vnasked and desired we are most willing and ready to further your honest endeuours and graunt vnto you for your deuotion whatsoeuer you aske of our magnificence And that thys thing may be accomplished forthwith aske and haue And thys thing with all speede indeuour you to obtaine which shall bee a perpetuall testimony of pietie exhibited of your Citie to the immortall Gods and shal be a president to your children and posteritie and withall you shall obtaine of vs for this your willing desire of reformation condygne and worthy rewardes Eusebius Lib 9. cap. 7. Thus came it to passe that at the length persecutiō was as great as euer it was and the magistrates of euery prouince were very disdainefull against the Christians which cōdemned some to death and some to exile Among whom they condemned three christians at Emisa in Phenicia with whom Siluanus the bishop a very old man being 40. yeres in the ecclesiasticall function was condemned to death At Nicomedia Lucianus the elder of Antioche brought thether after he had exhibited to the emperour his Apologie concerning the doctrin of the Christians was cast in pryson and after put to death In Amasea a City of Capadocia Bringes the lieftenaunt of Maximinus had at that time the executing of that persecution At Alexandria Petrus a most worthy byshop was beheaded with whome manye other Egiptian byshops also died Euseb. Lib. 9. cap. 7. Nicepho Lib. 7. cap. 44. Quirinus the Byshop Scescanius hauing a hanmyll tyed about hys necke was throwne headlong from the bridge into the flood and there a long while fleeted aboue the water and when hee opened his mouth to speake to the lookers on that they shoulde not be dismaied with that his punishmēt was with much a do drowned Chron. Euseb. At Rome dyed Marcellus the bishop as sayeth Platina also Timotheus the elder with many other bishops Priests were martyred To cōclud many in sundry places euery where were martyred whose name the booke intituled Fasciculus temporum declareth as Victorianus Symphorianus Castorius with his wife Castulus Cesarius Mennas Nobilis Dorotheus Gorgonius Petrus and other innumerable martirs Erasmus Bonifacius Iuliana Cosmas Damianus Basilinus with seuen others Dorothea Theophilus Theodosia Vitalis Agricola Acha Philemon Hireneus Ianuarius Festus Desiderius Gregorius Spoletanus Agapes Chionia Hirenea Theodora and 270. other Martyrs Florianus Primus and Felicianus Vitus and Modestus Crescentia Albinus Rogatianus Donatianus Pancratius Catharina Margareta Lucia the virgin and Antheus the king with many thousād martirs mo Simplicius Faustinus Beatrix Panthaleon Georgius Iustus Leocandia Anthonia and other mo to an infinite number suffered martirdome in this persecution whose names God hath written in the booke of life Also Felix Victor with his parents Lucia the widow Gemenianus with 79 others Sabinus Anastasia Chrisogonus Felix and Audactus Adrianus Nathalia Eugenia Agnes also when she was but 13. yeare old was martyred Euseb. in his 8. booke and 15. chap. rehearseth these kinds of torments and punishmēts that is to say Fire wilde beastes the sword crucifyinges the bottome of the sea the cutting and burning of mēbers the thrusting out of eyes dismembring of the whole body hūger imprisonment whatsoeuer other cruelty the Magistrates coulde deuise All which notwithstanding the godly ones rather then that they woulde doe sacrifice as they were bid māfully endured Neither were the womē any thing at al behind thē For they beyng intised to the filthy vse of their bodies rather suffered banishmēt or willingly killed themselues Neither yet could the Christians liue safely in the wildernes but were fetched euē frō thēce to death and tormentes in so much that this was a more greeuous persecution vnder Maximianus the tyraunt then was the former cruell persecution vnder Maximianus the Prince Euseb. Lib. 9.
cap. 6. 10. And forasmuch as yee haue hearde the cruell Edict of Maximinus proclaymed against the Christians grauen in brasse which he thought perpetually should endure to the abolishing of Christ his Religion Now marke againe the great handy worke of God which immediatly fel vpon the same checking the proud presumption of the tyrant prouing al to be false and contrary that in the brasen Proclamation was contained For where the foresaide Edict boasted so much of the prosperitie and plentie of all things in the time of this persecution of the Christians sodenly befell such vnseasonable drought with famine and pestileÌ„ce among the people besides also the warres with the Armenians that all was founde vntrue that hee had bragged so much of before By reason of which famine and pestilence the people were greatly consumed in so much that one measure of wheat was sold for two thousand and fiue hundred peeces of money of Athens coyne by reason whereof innumerable died in the Cities but many more in the countrey and villages so that most part of the husbaÌ„d men and countreymen died vp with the famine and pestilence Diuers there were which bringing out their best treasure were glad to geue it for any kinde of sustenaÌ„ce were it neuer so litle Other selling away their possessions fel by reason thereof to extreme pouertie and beggary Certaine eating grasse and feeding on other vnholsome herbes were faine to relieue them selues with such foode as did hurt and poyson their dodies Also a number of women in the Cities being brought to extreeme miserie and penurie were constrained to depart the Citie and fal to begging through the couÌ„trey Some other were weake and faint as Images without breath wandring vp and downe not able to stand for feblenesse fel downe in the middle of the streetes and holding vp their handes most pitifull cried for some scrappes or fragments of bread to be geuen them being at the last gaspe ready to geue vp the Ghost and not able to vtter any other words yet cried out that they were huÌ„gry Of the richer sort diuers there were who being weary with the number of beggers and askers after they had bestowed largely vpon them became hard harted fearing least they should fall into the same miserie themselues as they which begged By reason wherof the market place streetes lanes and alleis lay full of dead naked bodies being cast out and vnburied to the pitifull grieuous beholding of them that saw them Wherefore many were eaten of dogges for which cause they that liued fell to the killing of dogges least they running mad shoulde fall vpon them and kill them In like maner the pestilence scattering through all houses and ages of men did no lesse consume them especially those which through pleÌ„ty of vitail escaped famine Wherfore the rich Princes Presidentes and other innumerable of the Magistrates being the more apt to receiue the infection by reason of their pleÌ„ty were quickly dispatched and turned vp their heeles Thus the miserable multitude being consumed with famine and with pestilence all places was full of mourning neither was there any thing else seene but wailing and weeping in euery corner So that death what for famine and pestilence in short time brake vp and consumed whole housholdes two or three dead bodies being borne out together from one house to one funerall These were the rewards of the vaine bragges of Maximinus and his Edicts which he did publish in all townes and Cities against vs wheÌ„ it was euident to al men how diligent and charitable the Christians were to them all in this their miserable extremitie For they onely in all this time of distresse shewing compassion vpoÌ„ them trauelled euery day some in curing the sicke some in burying the dead which otherwise of their owne sort were forsaken Other some of the Christians calling and gathering the multitude together which were in ieopardie of famine distributed bread to them whereby they ministred occasion to all men to glorifie the God of the Christians and to confesse them to be the true worshippers of God as appeard by their workes By the meanes and reason hereof the great God and defender of the Christians who before had shewed his anger and indignation against al men for their wrongfull afflicting of vs opened againe vnto vs the comfortable light of his prouidence so that by meanes thereof peace fell vnto vs as light to them that sit in darknesse to the great admiration of all men which easely perceiue God himselfe to be a perpetuall director of our doings who many times chasteneth his people with calamities for a time to exercise them but after sufficient correction againe sheweth himselfe mercifull and fauourable to them which with trust call vpon him By the narration of these things heeretofore premised taken out of the storie of Eusebius like as it is manifest to see so is it wonderfull to marke and note how those counsailes and rages of the Gentiles atchieued against Christ and his Christians when they seemed most â—ure against them were most against them selues And whereby they thought most to confouÌ„d the Church Religion of Christ the same turned most to their owne confusion and to the profite and praise of the Christians God of his marueilous wisedome so ordering disposing the end of things For where the brasen Edict of the Emperour promised temperate weather God sent drought where it promised plentie God immediatly sent vpon them famine and penurie where it promised health God stroke them euen vpon the same with grieuous pestilence and with other moe calamities in such sort that the most reliefe they had was chiefly by the Christians to the great praise both of them and to the honour of our God Thus most plainely and euidently was then verified the true promise of Christ to his Church affirming and assuring vs that the gates of hell shall not preuaile against his Church builded vpoÌ„ his faith as sufficiently may appeare by these x. persecutioÌ„s aboue specified and described Wherein as no man can deny but that Sathan his malignaunt world haue assayed the vttermost of their power and might to ouerthrow the Church of Iesus so must all men needes graunt that read these stories that when Sathan and the gates of hell haue done their worst yet haue they not preuailed against this mount of Sion nor euer shall For els what was here to be thought where so many Emperours and tyraunts together Dioclesian Maximinian Galerius Maximinus Seuerus Maxentius Licinius with their Captaines and officers were let loose like so many Lyons vpon a scattered and vnarmed flocke of sheepe intending nothing els but the vtter subuersion of all Christianitie and especially also when lawes were set vp in brasse against the Christians as a thing perpetually to stand what was here to be looked for but a finall desolation of the name and Religion of Christians But what
folowed partly ye haue heard partly more is to be marked as in the storie foloweth I shewed before how Maxentius the sonne of Maximinian was set vp at Rome by the Pretorian souldiours to be Emperour Whereunto the Senate although they were not consenting yet for feare they were not resisting Maximinian his father who had before depriued him selfe with Dioclesian hearing of this tooke heart againe to him to resume his dignitie and so laboured to perswade Dioclesian also to do the same but when he could not moue him therunto he repaireth to Rome thinking to wrast the Empire out of his sonnes hand but when the souldiours woulde not suffer that of a craftie purpose he flieth to Constantinus in Fraunce vnder pretense to complaine of Maxentius his sonne but in very deede to kill Constantinus NotwithstaÌ„ding that conspiracie being detected by Fausta the daughter of Maximinian whom Constantinus had maryed so was Constantinus through the grace of God preserued Maximinian retired backe In the which his flight by the way hee was apprehended and so put to death And this is the end of Maximinian Now let vs returne to Maxentius againe who all this while raigned at Rome with tiranny and wickednes intollerable much like to an other Pharao or Nero. For hee slewe the most part of his noble men and tooke from them their goodes And sometime in his rage he would destroy great multitudes of the people of Rome by his souldiors as Eusebius declareth lib. 8. cap. 14. Also hee left no mischieuous nor lasciuious acte vnattempted but was the vtter enemie of all womanly chastity which vsed to send the honest wiues whome he had adulterated with shame and dishonestie vnto their husbandes being worthy Senators after that he had rauished them He absâ—ained from no adulterous acte but was inflamed with the inquencheable lust of deflouring of women Letus declareth that he being at a time farre in loue with a noble chaste gentlewoman of Rome sent vnto her such courtiers of his as were mete for that purpose whome also he had in greater estimation then any others and with such was wont to coÌ„sult about matters for the common weale These first fell vpon her husbande and murdred him within his owne house then when they coulde by no meanes neither with feare of the tyrant nor with threatning of death pull her away from him At length she being a Christian desired leaue of them to go into her chamber and after her prayers shee woulde accomplish that which they requested And when she had gotten into her chamber vnder this pretence she killed her selfe But the Courtiers when they sawe that the woman taryed so long they being displeased therwith brake open the doores and found her there lying dead Then returned they and declared this matter to the Emperor who was so far past shame that in steade of repentance hee was the more set on fire in attempting the like He was also much addict to the arte Magicall which to execute hee was more fitte then the Imperiall dignitie Also sometime he would rippe women when they were in laboure and would search the place where the infant lay being borne a little before Often he woulde inuocate Diuels in a secrete maner and by the answeres of them hee sought to breake the warres which he knew Constantinus and Licinius prepared against him And to the ende hee might the rather perpetrate hys mischieuous and wicked attemptes which in his vngracious minde he had conceiued according to his purpose in the beginning of his raigne he fained himself to be a fauourer of the Christians In which thing doing thinking to make the people of Rome hys friendes hee commaunded that they shoulde cease from persecuting of the Christians and hee himselfe in the meane season abstained from no contumelious vexation of them till that he began at last to shewe hymselfe an open persecutour of them at which time as Zonaras wryteth hee most cruelly raged against all the Christians thereabouts vexing them with all maner of iniuries Which thing he in no lesse wise did then Maximinus as Euse. in his 8. booke and 15. chap. seemeth to affirme And Platina declareth in the life of Marcellus the Bishop that hee banished a certaine noble woman of Rome because shee gaue her goodes to the Church Thus by the grieuous tyranny and vnspeakable wickednesse of thys Maxentius the Citizens and Senatours of Rome being much grieued and oppressed sent theyr complaintes wyth letters vnto Constantinus wyth much sute and most hearty petitions desiring hym to helpe and release their Countrey and Citie of Rome who hearyng and vnderstanding theyr miserable and pitifull state and grieued therewyth not a little first sendeth by letters to Maxentius desiring and exhorting him to refrayne his corrupt doinges and great crueltie But when no letters nor exhortations woulde preuaile at length pitying the wofull case of the Romaines gathered together hys power and armie in Britayne and Fraunce wherewyth to represse the violent rage of that tyraunt Thus Constantinus sufficiently appoynted with strength of men but especially wyth strength of God entred hys iourny comming towarde Italie whyche was about the last yeare of the persecution Anno 318. Maxentius vnderstanding of the comming of Constantine and trusting more to his diuelish Arte of Magike then to the good will of hys subiectes whych hee little deserued durst not shewe himselfe out of the Citie nor encounter wyth him in the open fielde but wyth priuie garrisons laide in waite for him by the waye in sundry straightes as he should come With whom Constantine had diuers skirmishes and by the power of the Lorde did euer vanquishe them and put them to flight Notwythstanding Constantinus yet was in no great comfort but in great care and dread in hys minde approching nowe neare vnto Rome for the Magicall charmes and sorceries of Maxentius wherewith hee had vanquished before Seuerus sent by Galerius against hym as hath bene declared which made also Constantinus the more afrayde Wherefore being in great doubt and perplexity in himself and reuoluing many thinges in his minde what helpe he might haue against the operatioÌ„s of hys charming which vsed to cut women great with childe to take hys diuelishe charmes by the entrals of the infants with such other like feates of deuilishnes which he practised These thinges I say Constantinus doubting and reuoluing in his minde in his iourney drawing toward the Citie and casting vp his eyes many times to heauen in the South part about the going downe of the sunne sawe a great brightnesse in heauen appearing in the similitude of a crosse wyth certaine starres of equall bignesse geuing this inscription like Latine letters IN HOC VINCE that is In thys ouercome Euseb. De vita Constant lib. 2. Nicep lib. 7. cap. 29. Eutrop. lib. 11. Sozom. lib 1. cap 3. Socrat lib. 1. cap. 2. Vrspurgens Chronic Paul Diacon lib. 11. Thys
cap. 13. There was betweene him and Constantinus in the beginning great familiaritie and such agreement that Constantinus gaue vnto him his sister Constantia in Matrimonie as Aurelius Victor wryteth Neither woulde any man haue thought him to haue bene of any other Religion then Constantinus was of hee seemed in all thinges so well to agree with him Wherupon he made a decree with Constantinus in the behalfe of the Christians as we haue shewed Eusebius Lib. 9. cap. 9. And such was Licinius in the beginning But after arming him selfe with tyrannie began to cōspire against the person of Constantinus of whom he had receaued so great benefites neither fauorable to the law of nature nor mindful of his othes his bloud nor promises But when hee considered that in his conspiracies he nothing preuailed for that he saw Cōstantinus was preserued and safely defended of God And partly being puffed vp with the victory against Maximinus he began vehemētly to hate him and not onely to reiect the Christian religion but also deadly to hate the same Hee saide he would become an enemy vnto the Christiās for that in their assemblies and meetinges they prayed not for him but for Constantinus Therefore first by litle and litle and that secretely he went about to wrong and hurt the christians banished them his Court which neuer were by any meanes preiudiciall to his kingdom Then he commāded that all those should be depriued which were knights of the honourable order vnlesse they would do sacrifice to deuils Euseb. lib. 10. cap. 8. The same persecution afterwardes stretched he from his court into all his prouinces which with most wicked and deuised lawes hee set forth First that for no cause the Byshops shoulde in any matter communicate together neither that any man should come at the Churches next vnto them or to call any assemblies and consult for the necessary matters and vtilitie of the Church After that the men women together should not come in companies to pray nor that the women should come in those places where they vsed to preach and read the worde of God neither that they should be after that instructed any more of the Byshops but should chuse out such women amongest them as shoulde instruct them The thirde most cruell and wickedst of all was that none should helpe and succour those that were cast in prison nor shoulde bestowe any almes or charitie vpon them though they shoulde die for hunger and they which shewed any compassion vpon those that were condemned to death should be as greatly punished as they to whome they shewed the same shoulde be Eusebius libro primo de vita Constantini These were the most horrible cōstitutions of Licinius which went beyond and passed the boundes of nature After this he vsed violence against the Byshops but yet not openly for feare of Constantinus but priuely and by conspiracie by which meanes hee slewe those that were the worthiest men amongest the Doctours and Prelates And about Amasea and other Cities of Pontus he razed the Churches euen to the ground Other some he shut vp that no man should come after their accustomed maner to pray and worship God and therefore as we sayde before his conscience accusing him all this hee did for that he suspected they prayed for Constantinus and not at all for him And from this place in the East parties vnto the Libians which bordered vpon the Egyptians the christians durst not assemble and come together for the displeasure of Licinius which hee had conceaued against them Zozomenus Lib. 1. cap. 2. Furthermore the flattering officers that were vnder him thinking by this meanes to please him slewe made out of the way many byshops and without any cause put them to death as though they had bene homicides hainous offenders and such rigorousnes vsed they towards some of them that they cut their bodyes into gobbets and small peeces in maner of a Boucher and after that threwe them into the Sea to feede the fishes Euseb. Lib. 10. cap. 8. What shall we speake of the exiles confiscations of good and vertuous men For he tooke by violence euery mans substaunce and cared not by what meanes he came by the same But threatned them with death vnlesse they would forgoe the same Hee banished those which had committed none euill at all He commanded that both gentlemen and men of honour should be made out of the way neither yet herewith content but gaue their daughters that were vnmaried to varlets and wicked ones to be defloured And Licinius himselfe although that by reason of his yeres his body was spent yet shamefully did hee vitiate many women mens wiues maids Euseb Lib. 1. de vita Constantini Which cruel outrage of him caused many godly mē of their owne accorde to forsake their houses and it was also seene that the woodes fieldes desert places and mountaines were faine to be the habitations and resting places of the poore and miserable Christians Eusebius Lib. 10. cap 14. Of those worthy men and famous Martyrs which in this persecution founde the way to heauen Nicephorus Lib. 7. cap. 10. first speaketh of Theodorus who first being hanged vpon the crosse had nawles thrust into his arme pits and after that his head striken of Also of another Theodorus being the Byshop of Tyre the thirde was a man of Perga Basilius also the Byshop of Amasenus Nicolaus the Byshop of Mirorus Gregorius of Armenia the great After that Paule of Neocaesaria which by the impious commandemēt of Licinius had both his hands cut of with a searing yron Besides these were in the Citie of Sebastia xl worthy men Christian souldiours in the vehemēt cold time of winter soused and drowned in a horse pond whē Locias as yet of whom we spake before and Agricolaus executing the Shrieues office vnder Licinius in the East parts were aliue and were in great estimation for inuenting of new and strange torments against the Christians The wiues of those 40. good men were caried to Heraclea a Citie in Thracia and there with a certaine Deacon whose name was Amones were after innumerable torments by them most constauntly indured slaine with the sworde These thinges wryteth Nicephorus Also Zozomenus in his ninth booke 2. Chapter maketh mention of the same Martyrs And Basilius in a certaine Oration seemeth to intreate of their history sauing that in the circumstances he somwhat varieth And surely Licinius was determined for that the first face of this persecution fel out according to his desire to haue ouerrunne all the Christians to which thing neither counsell nor good will nor yet oportunitie perchance wanted vnlesse God had brought Constantinus into those parties where he gouerned where in the warres which hee himselfe began knowing right well that Constantinus had intelligence of his conspiracy treason ioyning battaile with him was most cowardly ouercome Diuers battailes betweene them
to destroy both bodye and soule in hell fire To make the story short after manifold tormentes borne of him and suffered when the last sentence of death was vpon him pronounced which was to be beheaded Menas being then had to the place of execution said I giue thee thanks my Lord god which hast so excepted me to be fouÌ„d a partaker of thy precious death hast not giuen me to be deuoured of my fierce enimies but hast made me to remaine coÌ„stant in thy pure faith vnto this my later end And so this blessed souldiour fighting valiantly vnder the baner of Christ lost his head wan his soule Symeon Metaphrast tom 5. In the which autor there foloweth a long narration of the miracles of this holy man which here for prolixity I doe omit Basilius in a certayne Sermon of 40. Martyrs rehearseth this story not vnworthye to bee noted There came saith he into a certaine place which place he maketh no mention of the Emperours Marshall or officer with the edict which the Emperour had set out against the Christians that whosoeuer confessed Christ shoulde after manye tormentes suffer death And first they did priuily suborne certaine which should detect acuse the Christians whom they had found out or had layde wayte for vpon this the sword the gibbet the wheele the whips were brought forth At the terrible sight whereof the harts of all the beholders did shake tremble Some for feare did flee some did stand in doubt what to do Certaine were so terrified at the beholding of these engines tormenting instruments that they denied their faith Some other began the game and for a time did abide the conflict and agony of Martydome but vanquished at length by the intollerable paine of their torments made shipwracke of their consciences lost the glory of their confession AmoÌ„g other xl there were at that time younge gentlemen all souldiers which after the Marshall had shewed the Emperours Edict and required of all men the obedience of the same freely boldly of their owne accord confessed themselues to be Christians declared to him their names The Marshall somewhat amased at this their boldnes of speach staÌ„deth in doubte what was best to do Yet forthwith he goeth about to win them with faire words aduertising them to consider their youth neither that they shoulde chaunge a cruell and vntimely death â—or a sweete and pleasant life After that hee promiseth them money and honorable offices in the Emperours name But they little esteming all these thinges breake forth into a long and bolde Oration affirming that they did neither desire life dignitie nor money but onelye the celestiall kingdome of Christ saying further that they are ready for the loue and faith they haue in god to indure the afflictioÌ„ of the wheele the crosse and the fire The rude Marshall being herewith offended deuiseth a newe kinde of punishment He spied out in the middle of the citie a certaine great pond which layfull vpon the cold Northren winde for it was in the winter time wherein he caused them to be put all that night but they being merry comforting one another receiued this their appointed punishment and sayd as they were putting of their clothes we put off said they now not our clothes but we put of the old maÌ„ corrupt with the deceipt of coÌ„cupiscence We giue thee thanks O Lord that with this our apparell we may also put of by thy grace the sinfull man for by meanes of the Serpent we once put him on and by the meanes of Iesus Christ we now put him of When they had thus said they were brought naked into yâ— place where they felt moste vehement colde in so much that all the partes of their bodies were starke stiffe therewith Assone as it was daye they yet hauing breath were brought into the fire wherin they were consumed and their ashes throwne into the flud By chaunce there was on of the company more liuely and not so neere dead as the rest of whome the executioners takyng pitie saide vnto his mother standing by that they would saue his life But shee with her owne handes taking her sonne brought him to the pile of wood where the residue of his fellowes crooked for cold did lie ready to be brent admonished him to accomplish the blessed iourney he had taken in hand with his companions Basil. A lyke hystory of 40. Martyres which were maryed men we read of in Niceph. Zozomenus Lib. 9. cap. 2. which were killed likewise in a lake or pond at Sebastia a towne of Armenia vnder Licinius if the story be not the same with this Niceph. Zozom In this felowship and company of martyrs can not be left out and forgotte the story of Cyrus This Cyrus was a Phisition borne in Alexandria which fleing into Egipt in the persecution of Dioclesianus and Maximianus led a solitary life in Arabia being much spoken of for his learning and myracles vnto whose company after a certaine tyme did Ioannes borne in the Citie of Edessa beyond the ryuer Euphrates ioyne himself leauing the souldiers life which before that time he had exercised But whilest as yet the same persecution raged in a city in Egipt called Canope there was cast into prison for the confession of their fayth a certayne godly Christian woman called Athanasia and her three daughters Theoctiste Theodota and Eudoxia wyth whom Cyrus was well acquainted At whose infâ—rmities he much fearing accompanied with his brother Iohn came and visited them for their better confirmation at which time Lyrianus was chiefe captaine and Lieutenaunt of Egypt of whose wickednes and crueltie especially agaynst women and maydens Athanasus maketh mention in hys Apologies and in his Epistle to those that lead a solitarye life Thys Cyrus therefore and Ioannes being accused and apprehended of the Heathen men as by whose perswasions the maydens and daughters of Athanasia contumelyously despised the Gods and the Emperours religion could by no meanes be brought to doe sacrifice were after the publication of their constaunt confession put to death by the sworde Athanasia also and her three daughters being condemned to death This history writeth Symeon Metaphrastes Sebastian being borne in the part of Fraunce called Gallia Narbonensis was a Christian and was Lieutenaunte generall of the vawward of Dioclesian the Emperor who also encouraged many martyrs of Christ by his exhortations vnto constancy and kept them in the faith He being therfore accused to the Emperor was commaunded to be apprehended and that he should be brought into the open fielde where of his owne souldiers he was thrust through the body with innumerable arrowes and after that hys body was throwne into a iaques or sinke Ambrosius maketh mention of this Sebastian the martir in his CoÌ„mentary vpon the 118. Psalme Symeon Metaphrastes amongest oher Martyrs that suffered with Sebastian numbreth also these followyng Nicostratus
that no Prelate or bishop ought to come to his answere or ad litem cōtestatam as the words of their writing do terme it before they be orderly fully restored again to their possessiōs Who moreouer in the said their epistles stil harpe vpon this key of the scripture Tu es Petrus super hanc petram aedificabo ecclesiam meam Declaring more ouer that this priuiledge of iudging al mē and to be iudge of no man but onely to be left to the iudgement of the Lord was gyuen to this foresayd holy sea of Rome from tyme of the Apostles chiefly lefte with Peter the holye key keeper so that although the election of the Apostles was equall yet this was chieflye graunted to Saint Peter to haue preheminenes aboue the rest Concluding in the ende hereby Quod semper maiores causae sicut sunt episcoporum potiorum curae negotiorum ad vnam beati principis Apostolorum Petri sedem confluerent That is that alwaies all greater causes as be the matters of Byshoppes and such other cares of weighty importaunce should be brought to the sea of S. Peter the blessed prince of the Apostles c. These be the wordes of Miltiades and Eusebius whereby it may partly be smelled of him that hath any nose what was the meaning of thē which forged these writings and letters vpon these auntient holy martirs This I cannot but maruell at in the thirde Epistle of Eusebius the bishop of Rome that where as Marcellius his late predecessor before in his owne time and remembrance did fall so horribly and was condemned for the same iustly to be expulsed the Citie by the counsell of 300. Byshops yet notwithstanding the foresaid Eusebius in his third epistle alledging the place of Tu es Petrus bringeth in for a profe of the same and saith Quia in sede Apostolica extra maculam semper est Catholica seruata religio c. That is for in the Apostolicall sea alwaies the Catholike Religion hath bene preserued without any spot or blemish But howsoeuer the forgers of these decretal Epistles haue forgottē themselues most certeine it is that these holy bishops vpon whom they were and are ascribed liued perfect good men and died blessed martirs Of whom this Miltiades was the last among all the Bishoppes of Rome here in the west Church of Europe that euer was in daūger of persecution to be Martired yet to this present day And thus haue ye heard the stories and names of such blessed Saintes which suffered in the time of persecution from the xix yeare of Dioclesian to the vij and last yeare of Maxentius with the deathes also plagues described vpon these tormentors and cruel tiraunts which were the captaines of the same persecutiō And here commeth in blessed be Christ the ende of these persecutions here in these West Churches of Europe so far as the dominion of blessed Constantinus did chiefly extend Yet notwithstanding in Asia al persecution as yet ceased not for the space of foure yeres as aboue is mentioned by the meanes of wicked Licinius Under whome diuers there were holy and constant martirs that suffered greeuous torments as Hermylus a Deacon and Stratonicus a keeper of the prison which both after their punishments sustained were strangled in the floud Ister Metasth Also Theodorus the Captaine who being sent for of Licinius because he would not come and because he brake his Gods in peeces and gaue them to the pore therfore was fastned to the crosse and after being pearsed with sharpe pricks or bodkins in the secret parts of his body was at last beheaded Adde to this also Milles who first being a Souldiour afterward was made bishop of a certaine Citie in Persia where he seing himselfe could do no good to conuert them after many tribulations and great afflictions among thē cursed the Citie and departed Which citie shortly after by Sapores king of Persia was destroied In the same countrey of Persia about this time suffered vnder Sapores the king as recordeth Symeon Metasthenes diuers valiant constant martirs as Acindymus Pegasius Anempodistus Epidephorus also Symeon Archbishop of Seleucia with Ctesiphon an other bishop in Persia with other ministers religious men of that region to the number of 128. Of this Symeon and Ctesiphon thus writeth Zozomenus lib. 2. That the idolatrous Magitians in Persia taking counsaile togither against the Christians accused Symeon Ctesiphō to Sapores the king for that they were gratefull accepted vnto the Romane Emperor bewraied to him such things as were done in the land of Persia. Whereupon Sapores being moued toke great displeasure against the christians oppressing them with taxes tributes vnto their vtter impouerishing killing also their Priestes with the sword After that calleth for Symeon the Archbyshop who there before the king declared himselfe a worthy a valiant captaine of Christs church For when Sapores had cōmaūded him to be led to suffer torments he neither shronk for any feare nor shewed any great humble sute of submission for any pardon wherat the king partly marueiling partly offended asked why he did not knele downe as he was wont before to do Symeon to this aūswered for that saith he before this time I was not brought vnto you in bondes to betray the true God as I am nowe so long I refused not to accomplishe that which the order custome of the Realme of me required but now it is not lawful for me so to do for now I come to stand in defence of our Religion and true doctrine When Symeon thus had aunswered the king persisting in his purpose offereth vnto him the choise either to worship with him after his maner promising to him many great gifts if he would so doe or if he would not threatneth to him and to al the other christians within his land destruction But Symeon neither allured with his promises nor terrified with his threatnings cōtinued constaunt in his doctrine professed so that neyther he could be induced to Idolatrous worship nor yet to betray the truth of his religion For the which cause he was committed into hands and there commaunded to be kept to the kings pleasure further knowne It befel in the way as he was going to the prison there was sitting at the kings gate a certaine Eunuche an olde Tutor or scholemaister of the kings named Vsthazares who had bene once a christian and afterward falling from hys profession fell with the Heathen multitude to their Idolatrie This Vsthazares sitting at the doore of the kinges pallace and seing Symeon passing by led to the prison rose vp and reuerenced the Bishop Symeon againe with sharpe wordes as the time would suffer rebuked him in great anger cried out against him which being once a christian woulde so cowardly reuolt from his profession returne againe to the Heathenish Idolatry At the hearing of these
of them that had suffered death for Christ howsoeuer they were alienated should returne to theyr heires or next of kinne or for lacke of them should be geuen to the Church Hee commaunded moreouer that onely Christians shoulde beare office The other he charged and restrayned that neither they should sacrifice nor exercise any more diuinations and ceremonies of the Gētiles nor set vp any Images nor to keepe any feastes of the heathen Idolaters He corrected moreouer and abolished all such vnlawfull manners and vnhonest vsages in Cities as might be hurtfull any waies to the Church as the custome that the Egyptians had in the flowing of Nilus at what time the people vsed to runne together lyke brute beasts both men women and with all kinde of filthines and Sodomitrie to pollute their Cities in celebrating the increase of that riuer This abhomination Constantine extinguished causing that wicked order called Androgynae to be killed By reason whereof the Riuer afterward through the benefite of God yelded more increase in his flowing to the greater fertilitie of the ground then it did before Among the Romanes was an olde lawe that such as were barren hauing no fruite of children should be amerced of halfe their goodes Also that such as being aboue the yeares of xxv vnmaried should not be nūbred in the same priuileges with them that were maried neither should be heires to them to whom notwithstanding they were next in kinde These lawes because they seemed vnreasonable to punish the defect of nature or gift of virginitie by mās lawe hee abrogated and tooke away An other order was among the Romanes that they which made their willes being sicke had certaine prescribed and conceiued wordes appoynted to thē to vse which vnlesse they followed their willes stoode in none effect This law also Constantine repealed permitting to euery man in making his testament to vse what wordes or what witnesses he woulde Likewise among the Romaines hee restrained and tooke away the cruel and bloudy spectacles sights where men were wont with swordes one to kill an other Of the barbarous and filthy fashion of the Arethusians in Phoenicia I haue mentioned before pag. 104. where they vsed to expose and set foorth their virgines to open fornication before they should be maried which custome also Constantine remooued away Where no Churches were there he commaunded new to be made where any were decayed he commāded them to be repaired where any were to litle he caused them to be enlarged geuing to the same great giftes and reuenewes not onely of such tributes and taxes comming to him from certaine sundry Cities which hee transferred vnto the Churches but also out of his owne treasures When any Byshops required any Councell to be had hee satisfied their petitions And what in their Councels and Synodes they established being godly honest hee was ready to confirme the same The armour of his soldiours which were newly come from Gentilitie he garnished with the armes of the crosse whereby they might learne the sooner to forget their olde superstitious idolatry Moreouer like a worthy Emperor he prescribed a certaine forme of prayer in steade of a Catechisme for euery man to haue to learne how to pray and to inuocate God The which forme of prayer is recited in the fourth booke of Eusebius De vita Constantini in wordes as foloweth Te solum noulmus Deum te regem cognoscimus te adiutorem inuocamus abs te victorias referimus per te victorias inimicorum constituimus tibi praesentium bonorum gratiam acceptam ferimus per te futura quoque speramus tibi supplices sumus omnes Imperatorem nostrum Constantinum ac pientissimos eius filios in longissima vita incolumes nobis ac victores custodire supplices oramus per Christum dominum nostrum Amen In English We knowledge thee onely to be our God we confesse thee onely to be our king we inuocate and call vpon thee our onely helper by thee we obtaine our victories by thee we vāquish and subdue our enemies to thee we attribute whatsoeuer present commodities we enioy by thee we hope for good thinges to come vnto thee we direct all our sute petitions most humbly beseeching thee to conserue Constantine our Emperour and his noble childrē in long life to cōtinue and to geue them victory ouer all their enemies through Christ our Lord. Amen In hys owne palace hee set vp an house peculiar for prayer and doctrine vsing also to pray and sing with his people Also in hys warres hee went not without hys tabernacle appoynted for the same The Sonday he cōmanded to be kept holy of all men and free from all iudiciarie causes from markets martes faires all other manuall labors onely husbandry excepted especially charging that no Images or Monuments of Idolatry should be set vp Men of the Clergy and of the ministery in al places he endued with speciall priuileges and immunities so that if any were brought before the ciuill Magistrate and listed to appeale to the sentence of his Bishop it should be lawfull for him so to doe and that the sentence of the Byshop should stande in as great force as if the Magistrate or the Emperour himselfe had pronounced it ¶ But here is to be obserued noted by the way that the Clerkes ministers thē newly creeping out of persecutiō were in those dayes neyther in nūber so great nor in order of life of the like dispositiō to these in our dayes now liuing No lesse care and prouision the sayd Constantinus also had to the maintenance of scholes pertayning to the Church and to the nourishing of good artes and liberall sciences especially of Diuinitie not onely with stipends and subsidies furnishing them but also with large priuilegies and exemptiōs defending the same as by the wordes of his own law is to be seene and read as followeth Medicos Gramaticos alios professores literarum doctores legum cum vxoribus liberis c. In English Phisitions Gramarians and all other prefessors of liberal artes and Doctors of the law with their wiues and childrē and all other their possessions which they haue in Citties we commaund to be freed from all ciuill charges and functions neyther to receaue forren straungers in prouinces nor to be burdened with any publique administration nor to be cited vp to ciuill iudgement nor to be drawne out or oppressed with any iniury And if any man shall vexe them he shall incurre such punishment as the Iudge at his discretion shall awarde him Their stipendes moreouer and solaries we commaunde truely to be payd them whereby they may more freely instruct other in artes and sciences c. Ouer and besides this so farre did hys godly zeale and princely care and prouision extend to the Church of Christ that he commaunded and prouided bookes and volumes of the Scripture diligently and playnly to be written
the nūber of xl But by the waye howe it happened I cannot saye As Austen with his company were passing in theyr iourney such a sodaine feare entred in their harts that as Antonius saith they returned all Other write that Austen was sent backe to Gregory againe to release them of that viage so daungerous and vncertaine amongst such a barberous people whose language neither they knewe nor whose rudenes they were able to resist Thē Gregory with pithy perswasions confirming and comforting him sent him againe with letters both to the Bishop of Arelalensis willing him to helpe and aide the said Austen and his company in all whatsoeuer his neede required Also other letters he directed by the foresaid Austine vnto his fellowes exhorting them to go foreward boldly in the Lords work as by the tenour of the said Epistle here followyng maye appeare Gregorius seruus seruorum Dei seruis Domini nostri Quia melius fuerat bona non incipere quam ab ijs quae coepta sunt cogitatione retrorsum redire c. In Englishe Gregory the seruaunt of Gods seruaunts to the seruaunts of the Lord. Forasmuch as it is better not to take good things in hande then after they be begon to thinke to reuolt backe from the same againe therefore now you may not nor cannot deare children but with all feruent study and labor must needes go forward in that good busines which through the helpe of God you haue wel begunne Neither let the labor of your iourney nor the slanderous tounges of men appalle you but that with all instaunce and feruency yee proceede and accomplish the thing which the Lorde hath ordeyned you to take in hande knowing that your great trauell shal be recompensed with rewarde of greater glorye hereafter to come Therefore as we sende here Austen to you againe whom also we haue ordeined to be your gouernour so doe you humblye obey him in all thinges knowing that it shall be profitable so for your soules whatsoeuer at his admonition yee shall doe Almighty God with his grace defend you and graunt me to see in the eternall country the fruite of your labour that although I can not labour as I woulde wyth you yet I may be found pertaker of your retribution for that my will is good to labour in the same felowship with you together The Lord God keepe you safe most deare and welbeloued children Dated the x before the Calendes of August in the raigne of our soueraigne Lord Mauritius most vertuous Emperour the .xiiij. of his Empire Thus they emboldened comforted through the good wordes of Gregory sped foorth their iourney till they came at length to the I le of Thene◠lying vpon the East side of Kent Neare to the which landing place was then the Manory or palace of the king not farre from Sandwiche Eastward from Caunterbury which the inhabitauntes of the Isle then called Richbourgh whereof some part of the ruinous walles is yet to be sene The king then raigning in Kent was Ethelbert as aboue appeareth the fifte King of that prouince who at that time had Maried to wyfe a French woman beyng Chrystened named Berda whom he had receiued of her parents vpon this conditiō that he shoulde permitte her with her Bishop committed vnto her called Lebardus to enioye the freedome of her fayth and Religion by the meanes whereof he was more flexible and sooner induced to embrace the preachyng and doctrine of Christ. Thus Austen beyng arryued sent foorth certayne messengers and interpreters to the Kyng sygnifying that such a one was come from Rome brynging with hym glad tydinges to him and all his people of lyfe and saluation eternally to reygne in heauen with the onely true and lyuing God for euer if he would so willingly harken to the same as he was gladly come to preache and teach it vnto him The King who had heard of this Religion before by meanes of his wife within a few daies after commeth to the place where Austen was to speake with him but that shoulde be without the house after the maner of his lawe Austen against his cōming as stories affirme erected vp a banner of the crucifixe such was then the grosenes of that tyme and preached to him the word of God The Kyng aunswering againe saith in effect as followeth the words be very faire that you preach and promise Neuerthelesse because it is to me vncoth and new I can not soone starte away from my country law wherwith I haue bene so lōg inured and assent to you Albeit yet notwithstanding for the ye are come as ye saye so farre for my sake ye shall not be molested by me but shall be rightwell intreated hauing al thinges to you ministred necessarye for your supportatiō Besydes this neither doe we debarre you but to haue fre leaue to preach to our people and subiects to conuert whō ye may to the faith of your Religion When they had receaued this comfort of the king they went with procession to the Citie of Dorobernia or Caunterbury singyng Alleluya with the Letanie which then by Gregory had beene vsed at Rome in the time of the great plague reigning thē at Rome mentioned in old histories The wordes of the Letany were these Deprecamur te Domine in omni misericordia tua vt auferatur furor tuus ira tua a ciuitate ista de domo sancta tua quoniam peccauimus Alleluya That is We beseech thee O Lorde in all thy mercyes that thy fury and anger maye cease from this Citie from thy holy house for we haue sinned Alleluya Thus they entryng in the Citie of Dorobernia the head Citie of all that dominion at that time where the king had gyuen them a mansion for there abode there they contynued preaching and baptising such as they had conuerted in the east side of the Citty in the old church of S. Martine where the Queene was woont to resorte vnto the time that the kyng was conuerted himselfe to Christ. At length when the king had wel cōsidered the honest conuersation of their life and moued with the myracles wrought through gods hand by thē he heard them more gladly and lastly by their wholsome exhortations and example of godly life he was by them conuerted and christened in the yeare aboue specified 586. and the 36. yeare of his reigne After the King was thus conuerted innumerable other daily came in were adioyned to the Church of Christ whom the King did specially embrace but cōpelled none for so he had learned that the faith and seruice of Christ ought to be voluntary and not coacted Then he gaue to Austen a place for hys Byshops sea at Christes Church in Dorobernia builded the Abbey of Saint Peter and Paule in the East side of the sayde Citie where after Austen and all the Kinges of Kent were buried and that place is now called S. Austen In this
by the occasions therof of the sacrifices of the old Egiptians permitted of God vnto the Israelits the ende 〈…〉 thereof being altered c. He sendeth also an other letter to the foresaid Austen wherein he warneth him not to be proude or puft vp for the myracles wrought of God by him in conuertyng the people of Englande but rather to feare and tremble least so much as he were puft vp by the outward work of miracles so much he shoulde fall inwardly through the vayne glory of his hart and therfore wisely exhorteth him to represse the swelling glory of hart with the remembraunce of his sinnes rather against God whereby he rather hath cause to lament then to reioyce for the other Not all the elect of God saith he worketh miracles and yet haue they their names written in the booke of life And therefore he shoulde not count so much of those miracles done but reioyse rather with the Disciples of Christ labor to haue his name written in the booke of life where al the electe of God be contained neither is there any ende of that reioycing And whatsoeuer miracles it hath pleased god by him to haue beene done he shoulde remember they were not done for him but for their conuersion whose saluation god sought thereby c. Item he directed an other Epistle to king Ethelbert as is expressed at large in the Chronicle of Henry Huntyngton Lib. 3. in the which Epistle first he praised God then commendeth the goodnes of the king by whom it pleased god so to worke such goodnes of the people Secondly exhortteth him to persist and continue in the godly profession of Christes faith and to be feruent and zealous in the same in conuerting the multitude in destroying the temples and works of idolatry in ruling and gouerning the people in all holines godly conuersation after the godly example of the Emperour Constantinus the great Lastly cōforting him with the promises of lyfe and reward to come wyth the Lord that raigneth and liueth for euer premonishyng him besides of the terrours distresses that shall happen though not in his dayes yet before the terrible daye of Gods iudgement wherfore he willeth him alwaies to be sollicitous for his soule and suspectfull of the houre of hys death and watchfull of the iudgement that he may be alwaies prepared for the same when that iudgement shall come In the ende he desireth him to accept such presentes as giftes which he thought good to sende vnto him from Rome c. Austen thus receyuing his palle from Gregory as is aboue said and now of a Monke beyng made an Archbyshop after he had baptised a great part of Kent hee after made two Archbyshops or Metropolitanes by the commaundement of Gregory as witnesseth Polychronicon the one at London the other at Yorke Mellitus of whō mention is made before was sent specially of the Eastsaxons in the prouince of Essex where after he was made Bishop of London vnder Sigebert kyng of Essex which Sigebert together with his vncle Ethelbert first built the church and minster of saint Paule in Londō and appointed it to Mellitus for the byshops sea Austē associate with this Mellitus and Iustus through the help of Ethelbert assembled and gathered togither the Byshops Doctours of Britaine in a place which taking the name of the sayd Austen was called Austens Oke In this assēbly he charged the sayd Byshops that they should preach with him the word of God to the Englishmen also that they should among themselues reforme certayne rytes and vsages in their church specially for keping of their Eastertyde baptising after the maner of Rome and such other lyke To these the Scotes and Brytons woulde not agree refusing to leaue the custome which they so long time had contynued wythout the assent of them all which vsed the same Here the stories both of Bede Cestrensis in Polychron Huntyngtonensis Iornalensis Fabianus and other moe write of a certaine miracle wrought vpon a blinde Englishe man whom when the Britons could not helpe Austen kneeling downe and praying restored the blynde man to sight before them all for a confirmation as these authours saye of hys opinion in keeping of Easter But concerning the credite of this miracle that I leaue to the authours of whom I had it Then Austen gathered an other Synode to the which came seauen Byshops of Brytons with the wisest men of that famous Abby of Bangor But first they tooke counsell of a certayne wyse and holye man amongest them what to doe and whether they shoulde be obedient to Austen or not And he saide if he be the seruaunt of god agree vnto him But howe shall wee knowe that sayde they To whom he aunswered againe If he be meeke and humble of hart by that know that he is the seruant of god To this they said againe how shal we know him to bee hūble meeke of hart By this quoth 〈◊〉 seing you are the greater number if he at your comming 〈◊〉 your Synode rise vp courteously receaue you 〈…〉 him to bee an humble and a meke man But if he shall contemne and despise you being as ye are the greater part despise you him agayne Thus the Brytaine Byshops entring into the Counsell Austen after the Romishe maner keeping hys chaire would not remoue Whereat they being not a little offended after some heate of words in disdain great displeasure departed thence To whō then Austen spake and said that if they would not take peace with their brethren they should receaue war with their enimies And if they disdained to preach with them the way of life to the English nation they should suffer by their handes the reuenge of deth Which not lōg after so came to passe by the meanes of Ethelfride king of Northumberlande who being yet a Pagan and stirred with a fierce fury against the Britanes came with a great army against the city of Chester where Brocmayl the Consull of that Citie a fryend and helper of the Britaines side was readye with his force to receaue him There was at the same time at Bangor in Wales an exceding great Monastery wherin was such a number of Monkes as Galfridus with other authors doe testifie that if the whole company were deuided into seuen parts in euery of the seuen parts were conteined not so few as 300. Mōkes which al did liue with the sweat of their browes and labor of their owne hands hauing one for their ruler named Dinoe Out of this Monastery came the Monks to Chester to pray for the good succes of Brocmayl fighting for them against the Saxons Thre daies they cōtinued in fasting and praier When Ethelfride the foresaide king seing them so intent to their praiers demaunded the cause of their comming thether in such a cōpany When he perceaued it was to pray for their Consull then saith he although they beare no weapon yet they fight against
vs with their praiers preachings they persecute vs. Whervpon after that Brocmayl being ouercome did flee awaye the king commaunded his men to turne their wepons against the sely vnarmed Monkes of whome he slewe the same time or rather Martired .1100 onely fiftie persons of that number did flee and escape awaye with Brocmayl the rest were all slaine The authors that write of this lamentable murder declare saye howe the forespeaking of Austen was here verefied vpon the Britanes which because they would not ioine peace with their frends he said should be destroied of their enimis Of both these parties the reader may iudge what he pleaseth I can not see but both together were to be blamed And as I cannot but accuse the one so I cannot defend the other First Austen in this matter can in no wise be excused who being a monke before therfore a scholer professor of humilitie shewed so litle humilitie in this assembly to seuen Byshops an Archbishop coÌ„ming at his coÌ„maundement to the Councell that he thought scorne once to stirre at their comming in Much lesse would his Pharisaicall solemnity haue girded himselfe washed his brethrens feete after their trauaile as Christ our great maister did to his Disciples seyng his Lordship was so hie or rather so heauy or rather so proude that coulde not finde in his hart to giue them a little moouing of his body to declare a brotherly humble hart Againe the Britaynes were much or more to blame who so much neglected their spirituall duety in reuenging their temporal iniury that they denyed to ioyne vnto their helping labour to turne the Idolatrous Saxons to the way of lyfe and saluatioÌ„ In which respect all priuate cases ought to geue place and to be forgotten For the whiche cause although lamentable to vs yet no great meruaile in them if the stroke of gods punishment did light upon theÌ„ according to the wordes of Austen as is before declared But especially the cruell king in this fact was most of all to blame so furiously to flee vpon them which had neither weapoÌ„ to resist him nor yet any will to harme him And so likewise the same or like happened to himselfe afterward For so was he also slayne in the field by Christian Edwine who succeeded him as he had slayne the Christians before whiche was about the yeare of our Lord. 610. But to returne to Austen agayne who by report of authors was departed before this cruelty was done after he had baptised and christened x. thousand Saxons or Angles in the West riuer that is called Swale beside Yorke on a ChristeÌ„masse day perceauing hys end to draw neare he ordayned a successor named Laurentius to rule after him the Archbishops sea of Dorobernia Where note by the way Christian Reader that wheras Austen baptised then in riuers it followeth there was then no vse of fontes Agayne if it be true that Fabian sayth he baptised x. thousaÌ„d in one day the rite theÌ„ of Baptising at Rome was not so ceremoniall neither had so manye trinkets at that tyme as it hath had since or els it could not be that he coulde baptise so many in one daye In the meane season about this time departed Gregory Byshop of Rome of whom it is sayd that of the number of al the first Bishops before him in the primitiue time he was the basest of all them that came after him hee was the best About whiche tyme also dyed in Wales Dauid Archbishop first of Kayrleion who then translated the sea from thence to Meneuia and therefore is called Dauid of Wales Not long after this also deceased the foresayd Austen in England after he had set there xv or xvi yeares by the which count we may note it not to be true that Henry Huntington and other doe witnesse that Austen was dead before that battaile of Ethelfride agaynst the MoÌ„kes of BaÌ„gor For if it be true that Polycronicon testifieth of this murder to be done about the yeare of our Lorde 609. and the comming of Austen first into the Realme to be an 596. then Austen enduring xvi yeares could not be dead at thys battell Moreouer Galfridus Monumetensis declareth concerning the same battell that Ethelbert the king of Kent beyng as is sayd conuerted by Austen to Christes fayth after he saw the Britaynes to disdayne and deny their subiection vnto Austen neyther would assist him with preaching to the English nation therefore stirred vp he the foresayd Ethelfride to warre agaynst the Britaynes But that seemeth rather suspicious then true that he being a Christen king eyther could so much preuayle with a Pagan Idolater or els would attempt so farre to commit such a cruell deede But of vncertayne things I haue nothing certainly to say lesse to iudge About this present tyme aboue prefixed which is 610. I read in the story of Ranulphus Cestrensis the writer of Polychronicon of Iohn the Patriarche of Alexandria who for his rare example of hospitality and bountifulnes to the poore I thought no lesse worthy to haue place amongest good men then I see the same now to be followed of few This Iohn beyng before belike a hard and sparing man as he was at hys prayer vpon a tyme it is sayd there appeared to him a comely virgine hauing on her head a garland of Oliue leaues which named her selfe mercy saying to him and promising that if he would take her to wiâ—e he should prosper well This whether it were true or not or els inuented for a moralitie I would wish this florishing damsell so to be maryed to moe then to this Iohn that shee should not liue so long a virgine now as she doth because no man will marry her But to returne to his Patriarch who after that day as the story recordeth was so merciful and so beneficiall especially to the poore and needy that he counted them as hys maysters and himself as a seruaunt and steward vnto them This Patriarch was wont commonly twise a weeke to sit at hys doore all the day long to take vp matters and to set vnitie where was any variaunce One day it happened as he was sitting all the day before hys gate and saw no man come lamented that all that day hee had done no good To whome his Deacon standing by aunswered agayne that hee had more cause to reioyse seeing he had brought the Cittie in that order and in such peace that there needed no reconcilement amongest them An other time as the sayd Iohn the Patriarche was at the Seruice and reading the Gospell in the church the people as their vsed maner is went out of the church to talke and iangle he perceauing that went out likewise and sat amongst them wherat they marueyling to see him do so My children said he where the flocke is there ought the shepherd to be wherefore either come you in that I may also
come in with you or els if you tary out I will likewise tary out together with you c. As touching the actes and deedes of Gregory aboue mentioned how he withstood the ambitious pryd of Iohn Patriarche of Constantinople which woulde be the vnyuersall Priest and onely chiefe Byshop of all other declaring him to be no lesse then the forerunner of Antichrist that woulde take that name vppon him howe and wyth what reasons he aunswered againe the letters of the Emperor Mauritius in that behalfe sufficient relation is made thereof in the first entry and beginning of this booke This Gregory among manye other thinges induced into the Churche the specialties whereof hereafter shall followe Christ willing more at large fyrst beganne and brought in thys title among the Romaine Bishoppes to be called Seruus seruorum Dei putting them in remembraunce therby both of their humblenes and also of their duetie in the Churche of Chryst. Moreouer as concerning his acte for the sole lyfe of Pryestes fyrst begonne and then broken againe Also concerning the order of Gregoryes Masse boke to be receaued in all churches hereof who so lifteth to read more shall fynde the same in other places hereafter namelye when wee come to the tyme of Pope Adrian the first After the death of Gregory aboue mentioned first came Sabinianus who as he was a malicious detractor of Gregory of his works so he continued not long scarse the space of two yeares After whom succeded next Bonifacius the 3. which albeit he reigned but one yeare yet in the one yeare he did more hurt then Gregory with so great labours and in so many yeres could do good before for that which Gregorye kept out he brought in obtaining of Phocas the wicked Emperour for him and his successours after him that the sea of Rome aboue al other churches should haue the preeminence and that the Bishop of Rome should be the vniuersall head through all Churches of Christ in Christedome alleadging for him this friuolous reason that S Peter had and left to his successours in Rome the keyes of byndyng and loosing c. And thus began first Rome to take an head aboue all other Churches by the meanes of Boniface the 3. who as he lacked no boldnes nor ambitioÌ„ to seeke it so neither lacked he an Emperour fit and meete to gyue such a gift Thys Emperours name was Phocas a man of such wickednes and ambitioÌ„ most like to his owne Bishop Boniface that to aspire to the Empire he murthered his owne maister and Emperour Mauritius his children Thus Phocas coming vp to be Emperour after this detestable vilanie done thinking to establish his Empire with friendship and fauour of his people especially with the byshop of Rome quickly condescended to al hys petitions so graunted him as it is sayd to be that he would the vniuersall and heade Bishop ouer all Christen Churches But as bloud commonly requireth bloud againe so it came to passe on the said Phocas For as he had crueltye slayne the Lorde and Emperour Mauritius before so he in lyke maner of Heraclius the Emperour succeedyng hym had his hands and seete cut of so was cast into the Sea And this wicked Phocas which gaue the first supremacy to Rome lost his owne But Rome would not so soone loose his supremacy once giuen as the gyner lost his life for euer since froÌ„ that day it hath holden defended and maintained the same still and yet doth to this present day by al force policy possible And thus much concerning Boniface whoÌ„ by the words of Gregory we may well call the runner before Antichryst For as Gregory brought into their stile Seruus seruorum Dei so this Boniface brought into theyr heades first Volumus ac mandamus Statuimus ac praecipimus That is We will and commaunde we enioyne and charg you c. Mention was made a little before of Ethelbert kyng of Kent and also of Ethelfride king of Northsaxone or Northumbria This Ethelbert hauing vnder his subiection al the other Saxon kinges vnto Number after he had fyrst receaued himselfe and caused to be receaued of other the Christian faith by the preaching of Austen being coÌ„firmed afterward in the same faith amoÌ„g other costly dedes with the helpe of Sigebert kyng of Essex his nephew then reigning vnder him began the foundation of Paules Church within the Citie of London ordained it for the Bishops sea of LondoÌ„ For the Archbishops sea which before tyme had bene at London was by Austen and this Ethelbert at the praier of the Citizens of Dorobernia translated to the said Citie MalmesberieÌ„sis Lib. de pontific Wherfore such authors as say that Paules was diuided by Sigebert say not amisse which Sigebert was the king oâ— Essex â—n which prouince standeth the Citie of London This Ethelbert also founded the Church of Saint Andrewe in the Citie of Dorubres in Kent nowe called Rochester of one Rot distaunt from Dorobernia 24. miles Of this citie Iustus was bishop ordained before by Austen Moreouer the â—orenamed Ethelbert styrred vp a dweller or Citizen of London to make a Chappell or church of Saint Peter in the west end of LoÌ„don then called Thorny nowe the Towne of Westminster which Church or Chappell was after by Edward the confessour inlarged or newe builded lastly of Henry the 3. it was newly agayne reedified and made as it is nowe a large Monasterye c. After these Christian and worthye actes this Ethelbert when he had reigned the course of lvj yeares chaunged thys mortall life about the yeare of our Lorde 616. whome some stories say to be slaine in a fyghte betweene him and Ethelfride king of Northsaxons In the meane time the foresaid Ethelfride king of Northumberland after the cruell murther of the Monkes of Bangor escaped not long vnpaied his hire for after he had raigned 24. yeares he was slaine in the fielde of Edwine who succeded in Northumberland after him This Edwyne being the sonne not of Ethelfride as Galfridus Monumetensis saith but rather of Alla as Giraldus Gambrensis 〈◊〉 to witnes more truely was first a Panim or 〈◊〉 afterward by Paulinus was Christned and the first 〈◊〉 king in NorthoÌ„berland The occasion of which his calling or conuersion as is in sundry stories contained was this Edwine being yet a Pagane maryed the daughter of Ethelbert king of kent called Edelburge a Christian womaÌ„ otherwise called Tace But before this mariage Edwyne beyng yet young Ethelfride the king conceyuing enuy agaynst him persecuted him so sore that he was forced to flee to Redwaldus king of Eastangles as in the table of the kings is expressed The which Redwaldus what for feare what with bribes being corrupted of Ethelfride at length priuily had inteÌ„ded to haue betrayed Edwyne But as gods will was Edwyne hauing warning thereof by a secrete frynde of his was mooued to flee and
to saue himselfe beyng promised also of his friendes to bee safely conueyed awaye if he would thereto agree To whome Edwyne said whether shall I flee which haue so long fleene the handes of myne enymies through all prouinces of the Realme And if I must nedes be slayne I had rather that he should doe it then an other vnworthy person Thus he remayning by himselfe alone solitarie sitting in a great study there appeared vnto him sodainely a certaine straunger to hym vnknowne and saide I knowe well the cause of thy thought and heauines What wouldest thou giue him that should deliuer thee out of this feare should recoÌ„cile king Redwald to thee againe I woulde gyue him saide Edwyne al that euer I coulde make And he saide agayne And what if he make thee a mightier king then was anye of thy Progenitours Hee aunswered againe as before Moreouer saith he and what if hee shewe thee a better kind and way of life then euer was shewed to any of thine aunceters before thee wilt thou obey him doe after his counsell yea said Edwyne promising most firmely wyth al his hart so to do TheÌ„ he laying his hand vpon his head when said he this token hapneth vnto thee then remember this time of thy tribulation the promise which thou hast made and the word which now I say vnto thee And with that he uanished out of his sight sodainely After this so done as Edwyne was sitting alone by him selfe pensiue and sad his foresaid friend which moued him before to fle commeth to him bidding him be of good chere for the hart said he of king Redwaldus which had before intended thy destruction was nowe altered through the counsell of the Queene and is fully bent to keepe his promise wyth you whatsoeuer shall fall thereupon To make the story short Redwaldus the King although Fabian following Henry Huntyngton saith it was Edwyne with al conuenient speed assembled an host wherwith he sodainly comming vpon Ethelfride gaue battaile vnto him aboute the borders of Mercia where Ethelfryde king of Northumberlande also with Reyner Redwaldus sonne was slaine in the fielde By reason wherof Edwyne his enimies now being destroyed was quietly placed in the possessioÌ„ of NorthumberlaÌ„d All this while yet Edwyne remained in his old Paganisme albeit his Queene being as is aboue declared king Ethelbertes daughter a Christen woman with Paulinus the byshop ceased not to stirre and perswad the king to christian fayth But he taking counsell with his nobles and counsellers vpon the matter was hard to be wonne Then the Lord who desposeth all things after his purpose to bring al good things to passe sent an other trouble vpon him by meanes therof to cal him For by affliction God vseth coÌ„monly to call them whom he wil saue or by whom he wil worke saluation vnto other So his diuine wisdome thinketh good to make them first to knowe themselues before they come to know him or to teach him to other so it was with Paule who was striken downe before hee was lyfted vp with Constantinus Edwynus and many moe Howe long was Ioseph in prison before he bare rule How hardly escaped this our Queene nowe being Queene Elizabeth by whoÌ„ yet notwithstanding it hath pleased god to restore this his gospel now preached amongst vs In what conflictes and agonies inwardly in his spirite was M. Luther before he came to preach the iustification of Christ openly And so be all they most commonlye which come to anye liuely feeling or sensible working of Christ the Lord. But to returne to Edwyne againe The occasion of hys trouble was this Quicelinus with Kynegilsus his brother Kings of Westsaxons as aboue is mentioned in the table of the Saxon kings conspiring the death of Edwyne now king of Northumberland vpon enuy and malice sent vpon an Easter day a swordman named Emner priuelye to slay the said Edwyne This swordman or cutthrote came to a Citie beside the water of Darwent in Darbishire there to waite his time and lastly founde the king smallye accompanied and inteÌ„ded to haue runne the kiâ—â— through with a sword inuenemed But one Lilla the kinges trustye seruaunt disgarnished of a shield or other weapon to defeÌ„d his maister start betwene the king the sword and was strikeÌ„ through the body and died and the king was wouÌ„ded with the same stroke And after he wounded also the third which was a knight so was taken and confessed by whom he was sent to worke that treason The other knight that was secondly wounded died and the king lay after long sicke or he were healed After this about whitsontide the king being scantlye hole of his wounde assembled his host intending to make against the king of westsaxons promising to Christ to be Christened if he would giue him the victory ouer his enimies And in token therof caused his daughter borne of Edelburge yâ— same Easter day when he was wouÌ„ded named Eufled to be baptised with xij other of his familye of Paulinus Thus Edwyne proceded to the battel against Quicelne and Kynegilsus with his sonne Kenwalcus and other enimies who in the same battell being al vanquished put to flight Edwyn through the power of Christ returneth home victorer But for all this victory other things gyuen to him of God as he was in wealth of the worlde forgat his promise made and had little mind therof saue only that he by the preaching of Paulinus forsoke his maumentry And for his excuse saide that he might not clearly deny his olde lawe which his forefathers had kept so long and sodeinly to be Christened without authority and good aduise of his counsaile About the same season Pope Boniface the 5. sent also to the sayd Edwyne letters exhortatory wyth sundrye presentes from Rome to him and to Edelburge the Queene But neither would that preuaile Then Paulinus seyng the king so hard to be conuerted poured out his praiers vnto God for his coÌ„uersion who the same time had reuealed to him by the holy ghost the oracle aboue mentioned which was shewed to the King when hee was with Redwaldus king of the Eastangles Wherupon Paulinus comming afterward to the king on a certaine day and laying his haÌ„d vpon the kings head asked him if he knew that tokeÌ„ The king hearing this remembring wel the token was ready to fall downe at his feete But Paulinus not sufferyng that did lift vp hym againe saying vnto him behold O king you haue vanquished your enimies you haue obteined your kingdome now performe the third which you haue promised that is to receaue the faith of Christ and to be obedient to him Wherupon the king conferryng with his Counsell his nobles was baptised of the said Paulinus at Yorke with many of his other subiectes with hym Insomuch that Coyfi the chiefe of the Prelates of his olde maumentry armed him selfe wyth hys other Idolatrous Bishops and bestrode
be expressed As touching the course and proceedings of the Romish Bishoppes there where I last entered mention of them pag. 139. I ended wyth Pope Stephen the fifth After hys time was much broyle in the election of the Byshops of Rome one contending against an other in so much that wythin the space of ix yeares were ix Byshops Of the which first was Formosus who succeeded next vnto the forenamed Stephen 5. being made pope against the mind of certaine in Rome that wold rather Sergius then deacon of the church of Rome to haue bene Pope Notwythstanding Mars and money preuailed on Formosus part This Formosus of whome partly also is mentioned in other places of this Ecclesiastical historie being before bishop of Portuake had in time past I knowe not vpon what causes offended Pope Iohn the viij of that name By reason whereof for teare of the Pope he voided away and left his Bishopprike And because hee being sent for againe by the Pope woulde not returne therefore was excommunicated At length comming into France to make there his satisfaction vnto the Pope was degraded from a Byshop into a secular mans habite swearing to the Pope that he would no more reenter into the City of Rome nor claime his Bishoprike againe subscribing moreouer with his owne hand to continue from that time in the state of a secular person But then Pope Martin the next Pope after Iohn released the saide Formosus of his othe and restored him againe vnto his Bishoprike Whereby Formosus entred not onely into Rome againe but also obtained shortly after the papacie Thus he being placed in the popedome arose a great doubt or controuersie among the Diuines of his consecration whether it was lawfull or not some holding against him that for so much as he was solemnly deposed degraded vnpriested and also sworne not to reiterate the state Ecclesiastical therefore he ought to be taken no otherwise then for a seculare man Other alledged againe that whatsoeuer Formosus was yet for the dignitie of that order and for the credite of them whom he ordered all his consecrations ought to stand in force especially seeing the sayd Formosus was afterwarde receiued and absolued by Pope Martin from that his periury and degradation c. In the meane time as witnesseth Sigebertus this Formosus sendeth for King Arnulphus for aide against his aduersaries Who then marching toward Rome was there resisted by the Romaines from entring But in the siege sayeth the author the Romaines within so playd the Lyons that a poore Hare or such a like thing comming towarde the Citie the hoste of Arnulphus followed after with such a maine crie that the valiaunt Romaines vpon the walles for very feare where there was no hurt cast themselues desperately ouer the walles so that Arnulphus with little laboure scaled the walles and gate the Citie Thus Arnulphus obtaining the Citie of Rome rescueth Pope Formosus and beheadeth hys aduersaries whome the Pope to gratifie wyth like recompence againe blesseth and crowneth him for Emperoure Thus Formosus sitting fast about the space of 4. or 5. yeres followed his predecessours after whose time as I sayde within the space of ix yeares were ix Bishops as followeth But in the meane time concerning the storie of thys Formosus declared by Sigebert and many other Chroniclers this thing woulde I gladly aske and more gladly learne of some indifferent good Catholike person whyche not of obstinacie but of simple errour being a papist wold aunswere his conscience Whether doth he thinke the holy order of Priesthoode which hee taketh for one of the seuen Sacramentes to be Character indelebilis or not If it be not indelebilis that is if it be such a thing as may be put of why then doeth the Popes doctrine so call and so hold the contrary pretending it to be indelebile vnremoueable If it be in deede so as they teach and affirme indelebilis character why then did Pope Iohn or could Pope Iohn adnichilate cuacuate one of his vij Popeholy Sacraments making of a Priest a non Priest or a layman vncharactering hys owne order which is as he sayeth a Character which in no wise may be blotted out or remoued Againe how soeuer Pope Iohn is to be iudged in this matter to do either wel or not wel this wold I know if he did well in so dispriesting and discharactering Formosus for suche priuate offences If yea how then stādeth his doing wyth his owne doctrine which teacheth the contrary If he did not well how then standeth his doctrine with his doings to be true which teacheth that the Pope with his Synode of Cardinals can not erre Moreouer if this Pope Iohn did not erre in his disordering Formosus howe then did Martinus hys successoure not erre in repealing the sayd doing of hys predecessour Or how did not Pope Formosus erre hymselfe who beyng vnpriested by Pope Iohn afterwarde wythout reiterating the Character or order of Priesthoode tooke vppon hym to be Pope and made actes and lawes in the Churche Againe if Formosus nowe Pope did not erre how then did Pope Stephen hys successoure afterwarde not erre who did annihilate the consecration and all other actes of the said Formosus as erroneous Or againe if we say that this Stephen with his Synode of Cardinalles did right then howe could it be that Pope Theodore Pope Iohn the tenth which came after the foresayde Stephen did not plainely erre Who approuing the consecration of Formosus did condemne and burne the acts Synodale of Stephen and his Cardinals which before had condemned Formosus according as in storie here consequently may appeare After Formosus had gouerned the Sea of Rome fiue yeres succeded first Bonifacius the vj. who continued but 25. dayes then came Stephen the vj. which so enuyed the name of his predecessor Formosus that he abrogated and dissolued his decrees And taking vp his bodye after it was buried cut two fingers of his right hande and commanded them to be cast into Tiber then buried the body in a priuate or laymans sepulchre Thus Stephen after he had sat in the chaire of pestilēce one yeare succeeded in the same chaire Pope Rhomanus and sate iij. monthes repealing the actes decreed by Stephen his predecessor against Formosus Next to whome came Theodorus 2. who likewise taking parte with Formosus against the foresaid Stephē reigned but 20. dayes Then sate Pope Iohn the 10. who did fight and repugne against the Romanes And to confirme the cause of Formosus more surely did holde a Sinode at Rauenna of 74. Bishops with the French king Endo and his Archbishops being present at the same At the which councel were ratified all the decrees and doings of Formosus and the contrary acts of the Synode of Stephen the vj. were burned This Pope liued not Pope fully two yeares after whom succeeded Benedictus the 4. which kept the chaire three yeares After
Episcopi mensuram omnes institutae sint exequatae per suâ—m dioecesin Et omne pondus constet secundum dictionem eius si aliquid coÌ„trouersiarum intersit discernat Episcopus Vniuscuiusque Domini proprium est necesse vt seruis condescendat compatiatur sicut indulgentius poterit Quia Domino Deo viuenti sunt aeque chari seruus liber Et omnes vno eodem pretio redemit omnes sumus Deo necessariò serui Et sic iudicabit nos sicut antè iudicauimus eos in quos potestatem iudicij in terris habebimus Et ideo opus est vt eis parcamus qui nobis parere debent tunc manutenebimur in Dei omnipotentis proprio iudicio Amen The sayde Ethelstane besides prescribed other constitutions also as touching tithes geuing where hee sayeth and proclaimeth Ego Ethelstanus Rex consilio Vâ—felmi Archiepiscopi mei aliorum Episcoporum mando praepositis omnibus in regno meo in nomine Domini sanctorum omnium vt inprimis reddant de meo proprio decimas Deo tam in viuente capitali quà m in mortuis frugibus terrae Episcopi mei similiter faciant de suo proprio Aldermanni mei praepositi mei c. That is I Ethelstane King charge and commaund all my officers through my whole Realme to geue tithes vnto God of my proper good as wel in liuing cattel as in the corne and fruites of the grouÌ„d and that my Byshops likewise of their proper goods and mine Aldermen and my officers and headmen shal do the same Item this I wil that my Bishops other headmen doe declare the same to suche as be vnder their subiection that to be accomplished at the terme of S. Iohn the Baptist. Let vs remember what Iacob said vnto the Lord Of all things that thou geuest to me I wil offer tithes vnto the Lord. c. Also what the Lord sayeth in the Gospel of S. Mathewe To him that hath it shal be geuen and he shall abouÌ„d We must also coÌ„sider how terribly it is written in bookes that if we will not offer our tenths from vs ix partes shall be taken away and only the x. part shal be left vs. c. And in the same place after that he hath assigned the Church rightes to be paide in the place whereto they belong it followeth thus Facite etiam vt mihi mea propria cupiatis quae mihi poteritis recté acquirere Nolo vt aliquid mihi iniuste cóquiratis Sed omnia vestra concedo vobis eo tenore quo mihi mea similiter exoptetis Cauete simul vobis eis quos admonere debetis ab ira Dei transgressione mea Among his other lawes ordinances to the nuÌ„ber of xxxv diuers things be comprehended pertaining as well to the spirituall as also to the temporall iurisdiction Out of the lawes of this King first sprang vp the attachement of theeues such as stoale aboue xij pence and were aboue xij yeares old should not be spared And thus much briefly concerning the historie of King Ethelstane things in his time done who reigned about the space of xvj yeares And because he died without issue therfore after him succeeded his brother Edmund the yere of our Lord. 940. who reigned vj. yeares King Edmund EDmund the sonne of Edwarde the elder by his thirde wife as is declared and brother of Ethelstane being of the age of xx yeares entred his raigne who had by hys Queene Elgina two sonnes Edwyne and Edgarus surnamed Pacificus which both reigned after him as followeth This Edmund continued his reigne vj. yeares a halfe By him were expulsed the Danes Scottes Normandes and all foreine enemies out of the land Such Cities and Townes which before were in the possession of strangers as Lyncolne Nottingham Derby Stafforde and Leycetour he recouered out of their hands Thus the realme being cleared of foreine power for a time then the king set his study and mind in the redressing and maintaining the state of the Church which all stoode then in building of Monasteries and furnishing of Churches eyther with newe possessions or with restoring the olde which were taken away before In the time of thys Edmund thys I find in an old written story borowed of W. Cary a citizen of London a worthy treasurer of moste worthy Monuments of antiquitie The name of the author I can not alledge because the booke beareth no title lacking both the beginning and the latter end But the words therof faithfully recited be these Huius regis tempore facta est dispersio Monachorum Eushmensis coenobij cum substitutione Canonicorum per Althelmum Vlricum laicos Osulphum Episcopum c. That is In the time of this King there was a scattering or dispersion made of the Monkes out of the Monastery of Eusham and Canons substituted in theyr place through the doing of Athelmus Ulricus lay men and of Osulfus Byshop c. Where as concerning this matter betwene Monkes and other of the clergie first it is to be vnderstande that in the realme of England heretofore before the time of Dunstane the Byshops seas and cathedrall churches were replenished with no monkes but wyth priestes and canons called then clerks or men of the clergy After this beginneth to rise a difference or a sect betwixt these two parties in straitnesse of life and in habite so that they which liued after a straiter rule of holines were called monkes professed chastitie that was to liue from wiues for so was chastitie then defined in those blinde daies as though holy matrimony were no chastitie according as Paphnutius did well define it in the councel of Nice The other sort whych were no monkes but priests or men of the clergy called liued more free from these monkish rules and obseruances and were then commoÌ„ly or at least lawfully maryed and in theyr life and habite came nearer to the secular sorte of other christians By reason wherof great disdaine emulation was among them in so much that in many Cathedral churches where as priests were before there monks were put in And contrary sometime where as Monkes were intruded there priests and canons againe were placed and monkes thrust out wherof more shal appere here after by the grace of Christ when we come to the lyfe of Dunstane In the meane time something to satisfie the cogitation of the reader which peraduenture either is ignorant or els would know of the first coÌ„ming in of monks into this realme and Church of England in the Saxones time this is to be noted according as I finde in old Chronicles namely in the latine history of Guliel de gestis pontificum Angl. recorded touching the same That about thys time of king Edmund or shortly after when hardnes and straitnesse of life ioyned with superstition was had in veneration and
in the desert of Scythia who sent ij of hys Nouices with figs vnto one that was sicke in the wildernes 18. miles off from the Church It chaunced these two yong Nouices missing the way wandered so long in the wild forest or wildernes and could not find the Celie that for emptines and wearines they waxed faint tired And yet rather would they die then tast the figs committed to them to cary and so dyd for shortly after they were found dead their figges lying whole by them An other story he also reciteth of two Monasticall brethren who making their progresse in the desert of Thebaide purposed with theÌ„selues to take no sustenance but such as the Lord should minister himselfe vnto them It happened as they were wandering desolate in the desert and faynting almost for penury certayne Mazices a kinde of people by nature fearce and cruel notwithstanding being sodenly altered into a new nature of humanitye came forth and of their owne accord offered bread vnto them Which bread the one thankfully receaued as sent of God The other as counting it sent of man and not of God refused it and so for lacke perished Hereunto might I also annexe the story of Mucius who to declare his obedience did not sticke at the commaundement of his Abbot to cast his sonne into the water not knowing whether any were appointed there ready to rescue him from drouning so far were the Monkes in those dayes drouned in superstition What is this but for mans traditions and commaundements to transgresse the commaundement of God which saith Thou shalt do no murther Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God What man is so blynd that seeth not by these infinite examples mo what pernitious superstition hath begun by reason of this Monkery almost from the beginnyng to creepe into the Church Wherfore I cannot maruell inough seeyng that age of the Church had in it so many learned and famous Doctors who not onely did approue and allow these monasticall sectes of life but also certaine themselues were the authors and institutors of the same yea and of mens traditions made the seruice of God In number of whome may be reckoned Basilius Magnus Nazianzenus who with immoderate austeritie did so plucke downe themselues that when they were called to the office of Bishops they were not able to sustaine the labour therof After these foresayd monkes of that time aboue recited followed other Monkes of the middle age of the Church who as in multitude so also in superstition increasing began by little and little from their desolate dens in the vaste wildernes to approch more neare to great towns where they had solemne Monasteries founded by Kinges and Queenes and kings daughters and other rich Consuls as is partly before touched And the causes also touched withall for the which they were first founded as these pro remedio animae meae pro remissione peccatorum meorum pro redemptione peccatoruÌ„ meorum pro salute regnorum quique meo subiacent regimini populorum In honorem glorlosae virginis c. For all these impious and erroneous titles and causes we finde alleaged in storyes as in Malmes beriensis Iornalensis Henricus and other moe In which histories I also note that the most part of these foresayd monasteries were erected first vpon some great murther either by war in the field or priuately committed at home as shall well appeare to them which read the bookes whom I haue alledged But to returne to our Monks agayn who as is sayd first began to creepe from the cold field into warme townes and cloysters from townes then into citties and at length from their close cellors and citties vnto Cathedrall Churches as here appeareth by this storye of King Edgar where not onely they did abound in wealth and riches especially these Monkes of our latter tyme but much more did swimme in superstition and Pharisaicall hipocrisie beyng yoked and tied in all their doings to certaine prescript rules and formal obseruances in watching in sleeping in eating in rising in praying in walkyng in talking in looking in tasting in touching in handling in their gestures in their vestures euery maÌ„ apparailed not as the proper condition of other would require nor as the season of the yeare did serue but as the coacted rules order of euery sect did inforce them The number of which sectes was infinitely diuers some after Basilius rule went in white some after Benets rule in blacke some CluniaceÌ„sis first set vp by Otho in the tyme of this king Edgar wearing after the rule of Benets order some after Hieroms rule leather girdled and coped aboue their white coate some Gregorians copper coloureâ— Some de valle vmbrosa graye Monkes Some Grandâ—montenses wearing a coate of mailes vpon theyr bare bodyes with a black cloake therevpon Some Cistercianes who had white rochets on a blacke coate Some Celestines all in blew both cloake coule and cap Some Charter Monkes wearing hearecloth next their bodyes Some Flagellants going barefoot in long white linnen shirtes with an open place in the backe where they beat themselues with scourges on the bare skinne euery day before the peoples eyes till the bloud ranne downe saying that it was reuealed to them by an Angell that in so scourging themselues within 30. dayes and 12. houres they should bee made so pure from sinne as they were wheÌ„ they first receiued baptisme some starred Monkes Some Iesuites with a white girdle a russet coule Briefely who can recken vp the innumerable sectes and disguised orders of their fraternities Some holding of S. Benet some of S. Hierome Some of S. Basill Some of S. Barnard Some of S. Bridget Some of S. Bruno Some of S. Lewes as though it were not enough for Christen men to holde of Christ onely so subiect were they to seruile rules that no part of Christen liberty remayned among them So drowned and sunck in superstition that not onely they had lost Christes religion but also almost the sense and nature of men For where men naturally are and ought to be ruled by the descrete gouernment of reasoÌ„ in all outward doynges wherein no one rule can serue for all men the circumstaunce of tyme place person and busines being so sundry and diuers Contrary among these not reason but onely the knock of a bell ruled all their doinges their rising their sleeping theyr praying their eating their comming in their going out their talking their sileÌ„ce altogether like insensible people either not hauing reason to rule themselues or els as persons vngrateful to God neyther enioyning the benefite of reason created in them nor yet vsing the grace of Christes libertie wherunto he redemed them Thus thou seest gentle Reader sufficiently declared what the monkes were in the primitiue time of the Church what were the Monkes of the middle age and of these our latter dayes of the church Wherunto ioyne
last through the operation of Sathan was exalted to the Papacy of Rome vpon this condition that after his death he should geue himselfe to the deuil by whose procuremeÌ„t he came to that promotion UpoÌ„ a certaine time he demanded an answer of the deuill how long he should enioy his Popedome to whom he answered againe vntill thou say Masse in Ierusalem thou shalt liue At length the iiij yeare of his Popedome saying Masse at Lent time in the temple of the holy crosse being called then Ierusalem there he knewe the time was come when hee should die Wherupon being stroke with repentance confessed his fault openly before the people desiring al men to cut his body al in peeces being so seduced by deceits of the deuil so being hewen in peeces they woulde lay it vpon a cart and bury it there where soeuer the horses wold cary it of their accorde And so the saying is to be that by the prouidence of God whereby the wicked may learne yet hope of remission with God so that they will repent them in their life the horses of their own accord staid at the church of Laterane and there he was buried wheras commonly by the ratling of his bones within the tomb is portended the death of Popes as the common reporte goeth Thus much out of Ioannes Stella concerning Siluester By whoÌ„ our sorcerers and inchanters or magicians may learne to beware of the deceitfull operation of Sathan who at the ende deceiueth and frustateth al them that haue to do with him as the ende of all such doth declare commonly which vse the like art or trade The Lorde and God of al mercye through the spirite of Iesus our redemer dissolue the works of Sathan and preserue the hartes of our nobles and of al other Englishmen from such infection Amen After Siluester succeeded Ioannes .xix. by whom was brought in as Volateran sayth the feast of all soules an 1004. through the meanes and instigation of one Odilo Abbot of Cluniake to be celebrate next after the feast of all Saintes This Monke Odilo thinking that Purgatory as he heard should be in the mount Aetna dreamed vpoÌ„ a time in the countrey of Sicile that he by his Masses had deliuered diuers soules from theÌ„ce saying moreouer that he did heare the voyces and lameÌ„tations of deuils crying out for that the soules were taken froÌ„ them by the Masses Dirges funerall Ex Bakenthorpo in prolo 4. Lib. Sentent And not loÌ„g after him came Iohn the xx and Sergius the iiij After whom succeeded Benedictus the viij then Iohn the 21. who being promoted by art magike of Theoyhilact his nephew Gratianus Brazutus and other Sorcerers brought in first the fast of the eueÌ„ of Iohn Baptist and S. LaureÌ„ce After him followed pope Benedictus the 9. likewise aspiring to his Papacy by like magike practising inchauntmentes and coniuration in woodes after horrible maner Who resisting the Emperor Henricus 3. sonne to Conradus and placing in his rowme Petrus the king of Hungarie wyth this verse Petra dedit Romam Petro tibi Papa coronam Afterward for feare of Henricus preuailing in battaile hee was faine to sell his seate to his successoure Gratianus called Gregorius vi for 1500. poundes At which time were 3. Popes together in Rome raigning raging one against an other Benedictus ix Siluester 3. Gregorius vi For the whych cause Henricus surnamed Niger the Emperour comming to Rome displaced these 3. monsters at one time placing for them Clemens 2. and thereupon inacting that there should no bishop of Rome henceforth be chosen but by the consent and confirmation of the Emperour Which constitution though it was both agreable also necessary for publike traÌ„quilitie of that citie yet the Cardinals would not suffer it long to stand but did impugne it afterward by subtile practise and open violence as in processe the Lord permitting shal appeare in the time of Henricus the 4. and 5. In the time of this Clement the Romanes made an othe to the Emperour concerning the election of the Byshops themselues to entermeddle no farther therein but as the assent of the Emperour should goe with all Howbeit the Emperour departing thence into Germanie againe by and by they forgote their othe and within 9. monethes after poysoned the Bishop Which fact some impute to Stephen his successour called Damasus 2. Some impute it to Brazutus who as histories record within 13. yeares poysoned 6. popes that is Clemens 2. Damasus 2. Leo. 9. Uictor 2. Stephanus 9. Nicolaus the 2. Thus Clement being poysoned after him succeeded Damasus 2. neither by consent of the people nor of the emperour elected but by force and inuasion who aâ—so within 23. daies being poisoned An. 1049. much contention and striuing began in Rome about the Papal seat Wherupon the Romans through the counsel of the Cardinals sent to the foresaid Emperor desiring to geue them a bishop and so he did whose name was Bruno an Almain and bishop of Colleâ— afterwarde called Leo 9. This Bruno being a simple man and easie to be led with euil counsel comming from the Emperour towards Rome in his pontificall apparell like a Pope meeteth him by the way the Abbot of Cluniake and Hildebrand a monke Who seing him so in his pontificalibus begaÌ„ to rate him laying to his charge that he would so take his authoritie of the Emperour and not rather of the Clergy of Rome the people thereof as other his predecessors were wont to doe and so counselled him to lay downe that apparel and to enter in with his own habite till he had hys election by them Bruno following their counsel and confessing his fault before the Clergie of Rome obtained their fauor and so was nominate Leo 9. wherby Hildebrand was made a Cardinall put in high rowme Under this Pope Leo were two Councels one kept at Uercellis where the doctrine of Berengarius against the reall substance in the Sacrament was first condemned although Berengarius yet recanted not whych neuerthelesse was done after in the Councel of Lateranâ— vnder Nicolas 2. An. M.lx. The other was kept at Moguntia where amongst many other decrees was enacted priests to be excluded and debarred vtterly from mariage Item that no lay men might geue benefice or bishoprick or any spirituall promotion c. This Leo being at Wormes with the Emperour vpon Christmas day did excommunicate the subdeacon because in reading the Epistle he did it not in the Romane tune he being there present The Archbishop moued therewith departed from the altare being then at Masse saying he woulde not proceede no farther in his seruice vnlesse hys subdeacon were restored Wherupon the Pope commaÌ„ded him to be released so they went forward in their seruice After the death of Leo whom Brazutus poysoned the first yere of his popedome Theophilactus did striue to be Pope but Hildebrand to defeat him went to the emperor partly
the sayde Byshop wyth much more matter of contention all which to recite it were too long But this I thought to commit to historie to the intent men might see the lamentable decay of true Christianitie amongest Christen Byshops who inflamed with glorious ambition so contended for honor that without mere forcemeÌ„t of law no modestie could take place Of such like contentions among Prelates of the Clergie for superioritie we read of diuers in olde Chronicles as in the history intituled Chronicon Hirsseldense where is declared a bloudy conflict which twise hapned in the church of Boslaria betwene Hecelon bishop of Hildesheime and Wederatus bishop of Fulda and all for the superior place who should fit next to the Emperour the Emperour hym selfe being there present and looking on them and yet not able to stay them Thus I haue described the troublous contention betwene Lancfrancus Thomas Metropolitane of Yorke in the daies of Alexander of which controuersie and of the whole discourse thereof Lanfrancus writeth to Pope Alexander beginning thus Domino totius Christianae religionis summo speculatori Alex Papae Lancfrancus sanctae Dorobernensis Ecclesiae antistes debitam cum omni seruitute obedientiam In concilio quod Angliae per vestram autoritatem coactum est vbi querelae Thomae Archiepiscopi prolatae ventilatae sunt allata est Ecclesiastica gétis Anglorum historia quam Eboracensis Ecclesiae praesbyter Anglorum Doctor Beda composuit and so foorth in a â—ong processe of wordes which followe Among whiche in the middle of the epistle speaking of Douer and Canterbury he hath these words Vrbs namque quae nunc CaÌ„tuarberia nominatur antiquis temporibus ab ipsius terrae incolis Dorobernia vocabatur c. with many other wordes in the said Epistle which for breuitie here I ouerpasse In the story before of king Egelrede was declared about the yeare of our Lord. M. xvi how the Bishoprik of Lindaffarne otherwise named holy lande in the floude of Twede was translated to Durham so likewise in the dayes of this Lancfrancus Archbishop of Cant. Anno M. lxxvi diuers Bishops seates were altered and remooued from towneships to greater Cities As the Byshoprike of Selese was remooued to Chichester out of Cornewall to Exeter from Welles to Bathe from Shyreburne to Salesbury from Dorcester to Lincolne from Lichfield to Chester which Byshoppricke of Chester Robert being then Byshop reduced from Chester to Couentrie Likewise after that in the raigne of William Rufus An. 1095. Herbert Bishop of Thetford from thence reduced the fear to Norwige c. As concerning Douer and Caunterbury whether the sea was likewise translated froÌ„ the towne of Douer to the City of Cant. in the time of Theodorns or whether Canterbury by old time had the name of Dorobernia as the letter of Lancfrancus to Pope Alexander aboue mentioned doth pretend I finde it not in histories expressely defined Saue that I read by the words of William bring yet Duke of Normandie charging then Harolde to make a welle of water for the kings vse in the Castel of Dorobernia that the said Dorobernia then was taken for that which nowe we call Douer but whether Dorobernia and the Citie of Cant be both one or diuers the matter is not great Notwithstanding this I read in the epistle of Pope Bonifacius to king Ethelbert as also to Iustinus Archbish. Item in the epistle of pope Honorius to bishop Honorius IteÌ„ of Pope Uitalianus to Theodorus of Pope Sergius to king Ethelred Alfred and Adulphus and to the Bishops of england Likewise of pope Gregory the 3. to the Bishops of England Item of Pope Leo to Atherlard Archbyshop of Cant. Of Formosus to the bishops of England and of Pope Iohn to Dunstane that the name of Dorobernia of Canterbury indifferently are taken for one matter In this time and by the procuring of this Lancfrancus the 9. yere of this king a councel was holden at London where among the actes thereof these were the principall things concluded 1. For the order of sitting that the Archbishop of Yorke should sit on the right hand and the Byshop of London of the left hand or in the absence of Yorke London shoulde haue the right and Winchester the left hand of the Archbyshop of Cant. sitting in counsell 2. The seconde that Bishops shoulde translate their sees from villages into cities whereupon those sees aboue named were translated 3. That Monkes should haue nothing in proper And if any so had he dying vnconfessed shoulde not be buried in the Churchyard 4. That no Clerke or Monke of an other diocesse should be admitted to orders or retained without letters coÌ„mendatorie or testimoniall 5. That none should speake in the CouÌ„cel except bishops and Abbots without leaue of the Archmetropolitanes 6. That none should marry within the 7. degree with any either of his owne kinred or of his wiues departed 7. That none shoulde either buy or sell any office wythin the Church 8. That no sorcerie nor any diuination should be vsed or permitted in holy Church 9. That no bishop nor abbot nor any of the clergy should be at the iudgement of any mans death or dismembring neither should be any fautor of the sayd iudicantes Moreouer in the dayes of this Lancfrancus diuers good bishops of the realme began to take part with priests against the monkes in displacing these out of their Churches and to restore the maried Priests againe in so much that walkelmus bishop of wint had placed aboue 4.0 canons in stede of monkes for his part but this godly enterprise was stopped by stout Lancfrancke the Italian Lombard This lustie Prelate sate 19. yeares but at latter end he was not so fauored of William Rufus and â—â—ed for sorrowe Although this Italian Franke being Aâ—â—hbishop had litle leisure to write yet something he thought to doe to set out his famous learning and wrote a Booke against Berengarius intituling it Opus Scintillarum The olde church of Cant. he plucked downe builded vp the new After the death of Pope Alexander aboue mentioned next to him folowed HildebraÌ„d surnamed Gregory the 7. This Hildebrand as he was a sorcerer so was he the first and principal cause of all this perturbation that is nowe hath bene since his time in the Church by reason that through his example all this ambition stoutnes pride entred first into the church of Rome hath euer since continued For before Hildebrandus came to Rome working there his feares setting vp and displacing what Byshops he lifted corrupting them with pernicious counsell and setting them against Emperors vnder pretence of chastitie destroying matrimonie and vnder the title of libertie breaking peace and resisting authoritie before this I say the church of Rome was in some order bishops quietly gouerned vnder christen Emperors and also were defended by the same As Marcellus Meltiades and Siluester were subdued and vnder obedience to
they tell vs what ye would vs to do or els we will fall vpon you if ye retaine vs longer Then spake one of the yong men to them bidding thē go and plucke downe yonder walles pointing to certayne high wals there nigh to Rome which they did in a moment The yong men crossing them for feare of the spirites scarse recouering thē selues at length came to their maister And it followeth moreouer in the epistle of the sayd Benno to the Cardinals We haue made mention to you before of diuers colledges of the church of Rome which refused to communicate with him As Leo then Archpriest of the Cardinals Benno Vgobaldus Iohannes the Cardinal Peter Chauncellor and Cardinall beyng all instituted before this Hildebrand These three also beyng consecrated by him that is Natro Innocentius and Leo forsoke him cursing the detestable errours which he held In like case Theodinus whom he constituted Archdeacon and other Cardinals mo Ioannes surnamed Primicerius Petrus oblationarius with all that appertayned vnto them sauing one onely man And now when this Hildebrand saw that the bishops also would forsake him he called vnto him the lay men and made them priuy of his counsail thinking thereby to separate the bishops that they should haue no cōference with the Cardinals After that he called together those bishops and beyng garded with bandes of lay men he enforced the bishops partly for feare and partly for his manacing wordes to sweare vnto him that they should neuer disagre vnto that which he would haue done that they should neuer defend the Kynges quarell and that they should neuer fauour or obey the Pope that should in his stead be instituted Which thing beyng done he sent them by meanes of the Prince of Salernites into Campania and thus did he separate them from the company of the Cardinals from the citie of Rome And not onely the bishops but also the Priests of the citie and clarkes of inferior orders as also the laye men he bound by their othes that at no tyme nor for any cause they should condiscend vnto the king As soone as Pope Alexander was dead which dyed somwhat before night the same day contrary to the Canons he was chosen Pope of the laymen But the Cardinals subscribed not to his election For the Canons prescribe vnder payne of cursing that none should be chosen Pope before the third day after the burial of his predecessours But he by sinister meane thus clyming to the seat remoued the Cardinals of the sayd seat from being of the counsail But with what persons he consulted night day Rome well heard and saw And he now puttyng the Cardinals from hys counsaile his lyfe fayth and doctrine no man could accuse or beare witnesse off where as in the Canons is commaunded that in euery place where so euer the Pope is should be with him iij. Cardinals beyng priests ij Deacons because of his Ecclesiasticall testimony and stile of veritie of whiche Canonical decree looke gentle Reader before He violently wrested the sacred scriptures to couer his falshood which kynd of Idolatry how great it is manifestly throughout all the Scripture it appeareth Contrary to the myndes and counsaile of the Cardinals and besides the determinate order of pronouncing iudgement by the Canons he rashly did excommunicate the Emperour beyng in no Synode solemnly accused before The sentence of which excommunication after rehersal of these presents shal also be manifested Christ willing to the which excommunication saith Benno none of the Cardinals would subscribe As soone as he arose out of hys seate papall to excommunicate the Emperour the same seate beyng made but a little before with big tymber sodainly by the appointment of God was rent and shiuered in pieces so that all men might plainly vnderstand what and how great and terrible schismes that lubber had sowne against the Church of Christ agaynst the seat of S. Peter and how cruelly he had dispersed the chayre of Christ in defilyng the lawes of the Church ruling by might and austeritie in that hys so perillous and presumptuous excommunication In the description of the same excommunication he inserteth those things wherin he himselfe erred when he absolued the Emperour being vniustly excommunicate and the bishops also communicating with him to the vttermost thus cutting mangling the vnitie of the Church and those that communicated with them did as much as in him lay to make two churches Also the same bold merchaunt commaunded that the Cardinals should fast to the intent that God would reueale whose opinion was better eyther of the Church of Rome or of Berengarius touching the controuersie of the Lordes body in the Sacrament And hereby he prooued himselfe to be a manifest Infidell for that in the Nicene Councell it is written he that doubteth is an Infidell Further he sought after a signe to establish his fayth concerning the Article of the Lordes body as did Gregory to confirme the womans fayth when the consecrated bread was transubstantiated into the forme of a fleshly finger He also sent two Cardinals Attones and Cunones vnto Anastasie that with the◠Archpriest of the same Church they should begin a fast of three dayes space And that euery of them euery day during those iij. dayes should say ouer the Psalter sing Masses that Christ would shew vnto them some such like signe of his body as he did to the foresayd Gregory which thing they could not see The Emperour was oftentymes woont to goe to S. Maries church in the mount Auentine to pray Hildebrand when he had by his espials searched out and knew all the doyngs of the Emperour caused the place where the Emperour was accustomed eyther standing or prostrate on his face to pray to be marked and for money he hired a naughty pact like himselfe to gather and lay together a heape of great stones directly ouer the place in the vault of the Church where the Emperour would stande that in throwyng the same downe vpon his head he should slay the Emperour About which purpose as the hireling hasted and was busie remouing to the place a stone of great hugenes waight it broke the planke whereon it lay and the hirelyng standyng thereupon both together fell downe from the roofe to the pauement of the church and with the same stone was dasht all in pieces And after the Romaines had vnderstanding of the handlyng of this matter they fastened a rope to one of the feete of this hire lyng and caused him to bee drawen through the streetes of the Citie three dayes together in example of others The Emperour notwithstanding according to his woonted clemencie caused hym to be buried Iohannes the bishop of Portua beyng one of the secret coūsail of Hildebrand came vp into the pulpit of S. Peter amongst other things in the hearing both of the Clergy and people sayd Hildebrand and we haue committed such a fact and so
if he would do the other promiseth to bring about that Den. shuld depart w e his army into Germany whereunto the people of Rome also did lykewise mooue him To whom Gregory answered that he was content so to do but vpon condition that the emperor would submit himself to aske pardon to amend hys fault and to promise obedience The Emperour not agreyng to those conditions went to Senas taking Clement new stalled Pope with hym After the returne of the Emperor the foresayd Robert Buiscardus approching w e his souldiours brast in at one of the gates and spoileth the Citie And not long after deliuereth Hildebrand out of his enemies hands and caried him away to Campana where he not long continuyng after dyed in exile Antoninus writeth that Hildebrand as he did lie a dying called to hym one of his chief Cardinals be wailing to him his fault misorder of his spirituall ministery in stirring vp discord warre dissension wherupon he desired the Cardinall to go to the Emperor and desire him of forgeuenes absoluing from the danger of excommunication both him and all his partakers both quicke and dead Thus hast thou gentle Reader the full history of pope Gregory 7. called Hildebrand which I haue laid our more at large desire thee to marke because that frō this Pope it thou marke wel springeth all the occasion of mischiefe of pride pompe stoutnesse presumption tiranny which since that tyme hath raigned in his successours hetherto in the cathedral church of the Romish clergy for here came first the subiectiō of the temporal regiment vnder the spiritual iurisdictiō And Emperors which before were their maisters now are made their vnderlings Also here came in the suppression of priests mariage as is sufficiently declared Here came in moreouer the authoritie of both the swords spiritual secular into spiritual mens hands So that christian magistrates could do nothing in election in geuing bishoprikes or benefices in calling Councels in hearing correcting the excesses of the clergy but only the Pope must do all Yea moreouer no bishop nor Pastor in his owne parish could excommunicate or exercise any discipline amongst his flocke but onely the Pope chalenged that prerogatiue to himselfe Finally here came in the first example to persecute Emperors kings with rebellion excommunication as the clergy themselues hereafter doe testifie and witnes in proceeding against Paschalis Thus these notes beyng well obserued let vs by the grace of Christ now repaire again to our coūtry history of englād About the death of Pope Hildebrād or not long after folowed the death of king William Conqueror in the yere of our Lord 1090. after he had raigned in Englād the space of 21. yeares and 10. moneths The cause of his sicknes and death is said to be this For that Phillip the French king vpon a tyme iesting sayd that king William lay in child bed and nourished his fat belly with this the foresaid william hearing therof aunswered againe and sayd when he should be Churched he would offer a thousand candels to hym in Fraunce wherewithall the kyng should haue litle ioy whereupon king William in the month of Iuly when the corne fruite grapes were most flourishing entered into Fraunce set on fire many Cities and townes in the westside of Fraunce And lastly commyng to the Citie of Meaux where he burning a woman beyng as a recluse in a wall inclosed or as some say two mē Anachorites inclosed was so seruent and furious about the fire that with the heate partly of the fire partly of the tyme of yeare therby he fell into sicknes and dyed vpon the same By the life actes of this king it may appeare true as stories of him report that he was wise but guilefull riche but couetous a faire speaker but a great dissembler glorious in victory strong in armes but rigorous in oppressing whom he ouercame in leuiyng of tasks passing all other In so much that he caused to bee enrolled numbred in his treasury euery hide of land and owner therof what fruit reuenewes surmounted of euery Lordship of euery township castel village field riuer wood within all the realme of England Moreover how many parish Churches how many liuing cattell there were what and how much euery Baron in the realme could dispend what fees were belonging what wages were taken c. The tenour contents of which taskment yet remaineth in rolles After this tasking or nūbring which was the yere before his death folowed an exceding moreine of cattell barennes of the ground with much pestilence and hote feuers amōg the people so that such as escaped the feuer were cōsumed with famine Moreouer at the same season among certain other Cities a great part of the City of London with the church of Paules was wasted with fire an 1085. In hunting and in parkes the foresayd king had such pleasure that in the country of Southhamptō by the space of 36. miles he cast downe churches and Townships and there made the new forest louing his Decre so dearely as though he had bene to them a father making sharp lawes for the increasing thereof vnder payne of loosing both the eyes So hard he was to Englishmen and so fauorable to his owne country that as there was no English Byshop remainyng but onely wolstane of Worcester who beyng commaunded of the king and Lancfrank to resigne vp his staffe partly for inhabilitie partly for lacke of the French tongue refused otherwise to resign it but only to him that gaue it and so went to the tombe of king Edward where he thought to resigne it but was permitted to enioy it stil so likewise in his daies there was almost no English mā that bare office of honour or rule In so much it was half a shame at that tyme to be called an English man Notwithstanding he some deale fauoured the citie of London graunted vnto the Citizens the first charter that euer they had written in the Saxon with greene waxe sealed and conteined in few lynes Among his other conditiōs this in him is noted that so geuen he was to peace and quiet that any maiden being laden with gold or siluer might passe thorough the whole realme without harme or resistance This William in his tyme builded two monasteries one in England at Battail in Suffex where he wan the field against Harold called the abbey of Battail an other beside named Barmōdsey in his countrey of Normandy After the life story of K. William thus briefly described with the acts order of battail betwene him K. Harold although much more might haue bene written of that matter if the booke had come sooner to my hands which afterward I sawe now remaineth in the end of his story to describe the names of such Barons nobles of Normandy which enterd with him into this land as well of them which were embarked
perswaded perchance by Harding and afterward in the yere of our Lord 1135. it was brought into England by a certaine man called Espek which builded an Abbey of the same order called Merinale In this order the monks did liue by the labour of their hands They paid no tithes nor offrings they weare no furre nor lyning they weare red shoes their coules white and coate blacke all shorne saue a little circle they eate no flesh but only in their iourney Of this order was Bernardus c. This Urbanus held diuers Councels one at Rome where he excommunicated all such lay persons as gaue inuestiture of any Ecclesiasticall benefice Also all such of the Clergy as abiected themselues to be vnderlings or seruants to lay persons for Ecclesiasticall benefices c. An other Councell he held at Cleremount in France Where among other things the bishop made an Oration to the Lords being there present concerning the voiage recouering of the holy land from the Turkes and Sarazens The cause of which voiage first sprang by one Peter a monke or Hermite who being in Ierusalem seing the great misery of the Christians vnder the Paganes made therof declaration to Pope Urbane was therin a great sollicitor to all christian Princes By reason whereof after the foresaid Oration of pope Urbane 30000. men takyng on them the signe of the crosse for their cognisaunce made preparation for that voiage whose Captains were Godfrey Duke of Loraine with his two brethren Eustace and Baldwine the bishop of Pody Bohemund duke of Puell and his nephew Tancredus Raymund Erle of S. Egidius Robert Erle of Flaunders and Hugh le Graund brother of Phillip the French king To whome also was ioyned Robert Courthoyle duke of Normandy with diuers other noble men with the foresayd Peter the Deremite who was the chiefe causer of that voiage At that tyme many of the sayd Noble men layed theyr lands lordships to morgage for to prouide for the forenamed voiage as Godfrey duke of Lorayne who sold the Dukedome of Boloine to the Bishop of Eburone for a great sumine of money Also Robert Courthoyse Duke of Normandy layd his Dukedome to pledge to his brother William king of England for x. thousand pounds c. Thus the Christians which passed first ouer Bosphorus hauing to their captaine Peter the Heremite a man perchance more deuout then expert to guide an army beyng trapped of their enemies were slaine murthered in great number among the Bulgars and nere to the towne called Ciuitus When the nobles and the whole army met together at Constantinople where Alexius was Emperour passing ouer by Hellespontus goyng to Ierusalem they tooke the cities of Nicea Eraclea Tarsis and subdued the country of Cicilia appointing the possession thereof to certayne of their Captaines Antioch was besieged and in the ix month of the siege it was yelded to the Christians by one Pyrrhus about which season were sought many strong battayles to the great slaughter and desolation of the Sarazens and not without losse of man◠Christian men The gouernance of this Citie was committed to Boamund Duke of Pucil whose martiall knighthood was often prooued in tyme of the siege thereof And not long after Corbona maister of the Persians Chiualry was vanquished and slayne with an hundreth thousand Infidels In which discomfiture were taken 15000. camels Ierusalem the 39. day of the siege was conquered by the Christians Robert Duke of Normandy was elect to be king therof But he refused hearing of the death of king William of Eng. wherfore he neuer sped in all his affaires well after the same Then Godfrey captaine of the christian army was proclaimed the first king of Ierusalem At the taking of the City was such a murder of men that bloud was congeled in the streete the thicknes of a foote Then after Godfrey raigned Baldwine his brother After hym Baldwine the second nephew Then Gaufridus duke of Gaunt and after him Gaufridus his sonne by whom many great battails there were fought against the Sarazens and all the countrey thereabout subdued saue Ascalon c. And thus much hetherto touching the voyage to the holy land Now to our owne land agayne About this tyme as Mathaeus Parisiensis writeth the kinge of England fauoured not much the sea of Rome because of their impudent and vnsatiable exactiōs which they required neither would he suffer any of his subiectes to go to Rome alleaging these wordes in the author thus expressed Quòd Petri non inhaerent vestigijs praemijs inhiantes non eius potestatem retinent cuius sanctitatem probantur non imitari that is because they follow not the steppes of Peter hunting for rewardes neither haue they the power and authoritie of him whose holinesse they declare themselues not to follow c. By the same Urbanus the seuen Houres whiche we call septem horas Canonicas were first instituted in the Church Item by this pope was decreed no bishop to be made but vnder the name and title of some certaine place Item that Martins and Houres of the day should euery day be sayd Also euery Saterday to be sayd the Masse of our Lady and all the Iewes Sabboth to be turned to the seruice of our Lady as in the Councell of Turon to the which seruice was appointed the Antheme Ora pro populo interueni pro clero intercede pro deuoto foemineo sexu Item all such of the clergy as had wyues to be depriued of their order Item to be lawfull for subiectes to breake theyr othe of allegeaunce with all such as were by the Pope excommunicate Item not to be lawfull both for husband and wyfe to christen one child both together with matters many moe By the same Pope thus many chapters stand written in the Canon law Dist. 7. Sanctorum dist 31. Eos qui 1. q. 1. Si qui dist 56 praesbyterorum 11. q. 3. quibus 15. q. 6. Iuratos 16. q. 7. congregatio 19 q. 2. Statuimus 23. q. 8. Tributum 30. q. 4. quod autem c. In the 6. yere of this kings raigne Malcoline king of Scots which foure times before had made great slaughter of old yong in the North partes as is before shewed braste into Northumberland with all the power he could make and there by the right iudgement of God was slain with his sonne Edward and also Margaret his wife sister to Edgar Adeling aboue mynded a vertuous and deuout Lady within 3. dayes after The same yeare he gaue the Archbishoprike of Caunterbury after that he had detayned the same in hys owne bandes 4. yeares to Anselmus Abbot of Becke in Normandie This Anselme was an Italian in the Citie of Augusta borne and brought vp in the Abbey of Becke in Normandy where he was so straight a folower of vertue that as the story recordeth he wished rather to bee without
pure from al leauen and malice and wickednesse But nowe after we are come from the olde figure to the newe trueth and eate the vnleauened flesh of Christ that olde figure in breade of which we make that flesh is not necessary for vs. But manifest it is to be better sacrificed of vnleauened then of leauened c. To this letter I haue also adioyned an other Epistle of his to the sayd Valtrame appertaining to matters not much vnlike to the same effect Wherein is entreated touching the varietie and diuers vsages of the sacraments in the church Wherby such as cal and cry so much for vniformitie in the Churche may note peraduenture in the same something for their better vnderstanding ¶ A piece of on other letter of Anselme to the said Valtram bishop of Nur. To the reverende father and his frend Valtram by the grace of God the worshipful bishop of Nurenburgh Anselme the seruant of the Church of Canterbury greeting c. YOur worship complaineth of the Sacraments of the Church that they are not made euery where after one sorte but are handled in diuers places after diuers sortes And truelie if they were ministred after one sorte and agreeing through the whole church it were good and laudable Yet notwithstanding because there be many diuersities which differ not in the summe of the sacrament in the strength of it or in the saith nor els can be gathered into one custome I thinke that they are rather to be borne with in agreement of peace than to be condemned with offence For we haue this from the holy fathers thai if the vnitie of charitie be kept in the Catholique faith the diuersitie of customes hurt nothing But if it be demanded whereof this diuersity of customes doe spring I perceiue no other cause thereof but the diuersitie of mens wits Which although they differ not in strength and truthe of the thing yet they agree not in the fitnesse and comelinesse of the ministring For that which one iudgeth to be meeter oftentimes an other thinketh lesse mete wherefore not to agree in such diuersities I thinke it not to swarue frō the truth of the thing c. Then in the story it followeth after long debating and discussing of these matters in the councell when they had geuen foorth their determination vpon the same And the Pope had blasted out his thundring excommunications against the Grecians all that tooke their parte at length was brought in touching the complaintes and accusation against the king of England Upon the hearing whereof Pope Urbane with his adherents was ready to proceede in excommunication against the king But Anselme kneeling before the Pope after hee had first accused his King then after obtained for him longer time to be geuen vpon further triall Thus the councell breaking vp the Pope returning againe to Rome directeth downe his letters to the King commaunding him that Anselme with all his partakers in speedy wise should be reuested againe into his archbishoprick and al other possessions therunto appertaining To this the king sendeth answere againe by messengers who comming to the Pope declared in the kings behalfe on this wife That the King their maister did not a little meruaile what came in his minde to commaund Anselme to be reuested and relaised againe into his former Archbyshopricke seeing he told him before plainly that if he went out of England without his leaue he woulde so doe vnto him Well saith the Pope haue ye no other matter against Anselmus but onely this No quod they And haue ye taken all this trauel sayth the Pope to come hether so farre to tell me this that the Primate of your countrey is therefore seased and dispossessed because he hath appealed to the sea and iudgement Apostolicall Therefore if thou louest thy Lord speede thee home and tell him if he wil not be excommoned that he quickly reuest Anselme againe to all the he had before And least I make thee to be hanged for thy labour looke to thy terme and see that thou bring me aunswer againe from him into this citie against the next coūcel the third weeke after Easter The messenger or speaker being somewhat astonied at the hearing of this so ragicall aunswere thinking yet to worke something for his King master came secretely to the Pope saying that he would conferre a certaine mysterie from his king priuately wyth his holinesse betwene them two What mysterie that was or what there passed from the king to the Pope the court of Rome mine author doth not shew But so cunningly the mysterie was handled that with a full consent both of the Pope and all the court of Rome a longer day was geuen from Easter to Michaelmas and the popes cholericke heate so asswaged that when the councel came which then was holden in S. Peters Church in Rome albeit great complaintes were then denounced against the King yet such fauour was found that he toke no harme Onely the sentence of excōmunication was there pronounced against such lay persons as gaue inuesture of Churches and them that were so inuested Also against them that doe consecrate such or which geue themselues in subiection to lay mē for ecclesiastical liuings as is before touched c. This Councell being finished the Archbishop seeing the vnstedfastnesse of the Pope which pleased him but a little tooke his iourney to Lions where he continued his abode a long time till the death first of pope Urbane then after of the king Of this king William many things be diuersly recorded some to his commendation some to his discommēdation whereof this is one which some will ascribe to hardines but I rather to rashnes in him As this king vpon a time was in his disport of hunting sodenly worde came to him that Cenourona a Citie in Normandy was besieged The King without longer tarying or aduisement tooke the straight way towarde the sea side sending to his lordes that they should followe after They being come to hys presence aduised him to staie till the time his people were assembled but he would not be stayed saying that such as him loued he knew wold follow him shortly and so went to take ship The shipmaster seeing the weather so darke and cloudie was afraide and counsailed the king to tarrie till the winde did turne about and the weather more fauourable But the King persisting in his iourney commaunded him to make all the speede he might for his life saying that he neuer hearde that any King yet was euer drowned And so passed the sea in safetie and came to Normandie The 13. yeare of his reigne the saide King William hauing the same time in his hand three byshoprickes Cant. Wint. and Saruin◠also 12. Abbeyes in farme As he was in his disport of hunting in the new forest by glaunsing of an arrowe shot of a Knight named Walter Eyrell was wounded to death and so
the Pope did hold a councell at London In the which councel first began new found appellatiōs from councels to the Pope found out by Henry Bishop of wint For as the wordes of myne author doe recorde In Anglla namq̄ appellationes in vsu non erant donec eas Henricus Wint. Episcopus dum legatus esset malo suo crudeliter intrusit In eodem namq̄ concilio ad Rom. pontificis audientiam ter appellatū est c. That is For appellations before were not in vse in England till Henry Bishop of Winchester being thē the Popes Legate brought them cruelty in to his own hurt For in that Councell thrise appeale was made to the Bishop of Rome In the tyme of king Stephen died Gracianus a mōke of Bononie who compiled the booke called the Popes decrees Also his brother Petrus Lambardus bishop of Paris which is called the maister of Sentences compiled his foure bookes of the sentence These two brethren were the greatest doers in finding out and stablishing this blynde opinion of the sacrament that the only simnitude of bread and wyne remayned but not the substaunce of them and this they call the spirituall vnderstandyng of the mysterie And therefore no meruail if the sunne in those dayes were seene blacke and dimme Some also affirme that Petrus Comestor writer of the Scholasticall history was the third brother to these aboue named In the same tyme and raigne of the said king Stephen was also Hugo surnamed De sancto victore About the which tyme as Polychronicon reciteth liued and died Bernardus Clareuallensis The author of the history called Iornalensis maketh also mention of Hildegare the Nūne and propheresse in Almaine to liue in the same age Concerning whose prophesie agaynst the Friers hereafter by the grace of Christ more shal be said when we come to recite the order and nūber of Friers and religious men crept into the Church of Christ. We read moreouer of one named Ioannes de temporibus which by the affirmaunce of most of our olde histories lyued 361. yeares seruaunt once to Carolus Magnus and in the raigne of Stephen king of England dyed Polychron lib 7. Continuator Henr. Hunt Iornalens in vita Steph. Nicol. Triuet c. In the dayes also of this king and by him was builded the Abbey of Feuersham where his sonne he were buried He builded the monastery of Finerneys of Fomitance the castle of Walingford with a number of other Castles mo During the tyme of the sayd kyng Stephen the yeare of our Lord 1144. the miserable Iewes crucified a child in the Citie of Norwich N. Triuet alij Much about the same tyme came vp the order of the Gilbertines by one Gilbert sonne to Jacoline a knight of Lincolnshire c. Mention hath bene made before of certayne English Councels holden in the tyme of this kyng where it was in one of them vnder Theolbald the Archbishop of Canterbury decreed that bishops should lyue more discretely should reach their flocke more diligently that readyng of scriptures should be frequented more vsually in Abbeys that Priests should not be rulers of worldly matters and that they should learne and teach the Lordes prayer and Creede in English Malmesb. Matth. Parisiensis writeth how Stephen king of England in these dayes reserued to himselfe the right and authoritie of bestowyng of spirituall liuyngs and inuestyng Prelates an 1133. At which tyme also Lotharius the Emperour began to do the lyke in recouering agayne the right priuiledge taken away from Henricus his predecessor had not Bernardus geuen him contrary counsaile Here came into the Church the maner of cursing with booke bell and candle deuised in the Councell of London holden by William bishop of Winchester vnder Pope Celestinus which succeeded after Innocentius an 1144. Also Lotharius succeeded in the Imperiall crowne Conradus the nephew of Henricus the v. afore mentioned an 1138. which only amongst many Emperors is not found to receiue the crowne at the Popes hand In the dayes of this Emperor who raigned 15. yeres were diuers Popes as Celestinus 2. Lucius the 2. Eugenius the 3. at which time the Romaines went about to recouer agayne their former olde maner of chusing theyr Consuls and Senators But the Popes thē being in their ruffe in no case would abide it wherupon rose many commotions with much ciuile warre amongest them In so much that Pope Lucius sending for ayde to the Emperour and he otherwise letted at that tyme could not come armed his souldiours thinking to inuade them or els to destroy them in their Senate house But this comming to their knowledge before the people was all in aray and so much add was amongst them Pope Lucius beyng also amongst thē in the fight wel pelted with stones blowes liued not long after Likewise Pope Eugenius after him an 1145. pursuing the Romains for the same matter first did curse them with excommunicatiō After when he saw that would not serue he came with his host and so compelled them at length to seeke his peace and to take his cōditions which were these That they should abolish theyr Consuls and take such Senators as he by his Papall authoritie should assigne them Then followed Anastacius the 4. after him Hadrianus 4. an Englishman by his name called Breakespere belonging once to S. Albōs This Hadrianus kept great stirre in like sort with the citizens of Rome for abolishyng their consuls and Senate cursing excommunicating and warring agaynst them with all power he could make to the tyme he remooued the Consuls out of their office and brought them all vnder his subiection The lyke businesse and cage he also styrred vp against Apulia and especially against the Empire blustering and thundering agaynst Friderieus the Emperour as the Lord graunting you shall heare anone after we haue prosecuted such matter as necessarily appertayneth first to the continuation of our English story King Henry the second HEnry the secōd of that name the sonne of Jeffrey Plantagenet and of Maude the Empresse and daughter of king Henry the first beganne his raigne after king Stephen and continued 35. yeares The first yeare of his raign he subdued Ireland and not long after Thomas Becket was made by him Lord Chauncellour of England This king cast downe diuers Castles which were erected in the time of king Stephen He went into the North partes where he subdued William king of Scotland who at that tyme held a great part of Northumberland vnto new Castell vpon Tyne and ioyned Scotland to his owne kingdome from the South Ocenm to the North Iles of Orchades Also he put vnder his dominion the kingdome of Wales and there let to fall downe many great wooodes and made the wayes playne So that by his great manhood and policie the seignorie of England was much augmēted with the addition of Scotland Ireland the Iles Orchades
benediction The law of God as it promiseth to them that honour father and mother long life so it threatneth the sentence of death to them that curse father mother We are taught by the word of truth that euery one which exalteth himselfe shal be brought low Wherfore my welbeloued sonne in the Lord we meruaile not a little at your wisedome in that you seeme not to shew that reuerence to blessed S. Peter and to the holy church of Rome which you ought to shew For why in your letters sent to vs you preferre your owne name before ours wherin you incurre the note of insolencie yea and rather to speake it of arrogancie What should I here recite vnto you the othe of your fidelitie which you sware to blessed S. Peter and to vs and how you obserue and kepe the same Seyng you so require homage and allegeaunce of them that be Gods and all the sonnes of the high God and presume to ioyne their holy handes with yours working contrary to vs Seyng also you exclude not onely out of your churches but also out of your cities our Cardinals whom we direct as Legates from our side what shall I say then vnto you Amend therefore I aduise you amend for while you go about to obtayne of vs your consecration and crowne to get those things you haue not I feare much your honour will loose the things ye haue Thus fare ye well The aunswer of Frederike the Emperour to the Pope FRederike by the grace of God Romaine Emperour euer Augustus vnto Adrian bishop of the Romaine church and vnto all such that bee willing to cleaue vnto those things which Iesus began to worke and teach greeting The law of iustice geueth to euery person accordingly that which is his Neither do we derogate from our parents of whom according as we haue receiued this our dignitie of the Imperiall crowne and gouernance so in the same kyngdome of ours we doe render their due true honour to them againe And forasmuch as duety in all sortes of men is to be sought out let vs see first in the tyme of Constantine Siluester then being Bishop of Rome what patrimony or regalitie hee had of his owne due to him that he might claime Dyd not Constantine of his liberall benignitie geue liberty and restored peace vnto the church And whatsoeuer regalitie or patrimony the see of your papacy hath was it not by the donation of Princes geuen vnto them Reuolue and turne ouer the ancient chronicles if either you haue not red or neglected that we do affirm there it is to be found Of them which be Gods by adoption and hold our lord ships of vs why may wee not iustly require theyr homage their sworne allegeāce whē as he which is both your maister and ours taking nothing of any king or any man but geuing all goodnes to all men payd toll and tribute for hym Peter vnto Cesar Geuing you example to do the like And therfore salth to you and all men Learne of me for I am meeke and humble of hart c Wherfore eyther render againe your lordships patrimonies which ye hold of vs or els if ye finde them so sweete vnto you then geue that which is due to God to God and that which is due to Cesar vnto Cesar. As for your Cardinals we shut them out both of churches and cities For that we see them not preachers but proylers not repairers of peace but rakers for mony not pillers and vpholders of the church but polers insatiable of the world and moylers of mony and gold What tyme we shall see them to be other men such as the church requireth them to be members and makers of peace shining forth lyke lightes to the people assisting poore and weake mens causes in the way of equitie c. Then shall they finde vs prest and ready to relieue thē with stipends and all things necessary And where as you inferre such questions as these vnto secular men little conducing to religion you incurre therby no little note and blemish of your humilitie which is keeper of all vertues and of your mansuetude Therfore let your fatherhood beware and take heede least in mouing such matters as seme to vs vnseemely for you ye geue therby offence to such as depend of your word geuing eare to your mouth as it were to an euening shower For we cannot but tell you of that we heare seing now the detestable beast of pride doth creepe into the seat of Peter prouiding alwayes as much as we may by gods grace for the peace of the church Fare ye well Upon this Hadrianus the Pope directeth out a Bull against Friderike excommunicating him with publike solemne ceremonies Moreouer conspiring with William duke of Apulia sought all maner of ways to insest the emperour and to set all men agaynst him especially the clergy Amongst many other writing to Hilituns Byshop of Driuers to Arnulphus bishop of Mentz to Friderike bishop of Colen seeketh first to make them of his side His Epistle to them soundeth to this effect THe Empire of Rome was transferred from the Greekes to the Almains so that the king of Almains could not be called Emperour before he were crowned of the bishop Apostolicall Before his consecration he is a king afterward Emperour Whence hath he his Empire then but of vs By the election of his princes he hath the name of a king by our consecration he hath the name of the Emperour of Augustior of Caesar. Ergo by us he raygneth as Emperor Search ancient antiquities Zacharias P. promooted Carolus and made him a great name that he was made and called Emperour And after that euer the king of Almaines was named Emperour and aduocate to the see Apostolicall so that Apulia conquered by him was subdued to the bishop of Rome which Apulia with the citie of Rome is ours and not the Emperours Our seat is at Rome the seate of the Emperour is at Aquis in Arduenna which is a wood in Fraunce The Emperour whatsoeuer he hath he hath it of vs. As Zacharias did translate the Empire frō the Greekes to the Almaines so we may translate it againe from the Almains to the Greekes Behold it lyeth in our power to geue it to whom we will being therfore set vp of God aboue Gentiles and nations to destroy and plucke vp to build and to plant c. And yet further to vnderstand the ambitious presumption of this proud see of Rome it so chaunced this Emperour Fridericus at his first comming vp to Rome dyd behold there in the palace of Lateraue a certaine picture brought forth vnto him how Lotharius the ii Emperour was crowned of the Pope with the inscription of certaine verses in Latin declaryng how the foresayd Emperor cōming to Rome first did sweare to the city after was made the Popes man and so of him receiued the crowne Fridericus offended with this picture
his wimble his axe nette and other clothes Wherupon Gilwardus being had to that Iaile of Bedford and afterward condemned for the same was iudged to haue both his eyes put out also those members cut of which nature with secret shame hath couered Which punishmēt by the malice of his aduersary being executed vpon him he lying in great danger of death by bleeding was coūsayled to make his prayer to this Tho. of Caunterbury Whiche done sayth the myracle appeared one to him by night in white apparell bidding him to watch and pray put his trust in God and our Lady and holy S. Thomas In conclusion the miracle thus sel out the next day at the euening the man rubbing his eye lids began to feele hys eyes to be restored agayne first in a litle after in a greater measure so that one was of a gray colour the other was of a black And here was one miracle rong After this folowed an other miracle also vpon the same person For going but the space of 4. myles whē his eyes were restored he chaunced in like maner to rubbe the place where his secret partes were cut of And immediately vpon the same his pendēda to vse the wordes of my story were to him restored Principio parua quidem valdè sed in maius proficientia whiche he permitted euery one to feele that woulde and shamed not to deny In so much that he comming vp to S. Thomas first at London was receaued with ioy of the B. of Dirchā who then sending to the burgers of Bedford for the truth of the matter receaued from thē again letters testimonial wherein the Citizens there sayth this fabulous festiuall confirmed first to the byshop thē to the couent of Canterbury the relation of this to be as hath bene told This one miracle gentle reader so shamelesse impudēt I thought here to expresse that by this one thou mightst iudge of all the residue of his miracles by the residue thereof mightst iudge moreouer of al the filthy wickednes of all these lying monks and cloysterers which count it a light sport so impudently to deceiue the simple soules of Christes Churche with trifling lyes and dreaming fables Wherefore as I sayd if the holy saynting of Thomos Becket standeth vpon no other thing but vpon his miracles what credite is to be geuen thereto vpon what a weak groūd his shrine so lōg hath stand by this may easily be seen Furthermore an other fable as notable as this and no lesse worthy of the whetstone we read in the story of Geruasius That Thomas Becket appearing to a certayne priest named Thomas declared to him that he had so brought to passe that all the names of the Monks of the Church of Caunterbury with the names of the priestes and Clerkes with the families belonging to that citty and church of Cant. were written in the booke of lyfe Ex Geruas fol. 6. But whatsoeuer is to be thought of hys miracles or how soeuer the testimony of the schole of Paris or of these auncient tymes went with him or agaynst hym certayn it is that this Antheme or Collect lately collected primered in hys prayse is blasphemous and derogateth frō the prayse of him to whome al prayse onely and honor is due where it is sayd Tu per Thomae sanguinem quem pro te impedit Fac nos Christe scandere quò Thomas ascendit That is For the bloud of Thomas which he for thee did spend Graunt vs Christ to climbe where Tho. did ascend Wherein is a double lye contayned first that he dyed for Christ. Secondly that if he had so done yet that his bloud could purchase heauē Which thing neyther Paul nor any of the apostles durst euer chalēge to themselues For if any mans bloud could bring vs to heauen then the bloud of Christ was shed in vayne And thus much touching the testimony or censure of certayne auncient tymes concerning the cause of Thomas Becket In the explication of whose history I haue stoode now the longer exceding peraduenture in ouermuch prolixitie to the intent that his cause beyng fully opened to the world and duely weyed on euery part mens mindes therby long deceiued by ignoraunce might come vnto the more pexiect certayntie of the truth therof and thereby to iudge more surely what is to be receaued and what to be refused Wherby the way is to be noted out of the testimony of Rob. Crikeladensis which in him I finde that the Pieres and nobles of this land neere about the king gaue out in straight charge vpon payne of death and confiscating of al their goodes no man to be so hardy to name Tho. Becket to be martyr or to preach of hys miracles c. Ex Crikeladensi After the death of Thomas Becket the king fearing that Popes wrath and curse to be layd vpon him whereunto Ludouike the French king also helped what he could to set the matter forward sent to Rome the archb of Rotomage with certayn other bishops and Archdeacons vnto the P. with hys excuse which the Pope would in no wise heare And after other messengers beyng sent whome some of the Cardinals receaued it was shewed to them that on good Friday beyng then nye at hand the pope of custome was vsed to assoyle or to curse that it was noysed how the king of Englād with his bishops should be cursed and his land interdicted and that they should be put in prison After this certaine of the Cardinals shewed the pope that the messengers had power to sweare to the Pope that the king should obey his punishment and penaunce Whiche was taken both of the King and the Archb. of Yorke So that in the same day the pope cursed the deede doers with such as were of their consent eyther that ayded or harboured thē Concerning these deede doers it is touched briefly before how they fled vnto Yorkeshire lying in Gnarsboborough Who after hauing in penaunce to go in their linen clothes barefoot in fasting and prayer to Ierusalem by reasō of this hard penance are sayd to dye in fewe yeres after The kinges Ambassadours lying as is said in Rome could finde no grace nor fanor a long tyme at the Popes handes At length with much ado it was agreed that two Cardinals shuld be sent down to enquire out the matter concerning them that were consenting to Beckets death The king perceauing what was preparing at Rome neither being yet certayne whereto the intent of the Pope comming down of the Cardinals would tend in the incane tyme addressed hymselfe with a great power to enter into Ireland geuing in charge and commaundement as Houedenus writeth that no bringer of any brief or letter shuld come ouer into England or passe out of the realme of what degree or condition so euer he were without special licēce and assuraunce to bring nothing that should be preiudiciall to the realme This order being set
thus to come About the yeare of the Lord 1160. it chaunced that diuers of the best and chiefest heades of the Citty of Lyons talking and walking in a certayne place after their olde accustomed maner especially in the Sommer time conferred and consulted together vpon matters either to passe ouer time or to debate thinges to be done Amongst whom it chaunced one the rest looking vpon to fall downe by sodeine death In the number of whom this foresayd Waldus there being amongest them was one Who beholding the matter more earnestly then the other and terrified with so heauy an exaÌ„ple being as is sayd a rich man and Gods holy spirit working withall was stroken with a deepe inward repeÌ„tance wherevpon folowed a new alteratioÌ„ with a carefull study to reforme his former life In somuch that first he began to minister large almes of his goods to such as needed SecoÌ„dly to instruct himselfe and his familye with the true knowledge of Gods word Thirdly to admonish all that resorted to him by any occasion to repentaunce and vertuous amendment of life Wherby partly through his large geuing to the poore partly through his diligent teaching wholesome admonitions more resort of people daily frequeÌ„ted about him Whom when he did see ready and diligent to learne begaÌ„ to geue out to them certayne rudiâ—ents of the Scripture which he had translated himselfe into the French tongue For as he was a man welthy in riches so he was also not vnlearned Although Laziardus Volateranus with other note him vtterly vnlearned charge him with ignoraunce as who should procure other to write and translate for him By other that haue seene his doings yet remaining in old parchment monuments it appeareth he was both able to declare and translate the books of scripture also did collect the doctors mind vpon the same But whatsoeuer he was lettred or vnlettred the byshops and prelats seing him so to intermeddle with scriptures and to haue such resort about him albeit it was but in his own house vnder priuate confereÌ„ce could not abide either that the scriptures should be declared of any other neither would they take the paines to declare it theÌ„selues So being moued with great malice against the man threatned to excommunicate him if he did not leaue so to doe Ualdus seing his doing to be but godly and their malice stirred vp vpoÌ„ no iust nor godly cause neglecting yâ— threaminges frettinges of the wicked said that god must be obeied more then man to be brief the more diligeÌ„t he was in setting forth the true doctrine of Christ against the errors of Antichrist the more maliciously their fiercenes increased Insomuch that when they did see their excommunication to be despised would not serue they ceased not with prison with sword and banishment to persecute till at length they had driuen both Ualdus and all the fauourers of his true preaching out of the city Wherupon came first their name that they were called Ualdenses or pauperes de Lugduno not because the would haue all things coÌ„mon amongst them or that they professing any wilfull pouerty would imitate to liue as the Apostles did as Siluius did falsly belie them but because they being thrust out both of coutrey and goods were coÌ„pelled to liue poorly whether they would or no. And thus much touching the first occasion and beginning of these men and of the restoring and maintayning the true doctrine of Christs gospell agaynst the proud proceedings of popish errors Now concerning their articles whiche I finde in order and in number to be these SOlis sacris literis credendum esse in ijs quae ad salutem c. That is Onely the holy Scripture is to be beleued in matters pertayning to saluation and no mans writing or man besides 2. All things to be contayned in holy Scripture necessary to saluation and nothing to be admitted in religion but what onely is commaunded in the word of God 3. To be one alonely mediator Other saintes in no wise to be made mediators or to be inuocated 4. To be no purgatory but that all men either by Christ are iustified to life or without Christ to be condemned and besides these two neither any third or fourth place to be 5. That all masses namely such as be song for the dead to be wicked and to be abrogate 6. All mens traditions to be reiected at least not to be reputed as necessary to saluation and therefore this singing superfluous chaunting in the chauncell to be left constrained prefixed fasts bouÌ„d to dayes tunes difference of meates such variety of degrees and orders of Priestes friers monkes nunnes superfluous holidayes so mady sundry benedictions hallowing of creatures vowes peregrinations with all the rabblement of rites ceremonies brought in by man to be abolished 7. The supremacy of the Pope vsurping aboue all churches and especially aboue all politick realmes gouernments or for him to occupye or vsurpe the iurisdiction of both the swordes to be denied neither that any degree is to be receiued in the Church but onely Priests Deacons and Bishops 8. The communion vnder both kindes to be necessary to all people according to the institution of Christ. 9. Item the church of Rome to be the very Babilon spoken of in the Apocalips And the Pope to be the fountaine of all error and the very Antichrist 10 The popes pardons and indulgences they reiect 11. The mariage of Priestes and of ecclesiasticall persons to be godly and also necessary in the Church 12. Such as heare the word of God haue a right fayth to be the right Church of Christ. And to this Church the keyes of the church to be geuen to driue away wolues to institute true pastors to preach the word and to minister the Sacraments These be the most principall articles of the Uladenses albeit some there be that adde moe to them some agayne deuide the fame into moe partes But these be the principall to which the rest be reduced The same Ualdenses at length exiled were dispersed in diuers sundry places of whom many remayned long in Bohemia which writing to theyr king Uladislaus to purge themselues agaynst the slaundrous accusations of one D. Augustine gaue vp theyr confession with an Apology of theyr christian profession defending with strong learned argumeÌ„ts the saine which now is receiued in most reformed churches both concerning grace fayth charitye hope repentaunce and workes of mercy As for purgatory they say that Tho. Aquinas is the author thereof Concerning the Supper of the Lord their fayth was that it was ordayned to be eaten not to be shewed worshipped for a memoriall not for a sacrifice to serue for the preseÌ„t ministration not for reseruation to be receiued at the table not be caryed out of the dores according to the auncient vse of the primitiue church when they vsed to coÌ„municate sitting And this they proue
maūdy thursday wherefore the Iewes were burned he coūted a Saint an 1177. Ireland subdued to the crowne of England by thys king an 1177. Ex varijs Chron. Under the raigne of the sayd king Henry about the 25 yeare of his raigne Ludouicus the frenchking by the vision of Thomas Becket appearing to him in his dreame promising to him the recouery of his sonne if he would resort to him at Canterbury made his iourney into England to visite S. Thomas at Caunterbury with Phillip Earle of Flaunders where he offered a rich cup of golde with other pretious iewels a 100. vessels of wine yearely to be geuen to the Couent of the church of Caūterbury notwithstanding the sayd Phillip in his return from England taking his iourney to Paris to visite S. Deuis in the same his pilgrimage was strickē with such colde that he fell into a palsey and was benumbed of the right side of his body an 1178. Iornalensis alij Stephanus Episcopus Redomonsis was wont to make many rimes and gaudish prose to delite the eares of the multitude to whom a litle before his death this verse was founded in his care Desine ludere temerè nitere properè surgere de puluere an 1178. Nic. Triuet Albingenses denyed transustantiation in the Sacrament of Christes body and bloud about the city of Tholouse also that matrimony was not a Sacrament c. an 1178 ibidem King Henry separated himselfe from his wife Alionor and held her many yeares in prison as some think for the loue of Rosamūde Which semeth to me to be the cause why God afterward stirred all his sonnes vp to warre agaynst him and to worke him much sorrow an 1179. Nic. Triuet Notwithstanding the sayd Alionor was shortly after reconciled to him S. Frideswide was translated vnto Oxford an 1179. An. 1180. There came to the councell of Pope Alexander one Pisanus Burgundio a man very cunning both in Brecke and Latin which brought and presented to the counsell the Homelyes of Chrisostome vpon the Gospell of S. Iohn translated out of Greeke into Latin and sayd that he translated likewise a great part of his exposition vpon Genesis saying moreouer that the sayd Chrisostome had made expositions in Greeke vpon the whole olde testament and also the new an 1180. The Monkes of Charterhouse first entred into this land an 1180. An. 1181. Richard Pech Byshopp of Couentry before his death renounced his bishoprick and became a Chanō in the Church of S. Thomas by Stafford Ex Chronico peruetusto cui initium In diebus sanctis Regis c. About the latter time of this king Henry one Hugo whō men were wont to call S. Hugh of Lincolne borne in Burgundy and Prior of the Monks of Charterhouse was preferred by the king to the Bishopricke of Lincoln who after his death is said to do great miracles and therfore was counted a Saynt an 1186. Flores Hist. Baldwinns Archbyshop of Caunterbury began the building of his new house and Church of Lambeth but by the letters of pope Clement 3. he was forbid to proceed in the building thereof an 1187. Triuet I do finde likewise in the foresaid written Chronicle remaining in the hands of one Williā Cary Citizen of Lōdō that this forenamed king Henry the 2. gaue to the court and church of Rome for the death of Becket 40. thousand markes of siluer And 5. thousand marks of gold an 1187. Mention was made a little aboue of Amalrike king of Ierusalē which destroyed Babylon so that it was neuer after to this day restored but lyeth wast and desolate wherein was fulfilled that which in the Prophets in so many places was threatened to Babylō before This Amalrike had a sonne named Baldwin a daughter called Sibilla Baldwine from the beginning of his raigne was a Leoper and had the falling sickenesse being not able for feeblenesse of body although valiaunt in hart and stomacke to satisfy that function Sibilla his sister was first maried to one Willermus Marques of Moūt Ferrat by whom she had a sonne called also Balwinus After him she was maried to another husband named Guido de Liziniaco Earle of Ioppe and of Ascalon Upon this befell that the foresaid Baldwine the Leoper sonne of Amalricus being thus feeble infirme as is sayd called his nobles together with his mother the Patriarche declaring to thē his inability and by the consentes of them committed the vnder gouernement of the City to Guido the husband of Sibilla his sister But he being found insufficiēt or els not lucky in the gouerning thereof the office was translated to another named Raimundus Earle of Tripolis In the meane time the Soldan with his Sarasins mightely preuayled agaynst the Christiās ouerran the countrey of Palestina In which meane time Baldwine the king departed Whereby the kingdome fell next to Baldwinus the sonne of Sibilla by her first husband Willermus The which Baldwinus being but fiue yeares olde was put to custody of Raimundus aforesayd Who also in his minority before he came to his crowne dyed whereby the next succession by dissent fell to Sibilla the wife of Guido aboue mentioned To whom the pieres and nobles ioyning together in coūsell offred to the sayde Sibilla as to the lawfull heyre to the crowne to be theyr Queene with this condition that she should sequester from her by solemne deuorsement the foresayd Guido her husband But she refused the kingdōe offered to her on that condition till at last the Magistrats with the nobles ingenerall graunted vnto her by theyr othes confirmed the same that whomesoeuer she woulde choose to be her husband all they would take and obey as theyr king Also Guido her husband with like petition among the rest humbly requested her that the kingdom not for his sake or for his priuate losse might be destitute of gouernement At length she with teares consenting to theyr entreaty was contented and solemnely was crowned theyr Queene who after the maner agayne receiued theyr fidelity by theyr othe Whereupon Guido without all hope both of wife and kingdome departed home quietly to his owne This done the Queene assembling her states and prelates together entred talke with thē about the choosing of the king according to that which they had promised and sworne vnto her and to obey him as theyr king whom she would name to be her husbande Thus while they were all in great expectation wayting euery man whome she would nominate The Queene with a loud voyce sayd to Guido that stood amongst them Guido my Lord I choose thee for my husbād and yelding my selfe and my kingdome vnto you openly I protest you to be the king At these words al the assembly being amased wondred that one simple woman so wisely had beguiled so many wise men And worthy no doubt was she to be commended and extolled for her singuler vertue
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
Messana The second of October R. Richard wanne an other cercayne strong holde called Manasterium Griffonum situated in the midst of the Riuer of Del far betweene Messana and Calabria frō whence the Monkes beyng expulsed he reposed there all hys story and prouisiō of victuals which came from England or other places The Citizens of Messana seeing that the R. of England had won the Castle and Island in De la Bagmare and also the Monastery of the Griffones doubting lest the king would extēd his power farther to inuade their citie get if he could the whole Isle of Sicilia begā to stirre agaynst the kinges army and to shut the Englishe men out of the gates and kept ther walles agaynst them The Englishmen seing that made to the gates and by force would haue broken them open in so muche that the King riding among them with his staffe breaking diuers of their heads could not asswage their fiercenes Such was the rage of the Englishmen agaynst the Citizens of Messana The king seeing the fury of the people to be suche as he could not stay them tooke boate went to the Palace of K. Tancred to talk of the matter with the French king In which meane tyme the matter was so taken vp by the wise handling of the auncient of the citty that both partes laying downe their armour went home in peace The fourth day of the sayd month of October came to king Richard the archbishop of Messana with two other archbishops also with the French king and sondry other Earles Barons and Bishops for intreataunce of peace Who as they were together consulting had almost concluded vpō the peace the Cittizens of Messana issuing out of the towne some went vp vpon the mountaynes some with open force inuaded the mansion or lodging of Hugh Brunne an English captayn The noyse wherof cōming to the eares of the king he sodenly breaking of talke with the French king and the rest departed from them comming to his men commaunded thē forthwith to arme thē selues Who then with certayne of his souldiours making vp to the top of a mountayne which seemed to passe theyr power to clime there put the Citizens to flight chasing thē down the mountayn vnto the very gates of the Citie whom also certayne of the kinges seruauntes pursued within the Citty of whō fiue valiaunt souldiours and xx of the kings seruaunts were slayne the French king looking vpon and not once willing to rescue them contrary to his othe and league before made with the king of England For the French king with hys men being there present rode in the midst of them safely without any harme to and fro and might well haue eased the kinges party more then he if it had so liked him This beyng knowne to the English hoast how theyr fellowes were slayn and the Frenchmen permitted in the city that they were excluded the gates barred against them being also stopped frō buying of vittayle and other things they vpon great indignation gathered themselues in armes brast opē the gates and scaled the walles and so winning the Citty set vp their flagges with the Englishe armes vpon the walles Which when the French king did see he was mightely offended requiring the king of England that the armes of Fraūce might also be set vp ioyned with his But king Richard to that would in no case agree Notwithstanding to satisfie hys minde he was cōtented to take downe his armes and commit the custodie of the City to the Hospitallaries and Templaries of Hierusalem till the time that Tancrede king of Sicilia and he should agree together vpon conditions These thinges being done the v. vi day of October it followed thē vpō the viij day of the same month of October that peace among the kings was cōcluded In which peace first king Richard and Phillip the French king renewed agayne their othe and league before made concerning their mutuall ayd and society during the time of that peregrination Secondly peace also was concluded betweene king Richard and Tancred king of Cicilia aforesayd with the cōditions that the daughter of Tancreda in case King Richard should die without issue should mary to Arthure Duke of Britaine the kings nephew and next heyre to his crown c. whereof a formal charte was drawn and letters sent thereof to Pope Clement being dated the the ix day of Nouember In this meane time as these two kinges of Fraunce and England were thus wyntering at Messana Fredericke Emperor first of that name the same on whose neck Pope Alexander did treade in the Church of Uenice saying the verse of the Psalme Super aspidem basiliscum ambulabis c. whereof read before pag. 205. and his sonne Conradus with a mighty army of Almanus and others were comming vp likewise toward the land of Hierusalē to the siege of Achon where by the way the good Emperour through a great mischaunce falling of his horse into a Riuer called Salef was therin drowned After whose decease Conradus his sonne taking the gouerment of hys army came to the siege of Achō in which siege also he died Upon whose comming such a dearth followed in the camp whiche lasted two monthes that a loafe of bread whiche before there cōming was sold for i. peny was afterwarde sold for iij. pound By reason whereof many Christiā souldiours did there perish through famine The chiefest foode which the princes there had to feede vpon was horse flesh This famine being so miserable some good bishops there were in the campe namely Hubert Bishop of Salisbury with certayne other good Byshops who making a generall collection through the whole campe for the poore made such prouision that in such penury of all things yet no mā was so destitute needy but somewhat he had for hys relief till within a fewe dayes after by the mercifull prouidence of God who is the feeder of all creatures shyppes came vnto them with a boūdance of corne wine and oyle The siege of this towne of Achon endured a long season which as it was mightely oppugned by the Christiās so it was strongly defended by the Saracens specially by helpe of wild fire which the Latines do call Ignem Graecū so that great slaughter there was on both sides During the tyme of which siege many noble personages also byshops died among whō was Conradus the Emperours sonne Rādulph Earle of Fougeres the Earle of Pericio Robert Earle of Leicester Baldwine archbishop of Canterbury with foure Archbishops and diuers other Byshops and Abbots and Earles and Barons to the nūber of 34. and not so few All this while king Richard King Phillip of Fraunce stil kept at Messana in Sicilia from the month of September till Aprill for lacke I suppose of wynde or weather or els for necessitie of repayryng their shyppes In which meane tyme king
the third day after he would sure geue battayle to king Richard But he preuenting hym before sodenly the same morning before the day of battayle should be setteth vppon the tentes of the Griffones early they being vnwares and a sleepe made of them a great slaughter in so much that the Emperour was fayne naked to run away leauing his tentes and pauilions to the English men ful of horses and rich treasure also with the Imperiall standard the lower part wherof with a costly stremer was couered and wrought al with gold King Richard then returning with victory and triumph to hys sister and Bernegera shortly after in the moneth of May next following and the 12. day of the sayd moneth maryed the sayd Bernegera daughter of Rācon king of Nauarre in the Isle of Cyprus at Lymeszen The king of Cyprus seeing himselfe ouermatched was driuen at length to yeld himselfe with conditions to geue king Richard xx thousand markes in golde for amendes of such spoyles as he had gottē of them that were drowned Also to restore all hys captiues agayne to the king And furthermore he in hys owne person to attende vpon the kyng to the land of Hierusalem in Gods seruice and hys with CCCC horsemen and v. hundreth footemen in pledge whereof he would geue to hys handes his Castles and hys onely daughter would hold his kingdome of hym This done and the Emperour swearing fidelitie to king Richard before Guido king of Ierusalem and the Prince of Antioche who were come thither to king Richard a little before peace was taken and Isakius committed to the warde of certaine keepers Notwithstanding shortly after he breaking from his keepers was agayne at defiance with the king Whereupon K. Richard besetting the Ileland of Cyprus round about with ships and Galleyes did in such sort preuayle that the subiectes of the land were constrayned to yeld themselues to the K. and at length the daughter also of the Emperour at last the Emperour hymselfe whom king Richard caused to be kept in fetters of siluer and gold and to be sent to the City of Tripolis These thinges thus done and all set in order touching the possession of the Isle of Cyprus the keeping whereof he committed to Radulfe sonne of Godfrey Lord Chamberlayne being then the first day of Iune vpon the v. of the sayd moneth king Richard departed from the Isle of Cyprus with hys ships and galleyes toward the siege of Achon on the next morow came to Tyrus where by procurement of the French K. he was constrained by the cititizens to enter The next day after which was the vi day of Iune crossing the Seas he mette with a great Barke fraught with souldiours and men of warre to the number of a thousand and fiue hundreth which pretendyng to be Frenchmē and setting forth their flagge with the Frenche armes were in deede Saracens secretly sent with wilde fire certayn barrelles of vnknowne serpentes to the defence of the town of Achon Which K. Richard at lēgth perceauing estsoones set vpō them and so vanquished them of whō the most were drowned some taken aliue Which beyng once known in the Citty of Achō as it was a great discomfort to them so it was a great helpe to the christians for winning the citty The next day after whiche was the vii of Iune Kyng Richard came to Achon which at that tyme had bene long besieged of the Christiās After whose cōming it was not long but the Pagans within the Citty seing their walles to be vndermined and towers ouerthrowne were driuen by cōmposition to escape with life lymme to surrender the Citty to the two kings An other great helpe to the Christians in winning the Cittye was this In the sayd Citty of Achon there was a secret Christian amōg the Saracens who in tyme of the siege there vsed at sondry tymes to cast ouer the walles into the camp of the Christians certayn billes writtē in Hebrue Greek and Latine wherin he disclosed to the Christians frō time to tyme the doynges and counsels of the enemies aduertising them how and what way they should work what to beware And alwayes his letters began thus In nomine patris filij spiritus sancti Amen By reason whereof the Christians were much aduantaged in their proceedings But this was a great heauines vnto them that neither he would vtter his name or when the Cittye was got they could euer vnderstand who he was Ex Chronico manuscripto De gestis Richardi To make of a long siege a short narration vpon the 12. day of Iuly the yeare aforesayd the Princes and captaines of the Paganes vpon agreement resorted to y◠tent of the Templaries and to common with the two kinges touching peace geuing vp of their city the forme of which peace was this That the kings should haue the city of Achon freely and fully deliuered to thē with all which was therin and fiue hundreth captiues of the Christiās shoulde be restored to them which were in Achon Also the holye Crosse should be to thē rendered and a thousand Christiā captiues with 2. hundreth horsemen whosoeuer they thē selues would chuse out of all thē which were in the power of Saledine Ouer and besides they shoulde geue to the kings 200. thousand Bysāts so that they thēselues would remayne as pledges in the kings hands for the performāce hereof that if in xl dayes these foresayd couenaunces were not accomplished they would abide the kings mercy touching life and limme These couenaunces being agreed vpon the kinges sent their souldiours and seruauntes into the City to take a C. of the richest and best of the City to close them vp in towers vnder strong keeping and the residue they cōmitted to be kept in homes and streetes ministring to them according to their necessities to whome notwithstanding this they permitted that so many of thē as would be baptised receuie the fayth of Christ shoulde be free to go whether they would Wherupon many there were of the Paganes which for feare of death pretēded to be baptised but afterward so soone as they could reuolted agayne to the Saladine For the which it was afterward commaunded by the kinges that none of thē should be baptised agaynst their willes The 13. day of the sayde month of Iuly King Phillip of Fraunce and king Richard after they had obtained the possession of Achon deuided betweene thē al things therin contayned as well the people as gold siluer with all other furniture what soeuer was remayning in the Citty who in deuiding the spoile were so good caruers to themselues that many Knightes and Barons with other souldiours who had there sustayned the whole trauaile 2. yeres together about the siege seing the kings to take all to thēselues and there part to be but little retracted themselues without the vttermost trench and there after consultation had
prospered with me but all hath gone against me In the next yeare after 1216. was Symon Langton chosen Archbishop of Yorke but that election anon arter was dissolued for informatioÌ„ was geuen to the pope that the said Simon was brother to SteueÌ„ Langton the archbishop of Cant. which had bene the occasion of all the tumults which were that time in England And the Pope had the more hate vnto him for that he had brought hym vp of nought and did finde him at that time so stuvburne wherefore he placed in hys brothers place Walter Graie the bishop of Winchester In the same yere Gualo the popes legate renued hys great curse vppon Lewes the French kings sonne for vsurping vpon king Iohn Likewise vpon Simon Langton and Gernais Hobruge for prouoking him to yâ— same and that wyth a wonderfull solemnitie for in that doing hee made all the belles to be rong the candles to be lyght the doores to be opened and the boke of excommunicatioÌ„s and interdictions publikely to be read committing them wholy to the deuil for their contumacie and contempt He also commanded the Bishops and Curates to publishe it abroad ouer at the whole realm to the terror of ad his subiects The said Simon Geruais laughed hym to scorne and derided much his doings in that behalfe saying that for the iust title of Ludowick they had appealed to the generall councell at Rome The magistrates of London and citizens of the same did likewise vilipende and disdainously mocke all that the Pope had there commanded and done And in spight both of him and hys legate they kept company with them that were excommunicated both at table and at church shewing themselues thereby as open contemners both of him and his lawes Ludowicke at London taking himselfe for king constituted Simon Langton for hys high Chancellor Geruais Hobruge for his chiefe preacher By whose daily preachings as well the Barons and the Citizens themselues being both excommunicated caused all the church dores to be opened and the seruice to be song the said Ludowicke was in all poynts fit for their handes About this time was Pandulphus then Cardinal collecting the Peter pence an olde pillage of the Pope taking great paines therin And for his great labours in those affaires of holy Church for other great myracles besides he was then made bishop of Norwich to the augmenting of his dignitie and expenses It chaunced about this time that the Uicount of Melun a very noble maÌ„ of the realme of France which came thether wyth the Prince Ludowicke to fall deadly sicke at London and also moued of conscience to cal certaine of the English Barons vnto hym such as were there appoynted to the custodie of that citie sayd vnto them I lament your sorrowful case and pitie with my heart the destruction that is comming towards you and your countrey The daungerous snares which are prepared for your vtter coÌ„fusion are hidden from you ye do not behold them but take ye hede of them in time Prince Ludowicke hath sworne a great oth 16. of his Earles and noble men are of counsel with him that if he obtaine the crowne of England he will banish all them from seruice depriue them of lands and goods as many as he findeth nowe to goe against their liege king and are traitours to his noble person And because yee shall not take thys tale for a fable I assure you on my faith lying nowe at the mercy of God that I was one of them which was sworn to the same I haue great conscience therof and therfore I geue you this warning I pittie poore England which hath bene so noble a region that now it is come to so extreme misery And when he with teares had lamented it a space hee returned againe vnto them and said my frends I counsel you earnestly to looke to your selues and to prouide the remeady in time least it come vpon you vnwares Your king for a season hath kept you vnder but if Ludowicke preuaile he will put you from all Of two extreeme euilles chose the more easy and keepe that secret which I haue tolde you of good will with that he gaue ouer and departed this life When this was once noysed among the Barons they were in great heauinesse for they saw themselues betrapped euery way and to be in exceeding great daunger And this daily augmented that feare which then came vpoÌ„ the Barons They were extremely hated of the Pope and his Legates and euery weeke came vpon them newe excommunications Daily detriments they had besides in theyr possessions and goodes in their lands houses corne and cattell wines and children so that some of them were driuen to such neede that they were enforced to seeke prayes and booties for sustaining theyr miserable liues For looke whatsouer prince Ludowick obtained by his warres either territories or castels he gaue them all to his French men in spight of their heads and said that they were but traitours like as they had warning afore whych greeued them worst of all At the last they perceiuing that they in seeking to auoid one mischief were ready to fall into an other much worse they began to lay their heads together consenting to submit themselues wholy with al humility to the mercy of their late soueraigne natural liege Lord king Iohn And for that they were somewhat in doubt of their liues for the treason afore committed many of the friendes of them which were of most credite with him made sute for them So were a great number of them pardoned after instant great suit made for them I heere omit his recouery of Rochester castle and citie with many other dangerous aduentures against the foresayd Ludowicke both at London Yorke Lincolne Winchester Norwiche other places els as things not pertaâ—ning to my purpose And now I returne to my matter againe Into Suffolke and Norffolke hee consequently iourneyed with a very strong armie of men and there wyth great mischiefe hee afflicted them because they had geuen place were sworne to his enemies After that he destroied the Abbeis of Peterborough Crowland for the great treasons which they also had wrought against him and so he departed from thence into Lincolneshire In this yeare about the 17. day of Iuly died Pope Innocent the 3. and was buried in a citie called Perusium in Italie where as hee had trauailed to make a peace betweene the Genouaies and the Pyses for his owne commoditie and aduauntage After hym anone succeeded one Ciatius otherwise called Honorius Tertius a man of very great age yet liued he in the papacy 10. yeres and an halfe more When this was once known in England greatly reioyced all they which were king Iohns enemies specially the priests yet had they small cause as will appeare hereafter They noised it al the realme ouer that this new Pope would set a new order and
the monke what he had brought He said of his frute and that very good the best that he did euer tast Eate said the king and he toke one of the peares which he did know and did eate Also being bid to take an other did eate lykewise sauerly And so likewise the third Then the king refraining no longer tooke one of the poysoned peares and was therewith poysoned as is before c. In the raigne of this king Iohn the citizens of London first obtained of the king to chose yerely a Maior In whose time also the bridge of London was first builded of stone which before was of woode Rastall * King Henry the third AFter this king Iohn had raigned as some say 17. yeres or as some say though falsly 19. yeres was as is abouesaid poisoned died Thys king left behinde him 4. sonnes and 3. daughters first Henry second Richard and he was Earle of Cornwall Third William of Valentia Fourth Guido Disenay He had also an other sonne who afterward was made bishop Of his daughters first was Isabel maried afterward to Fredericke the Emperour The second named Alinour maried to William earl Marshal The third to Mounfort the Earl of Leicester c. An other story sayth that he had but two daughters Isabel and Elionore or as an other calleth her Ioane which was after Queene of Scotland Ex Chronico vetusto Anglic. This king Iohn being deceased which had many enemies both of Earles Barons especially of the Popish Clergie Henric hys eldest sonne was then of the age of 9. yeares At what time the most of the Lordes of England did adhere to Ludouike or Lewes yâ— French kings sonne whom they had sent for before in displeasure of king Iohn to be their king and had sworne to him their allegeaunce Then William Earle Marshall a noble man and of great authority and a graue and a sound couÌ„seller friendly and quietly called vnto him diuers Earles and Barons and taking this Henry the young prince sonne of king Iohn setteth him before them vsing these words Behold saith he right honourable and well beloued although we haue * persecuted the father of this yong Prince for his euil demeanour worthely yet this yong childe whome here ye see before you as he is in yeres tender so is he pure and innocent from these his fathers doings Wherfore in as much as euery man is charged only with the burthen of his owne workes and transgressions neither shall the childe as the Scripture teacheth vs beare the iniquity of his father we ought therefore of duetie and conscience to pardone this young and tender Prince and take compassion of his age as ye see And now for so much as he is the kings natural and eldest sonne and must be our soueraigne and king and successor of this kingdom come and let vs appoynt him our king and gouernour and let vs remoue from vs this Lewes the French kings sonne suppresse his people which is a confusion and a shame to our nation and the yoke of their seruitude let vs cast off from our shoulders To these words spake answered the Earle of Glocester And by what reason or right sayd he can we so do seeing we haue called him hether haue sworne to him our feaultie Whereunto the Earle Marshall inferred againe and sayd Good right and reason we haue and ought of duety to do no lesse for that he contrary to our minde and calling hath abused our affiance and feaulties Truthe it is we called him c ment to prefer him to be our chieftaine and gouernor but he estsones surprised in pride hath contemned and despised vs and if we shal so suffer him he will subuert and ouerthrow both vs and our nation and so shall we remaine a spectacle of shame to all men and be as outcastes of all the world At these words all they as inspired from aboue cried altogether with one voice be it so he shal be our king And so the day was appoynted for his coronation which was the day of Simon Iude. This coronation was kept not at Westminster for as much as Westminster the same tune was holdeâ— of the Frenchmen but as Glocester the safest place as was thought at that time in the realme an 1216. by Swallow the Popes Legate through counsel of all the Lords and Barons that held with his rather king Iohn to witte the Bishop of Winchester Bishop or Barn Bishop of Chester and Bishop of Worcester the Earle Radulph of Chester William Earle Marshal William Earl of Pembroke William Tren Earle of Feres William de Bruer Serle or Samarike de mal Baron These were at the crowning of the king at Glocester Many other lords and Barons there were which as yet helde wyth Lewes the French kings sonne to whom they had done their homage before And immediatly after the crowning of thys king he held his couÌ„cell at Bristow at S. Martines least where were assembled 11. Byshops of England Wales with diuers Earles Barons and knights of England All which did sweare feaultie vnto the king After which homage thus done to the king the legate Swalo interdicted Wales because they held with the foresaid Lewâ—es and also the Barons al other as many as gaue help or counsell to Lewes or any other that moued or stirred any war against Henry the new king he accursed them All which notwithstanding the sayde Lewes did not cease but first laid siege to the Castel or Douer xv daies when he could not preuaile there he tooke the castel of Berkhamsted and also the castel of Hartford doing much harme in the countreis in spoiling robbing the people where they went by reason wherof the Lordes and Commons which held with the king assembled theÌ„selues together to driue Lewes and his men out of the land But some of the BaroÌ„s with the Frenchmen in the meane season went to Lincoln and tooke the Citie and held it to the vse of Lewes Which being knowen ensoones a greate power of the kinges parte made thether as the Earle Ranolfe of Chester William Earle Marshal and William de le Brues Earle of Feres with many other Lords and gaue battaile vnto Lewes and his party so that in conclusion Lewes lost the field and of his side were slaine the Earle of Perchis Saer de Quincy Earle of Winchester Henry de la Bohon Erle of Herford and syr Robert le Fizwater with diuers other moe Wherupon Lewes for succour fled to London causing the gates there to be shut kept waiting there for more succour out of France Which assoone as the king had knowledge off immediatly sent to the Maior and Burges of the Citie willing them to render them and their Citie to him as their chiefe lord and king promising to graunt to them againe all their fraunchises and liberties as in times past to confirme the same by his great
Charter and seale In this meane time on Bartholmew euen Eustace a French Lord accompanied with many other Lordes and nobles of Fraunce came with a great power to the number of a 100. shippes to aide and assist the sayd Lewes Who before they arriued were encountred vppon the seas by Richard king Iohns bastarde sonne who hauing no more but 18. shippes to kepe the Cinque portes set egerly vpon them and through Gods grace ouercame them Where presently he smote of the heade of Eustace the rest of the Frenche Lordes to the number of 10. hee brought with him to the lande where he imprisoned them in the Castell of Douer and slewe almost all theyr men that came with them and sonke their ships in the sea onely 15. ships sayeth some of my stories escaped away Ludouike or Lewes hearing this losse of his ships and men and misdoubting his own life for the great mischief he had done to the realme sought meanes by Swalo and the Archbishop of Caunterburie and by other Lordes to be at accorde with the king With whome at length it was so concluded and agreed that for his costes and expenses he to haue a thousande pounde of siluer geuen Paris speaketh of 15. thousand markes which he borowed of the Londiners that he shoulde departe the realme neuer to returne into England againe neither he nor none of his This done and vppon the same he with all the other Barons that tooke his parte was assoiled of Swalo the Legate And thus peace being confirmed at Merton Lewes tooke his leaue and being brought honorably to the Sea with the Bishop of Canterbury other bishops Earles and Barons returned home into Fraunce And here sayth Gisburn it was truly verified that was before spokeÌ„ of the FreÌ„ch king father of Lewes At what time the said Lewes was in EnglaÌ„d his father the French king demanded of his messengers comming into France where his sonne was and they said at Stamforde And he asking againe whether he had got the Castell of Douer and they said no Then the father swearing by the arme of s. Iames My sonne quoth he hath not one foote in England as afterward wel proued true Ex Gisburn But the chiefest help that repelled Lewes the FreÌ„ch men out of the realme and that most preferred king Iohns sonne to the crowne was the singular working of Gods hand whereof ment on was made before pag. 250. which was through the confession of a certaine gentleman of the French host as Florilegus doeth testifie Who lying sore sicke at the point of death seeing no hope to escape was touched in coÌ„science for danger of his soules health openly to confesse vtter to the barons of England what was the purpose of the Frenchmen to do who were conspired sworn together among themselues with a priuy compaction that so soone as they subdued the land they should thrust all the chiefe nobles thereof into perpetuall exile out of the realme where out they should neuer returne againe This coÌ„ming to the eares of the Barons as is said gaue them to consider more with themselues whereby many of them were the more willing to leaue Lewes and apply to their naturall king and prince Which no lesse may also be an admonition to all times and ages for English men to take heede not to admit or to place forreine rulers into the realme least perhaps it followe that they be displaced themselues After the happy departure of this Lewes his French men out of the land whereby the state of this realme long vexed before was now somewhat more quieted immediatly Swalo the Legate looking to his haruest directeth forth inquisâ—tors through euery shire to search out all such Bishops Abbots Priors Canons Secular priestes of what order or degree so euer they were that with any succor or counsail did either help or els consented to Lewes For all these were exempted out of the charter of pardon absolution made before betweene the king Lewes By reason whereof no small gaine grewe to the Pope and the Cardinall for all such were either put out of their liuings and sent vp to the Pope or els were fame to fine sweetely for them Among whome besides a great number of other clerkes both religious and seculare was Hugo bishop of Lincolne who for the recouerie of his bishoprike disbursed 1000. markes to the Pope and 100. markes to the foresaid Swalo the Legate who nowe as Paris recordeth by this time had gathered in a faire crop of that which he did neuer sowe Ex Mat. Paris c. About this season or not much before died Pope Innocent the 3. in the 19. yere of his popedome to whose custodie Fredericus the nephewe of Fredericke Barbarossa being yet yong was committed by the Empresse his mother of whom more shal follow the Lord willing hereafter After this Innocent next succeeded Pope Honorius the 3. who wryting to yong king Henry in a special letter exhorteth him to the loue of vertue to the feare of God namely to be circumspect with what familiars resort he acquainted himselfe but principally aboue al other monisheth him to reuerence the Churche which is the spouse of Christ and to honor the ministers therof in whom Christ himselfe saith he is both honored or despised And this semeth the chiefest article of that his wryting to him Of this Pope Honorius Abbas Vrspergensis who liued in the same time reporteth a straunge wonder more strange peraduenture then credible which is this Honorius being priest in Rome whose name was then Centius and procurator to Iacinthus a Cardinal So it befell that his maister sent him abroad about Rome to borowe procure mony for him against his iourny into Spaine for pope Clement then inteÌ„ded to send the said Iacinthus his Legate vnto Spaine As this Centius was walking by himselfe all sad and sollicitous to speede hys maisters message commeth to him a certain aged and reuerend father and asketh him what cause he had to walke so heauie and carefull To whom he answered againe and signified the occasion of his busines what then he had to doe Then the old father said to him Go and returne home again for thy maister saith he shall not at this time goe to Spayne Now so quoth the other how is that true As true sayde he as it is certaine that the pope shall die and the sayd thy maister shall be Pope after him Centius thinking that to be vnlikely sayd he could not beleeue that to be true To whome the other inferreth againe So know this said he to be as certaine as it is true that the citie of IerusaleÌ„ this day is taken of the Saracens and shall not be recouered from them before the time of thy Papacie And thus speaking sayeth Vrsperg he voided sodenly away Ex Abbate Vrsperg All which sayth the sayd
of priuate tythes He ordayned the receauing once a yeare at Easter Vnto the papal decretals he added the decree Omnis vtriusque sexus c. Also the reseruation of the sacrament and the goyng with the bell and light before the Sacrament was by hym appoynted In the sayd Counsell of Laterane he also ordayned that the Canon of the Masse should be receaued with equall authoritie as thoughe it had proceeded from the Apostles theÌ„selues He brought in transubstantiation looke in the decretals Titulo 1. De summa Trinit fide Catholica cap. firmiter credimus Item the sayd Innocentius the 3. ordayned that none should mary in the third degree but only in the fourth degree and so vnder The sayd Pope styrred vp Otho agaynst Phillip the Emperor because the sayd Phillip was elected Emperor agaynst his will Vpon that occasion wherof followed much warre and slaughter in Germany And afterward against the sayd Otho whome he had made Emperour he set vp Fredericke K. of Cicile and caused the archb of Mayence to pronounce hym excommunicate in all hys titles and to be deposed of hys Empire For the which cause the Princes of Germany did inuade hys byshopricke spoyling and burning hys possessioÌ„s The cause why the pope so did accurse and depose hym was for that the sayd Otho did take and occupy cittyes townes castles which the pope said appertayned to hym Item the sayd pope ordayned that if any prince offended one an other the correction should appertayne vnto the Pope In thys Councell of Laterane were Archbishops and Primates 61. Byshops 400. Abbots 12. Priors and Conuentuals 800. besides other Embassadors Legates Doctors and Lawyers an innumerable sort c. In the history of Hermanus mutius we read how in the yeare of our Lord. 1212. in thys popes tyme diuers noble men and other in the countrey of Alsatia contrary to the tradition of the Romish Popes dyd holde that euery day was free for eating of flesh so it be done soberly Also that they did wickedly which restrayned Priests and ministers from their lawfull wyues for the which cause as is in the foresayd author by this poore Innocentius the 3. and hys byshops an hundreth of them in one day were burned and Martyred Some other historyes as Nauclerus recordeth also that at the same tyme many were in the Cittye of Millaine of the sayd doctrine which vsed to send collects vnto the foresayd sainctes of Alsatia Ex Nauclero In the cronicle of Gualter Hemingford otherwise called Gisburnensis it is recorded that in the dayes of this K. Iohn and pope Innocent began the two sectes orders of Friers one called the preachers order or black Fryers of S. Dominike The other called the Minorites of S. Frances The preachers or blacke Fryers order began of one Dominike a Spaniard about the parts of Tholous who after he had laboured 10. yeares in preaching agaynst the Albingenses and such other as did hold agaynst the churche of Rome afterward comming vp to the Councell of Lateran with Fulco B. of Tholouse desired of the foresayd Innocent the 3. to haue his order of preaching Fryers coÌ„firmed which the pope a great while refused to graunt at length he had a dreame that the Church of Laterane was ready to fall Which when he beheld fearing much forrowing thereat commeth in this Dominicke who with his shouldiours vnderpropped the church and so preserued the building therof froÌ„ falling c. And right well this dreame may seeme verified for that Fryers haue bene alwayes the chief pillers vpholders of the popes church Vpon this the pope waking out of hys dreame called Dominike to him and graunted his petition And so came vp this Woluish order of the Dominickes I call it Woluish for that hys mother when she was great with this Dominicke dreamed that she had in her wombe a wolfe which had a burning torch in his mouth The which dreame the preachers of that order do greatly aduaunce and expounded to their orders glory as well as they can Neuerthelesse howsoethey expound it they can make a wolfe but to be a wolâ—e and this a Woluish order The rule which they follow semeth to be taken out of S. Augustine as who should say that Christes rule were not inough to make a Christian man Their profession standeth vpon 3. principall pointes as thus described Charitatem habentes humilitatem seruantes paupertatem voluntariam possidentes That is hauing charitie holding humilitie and possessing wilfull pouerty Their habite and clothing is blacke The order of the Minors or Minorite Friers descended from one Francis an Italian of the city AsisiuÌ„ This Assisian Asse whoÌ„ I suppose was some simple and rude Idiot hearing vpon a tyme how Christ sent forth his disciples to preach thought to imitate the same in himself and his disciples and so left of shoes had but one coate that of a course clothe In steade of a latchet to hys shoe and of a girdle he tooke about him a hempen corde and so apparelled his disciples teaching them to fulfil for so he speaketh the perfection of the gospell to apprehend pouerty to walke in the way of holy simplicitie He left in writing to hys disciples and followers hys rule whiche he called Regulam Euangelicam 1. the rule of the Gospell as though the Gospell of Christ were not a sufficient rule to all Christen men but it must take hys perfection of Frantick FraÌ„cis And yet for all that great presumtion of this Francis and notwithstanding this hys rule sounding to the derogation of Christes Gospell he was coÌ„firmed by this pope Innocent Yea and such fooles this Frauncis sound abroad that not onely he had followers of hys doltish religion both of the nobles and vnnobles of Rome but also some there were which builded mansions for hym hys Fryers This Frauncis as he was superstitious in casting all things from hym as hys girdle girding a corde abouthim so in outwarde chastising of himselfe so straight he was to hys fleshe leauing the ordinary remedye appoynted by God that in wynter season he couered hys body with Ise and Snow He called pouerty hys Lady he kept nothing ouer night So desirous he was of Martyrdome that he went to Syria to the Souldane whiche receaued him honourably wherby it may be thought that surely he told him not the truth as S. Iohn Baptist dyd in Herods house For truth is seldome welcome in courts aud in the world But it is hard to make a martyr of hym which is no true confessor I will here passe ouer the fable howe Christ and hys sayntes dyd marke hym with fiue woundes These Franciscane or beggyng Fryers although they were all vnder one rule and clothing of S. Frauncis yet they be deuided in many sectes and orders some go on treen shoes or Pattins some barefooted some regulare Franciscanes or obseruauntes some Minors or Minorites other be called
more then lx M. florences of mere contributiō besides hys other auayles common reuenues out of benefices prebendaries first fruites tributes Peter Pence collatiōs reseruatiōs relaxations such marchandise c. Mention was made a little before pag. 231. and 239. of Albingenses keeping about the City of Tholouse These Albingauses because they began to smell the pope and to controle the inordinate proceedinges and discipline of the sea of Rome the Pope therefore recounting thē as a people hereticall excited and stirred vp about this presēt time yeare an 1220. Ludouick the yong French king through the instance of Phillip his Father to lay siege agaynst the sayd City of Tholouse to expugne extinguishe these Albingenses hys enemies Wherupon Ludouicke according to his fathers commaundement reared a puissant and a mighty army to compasse about and beset the forenamed city and so did Here were the men of Tholouse in great daunger But see how the mighty protection of God fighteth for hys people agaynst the might of man For after that Ludouicke as Mathew Paris testifieth had long weryed himselfe and hys men in waste and could do no good with all their ingines and artilery agaynst the City there fell moreouer vpon the French hoste by the hand of God such famine and pestilence both of men and horses beside the other dayly slaughter of the souldiours that Ludouick was enforced to retyre and with suche as were left to returne agayne home to Fraunce from whence he came In the slaughters of whiche souldiours besides many other was Erle Simon de monti forte generall of the army to whō the landes of the Erle of Tholouse was geuē by the pope who was slayne before the gate of the Citty with a stone And so was also the brother of the sayd Symon the same time in besieging a castell neare to Tholouse slayne with a stone in like maner And so was the siege of the Frenchmen agaynst Tholouse broke vp Ex Mat. Par. As the siege of these French men could doe no good against the Citty of Tholouse so it happened the same time that the christiās marching toward the holy land had better luck by the way in laying their siege to a certaine tower or castle in Egipt neare to the city Damieta which seemed by nature for the situation and difficultie of the place inexpugnable as which being situate in the middest of the great floud Nilus hard by the citty called Damieta could neither be come to by land nor be vndermined for the water nor by famine subdued for the nearenes of the citty yet notwithstanding through the helpe of God and policy of man in erecting scaffoldes and Castles vppon tops of mastes the Christians at last conquered it and after that the Citty also Damieta albeit not without great losse of Christen people In the expugnation of this City or forte among other that there died was the Lantgraue of Thuring named Ludouicke the husband of Elizabeth whom we vse to call S. Elizabeth This Elizabeth as my story recordeth was the daughter of the kyng of Hungary and maryed in Almayne where she liued with the forenamed Ludouicke Lantgraue of Thuringe Whom she thorough her perswasions prouoked and incēsed to take that vyage to fight for the holy land where he in the same vyage was slayne After whose death Elizabeth remaynyng a widow entred the profefliō of cloysterly religion made her selfe a Nunne So growing and increasing from vertue to vertue that after her death all Almayne did sounde with the fame of her worthy doynges Mat. Paris addeth this more that she was the daughter of that Queene who being accused to be naught with a certayne Archbishop was therfore condemned with this sentence pronounced agaynst her Reginam interficere nolite temere bonum est etsi omnes consenserint non ego contradico That is although it be hard in English to be translated as it standeth in Latine To kill the Queene will ye not to feare that is good And if all men consent thereunto not I my selfe do stand agaynst it c. The which sentence beyng brought to Pope Innocent thus in poynting the sentence which otherwise seemeth to haue a double vnderstanding so saued the Queene thus interpreting and poynting the sentence Reginam interficere nolite timere bonum est si omnes consenserint non ego Contradico That is To kill the Queene will ye not to feare that is good And if all doe consent thereto yet not I I my selfe do stand agaynst it And so escaped she the daunger This Queene was the mother as is said of Elizabeth the Nunne who for her holy Nunny shenes was canonised of the popes church for a Sainct in Almanie about the yeare 1220. Ex Mat Parisiens And this by the way nowe to proceede farther in the yeares and life of this king Henry The next yeare following which was an 1221. the king went to Oxford where he had something to do with William Earle de Albemartia who had taken the Castle of Biham but at last for hys good seruice he had done in the realme before was released of the king with all his men by the intercession of Walter Archbishop of York and of Pandolphe the Legate About which present yeare entred first the Friers Minorites or gray friars into England and had their first house at Cāterbury whos 's first patron was Fraunciscus which dyed an 1127. and hys order was confirmed by the pope Honorius 3. an 1224. About the first comming of these Dominicke and gray Friers Franciscane into the Realme as is in Nic. Triuet testified many Englishmen y◠same time entred into their orders Among whome was Iohannes de sancto Egideo a man famously expert in the science of Phisicke and Astronomy And Alexander de Hales both Englishmen and great diuines This Iohannes making hys Sermon ad clerum in the house of the Dominick Fryers exhorted his auditory with great perswasiōs vnto wilful pouerty And to confirme his words the more by hys owne example in the middest of his sermon he came downe from the pulpite and put on hys Fryers habite and so returning into the pulpite agayne made an end of hys Sermon Likewise Alexander Hales entred the order of the Fraunciscanes of whom remayneth yet the booke intituled De. Summa Theologiae in old Libraries Moreouer not long after by William de longa spata which was the Bastard sonne of K. Henry 2. and Earle of Salisbury was first founded the house of the Carthusian monkes at Heytrope an 1222. After whose death his wife Ela was translated to the house of Hentone in Barkeshyre an 1227. which Ela also founded the house of Nunnes at Lacockes and there continued her self Abbes of the place The Byshop of London named William the same tyme gaue ouer his byshopricke after whom succeeded Eustace in that sea Flor. hist. In the towne of
enemyes were in eating meate came sodenly vpon them out of the towne and slew of them 2000 and tooke the towne againe with safety But the Legate with his company of prelates like good men of warre practised none other Martiall feats but all to be cursed the Earle of Tholouse hys Cities and his people Ludouicus the king to auoyde the pestilence that was in the campe went into an Abbey not far off where shortly after he died of whose death are sondry opinions some saying that hee was poysoned some that he died of a bloudy flixe Whose death notwithstanding the Legate thought to kepe secret conceale till that the towne might be rendered and geuen vp for he thought himself shamed for euer if he should depart before the towne were won wherfore after he had encouraged the souldiours a fresh and yet after many sharp assaults could not preuaile He bethought him how by falshode he might betray them and sent vnto them certaine Haroldes to will them that they should amongst themselues consult vpon articles of peace bring the same to their camp whose safe conduite they faithfully promised and warraÌ„ted both of comming and going And when they had geuen their pledges for yâ— same the messengers from the Citizens talked with the Legate who promised them if they would deliuer vp their city they should haue their liues goodes possessions in as ample maner as now they enioyed the same But the citizens and soldiors refused to be vnder the seruitude of the French kyng neither wold so deliuer vp their citie to those of whose insolent pride they had so good experiment After much talke on both sides none like to take effect the Legate requested them and frendly desired that he and his Prelates which were about him might come into their Citie to examine what faith beliefe they were of and that he neyther sought nor ment any other thing therby but their owne safeties as well of body as soule which thing hee faithfully sware vnto for sayeth he the brute of your great infidelitie hath come to the lord popes eare therefore desired he to make true certificate therof Wherupon the citizens not mistrusting his faithfull othe and promise made to them graunted entrance to him and the residue of the clergy bringing with them no weapon into the towne The souldiours of the campe as it was agreed before made them ready so that at the entraunce of the prelates in at the gate nothing regarding their oth fidelitie The other sodenly were ready and with violence rushed in slew the porter and warders and at length wanne the city and destroied the same slue many of them that were within Thus by falshoode and policie when they had got this noble citie they caried the kings corps to Paris where they buried the same Of the whole number of the French souldiours which in this siege were destroyed by famine pestilence drowning be recounted mothen 22000. Whereby sayth the story of Mat. Pariens it may euidently appeare the warre was vniustly taken in hand c. Ex Mat. Parisiens After these things finished and after the funerall of the king celebrated at Paris it followeth more in the sayd history of Pariens that the sayde Legate Romanus was vehemently suspected greuously infamed to abuse himselfe with Blauca the kings mother Sed impium est sayeth he hoe credere quia aemuli eius hoc disseminauerunt Benignus autem animus dubia in melius interpretatur i. But it is vngodly to suspect any such thing of him because his enemies so rumored the same abroad but a gentle minde expoundeth things doubtfull in the better part To passe further to the yere next folowing which was 1227. of the Lorde first is to be noted that in thys yeare king Henry beginning to shoote vp to the 20. yeare of hys age came froÌ„ Reding to LondoÌ„ where he began to charge the Citizens of London for old reeknings namely for geuing or lending 1000. markes to Lewes the French king at his departing out of the Realme to the great preiudice of him of his kingdom For the recompenâ—e wherof they were constrained to yelde to the king the full summe of the like money That done he remoued to Oxforde where he assembled a great counsail there denouncing protesting before them al that he was come to sufficient age no more to be vnder tutors gouernours but to be his own man requiring to be freed from the custody of other Which thing being protested and contraried forthwith he by the counsaile of Hubert the chiefe iustice whome hee made then the Earle of Kent remooued from his company the bishop of Winchester and other vnder whome he was moderated And immediatly in the same counsaile by the sinister persuasion of some doth adnihilate make void the charters liberties before by him grauÌ„ted pretending this colour for that they had bene graunted scaled in the time of his minoritie at what time he had the rule neither of himselfe nor of his seale Whereupon much muttering murmuring was among the multitude Who did all impute the cause to Hubert the iustice Moreouer it was the same time proclaimed that whosoeuer had any charter or gift sealed vnder the time of the kings minoritie they shoulde come and renew the same againe vnder the new seale of the king knowing otherwise that the thing should stande in no effect And finally for renewing of their Seales were taxed not according to their habilitie but according as it pleased the iustice and other to leuie them Moreouer beside this generall subsidie of the fifteene graunted to the king through the whole Realme beside also the contribution of the LoÌ„diners diuers other parcels and paunents he gathered through seuerall places as of the Burgesses of Northampton he required a 1000. 200. markes for his helping of them and so of other likewise All this preparation of money was made toward the furnishing of his vyage to recouer Normandy And yet because he would gratifie the Citie of London againe wyth some pleasure he graunted the citizens therof should passe tole free saith Fabian through all England And if or any Citie borough or towne they were coÌ„strained at any time to pay their tole then the Shyriffes of London to attache euery man coÌ„ming to London of the sayd city borough or towne and him his goods to withhold til the LoÌ„diners were againe restored of al such mony paid for the said tole w r all costes and damages susteined for the same Ex Fabia I declared before howe after the death of Honorius succeded pope Gregory the 10. betwene the which Gregory the people of Rome this yere fel a great sedition In so much that about the feast of Easter they thrust the Pope out of the Citie pursuing him vnto his Castel at Witerbium Where also they inuaded hym so
with the Legate and by subtile meanes brought it so to passe that the whole tenthes was gathered and paide to the inestimable damage sayth Pariens both of the Ecclesiasticall and Temporall state The meanes whereof sayeth the authour was this The Legate shewing to the prelates his procuratory letters to collect and gather vp all the foresayde tenthes in the name and authoritie of the Pope declared moreouer full authoritie to him graunted by the vertue of hys commission to excommunicate all such and to interdicte their Churches who soeuer did gainstand or go contrary to the said collection Whereupon by the said vertue legantine he sendeth to euery shire his Proctors to gather the Popes money or els to excommunicate them which denied to pay and for so much as the present nede of the pope required present help without delay he sendeth moreouer to the byshops prelates of the Realme in paine of interdiction foorthwith to procure and send to him either of theyr owne or by loue or vsance or by what meanes so euer so much money in all post spede for the present vse of the pope And after to take vp agayne the said money of the tenthes of euery singular person by the right taxing of their goodes Upon this the Prelates to auoide the daunger hauing no other remedy were driuen to sel their chalices cruets copes iewels and other church plate and some to lay to morgage such things as they had some also to borowe vpon vsance to make the money which was required Moreouer the sayd Stephen the Popes chaplaine as reporteth Paris brought with hym into England for the same purpose such bankers and vsurers who lending out their money vpon great vsurie did vnreasonably pinch the English people which marchant vsurers were then called Caursini Briefly suche straight exaction was then vppon the poore English men that not onely theyr present goodes were valued and taxed but also the corne yet growing in the field against the next haruest was tithed c. Only the Earle of Chester named Ranulphus stood stoutly against the Pope suffring none within his dominion either lay man or clearke to yeld any tenths to the popes proctors Ex Math. Paris pag. 74. And thys was the end of the strife betwene the Monkes of Caunterbury the king for the election of their Archbyshop which was about the yeare of our Lord 1229. In the which yere was finished the new Church of CoueÌ„try by Alexander bishop of the sayd Citie and partly by the helpe of the king which Church Richard his predecessor bishop before him of Couentrie had begon The French men about thys time againe prepared themselues towarde Prouince to warre against the foresayde Reimundus Earle of Tholouse and to expulse him out of his possessions And hearing that he was in his Castle of Saracene they made thither all their power thinking there to enclose and compasse him about but the erle being priuie of their conspired purpose set for them by the way appointing certaine bushments in woodes not so secretly as strongly there to waite and receiue the comming of the Frenchmen and to geue them their welcome Thus when the French were entred the woode the Earle wyth his traine of wel armed and able warriors sodenly did flie vppon them vnwares and gaue them a bitter meeting so that in that conflict 500. of the French soldiors were taken and many slaine Of their seruitures to the nuÌ„ber of 2000. men with their armor were takeÌ„ Of whom some lost their eyes some their noses some their eares some their legs and so sent home The rest were caried away prisoners into the castel And to be brief saith the history thrise the same sommer were the FrenchmeÌ„ discomfited put to flight taken and imprisoned by the foresayd Reimundus the godly erle Ex Paris pag. 69. Wherin is to be sene and to be praised the gracious protection of the Lorde our God against the furious papists which is glorious alwaies in hys saints ¶ The same yeare the king being at Portesmouth had assembled together all his Nobility Earles Barons and knightes of England with such an armye of horsemen and footemen as hath not ben lightly sene thinking to recouer againe the Countrey of Normandie of Gaunt and other possessioÌ„s which king Iohn his father before had lost But when the captaines and marshals of the fielde should take shipping there were not halfe ships enough to receiue the host Wherupon the king was vehemently inflamed with anger laying all the fault to Hubert the Lorde chiefe Iustice who vnder the King had all the gouernement of the Realme calling him olde traitour charging him that hee should be the let of his voyage as he was before when hee toke of the French Duene 5000. markes to stay the kings iourney into Normandy In so much the rage of the king was so kindled against him ytdrawing his sword he made at him to runne him through had not the Earle of Chester Ranulph stopt the king Hubert withdrew himselfe away till the kings rage was past This was about the time of Michaelmas at which time arriued Henry Earle of Normandie in the hauen of Portesmouth in the month of Detoâ— Who shuld haue conducted the king vpon his allegeance othe into Normandie But he with other of the kings armie counsailed the king not to take that voyage toward winter but rather to defer it to the Easter next following wherwith the king was staid and well contented and paciâ—ied againe with Hubert the Iustice. c. Ex Mat. Paris Fabian recordeth this yeare the liberties and fraunchise of the Citie of London to be confirmed by the king and to enerich of the shriues to be graunted two clerkes and two officers without moe Ex Fabia Then followed the yeare 1230. In which vpon the day of the conuersion of S. Paule as sayeth Paris as a great multitude of people for solemnitie of the day were congregate in the Temple of S. Paule the Bishop then being at hys Masse a sodaine darkenes with such thicknesse of clouds fell in the aire that vnneth one man might see an other in the Church After that followed cracks of thunder lightning so terrible leauing such a sent in the Church that the people loking for doomes day thought no lesse but that the steeple and whole Church woulde haue falne vppon theyr heads In so much that they running out of the church as people amased fell downe together by thousands as men amased not knowing for the time where they were onely the Bishop his Deacon stood still at their masse holding the aulter fast Ex Paris Of the death of Steuen Langton of the troublesome election of the next Archbishop also of the costly chargeable bringing in of Richard to succede in the roume which did cost the whole realme of England the tenths of al their moueables sufficient hath bene declared before Thys Richard being
king made great lamētation and mourning to the great admiratiō of all them that were by saying complayning that he left not his like in all the realine agayne After this the king proceeding in his iourney came to Glocester Where the Archbish with the other Bishops comming to the king declared to him the forme and conditiō of peace which they had cōcluded with Leoline which was this If the king would be reconciled before with the other nobles with whom he was confederate such as the king had banished out of his realm to the end that the cōcord might be the more firme betweene them Thus sayd they was Leoline contented although with much a do great difficulty to receiue y◠league of peace saying protesting thus vnto them that he feared more the kings almose then all the puisaunce both of him and of all his clergy within England This done the king there remaining to the Bishops directed his letters to all the exiles and banished Lords to all his nobles that they should repayre to him about y◠beginning of Iune at Glocester promising to thē his full fauour reconcilement to them and to their heyres that they should suspect no fraud therin they should haue their safeconduct by the Archbishop and Bishops Whereupon through the mediation of the sayd Archbishop and the Bishops first commeth to the king Hubert Earle of Kent offering himself to the kings good will and fauor Whom the king with chearefull countenance receiued and embraced restoring him not onely to his fauour but also to his household councell with his liuings and possessions frō which he had bene deseised before Thē Hubert lifting vp his eies to heauen gaue prayse and glory to God by whose gracious prouidēce he so merucilously being preserued frō so great distresses tribulatiōs was agayne so happely reconciled to the king and his faythfull frends After him in like sort came in Gilbert Basset a noble mā Richard Suard also Gilbert the brother of Rich. Marshall that was slain which Gilbert recouered again his whole inheritance as wel in England as in Ireland doing his homage to the king and his seruice due for the same To whom also was graunted the office of the high Marshall court belonging before to his brother Richard In the same councell or communication continuing then at Glocester the sayd Edmund Archbishop of caunterbury bringing the forged letters wherein was betraied the life of Richard Earle Marshall sealed with the kings seale and sent to the great mē of Ireland read the same openly in the presence of the king and all the nobles At the hearing wherof the king greatly sorrowing and weeping confessed there in truth that being forced by the Bishop of Winchester and Peter De Riuallis he cōmanded his seale to be set to certayne letters presented vnto him but the tenor thereof he said sware he neuer heard whereunto the Archbishop aunswering agayn desired the king to search well his conscience said that all they which were procurers of knowledge of those letters were gilty of the death of the Earle Marshall no lesse then if they had murdered him with theyr owne handes Then the king calling a councell sent his letters for the bishop of Winchester for Peter Riuall Stephen Segraue and Robert Passeiew to appere and yeld accoūt for his treasures to them committed and for his seale by them abused But the Byshop and Riuall keeping themselues in the sanctuary of the minster Church of Winchester neither durst nor would appeare Stephē Segraue who succeded after Hubert the Iustice and was of the Clergy before after became a layman and now hiding himself in S. Maryes Church in the Abbey of Lecester was turned to a Clerke agayne Robert Passelew couertly hid himself in a certain celler of the new tēple so secretly that none could tell where he was but thought he was gone to Rome At length through the foresaid Edmund Archbishop of Canterbury meanes was made y◠a dilatory day was graunted by the king for them to aunswere At which day first appeared Peter De Riuallis then Stephen Segrane after him Robert Passelew ech of them seuerally one after another shewed themselues but not able to aunswere for themselues like traitors were reproued and like villanes were sent away Ex Mat. Parisiens fol. 91. Variance betwene Pope Gregory the 9. and the Romanes WHile peace thus betweene the king and the nobles was reconciled in England dissension and variance the same time and yere began in Rome betwene the pope and the Citizens of Rome The cause was for that the citizens claymed by old custome and law that the Byshop of Rome might not excommunicate any Citizen of the citie nor suspend the said City with any interdiction for any mauer excesse To this the Pope answered agayne Quòd minor Deo est sed quolibet homine maior to vse the very words of mine author Ergo Maior quolibet ciue nae etiam rege vel Imperatore c. that is that he is lesse then God but greater then any man Ergo greater then any Citizen yea also greater then king or Emperor And for so much as he is theyr spirituall father he both ought and lawfully may chastise his children when they offēd as being subiected to him in the sayth of Christ and reduce them into the way agayn whē they stray out of course Moreouer the citizens alledge againe for themselues that the Potestates of the City and Senators do receiue of the Church of Rome yearely tribute which the bishops of Rome were bound to pay vnto them both by new and also auncient law Of the which yerely tribute they haue bene euer in possessiō before this present time of this pope Gregory 9. Hereunto the pope answered and sayd that although the Church of Rome in time of persecution for their defence and cause of peace was wont to respect the head rulers of the Citty with gentle rewardes yet that ought not now to be taken for a custom For that custom only ought to stand which consisteth not vpon examples but vpon right and reason Further and besides the Citizens sayd that they at y◠commandemēt of the Senatour would appropriate their countrey with new and larger limits and infranches the same being enlarged with fines and borders To this the pope agayne made answere that certayne Lordshyps and cities and castles be conteined within the compasse of the sayd limites as the City Uitterbium and Moutcastee which they presume to appropriate within their precinct but to ascribe to them and vsurp that which perteineth to other is agaynst right and iustice For these and such other controuersies rising betwene the Pope and the Romaines such dissention kindled that the Pope with his Cardinals leauing the City of Rome remoued to Perusit◠as partly before is recited thinking there to remayne and to plant thēselues but the Romans
Lord. 1237. that Germanus Archb. and Patriarch of Constantinople wrote to the sayd Pope Gregory 9. humbly desiring him to study and seeke some meanes of vnity how the seamelesse coat of the Lord Iesus thus lamentably rent not with handes of soldiours but by discord of Prelates may be healed agayne offering this moreouer that if he will take the paines to stirre out he for his part notwithstanding his old age seeble body would not refuse to meet him in the mid way to y◠intent that the truth on both sides being debated by y◠scriptures the wrong part may be reduced the slaunder stopped and vnity reformed betwene them This request of the Patriarke as it was both godly reasonable so it had bene the bishops part again with like humility to haue condescended to the same and glad with all his might to helpe forward the reformation of christian vnity in the church of Christ and so to haue shewed himselfe the sonne of peace But the proud Byshop of Rome more like the sonne of discord and dissention standing still vpon his maiesty refused thus to do but writing agayne answere to his letters with great disdayne seking nothing els but only how to aduance his sea aboue all other churches and not onely that but also shortly after sēt forth his preaching Friers to moue all Christians to take the signe of the crosse to fight agaynst the Grecians no otherwise then against the Turkes Saracens In so much that in the Isle of Cyprus many good men and Martyrs were slayne for the same as by the letters of the said Germanus Patriarke of Constantinople is to be seene The tenour of the which letter to the Pope with the popes answere agayne to him being long and tedious to read are extant in the history of Math. Paris there to be sene and found fol. 111. The summary effect whereof notwithstanding I thought here briefly to notifye for the simple vnlearned multitude which vnderstanding not the Latine may hereby perceiue the fault of this schisme not so much to rest in the greek church as in the church of Rome as by the contents of his letter may appeare The effect of the Patriarch of Constantinople his letter to Pope Gregory 9. IN the which letter the sayd Germanus Patriarch of Constantinople writing to Pope Gregory first after his reuerend salutation and preamble following vpon the same entring thé toward the matter sheweth the occasion of his writing which was by 5. obseruaunt Friers repayring that wayes whom he gently receiuing into his house had conference with them touching this discord betwene the two Churches how it might be reduced again to vnity and afterward perceiuing the sayd Friers to make theyr iourney towardes to Rome he thought therefore by thē to write his letters Wherein he first lamenting this diuision in the house of God and reciting the inconueniences which come therof by the example of Iuda and Israel Ierusalem and Samaria Cain and Abel Esau and Iacob also of other such like both priuate publicke societies where brother sighteth agaynst brother like as among fishes the greater deuoureth the lesser he procedeth then further gently to exhort Pope Gregory to the study of vnity And for so much as the Pope had accursed belike those Churches of the Greekes before he therefore taking his groūd vpon the wordes of S. Paule Gal. 1. where he accurseth euery such person and persons whatsoeuer they be either man or Angell of heauen that shall preach any other Gospell then hath bene preached c. willeth the Pope to stand with him vpon the same ground of the Apostles accurse so that if the stroke of that curse haue light vpon him or his churches he desireth him to shew the wound and to helpe to wipe away the bloud to minister some spirituall emplaister to binde vp the sore and to saue his brethré from perishing which lay in daunger according to the saying of the wise man A brotherly frend is tried in aduersity c. But if we sayth he of the Greeke Church be free from the stripe of this accurse of the Apostle and that you Italians of the Latine Church be stricken therewith and lye thereby in daunger of destruction I trust that you through ignoraunce and wilfull obstinacy will not so suffer your selues to be separated from the Lord but rather will suffer a thousand deathes before if it were possible for a man so often to dye And as touching this great discord betwene vs if either cōtrarietie of doctrine or sweruing frō the ancient Canons or diuersity of rites receiued of our forefathers be any cause thereof we here take heauen and earth to witnesse that we for our partes are ready and desire also vpon due triall of profound trueth by Gods word and inuocation of the holy Ghost to ioyne hands with you or you to ioyne with vs. But to say the very trueth and to tell you playne this we suppose that many mighty and noble potentates would sooner encline to your obedience were it not that they feared your vniust oppressions your insatiable exactions and inordinate oppressions wherewith you wring your subiectes By reason whereof haue risen amongst vs cruell warres one fighting agaynst an other desolation of Cittyes Bulles and Interdictions set vpon Church dores diuision of brethren and Churches of the Grecians left without seruice where God should be praysed So that now onely one thing lacketh which I beleue to be predefined and appoynted from aboue long before to vs Grecians the time I meane of martirdome which also now hasteneth fast vpon vs that the tribunall of tyrauntes should be opened and the seats of torments be set that the bloud of Martyrs should be spilled we brought to the stage of Martyrdome to fight for the crowne of glory This that I doe speake and wherefore I speake it the noble Iland of Cyprus doth already know and feele which hath made many new Martyrs and hath seene valiaunt soldiours of Christ which of long time before passing by water and teares of sorow now at last haue also passed through fire and so entred into the heauenly rest How say you be these good and seemely O holye Pope the successor of S. Peter the Apostle Is this the bidding of that good Peter the meeke and humble disciple of Christ Doth he thus instruct the Seniors and Elders in his Epistle where he writeth in this wise The Elders which are amōgst you I beseech which am also a fellow Elder with them and witnesse of the sufferings of Christ and also a partaker of the glory that shal be opened feed the flocke of God which is amongest you hauing care sight ouer it not of a coaction as compelled agaynst your willes but willingly of your owne accord nor for filthy lukere sake but freely and hartily neither as bearing dominion and Lordship ouer the Church but shewing your selues as
they haue brast in farther vppon vs and nowe haue preuailed so farre as neither the power of the Pope nor of all Christendome is able to driue them out as hereafter by sequele of story is further to be declared In the meane time to retourne where before we left when the french king comming thus to the pope at Lions to entreat for the Emperor could finde no fauour he tooke his leaue and with great heauinesse departed setting forwarde on his iourney to Marsilia and so failed to the Ille of Cyprus where he remained all that winter so that falling into penury and lacke of victuall he was faine to send to the Uenetians and other Islands by for helpe of prouision The Uenetians gently sent vnto him 6. great ships laden with corne wine other victuals requilite besides the reliefe of other Islands mo But especially Fredericke the Emperor vnderstanding of their want so turnished the French campe with all plentie of necessaries that it had aboundance Whereupon the French king mâ—oued with the kindnes of the Emperour wrote his speciall letters to the Pope in the Emperours behalfe but the hard heart of the Pope would not relent Blanchia the Kinges mother in France hearing what the emperor had done to her sonne sent him most hearty thanks with presents and rewardes manifold Math. Paris fol. 226. In this meane time about the beginning of October the French men got Damiata being the principall force or holde of the Saracens in all Egypt All. 124. 9. fol. 228. After the winning of Damiata the Prince and people of the Saracens being astonied at the losse thereof offered to the Christians great grounde and possessions more then euer belonged to Christendome before so that they might haue Damiata to them restored again But the pride of the crie of Artoys the kings brother woulde in no case accept the offers of the Saracens but required both Damiata and Alexandria the chiefe Metropolitane Citie of all Egypt to be deliuered vnto them The Saraceus seeing the pride gredines of â— French men in no case could abide it which turned after to the great detriment of our Christians as in the ende it prooued Ex Mat. Paris fol. 229. First in the Isle of Cyprus and in the iourney before died the Erle of Palatine one of the 12. peeres of France also the Earle of S. Paul and Blesse who had vnder him 50. ensignes Which were all after hys death scattered abroade and dispersed Also died Ioannes de Denis a valiant Captaine wyth many other noble personages both men and women which by altering the aire and diet there deceased fol. 229. The next yeare eusuing which was 1250. about Ashewednesday the French men issuing out of their tentes by the City of Damiata flew vpon the Saracens which besieged them and so after a great number of the ennemies staine with victorie and great spoyles returned to theyr tentes againe Nowe within the Citie of Damiata was the Queene wyth her Ladies the Popes Legate and bishops wyth a garrison of horsemen and footemen for the defence of the Citie strongly appoynted The next day the Frenchmen supposing to haue the like hande of the Saracens as they had the day before gaue a fresh assault vppon them but in that coÌ„flict the Saracens had so strongly appoynted themselues that the French men lost tenne times more then they got the day before so after a great slaughter of their men retired to their tents againe whereupon the Saracens began to take great harte courage against our men stopping also the passages round about the Citie of Damiata that no vitaile could passe vnto them In like maner the Soldan also gathering all the galeys about Alexandria and all the lande of Egypt so inclosed the Sâ—as that no intercourse should be to them by water fol. 231. At length after long talke and consultation betweene them on both sides the Soldan aduised them betune to resigne to hym the Citie of Damiata wyth the furniture which they found therein they should haue all the countrey about Ierusalem with all the captiues of the Christians frendly restored vnto them Wherwith the Christians sayde hee ought to be countented and to seeke no farther but onely to haue the lande of Ierusalem which beyng grnnted to them they shuld not encroch into other lands and kingdomes whereto they had no right Thys forme of peace as it liked well the meaner forte of the poore souldiours and diuers other of the sage counsaile and nobilitie so the proude Earle of Artoys the kings brother in no cause woulde assent thereto but still required the Citie of Alexandria to be yelded to them Whych the Egyptians by no meanes would agree vnto From that time the French army being compassed by sea and by lande began euery day more and more to be distressed for lacke of victual and famine being driueÌ„ to that miserie that they were faine to eate their owne horsses in the Lent time which should haue serued them to other vses Neither could any Christian nor Frederick being deposed by the Pope be able to send them any succour Furthermore the more miseryes the christians were in the more fiercely did the Saracens presse vpon them on euery side detesting their forward wilfulnes In so much that diuers of the Christian souldiours not able to abide the affliction priuely conueyed themselues as they coulde out of the campe to the Saracens who were gladly receaued and relieued and some suffered still to keepe their faith Some marrying wiues amongst them and for hope of honor did Apostatate to their law and so wrought no little harme to the Christians The Soldane being perfectly instructed by these fugitiues of all things belonging to the kings armie sent hym woord in derision asking where were all hys mattockes forckes rakes hys sithes plowes and harowes whych he brought ouer with him or why he did not occupie them but let them lie by hym to rust and canker All thys and much more the King with his Frenche men were faine to take well in woorth It happened shortly after that thys Soldan died being poisoned of his own seruants which was to the Christians a more heaping of theyr miseries For albeit the saide Soldan had bene a cruell tyrant to the Christians yet was he hated of his owne people whereby his strength was the lesse After whom succeeded an other much more cruell who as he was better loued so hee became muche stronger by a generall confederacie of all the Saracens which were in the East parts ioyning now together So that when the Christians desired nowe to haue the forme of peace before profered be precisely denied them And so the Frenche hoste which at first began to be feared by their pride and ouermuch gredines grew more more in contempt amongst their enemies and now was vtterly despised The Christians thus seeing all thinges to
32. distinction is recited gaue the primacie for the electiō of the bishop of Rome by the means of the priests and people of Rome vnto the Cardinals yet he woulde after that that the prerogatiue therein shoulde be reserued to Henry 4. the young Emperor from whome the Empire afterward was for a tyme wrested and taken But now after this whē Hildebrand which was called Gregory the 7. was Pope This prerogatiue of the Emperours in their Election which before in the creatiō of Alexander the bish was neglected and broken The bishops of Rome not onely did seeke to diminish the authority thereof but also to euacuate and quite vndoe the same For he not onely aspired to that dignitie without the cōsent and appoyntment of the Emperor but also made restraint that no Emperor king Duke marques Earle or any ciuile Magistrate should assigne and appoynt to any any ecclesiasticall function and charge neyther that any of his Prelates so hardy shoulde take them at anye of their handes as q. 16. canon 7.9 and 10. may be seene Yet notwithstanding after that this horrible monster Hildebrād was proscript and thrust out of the papall seat and Clement 3. put in hys stede Henry agayn challenged hys Imperial prerogatiue of Election But yet when the Byshops which succeeded after this Hildebrand led by hys example began to derogate from the Imperiall prerogatiue of electiō Hen. on the other side by al meanes possible sought to defend and maintayne the same By the subtile fraud mischieuous pollicie of the bishops which set the sonne agaynst the father and foūd meanes to steale from him the hartes of his nobles and subiectes and to set them al agaynst hym and especially the Princes of Germany was deposed and disappoynted of his purpose And although Henry the 5. cōming to Rome brought Paschalis the secōd to that poynt that he both in publique concion and in writing sealed and also by othe confirmed restored agayn to the Emperours of Rome the prerogatiue of election and of geuing of ecclesiastical dignities yet not withstanding after that Henry the Emperour was gone from Rome Paschalis the Pope greatly repenting and sorrowing that he had done in allowing and confirming the priuiledges of Emperors through feare touching the geuing and disposing of ecclesiastical functiōs excommunicated the Emperour And in a Sinodal councell at Laterane ordayned decreed that he should be had accoūted a wicked enemy that woulde take any Ecclesiasticall function or preferment at the handes of a ciuile Magistrate whereupon were made these decrees qu. 16. chap. 7. 13.14.15 and 16. Therfore when these decrees touching the desiguatiō of bishops in spight and contempt of the Emperour were practised and put in vre and when that uow especially by the meanes and procurement of the bishops intestine and ciuile warres begā to ryse in the Empire the Emperiall iurisdiction in this matter was not onely weakened and much debilitate but also in maner vtterly brokē and lost For when Henry the v. Emperour was sharpely of Lotharius and his vassals the Bishops beset layd vnto by the prouocation of the pope and was mightely by the byshops that tooke his part on y◠other side requested intreated in hope of publique peace tranquilitie that he woulde condescend and somewhat yeld to the Popes demaundes He at length the more was the pity that he might be reconciled and haue peace with pope Calixtus the 2. In the city of Uangio departed from and with that his prerogatiue or iurisdictiō of geuing ecclesiastical preferments to the pope and hys prelates now more then 300. yeares frō the time of Carolus Magnus in the hands of them Emperours of Rome and vntill this tyme with great fortitude princely courage conserued and kept which resignation turned to no small detriment both of the Church of Christ and Christian common wealth Then first and neuer before obteined the Byshop of Rome and quietly enioyed that prerogatiue of election bestowing of benefices which he so long before with suche great pollices now secretly now openly and nowe wyth force had sought for And with what sufficient and good authoritie Gratianus will proue that before this tyme the same authoritie was geuen to the City of Rome for the election of the pope without the consent of the Emperor he sheweth as in the 29. and 30. Canon and what good stuffe he putteth in the latter and howe subtilly that Papisticall flatterer or pontifical Parasite hath forged the same Both Carolus Molineus sufficiently in diuers places hath noted and by the obseruatiō of tymes may of a meane Historiographer that hath red the French and Germaine histories soone be espied discerned For first fiue bishops one after an other succeeded this Gregory 4. vpon whome the 29. canon is entituled or fathered that is Sergius 2. Iohn 8. Adrian 2. Iohn 9. and Adrian the 3. whiche Adrian by force wresting the authoritie of the electiō from the people was made pope when as the Gregory specially to be noted would not take on him the Papacie before that the Emperour had consented to his election After this Molineus compareth Raphell Uolateranus with the 30. canon which agayne is suspected For why whē Eugenius was bishop which was the Successor of this Paschalis wyth whom Ludouicus Pius is sayd to haue made a league or paction The same Ludouicus Pius with his sonne Lotharius together with the helpe of the king of Romaines at Rome made lawes both to all his subiectes in the Empire as also to the Romaines themselues speaking nothing of the renuing of the decree made by Lotharius Thou agayn how could Leo the fourth write to Lotharius and Ludouicus Emperours that counterfeit or forged decree beginning with Constitutio c. when in the same mentiō is made of Henricus Aucupes Otho the 1. whiche raigned more then 80. yeares after them and Leo the 4. bishop of Rome Now with what face dare this fōd fellow Gratianus make Otho the first to be author of the 31. Canon when as Otho depriued the same Iohn the 12. of the Papacye And not onely took nothing from the Imperall iurisdiction concerning the election nor from the city of Rome nor any other bishops subiect to the Romain Empire but added somewhat more therunto as was said before And yet notwithstanding so shameles sencelesse was this Gracian that he durst obtrude lay before the reader so manifest fraud and euident legerdemaine fayned and made of hys owne braynes in the compiling of this decree being so necessary as he thought for the dominion and prunacy of the Romaine Bishops in the sted of good and true lawes in either fearing that the same might be after his dayes reprehended neither to his great shame and discredit vnto him attributed Where also by the way is to be noted that as this gracelesse Gratianus to please these holy fathers and to erect theyr kingdome
also Fazellus writeth thus of king Iohn of Ierusalē that when hys daughter was brought to Rome the Emperour and the pope was reconciled together And being called vp to Rome to celebrate y◠mariage P. Gregory as the maner of those proud prelates is offered hys right foote vnto the Emperour to kisse But the Emperour not stouping so low scarcely with hys lippe touched the vpper part of hys knee and woulde not kisse his foote which thing the pope toke in very euil part and was therwith merueilously offended But for that no oportunitie at that time serued to reuenge hys conceiued grudge and old malice he dissimuled the same as he might for that tyme thinking to recompence it at the full as tyme would serue and fall out therefore After this it fortuned that the Emperor hearing how the Christians were oppressed by the Souldane in Syria and that from Arsacida there came a great power agaynst the christen princes he made the more hast and was with more desire encouraged to set forward hys iourny into Asia Wherefore assembling the Nobilitie of the Empire at Rauenna and Creinona he gaue in commaundement to Henry hys sonne whō not long before he caused to be created Cesar that he should perswade the nobles Princes of the Empire that they all would be ready to put to their helping hands in furthering this hys iourney and enterprise This writeth Fazellus howbeit some other affirme that these thinges were done in the tyme of Honorius But how soeuer the matter is this thing is manifest that Fredericke to satisfie the popes desire which neuer would sin but by al means sought to prouoke him forward gaue hym at length hys promise that by certayn time he would prepare an army and fight himselfe agaynst those whiche kept from hym the citty of Ierusalem which thing he also confesseth himselfe in his epistles and also how he desired and obtayned of the pieres and Nobility of the Empire theyr'ayd thereunto as also to haue a appoynted conuenient tyme when they should be at Brundusium In the meane season he with all hys power and indeuour made hasty and speedy preparation for the warres he rigged manned a puissant nauy he had the pykcost men and best souldiours that were in euery country and made warlike prouison furmture for euery thing that to such a voiage and expedition appertayned Neyther was the matter slacked but at that tyme appoynted great bandes assembled mustred both of Germaine souldiours and others and vnder theyr Captaines appoynted sot forth and marched to Brundusium Theyr generals were Thuringus and Sigebertus and Augustinus the Byshop where they long tyme lying and attending the Emperours cōming being let by infirmitie and sickenes great pestilēce and sondry diseases molested them by reason of the great heate and intemperance of that country and many a souldiour there lost his life among whome also dyed Thuringus one of their Generals The Emperour when he had somewhat recouered his health with al his nauy launched out and set forwarde to Brundusium And when he came to the straites of Poliponences and Creta being Ilands lying in the sea and there for lacke of conuenient wynde was stayed sodenly the Emperour hys diseases growing vppon him agayne fell sicke and sending before all or the most part of his bandes and shippes into Palestina promising them most assuredly to come after and follow them so soone as he might recouer and get neuer so litle health he himselfe with a few ships returned and came to Brundusium and from thence for want of health went into Apulia When tidings here of came to the Popes eare He sent out his thundring curses and newe excommunications agaynst the Emperour The causes wherefore I find noted and mentioned by his owne letters that is Now that whē he had robbed and taken from Brūdusius Prince of Thuring his horses hys mony and other rich furniture of his house at the tyme of hys death hee sayled into Italy not for the entent to make warre agaynst the Turke but to conuey this pray that he had stolne and taken away frō Brundusius who neglecting his othe and promise which he had made and feiniug himselfe to be sicke came home agayn And that by his default also Damieta was lost the hoste of the Christians sore afflicted Fazellus besides these causes spoken of before doth write that the pope alledged these also That he defiled a certayne Damosell which was in the Queenes nursery and that he slew hys wife when he had whipped her in the prison for declaring the mischieuous acte to her father king Iohn But all the writers and also Blondus hymselfe doth declare that this Ioell died after the Publication of the proscript and excommunication wherefore the Pope could not without great shame allege the cause vpon the death of Ioell For vndoubtedly the truthe is that she of her sonne Conradus dyed in childebed Thē Fredericke to refell and auoyd the foresayd slaunders sendeth the byshop of Brundis and other Legates to Rome whom the Pope would not suffer to come to his presence neither yet to the Councels of the Cardinals to make hys purgation Wherfore the Emperour to purge himselfe of the crymes which the pope did so falsely accuse him of both to all Christen kinges and specially to the Princes of Germany all the nobles of the Empire he writeth hys lettters which are to be seene that those thinges are both false and also fayned of the popes own head muented And sheweth how that his Embassadours with his purgatiō could not be suffered to come to the popes presēce also doth largly intreat how vnthankfull vngratefull the Byshops of Rome were towardes him for the great benefites whiche both he and also his predecessors had bestowed vpon them and the Romaine Church which letter for that it is ouer tedious here to place considering the discourse of the histostory is somewhat long the summe of the purgation is this He protesteth and declareth vniuersally that he had alwayes great care for the christen common wealth and that he had determined euen from hys youth to fight against the Turke and Saracens And for that occasiō he made a promise to the Princes electours of Aquisgraue howe that he would take that warre vpon him Afterward he renewed his promise to Rome when he was cōsecrated of Honorius Then when he maryed the daughter of the king of Ierusalem which was an heyre of the same And for because that kingdome might be defended kept from the iniuries of the enemies that he fauored it euen as he did his own he prepared an huge nauy and gathered together a strong army of men neither did he neglect any thing that belōged to the furniture of the warre But when the tyme was come and his band was gathered together his sickenesse would not suffer hym to be there And afterward when he had recouered
He departed from thence to Brundusium committing the gouernment of his kingdome to Renaldus the sonne of Duke Spoletus and to Anselmus a Baron of Instigensis and came by sea to Cyprus with his hoste From Cyprus the Emperour with his whole nauy sayled into Ioppa which City he fortified for that the passages by land were stopped and kept of the enemies And by sea might he not passe nor trauaile by meanes of the extreme weather and tempest whereby it came to passe that within short space they lacked vitayles and were sore afflicted with famine TheÌ„ fell they to prayer and made their humble supplicatioÌ„ to God with whose teares his wrath being appealed the great tempest and long coÌ„tinued foule weather ceased whereby the seas now being calme they had both vitaile great pleÌ„ty and all other necessary things for their need brought vnto them wherby immediately it came to passe that both the Emperour his army as also the inhabitauntes of Ioppa were greatly refreshed and animated and on the other side their enemies being disappoynted of theyr purpose were greatly discouraged In so much that the king of Egipt who with great power accoÌ„panied with Scarapho his brother prince of Gaza and the Prince of Damascus their nephew with many other Dukes and nobles hauing incamped themselues within one dayes iourny of Ioppa thinking to haue besieged the same were contented vpon the comming of the Emperors Harolds vnto them to intreat of a peace Whereupon Embassadours were sent vnto them with the Emperours demaunds right profitable to the Christian common weale The Sarasens immediately consulting vpon the same graunted thereunto so that a peace for x. yeares was concluded was confirmed by solempne othe on the behalfe of both Princes according to their seueral vsages and maner the forme and condition of which peace briefly collected are these First that Fridericke the Emperour should be crowned and annoynted king of Ierusalem according to the maner of the kinges of Ierusalem before him Secondly that all the lands possessions which were situate betwixt Ierusalem and Prolomaida the greatest part of Palastina and Cities of Tyrus and Sydon which were in Syria and at other territories which Baldwinus the 4. at any time had and occupyed there shoulde be deliuered vnto him onely certayne castles reserued Thirdly that he might fortifie and builde what fortresses and castles he thought good citties and townes in all Syria and Palestina Fourthly that all the prisoners which were in the Saracens hands should be raunsomed freely and sent home and agayne that the Saracens might haue leaue without armour to come into the Temple where the Lords sepulcher is to pray and that they should holde and keepe still Chratum and the kinges mount Friderick now for that he thought the coÌ„clusion of this peace to be so necessary as also profitable for at Christians and had also gotten as much thereby as if the warres had continued he should he sent his Legates with letters into the west to all Christen kinges princes and potentates as also to the bishop of Rome declaring vnto them the circumstance and successe of his iourny and warres as partly ye haue heard Requiring theÌ„ that they also woulde praise and geue God thankes for his good successe and profitable peace concluded And desireth the Pope that for as much as he had now accoÌ„plished his promise neither that there was any cause now wherefore he should be with hym displeased that he might be reconciled and obtaine his fauor In the meane season the Emperour with all hys army marcheth to Ierusalem where vppon Easter day in the yeare of our Lorde 1229. hee was with great triumphe comfort of al his nobles and also the Magistrates of that kingdome onely the Patriarche of Cyprus the kings Legate and Oliuer the maister or captayne of the Temple with his company excepted solemnly and with great applause crowned king After this he rerdifieth the Citty and Walles thereof which by the Saracens were beaten downe and battered After that he furnisheth it with munition he buildeth vy the Churches and temples that were ruinous he fortifieth Nazarethum and Ioppen with strong garrisons vitaâ—e and all other thinges necessary Now see and behold I pray you whilest that Fredericke was thus occupyed in the kingdome of Ierusalem what practises the Pope had in Italy Not I warrant you any whit at all carefull in the affayres of the Christian commoÌ„wealth but studiyng and labouring what mischiefe and spite he might worke agaynst the Emperoure whom of a set purpose he had so occupied partly for hate and partly to enriche himselfe in Asia and Ierusalem so farre out of Italy ye may be sure First he caused the souldiours whiche the Emperour sent for out of Germany to the mayntenaunce of the holy warres to be stayde as they passed through Italy letting them of their iourney and tooke from them and spoyled them of all such prouision as they had And not onely this but he sent secretly also hys letters into Asia to those that were of his owne facâ—ion that is to the Patriarche of Ierusalem and souldiors that kept the temple and the hospitall intising and inciting theÌ„ to rebell agaynst the Emperour whiche thing Blondus himselfe that Popish Parasite or historiographer dissuâ—uleth or hideth not But that he furthermore disswaded the princes of the Saracens that they should make no league nor take any truce with Fridericke neither deliuer vp vnto hym the Crowne and Kingdome of Ierusalem Whiche letters as they were manifest testimonyes of his trecherie and treason towardes him whom God had instituted and made his liege Lord and soueraigne and mightiest potentate vpon earth so was it hys will that he should come to the knowledge therof and that those letters shoulde fall into his handes And that he kept the same letters for the more credible testimony thereof in the same his last Epistle vnto the Christian Princes he proresteth The copy of which letter amongest his other Epistles you shall haue expressed Neither were the Popes letters written to that leauened secte and factious in vayne For the Patriarche and his Collegioners which tooke their name of the Temple did mightely repugne agaynst Fredericke They raysed a tumult in Ptolomaida agaynst him they accused him and his Legates openly of treason and did malipartly boldly wtstand the right worthy and good order he made amongest them But as God would by the helpe of the inhabitantes of Pisa and the Genowayes and the Dutch souldiours both their false accusations were refelled and also their seditious purpose tumult expressed And thys was the cause that when all other men reioyced and were glad of the Emperours coronation they as wicked confederatours were heauy therefore and obtrectours of hys worthy laud and fame The Pope when he had thus conspired agaynst Fredericke and had betrayed him to the publicke enemy of all Christen men the Turke he coulde
the same snare of seruitude with the Bishop of Rome And further he gaue them to wit that if he should aspire to that hee sought for that is to be an Emperour and King ouer kings yet should that be no stay of his insatiable desire but would be as greedy and rauenous as nowe he is Therefore if they be wise to withstand him betimes least hereafter whē they would it should be to late neither were able to wtstand his tyrāny The effect of this Epistle I toke out of Auētine which more largely dilateth the same who also wryteth that the Emperour by his legates sent the same to Wenseslaus Boiemus somewhat relenting at this letter promiseth to accomplish the Emperors biddings and precepts and forthwith gathereth the assembly of princes and nobles at Aegra where by commō consent they thinke to renouate with the Emperour a newe league and couenaunt And furthermore they finde Otho Boius which was absent and wold not be at this their assembly to be the author of this defection and an enemy to the common weale Otho then seing himself not able to stand against Cesar and the other Princes with whome he was associate desiring aid of the Pope by his letters came with all speede to Boiemus his kinsman whome when he coulde not perswade vnto him againe neither he would vnto their parts also be wonne obtaineth notwithstanding yet thus much at their hands that the league and couenant which they were in hand to make with the Emperor might for a time be deferred and that another assembly might be made whereat he also would be and ioyne himself with them Thus had they who killed as you heard his father bewitched also his sonne and brought him to be both a rebell and traytor In the meane season the Pope sent his rescript vnto the king of Boiemia and to Otho tending to this effect that in no case they shuld either forsake him or els the church to take the Emperours part And so much preuailed he by the meanes of Bohuslaus and Budislaus which were the chiefest of the Senate regal and by his faire promises and bribes to such as hee before had made to him that againe at Libussa by Boiemus and Boius newe assemblies were gathered for the creation of a new Emperor in despite of Augustus the Emperour Cesar his sonne And whilest that this was thus in hand Cōradus Cesar casteth Landshuta the wife of Otho being absent in the teeth for great benefite possessions which her husband had and possessed by the aunciters of him and that vnlesse her husbād tooke a better way with himselfe and shewed his obedience to the Emperour his father that he should not enioy one foote of that lande which nowe he had by his predecessours The promotion and dignities which Otho had by the aunciters of Conradus Cesar came thus Fredericus Barbarossa in the yeare of our Lord 1180. at a Parliament holdē at Reginoburgh condemned Henricus Leo of high treason and depriued him of his dominions of Boiora and Saxonie and gaue Boiora to Otho Wiltespachius for that hee had done him so faithful seruice in his Italian warres After that Ludouicus the sonne of this Otho obtained of this Emperour Fredericus the seconde in recompence of his assured and trustie fidelitie the dition of Palatinatum Rheni so called which gaue also Agnetes the daughter of Henry Earle of Palatine to Otho hys sonne in marriage This Henrie was the sonne of Henry Leo the traitor vnto whom Henry the 6. the father of Frederick gaue in mariage Clementia his brothers daughter Cōradus Palatine of Rhenus gaue vnto him the keeping of the palace of the same And as touching the inheritaunce of Boiora that hee had also long now possessed by the heires of Otho Wiltespachius But to our purpose againe At the same time also the gouernor of Colonia Agrippina reuolteth to the Pope who not long after in a skirmish beweene Brabantinus him was vanquished and taken prisoner And doubtles Fredericus Austriacus after he was receiued into fauour againe with the Emperor keeping most constantly his promise and fidelitie renued during this time made sharp warre vpon the Ungarians which tooke part with the Pope greatly annoyed them As these things thus passed in Germanie the Emperour when he had gotten Ascalum and led his hoste into Flamminia hauing Rauenna at his cōmandement from thence came to Fauentia which citie neuer loued the Emperour the circuite of whose walles is 5. miles in compasse pitched his campe rounde about the same And although the siege was much hindered by austeritie of the time weather being in the dead time of winter yet notwithstanding through his great fortitude and courage so animating hys souldiours in the painfulnesse of the laborious siege he indured out the same who thought it no little shame hauing once made that enterprise to come from thence without any assault geuen And therfore when nowe the winter so extreme cold hard was wel neare ended and the spring time now hard at hand and by long battery had made the same in diuers places sautable The citizens being greatly discouraged in no hope of the defence therof sent their Legates to the Emperor crauing pardon for their offence and that he would graūt vnto them their liues and so yelded themselues vnto his mercy The Emperour hauing against them good and sufficient cause of reuenge yet for that his noble heart thought it to be the best reuenge that might be to pardon the offence of vanquished men hee thought it better to graunt them their requests to saue the citie and citizens therof with innumerable people then by armes to make the same his soldiours pray to the destruction both of the Citie and great number of people therein So doth this good Emperor in one of his Epistles Adacta nobis confesse himself which Epistle to declare the lenitie and merciful heart of so worthy a prince if that with great maruellous prouocation and wrongs he had not bene incited I thought good in the middest of history heere to haue placed But thus I haue kept you long herein and yet not finished the same In this siege the Emperour hauing spent and consumed almost all his treasure both gold and siluer caused other money to be made of leather which on the one side had his Image on the other side the spreade Egle the armes of the Empire and made a proclamation that the same shuld passe from man to man for all necessaries in steade of other money and therwithal promised that whosoeuer brought the same money vnto hys Eschequer when the warres were ended he would geue them golde for the same according to the value of euery coyne limitted which thing afterward truely and faithfully he performed as all the hystoriographers do accord Thus when the Pope as before is sayde had stopped his cares and woulde not heare the Emperours Legates
that came to intreat for peace but reiected and despised his most courteous and equal demaundes neither yet had left any wily pollicy vnattempted or force vnpractised that with his confederates he thought himself either able to reuenge or els resist Hee by his Legates calleth to a Councell at Rome all such Prelates out of Italy Fraunce and England as he thought to fauor him and his proceedings that hereby as his last shift and onely refuge he by their helpes might depriue Fredericke of his Empire as an vtter enemie to God and to the Church All which things Fredericus hauing vnderstanding of knowing that these assemblies shuld be but to the destruction supplanting of him determined to stop and let their passages to Rome as wel by sea as by lande in all that euer he might So that all the passages by land being now stopped preuented he commanded his sonne Henry with certaine gallies to goe and keepe the coastes of Sardinia which kingdom the Italians cal Entimum and from thence to Pisas and with the Pisans to rigge out a nauie to meete with if it were possible such as shoulde come to aide the Pope at Rome The Popes champions vnderstanding that by land they could not safely repaire to Rome they procured of Gallies and shippes of Genua hauing Gulielmus Graccius for their chiefe Capitaine or Admirall for fortie saile their defence thinking hereby that if they should fortune to meete with any of the Emperours ships or galleis which shoulde lye for them in wait they should be able to make their part in good and geue them also the repulse Encius in like maner and Huglinus being Captaine and admirall of the Pisan nauie for the Emperour launched foorth to sea with 40. ships and gallies and betwixt the Iles of Lilium and Mons Christi which lie betweene Liburnium and Corsica they met with the Genewes ships and straightwaies fiersly began to grapple with them bourd theÌ„ in which sight at leÌ„gth were 3. of the Genewes ships with boulged and sonke and 22. taken and brought away with all the riches and treasure in them In these were taken 3. Legates of the Popes wherof were 2. Cardinals Iacobus Columna Otho Marchio Gregorius de Romania all cruell enemies against the Emperour and many other Prelates mor besides a great number of Legates and procuratours of cities with an infinite number of Monkes Priests beside of Genewes souldiours 6000. with diuers others Pandolphus Colonutius in describing the circumstances of the great losse and misfortune of these champions of the Pope by sea amongest the rest declareth that besides the great pray and bootie which the takers had from them they also founde many wrytings and letters against Fredericke which much holpe him in the defence of those causes wherein they had laboured against him The like mischance also almost about that time happened on the popes side by the Emperours soldieurs which lay in garrison at Ticinum thus There went forth vpon a time out of Ticinum into the borders of Genewes certaine bandes to geue them larums in the countrey which bandes the scuriers of Mediolanum where lay a great garrison of the Popes discrying tolde the Captaine of the towne that nowe a very opportune and fitte time was to geue an assault to Ticinum for that say they the greatest part are nowe gone a foraging Whereupon they immediatly calling together the captains and such as had charge set their souldiours in aray and marched forewarde to Ticinum And now when they were come almost thether the Ticinian bandes whome they thought to haue bene farre a foraging were returned and met with them fiersly gaue a ful charge vpon them who being dismaied at the sodennesse of the matter fought not long but gaue ouer and fled In which skirmish was taken besides those the were slain 350. captaines and brought prisoners into Ticinum with all their ensignes with them Newes hereof was brought to the Emperor not long after who then was remouing from the siege of Fauentia as ye heard to the citie of Gononium thinking to haue destroied the same But vpon the hearing of these good newes hee altereth his purpose and thinking to haue heereafter a more coÌ„uenient time therunto leadeth his army towards Rome and in the way he reconciled to him the Citie Pisaurum But Fanum for that the townes men shut theyr gates and would not suffer the Emperour to come in hee tooke by force and destroyed For the Emperour seing that neither by petition made to the pope nor yet by his lawful excusation be coulde doe any good with him thought that by his sodaine comming thether and with feare of the perill imminent he might be brought to some vniformitie caused to leaue of his accustomed pertinacie And although the Emperor was too strong for him yet for that he regarded nothing more then the publike tranquillitie of the Empire and that hee might then take the Tartarian warres in hand if he could by any meanes conclude he refused not so to intreate a peace with him as though he had bene both in force and fortune much his inferiour Whilest that this ruffle was betwixt the Emperor and the Pope Ochodarius the Emperour of the Tartarians his sonne with a great power prouision made and inuaded the borders next adioyning vnto him there wan Roxolanum Godolium Mudanum with dâ—uers other cities townes and villages destroying wasting burning the countreis al about killing and slaying man woman and childe sparing none of any sexe or age At whose sodeine inuasion the people being in such feare perplexitie hauing no citie no refuge nor aide to stande in defence for them were saine to leaue all that euer they had and disperse themselues into woodes and flee into marishes and mountaines or where soeuer any succoure els did offer it selfe to them And by this time the Tartarian hoste was come as farre as Uratislauia where Henricus of Polonia and the Duke of Silesia with their army met with them who for the inequality of the nomber smal strength they were of had soone an ouerthrow and almost all their souldiours being slaine they themselues were taken and put to the sword From thence they came to Morauia from thence to the kingdome of Boiemia which Countrey while the king kept himselfe in strong defenced fortes and durst not come abroade he inuaded destroied all Ungary putting to flight and vanquishing Colmannus the brother of Belus the 4. king of Ungary by whome also was great spoyle made in both the Pannonias Mesiarum Bulgaria and Seruia wheÌ„ Belus the king of Ungary had gotteÌ„ to Pola which is a citie of Histria vnto Otho the duke of Dalmatia He sent his Legates to Fredericke the Emperour promising that if he would send him aid that the Tartarians might be expelled that Ungary shoulde euer after be vnder the iurisdiction of the Emperour which
1255. in the month of August Ex Gualt Gisburn At length the childe being sought found by the mother being cast in a pit 32. of those abhominable Iewes were put to executioÌ„ wherof Mathew Paris reciteth a long storie The same or like fact was also intended by the like Iewes at Norwich 20. yeres before vpon a certaine childe whom they had first circumcised deteined a whole yere in custodie intending to crucifie him for the which the Iewes were sent vp to the tower of LoÌ„don of whom 18. were hanged the rest remained long in prison Ex Cestrens lib. 7. Of this wicked Iewish people I find also in the boke of Flor. hist. that about this yere of our Lord 1255. they began first to be expelled out of Fraunce by the commaundement of the French king being then in Palestina warring against the Turkes By the occasion that it was obiected then by the Turke against him and other Christian princes for the reteining the Iewes amoÌ„gst theÌ„ which did crucify our sauiour and warring agaynst them which did not crucifye him Ex Flor. Hist Of these Iewes moreouer king Henry the same yere 1255. exacted to be geuen vnto him 8000. markes in paine of hanging Who being much agreued therwith complayning that the king went about their destruction desired leaue to be geuen theÌ„ of the king that they might depart the realm neuer to returne agayne But the king committed the doing of that matter vnto Earle Richard his brother to enforce them to pay the mony whether they would or no. Moreouer of the same Iewes mention is made in the story intituled EulogiuÌ„ Of the Iewes in Northhampton who had amoÌ„g theÌ„selues prepared wilde fire to burn the city of LondoÌ„ For the which diuers of theÌ„ were takeÌ„ burned in the time of Lent in the said city of NorthhamptoÌ„ which was 2. yeres before about the yere of our Lord. 1253. Ex Eulogio And for so much as mention here is made of the Iewes I cannot omit what some English storyes write of a certaine Iew who not long after this time about the yeare of our Lord. 1257. fell into a priuy at â—uekesbury vpon a Sabboth day which for the great reuerence he had to his holy Sabboth would not suffer himselfe to be plucked out And so Lord Richarde Earle of Glocester hearing thereof would not suffer him to be drawne out on sonday for reuerence of the holy day And thus the wretched superstitious Iew remaining there till Monday was found dead in the dong And to note the blinde superstitioÌ„ of that time not only among the Iewes but also among the christians to omit diuers other storyes as of Walter Gray Archbish. of Yorke who comming vp to the ParliameÌ„t at LondoÌ„ an 1255. with vnordinate fasting did so ouercharge nature pyned himselfe as the story meÌ„tioneth did so drye vp hys braine that he losing therby all appetite of stomack going to Fulham there within 3. dayes died as in the compiler of Flor. Hist. is both storyed and reprehended Let this also be adioyned which the forenamed author and in the same yere is recorded of one named Peter Chaceporce who diyng in FrauÌ„ce an 1255. left in bequest of his testameÌ„t 600. marks for lands to be purchased to the house of MertoÌ„ for God to be serued there perpetually pro anima eius omnium fideliuÌ„ i for his soules health and all faythfull soules As who would say Christian fayth were not the ordinary meanes sufficient to saluation of faythfull soules without the quire seruice of the Monkes of Merton Ye haue heard it often complained before how the vsurped power of the Pope hath violeÌ„tly and presumptuously encroched vpon the Church of England in geuing conferring benefices and prebends to his Italians and strangers to the great damage and ruine of Christes flock manifold waies This violent iniury oppression of the Pope as by no lawfull and gentle meanes could be reformed so by occasion meanes inordinate about this time it began somwhat to be brideled The matter whereof was this as it is in the collector of Flor. Hist. recited In the dayes of the raigne of this king 44. The Byshop of London named Fulco had geuen a certaine prebende in the Church of S. Paul to one master Rustandus the Popes messenger heere in Englande Who entring into the profession of the graâ—e friers shortly after dying on the other side of the sea the Pope immediatly conferred the sayd prebend to one of his specials a like straunger as the other was before About the same instant it befel that the bishop also of London deceased wherby the byshoprick now vacant fell into the kings handes Who hearing of the death of the forenamed Rustandus gaue the sayd prebendship geuen of the Pope before to one Iohn Crakehale his vnder treasurer Who with all solemnitie tooke his installation vnknowing as yet that it was bestowed of the Pope before It was not loÌ„g after as time grew but this being noised at Rome forthwith commeth downe a certaine Proctor named Iohn Gras wyth the Popes embulled letters to receaue the collation of the benefice by his commission procuratory geuen by the Pope wherin Iohn Crakehale had bene already installed as is aforesaide by the kings donation This matter comming in trauise before Boniface Archbishop of Cant. hee inquiring and searching which donation was the first finding the popes graunt to be the former gaue sentence with him against the king so that in conclusion the Romane clearke had the aduauntage of the benefice although the other had long enioyed the possession therof before Thus the popes man being preferred and the Englishman excluded after the partie had bene inuested stalled after the vse and maner hee as thinking to be in sure possession of his place attempted with the rest to enter the Chapter house but was not permitted so to do wherupon the popes clerke geuing place to force and number went toward the archbishop to complaine This being knowne certaine recluses pursued him and so being compassed about one in the thicknesse of the throng being neuer after knowne sodenly rushing vpon him a â—itle aboue his eies so pareth of his head yâ— he fell downe dead The same also was done to an other of his felowes in fleing away This hainous murder being famed abroad strait inquirie therof was made but the deede doer could not be knowen Although great suspition was laide vpon Crakhale the kings Chaplein yet no proofe could be brought But moste men thought yâ— bloudy fact to be done by certaine ruffians or other light persons about the City or the Court disdaining belike that the Romanes were so enriched wyth Englishmens liuings by whome neyther came relief to any Englishman nor any godly instruction to the flocke of Christ. And therefore because they sawe the Church and realme of England in such subiection and
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
you wtin these fifteene dayes you shall shew your selfe abroad if God permit vpon your horse backe whole and well as euer you were And according to the promise her made the prince it came to passe to the no litle comfort and admiration of all his subiectes When the great Souldan heard of and that the Prince was yet aliue he woulde scarsly beleue the same and sending vnto hym three of hys nobles and princes excused himselfe by them calling hys gods to witnes that the same was done neither by hym nor his consent Whiche Princes and messengers standing a loofe of from the kinges sonne worshipping hym fell flat vpon the ground You sayth the prince doc reuerence me but yet you loue me not But they vnderstoode hym not because he spake in Englishe vnto them speaking by an interpreter Neuertheles he honourably intreated thē and sent them away in peace Thus when Prince Edward had bene 18. monethes in Acra he tooke shipping about the assumption of our lady as wee call it returning houseward after 7. weekes he arriued in Sicilia at Trapes and from thence trauelling through Palestina and Mermes and so through the middes of Apulia till he came to Rome where he was of the Pope honourably entertayned From thence he came into Fraunce whole same and noble prowes was there much bruted among the common people and enuied of y◠nobillitie especially of the Earle de Chafōs who sent vnto hym and required him that he might breake a staffe with him at the Tilte in hys countrey whiche thing to doc for that the prince would not diminishe his honour and fame although he might haue well alledged a sufficient cause and excuse by meanes of hys trauell yet he would not but willingly consented therunto Wherupon it was proclaymed that Prince Edward by suche a day with those that were with him had challenged all commers at the Tilt Barriers Whereupon great assemblies were made in the country all about and diuers as well horsemen as footemen had coniured amongst themselues and conspired agaynst the Englishmen selling their horses and armour a forehand drinking one to an other in bon voiage of the spoile of them whom they would take as theyr prisoners Prince Edward in the meane tyme sent into England for diuers Earles and Barons whiche came vnto hym Whē the day appoynted was come the Prince had with him more then 1000. horsemen whiche were knightes besides hys footemen But yet there was as many mo on the other side both in horsemen and footemen When the parties should meete The French footmen whiche had before conspired began both to spoyle rifle and kill The Englishmen resisted defended thēselues both with bowes slings many of thē they slue draue them to the gates of their Citty the other they chased ouer a riuer where manye of them were drowned In the meane season the Earle with fiftie of his knights which followed him came forth and ioined together so many for so many and a lōg time together they tryed it with theyr swordes laying one at an other At the last the Earle perceauing himselfe not able to match with him at the armes end enclosed with him and taking him about the necke held him with his armes very straite What meane you my Lord sayth the prince thinke you to haue my horse Yea marry quoth that Earle I meane to haue both thee and thy horse Hereat Prince Edwarde being ascourued lifted vp himself and gaue him such a blow that therwithall he forsaking his horse hong stil about the Princes necke till that he shooke him off to the ground Herewith the Prince beyng somewhat in a heate lefte the prease to take some ayre thereby to refreshe himselfe But when he sawe the iniury of the Frenchmen towardes hys men and how they had slayne many of them he then said vnto them that they vsed rather the exercise of battayle then of Torny Spare you not therefore sayth he from henceforth none of them all but geue them agayn as good as they bring Thē they assayed to kill eche other freely on eyther part and let theyr swordes walke And when by this tyme the English footmen were agayne returned and saw the conflicte of horsemen and many other Englishmen ouerthrowne they put themselues amiddes the prease some pāching the horses some cutting a sonder the girthes of y◠Frenchmens saddels ouerthrew◠the ryders and gaue them holibread Then when the foresayd Earle was horsed agayn by some of his men amongst the throng Prince Edward also rushed in amongst the thickest coped agayn with him to whō he often spake and cryed that he shoulde yelde hymselfe as vanquished but that he would not doc Notwithstanding when his strength began to fayle hym he was fayn to yeld himselfe vnto a simple knight according as Prince Edward him bad and all the rest of hys horsemen Knights fled and saued themselues Howbeit many of them in that place were slaine and our men returned hauing the victorye But when after this they thought themselues to be quiet and at rest they were killed by two by three at once as they went in the streetes of the Citizens Which thing when the prince heard he sent for the Maior and Burgeses commaunding them to see the same redressed and that immediately for otherwise of hys knighthoode he assured them that vpon the morow he would fire the city and make it leuell with the grounde Whereupon they went theyr wayes and set watchmen in diuers places of y◠same to keepe the peace by whiche meanes the Prince and hys mē were in safety and quiet Thus in this pastime of Torneing and Barriers much bloud was spilte whereupon the name of the place was chaunged so that it is not called Torniamentum de Chalons but paruum bellum de Chalons From thence the prince came to Paris and was of the french king honorably entertained after certain dayes went from thence into Vascouia where he taryed till that he heard of the death of the king his father In the yeare of our 1272. died pope Clement the 4. After whom succeeded Pope Gregory the 10. who in the next yeare following whiche was the yeare of our Lord. 1273. called a general Councell at Lyons about the controuersie betweene the Greeke Church and the Latine Churche and for the vacancy of the sea Apostolicall c. ¶ Certaine Notes of other occurrents chaunced in forreine Countryes abroad within the compasse of yeares and raygne of the foresayd King Henry the thyrd HAuing thus accomplished the life and history of King Henry the third with such accidents as happened wtin this realm I thought good to adioine vnto the same some other foreine matters not vnworthy the note incident in other Countries during the tyme of the sayd king Namely from the yeare of our Lord. 1217. vnto this yeare 1272. which I thought the rather not to be
Margaret the daughter of our progenitour Henry the third at our Citty of Yorke in the feast of Christmas at whiche tyme the sayd Alexander dyd hys homage to our sayd progenitour who reigned in this Realme 56. yeares And thereford betweene the homage made by the sayd Alexander king of Scotland and the homage done by Alexander sonne to the sayd king of Scots to vs at our coronation at Westminster there was about 50. yeares At which tyme the said Alexander kyng of Scottes repayred to the sayd feast of our coronation and there did he his duety as is aforesayd ¶ Besides these letters of the king the Lordes temporall also in the name of the whole communaltie and Parliment wrote an other letter to the pope answering to that where as the pope arrogated to hym to be iudge for the title of the realme of Scotland whiche the king of England claymed to hymselfe whiche letter I thought also here to annexe contayning as in the wordes of the same here foloweth to be read and seene * The Lordes temporall and the whole Baronie of England to the Pope THe holy mother Churche by whose ministery the Catholicke fee is gouerned in her deedes as we throughly beleeue and holde proceedeth with that ripenes in iudgement that she will be hurtfull to none but like a mother would euery mans right to be kept vnbroken as well in other as in her selfe Whereas therefore in a generall Parliament called at Lincoln of late by our most dread Lord Edward by the grace of God the noble kyng of England the same our Lorde caused certayne letters receaued from you to be read openly and to be declared seriously afore vs about certayne businesses touching the condition state of the realme of Scotland We did not a little muse and maruaile with our selues hearing the meaninges concerning the same so wondrous and straunge as the like we haue not heard at any time before For we know most holy father and it is well knowne as well in this realm of England as also not vnknowne to other persons besides that from the first beginning of the Realme of England the certayne and direct gouernement of the Realme of Scotland in all temporall causes from tyme to tyme belonged to the kynges of the same Realme of England and Realme of Scotland as well in the times both of the Brittaines as also of Englishmen Yea rather the same Realme of Scotland of olde tyme was in see to the Auncetours of our foresayd Lordes Kynges of England yea and to hymselfe Furthermore the Kynges of Scottes and the Realme haue not bene vnder any other then the kynges of England and the Kinges of England haue answered or ought to aunswere for theyr rightes in the foresayd Realme or for any hys temporalities afore anye Iudge Ecclesiasticall or secular by reason of free preheminence of the state of hys royall dignitie and custome kept without breach at all tymes Wherefore after treatie had and dilligent deliberation of the contentes in your foresayd letters this was the common agreeing and consent with one mynde and shall be without fayle in tyme to come by Gods grace that our foresayd Lord the Kyng ought by no meanes to aunswere in iudgement in any case or shoulde bring hys foresayd rightes into doubt nor ought not to send any proctors or messengers to your presence specially seeing that the premisses tend manifestly to the disheriting of the right of the Crowne of Englande and the playne ouerthrow of the state of the sayd Realme and also hurt of the liberties customes and lawes of our fathers For the keeping and defence of whiche we are bounde by the duety of the othe made And we will mayntayne them with all power and will defend them by Gods helpe with all strength And farther we will not suffer our foresayd Lord the king to doe or by anye meanes to attempt the premisses being so unacustomed vnwont and not heard of afore Wherefore we reuerently and humbly beseech your holines that ye would suffer the same our Lord king of Englande who among other Princes of the worlde sheweth himselfe Catholicke and deuour to the Romishe Churche quietly to enioye hys rightes liberties ' customes and lawes aforesayde without all empayring and trouble and let them continue vntouched In witnesse whereof we haue set our seales to these presentes aswell for vs as for the whole communaltie of the foresayd Réalme of England Dated at Lincolne in the yeare of our Sauiour 1031. anno Edwardi primi 28. The yeare following which was from Christ an 1303. the sayd Pope Boniface the eight of that name taking displeasure with Phillip the Frenche king did excite king Edward of Englad to warre against him promising hun great ayd thereunto But he as mine author sayth little trusting the Popes false vnstable affection toward him well proued before put him of with delayes Ex Rob. Auesb. wherupon the French king fearing the power of king Edward whom the Pope had set agaynst hys friendship restored vnto him agayn Wascone which he wrongfully had in his hands deteined Concerning this variaunce here mentioned between the Pope and the French kyng how it begā first and to what end it fell out the sequell hereof Christ willing shall declare after that first I haue finished the discourse begon betweene England and Scotland In the yeare 1303. the foresayd Willa Waleys which had done so many displeasures to the king before continuing still in his rebellion gathered great multitudes of the Scottes to wtstand the king til at length the yeare following he was taken and sent vp to Londō and there executed for the same After which thinges done the king thē held his Parliament at Westminster whether came out of Scotland the Bishop of S. Andrewes Robert Bruse aboue mentioned Earle of Dunbarre Earle of Acles and Syr Iohn comming with diuers other The which volūtarily were sworne to be true to the king of England and to keep the land of Scotland to his vse agaynst at persons But shortly after the sayd Robert Bruse who as is sayd maried the second daughter of Earle Dauid forgetting his othe before made vnto the king within a yeare or two after this by the counsell of the Abbot of Stone and Bishop of S. Andrewes sent vp vnto Pope Clement the 5. for a dispensation of his othe made unsinuating to him that King Edward vexed and greued the realme of Scotland wrōgfully Whereupon the pope wrote vnto the king to leaue of such doinges Notwithstanding whiche inhibition of the Pope the king prosecuting hys owne right after he had the vnderstanding of the doings of the Scots of the mischiefe of Robert Bruys who had slayne with hys owne handes Syr Iohn Comyng for not consenting with him and other Lordes at hys Parliament areared his power strength of men preparing himselfe toward Scotlād where he ioyning with the said Syr Robert and all the power of Scotland in a
his assistaunts here assembled alledging the first Epistle of Peter the 2. chapter where he sayth Feare God honour the king By which wordes the holy Apostle S. Peter teacheth vs 2. things First that loue feare obedience is due vnto God for the mightinesse and puissaunce of his Maiesty saying Feare God Secondly how speciall honor reuerence is due to the King for the excellency of his dignity saying Honor the King But note you by the way how the Apostle placeth his woordes First he sayth that feare is due vnto God because principally and in chiefe we ought to feare GOD For if the King or any other should commaund things contrary to God we ought to haue no regard ther of but to contemne the King feare God For it is written in the 5. of the Actes of the Apostles we ought rather to obey God then men and also in the 7. chap. of Machabes the 2. booke where it is sayd I will not obey the commaundements of the king but the law The reason whereof S. Augustine geueth both in the glose vpon the Romaines also in the 11. quaest 1. He that resisteth the superiour power resisteth the will and ordinaunce of God But put case thou art commaunded to do that which thou maist not do or to do not that which thou oughtest to do Doubtlesse thou must neglect the lesser power and feare the higher learning the degrees of worldly thinges As for example be it so that a Proctour commaundeth thee any thing which if the same be agaynst the Proconsull thou oughtest not to follow it Yea and further put case the Proconsull commaundeth one thing the Emperour an other and God willeth the third Thou must not care for thē but obey God for God is the greater power For they may threaten thee with prison but GOD may threaten thee with hell fire they may slay and kill thy body but God may send thee body and soule to perpetuall hell fire And therfore worthely it is put first Feare God And here the place in the last of Ecclesiasticus is to be adioyned where it is written Feare God and keep his commaundements And me thinketh that man is boūd to feare God chiefly in three sorts That is to say First in the bountifull bestowing of his giftes and benefites Secondly in the euident promoting of his seruauntes And lastly in the full rendring and restoring vnto man that is his First I say in the bountifull c. and for this cause the Emperour Iustinian writeth although there is nothing to be accompted good which doth exceede and is to great yet for a prince to be stow accordingly vpō the church it is very good For why the king and Emperour is bound to bestow so much the more substaunce how much the more God hath geuen to him to bestow the same both franckly and especially to famous Churches wherein the best greatest measure is of the Lordes giftes that is a great gift And to this end Gregory enacteth a law cap. i. extra de donationibus that nobility ought in maner to prescribe this law to himselfe to thinke himselfe bound to geue whē he geueth freely vnlesse he increase in geuing still to think that he hath geuen nothing Wherfore Abell as appeareth in the 4. chapter of Genesis who offered of the best to the Lord was blessed of God And therefore other Kinges the more they offred to God the more they were both spiritually and temporally blessed of him As we read of Iosua Dauid Salomon other in the booke of the Kings and therefore it is so written in the 18. of Numbers And ye shall separate vnto the Lordes treasury thinges that be chiefest and most principall As likewise Dauid sayth in the first of Paralipomenon last chapter I haue geuen all this with a glad hart euen with a good will and now haue I had ioy to see thy people which here are present offer with a free will vnto thee And no maruell for Dauid sayth in that place For of thy hand we haue receiued all and to thee we geue And therefore it seemeth to me that because the Kynges of Fraunce and Barons of the same more then anye other hath geuen to GOD and his Church therefore they were happy and blessed aboue all other kinges and the more they did geue to God the more they receiued at hys handes Examples wherof we haue of Clodoue Charles and S. Lewes the more one geueth to God the more he receiueth of him For he in the 6. of Luke hath promised geue and it shal be geuen vnto you wherfore a gift that a Prince bestoweth vpon the Church is rendered agayne with triple encrease and that no lesse in time of warr then in time of peace I say in warre time because victory proceedeth of no other but onely of God for it is writtē in the 1. Machabecs the 3. Chapter The victorye of the battayle standeth not in the multitude of the boast but the strength commeth from heauen And likewise in the 17. Chapter of Exodus it is declared that when Moyses held vp hys handes Israell had the victory but when he let down his handes Amalec had the victory To this end also serueth the last chapter Machabes 2. where Iudas being at the poynt to haue the victory thought he saw Amon and Ieremy which had bene high Priestes and very vertuous men holding vp their handes toward heauē and praying for theyr people and all the whole Citye c. Likewise in peace time now the long dayes of the king and of hys sonnes their peace prosperity obedience by the prayer of the Church is mayntayned supported in the realme For as long as Salomon was bent and geuē in building the house of God so long he had peace who thus in the 16. chap. of the Prouerbes teacheth vs. when a mans wayes pleaseth the Lord he maketh his very enemies to be hys frendes And also in 1. Esdras 6. chapter where it is read how the Priestes were commaunded to offer sweet fauors to the God of heauen and pray for the kinges life and hys children And well therefore may it be called a gift both fauorable irreuocable wherby victory is geuen life graūted and peace with security conserued To serue therefore God liberally to geue toward the worshipping of him is the chiefest signe and token of diuine feare loue Eccl. cap. 2. O ye that feare the Lord beleue him your reward shall not be empty Secondly cōcerning the feare of God I do you to vnderstand that among the precepts of the Lord the first and chiefest commaundement of the second table is To honor thy father which precept is very well expoūded to y◠Hebrues in the 12. chapter where it is not onely ment of the fathers of our bodies but also of the father of spirites For as spirituall
proceeded betwene the Earles sister and the foresayde Peter albeit sore against the Earles mind Gaueston thus restored and dignified was so surprised in pride and exaltation more then euer before that he disdained derided al other whose rule power more more encreased In somuch that he hauing the guiding of all the kings iewels treasure coÌ„ueied out of the kings iewell house at Westminster a table a paire of tressels of gold vnto certain marchants beyoÌ„d the sea with other iewels â—o to his behoofe to the great impouerishing both of the king Quene and of the land And ouer all that brought the king by meane of his wanton conditions to manifold vices as aduoutrie and suche other like Wherfore the Lords seing the mischief that daily increased by occasion of this vnhappie man tooke theyr couÌ„sell together at Lyncolne and there concluded to voide him again out of England so that shortly after he was exiled againe and went into Flaunders for in Fraunce or hys owne country he durst not appeare for feare of Philip the French king to whoÌ„ the Queene of England hys daughter had sent ouer great complaintes of the sayd Gaueston who had so impouerished her the whole Court that she had not wherewith to maintaine her state Uppon whych complaint the French king through al his dominioÌ„s layd strait watch to apprehend the sayd Gaueston but he not vnwarned thereof secretly coasted into Flaunders from wheÌ„ce it was not long but he was fet againe by the king as in further processe followeth so much was the kinges hart infatuated by this wicked person About this yeare or the next before came in first the crowched Friers And also began first the knightes of the order of S. Iohn Baptist otherwise called the knights of Rhodes for that they by manly knighthood put out the Turkes from the Isle of Rhodes In the history of king Edward this kinges father before precedent mention was made of Pope ClemeÌ„t the 5. who succeeded after Benedict also of putting down of the templaries which in this yeare hapned by the meanes of the French king who as he caused to be burned in the City of Paris this yeare 54. TeÌ„plaries with the great maister of the same order so by his procurement the foresayd Pope Clement called a Councell at Uienna where the whole order and sect of Templaries being coÌ„demned was shortly after by the consent of all Christen kinges deposed all in one day After whome the Frenche king thought to make his sonne king of Ierusalem and to conuert to hym all the landes of the sayd Templaries But Clement the Pope would thereto not agree transferring all their lands to the order of hospitulers for the great summe of money geuen for the same The cause why these impious Templaries were put downe was so abhominable and filthy that for the reuerence of chaste eares it were better not told if it be true that some write An other matter worthy to be noted of like abhomination I thought here to inserte touching a certayne Noonery in Fraunce called Prouines within the which at the clensing and casting of a fishpond were found many bones of young children and the bodyes also of some infantes as yet whole vnconsumed vpon occasion whereof diuers of the Nunnes of the sayd Nunnery to the nuÌ„ber of 27. were had to Paris and there imprisoned what became of them afterward I finde not in mine author Arpontacus Burdegalensis In the the same Counsell also was decreed by the sayd Clement that all religious orders exempted shold be subiect vnder the common lawes as other were But Cistercian Monkes with mony and great giftes redeemed their priuileges and exemption of the pope and so had them grauÌ„ted Tho. Wals. These Cistercians sped better herein then did the Minorites of FranciscaÌ„s in theyr suite Of the whiche Franciscans when certayne of them had offered vnto the sayd Pope Clement 40. thousand florences of gold beside other siluer that the Pope woulde dispence with them to haue landes and possessions agaynst their rule the Pope asked them where was that money They aunswered in the marchant mens hands So the space of three dayes being geuen theÌ„ to bring forth these marchants the P. absolued the marchaunts of their bond made to the Fryers and commaunded all that money to be imployed and reuerted to hys vse Declaring to the Fryers that he would not infringe or violate the rule of S. Frauncis lately canonised neither ought he to do it for any money And thus the beggerly riche Fryers lost both their money and theyr indulgence Ex eodem autore Concerning this pope Clement the 5. Sabellicus writeth that he excommunicated the Uenecians for ayding and preferring of Azoda vnto the estate of Ferrary and wrote his letters throughout all Europe condemning them as enemies of the Church and geuing their goods as a lawfull pray vnto all men which caused them to sustaine great harme But Frauncis Dandulus a Noble man of Uenice being Embassadour from the Uenecians to the sayd Clement for the obtayning of their absolution and safegard of their Citty and country and for the pacifying of the popes fury toward them was fayne so to humble himselfe before this proud tyrannicall Prelate that hee suffered a chaine of yron to be tyed about hys neck and so he lye down flat before his table and so to catch the bones fragmentes that fell from his table as it had bene a dog till the Popes fury was toward them asswaged So that after that he in reproche because he so humbled himselfe for the behalfe and helping of his country was of some called a dog But the Citty of Uenice shewed themselues not vnkinde agayn to Dandulus for hys gentle good will declared to his country For as he had abased himselfe before the vile and ignominious condition of a dog for his Countries sake so they extolled him with as muche glory agayne being returned home decking and adourning him after the best aray with the chiefe princely ornamentes of the Citty to make him amendes for his former reproch receaued Sabel Ennead 9. li. 7 Concerning the Constitutions of this pope Clement and of his decretals and Clementines and how Henricus the Emperour in his dayes was poysoned in receauing of the Sacrament ye haue heard before About this tyme Robert Winchelsey Archbishop of Canterbury whoÌ„ thys kinges father had banished before was released and returned home from Rome Those thinges thus declared let vs proceede by the Lordes grace to the next yeare which is of the Lord. 1311. the fifth yeare after this kings raygne In the which yeare compting the yeare from Michelmasse to the same feast agayne as then the vsage of the Realme was Peter Gaueston who had wandred the countryes about could finde no safe resting place notwithstanding he was vtterly banished vpon forfeiting life and goodes out of the realm yet trusting vpon the kinges
to 922. li. 5 s. 11. d. besides the valuation of other riches and treasure within the Abbey which cannot be esteemed The Abbot all this space was at London in the parliament by whose procurement at length such rescue was sent down that 24. of the chiefe of the towne submitting theÌ„selues were committed to warde 30. cartes full of the townesmeÌ„ were caryed to Norwiche of whome 19. were there hanged diuers were put to conuict prison The whole tounship was condemned in seuen score thousand pound to be payd for damages of the house Iohn Berton AldermeÌ„ W. Herlng wâ—i 32. priests 13. women 138. other of the sayd town were outlawd Of whoÌ„ diuers after grudging at the Abbot for breaking promise with theÌ„ at London did confederate themselues together priuily in the night coÌ„ming to the mannour of Cheninton where the Abbot did lye brast open the gates who then entring in first bounde all his familie after they had robbed al his plate iewels and mony they tooke the Abbot and shaued him secretly with them conueyed him away to London where they remouing him from street to streete vnknowne from thence had him ouer Thames into Kent at length ouer yâ— sea they serried ouer to Dist in Brabante where they a sufficient tyme kept him in much penury misery and thraldome till at length the matter being searched they were all excommunicate first by the archb of Cant. then by the pope And at last being known where he was by his friends was deliuered and rescued out of the theeues handes and finally brought home with procession and restored to his house agayn And thus was that abbey with the Abbot of the same for what demerites I know not thus vexed and afflicted about this tyme as more largely I haue seene in theyr latine register But thus much briefly touching the rest I omit here about the latter end of this Edward the 2. ceaseth the history of Nic. Triuet and of Flor. Hist passing ouer to the raigne of the next king King Edward the 3. COncerning the acts story of K. Edward the 2. his deposing cruell death wrought by the false and counterfet letter of sir Roger Mortimer sent in the kings name to yâ— keepers for the which he was after charged drawne quartered I haue written sufficiently before and more peraduenture theÌ„ the profession of this Ecclesiasticall history wil well admit Notwithstanding for certayne respects causes I thought somewhat to extend my lunittes herein the more wherby both kings such as clune to be about them may take the better example by the same the one to haue the loue of hys subiects the other to learne to flee ambition not to beare themselues to brag of theyr fortune and state how hye so euer it be Considering with theÌ„selues nothing to be in this worldo so firme and sure that may promise it selfe any certayne continuance is not in perpetuall danger of mutatioÌ„ vnles it be fastened by God his protection After the suppression of this king as is aboue expressed Edward his soone was crowned king of England beyng about the yeare of 15. raygned the space of 50. yeares who was a prince of much and great temperance In feares of armes very expert and no lesse fortunate and lucky in all hys warres as hys father was infortunate before him In liberallitie also and clemeÌ„cy worthely coÌ„mended briefly in all princely vertues famous and excelleÌ„t Concerning the memorable acts of which prince doue both in warres and peace as how he subdued yâ— Scots had great victoryes by the sea how he conquered Fraunce an 1332. wan Calice an 1348. and trasâ—ated the staple thither tooke the French king prisoner how the French armes first by him was brought in conioyned with the English armes also how the order oâ— the Garter first by the sayd k. was inuented and ordayued an 1356. also an 1357. How the king in hys parliament at Notingham decreed that al such in Flaunders or other where that had skill in making cloth should peaceably inhabite the land and be welcome For 3. yeares before yâ— it was enacted that no wool shold be transported ouer the sea Which was to bridle the pride of that Fleminges who then loued better the sackes of wooll then the nation of EnglishmeÌ„ All these with other noble acts of this worthy Prince although in other chronicles be fully intreated of yet according to that order I haue begun saying somewhat of ech kinges raigne although not pertinent to our ecclesiastical history I haue here inserted the same making hast to other matters shortly compendiously abridging them out of diuers sundry authors together compacted mentioned in this wise The coronation and solemnity of K. Edward the third and all the pompe therof was no sooner ended but Robert of Bruse K. of Scotland vnderstanding the state and gouernment of the realme to be as it was in deed in the queene the yong king the Erle of Kent and sir Roger Mortimer And that the Lords and Barons as he was enformed did scarsely wel agree amongst themselues although he grew now in age and was troubled with the falling disease Yet thought he this a meet tyme for hys purpose to make inuasion Hooping for as good successe like victory now as but lately before he had at yâ— castle of Eustriuelin WherupoÌ„ about the feast of Easter he sent his Embassadours wyth Heralds and letters of defiance to the yong king Edward the 3. the Queene counsaile declaring that his purpose was with fire and sword to enter and inuade the Realme of England c. The K. Queene and counsaile hearing this bold defiance commaunded in all speedy preparation musters to be made throughout all the realme appoynting to euery band captaines conuenient at the citty of York by a day assigned them commaunding euery man to be with all their necessary furniture ready and throughly prouided They directed their letters also with all speede to sir Iohn of Heynault requiring him with suche souldiors and men at armes as he might conueniently prouide in Flaunders Heynalt and Grabant to meete the king and Queene vpon the Ascention day next ensuing at their Citty of Yorke The king Queene made speedy preparation for thys expeditioÌ„ The noble men prouided theÌ„selves of all things necessary therunto the English captaynes and souldiors theyr bands throughly furnished were redy at theyr appoynted time and place Sir Iohn of Heynalt Lord Bedmount mustring his men as fast was ready to take shipping where at Wysant in English Bothoms there lying for him redy he weÌ„t aboard and with a mery winde landed at Douer trauailing froÌ„ thence by small iournies dayly tyll he came wtin 3. dayes after the feast of Pentecost to the City of Yorke where the king and Queene with a great power of 6000. men within and about the City of Yorke expected his comming Before whome in curteous wise
Lord Chauncelour of England The historie intreating of this matter reporteth thus that the king had this time vnder him euil substitutes and couetous officers who atteÌ„ding more to their owne gain then to the publike honour and commoditie of the realme left the king destitute and naked of money Wyth whyche crime also Iohn Stratford Archbishop then of Caunterbury was vehemeÌ„tly noted and suspected whether of hys true deserning or by the setting on of other hereafter shall more appeare In so much that the king ardently incensed against him charged him with great falshode vsed against his person as by these his letters wrytten and directed to the Deane and Chapter of Paules against the sayd Archbishop manifestly appeareth the tenor of which letter here followeth vnder written Edward by the grace of God king of England and Fraunce and Lord of Ireland To his welbeloued in Christ the Deane and Chapter of the Church of S. Paul in London greeting in the Lord. IT is manifest by ancient hystories but more plainely appeareth by those which daily are practised amongest vs that many men abusing through pride the fauour of Princes and honour bestowed vpon them haue maliciously gone about to depraue the laudable endeuour of kings And nowe that the woordes which we speake may be more manifest vnto our subiects we suppose that neither you nor they haue forgotten that we being established in our kingly throne in yonger yeres and coueting euen then to guide this our regal charge taken vpon vs with wholesome couÌ„sailes haue called vnto vs Iohn the Bishop of Winchester nowe Archb. of Cant. whom we supposed for his fidelity and discretion to excede others whose counsaile in matters appertaining vnto the health of our soule as in matters also respecting the augmenting and conseruation of our kingdome both spiritually temporally we vsed he was receiued of vs into all familiaritie Wee found in him also such humanity that he was saluted by the name of father and of all next vnto the king had in honour Now afterwards when by right of succession the kingdome of France shuld haue descended vnto vs and was by violent iniurie by the Lorde Philip of Valois holden from vs the said Archb. by his importune instancie perswaded vs to enter league of amity with the princes of Almanie against the sayde Phillip and to commit our selfe and ours vnto the hazard of warres promising and affirming that he woulde bring to passe that the reuenues of our landes and other helpes by him deuised shoulde suffice aboundantly for the maintenance of our said warres Adding moreouer that our only care should be for the furniture of strong and able souldiours such as were fit for the purpose and expert in warfare for the rest he himselfe would effectually procure for money conuenient to suffice our necessitie and the charges thereof Whereuppon entending great exployts we conueyed our army beyond the seas and with marueilous great charges as behoued we set forwarde we became also bound in great summes of mony making sure accompt of the aide aforesaid promised vnto vs. But alasse vnhappy is that man that reposeth confidence in mans deceitfull staffe of brittle reede wherunto as sayth the Prophet if a man leane it breaketh and pearceth the hand Thus being defrauded of our long looked for subsidie for very necessities sake we were constrained to take vpon vs importable charges of debts by grieuous vsurie And so our expedition being staied we were compelled to retyre into England desisting from our enterprises so valiantly begun Now when we were returned into England we laide before our Archbishop our manifold calamities and misfortunes before rehersed and thereuppon called a Parliament wherein the Prelates noble men and other the faithfull subiectes of our dominions graunted vnto vs a new subsidie of corne lambe wool c. besides the tenth graunted by the Cleargie which subsidie if it had bene faithfully collected and obtained in due time had greatly auailed for the expedition of our sayd warres the paiment of our debts and confusion of our enemies Our saide Archbishop promised diligently to do his endeuour as well in collecting the same as also in procuring other necessaries to serue to our purpose Wherupon trusting vnto these faire promises hauing all thinges in a readynesse both men and furnished ships we made saile towards Flaunders and by the way vpon the dangerous seas buckeled with our enemies sworne to the destruction of our English nation of whome we triumphed and were victors not by our merites their multitude farre exceeding ours but by the mercifull clemencie of him that ruleth both winde and sea Which being done we passed froÌ„ thence with a mighty power for the recouery of our right pitched our rentes neare vnto the puissant citie of Tornaye wheâ—e being deteined for a time in the siege therof wearied with continuall toyle our charges still encreasing awaiting with silence our promysed ayde day by day wee hooped from oure Archbyshoppe to receiue succoure in these our so great necessities At length being frustrate of all conceyued hope wee signified vnto our sayde Archbyshop and other his adherents by diuers messengers and sundry letters our great necessitie and perils which we were in for lacke of the sayd subsidie graunted vnto vs. We added also the vtilitie and honour which we sawe might be atchieued if we had receiued money in time All this notwithstanding we receiued from them no succour at all for that preferring their priuate businesse and proper commodities they cloked their slouth or rather as I may call it their fraude and malice with vaine excuses and painted glosing wordes like vnto the deceitful which as saith Esay vse to deride with these words Manda remaÌ„da c. By meanes whereof alasse for sorrowe it came to passe that whiles good hope of subduing our ennemies gratiously smiled vppon vs we were constrained penurie preuailing against vs to take truce to our shame the hinderance of our expedition and no smal reioysing of our euil willers and so we returned into Flaunders all voide of mony oppressed with infinite debts neither had we in our treasuries wherewith to discharge our necessities nor yet to pay our soldiours wages in so much that we were compelled to enter into the deuouring gulfe of vsurie and to sustaine on our shoulders great burdens of debts heape vppon heape This being done our faithfull frends companions in warres and partakers of our tribulations came vnto vs with whome we consulted diligently by what meanes wee might best deliuer our selues from this dangerous storme of euill fortune They all agreed affirming certainely that the protracting of our warres and cause of our manifolde necessity happened vnto vs through the fault and negligence or rather the malice of the sayd Archb. vpon whose discretion the disposition of the whole kingdome seemed to depend and other officers whom we had adioyned in counsail with him touching the affaires of our kingdome vehemently swearing and murmuring amongst themselues
for that we had left so long vncorrected the insolencie of the byshops and other officers that if remedy in these cases were not had with spede they wold withdrawe themselues from our allegeance and the couenaunt which they had sworne vnto to the vtter subuersion of our kingdome our perpetuall ignominie and the euerlasting shame of our English nation which God our most mercifull father forbid shoulde come to passe in our daies in whom is fixed immoueably the anchor of our hope Whereuppon entending the due correction of our officers we remoued from offices as semed good to our wisdome diuers persons whom we suspected in causes euidēt of euil administration of iustice of subuersion and oppressiō of our subiects of corruption of bribes and other hainous offences Others also of inferiour degree offending in the premisses we caused to be deteined in safe custody least by their liberty iustice might be troden vnder foote and the inquisition of the trueth concerning the premisses not to come to light Forasmuche therefore as the knowledge of the trueth in these cases might of none more certainly be knowen then from the secrete brest of our sayd Archbishop for that nothing pertaining to our information ought to lie hid from him vnto whome of so long a time had bene committed the administration of our whole common weale and summe of our businesse Wee sent vnto him our faithfull subiect Nicholas de Cantilupe with special commandement from vs all delayes set a part that he should forthwith make his personall appearance before vs at our City of London But he as one alwaies timerous as wel in prosperity as in aduersity and fearing where no feare was vntruely alleageth that some of our assistents had threatned hym and laid wait for his life if at any time he departed frō the Church of Cant. which God wee take to witnesse and a pure conscience wee neuer meant nor any of our assistents Wee suppose he touched thereby our Cousin although to all other aswell of the cleargy as comminalty through his malicious misdemeanors he was become odious Wherfore intending the safegarde of our subiects by letters or otherwise called before vs we appoynted our trustie and welbeloued Rasse Stafforde our Harbynger to offer vnto hym safeconducte and moreouer to present vnto him our letters patentes vnder our seale willing and commanding him therby againe personally to come before vs that we might be enformed what of so long a time hee had done touching the affaires of the kyngdome Wherunto contemning our commanndement gentle request he answereth that neither he wold in person appeare neither yet in any matter conferre wyth vs except it were in a full Parliament which for diuers reasonable causes coulde not then be called Thus may you see this archb whom our royal benignity had amplified wyth large honours admitted into all familiarity receiued into the bonde of vnnimitie and frendship vpon whome as on a father our whole hope did consist who so long as wee accomplished his will in all things pretended towardes vs a face of counterfet loue cloaked wyth dissembling beneuolence euen as though he had bene a louing father howe cruelly against reason he hath now forsaken vs requiting benefits with ingratitude oppressing his benefactour wyth the arrogancie of feare and finally according to the vulgare prouerbe rewarded vs as a horse in a satchell a Snake in a mannes bosome and fire cherished next the skinne rewardeth their receiuers When we were first exalted vnto the throne of our kingdome descended vnto vs by right of inheritaunce Gods diuine prouidence so working we thought and alwayes thinke it a detestable thyng to abuse so high authoritie but rather desire to gouerne wyth clemencie leuitie and moderation of iustice that peace of all men desired might firmely take place Neuerthelesse our sayde Archbyshop hath gone about to defame our innocencie and the fidelitie and diligence our faithfull counsailers prosecutours of true iustice openly declaring in hys letters patent and publishing abroade in diuers places that hee was oppressed by the kings power contrary to iustice the Clergy and comminaltie confounded and the church ouer charged wyth diuers grieuous taxes exactions He subtilly vsurped the name of a good pastour when in deede he was nothing lesse but rather as it should seeme by his owne cōfession and the common opinion had of him a very hireling He cloked his craftie subtilnesse with the zeale of defending the Churche although he hymselfe in very deede was the onely cause by his euill counsaile and craftie deuises of the tribulations of the same Hee also fained that not long agoe certaine wrytings were brought vnto him to be sealed containing in effect the defence and excusation of all such in generall that were violaters of the liberties of the Churche hoping thereby to defame the opinion had of vs and our faythfull counsailours to stirre vp sedition amongst the people and finally to withdrawe from vs the hearts of our nobilitie Hee gaue commaundement by hys letters that these things shoulde be proclaimed in all places of great resorte by diuers speciall articles contrary to his former order in his prouinciall Councel Wherefore respecting the integritie of our fame entending to preuent the malice of the sayde Archbishoppe and also to decline from vs the snares prepared for vs and ours wee haue thought good at thys present ouer besides those which before are rehersed amongst so many which wee omitte to declare vnto you some of hys peruerse and wicked actes When in our minoritie wee were constituted ouer our dominions hee caused vs through hys vnaduised counsaile and rash perswasion therby to winne excesiue fauour to geue away so many wastfull giftes and so many vnlawfull alienations that nowe by meanes thereof our treasury is cleane consumed the reuenewes of our Exchequer without all order dimished and he corrupted with bribes innumerable Oftentimes also without cause why when neither necessitie nor vtilitie so required onely through his perswasion wee forgaue diuers men great summes of money due vnto vs yea and the rents and reuenewes which ought to haue bene conserued for our necessitie and profite we applied to the vse of his frendes largely bestowing vppon such as euill deserued it Moreouer accepting aswell persones as money contrary to our minde and hys othe of fidelitie made vnto vs he admitted vnto publique offices throughout our dominions persones vnworthy neglecting those that had well deserued Many other things he rashly tooke in hand to the detrimēt of our state the hurt of our dignitie royall and no smal dammage of our subiectes by abusing his authoritie office committed vnto him But if he persist in his proude obstinacie and stout rebellion wee shall heereafter in conuenient time and place cause it to be more openly knowen willing and commaunding you to publish and cause to be published all and singular the premisses openly and distinctly in places where you shall thinke it
statute of prouision and premunire made in the 25. yeare of thys kynges dayes And let hym read in the statutes made in the parliamentes holden the 27 yeare and 38. yeare of hys raigne And vnder the same title of prouision and premunire shall finde the popes primacie and iurisdiction wythin this Realme more nearely touched and much of hys papall power restrayned In so much that who soeuer for any cause or controuersy in law either spirituall or temporal the same being determinable in any of the kyngs courts as all matters were whether they were personall or reall citations or other or should eyther appeale or consent to any appellation to be made out of the realme to the pope or see of Rome should incurve the sayd penaltie and daunger of premunire Diuers other matters wherein the Pope is restrained of his vsurped power authoritie iurisdiction within this realme of England are in the sayd titles and statutes expressed at large set forth who euer list to peruse the same which for breuities sake I omitte hastening to other matters About this tyme being the yeare of our Lorde 1370. lyued holy Brigit whom the Church of Rome hath canonised not onely for a saint but also for a Prophetesse who notwithstanding in her booke of reuelations which hath bene oft times imprinted was a great rebuker of the pope and of the filth of his clergie callyng him a murtherer of soules a spiller and a pyller of the flocke of Christ more abhominable then Iewes more crueller thē Iudas more vniust then Pilate worse then Lucifer hymselfe The see of the Pope she prophesieth shal be throwne down into the deepe lyke a mylstone And that his assister shall burne with brimstone Affirmyng that the prelates byshops priests are the cause why the doctrine of Christ is neglected and almost extincted And that the clergie haue turned the ten commaundementes of God into two wordes to wyt Da pecuniam that is Geue money It were long and tedious to declare all that she against them writeth Among the rest which I omytte let this suffice for all where as the sayde Briget affirmeth in her reuelations that when the holy Uirgine should say to her sonne howe Rome was a fruitfull and fertile field yea sayd hee but of weedes onely and cockle c. To thys Briget I will ioyne also Catherina Senensis an holy virgin which lyued much about the same tyme ann 1379. Of whome writeth Antoninus part historiae 3. Thys Katherine hauyng the spirite of prophesie was wōt much to complaine of the corrupt state of the church namely of the prelates of the court of Rome of the pope prophesying before of the great schisme which then folowed in the Church of Rome and dured to the Councell of Constance the space of xxxix yeares Also of the great warres ano tribulation which ensued vpon the same And moreouer declared before and foretold of this so excellēt reformation of religion in the Church now present The words of Antoninus be these After this Uirgine in her going to Rome had tolde her brother of the warres and tumultes that should rise in the coūtries about Rome after y◠schisme of the two Popes I then curious to know of thinges to come knowing that she vnderstood by reuelation what should happen demaunded of her I pray you good mother sayd I and what shall befall after these troubles in the Church of God And she sayd By these tribulations and afflictions after a secret maner vnknowne vnto man God shall purge his holy Church and stirre vp the spirit of his elect And after these thinges shall follow suche a reformation of the holy Churche of God and suche a renouation of holye Pastors that the onelye cogitation and remembraunce thereof maketh my spirit to reioyce in the Lord And as I haue oftentimes tolde you heretofore the spouse which now is all deformed and ragged shall be adorned and deckt with most rich and precious ouches and brouches And all the faythfull shall be glad and reioyce to see themselues so beautified with so holy shepheards Yea and also the Infidels then allured by the sweet sauour of Christ shall returne to the catholicke folde and be conuerted to the true Bishop and shepheard of their soules Geue thankes therefore to God for after this storme he will geue to his a great calme And after she had thus spoken she stayd and sayd no more Beside these aforenamed the Lord which neuer ceaseth to worke in his Church styrred vp agaynst the malignant church of Rome the spirites of diuers other good godly teachers as Matthias Parisiensis a Bohemian borne who about the yeare of our Lord 1370. wrote a large book of Antechrist and proueth him already come and noteth the Pope to be the same Which booke one Illiricus a writer in these our dayes hath promiseth to put it in print In this booke he doth greatly inuey against the wickednesse and filthines of the Clergy and agaynst the neglecting of theyr duety in gouerning the church The Locustes mentioned in the Apocalips he sayth be the hypocrites raigning in the church The workes of Antechrist he sayth be these the fables and inuentions of men raigning in the Church the Images fained reliques that are worshipped euery where Itē that men do worship euery one his proper Saint and Sauior beside Christ so that euery mā and City almost hath his diuers and peculiar Christ. He taught and affirmed moreouer that godlines true worship of God are not boūd to place persons or times to be heard more in this place thē in an other at this time more thē at an other c. He argueth also agaynst the cloisterers which leauing the onely and true Sauior set vp to them selues theyr Franciscanes theyr Dominickes and suche other and haue them for theyr Sauiors glorying and triumphing in them and fayning many forged lyes vpon them He was greatly and much offended with Monks friers for neglecting or rather burying the word of Christ and in stead of him for celebrating setting vp theyr own rules and canons affirming it to be much hurtfull to true godlines for that Priestes Monkes and Nunnes do account themselues onely spirituall and all other to be lay secular attributing onely to themselues the opinion of holynes contemning other men with al theyr politick administration the office as prophane in cōparison of theyr owne He further writeth that Antechrist hath seduced all Uniuersities Colleges of learned men so that they teach no sincere doctrine neither geue any light to the Christiās with theyr teaching Finally he forewarneth that it will come to passe that God yet once againe will raise vp godly teachers who being feruent in the spirite and zeale of Helias shall disclose and refute the errors of Antechrist and Antechrist himselfe openly to the whole world This Mathias in the sayd booke of
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
sitting together with the Archbishops other Bishops Before whome the foresayd Iohn Wickliffe according to the maner stode before theÌ„ to know what shold be laid vnto him To whome first spake the Lord Percy bidding him to sit downe saying that he had many things to answer to and therfore had need of some softer seat But the bishop of London cast eftsoones into a fumish chase with those words sayd he should not sit there Neither was it sayd he according to law or reason that he which was cited there to appeare to answere before his ordinary should sit downe during the time of his aunswere but shold staÌ„d Upon these words a fire began to heat kindle betweene them In so much that they began to rate and to reuile one the other that the whole multitude therewith disquieted began to be set on a hurrey Then the Duke taking the Lord Percies part wyth hasty wordes began also to take vp the bishop To whom the Bishops again nothing inferiour in reprochful checks and rebukes did render require not onely to him as good as he brought but also did so far excell him in this rayling arte of scolding that to vse the words of mine author Erubuit Dux quòd non potuit praeualere litigio i. that the Duke blushed and was ashamed because he could not ouerpasse the Bishop in brawling and rayling and therefore fell to playn threatning manasing that bishop that he would bring down the pride not onely of him but also of all the prelacie of Englande And speaking moreouer vnto him Thou sayd he bearest thy self so brag vpon thy parentes which shall not be able to helpe thee They shall haue enough to do to helpe themselues For his parentes were the Earle and countesse of Deuonshire To whom the byshop again aunswered that to be bold to tell truth his confidence was not in his parentes nor in any man els but onely in God in whoÌ„ he trusted Then the Duke softly whispering in the care of him next by him sayd that he woulde rather plucke out the Bishop by the heyre of his head out of the Church then he would take this at his hand This was not spoke so secretly but that the Londiners ouerheard him Wherupon being set in a rage they cryed out saying that they would not suffer theyr bishop so coÌ„temptuously to be abused But rather they woulde loose their liues then that he should so be drawen out by the heyre Thus that councell being broken with scolding and brawling for that day was dissolued before 9. of the cloke And the Duke with the Lord Percy went to the Parliament Where the same day before dinner a bill was put vp in the name of the king by the Lord Thomas Wostock and Lord Henry Percy that the Cittie of London shoulde no more be gouerned by a Mayor but by a Captayne as in times before And that the Marshall of England shold haue al the adoe in taking the Arestes within the said Citty as in other citties beside with other petitions moe tending to the like derogation of the liberties of London which bill being read standeth vp Iohn Philpot Burgesse then for the citâ—y saying to theÌ„ which read the bill that that was neuer seene so before adding moreouer that the Mayor woulde neuer suffer any such things or other arest to be brought into the citty with mo such wordes of like stoutnes The next day following the Londiners assembled theÌ„selues in a councell to consider among them vpon the Bill for chaunging the Mayor and about the office of the Marshall also concerning the iniuries done the day before to theyr Bishop In which meane time they being busy in long consultation of this matter sodenly and vnawares entred in the place two certaine Lordes whether to come to spy or for what other cause the author leaueth it vncertayne the one called Lord Fizwalter the other Lord Guy Brian At the first comming in of theÌ„ the vulgare sort was ready forthwith to flee vppon them as spies had not they made theyr protestation with an othe declaring that their comming in was for no harme toward them And so were compelled by the citizens to sweare to the city their truth and fidelity contrary to the which othe if they shoulde rebell contented to forfeit whatsoeuer goods and possessions they had within the citie This done theÌ„ began the Lord Fizwalter in this wise to perswade and exhort the Citizens first declaring how he was bound and obliged to them and to theyr Citty not for the othe onely now newly receiued but of old and ancient good will from his great graundfathers tyme. Beside other diuers dueties for the which he was chiefly bound to be one of their principall fautors for so muche as what so euer tended to their damage and detriment redounded also no lesse vnto his owne for which cause he coulde not otherwise chuse but that as he did vnderstand to be attempted against the publike profite and liberties of the Cittye he must needs communicate the same to them who vnlesse they with speedy circumspection do occurre and preuent perils that may and are like to ensue it would turne in the end to theyr no small incoÌ„moditie And as there were many other thinges whiche required their vigilant care and diligeÌ„ce so one thing therr was which he could in no wise but admonish them of which was this necessary to be coÌ„sidered of them all how the Lord Marshall Henry Percy in his place within himselfe had one in ward and custody whether with the knowledge or without the knowledge of them he coulde not tell this he coulde tell that the sayd Lord Marshall was not alowed any suche ward or prison in his house within the liberties of the Citty Which thing if it be not seeke to in time the example therof being suffered would in fine breede to such a preiudice vnto their customes and liberties as they shoulde not hereafter when they would reforme the iniurie thereof These words of the Lord Fizwalter were not so soone spoken but they were as soone taken of the rash Citizens who in al hasty fury running to their armour weapons went incontinently to the house of the Lord Percy where breaking vp the gates by violence they tooke out the prisoner burned the stockes wherein he sate in the midst of London Then was the Lord Percy sought for whome sayth the story they woulde doubtlesse haue slayne if they might haue fouÌ„d him With their bils and iauelins al corners and priuy chambers were searched beds hangings torne a sunder But the Lord Percy as God would was then with the Duke whome one Iohn Yper the same day with great instance had desired to dinner The Londiners not finding him at home and supposing that he was wyth the Duke at Sauoy in all hasty heat turned their power thither running as fast as they could to the Dukes house Where also
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
declared to him and to his brethren c. Furthermore forsomuch sayth he as it is so noysed through all the realme that there were certayn in the vniuersitie of Oxford which did hold and mayntayne conclusions as he called them heretical and erroneous condemned by him and by other lawyers and doctours of Diuinitie He therfore assigned the bishops of Saram Herford and Rochester with William Rugge then Vicechauncellour of the Vniuersitie of Oxford for belike Robert Rigge was then displaced as also William Berton and Iohn Midleton Doctors geuing them hys full authoritie wyth cursing and banning to compell them to search and to enquire with all diligence and wayes possible ouer all singular whatsoeuer eyther Doctors Bachellers or schollers of the sayd vniuersitie which did hold teache mayntaine and defend in schooles or out of schooles the sayd coÌ„clusions heretical as he called them or erroneous and afterward to geue certificat truely and playnly touching the premisses And thus for that day the assembly brake vp to the next and so to the next and the third being monday the 24. day of Nouember Ex. Regist. W. Courtney On the which day in the presence of the Prelates and the clergy in the chapter house of Saint Fâ—ideswide came in Phillip Repington otherwise called of the brethren afterward Rampington who their abiured the conclusions and assertions aforesayd in this forme of wordes as followeth In Dei nomine Amen I Phillip Repington Canon of the house of Leicester acknowledging one catholique and Apostolick sayth do curse and also abiure all heresie namely these heresies and errours vnder written condemned reproued by the decrees canonicall and by you most reuerend father touching which hitherto I haue benâ— dissamed condemning moreouer reprouing both them and the authors of them doe confesse the same to be catholically coÌ„demned And sweare also by these holy Euangelics which here I hold in my hand and do promise neuer by any perswasions of men nor by anye way hereafter to defend or hold as true anye of the sayd conclusions vnder written but do will stand and adhere in all thinges to the determination of the holy Catholicke Church and to yours in this behalfe Ouer and besides all suche as stand contrary to this fayth I doe pronounce them with their doctrine followers worthy of euerlasting curse And if I my selfe shall presume at any time to hold or preach any thinge contrary to the premisses I shall be content to abide the seueritie of the Canons Subscribed with mine owne hand with mine own accord Phillip Repington And thus the sayd Rampington was discharged who afterward was made Byshop of Lincolne and became at length the most bitter and extreme persecutor of this side of al the other bishops wtin the realm as in proces hereafter may appeare After the abiuration of this Repington immediately was brought in Iohn Ayshton student of Diuinitie who being examined of those conclusions and willed to say hys mynde aunswered that he was to simple and ignoraunt and therefore would not and could not answere any thing clearely or distincktly to those conclusions Wherupon the Archb assigned to him Doctor W. Rugge the Vicechauncellour and other deuines such as he required himselfe to be instructed in the mistery of those conclusions against the after no one who then appearing again after dinner before the archbishop and the Prelates did in like sort and forme of wordes abiure as did Repington before Of this Iohn Ayshton we read that afterwarde by Tho. Arundell Archb. of Cant. he was cited and condemned but whether he dyed in prisoÌ„ or was burned we haue yet no certainty to shewe This is certayne by the playne wordes of the chronicle of S. Albans that when the arch with his doctors and fryers â—ate in examination vpon this sayd Iohn Ashton in London the Londiners brake open the dore of the conclaue ipsumque Archiepiscopum in ciuitate sedentem impediuerunt cum processum fecissit contra IohanneÌ„ Ashton c. That is and did let the Archbishop himselfe sitting in the Citty of London when he woulde haue made processe agaynst Iohn Asheton an 1382. And thus muche of Iohn Asheton As touching Nicholas Herford during the time of this conuocation he did not appeare and therefore had the sentence of excommunication Agaynst which he put hys appeale from the archb to the king and his Counsaile The Archb. would not admit it but finding stayes and stoppes caused him to be apprehended and enclosed in prison Notwithstanding through the will of God and good meanes he escaped out of the prison returning agayn to his former exercise and preaching as he did before albeit in as couert and secret maner as he could Whereupon the Archbishop thundring out his boltes of excoÌ„munication agaynst him sendeth to al pastors and ministers willing theÌ„ in al churches and all festiuall dayes to diuulge the sayd his excommunication against him to al men Writeth moreouer and sendeth speciall charge to al and singular of the laity to beware that theyr simplicity be not deceaued by his doctrine but that they like Catholicke children will auoyd him and cause him of all other to be auoyded Furthermore not contented with this addresseth also his letters vnto the king requiring also the ayde of his teÌ„porall sword to chop of hys neck whoÌ„ he had already cast down See and note reader the seraphicall charitie of these priestly prelates towardes the poore redemed flock of Christ And yet these be they whiche washing theyr handes wyth Pylate say and pretend Nobis non licet interficere quenquaÌ„ It is not our partes to kill any man The copye of the letter written to the king is this The letter of the Archbishop to the king TO the most excellent prince in Christ c. William c. greeting in him by whom kinges do reigne princes beare rule Vnto your kingly celsitude by the tenour of these presentes we intimate that one M Nich. Herford D. of diuinitie for his manifest contumacie and offeÌ„ce in not appearing before vs being called at the day and place assigned therefore is inwrapped in the sentence of the greater curse publiquely by our ordinary authoritie And in the same sentence hath continued nowe forty dayes yet still continueth with indurate hart wickedly contemning the keyes of the Church to the great perill both of his soule and to the pernitious example of other For so much therefore as the holy mother the church hath not to do or to proceed any further in this matter we humblye desire your kingly maiestye to direct out your letters for the apprehending of the sayd excommunicat according to the custome of this realme of England wholsomely obserued and kept hetherto to the intent that such whome the feare of God doth not restrayne from euill the discipline of the secular arme may bridle and plucke backe from offending Your princely celsitude the Lord
13 chap. And thus by the testimony of all these places is he the chiefe Antechrist vpon the earth and must be slayne with the sword of Gods word and cast with the dragon the cruell beast and the false Prophet that hath seduced the earth into the lake of fire and brimstone to be tormented world without end If the city of Rome do allow his traditiōs and do disalow Christes holy commaundements and Christes doctrine that it may confirme his traditions then is she Babilon the great or the daughter of Babilon and the great whore sitting vpō many waters with whom the kings of the earth haue committed fornication and the inhabitants of the earth are become dronken with the wine of her harlotry lying opē to baudry With whose spiritual whordom enchauntments witchcraftes and Symon Magus marchaundises the whole roūd world is infected and seduced saying in her hart I sit as a Queen and widow I am not neither shall I see sorrowe and mourning Yet is shee ignoraūt that within a litle while shall come the day of her destruction ruine by the testimony of the Apoc. cha 17. Because that from the time that the continuall sacrifice was taken away the abhomination of desolatiō placed there be passed 1299. dayes by the testimonye of Daniell and the Chronicles added do agree to the same And the holy City also hath bene troden vnder foot of the heathen for 42. monethes and the woman was nourished vp in the wildernes vnto which she fled for feare of the space of the serpēt during 1260. dayes or els for a time times halfe a tyme which is all one All these thinges be manifest by the testimony of the Apocalips the Chronicles therto agreeing And as concerning the fall of Babilon aforesayd it is manifest in the Apoc. where it is sayd In one day shall her plagues come death lamentation and famine and she shal be burned with fire For strong is the Lord whych will iudge her And agayn Babilon that great Citty is fallen which hath made all nations to drinke of the wine of her Whoredome And thirdly one mightye Aungell tooke vp a myllstone that was a very great one and did cast it into the Sea saying with suche a violence as this is shall that great Cittye Babylon be ouerthrowne and shall no more bee founde For her Marchauntes were the Princes of the earth and with her Witchcraft all Nations haue gone astray and in her is there founde the bloud of the Sayntes and Prophetes And of her destruction speaketh Esay in the 13. chapiter And Babilon that glorious Cittye being so noble amongest kingdomes in the pride of the Caldeans it shall be that like as the Lorde did ouerturne Sodome and Gomorre vpside downe it shall neuer more be inhabited nor haue the foundation layde in no age from generation to generation Ieremy sayeth Your mother that hath borne you is brought to very great confusion and made euē with the ground And agayne The Lord hath deuised and done as he hath spokē agaynst the inhabiters of Babilō which dwel richly in their treasures vppon many waters thine ende is come And thirdly Drouth shall fall vpon her waters and they shall beginne to be drye for it is a land of grauen imagies and boasteth in her prodigious wonders It shall neuer more be inhabited neyther be builded vp in no age nor generation Verely euen as God hath subuerted Sodome and Gomorre with her calues Pardon mee I beseeche you though I be not plentiful in pleasaunt wordes For if I should runne after the course of this wicked world should please mē I should not be Christes seruant And because I am a poore man neyther haue nor cā haue notaries hyred to testifie of these my writings I call vpon Christ to be my witnes which knoweth the inward secrets of my hart that I am redy to declare the things that I haue writtē after my fashion to the profit of all Christen people to the hurt of no mā liuing am ready to be reformed if any mā will shew me where I haue erred being redy also miserable sinner though I be to suffer for the cōfession of the name of Christ of his doctrine as much as shal please him by his grace loue to assist me a miserable sinner In witnes of al these things I haue to this writing set that seale of our Lord sauior Iesus Christ which I besech him to imprint vpon my forehed to take frō me al maner of marke of Antichrist Amen ¶ These two suppositions as they are termed in the scholes written by Walter Brute and exhibited vnto the Bishop although they conteyned matter sufficient eyther to satisfie the bishop if he had ben disposed to learne or els to haue prouoked him to replye agayne if his knowledge therin had ben better thē his yet could they worke neither of thē effect in him But he receiuing perusing the same when he neither could confute that which was said neyther would reply or aunswere by learning to that whych was truth finding other by causlations said that this his writing was too short and obscure and therfore required him to write vpon the same againe more plainely and more at large Whereupon the said Maister Walter satisfying the Bishops request and ready to geue to euery one an accōpt of his faith in a more ample tractatiō renueth hys matter agayne before declared writing to the Byshop in wordes and forme as followeth REuerend father forsomuch as it seemeth to you that my motion in my two suppositions or cases in my two conclusions is too short and somwhat darke I wil gladly now satisfy your desire according to my smal learning by declaring the same conclusions In opening wherof it shall plainely appeare what I do iudge in all matters that I am accused of to your reuerence desiring you first of al that your discretiō would not beleue that I do enterpryse of any presumption to handle the secretes of the scriptures which the holy and iust wise Doctours haue left vnexpounded It is not vnknowen to many that I am in all points farre inferiour to thē whose holynes of life profoundnes in knowledge is manifold waies allowed But as for mine ignorance and multitude of sinnes are to my selfe and others sufficiently knowen wherefore I iudge not my selfe worthy to vnloose or to cary their shooes after them Do you therefore no otherwise deeme of me then I do of mine owne selfe But if you shal finde any goodnesse in my writings ascribe it to God only who according to the multitude of his mercy doth sometimes reueale those things to Idiotes and sinners which are hidded from the holy and wise according to this saying I will prayse and confesse thee O father for that thou hast hidden these thinges from the wyse and prudent and hast disclosed them to the litle ones Euen so O father
the infidelitie of their idolatrie to the fayth of Christ yet are they not conuerted to the perfection of the law of Christ And therefore did the Apostles in the primitiue Church lay no burthen vpon the Gentiles but that they shoulde abstaine from haynous thinges as from thynges offred to idols and from bloud and strangled and fornicatyon As touching this second comming speaketh Esay On that day the roote of Iesse which standeth for a signe or marke to the people to hym shall the heathen make theyr homage and supplication and hys sepulchre shall be glorious and in that daye shall it come to passe that the Lorde shall the second tyme put to his hande to possesse the remnant of hys people c. And he shall lift vp a token toward the nations and hee shall assemble the runnagate people of Israel that were fled and those that were dispersed of Iuda shall he gather together from the fower quarters of the earth And the zealous emulation of Ephraim shall be broken to peeces and the enemyes of Iuda shall come to nought Paule to the Thessalonians sayeth We beseeche you brethren by the comming of our Lorde Iesus Chryst and of our gathering together before him that you be not soone remooued from your vnderstanding neyther that you bee put in feare as though the day of the Lorde were at hand neyther as it were by letter sent by vs neither by spirite nor yet by talke Let not any bodye by any meanes bring you out of the waye or seduce you For except there shall first come a departyng and that the man of sinne the sonne of perdition shal be disclosed whych maketh resistaunce and is aduaunced aboue all thing that is called God or that is worshipped so that he doth sitte in the temple of God shewing hymselfe as if he were God Do ye not remember that whilest I was as yet with you I tolde you of thys and nowe you knowe what keepeth hym backe that he may be vttered in hys due tyme For euen nowe doth he worke the mysterie of iniquitie onely that he which holdeth may holde styll vntill he be come to light and then shall that wicked one be disclosed whom the Lorde Iesus shall slaye wyth the breath of hys mouth and shall destroy with the brightnesse of his comminge euen hym whose comming is accordyng to the workyng of Sathan in all power with signes and lying wonders and in all deceipfull leading out of the truthe towardes those that do perysh because that they receiue not hartely the loue of truth that they might be saued Christ being demaunded of the Apostles what should be the token of his comming of the end of the worlde sayd vnto them There shall come many in my name saying I am Christ and they shall seduce many Also he telleth them of many other signes of battayles famine pestilence and earthquakes But the geatest signe of all he teacheth to bee this When you shall see sayth he the abhomination of desolation staÌ„dyng in the holy place he that readeth let him vnderstand But Luke 21. in his Gospel speaketh more plainely hereof When you therefore shall see Ierusalem to be compassed about with an army then knowe ye that the desolation thereof shall drawe nigh And afterward it followeth And they shall fall by the face of the sword and shal be led away captiue to all nations and Ierusalem shal be troden vnder foote of the heathen vntill the tymes of the nations bee fulfilled Now in Daniel thus it is writteÌ„ of this matter And after 72. weekes shal Christ be slain neyther shall that be his people that will deny him And as for the Citye and Sanctuarie shall a people wyth his captayne that will come with them destroy the sayde Citie and sanctuarie and hys ende shal be to be wasted vtterly till it be brought to naught and after the ende of the warre shall come the desolation appoynted In one weeke shall he confirme the couenant to many and wythin halfe a weeke shall the offering and sacrifice cease And in the temple shall there bee the abhomination of desolation and euen vnto the end shall the desolation continue And els wherâ—â—n Daniel thus it is written From the tyme that the continuall sacrifice shal be offered and that the abhomination shal be placed in desolation there shal be 1290. dayes Nowe if any man will beholde the Chronicles he shal finde that after the destruction of Ierusalem was accomplished and after the strong hand of the holy people was fully dispersed and after the placing of the abhominatyon that is to saye the Idoll of desolation of Ierusalem wythin the holy place where the temple of God was before there had passed 1290 dayes taking a day for a yere as commonly it is taken in the Prophets And the times of the heathen people are fulfilled after whose rytes and customes God suffered the holy Citie to be trampled vnder foote for 42. monethes For although the Christyan Church which is the holy Citie contynued in the fayth from the Ascension of Chryst euen till thys time yet hath it not obserued and kept the perfection of the fayth all this whole season For soone after the departure of the Apostles the fayth was kept wyth the obseruatyon of that rites of the Gentiles and not of the rites of Moses law nor of the lawe of the Gospell of Iesus Chryst Wherefore seing that this time of the errour of the Gentiles is fulfilled it is likely that Christ shall call the Gentiles from the rytes of their gentilitie to the perfection of the Gospell as hee called the Iewes froÌ„ the lawe of Moyses to the same perfection in his first comming that there may be one shepefolde of the Iewes and Gentiles vnder one shepeheard Seing therefore that Antichrist is knowen which hath seduced the nations then shall the elecâ— after that they haue forsaken the errours of their Gentilitie come through the light of Gods word to the perfection of the Gospel that same seducer shal be slayne with the sword of gods worde So that by these things it doth partly appeare vnto mee why that at this time rather then at an other time this matter of Antichrist is moued And why that this motioÌ„ is come to passe in this kingdome rather then in other kingdomes me thinkes there is good reason because that no nation of the GeÌ„tiles was so soone conuerted to Chryst as were the Brytons the inhabitauntes of this kingdome For to other places of the worlde there were sent preachers of the fayth who by the workyng of miracles and continuall preaching of the word of God and by greeuous passion and death of the bodye dyd conuert the people of those places But in this kingdome in the time of Lucius kyng of the Brytons and of Eleutherius Byshop of the Romaines did Lucius heare of the Romaines that were Infidels by the waye of rumors and tales of the
and sanctuary shal a people with their Captain that shal come with them destroy whose end shal be vtter desolation and after the end of the war a determined destruction Now he shall in one weeke confirme his couenaunt towardes many and in the halfe weke shal the offring and sacrifice cease and in the temple shall there be an abhomination of desolation and euē to the fulfilling vp of all and to the end shal the desolation continue It is plaine manifest that this prophecy is now fulfilled For the people of Rome with their Captaine destroyed Ierusalem euen to the grounde and the people of the Iewes was slayne and scattered And the abhomination that is the Idol of desolation was placed of Adrian in the last destruction in Ierusalem in the holy place that is to say in a place of the tēple And from that time hetherto haue passed neare about 1290. dayes taking a day for a yeare as Daniel takes it in hys prophecies and other prophets likewise For Daniel speaking of 62. weekes doeth not speake of the weekes of daies but of yeares So therfore when he sayth From the time that the continual sacrifice was taken away c. 1290. dayes must be taken for so many yeares from the tyme of the desolation of Ierusalem euen vnto the reuealing of Antichrist and not for 3. yeares and an halfe which they say Antichrist shall raigne And againe whereas Daniel sayd How long till the ende of these marueilous matters it was aunswered him For a time and times and halfe a time Beholde also how vnfitly they did assigne this time by 3. yeares and a halfe which they say Antichriste shall raigne For when as it is sayde a time times and halfe a time there is a going downeward from the greater to the lesse from the whole to the part because it is from a time to halfe time If therefore there be a going downeward from the whole to the part by the middest which is greater then the whole it selfe the going downewarde is not meete nor agreeing And thys is done when as it is sayd that a time times and halfe a time is a yeare two yeares and halfe a yeare Wherfore more fitly it is sayd that a time times and halfe a time doth signifie 1290. yeares as is before sayde in the chapter preceding Thus therefore is the prophecie of Daniel falsly applied to that imagined Antichrist Likewise is the proces of the Apocalips applied to the same imagined Antichrist too much erroneously Because that the same cruell beast which came vp out of the sea hauing 7. heads and 10. hornes to whome there was power geuen ouer euery tribe people and toung and the power geuen for the space of 42. monethes Thys beast doth note thē Romaine Emperors which most cruelly did persecute the people of God aswell Christians as Iewes For whē as the condēnatiō of the great whore sitting vpon the many waters was shewed to Iohn he saw the same woman sitting vpon the purple coulored beast full of the names of blasphemy hauing 7. heads and 10. hornes and he saw a woman being dronken with the bloud of the Saintes and Martyrs of Iesu. And the angell expounding and telling him the mistery of the woman and the beast that caried her sayde That 7. heades are 7. hilles and are 7. kinges Fiue are fallen one is the other is not yet come when he shall come he must reigne a short time And the 10. hornes whiche thou sawest are 10. kinges who haue not yet taken theyr kingdome but shall receiue theyr power as it were in one hour vnder the beast And finally he sayth y◠woman whō thou sawest is the great Citty which hath the kingdome ouer the kings of the earth And it is manifest that the City of Rome at the time of this prophecy had the kingdom ouer the kings of the earth And this City was borne vp vpholden by her cruell beastly Emperors who by theyr cruelty and beastlynes did subdue vnto thēselues in a maner all the kingdomes of the world of a zeale to haue lordship ouer others and not vertuouslye to gouerne the people that were theyr subiectes seeing that they thēselues did lacke all vertue and drew backe others from the fayth and from vertue Wherfore what cruell beast comming vp out of the sea doth rightly note the Romain Emperors who had power ouer euery language people and coūtry And the power of this beast was for 42. moneths because that from the first Emperor of Rome that is to say Iulius Cesar vnto the ende of Fredericke the last Emperour of Rome there were 42. monethes taking a moneth for 30. dayes as the monethes of the Hebrues and Grecians are and taking a day alwayes for a yeare as commonlye it is taken in the Prophetes By whiche thinges it may playnely appeare how vnfitly this prophecy is applied to that imagined Antechrist and the 42. moneths taken for three yeares and an halfe which they say he shall reigne in agaynst the saying of the Prophetes because that dayes are taken for yeares As in the 1. of the Apocal. They shall be troubled 10. dayes Which do note the most cruel persecution of Dioclesian against the Christians that endured 10. yeares And in an other place of the Apocalips it is written of the smoke comming vp out of the bottomles pit Out of which pit there came foorth Grashoppers into the earth and to them was power geuen as scorpions haue power to vexe to trouble men 5. moneths Now it is manifest that from the beginning of the Friers minours and preachers to the time that Armachanus began to disclose and vncouer their hypocrisie and their false foundation of valiant begging vnder the pouertie of Christ were 5. monethes taking a moneth for 30. dayes and a day for a yeare And to Ezechiel were dayes geuen for yeares Wherfore it is an vnfit thing to assigne the 42. moneths being appoynted to the power of the beast vnto 3. yeares and a halfe for the reigne of that phantasticall and imagined Antichrist specially seing that they do apply to his reigne y◠1290. dayes in Daniel which make 42. moneths and in the Apocalips they assigne hym 42. moneths It is plaine that the Psalterie and the harpe agree not And therfore seing that it is sufficiently shewed that the same fabling tale of that imagined Antichrist to come is a fable and erroneous Let vs goe forward to declare whether Antichrist be already come and yet is he hid from many and must be opened and disclosed wythin a litle while according to the truthe of the holy Scripture for the saluation of the faithfull And because that in the first conclusion of mine aunswere I haue conditionally put it who is that Antichrist lying priuie in the hid Scriptures of the Prophets I will passe on the declaration of that cōclusion bringing to light those things whych lay hid in
that the foresayde William and Stephen beinge succoured by the aide of their factours or fauourers should not bee able to flye or escape to their accustomed starting holes and that the sharpnes of their paines so aggrauated may geue them sufficient cause to returne to the lap againe of their holy mother the church we strayghtlye charge and commaunde all and singular our Shrifes Bailifes Barones and al other our officers in the Citie and Dioces of Hereford in any other place being within our dominion of Wales by the tenour of these presentes that from time to time where they thinke it most meete they cause it openly to be proclaimed in our name that none of what state degree preeminence kind or other coÌ„dition he shal be of do cherish opeÌ„ly or secretlye the foresayd William and Steuen vntil the time that they repent theÌ„ of their heresies and errours and shal be recoÌ„ciled vnto the holy Church of God Neither that any person or persons be beleuers fauorers or receiuers defendours or in any case wittinglye instructours of the said William or Stephen or any other of the residue of the heretikes that are to be coÌ„uinced vpon the forfaiture of all that euer they haue And that also they geuing their attendance be obedient aunswerable to the foresayd bishop and his deputies in this behalfe for the execution of the premisses and that they certify vs and our counsel distinctly and plainly from time to time of the names of all and singular persons which shall fortune to be found culpable in this behalfe vnder their seales In witnes whereof we haue caused these out letters patentes to be made Witnesse our selfe at Westminster the ix day of Marche in the xv yeare of our reigne Farington ¶ An other letter of the sayd kyng agaynst Walter Brute RIchard by the grace of God kyng of England and of Fraunce and Lorde of Irelande To hys beloued and faythfull Iohn ChauÌ„dos knight Iohn Eynfore knight Renold de la Bere knight Walter Deueros knight Thomas de la Bare knight William Lucie knight Leonard Hakelute knight and to the Maior of the Citie of Hereford to Thomas Oldcastle Rich Nash Roger Wygmore Thomas Waylwayne Iohn Skydmore Iohn VpHarry Henry Motton and to the Shiriffe of Hereford sendeth salutations For asmuche as it is aduertised vs that one Walter Brute and other such children of iniquitie haue damnably holden affirmed and preached certaine articles and conclusions being notoriously repugnaunt against the holy Scripture of the which some of them as heresies and the rest as errours are finally by the Church condemned and that in diuers places within the dioces of Hereford and partes neare adioyning both priuely openly and obitinately which thing wee perceiue not onely to redounde to the subuersion in a maner of the Catholicke faith which as well we as other catholicke Princes ought of duety to maintaine but also to forewarne vs of the subuersion of our faithfull Diocesans And that the sayd Bishop vpon the good deliberation and aduisement of a great number of Doctours in Diuinitie and other learned skilfull men in the Scriptures of speciall deuotion according to his bounden duetie purposed to begin and make diuers and sundry processes by law to be sent vnto the foresayd Walter and hys accomplices to appere personally before him and other the Doctours aforesaid in the cathedrall church of Hereford the morow after the translation of S. Thomas of Hereforde next ensuing and to procede in the same place against the same Walter in the foresaide articles and conclusions for the amendement of his soule Now a fresh because that the sayd Walter and others of their retinue cleaning and confederating with him might not suffer condigne paines according to their demerites indeuour themselues to make voide and frustrate the sayde godly purpose of the same Bishop in such correction execution as should haue bene done and with force doe resist and let the same with all the power they may to the great contempt of vs and of our crowne and to the breaking and hurting of our peace and pernicious example of others Doe appoynt you and euery of you immediatly as soone as this our commission shall be deliuered vnto you in our behalfe and name to make open proclamation in the diocesie and partes aforesayde where ye shall thinke it most meete and conuenyent That no man be so hardy hencefoorth of what state or condition soeuer he shall be within the Dioces and partes aforesayde vpon paine of forfaiture of all that euer hee hath to make or leauie any conuenticles assemblies or confederacies by any colour or that they presume to attempt or procure any other thing wherby our peace may be hurt or broken or that the same Bishops and Doctors aforesaid may be by any meanes molested or let in the execution of suche correction as is to be done according to the Canonical sanctions and to arest all those which ye shal finde or take offending in this behalfe or that keepe themselues in any suche conuenticles And that they being committed to prison be there kept till you shall haue other commaundement from vs and our counsel for their deliueraunce And that ye distinctly and plainly certifie vs and our sayd counsell of all your doing in thys behalfe vnder your seales or else the seales of some of you And therefore we straightly charge and commaunde you and euery of you that ye diligently attende vpon the premisses and that in your deedes yee execute the same with all diligence and carefull indeuour in the forme and maner aforesaide And further wee geue straight charge and commaundement to all and singular Shriffes Maiors Bailiftes Constables and other our faithfull subiectes by the tenour of these presents that they be attending vpon you counselling and aiding you and euery of you as is meete and conuenient in the doing and execution of the premisses In witnesse whereof we haue caused these our letters patents to be made Witnesse my selfe at Westminster the 22. day of September in the 17. yeare of our raigne ¶ By the same King and Counsell Thus king Richard by the setting on of W. Courtney Archb. of Canterb. and his fellowes taking part wyth the Pope and Romith Prelates waxed something strait and harde to the poore Christians of the contrary side of wyckleffe as by these letters aboue prefixed may appeare Allbeit durâ—ng all the life of the saide king I finde of none expresly by name that suffered burning Notwythstanding some there were which by the foresaide Archbish. William Courtney and other Bishops had bene condemned and diuers also abiured and did penance as well in other places as chiefly about the towne of Leycester as followeth here to be declared out of the Archbyshoppes register and recordes At what time the saide Archbishop W. Courtney was in his visitation at the towne of Leycester certaine there were accused and detected to him by the monks and other Priestes
the people busied wyth such conditions wyt thou well that the firste sumnour warneth all the world that the day of reconing draweth towarde The second Sumnour that warneth all the world is elde or age of the world and hys feblenes and sheweth tokens fulfillyng But I know wel that we be nought suffisaunt to know the times other the whyles that the fader in trinitie hath put on hys owne power to shew certeinly the day yeere other houre of this dome sith this knowleche was hid fro the priuey Apostles of Christ and fro Christs manhode as to shew it to vs. Natheles we inough by authoritie of holy writ wyth reasons and expositions of Saints well and openly shew that thys day of wrath is nygh But yet least any man sey in hys hert as it is writen of solie baylies that they shall seien my Lord that is tarrieth to come to the dome and vppon hope hereof he taketh to smite seruauntes and hynen of God eate and drinke and make him dronk I shall shewe that this day is at the hond howe ny neuertheles can I not seie ne wole For if Poule sayd now for a thousand and three hundred yeer and passed moe we ben thilke into whome the endis of the worlde ben come much rather may we seie the same that been so much neere the end than he was Also S. Chrysostome sayth thou seest ouer all darkenesse and thou doutest that the day is go first on the valeyes is darknesse whan the day draweth downeward whan therefore thou seest the valeies I derked why doutest thou whether it be nigh euen but if thou see the sunne so lowe that derknesse is vpon the hilles thou wolt seie doutles that it is night Right so if thou see first in the seculers and the lewd christen men begynneth derknesses of sinnes and to haue the maistrie it is token that this world endeth But whan thou seest priests that ben put on the high toppe of spirituall dignities that shulden be as hilles abouen the commune people in perfit liuing that derknesse of sinnes hath taken them who douteth that the world nis at the end And also Abbot Ioochim in exposition of Ieremye seyeth Fro the yeare of our Lord 1200. all times beth suspect to me and we ben passed on thys suspecte time nigh 200. yeare Also mayden Hyldegare in the booke of her prophecie the third partie the xj vision the vij chapter meueth thys reason Ryght as on seauen dayes God made the world so in 7000. yeare the world shall passe And right as in the sixt day man was made and fourmed so in 6000. yeares he was brought ageine and reformed And as in the seauenth daye the world was full made and God left off hys working right so its the 7000. yeare the number of them that shullen be saued shall be fulfilled and rest shall be to Seintes full in bodye and soule If that it be so as it seemeth to followe of this maydens words that 7000. in passing of the world accordeth to seauen dayes in hys making it see what lacketh that these 7000. yeares ne beth fulfilled For if wee reken the number of yeeres fro the natiuitie of Christ to the yeares fro the beginning of the world to Christ and thou wolt folowe Austyne Bede and Orosie and most probable doctors treating of this matter are passed now almost sixe thousand and sixe hundred as it is open in a booke that is cleped Speculum iudiciale So it suweth that this last day is more than a halfe a go if we shulden geue credence to thys maydens reasun But if we shull lene to the Gospell than we shall finde in the Gospell of Mathew that the Disciples axiden of Christ three questions First what time the Citie of Ierusalem should be destroyed The second what token of hys comming to the doome And the third what signe of the endyng of the world And Christ gaue them no certayne tyme of these thinges when they shoulden fall but he gaue them tokens by which they myght know when they drew nighe and so as to the first question of the destruction of Ierusalem he sayd when the Romaines come to beseege that Citie then soone after she shall bee destroyed And as to the second and the thirde hee gaue manye tokens that is to say that Realme shall rise against Realme and people agaynst people and pestilences and earthquakinges the which we haue seene in our dayes But the last token that hee gaue was thys when yee seene the abhomination of elengnesse sayd of Daniel the Prophet standyng on the Sanctuary then who so readeth vnderstand Vpon which text thus argueth a Doctour in a booke that he maketh of the end of the world If the wordes of Daniel hauen autoritie as God sayth that they hauen it sufficeth of the number of the yeares of the ende of the world that Daniell hath written Now Daniell in the twelfth chapter speakyng of thys abhomination putteth betweene the ceasing of the busie sacrifice of the Iewes the whych fell when by Titus and Vespasianus Ierusalem was destroyed and the people of Iewes were disparkled into all the world And thys abhomination that Doctors sayne shall be in the great Antichristes dayes 1290. Nowe proueth thys Doctour that a daye must be taken for a yeare both by autoritie of holy writ in the same place and in other and also by reason So it seemeth to this clerke that the great Antichrist shoulde come in the 1400. yeare fro the birth of Christ the which nomber of yeares is now fulfilled not fully twelue yeares and a half lacking And this reason put not I as to shewe anie certayne tyme of hys commyng sithe I haue not that knowledge but to shewe that he is nye but how nygh I wot neuer But take we heede to the fourth part of the second vision of Saint Iohn put in the booke of Reuelations in the which vnder the opening of the seauen seales is declared the state of the Churche from the time of Christ into the end of the world The opening of the foure first seales shew the state of the Church fro the tyme of Christ to the tyme of Antichrist and his foregoers the whych is shewed in the opening of the other three seales The opening of the fyrst seale telleth the state of the Church in the tyme of the preaching of Christ and of hys Apostles For the first that is the Lyon gaue hys voyce that betokeneth the preachers of Christes resurrection and hys ascension For then yede out a whyte horse and he that sat vppon hym had a bow in hys hand and he yede out ouercomming to ouercome By thys whyte hors we vnderstand the cleane life and conuersation that these preachers haden and by the bowe their true teaching pricking sorow in mens hartes for their sinnes withouten flatteryng And they wenten out of Iewry that they comen of ouercommyng some of the Iewes
much as we haue found by diuers actes done brought forth and exhibited by sundry euidences signes and tokens and also by many most manifest proues the sayd sir Iohn Oldcastle knight and L. Cobham not onely to be an euident hereticke in his owne person but also a mighty maintainer of other heretickes agaynst the fayth and religion of the holy and vniuersall church of Rome namely about the two sacramentes of the aultar and of penaunce besides the popes power and pilgrimages And that he as the childe of iniquitie and darcknes hath so hardened his hart that he will in no case attend vnto the voyce of his pastor Neyther will he be allured by straight admonishmentes not yet be brought in by fauourable wordes The worthines of the cause first wayed on the one side and his vnworthines agayn cōsidered on the other side his faults also aggrauated or made double through his damnable obstinacie we being loth that he which is nought shoulde be worse and so with his contagiousnes infecte the multitude by the sage counsel and assent of the very discrete fathers our honourable brethren and Lordes Byshops here present Richard of London Henry of Winchester and Bennet of Bangor and of other great learned and wise men here both doctours of diuinitie and of the lawes canon and ciuill seculers and religious with diuers other expert men assisting vs we sententially and diffinitiuely by this present writing iudge declare condemne the sayd syr Iohn Oldcastle Knight and Lord Cobham for a most pernitious and detestable hereticke conuicted vpon the same and refusing vtterly to obey the Church agayne committing him here from hencefoorth as a condemned hereticke to the secular iurisdiction power iudgement to doe him thereupon to death Furthermore we excommunicate and denounce accursed not onely this hereticke here present but so many els besides as shall hereafter in fauoure of his errour either receaue him or defend him counsell him or help hym or any other way mayntayne hym as very fautours receauers defenders counsaylers ayders and mayntayners of condemned heretickes And that these premisses may be the better knowne al faithfull Christen men we commit it here vnto your charges geue you straight commandement therupon by this writing also That ye cause this condemnation and diffinitiue sentence of excommunication cōcerning both this heretick and his fautours to be published throughout all diocesses in Cities towns villages by your curates and parish priests at such time as they shal haue most recourse of people And see that it be done after this sorte As the people are thus gathered deuoutly together let the curate euery where goe into the pulpit and there open declare and expound this excesse in the mother tongue in an audible and intelligible voyce that it may be perceiued of all men and that vpon the feare of this declaration also the people may fall from theyr euill opinions conceiued nowe of late by seditious preachers Moreouer we will that after we haue deliuered vnto each one of you bishops which are here present a copy hereof that ye cause the same to be written out agayne into diuers copies and so be sent vnto the other byshops and Prelates of our whole Prouince that they may also see the contentes thereof solemnly published within theyr diocesses and cures Finally we will that both you and they signifie agayne vnto vs seriously and distinctly by your writinges as the matter is without fayned colour in euery poynt performed the day wheron ye receaued this processe the time when it was of vs executed and after what sort it was done in euery condition according to the tenour hereof that we may knowe it to be iustly the same A copy of this writing sent Thomas Arundel the archbishop of Caunterbury afterward from Mydstone the x. day of Octobr within the same yeare of our Lord 1413. vnto Richard Clifford the bishop of London which thus beginneth Thomas permissione diuina c. The said Richard Clifford sent an other copy thereof enclosed within his owne letters vnto Robert Maschall a Carmelite frier which was then bishop of Herforde in Wales written from Haddam the 23. day of October in the same yeare and the beginning thereof is this Reuerende in Christo pater c. This Robert Mascall directed an other copye thereof from London the 27. day of Nouember in the same yeare enclosed in his owne commission also vnto his archdeacon and and Deanes in Hareforde and Shrewsbury And this is therof the beginning Venerabilibus discretis vitis c. In like maner did the other bishops within their diocesses After that the archbishop had thus read the bill of hys condemnation with most extremitie before the whol multitude The Lorde Cobham sayd with a moste cheerefull countenaunce Though ye iudge my body whiche is but a wretched thing yet am I certayne and sure that ye can do no harme to my soule no more then could Sathan vppon the soule of Iob. He that created that will of his infinite mercy and promise saue it I haue therein no manner of doubt And as concerning these articles before rehearsed I will stand to them euen to the very death by the grace of my eternall God And therwith he turned him vnto the people castyng hys handes abroad and saying with a very loude voyce Good Christen people for Gods loue be well ware of these men For they will els beguile you and leade you blindling into hell with thēselues For Christ sayth plainly vnto you If one blinde man leadeth an other they are like both to fall into the ditche After this he fell downe there vpon his knees thus before thē all prayed for his enemies holding vp both hys handes and his eyes towardes heauen and saying Lorde God eternall I beseeche thee of thy great mercies sake to forgeue my pursuers if it be they blessed will And then hee was deliuered to syr Robert Morly and so led forth again to the tower of London And thus was there an ende of that dayes worke Whyle the Lord Cobham was thus in the Tower he sent out priuely vnto his friendes And they at his request wrote this little bill here following causing it to be set vp in diuers quarters of London that the people should not beleeue the slaunders and lyes that his enemies the Byshops seruauntes and priestes had made on him abroade And thus was the letter FOr as much as Syr Iohn Oldcastle knight and Lorde Cobham is vntruely conuicted and emprisoned falsly reported and slandered among the common people by his aduersaries that he should otherwise both thinke speak of the sacramentes of the churche and specially of the blessed sacrament of the aultar then was written in the confession of his beliefe which was indended and taken to the clergy and so set vp in diuers open places in the cittye of London Knowne
in person saith Cope but with his mind and with his counsell he was present and addeth this reason saying And therfore he being brought agayn after his escape was conuice both of treason and heresye therfore susteining a double punishmēt was both hanged and burnt for the same c. And how is al this proued By Robert Fabian he sayth whereunto briefly I aunswere that Rob. Fabian in that place maketh no such mention of the Lord Cobham assisting or consenting to them either in mind or in counsell His wordes be these That certaine adherentes of Sir Iohn Oldcastle assembled in the fielde neare to S. Biles in great number of whom was sir Roger Acton sir Iohn Browne and Iohn Beuerley The which with 36. mo in number were after conuict of heresy and treason and for the same were hanged and burnt wein the sayd field of S. Byles c. Thus much in Fabian touching the commotion condemnation of these mē but that the Lorde Cobham was there present with thē inany parte either of consent or counsell as Alanus Copus Anglus pretendeth that is not found in Fabian but is added of his liberall cornu copiae wherof he is so copious and plentifull that he may keep an open shop of such vnwrittē vntruethes whiche he maye aforde verye good cheape I thinke being such a plentifull artificer But here will bee obiected agaynst mee the wordes of the statute made the seconde yeare of king Henry the fifte wherupon this aduersary triumphing with no litle glory 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thinketh himselfe to haue double vauntage against me first in prouinge these foresayd complices adherents of the Lord Cobham to haue made insurrection agaynst the king and so to be traytors Secondly in conuicting that to be vntrue where as in my former booke of Actes and Monumentes I doe reporte how that after the death of sir Roger Acton of Browne Beuerley a Parliament was holden at Leicester where a statute was made to this effect that all and singular suche as wer of Wickliffes learning if they would not geue ouer as in case of felony and other trespasses loosing all theyr goodes to the king shoulde suffer death in two manner of kinds that is they should first be hanged for treasō against the king and then be burned for heresy agaynst God c. Wherupon remaineth now in examining this obiectiō and aunswering to the same that I purge both them of treason and my selfe of vntruth so farre as truth and fidelity in Gods cause shal assist me herin Albeit in beginning first my history of Ecclesiastical matters wherin I hauing nothing to do with abatement of causes iudiciall but onely folowing the simple narration of things done and executed neuer suspected that euer any would be so captious with me or so nise nosed as to presse me with such narrow points of the law in trying and discussing euery cause and matter so exactly straining as ye woulde say the bowels of the statute lawe so rigorously agaynst me Yet for so much as I am therunto constrained now by this aduersary I wil first lay open all the whole statute made the second yeare of this foresayd Henry the fift after the death of the foresayd sir Roger Acton and his fellowes at the Parliament holden at Leycester an 1415. That done I will note vpon the words therof so as by the circumstaunces of the same may appeare what is to be cōcluded either for the defence of theyr innocencye or for the accusation of this aduersary The tenour and purport of the statute here vnder ensueth ¶ The wordes and contentes of the statute made an 2. Henrici 5. cap. 7. FOrasmuch as great rumors congregations and insurrections here in England by diuers of that king his maiesties seege people haue bene made here of late as well by those which were of the sect of heresy called Lolardy as by others of their cōfederatiō excitatiōs abetmēt to the intēt to adnulle subuert the christian fayth the law of God within the same Realme as also to destroy our soueraigne Lord the king himselfe and all maner of estates of the same his Realme as well spirituall as temporall and also all maner pollicy the lawes of the land Finally the same our Lord the king to the honor of God in conseruation and fortification of the Christian fayth also in saluation of his royall estate of the estate of all his realme willing to prouide a more open more due punishmēt agaynst the malice of such heretickes Lolardes then hath bene had or vsed in that case heretofore so that for the feare of the same lawes and punishment such heresyes and Lolardies may the rather cause in time to come By the aduise and assēt aforesayd at the prayer of the sayd commons hath ordeined established that especially the Chaūcellor the Treasurer the Iustices of the one bēch and of the other Iustices of Assise Iustices of peace Shiriffes Maiors and Bailiffes of Cityes and Townes and all other officers hauing the gouernement of people either now present or which for the time shal be do make an othe in taking of their charge and offices to extend their whole payne and diligence to put out to do to put out cease destroy all maner of heresyes and errors commonly called Lolardies within the places in which they exercise their charges and offices from time to time with all their power and that they assist fauor and maintaine the ordinaries and their commissaries so often as they or any of them shal be therunto required by the said ordinaries or their cōmissaryes So that the sayd officers and ministers when they trauell or ride to arest any Lolard or to make any assistēce at the instance and request of the ordinaries or their cōmissaryes by vertue of this statute that the same ordinaries commissaryes do pay for their costs reasonably And that the seruices of the king vnto whō the officers be first sworne be preferred before al other statutes for the liberty of holy Church the ministers of the same And especially for the correction and punishment of hereticks Lolards made before these dayes not repealed but being in theyr force And also that all persons conuict of heresy of whatsoeuer estate condition or degree they be by the sayd ordinaries or their cōmissaries left vnto the secular power according to the lawes of holy Church shall leese forfayte all theyr lands and tenements which they haue in fee simple in maner and forme as followeth That is to say that the king shall haue all the landes tenementes which the sayd conuictes haue in fee simple which be immediatlye holden of him as forfayted And that the other Lordes of whom the lands tenements of such conuictes be holden immediatly after that the king is therof seised answered of the yeare
summoned by the Emperour Sigismund and Pope Iohn 23. about the natiuity of our Lord Iesus an 1414. began the same yeare to be assembled about the latter end of the yere Which first beginning as the maner is with a Masâ—e of the holy Ghost as they were singing according to their custoÌ„e the Himne Veni sancte spiritus there was at the same time a certayne Bill set vp in the Church by some well disposed man as it seemed wherein was conteyned these wordes folowing Alijs rebus occupati nunc adesse vobis noÌ„ possumus That is to say We are otherwise occupyed at this tyme we can not intend to come to you Here is also to be remeÌ„bred the worthye saying of the Emperour Sigismund when talke was ministred as touching the reformation of the spiritualtye and some sayde quod oporteat in cipere a minoritis that is that reformation ought first to beginne at the Minorites The Emperour aunswering againe Non a minoritis sed a maioritis that is not with the Minorites sayth he but with the Maiorites Meaning the reformation ought first to begin with the Pope Cardinals Byshops and other superior states of the church and so to discend after to the inferiors This much by the way now to the purpose and order of the Sessions as we promised The which counsell continued as is aforesayd by the space of iiij yeares and had in it 45. Sessions wherein many things were concluded the which altogether were to long to be recited in this place as the deposition of three seueral Popes whiche were before spoken of the hearing of certaine Legates Yet I minde to make some briefe recapitulation of the most principall matters there done in the sessions orderly ensuing 1. In the first Session chiefly was coÌ„cluded first that this Councell was lawfully congregate 2. Item that the going away of the pope should be no let or stay but the Councell might proceed ¶ Wherein note gentle Reader that the authority of the generall Councell is aboue the Pope contrary to their owne doctrine 3. Item this Councell should not be dissolued before the Church were reformed as well in the superiours as inferiours In the 4. Session amongest other thinges this was first concluded That a Synode congregate in the holy Ghost making a generall councel representing the whole Catholicke Church here militant hath power of Christ immediately to the which power euery person of what state or dignity so euer he be yea being the pope himselfe ought to be obedient in all such things as concerne the generall reformation of the Church aswell in the heades as in the subiectes Item the sayd Pope should not translate the Court of Rome and the officers of the same from the Citty of Constance And that all his censures doinges and workinges after the time of his departure whatsoeuer he shoulde enterprise to do to the preiudice of this Councell should be of no effect In the 5. Session the same Articles were repeated and concluded agayne In the 6. Session procuration and citation was sent out agaynst the Pope Item commissioners were appointed out of the foure nations for the hearing of Iohn Hus which shal be hereafter mentioned in his story folowing Item the memory of Iohn Wickliffe was condemned and the sentence geuen in the Councel holden at Rome vpon the condemnation and burning of Wickliffes bookes was there confirmed Item in the same Session Citation was sent out agaynst Ierome of Prage The tenor whereof foloweth after in the story of the sayd Ierome Item in this Session was decreed agaynst libelles of infamy In the 7. Session nothing was handled but that the tenour of the citation agaynst Pope Iohn was recited In the 8. Session the sentence and condemnation of Iohn Wickliffe and his 45. Articles was recited and sentence geueÌ„ against his memory bones to be burned The tenor wherof is rehearsed in the history of Iohn Wickliâ—fes before passed fol. 449. In the 9. Session The matter cause of Pope Iohn was agayn intreated and commissioners appoynted to enquire vpon his cause and iudges for the same In the 10. Session Suspension was geuen out reade agaynst the sayd Pope In the 11. and 12. Sessions Notaries were assigned definitiue sentence geuen agaynst the said Pope where also was decreed that none of them that contended before for the Papacy should be chosen Pope In the 13. Session was decreed Quod nullus praes biter sub pena excommunicationis comunicet populo sub vtraque specie panis vini This is that no Priest vnder payne of excommunication shall communicate vnto the people vnder both kindes of bread and wine In the 14. Session came in that resignation of pope Gregory the 12. which was one of the 3. before mentioned striuing for the Papacy with certayne other Articles concerning the election of the Bishop of Rome and the ratification of their resigning which gaue ouer the Papacy Then ensueth the 15. Session in the which silence was commanded on all partes vnder pain of excommunicatioÌ„ and the great curse that no persoÌ„ or persons high or low of what estate or degree so euer he were Emperour Kyng Cardinall or other should disturbe the sayd Session wyth any maner of noise either by hand foot or voyce This being done the sentence condemnation against Iohn Hus was read and pulished whiche after in the story of Iohn Hus foloweth to be sene more at large In the 16. Session Ambassadors were assigned by the Councell to go into Arragon to Benedictus the 13. to entreat with him for the resignation of his Papacy as the other two had done before Item power was geuen to iudges to cite vnder pain of depriuation all such as priuily departed away from the Councell in the whiche Session also the sentence agaynst Iohn Hus was confirmed and ratified In the 17. Session the Emperour tooke vpon him a iourney to the king of Arragon to entreat with pope Benedictus An excommunication denounced agaynst al such as should go about to empeche the Emperours iourney about that matter c. Item prayâ—rs and processions were determined to be made by the Councell euery Sonday for the same cause with an hundred dayes of pardon geuen to theÌ„ that would be present thereat and that all Prelats should be present at euery of these sayd Masses and processions in theyr Pontificalibus Graunting besides to euery Priest that sayd one Masse for the same a 100. dayes of pardon And to all other that once a day should say one Pater noster and one Aue for the safety of the Emperour xl dayes of pardon In the 18. Session certayne iudges were assigned for the hearing of matters which the Councell had no leasure to heare It was there also decreed that suche letters and Buls as were written in the name of that councell should be receiued with no lesse credite and authority then the
first time before the Councell of Constance in the most famous place in the presence of the Pope the Pope beeyng president And finally in the presence of all others which will come to that most famous place and that whosoeuer hath any suspition of me that I haue eyther taught or defended anye thyng contrarye vnto the fayth of Christ let hym come thether also let hym declare there before or in the presence of the Pope and all the Doctors of Diuinitie what erroneous or false doctrine I haue at any tyme followed or holden More if hee shall conuince me of any errour or prooue that I haue taught anye thing contrarie vnto the Christian fayth I will not refuse to suffer whatsoeuer punishment shall be due for an hereticke But I hope and trust euen from the bottome of my hart that God wyll not geue the victory to vnfaithfull and vnbeleeuing men the which do willingly kicke and spurne against the truth The same time Iohn Hus sente his procurers to the Lorde Byshop of Nazareth ordeyned by the Apostolicke Sea Inquisitour of heresie of the Citie and Dioces of Prage requiring hym that if he had found any errour in him he would declare it openly But the sayd Bishop before the sayd procurour and the publike Notary wyth many other credible witnesses aunswered that he had often talked with Iohn Hus and that he neuer knew anye thing in him but as becommeth a godly and faithful man and this his testimonie of Iohn Hus he approoued by his letters the copie whereof is heere vnder written The Byshop of Nazareth hys testimoniall WE Nicholas by the grace of God Byshop of Nazareth and Inquisitor specially deputed by the Apostolicke seate for heresies both of the Citie and Dioces of Prage by these presents we do it to be knowne vnto all men that wee in times past haue often communed and talked with that honorable man mayster Iohn Hus Bacheler of Diuinitie of the famous vniuersitie of Prage and haue had diuers and sondry conferences with hym both of the Scriptures and diuers other matters and in all hys sayings doyngs and behauiour we haue prooued and found him to be a faithfull and a Catholicke man finding no maner of euill sinister or by any meanes erroneous doings in him vnto thys present We doo witnesse and protest moreouer how the sayd Iohn Hus of late in the Cathedrall Church of Prage and in other both Collegiate and Parish Churches and in the Colledges of the Vniuersitie of Prage and in the gates and porches of the most noble Prince and Lord the Lord Wenceslaus King of Romaines and of Boheme Also in the gates of the reuerend father the Lord Conrade Archbyshop of Prage Legate of the Apostolicke Sea and Chauncelour of the Vniuersitie of Prage and of other Princes and Barons then being in the Citie of Prage hath set vp his letters written both in Latine and in the Bohemian tongue containing sententially in effect how the foresayd Mayster Iohn Hus would appeare before the reuerend father the Lord Conrade the foresayd Archbyshop of Prage and all the Prelates and Cleargy of the kingdome of Boheme that shall bee congregated and called together by the sayd Archbyshop at the day appoynted in the sayd Citie of Prage readie alwayes to satisfie euery man that shall desire and require him to shew a reason of his fayth and hope that he holdeth and to see and heare all and euery one which could prooue any obstinacie of errour or heresie lawfully against him vnder the payne to receyue the like punishment vnto whome altogether he would by Gods helpe aunswere in the Councell of Constance which was now at hand before the sayd Lord Archbyshop and vs with all other Prelates and there in Christes name according to the decrees and Canons of the holy Fathers to declare and shew foorth his innocencie After the which letters as is aforesayd by the sayd maister Iohn Hus openly set vp there did no man appeare before vs the which would accuse the sayd Maister Iohn Hus of any errour eyther of any heresie For the euident witnesse of all whyche things we haue commaunded these present letters to be made and confirmed the same with the setting too of our seale Dated in Prage xxx of August an M. iiij C. xiiij Vpon which matter also a publicke instrument was drawne testified with the hand and seale of the publicke Notary named Michel Pruthatietz The copie of whych instrument heere vnder followeth ¶ An Instrument of Recognition or protestation of the Lord inquisitor of Heresies IN the name of God Amen In the yeare of hys natiuitie 1414. the thirtith of August in the fift yeare of the Byshoprike of the most holy Father in Christ Iohn by the grace of GOD Pope the three and twentith of that name in the vppermost parlor of the house of the famous man the Lord Peter of Zwogsta called Znirglits maister of the mynte of the most famous Prince and Lord the Lord Wenceslaus Kyng of Romaines and of Boheme in the greater Citie of Prage about the Abbey of Sainct Iames the Apostle in the presence of me the publique Notary heere vnder written and certayne witnesses heere within written specially called for that purpose There was personally present Mayster Iohn Iessenitz mayster of Art procuror in the name of the honourable man Mayster Iohn Hus Bacheler formed in Diuinitie of the Vniuersitie of Prage He most humblie and earnestly requyred the reuerende father in Christ and Lord Nicholas Byshop of Nazareth Inquisitour of Heresies for the Citie and diocese of Prage specially appoynted by the Apostolike Sea beeing there also present sayeng Reuerend father doe you knowe any error or heresie in Mayster Iohn Husnetz otherwise called Hus. The which sayd Lord Nicholas not compelled or constrained but of his owne will and accord freely and openly did there recognise sayeng these or the like words in the Bohemian tongue I haue often and many times bene conuersant with Mayster Iohn Hus and haue eaten and dronke with him also I haue bene often present at his Sermons and diuers of his collations which he hath made vpon diuers places of the scripture and I neuer found or perceiued in him any errour or heresie but in all his words and deedes I haue found him alwaies a true and a Catholike man neither haue I found any thing that doth sauour of any errour or heresie Againe the said maister Iohn his procurer in the behalfe as aboue required and asked the said Lord Nicholas Byshop and inquisitour whether any man haue accused the said maister Iohn Hus of any heresie before him being inquisitour for heresie and hath conuicted him of heresie He aunswered that since the time he knew Iohn Hus and that he was made inquisitour for heresie in the Citie and diocese of Prage as is afore saide neuer anie man accused either conuinced the said maister Iohn Hus of any heresie before him vnto this present time Adding moreouer that he the
that he dyd not personally appeare they say they haue heard both himselfe and diuers other credible persones say yea euen the most famous Prince Wenceslaus king of Boheme and almost all the whole nobilitie is witnes that he would willingly haue appeared at Rome or els where if he myghte safely haue commen thether and that deadly enmitie had not letted and moreouer his procurers which he sent vnto the court of Rome alleaging reasonable causes for hys non apparance some of them were cast into pryson and others very euill intreated As for the excommunication which he hath so long sustained they haue heard him often say that he hath not resisted against the same by contumacye or stubbernesse but vnder euident appellation and therupon reterreth himself vnto the Actes of his causes whyche were pleaded in the court of Rome wherm all this is more largely contained the which your reuerences may euidently perceiue and see in this our present publike transumpt which wee haue offred vnto you vpon certaine poynts aforesayd As cōcerning his preaching wherwithal his enemies do report and charge that M. Iohn Hus did preach openly in the Citie of Constaunce The Lordes aforesaide and specially the Lord Iohn de Clum here present do answere that hee hath continually lodged wyth the sayde M. Iohn Hus here in Constaunce and that whosoeuer they be that haue bene so bolde or dare be so bolde to say affirme that M. Iohn Hus had preached as is premised or that whyche lesse is since the time of his comming vnto thys citie euen vnto the very day time of hys captiuitie and imprysonment that he went but one step out of the house of his lodging that the said Lord Iohn de Clum will and is contēt to binde himselfe with any suche as shall affirme the same vnder what penalty so euer it be of money or otherwyse that which hee hath falsly reported vnto your reuerences he shal neuer be able iustly truely to affirme and prooue Thirdly whereas your reuerences do say that you do not vnderstād or know what the Lords do meane by the heretickes condemned at the councel holden at Pisa whether the mocking or deriding the Pope whose ambassadors came thither for vnitie or concorde the which were suffered and gently entreated as theyr Lordes were most enclined vnto vnitie and peace or els that they did vnderstande or meane the perticuler heretickes which were there condemned adioyning therunto that the heretickes also comming vnto the councell vnder the pretence of that vnitie should be gently handled and entreated c. Reuerēd fathers and Lordes whether they be counted the firste or that they be thought the second or last the Lordes aforesaid require none other thing but that the said M. Iohn Hus may vse suche liberty as they vsed forsomuch as he came willingly vnto this most sacred coūcel not for any other purpose but onely publikely to recognise his faith And in what poynt soeuer he shall seeme to vary from the worde of God and the vnion of the holy mother the church that in that poynte he will willingly be vnited and reconciled againe thereunto and not only himself but also his fauorers and adherents he would moue and prouoke therunto of whom the greater number are in the kingdō of Boheme Also he is come hether that he might purge and cleare the noble kingdome of Boheme from the sinister and euil slaunder which was raised vpon it Last of all most reuerend fathers Lordes for so much as your reuerences haue most fauourably answered vnto the principal request made by the Lords aforesayd that the processe of M. Iohn Hus through Gods helpe shoulde be determined and ended wtal expedition and gentlenes The Lordes aforesayd do render most harty thanks vnto your reuerences and when soeuer theyr desire by Gods helpe shall come to the ende or effecte long wished or looked for they wil not onely here but also before the whole kingdom of Boheme and in all other places wheresoeuer they come render most immortall thankes vnto your reuerences for euer ¶ Thys declaration of the nobles of Boheme aboue prefixed may serue not only to the cōfutation of the bishop Luthonius thys Bohemian but also against the cauillacious of Alanus Copus Anglus Dial. 6. pag. 929. touching the safe conduct of Iohn Hus wherof sufficiently before hath ben sayd vide supra pag. 596. When as the noble men of Boheme by lōg time could receiue no answer of those supplications whych they had alredy put vp they determined the last day of May following by an other supplication being put vp vnto the principals of the councell to entreat that Iohn Hus myght be deliuered out of prison and defend his owne cause openly they also put the testimonial of the bishop of Nazareth as touching Iohn Hus. The copy wherof is expressed in the beginning of this hystorie word by word ¶ Another supplication of the nobles of Boheme MOst reuerend fathers and Lordes in Christ of late there was a supplication put vp vnto your reuerences on the behalfe of the Lordes nobles of Boheme and the nation of Pole wherin they most humbly desired your reuerences to consider how the informations which were put vp vnto your reuerences by the enemies of M. Iohn Hus were insufficient And with reuerence be it spoken in many poynts vntrue as in the safeconduict graunted by the kings maiestie and also in other articles as more plainely appeareth in the Scedule which was then offred vnto you vppon the whych sayde Scedule and other things at that presence being put vppe they coulde not as yet receiue no aunswere Wherefore the Lordes aforesayde moste humbly require your fatherly reuerences that it would please you to consider the said supplication and to geue some answere to the Lordes aforesayd therupon and specially hauing respect vnto the great iniuries and griefs which are done vnto the sayd M. Iohn Hus the which may be vnderstād and knowen by the Scedule aforesayde that you will mercifully consider and foresee that all those griefes and euils so farre different from all brotherly loue and charitie are done vnto hym by his enemies euen for very malice and hatred To the intent therefore that the rancour and malice may be confounded and ouerthrowne and the plaine and euident truth appeare it may please your fatherly reuerēces to vnderstand that it is notified and knowen vnto the Barones Nobles Citizens Clergie and Laitie of the kingdome of Boheme that M. Iohn Hus in all his actes and doings as well Scholasticall as Ecclesiasticall and specially in all his publike and open sermons he hathe made and hathe accustomed to make these maner of protestations the which without any thing to the contrary hee hath alwaies endeuoured to haue them strong and firme as by this his protestation here folowing which he made about the determination of a certaine question it may most euidently and plainely appeare vnto
remnaunt of the ashes of that man shoulde not be left vppon the earth whose memorie notwythstanding can not be abolished out of the minds of the godly neither by fire neither by water neither by anye kinde of torment ¶ I know very well that these things are very â—â—lenderly wrytten of me as touching the labours of thys most holy Martyr Iohn Hus with whome the labors of Hercules are not to be compared For that auncient Hercules slew a few monsters but this our Hercules with a moste stout and valiant courage hath subdued euen the worlde it selfe the mother of all monsters and cruell beastes Thys story were worthy some other kind of more curious handling but for so muche as I cannot otherwise perfourme it my selfe I haue endeuored according to the veâ—y truth as the thing was in deede to commend tho same vnto al godly mindes neither haue I heard it reported by others but I my selfe was present at the doing of all these things and as I was able I haue put them in wryting that by thys my labour and indeuor howsoeuer it were I might preserue the memory of this holy man and excellent Doctour of the Euangelicall truth What was the name of this author which wrote thys story it is not here expressed Cochleus in his 2. boke contra Hussitas supposeth his name to be Ioannes Pizibram a Bohemian Who afterward succeeding in the place of I. Hus at Prage at last is thought to relent to the Papists This godly seruaunt and Martyr of Christ was condemned by the cruel councel and burned at Constance an 1415. about the moneth of Iuly Howe grieuously this death of Iohn Hus was taken among the nobles of Boheme and of Morauia heereafter Christ willing shall appeare by their letters which they sent vnto the councell by the letters of Sigismund the king of Romaines wrytten vnto them Wherin he laboureth all that he can to purge and excuse himselfe of Husses death All be it he was not altogether free from that cruell fact and innocent froÌ„ that bloud yet notwithstanding hee pretendeth in words so to wipe away that blot from hym that the greatest part of that crime seemeth to rest vpon the bloudy prelates of that councel as the wordes of the king do purport in forme as followeth INterea inquit nobis adhuc in partibus Rheni existentibus peruenit ad Constantiam c i. In the meane time as we were about the coastes of Rhene Iohn Hus went to Constance and there was arrested as is not to you vnknowen Who if he had first resorted vnto vs had gone with vs vp to the CouÌ„cel perhaps it had bene otherwise with him And God knoweth what griefe and sorrowe it was to our heart to see it so to fall out as with no wordes can be well expressed Whereof all the Bohemians which were there present can beare vs witnesse seeing and beholding howe carefull and sollicitous we were in labouring for him In so much that wee many times with anger and furie departed out of the Councell and not onely out of the Councell but also went out of the City of CoÌ„stance taking his part vnto such time as the rulers of the Councell sending vnto vs sayde That if wee woulde not permit them to prosecute that which right required in the Councell what should they then do in the place Whereupon thus we thought with our selues that here was nothing els for vs more to doe nor yet to speake in this case for asmuche as the whole Councell otherwise had ben dissolued Where is to be noted moreouer that in Constance the same time there was not one clearke or two but there were Ambassadours for all kinges and princes in Christendome especially since the time that Petrus de Luna geuing ouer all those kinges and princes which tooke his part came to vs so that whatsoeuer good was to be done it was nowe to be passed in this present Councell c. Ex Epist. Imper. Sigismundi ad Nobiles c. ¶ By this it may appeare that the Emperour as partly ashamed and sory of that which was done wold gladly haue cleared himselfe therof and haue washed hys handes with Pilate yet he coulde not so cleare himselfe but that a great portion of that murder remained in him to be noted and well worthy of reprehension as may both appeare by his last words spoken in the Councel to I. Hus whereof Iohn Hus in his Epistles complaineth wryting to certaine of his friendes in Bohemia in his 33. Epistle as by hys wordes may appeare here following I Desire you yet againe for the loue of God that the Lordes of Boheme ioyning together will desire the king for finall audience to be geuen me For so muche as he alone saide to me in the Councell that they shoulde geue me audience shortly and that I shoulde aunswer for my selfe briefly in wryting it will be to hys great confusion if he shall not perfourme that which he hath spoken But I feare that worde of his will be as firme and sure as the other was concerning my safeconducte graunted by him Certaine there were in Bohemia which willed mee to beware of hys safeconducte And other sayde he will sure geue you to your ennemies And the Lord Mikest Dweky told me before M. Iessenitz saying Maister know it for certaine you shal be condemned And this I suppose he spake knowing before the inteÌ„tion of the king I hoped well that hee had bene well affected towarde the lawe of God and trueth and had therein good intelligence nowe I conceiue that he is not greatly skilfull nor so prudently circumspecte in himselfe He condemned me before mine ennemies did Who if it had pleased him might haue kept the moderation of Pilat the Gentile which sayde I finde no cause in this man or at least if hee had sayde but thus beholde I haue geuen him his safeconducte safely to returne And if hee will not abide the decision of the councell I will send him home to the king of Boheme with youre sentence attestations that he with his cleargie may iudge him But nowe I heare by the relation of Henry Leffl and of other that he will ordaine for me sufficient audience And if I will not submit my selfe to the iudgement of the councel he wil send me safe the contrary way c. This Iohn Hus being in prison wrote diuers treatises as of the commaundements of the Lordes prayer of mortal sinne of matrimony of the knowledge and loue of God of 3. ennemies of mankinde the world the flesh and the deuill of penaunce of the Sacrament of the body and bloud of the Lord of the sufficiencie of the lawe of God to rule the church c. He wrote also diuers Epistles and letters to the Lordes and to his frendes of Boheme And in hys wrytings did foreshewe many things before to come touching yâ— reformation of the Churche and seemeth in the prison
in a maner astonished sayd I do not remember them now at the first but hereafter they shal be obiected agaynst you And by and by the thirde man rising vp sayde when that you were also at Heidelberg you propounded many erroneous matters as touching the Trinitie and there painted out a certayne shield or scutchine comparing the Trinitie of persons in diuinitie vnto water snow and yse and such like Unto whoÌ„ M. Hierome answered Those thinges that I wrote or paynted there the same will I also speake write and paynt here and teach me that they be erroneous and I will most humbly reuoke and recant the same Then certayne cryed out let hym be burned let him be burned Unto whom he answered if my death doe delight or please you in the name of God let it be so Then sayd the archbishop of Salisburg not so mayster Hierome forsomuch as it is written I will not the death of a sinner but rather that he conuert and liue When these and many other tumultes and cryes were passed whereby they did then most disorderly and outragiously witnes agaynst them they deliuered the sayd mayster Hierome being bound vnto the officers of the Citty of Constance to be caryed to prison for that night and so euery one of them returned to their lodginges In the meane tyme one of the friendes of M. I. Hus looking out at a window of the Cloyster sayd vnto hym M. Hierome Then sayd hee you are welcome my deare brother Then sâ—yd Peter vnto hym Be constant feare not to suffer death for the truth sake of the whiche wheÌ„ you were in tymes past at libertie you dyd preache so muche goodnes Vnto whome Hierome aunswered truely brother I do not feare death and forsomuch as we know that we haue spoken much therof in times past let vs now see what may be knowne or done in effect By and by hys keepers comming to the window threatning hym wyth strokes dyd put away the sayd Peter from the window of the Cloyster Then came there one Uitus vnto M. Hierome sayd mayster how doe you Unto whom he aunswered truely brother I do very well Then hys keepers comming about him layd hold of the sayd Uitus saying this is also one of the number and kept hym When it drew towards euening the archb of Rigen sent certayne oâ— hys seruants which lead away M. Hiâ—rome being stroÌ„gly bound with chaynes both by the handes and by the neck and kept him so for certayne houres When night drew on they caryed hym vnto a certayn tower of the Cittie in Sainct Paules Churchyarde where as they tying him fast vnto a great blocke and his fâ—ete in the stockes hys handes also being made fast vppon them they left hym where as the blocke was so high that he could by no meanes sit therupon but that his head must hang downward They caryed also the sayd Uitus vnto the archbishop of Rygen who demaunded of him why he durst be so bold to talk with such a man being a reprobate of all men and an hereticke and when as he could finde no cause of imprisonment in hym and that he sayd he was maister Iohn de Clums friend taking an othe and promise of him that he should not go about to endamage the Councell by reason of that imprisonment and captiuitie so dismissed hym and sent him away Maister Hierom vnknown vnto vs whether he was caryed lay in the sayd tower two dayes two nightes relieued onely with bread and water Then one of hys keepers comming vnto M. Peter declared vnto him howe that M. Hierome lay hard by in bondes and chaines and how he was fed Then M. Peter desired that hee might haue leaue geuen hym to geue him meat because he would procure the same vnto hym The keeper of the prison graunting hys request caryed meate vnto hym Within â—leuen dayes after so hanging by the heeles he vsed so small repast that he fell sore sicke euen vnto the death When as he lying then in that captiuitie and prison desired to haue a Confessor they of the Councell denyed that he shold haue any vntill such time as by great importunitie he obtayned to haue one hys friends being then there present in the same prison and tower wherein he then lay by the space of one yeare lacking but seuen dayes After they had put Iohn Hus to death then about the feast of the natiuitie of Mary the Uirgine they brought forth M. Hierome whom they had kept so long in chains vnto the Churche of S. Paule and threatning hym with death being instant vpon him they forced him to abiure recant and coÌ„sent vnto the death of M. Iohn Hus that he was iustly and truely condemned and put to death by theÌ„ He what for feare of death and hopyng thereby to escape out of their handes according to their will and pleasure according to the tenour whiche was exhibited vnto hym did make abiuration and that in the Cathedrall Churche and open Session the draught whereof penned to hym by the Papistes here ensueth ¶ The abiuration of M Hierome of Prage I Hierome of Prage Mayster of Arte acknowledging the Catholicke Church and the Apostolicke fayth do accurse and renounce all heresies specially that whereof I haue hetherto bene infamed and that which in tymes past Iohn Hus and Iohn Wickleffe haue bolden and taught in theyr workes treatises and sermons made vnto the people and Clergy for the whiche cause the sayde Wickliffe and Hus together with the sayde doctrines errours are condeÌ„ned by this Sinode of Constance as heretickes and all the said doctrine sentencially condemed and especially in certayne articles expressed in the sentences and iudgementes geuen agaynst them by this sacred Councell Also I do accorde and agree vnto the holy Churche of Rome the Apostolick seate in this sacred Councel with my mouth and hart do professe in al thinges and touching all thinges and specially as touching the keyes Sacramentes orders and offices and ecclesiasticall censures of pardons reliques of Saintes Ecclesiasticall libertie also ceremonies and all other thinges pertayning vnto Christian Religion as the Church of Rome the Apostolick sea and this sacred Councel do professe and specially that many of the sayd Articles are notoriously hereticall and lately reproued by the holy fathers some of them blasphemous other some erroneous some offensiue vnto godly cares many of them temerarious and sedicious And suche also were counted the Articles lately condemned by the sacred councell and it was inhibited and forbidden to all and singular Catholicke men hereafter to preach teach or presume to hold or mayntayne any of the sayd Articles vnder payn of being accursed And I the sayd Hierome forsomuch as I haue laboured by Scholasticall Artes to perswade the opinion De Vniuersalibus realibus and that one substance of the common kinde should signifie many thinges subiect vnder the same and euery
this present committing the foresayd iniuryes vnto God vnto whom vengeance perteyneth who will also aboundantly reward workers of iniquity will prosecute them more amply before him whom God shall appoynt in the Apostolicke sea to gouerne his holy Churche as the onely and vndoubted Pastour Vnto whom God willing we exhibiting our due reuerence obedience as faythfull children in those things which are lawfull honest and agreeable to reason and the law of God wil make our request and petition that speedy remedy may be prouided for vs our sayde kingdome and Marquesdome vpon the premises according to the law of our Lord Iesus Christ and the institutions of the holy fathers The premises notwithstanding we setting apart all feare and mens ordinances prouided to the contrary will maynetayne and defend the law of our Lord Iesus Christ and the deuout humble and constant preachers thereof euen to the shedding of our bloud Dated at Sternberg in the yeare of our Lord. 1415. vpon S. Wēceslaus day Martyr of our Lord Iesu Christ. Round about the sayd letters there were 54. Seales hanging and their names subscribed whose Seales they were The names of which noble men I thought it good here to annext with all partly for the more credite of that hath bene sayd partly also for examples sake to the intent that our noble men and gentlemen in this our Realme of England now liuing in this cleare light of the Gospell may by their example vnderstand that if they ioyne themselues with the Gospell of Iesus zealouslye and as they should do yet are they neither the first nor the most that so haue done before them if not yet the trueth may here remayne in the story to theyr shame or els to theyr instruction seing so many noble and worthy gentlemen within the small kingdome of Bohemia to be so forward in those so darcke dayes and among so many enemyes 200. yeares agoe to take part with Christ And yet our Gentlemē here in such long cōtinuance of time being so diligētly taught are neyther in number nor in zeale to thē to be compared but will still take part contrary both to Christ and to the example of these nobles whose names they may see read here folowing 1 Alssokabat de Wiscowitz 2 Vlricus de Lhota 2 Ioan de Ksimicz 4 Iossko de sczitowicz 5 Paerdus Zwiranowicz 6 Ioan. de Ziwla 7 Ioā de Reychēberg 8 Wildo Skitzyny 9 Drliko de Biela 10 Kos de Doloylatz 11 Ioan de Simusin 12 Dobessim ' de Tissa 13 Drazko de Aradeck 14 Steph. de Hmodorkat 15 Ioan Dern de Gabonecx 16 Barso dictus Hloder de Zeinicz 17 Ioan Hmrsdorfar 18 Psateska de Wilklek 19 Petrus Mg de Sczitowicy 20 N. Studenica 21 N. Brischell 22 N. de Cromassona 23 Arannisick Donant de Poloniae 24 Ioan. Donant de Poloniae 25 Ioan. de Cziczow 26 Wenceslaus de N. 27 N. de N. 28 N.N. 29 Iosseck de N. 30 Henricus de N. 31 Waczlals de kuck  This noble man did accompanye Hus and with certain horsemen conducte him to Constance 32 Henr. de Zrenowicz 33 Baczko de Cōuald 34 Petr. dictus Nienick de zaltoroldeck 35 Czēko de Mossnow 36 N. 37 Zibilutz de Clezā 38 Ioan. de Peterswald 39 Parsifal de Namyescz 40 Zodoni de Zwietzick 41 Raczeck Zawskalp 42 Ion de Tossawicz 43 Diwa de Spissnia 44 Steffko de Draczdw 45 Issko de Draczdw 46 Odich de Hlud 47 Wosfart de Paulowicz 48 Pirebbor de Tire zenicz 49 Rynard de Tyrczewicz 50 Bohunko de Wratisdow 51 Vlricus de Racdraw 52 Deslaw de Nali 53 Bonesb de Frabenicz 54 Eybl de Roissowan After these things thus declared and discoursed cōcerning the history of Iohn Hus and Hierome of Prage the order of place and countrye next woulde require consequently to infer and comprehend the great troubles perturbations which happened after vpō the death of these men in the coūtry of Boheme but the order of time calleth me backe first to other matters here of our owne country which passed in the meane time with vs in England Which things being taken by the way and finished we will christ willing afterward returne to the tractation hereof to prosecute the troubles and conflictes of the Bohemians with other things beside perteyning to the latter end of the coūcell of constance and chosing of Pope Martin as the order of yeares and time shall require Ye heard before pag. 588. how after the death of Thomas Arundell Archb. of Caunt succeeded Henry Chichesley an 1414. and sate 25. yeres In whose time was much trouble and great affliction of good mē here in England of whom many were compelled to abiure some we burned diuers were driuē to exile Wherof partly now to entreat as we finde them in registers historyes recorded we will first begin with Iohn Claydon Currier of Londō Richard Turming whom Rob. Fabian doth falsly affirm to be burned in the yeare where in Syr Roger Acton and M. Browne suffered who in deed suffered not before the secōd yeare of Henry Chichesley being Archb. of Caunt whiche was an 1413. The history of which Iohn Claydon in the Registers is thus declared The story of Iohn Claydon Currier and of R. Turming Baker THe 17. of August 1415. did personally appeare I. Claydon Currier of London arrested by the Mayor of the sayd City for the suspition of heresy before Henry Archbishop of Caunterbury in Saynt Paules Church whiche Iohn being obiected to him by the Archbishop that in the City of London other places of the prouince of Canterbury he was suspected by diuers godly and learned mē for heresy and to be contrary to the catholick fayth and determinatiō of the church did openly confesse and denyed not but that he had bene for the space of xx yeres suspected both about the City of London also in the prouince of Caunt and specially of the common sort for Lollardy and heresy to be contrary to the catholick fayth and determination of the church of Rome and defamed of the same all the tyme aforesayd In so much that in the time of M. Robert Braybrooke B. of London deceased he was for the space of two yeares commaunded to the prison of Conwey for the foresayd defamation and suspition and for the same cause also he was in prison in the fleete for 3. yeares Out of which prison he in the raigne of King Henry the 4. was brought before Lord Iohn Scarle then Chauncellor to the king there did abiure all heresy and errour And the sayd Iohn Claydon being asked of the sayd Archbishop whither he did abiure the heresye of which he was suspect before any other did confesse that in a Conuocation at London in Paules Church before Thomas Arundell late Archbishop deceased he did abiure all such doctrine which they called heresy and error contrary to the Catholick fayth and determination of the Church and that he had
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
coÌ„uict vnto the secular court yet notwithstanding let them commit theÌ„ vnto the perpetuall or temporall prisons as the quality of the cause shall require vntil the next conuocation of yâ— prelates and Clergy of our prouince of Canterbury there personally to remaine and that in the same prisons they cause theÌ„ to be kept according as the lawe requireth And that of all and singular the things aforesayd that is what iniquisition they haue made and what they haue found and how in the processe they haue behaued themselues and what persons so conuict they haue caused to be put in safe keeping with what diligence or negligence of the Commissaryes aforesayd with all and all maner of other circumstances premised and therunto in any wise apperteining and specially of the abiurations if in the meane time they shall chaunce to abiure any heresyes that then in the next coÌ„uocation of the Prelates and Clergy vnder the forme aforesayd they cause the same distinctly and apertly to be certified to vs and our successours And that they deliuer effectually to the Officiall of our Court the same processe to remain with them or els in the register of one court of Canterbury so that euery one to whom â—â—th things appertaineth for the further execution of the same proces may haue recourse vnto the same officiall with all effect We therefore commaund that as touching the constitution brought vnto your City Diocesan you cause the same in conuenieÌ„t place and time to be published and that in all pointes you both obserue the same your selues and cause it also of others to be diligently obserued CommauÌ„ding furthermore all and singular our felow brethren and Suffraganes that they in likewise cause the same to be published throughout all their Cities and Dioces both diligently obserue the same themselues and also cause al others to do the same and what thing soeuer you shall do in the premisses that you certify vs betwixt this and the feast of S. Peter ad vincula next comming that you duely certify vs of these thinges by your letters patentes contayning the same effect sealed with your seales Dated at our house in London the first day of Iuly an 1416. During the time of this conuocatioÌ„ in the yere aboue sayd two priestes were presented brought before the bishops noted and defamed for hereticks one named Iohn Barton vnto whom it was obiected by Philip Bishop of Lincolne that he had bene excommunicated about 6. or 7. yeares before vpon Articles concerning religion and yet neither would appeare being cited nor woulde seeke to be reconciled agayne vnto the Church Which thinges being so prooued agaynst him he was committed to the custody of the foresayd Philip Bishoppe of Lincolne and so to be holden in prison till he should heare further what should be done The other was Robert Chapel otherwise named Holbech Chaplain sometime to the Lord Cobham vnto whoÌ„ likewise it was obiected that he being vnder the sentence of excommunication about three or foure yeares yet notwithstanding to the contempt of the keyes did continue saying Masse and preaching sought not to be recoÌ„ciled Chapel denying that he did know any such excommunication geuen out agaynst him Then was the copy of his excommunicatioÌ„ first made by the bishop of Roff. afterward denouÌ„ced by the Bishop of LoÌ„don at Paules crosse brought and read before him so that done that Session brake vp for that time which was about the latter ende of May. an 1416. The xij day of the moneth of Iuly next following the sayd Chappell appeared agayn before the Archbishop and the Prelates To whom when it was obiected as before how he had preached without the Bishops licence in dyuers places as at Cobham at Cowling and at Shorne ac length he confessing and submitting himself desired pardoÌ„ Which although it was not at the first graunted vnto him yet at the last the Bishop of Roff. putting in his hands the decree of the canon law 1. q. 7. cap. Quoties c. and causing him to read the same made him to aviure all his former articles opinions as hereticall and schismaticall neuer to holde the same agayne according to the contentes of the foresayd Canon Wherupon the sayd Robert being absolued by the authority of the Archb. saue only that he should not intermeddle with saying Masse before he had bene dispensed from the Pope himselfe for his irregularity was enioyned by the Archb. himselfe for his penance standing at Paules to publish these articles folowing vnto the people in stead of his confession geuen him to be read In primis I confesse that Bishops Priestes and other Ecclesiasticall persons hauing no other profession to the contrary may lawfully haue receiue and reteyne landes and possessions temporall to dispense and dispose the same and the rentes thereof to the behoofe of themselues or of theyr Church where they dwell according as semeth good to them 2. Item I confesse that it were very vnlawfull yea rather vniust that temporal men vpon any occasion whatsoeuer it be should take away temporall landes and possessions from the church either vniuersal or particular to whoÌ„ they are geuen the consideration of the abuse of mortall prelates priest or other ministers in the Church conuersant which are mixt together good with bad abusing the same to the contrary notwithstanding 3. Item I confesse that peregrinations to the reliques of saintes and to holy places are not prohibited nor to be coÌ„temned of any Catholicke but are auayleable to remission of sinnes and approued of holy fathers and worthy to be commended 4. Item I confesse that to worship the images of Christ or of any other saynts being set vp in the church or in any other place is not forbiddeÌ„ neither is any cause inductiue of Idolatry being so vsed as the holy fathers do will them to be worshipped But rather such images do profit much to the health of Christians because they do put vs in remeÌ„brauÌ„ce of the merits of those sayntes whom they represent and the sight of them doth moone and stirre vp the people to prayers and deuotion 5. Item I confesse that auriculer confession vsed in the Churche is necessarye for a sinner to the saluation of hys soule and necessary to be done of such a priest as is ordeyned by the Church to heare the confession of the sinner to enioyne him penance for the same without which confession if it may be had there is no remission of sinnes to him that is in sinne mortall 6. Item I confesse and firmely do hold that although the Priest be in mortall sinne yet may he make the bodye of Christ and minister other Sacramentes and Sacramentals which neuerthelesse are profitable to all the faythfull whosoeuer receiueth them in fayth and in deuotion of the Church 7. Item I confesse that bishops in their own dioces may forbid decree ordayn vpoÌ„ reasonable causes that priests should not preach without theyr
definitiue condemned him to perpetuall prison After whose condemnation the sonday next folowing the recantation of Tho. Granter and of Richard Monke Priestes aboue mentioned were openly read at Paules crosse the Byshop of Rochester the same time preached at the sayd crosse The tenour of whose recantation with his Articles in the same expressed here vnder foloweth IN the name of God Before you my Lord of Canterbury and all you my Lords here being present afore you all here gathered at this time I Thomas Granter priest vnworthy dwelling in this City of LondoÌ„ feeling vnderstanding that afore this time I affirmed open errours and heresies saying beleuing and affirming within thys City that he that Christian men callen Pope is not verye Pope ner Gods vicary in earth but I sayd he was Antichrist Also I sayd beleued and affirmed that after the sacramentall wordes sayd by a Priest in the Masse there remayneth materiall bread and wine and is not turned into Christes body and his bloud Also I said and affirmed that it was not for to doe in no wise to goe on pilgrimage but it was better I sayd to abide at home and beate the stooles with theyr heeles for it was I sayde but tree stone that they soughten Also I sayde and affirmed that I held no Scripture catholicke ner holy but onely that is conteyned in the Bible For the Legendes and liues of Sayntes I held hem nought and the miracles written of hem I helde vntrue Because of which errours and heresies I was tofore M. Dauy Price Uicar generall of my Lord of London and since tofore you my Lord of Caunterbury your brethren in your councell prouinciall by you fully informed which so sayd mine affirming beleuing teaching bene open errors and heresies and contrarious to the determination of the chirch of Rome Wherfore I willing to follow and sewe the doctrine of holy chirch and depart fro all maner errors and heresye and turne with good will hart to the onehead of the chirch coÌ„sidering that holye chirch shitteth ner closeth not her bosome to him that will turne agayne ne God will not the death of a sinner but rather he ben turned liue With a pure hart I confesse detest despise my sayd errours and heresies and the sayd opinions I confesse as heresies and errours to the fayth of the Chirch of Rome to all vniuersally holy Chirch repugnaunt And therfore these sayd opinions in speciall and all other errours and heresies doctrines and opinioÌ„s â—yen the fayth of the Church and the determination of the Churche of Rome I abiure and forsweare here tofore you all and sweare by these holy Gospels by me bodily touched that from henceforth I shall neuer hold teach ne preach errour errours heresie ne heresies nor false doctrine agaynst the faith of holy chirch determination of the chirch of Rome ner none such thing I shall obstinately defend ne any man holding or teaching such maner thinges by me or an other person openly or priuily I shal defend I shall neuer after thys tyme be receitor fautor councellor or defendor of hereticks or of any person suspect of heresie ner I shal trow to him ner wittingly fellaship with him ner yeue him counseil fauour yiftes ne coÌ„fort And if I know any heretickes or of heresie or of such false opinions anye person suspect or anye man or woman making or holding priuy conuenticles or assemblies or any diuers or singular opinions from the common doctrine of the Church of Rome or if I may know any of their fautors comforters councelours or defensers or any that haue suspect bookes or quiers of such erroures and heresies I shall let you my Lord of Canterbury or your officers in your absence or the Diocesans and Ordinaries of such men haue soone and ready knowing so help me God and holydeme and these holy Euangelies by me bodely touched ¶ After this recantation at the Crosse thus published and his submission made ' the sayd Granter then was by the aduise of the Prelates put to 7. yeares prisonment vnder the custody and charge of the bishop of London After this followed in like maner the recantation of Richard Monke Also of Edmund Frith which was before Butler so sir Iohn Oldcastle Beside these aboue remembred many and diners there be in the sayd register recorded who likewise for their faith and religion were greatly vexed and troubled especially in the Dioces of Kent in the townes of Romney Tenterden Wodcherche Cranbroke Staphelherst Beninden Halden Roluenyden and others where as whole housholdes both man and wife were driuen to forsake theyr houses and townes for daunger of persecution as sufficiently appeareth in the processe of the Archb. Chichesley agaynst the sayd persons and in the certificat of Burbath his officiall wherein are named these persons following 1. W. White Priest 2. Tho. Grenested Priest 3. Bartho Cronmonger 4. Iohn Wadnon 5. Ioan his wife 6. Tho. Euerden 7. William Euerden 8. Steuen Robin 9. W. Chiueling 10. Iohn Tame 11. Iohn Fowlin 12. Will. Somer 13. Marion his wife 14. Iohn Abraham 15. Rob. Munden 16. Laurence Coke These being cited vp together by the bishop would not appere Wherupon great inquisition being made for them by his officers they were constrained to flie their houses townes shift for themselues as couertly as they might When Burbath and other officers had sent worde to the Archbishop that they coulde not be founde then he directed downe order that Citations should be set vp for them on euery Church dore through all townes where they did inhabite appointing them a day terme wheÌ„ to appeare But not withstanding when as they yet could not be taken neither would appeare the Archbishop sitting in hys tribunall seate proceedeth to the sentence of excommunication against them What afterward happened to them in the register doth not appeare but like it is at length they were forced to submit themselues Concerning sir Iohn Oldcastle the Lord Cobham and of his first apprehension with his whole story life sufficiently hath bene expressed before pag. 575. how he being committed to the Tower and condeÌ„ned falsely of heresie escaped afterward out of the Tower and was in Wales about the space of four yeares In the which meane time a great summe of money was proclaimed by the King to hym that could take the sayde sir Iohn Oldcastle eyther quicke or dead About the ende of which foure yeares beeing expired the Lord Powes whether for loue and greedines of the money or whether for hatred of true and sincere doctrine of Christ seking all maner of wayes how to play the parte of Iudas at length obteined his bloudie purpose and brought the Lorde Cobham bound vp to London which was about the yeare of our Lord. 1417. and about the moneth of December At which time there was a Parliament assembled at London for the reliefe of money the same time
the kingdome which also bound the aunciēt citie of the Prutenitants vnto order by pledges and put the Marques of Brandenburge from the Bohemian crowne and had not onely suffered Iohn Hus Hierome of Prage to be burned at the Councel of Constance but also procured the same with all his endeuour did impugne the doctrine faith which they taught and folowed Whilest these things wee thus done Zisca hauing giuen ouer Pelzina by cōpositiō was twise assaulted by his enemies but through policy he was alwaies victor The places where they sought were rough and vnknowne his enimies were on horsebacke and all his souldiours on foote neither could there be any battaile fought but on foote Whereupon when his enemies were alighted from their horses Zisca commaunded the women which customably followed the host to cast their kerchieffes vpon the ground wherein the horsemen being entangled by their spurres were slaine before they could vnlose their feete After this he went vnto Ausca a towne situate vpon the Riuer Lusinitius out of which towne Procopius and Ulricius two brethren Papists had castout many Protestants This Towne Zisca tooke by force of armes the first night of Lent rased it and set it on fire He also tooke the Castle of Litius which was a mile off whether as Ulricius was fled and put Ulricius and all his familie to the sword sauing one only Then forsomuch as he had no walled or fensed towne to inhabite he chose out a certaine place vpon the same riuer which was fensed by nature about eight miles from the Citie of Ausca This place he cōpassed in with walles and commaunded euery man to build them houses where they had pitched their tents and named this City Thabor and the inhabitants his companions Thaborites bicause their Citie by all like was builded vpon the top of some hill or mount This Citie albeit that it was sensed with high rockes and cleaues yet was it compassed with a wall and vainnure and the riuer Lusinitius fenseth a great part of the towne the rest is compassed in wyth a great brooke the which running straight into the riuer Lusinitius is stopped by a great rocke and driuen backe towards the right hand all the length of the Citie and at the further end it ioineth with the great riuer The way vnto it by land is scarse thirtie foote broade for it is almost an Iland In this place there was a deepe ditch cast and a triple wall made of such thicknes that it could not be broken with any engine The wall was full of towers sorts set in their cōuenient meete places Zisca was the firste that builded the Castle and those that came after him fortified it euery man according to his owne deuise At that time the Thaborites had no horsemen amongst them vntill such time as Nicholas maister of the mint whom the Emperour had sent into Bohemia with a M. horsemen to set things in order to withstand the Thaborites lodging all night in a village named Uogize was surprised by Zisca comming vpon him sodenly in the night taking away all his horse and armour setting fire vpon the village Then Zisca taught his souldiours to mount on horseback to leape to runne to turne to cast in a ring so that after this heuener led army without his wings of horsemen In this meane time Sigismundus the Emperour gathering together the nobles of Slesia entred into Boheme and went vnto Grecium and frō thence with a great army vnto Cuthna alluring Cencho with many great and large promises to render vp the Castle of Prage vnto him and there placed himselfe to annoy the towne Thus Cencho infamed with double treason returned home The Citizens of Prage sent for Zisca who speding himselfe thether with the Thaborites receiued the citie vnder his gouernance In the Bohemiās host there was but only two Barons Hilco Crussina of Liturburge and Hilco of Waldestene with a few other nobles All the residue were of the common people They went about first to subdue the Castell which was by nature very strongly fensed and could not be won by no other meanes then with famine wherupon all the passages were stopped that no vittailes should be carried in But the Emperour opened the passages by dint of sword when he had geuen vnto them which were besieged all things necessary hauing sente for ayde out of the Empire he determined shortly after to besiege the Citie There was in the Emperours campe the Dukes of Saxon the Marqueses of Brandenburge and hys sonne in law Albert of Austrich The Citie was assaulted by the space of vi weekes The Emperor Sigismūd was crowned in the Metropolitane house in the Castle Conradus the Archbishop solemnising the ceremonies of the coronation The city was straightly besieged In the meane time the Captaines Rosenses Chragery which had takē the tentes of the Thaborites being ouercome in battaile by Nicholas Husse whome Zisca had sent with parte of hys power for that purpose were driuen out of their tentes and Gretium the Queenes Citie was also taken There is also aboue the Towne of Prage a high hill which is called Uidechon On this hill had Zisca strongly planted a garrison that his enemies should not possesse it with whome the Marques of Misnia skirmishing lost a great part of his souldiours For when as the Misnians had gotten the top of the hill being driuen back into a corner which was broken steepe and fiersly set vpon whē as they could no longer withstād the violent force of their enimies some of them were slaine and some falling headlong from the hill were destroied Whereupon the Emperour Sigismund raising his seege departed vnto Cuthua and Zisca with his company departed vnto Thabor and subdued many places amōgst which he subuerted a town pertaining to the captaine of Uisgrade During this tyme the Castell of Uisgrade was strongly besieged whereas when other vittailes wāted they were compelled to eate horse flesh Last of all except the Emperour did aide them by a certaine daye they promised to yeld it vp but vnder this condition that if the Emperour did come they within the Castle should be no more molested The Emperour was present before the day but beeyng ignorant of the truce taken entring into a straight vnderneath the Castle was sodenly set vpon by the souldiours of Prage where he had a great ouerthrow and so leauing his purpose vnperformed returned backe againe There were slaine in that conflict xiiij noble men of the Morauians and of the Hungarians other a great number The Castle was deliuered vp vnto them Whilest these things were in doing Zisca toke Boslaus a captaine which was surnamed Cigneus by force in a very strōg towne of his and brought him vnto his religion Who a few yeares after leading the protestants host in Austria was wounded before Rhetium and died Ther were in the territorie of Pelsina many
should not want a ruler At the same time also Ericius king of Denmarke Peter Instant brother to the king of Portingal and father of Iames Cardinall of S. Eustachius came vnto y◠Emperour being both very expert men in the affaires of warre which did augment the Emperours host with their aid and power Wherupon they straightway pitched their camp before Lutemperge a towne of Morauia and continued the siege by the space of ii moneths There was at that time a certaine Knight at Prage surnamed Aqua which was very rich and of great authority This mā forsomuch as he had no child of his owne adopted vnto him his sisters sonne named Procopius whom when he was of meane stature and age he caried with him into France Spayne and Italy and vnto Ierusalem and at his returne caused hym to be made Priest This man when the Gospell began to flourish in Boheme tooke part with Zisca and for somuch as he was strong and valiant and also painefull he was greatly esteemed This Procopius for his valiaunt actes was afterward called Procopius Magnus and had committed vnto him the whole charge of the prouince of Morauia and the defence of the Lutemperges who receiuing a great power by force maugre all the whole power which lay in the siege carried vittailes into the towne which was besieged and so did frustrate the Emperours siege The Emperour before this had deliuered vnto the Marquesses of Misnia the bridge and towne of Ausca vpon the riuer of Albis that they should fortifie them with their garrisons Wherupon Zisca besieged Ausca and Fridericke the Marquesse of Misnia with his brother the Lantzgraue of Turyng gathering together a greate army out of Saxonia Turing Misnia and both the Lusaces determined to rescue and ayde those which were besieged There was a great battaile fought before the Citie and the victory depēded long vncertaine but at last it fel on the Protestantes part There were slaine in that battaile the Burgraues of Misnia or Chyrpogenses the Barons of Glychen and many other nobles beside ix thousand cōmon souldiours and the Towne of Ausca was taken and vtterly rased At the last dissention rising betweene Zisca and them of Prage they of Prage prepared an army against him wher with he perceiuing himselfe ouermatched fled vnto the Riuer of Albis and was almost takē but that he had passage through the town of Poggiebras but they of Prage pursuing the taile of y◠battaile slue many of his Thaborites At the length they came vnto certaine hils whereas Zisca going into the valley knowing the straights of the place that his enimies could not spread their army he commanded his standerd to stand still and exhorting and encouraging his souldiours he gaue them battaile This battaile was very fierce and cruell but Zisca hauing the vpper hande slue 3000. of them of Prage and put the rest to flight and straightwaies tooke the Citie of Cuthna by force which they of Prage had repaired and set it on fire then withall speed he went with his army to besiege Prage and incamped within a bowe shoote of the towne There wer many both in the City and also in his host which grudged sore at y◠siege some accusing Zisca othersome them of Prage There was great tumultes in the campe the souldiours saieng that it was not reasonable that the City should be suppressed which was both the head of the kingdome and did not dissent frō them in opinion saieng that the Bohemians power would soone decay if their enimies should know that they were deuided within themselues also that they had sufficient warres agaynst the Emperour and that it was but a foolish deuise to moue warres amongst themselues This talke came vnto the eare of Zisca who calling together his armie standyng vpon a place to be heard spake these words BRethren be yee not agreeued against me neither accuse hym which hath sought your health and sauegard The victories which ye haue obteined vnder my conduict are yet fresh in memorie neither haue I broughte you at anye time vnto any place from whence you haue not come victours You are become famous and rich and I for your sake haue lost my sight and dwell in darkenesse Nothing haue I gotten by all these fortunate battailes but only a vaine name For you haue I fought and for you haue I vanquished neither do I repente me of my trauailes neyther is my blindnesse greeuous vnto me but onely that I can not prouide for you according to my accustomed manner Neither do I persecute them of Prage for mine owne cause for it is your bloud that they thirst and seeke for and not mine It were but small pleasure for them to destroy me being now an old man and blind it is your valiantnesse and stoute stomackes which they feare Either must you or they perish who whilest they seeme to lye in wait for me do seeke after your liues You must rather feare ciuill warres then foreine and ciuill sedition ought first to be auoided We will subdue Prage and banish the seditious Citizens before the Emperour shall haue any newes of this sedition And then hauing but a few of his faction left we may wyth the lesse feare looke for it better then if these doubtfull Citizens of Prage were still in our campe But because ye shall accuse me no more I geue you free libertie to do what you will If it please you to suffer them of prage to liue in quietnesse I will not be against it so that there be no treason wrought If you determine to haue warre I am also readie Looke which part you will decline vnto Zisca will be your ayde and helper When he had spoken these words the souldiours minds were changed and wholly determined to make wars so that they ran by and by to take vp their armour and weapon to run vnto the walles to prouoke their enemies to fight for the gates of the citie Zisca in the meane time prepared all things ready for the assault There is a little from Pelsina acertain vilage named Rochezana In this place there was a child borne of poore and base parētage whose name was Iohn he came vnto Prage and got his liuing there by begging and learned Grammer Logick When he came to mās state he became y◠Scholemaster of a noble mans child and for so much as he was of an excellent wit and ready toung he was receiued into the Colledge of the poore and last of all being made Priest he began to preach the word of God to the Citizēs of Prage and was named Iohannes de Rochezana by the name of the Towne where he was borne This mā grew to be of great name and authoritie in the towne of Prage Wherupon when as Zisca besieged Prage he by the consent of the Citizēs went out into the camp and reconciled Zisca againe vnto the Citie When as the Emperour perceiued that all things came
with the infernall Gods but I most reuerend fathers do not inuite you vnto the infernals as he did his Lacedemonians but vnto the celestiall and euerlasting ioyes of Paradise if that you can suffer death for the truthes sake and paciently abide the threatnings of these princes if there be any threatninges at all I call you vnto that eternal glory where as there is no alteration of state nothing decayeth or fadeth where all good and perpetuall things do abound wheras no man wanteth no man enuyeth an other no man stealeth frō an other no man violently taketh frō an other no man banisheth no man murdereth and finally no man dyeth Where as all men are blessed and happy all are of one minde one accord all are immortall all are of lyke estate that all men haue euery man hath that euery mā hath all men haue Which thinges if we will consider we shall truely answere Panormitan as Theodorus Cyrensis is said to haue answered Lismachus the king whē he threatned to hang hym who sayd I pray you threaten these horrible thinges vnto your Courtiers as for Theodorus it maketh no matter whether he rotte aboue the grounde or vnder the ground So likewise let vs aunswere vnto the princes if there be anye that do threaten vs and let vs not feare their tormentes What doth a longer life preuayle to help vs No man hath liued to short a tyme which hath obtained the perfect gift of vertue And if the death which a man suffereth in the quarrell of his country seemeth not onely to be glorious amongst the Rhetoricians but also happy blessed what shall we say for these deathes whiche are sustayned for the country of all countryes the Church Truely most reuerend fathers it is to muche that our aduersaries doe perswade themselues of you for they iudge you feareful sluggish and faynt harted and therefore they do obiect Princes vnto you because they thinke that you wil not suffer hunger thyrst exile in the quarrell detence of the church But I thinke you will esteeme it no hard matter for the obteyning of euerlasting lyfe to do the same which shipmen do for the obteyning of transitory riches to put themselues in danger of the sea wind and suffer most cruell stormes The hunters lye abroad in the nightes in the snowe in the hilles and woodes are tormented with cold yet haue they none other reward but some wilde beast of no value or prise I pray you what ought you then to doe whose reward shal be Paradise I am ashamed of our ignauie whē as I read that women yea euen yong maydens haue violently obtayned heauen through their Martyrdome and we are made afrayd onely with the name of death Thys riuer of Rhein which runneth along by the cittie in tymes past hath caryed 11. thousand virgines vnto Martyrdome In India as Cicero writeth whē any mā was dead hys wiues for there they had many wiues came not into contention who shuld be burned with him and she whom he loued best hauing vanquished the other all the rest ioyfully folowing her was cast into the fire with the dead Carcase of her husband and burnt The other whiche were ouercome departed full of heauines and sorow wishing rather to haue dyed then liue The which courage we now taking vpon vs for Christes sake will aunswere Panormitan euen as the Lacedemonians aunswered Phillip who when as by his letters he threatned them that he would stop all that whiche they went about they asked him whether he would also let thē to dye Therfore as you are excellent men so vse your vertue which is alway free and remayneth alwayes inuincible For you do know that power is geuē you of the Lord and strength from the most highest who will take accompt of your workes and examine your thoughtes vnto whom ye should be carefull to render a good accompt iudgyng rightly and keeping the lawe of righteousnesse and in all thinges walking according to the will of God And not according to the will of men And whereas the Embassadours of Eugenius doe openly preach and declare a new doctrine extolling the byshop of Rome aboue the vniuersall church to the end that ignorant soules be not snared ye shall not cease or leaue to publish the three first conclusions following the example of the Apostle Paul which would in no point geue place vnto Peter when he walked not according to the Gospel As for the other matters which doe respect the only person of Eugenius because Panormitan and the other Ambassadours of the princes shall not say that we doe passe oure bonds ye shall deferre them for this present When as Cardinall Arelatensis had made an ende of his Oration there was a great noyse crying out brawling euery where The Presidents cōmaundements were not regarded neither was the accustmed order obserued for sometimes they spake vnto Panormitan sometime vnto Lodouicus no man was suffered to speake but in haste the bishops brawled with byshops and the inferiours with theyr fellowes All was full of contention debate which when as Lodouicus the Patriarck of Aquileia perceiued a man of no lesse courage and stomacke then of nobillitie and byrth being also a Duke for the zeale whiche he bare vnto the vniuersall church turning himselfe vnto Panormita◠Lodouicus the Prothonotary sayd Do not think the matter shall so passe you know not yet the maners of the Germaynes for if you go forward on this fashion it wil not be lawfull for you to depart out of this country wyth whole heades With which wordes Panormitan Lodouicus and the Archbishop of Millaine being striken as it were with lightning from heauen rose vp sayd Is our libertie thus taken from vs What meaneth it that the patriarcke doth threaten vs that our heades shoulde be broken And turning themselues vnto Iohn Earle of Dierstene which then supplied the protectors place they demāded of him whether he would defend the Councel and preserue al men in their libertie or no. The Citizens also and Senators were present to prouide and foresee that no offence shoulde rise for the Cittizens obserued alwayes this order that they would be present in all affayres which they supposed would breede dissension foreseeing specially that no tumultes shold ryse otherwise then with wordes They vsed alwayes suche a marueilous foresight prouidence that no man vnto this day could haue any cause agaynst them to complayne for violating their promise Wherefore if at any time any citizens haue deserued wel at the hands of the churche surely this prayse is to be geuen vnto the Basilians These men together with Iohn Earle of Dierstene being present in the assembly of the fathers gaue a signe of preseruatiō of their libertie The Earle albeit he was moued at the strangenes of the matter for he would not haue thought so great contētions could haue risen amongst wise mē answered
vereties which were examined that therby the temeritie of the EugeniaÌ„s might be repressed which verities albeit they were 8. in number yet was it not the Fathers inteÌ„t to conclude vpon them al but onely the three first euen as I also saith he here do conclude in the name of the Father the sonne and the holy Ghost When he had finished his Oration with a cheerful and mery countenaunce rising vp he departed Some of them kissed him and some of them kissed the skirtes of his garmentes A great number followed him and greatly commended his wisedome that being a Frenche man borne had that day vanquished the Italians which were men of great pollicy Howbeit this was all mens opinion that it was done rather by the operation of the holy Ghost then by the Cardinals owne power The other of the contrary faction as men bereft of their mindes hanging downe theyr heades departed euery man to his lodging They weÌ„r not together neither saluted one an other so that their countenaunces declared vnto euery man that they were ouercome Something more also is reported of Panormitane that when he came to his lodging was gone vnto his chamber he complained with himself vpon his king which had compelled him to striue agaynst the truth and put both his soule and good name in daunger of loosing and that in the middest of his teares and complayntes he fell a sleepe and did eate not meate vntill late in the euening for very sorow for that he had neither ignorauntly neither vnwillingly impugned the truth After this there was great consultation amongest the Eugenians what were best to be done in this matter Some thought good to depart and leaue the Councel other some thought it meeter to tary and with at endeuour to resist that nothing should further be done agaynst the Eugenians this opinion remained amongest them The next day after being the 15. day of Aprill the Archbishop of Lyons and the bishop of Burgen calling together the prelates into the Chapter house of the great church began many thinges as touching peace The Bishop of Burgen perswaded that there shuld be deputations appoynted that day vnto whoÌ„ the Archbishop of Lyons shoulde geue power to make an agrement Unto whome aunswere was made as they thought very roughly but as other iudged geÌ„tly but not withstanding iustly and truely For they sayd there could be no vnitie or concorde made before the aduersaries confessed their fault and asked pardon therefore The day following the sayd Byshop of Burgen with the other Lombards and Cathelans went vnto the Germaines and from thence vnto the Senate of the citie speaking much as touching the prohibiting of Schismes The Germaynes referred themselues to those thinges which the deputation should determine The Senate of the Citie as they were great meÌ„ of wisedom which would do nothing without dilligent aduise and deliberation answered that the marter pertayned not vnto them but vnto yâ— Counâ—or The fathers whereof were most wise men and were not ignoraunt what pertayned vnto the Christen fayth and if there were any daunger toward it shuld be declared vnto the Councell and not to the Senate For they beleue that the Elders of the Councell if they were premonished would foresee that there should no hurt happen as for the Senate of the Cittie it was there duety onely to defend the fathers and to preserue the promise of the citie with this answere the byshop of Burgen departed In the meane time the fathers of the councell had drawen out a forme of a decree vpon the former conclusions and had approned the same in the sacred deputations By this time the Princes Orators were returned from the assembly at Mentz holding a Councel among themselues they had determined to let the decree The 9. day of May there was a generall conuocation holdeÌ„ wherunto all meÌ„ resorted either part putting forth himselfe vnto the coÌ„flict The Princes Ambassadours were called by the bishop of Lubecke and Conrade de Winsperg the protectour into the quier and there kept whereas they intreated of a vnity and by what meanes it might be had and there they taryed longer then some thought to doe the whiche matter gaue occasion to bring thinges well to passe beyond al expectation The onely forme of the decree was appoynted to be concluded that day whereupon as soon as Cardinall Arelatensis perceiued the congregation to be full and that the twelue men had agreed and that there was a great expectation with sileuce he thought good not to delay it for feare of tumult but commanded by and by the publick coÌ„cordaunces to be read wherein this was also contayned that the Cardinall Arelatensis might appoynt a Session when soeuer he would Which being read he being desired by the promotors concluded according as the maner of custome is The Ambassadours of princes being yet it in the Duier as soone as they vnderstoode how the matter passed being very much troubled vexed they brake of theyr talke imputing all thinges to the bishop of Lubecke which of purpose had kept them in the Duier and protracted the time Wherupon they entring into the congregation filled the church full of complayntes First of all the Oratour of Lubecke complayned both in his owne name and the name of the protectour as touching the conclusion required that the councell woulde reuoke the same If that might be graunted he promised to intreate a peace and to be a protector betweene the Councell and the Ambassadours of the Princes But the Archbyshop of Turnon said that it seemed vnto him euery maÌ„ to haue free libertie to speake against that law whith shold be promulgate vntill the Session wheÌ„ the Canons shuld be consecrated and receiue their force wheÌ„ as the bishops in their poÌ„tificalibus after the reading of the decree in the Session should aunswere that it pleased them otherwise the demaund which was made by the promoters in the Session to be but vayne and for that the coÌ„clusious were not yet allowed in the Session and therefore he sayd that he might without rebuke speake somewhat as touching the same and that it was a great and hard matter and not to be knit vp in such a short time and that he had the knowledge thereof but euen now notwithstaÌ„ding that he being an Archbishop ought to haue knowne the matter that at hys return home he might informe the king also instruct those which were vnder him And that he and his fellowes before any Session should be would both heare be heard of others Neither doth it seeme good vnto him that the Session should be holdeÌ„ before report were made of those things which the Ambassadours of the Princes had done at Mentz which would peraduenture be such as might altter and chaunge the mindes of the fathers Then the Byshop of Concen Ambassadour of the king of Castell which was also lately returned from Mentz a man
Arelatensis published vnto thē the name of the elect bishop After this al the prelats in their robes pōtificalibus and miters and all the clergye of the city cōming vnto the conclaue the electours being likewise adourned they brought thē vnto the great church where as after great thankes geuen vnto God and the electiō agayne declared vnto the people a Hymne being song for ioy the cōgregation was dissolued This Amedeus aforesayd was a man of reuerent age of comely stature of graue and discreet behauiour also before maried Who thus being elect for Pope about Nouember was called Felix the v. and was crowned in the city of Basill in the month of Iuly There were present at his coronation Lewes Duke of Sauoy Philip Earle Gebenēs Lewes Marques of Salutze The Marques of Rotelen Cōrade of Winsperghey Chāberlain of the Empire The Earle of Dierstein The Ambassadours of the Cittyes of Strasbrough Berne Friburge Solatorne with a great multitude of other beside to the vew of 50000. persons At this coronatiou the Popes two sonnes did serue and minister to theyr father Lewes Cardinal of Hostia did set on his head the pontificall Diademe which was estemed at 30. thousand crownes It were long here to recite the whole order and solemnity of the procession or the Popes ryding about the City First proceeded the Pope vnder his Canaby of cloth of gold hauing on his head a triple crown and blessing the people as he went By him wēt the Marques of Rotelen and Conrade of Winsperge leading his horse by the bridle The procession finished they went to dinner which lasted foure full houres being excessiuely sumptuous where the Popes two sonnes were butlers to his cup. The Marques of Salutze was the stuard c. Of this Foelix thus writeth Uolaterane in his 3. booke that he being desired of certayne of the Ambassadours if he had any dogges or houndes to shew them he willed them the next day to repayre to him and he woulde shew vnto them such as he had When the Ambassadours according to the appoyntment were come he sheweth vnto them a great number of poore people and beggers sitting at his tables at meat declaring that those were hys hoūdes which he euery day vsed to feede hunting with them he trusted for the glory of heauen to come And thus you haue heard the state of this Councell hetherto which Councell endured a long season the space of 17. yeares About the 6. yeare of the Coūcell Sigismund the Emperour dyed leauing but one daughter to succeede hym in his kingdomes whom he had maryed to Albert 2. Duke of Austricke which first succeeded in the kingdome of Hūgary and Boheme being a sore aduersary to the Bohemians and afterward was made Emperour an 1438. and raigned Emperour but 2. yeares leauing his wyfe which was Sigismūd his daughter great with childe After which Albert succeeded his brother Frederick the third Duke of Austrich in the Empire c. wherof more Christ willing hereafter In the meane time Eugenius hearing of the death of Sigismund aboue recited began to worke the dissolutiō of the Councel of Basill and to transferre it to Ferraria pretending the comming of the Grecians Notwithstanding the Councel of Basill through the disposition of God and the worthines of Cardinall Arelatensis constantly endured Albeit in the said Councell were many stops and practises to empeach the same beside the sore plague of pestilence which fell in the Citie during the sayd Councell In the which plague time besides the death of many worthy men Aeneas Syluius also himselfe the writer compiler of the whole history of that Councell sitting at the feete of the Bishops of Tournon and of Lubecke lay sicke iij. dayes of the same sore as is aboue touched and neuer thought to escape They that died departed with this exhortation desiring mē to pray to God that he would conuert the harts of them that stooke to Eugenius as Pope against that Councell as partly is afore noted and now repeated againe for the better marking Arelatensis being most instantly exhorted by his frends to flie that danger could by no meanes be intreated to auoide fearing more the daunger of the Church then of his owne life Beside these so great difficulties obstacles to stay and hinder this Councell strange it was to behold the mutation of mens minds Of whom such as first seemed to fauour the Councell after did impugne it and such as before were against it in the end shewed themselues most frends vnto the same The chiefe Cardinals prelates the more they had to loose the sooner they slipt away or els lurked in houses or townes neare and absented thēselues for feare so that the stay of the Councell most rested vpō their Proctours Doctours Archdeacōs Deanes Prouostes Priours and such other of the inferiour sort Wherof Aeneas Syluius in his 183. Epistle maketh this relation where one Caspar Schlicke the Emperours Chauncelour writeth to the Cardinal Iulian in these words Those Cardinals saith he which so long time magnified so highly the authoritie of the Church and of generall Councels seeming as though they were ready to spend their liues for the same now at the sight of one letter from their king wherin yet no death was threatned but onely losse of their promotions slipt away frō Basil. And in the same Epistle deridingly commendeth thē as wise men that had rather lose their faith then their flocke Albeit saith he they departed not farre away but remained about Solotorne waiting for other commandements from their Prince Wherby it may appeare how they did shrinke away not willingly but the Burse quoth he bindeth faster then true honour Quid enim saluis infamia nummis That is to say what matter maketh the name of a man so his money be safe Haec Aeneas Moreouer in one of the Sessions of the said Councell the worthy Cardinall Arelatensis is sayde thus to haue reported that Christ was sold for xxx pence but I saide he was solde much more deare For Gabriell otherwise called Eugenius Pope offered 60. thousand crownes who so would take me present me vnto him And they that tooke the said Cardinall afterward excused their fact by another coulour pretending the cause for that the Cardinals brother what time the Armiakes wasted Alsatia had wrought great dammage to the inhabitants there and therfore they thought said they that they might lawfully lay handes vpon a Frenchman wheresoeuer they might take him At length by the Bishop of Strasbrough Rupert and the said City the matter was taken vp and he rescued Wherein no doubt appeared the hand of God in defending his life from the pestilent danger of the Pope his aduersary Ex Paralip Abbat Vrsper And thus farre hauing proceeded in the matters of this foresayd Councell vntill the election of Amadeus called Pope Foelix v. before we prosecute the rest that remaineth thereof to be
and protest before God and mā that you wil be the cause of Schisme and infinite mischieues if you doe not alter change your minde and purpose Almighty God preserue your holinesse in the prosperity of a vertuous man Vnto whose feete I do moste humbly recommend me From Basil the 5. day of Iune Thus endeth the Epistle of Cardinal Iulian wrytten vnto Pope Eugenius Wherein for so much as mention is made howe that the Bohemians had promised to sende their Ambassadours vnto the Councell and as before is partly touched in the Bohemian storie their commyng into Basill and propounding of certaine articles wherein they dissented frō the Pope we doe not thinke it any thing differing from our purpose to annexe a briefe Epitome declaring the whole circumstance of their Ambassade their articles disputations and answeres which they had at the sayd councell of Basil with their petitions and answeres vnto the same Faithfully translated out of Latin by F.W. In like maner Aeneas Syluius also with his owne hand and wryting not onely gaue testimony to the authoritie of thys councell but also bestowed his labour and trauaile in setting foorth the whole storie thereof Notwythstanding the same Syluius afterward being made Pope wyth hys new honour did alter and change his olde sentence the Epistle of which Aeneas touching the commendation of the sayde Councel because it is but short and will occupy but litle roume I thought heere vnder for the more satisfying of the readers minde to inserte An Epistle of Aeneas Syluius to the Rector of the Vniuersitie of Colen TO a Christian man whiche will be a true Christian in deede nothing ought to be more desired then that the sinceritie and purenes of faith geuen to vs of Christ by our forefathers be kept of all men immaculate and if at any time any thing be wrought or attempted against the true doctrine of the Gospell the people ought with one consent to prouide lawfull remedy euery man to bring with him some water to quench the general fire Neither must we feare how we be hated or enuied so we bring the truth Wee must resist euery mā to his face whether he be Paul or Peter if he walke not directly to the truth of the Gospell which thing I am gladde and so are we all to heare that your Vniuersitie hathe done in this Councell of Basill For a certaine treatise of yours is brought hether vnto vs wherein you reprehend the rudenesse or rather the rashnesse of such which do deny the Bishop of Rome and the Consistorie of his iudgement to be subiecte vnto the generall Councell and that the supreame tribunall seate of iudgement standeth in the Church and in no one Bishop Such men as deny this you so confound with liuely reasons and trueth of the Scriptures that neither they are able to slide away like the slippery Eeles neither to cauill or bring any obiection againste you These be the wordes of Siluius Furthermore as touching the autority and approbation of the foresayd Councel this is to be noted that during the life of Sigismund the Emperour no man resisted this Councell Also continuing the time of Charles the 7. the French king the said Councel of Basil was fully wholly receiued through all France But after the death of Sigismund when Eugenius was deposed and Felix Duke of Sauoy was elected Pope greate discordes arose and much practise was wrought But especially on Eugenius part who being nowe excommunicate by the Councell of Basill to make his part more strong made 18. new Cardinals Thē he sent his Orators vnto the Germains labouring by all perswasions to dissolue the councell of Basill the Germaines at that time were so deuided that some of them did hold with Felix and the Councell of Basil other some with Eugenius and the Councell of Ferraria and some were neuters After this the French king being dead which was Charles the 7. about the yeare of oure Lorde 1444. the Pope beginneth a newe practise after the olde guise of Rome to excite as is supposed the Dolphine of Fraunce by force of armes to dissipate that Councell collected against him Who leading an army of xb. M. men in to Alsatia did cruelty waste and spoyle the countrey after that laide siege vnto Basil to expel driue out the prelates of the Councell But the Heluetians most stoutly meeting their enemies with a small power did vanquish the Frenchmen and put them to sword and flight like as the Lacedemonians onely with C C C. did suppresse and scattered all the mighty army of Xerxes at Thermopylyae Although Basil thus by the valiantnes of the Heluetians was defended yet notwithstanding the Councell thorough these tumultes could not continue by reason of the princes Ambassadours which shronke away and woulde not tary So that at lengthe Eugenius brought to passe partly through the help of Fredericke being not yet Emperor but laboring for the Empire partly by his Orators in the number of whome was Eneas Syluius aboue mentioned amongst the Germans that they were content to geue ouer both the councel of Basil and their neutrality This Fridericke of Austrich being not yet Emperour but towards the Empire brought also to passe that Felix which was chosen of the Councell of Basill to be Pope was contented to renoūce and resigne his Papacie to Nicolaus the fift successour to Eugenius of the which Nicolaus the sayde Fredericke was confirmed at Rome to be Emperour and there crowned An. 1451. As these things were doing at Basil in the meane season pope Eugenius brought to passe in his conuocation at Florence that the Emperour and the Patriarke of Constantinople wyth the rest of the Grecians there present were perswaded to receiue the sentence of the Churche of Rome concerning the proceeding of the holy Ghost also to receiue the communion in vnleauened bread to admitte Purgatorie and to yeelde them selues to the authoritye of the Romish Bishop Whereunto notwythstanding the other Churches of Grecia would in no wise assent at theyr comming home In so much that with a publike execreation they did condemn afterward al those Legates which had consented to these Articles that none of them shoulde be buryed in Christen buriall whych was Anno. 1439. Ex◠Casp. Peucer And thus endeth the storie both of the Councel of Basil and of the councel of Florence also of the Emperor Sigismund and of the schisme betwene pope Eugenius and Pope Felix and also of the Bohemians The which Bohemians notwythstanding all these troubles and tumultes aboue said did rightwel and were strong enough against all their enemies till at length through discord partly betwene the 2. preachers of the old and newe citye of Prage partly also through y◠discord of the messengers captains taking sides one against the other they made their eunemies strong and enfebled themselues Albeit afterward in processe of time they so defended the cause of their
had him walke traytour and made him to be set openly in the stockes For though he could haue seene sodenly by miracle the difference betwene diuers colours yet could he not by the sight so sodeinly tell the names of al these coulours except he had known them before no more then the names of all the men that he shuld sodaynly see By this may it be seene howe Duke Humfrey had not onely an head to disserue and disseruer trueth from forged and fayned hipocrisie but study also and dilligence lykewise was in him to reforme that which was amisse And thus much hetherto for the noble prowesse vertues ioyned with the like ornamentes of knowledge literature shining in this Princely duke For the which as he was both loued of the poore commons and wel spoken of all men no les deseruing the same being called the good Duke of Glocester so neither yet wanted hee his enemies and priuy enuiers whether it was through the fatall and vnfortunate lucke of the name of that house which is but a vayn friuolous obseruation of Polydore Halle which followeth hym bringing in the examples of Hugh Speser of Thomas of Woodstock sonne of â— Edward the thyrd of this Duke Humfry and after oâ— king Richard the thyrd Duke likewise of Gloucester or whether it was that yâ— nature of true vertue coÌ„monly is suche that as the flame euer beareth his smoke and the body his shadow foâ— the brightnes of vertue neuer blaseth but hath some disdayne or enuy wayting vpon it or els whether it was rather for some diuorcement from his wife or for some other vice or trespasse done as seemeth most like truth which God as well in dukes houses correcteth as in other inferiour parsons especially where he loueth But howsoeuer the cause is to vs vnknowne this good Duke of Glocester albeit beyng both that kinges sole vncle hauing so many well willers thorough yâ— whol realme yet lacked not hys Sathan lacked not his secret maligners Of whom specially was HeÌ„ry Beuford Cardinal Bish. of Wintchester and Chaunceller of England who of long time disdayning and enuying the rule and authoritie of this Duke first had disposed and appoynted himselfe to remoue the kings person from Eltham vnto Winsor out of the Dukes handes and there to put in such gouernours as him listed After that enteÌ„ding the Dukes death he set men of armes and Archers at the end of London bridge and for barring the hye waye wyth a draw chain set men in chambers sellers and windowes with bowes and arrowes and other weapons to the purposed destructioÌ„ both of the duke his retinue if God had not so disposed to turne his iourny an other way Beside other manifold iniuries and molestations the Ambitious Cardinall seeking by all meanes to be Pope procured such trouble agaynst him that great deuision was thereby in the whole Realme in somuch that all the shops within yâ— city of London were shut in for feare of the fauourers of these two great personages for each part had assembled no small number of people For the pacifying whereof that archbishop of Caunterbury and the Duke of Dumber called the prince of Portingall rode 7. tymes in one day betwene those two aduersaryes Such were then the troubles of this tumultuous diuision within the realme and al by the excitation of this vnquiet Cardinall Ouer and beside this Cardinall afore mentioned an other Capitall enemy to the said Duke was William de la Pole first Earle then Marques at last Duke of Suffolke a man very ill reported of in storyes to be not only that orgaÌ„ instrument of this good mans death but also to be the noyance of the common wealth ruine of the realme For by him and hys onely deuise was first concluded the vnprofitable and vnhonourable mariage betweene the kyng Lady Margaret daughter of the Duke of Angeow where as the king had concluded contracted a mariage before with the daughter of the Earle of Armiâ—â—k vpon conditions so much more profitable and honourable as more conuenient it is for a Prince to mary a wise with riches frends then to take a mayd with nothing disherite himselfe hys realme of old rightes ancient inheritance which so came to passe And all this the good Duke did well foresee declared no lesse but hys counsel would not be taken Wherupon followed first the geuing away the Duchy of Angeow the Citie of Mayne with the whoâ—e Country of Mayne to Reyner Duke of Angeow father of the Damoâ—ell called then K. of Sicile of HierusaleÌ„ hauing therof no peny profite but onely a vayne name to play withal An other sore enemy and mortall plague to this Duke was the Queene her selfe lately before maried to the king Who being of haute stomack and all set vpon glory of wit and wilynes lacking nothing and perceiuing her husband to be simple of wit and easy to be ruled tooke vpon her to rule and gouerne both the king kingdome And because the aduise counsaile of Humfrey duke of Glocester was somewhat a stay that her authoritie and regimeÌ„t could not so fully proceede and partly because the sayd Duke before dyd disagree from that mariage this manly women and couragious Queene ceased not by all imaginations and practises possible to set forwarde his destruction hauing also for her helper herein the Duke of Buckingham c. These being his principall enemies and mortall foes fearing least some commotion might arise if such a Prince so ueare the kinges bloud and so beare to the people of all men so beloued shold be openly executed put to death deuised how to trap him and circumueÌ„t him vnknowing and vnprouided For the more speedy furtherance wherof a Parliament was suÌ„moned to be kept at Bery an 1447. sacre â—rom the citizens of London as William Lindall in his booke of practise writeth Where resorted all the peres of the realme and amongst them the Duke of Gloucester thinking no harme to any man lesse to himselfe Who on the second day of the Sesâ—on was by the Lord Beamonde high Constable then of Englande accompanied with the Duke of Buckingham and other arrested apprehended and put in ward and vpon the same all his seruaunts discharged and put from him of whome 32. of the principall being also vnder arrest were dispersed into diuers prisoÌ„s to the great murmuring and greuance of the people After this arrest thus done and the Duke put in to Warde the night after saith Halle 6. nightes after sayth Fabian and Polychron he was found dead in hys bed the 24. of Febru ary and his body shewed to the Lordes and Commons as though he had bene taken naturally with some sodayne disease And although no wouÌ„d in his body could be seene yet to al indifferent persons it might wel be iudged that he
company of souldiors to do any good yet to vse pollicy where strength did lack first he sent forth certayne light horsemen to proue the countrey on euery side with persuasions to see whether the vplandyshe people would be styrred to take king Edwards part Perceiuing that it woulde not be king Edwarde flyeth to hys shiftes dissembling his purpose to be not to clayme the crowne and kingdome but onely to clayme the Duchy of Yorke whiche was his owne title and caused the same to be published This being notified to the people that he desired no more but onely his iust patrimony and lineall inheritaunce they began to be moued with mercy and compassion toward him either to fauour him or not to resiste him and so iournying toward Yorke he came to Beuerly The Marques Mountacute brother to the Earle of Warwicke was then at Pomfret to whom the Earle had sent strayght charge with all expedition to set vpon him or els to stop his passage and likewise to the Citizens of Yorke and all Yorkeshyre to shut theyr gates and take armour agaynst him King Edward being in the streetes proceeded notwithstanding nere to Yorke without resistaunce where he required of the Citizens to be admitted into theyr Citty But so stoode the case then that they durst not graunt vnto him but contrary sent him word to approch no nearer as beloued his owne safegarde The desolate king was here driuen to a narow strait who neyther could retyre backe for the opinion of the countrey and losse of his cause neither could goe further for the present daunger of the City Wherefore vsing the same pollicy as before with louely words and gentle speech he desired the messengers to declare vnto the Citizens that his comming was not to demaund the realme of England or the title of the same but onely the Duchye of Yorke his olde inheritaunce and therefore determined to set forward neither with armie nor weapō The messēgers were not so soone within the gates but he was at the gates in a manner as soone as they The Citizens hearing his courteous answere and that he intended nothing to the preiudice of the king nor of the realme were something mitigated toward him and began to common with him from the walles willing him to withdrawe his power to some other place and they would be the more ready to ayde him at least he shoulde haue no damage by them Notwithstanding he again vsed such lowly language and deliuered so faire speach vnto them entreating them so curteously and saluting the Aldermen by their names requiring at their hāds no more but only his own towne whereof he had the name and title that at length the Citizens after long talke and debating vpon the matter partly also intised with faire and large promises fell to this cōuention that if he would sweare to be true to king Henry gentle in entertaining his citizens they woulde receiue him into the Citie This being concluded the next morning at the entring of the gate a priest was ready to say Masse in the which after receiuing of the sacrament the king receiued a solemne othe to obserue the ii articles afore agreed By reason of which othe so rashly made as shortly brokē and not lōg after punished as it may wel be thought in his posterity he obteined the city of Yorke Where he in short time forgetting his oth to make al sure set in garrisons of armed soldiors Furthermore perceiuing all things to be quiet and no stirre to be made against him he thought to foreslacke no oportunitie of time and so made forward toward Lōdon leauing by the way the Marques Mountacute which lay then with his army at Pomfrete on the right hande not fully foure miles distant from his campe and so returning to the hye waye againe wente forwarde without anye stirring to the towne of Notingham where came to him sir W. Parre sir Thomas of Borough sir Tho. Montgomery diuers else of his assured frends with their aydes which caused him by proclamation to stand to his own title of king Edward the fourth sayeng that they woulde serue no man but a king At the fame here of being blowne abroade as the Citizēs of Yorke were not a little offended that worthely so frō other townes and cities Lords and noble men began to fall vnto him thinking with thēselues that the Marques Mountagew either fauoured his cause or was afraide to encounter with the mā Howsoeuer it was K. Edward being now more fully furnished at al points came to the towne of Leicester and there hearing that the earle of Warwicke accompanied with the earle of Oxford were together at Warwicke with a great power minding to set on the Earle he remooued from thence his army hoping to geue him battaile The Duke of Clarence in the meane time about London had leuied a great hoste cōming toward the earle of Warwicke as he was by the Earle appointed But when the Earle sawe the Duke to linger the time he began to suspecte as it fell out in deede that he was altered to his brethrenes part The king auansing forward his host came to Warwicke where he found all the people departed Frō thence he moued toward Couentry where the Earle was vnto whome the next day after he boldly offered battayle But the Earle expecting the Duke of Clarence his cōming kept him within the walles All this made for the king For he hearing that his brother Duke of Clarence was not farre off comming toward him with a great army raysed hys campe and made toward him either to entreate or else to encounter with his brother When ech hoste was in sight of the other Richard Duke of Gloucester brother to thē both as arbitour betweene thē first rode to the one then to the other Whether all this was for a face of a matter made it is vncertaine But hereby both the brethren leaning all army and weapon aside first louingly and familiarly commoned after that brotherly and naturally ioined together And that fraternall amitie by proclamation also was ratified and put out of all suspition Then was it agreed betwene the iij. brethren to attempt the earle of Warwicke if he likewise would be reconciled but he crieng out shame vpō the Duke of Clarence stoode at vtter defiance From thence king Edward so strongly furnished daily encreasing taketh his way to Lōdon Where after it was knowne that the duke of Clarence was come to his brethren much feare fell vpō the Londoners casting with thēselues what was best to do The sodaynues of time permitted no long cōsultation There was at London the same time the Archbishop of Yorke brother to the Earle of Warwicke and the duke of Somerset wyth other of K. Henries counsaile to whom the earle had sent in cōmaundement a litle before knowing the weaknes of the Citie that they should keepe the Citie from their
subuerted and confounded in theyr owne policie for that they trusting to their owne deuise and not vnto the Lord which only can dissolue the operation of Satan the Lord so turneth their deuise into a trap thereby to take them whereby they thinke most surely to escape Examples whereof we see not onely in Astyages King of the Medes aforesaid and Cyrus but in infinite other like euents which the trade of the world doth dayly offer to our eies So Queene Margaret thought her then cockesure when Duke Humfrey was made away when nothing else was her confusion so much as the losse and lacke of that man So if King Richard the second had not exercised suche crueltie vpon his vncle Thomas Duke of Glocester he had not receiued such wrong by King Henry the fourth as he did pag. 594. Likewise this King Edwarde the fourth it he had suffered his brother Gorge Duke of Clarence to haue liued his house had not so gone to wracke by Richard his other brother as it did What befell vpon the Student of Astrology in the Uniuersitie of Basill ye heard before who if he had not mewed himselfe in hys chamber for feare of his diuination had escaped the stroke that fell Now in auoiding such Propheticall euentes which he should not haue searched he fell into that which he did feare These few examples for instruction sake I thought by occasion to inferre not as though these were alone but by these few to admonish the Reader of infinite other which dayly come in practise of life to the great daunger decay as well in priuate houses as in weales publicke Wherfore briefly to repete what before simply hath bin said touching this matter seeing that Sathan thorough such subtile Prophecies hath yet doth dayly practise so manifold mischiefes in the world setting brother against brother nephew against the vncle house against house and realme against realme gēdring hatred where loue was subuerting priuely y◠simplicity of our christian faith therfore y◠first thing best is for godly men not to busie there braines about such phātasies neither in delighting in thē nor in harkening to thē nor in searching for thē either by southsaier or by cōiuratiō or by familiar or by astrologer knowing and considering this that whosoeuer shal be desirous or ready to search for them the Deuill is as ready to aunswere his curiositie therein For as once in the old tyme of Gentilitie hee gaue his Oracles by Idols and Priestes of that tyme so the same deuill although he worketh not now by Idols yet he craftely can geue now aunswere by Astrologers and coniurers in these our dayes in so doyng both to say truth and yet to deceaue men whē he hath sayd Wherfore leauyng of such curiositie let euery Christen man walke simple in his present vocation referryng hid thynges not in the word expressed vnto him which sayth in his word Non est vestrum scire tēpora momenta temporum c. It is not for you to know the tymes and seasons of tymes which the Father hath kept in his owne power c. Secondly in this matter of Prophecies requisite it is as is sayd for euery Christen man to learne how to discerne and distinct the true Prophecies which proceede of God and the false Prophecies whiche come of Sathan The difference wherof as it is not hard to be discerned so necessary it is that euery good man do rightly vnderstand the same to the entent that he knowing flying the daunger of the one may be the more certaine and cōstant in adhering to the other Thirdly because it is not sufficient that the deceitfull Prophecies of the deuill be knowen but also that they be resisted I haue also declared by what meanes the operation of Sathans workes and Prophecies are to be ouercome that is not with strength and policie of mā for that there is nothyng in man able to counteruayle the power of that enemy Under heauen there is nothyng elles that can preuayle agaynst his workes but onely the name of the Lord Iesus the sonne of God not outwardly pronoūced onely with our lippes or signed in our foreheads with the outward crosse but inwardly apprehended and dwellyng in our hartes by a silent fayth firmely and earnestly trustyng vpon the promises of God geuen and sealed vnto vs in his name For so it hath pleased his fatherly wisedome to set him vp to be both our righteousnesse before himselfe and also to be our fortitude agaynst the enemy acceptyng our fayth in his sonne in no lesse price then he accepteth the workes worthynesse of the same his sonne in whom we do beleue Such is the strength and effect of faith both in heauen in earth also in hell In heauen to iustifie in earth to preserue in hell to cōquere And therfore when any such Prophecie or any other thing is to vs obiected which seemeth to tend agaynst vs let vs first consider whether it sauour of Sathan or not If it doe then let vs seeke our succour not in our selues where it doth not dwell neither let vs kill nor slay nor chaunge our vocation therfore folowing vnordinate wayes but let vs runne to our Castle of refuge whiche is to the power of the Lord Iesus remembring the true promise of the Psalme Qui habitat in adiutorio altissimi in protectione Del coeli commorabitur That is who so putteth his trust in the succour of the Lord shall haue the God of heauen to his protector And then shall it afterward follow in the same Psalme Ipse liberabit te a laqueo venantium a verbo aspeto That is And he shall deliuer him from the snare of the hunter and from all euill wordes and Prophecies be they neuer so sharpe or bitter agaynst him c. And thus much by the occasion of kyng Edward of Prophecies Now hauing lōg taried at home in describyng the tumultes and troubles within our owne land we will let out our story more at large to consider the afflictions and perturbatiōs of other parties and places also of Christes Church as wel here in Europe vnder the Pope as in the East partes vnder the Turke first deducyng our story frō the tyme of Sigismund where before we left Which Sigismund as is aboue recorded was a great oder in the Councell of Constance agaynst Iohn Hus and Hierome of Prage This Emperour had euer euill lucke fightyng agaynst the Turkes Twise he warred agaynst them and in both the battailes was discomfited and put to flight once about the Citie of Mysia fightyng agaynst Baiazetes the great Turke an 1395. the second tyme fightyng against Celebinus the sonne of Baiazetes about the towne called Columbacium But specially after the Councell of Constance wherein were condemned and burned those two godly Martyrs more vnprosperous successe did then folow him fightyng agaynst the Bohemians his owne subiectes an 1420. by whom
also George Pogie bracius who then stoode nearest to the King vnto whome one Chilianus plaieng the Parasite about the King as the fashion is of such as faine themselues fooles to make other men as very fooles as they spake in this wise as foloweth with what countenance you do behold this our seruice I see right well but your hart I do not see Say then doth not the order of this our Religion seeme vnto you decent and comely Do you not see how many and how great princes yea the king himselfe do follow one order and vniformitie And why do you then follow rather your Preacher Rochezana then these Do you thinke a few Bohemians to be more wise then all the Church of Christ besides Why then do you not forsake that rude and rusticall people and ioine to these Nobles as you are a noble man your selfe Unto whome thus Pogiebracius sagely againe doth aunswere If you speake these words of your selfe sayth be you are not the man whome you faine your selfe to be and so to you I aunswere as not to a foole But if you speake this by the suggestion of others then must I satisfie them Heare therefore As touching the Ceremonies of the Church euery man hath a conscience of his owne to follow As for vs we vse such Ceremonies as we trust do please God Neither is it in our arbitrement to beleeue what we will our selues The mind of man being perswaded with great reasons is captiuated wil he nill he and as nature is instructed and taught so is she drawne in some one way and in some another As for my selfe I am fully perswaded in the Religion of my preachers If I should follow thy Religion I might perchance deceiue men going contrary to mine owne conscience but I can not deceiue God who seeth the harts of all Neither shall it become mee to frame my selfe lyke to thy disposition That which is meete for a Iester is not likewise conuenient for a noble man And these wordes eyther take to thy selfe as spoken to thee if thou bee a wise man or else I referre them to those which set thee a worke Ex Aen. Sylu. in Hist. Bohem. After the King was returded from the Bohemians againe to Austria the Hungarians likewise made their petitions to the king that he would also come vnto thē The gouernour of Hūgarie as ye before haue heard was Ioannes Huniades whose victorious acts against the Turks are famous Against this Huniades wicked Ulricus Earle of Cilicia did all he could with the King to bring him to destructiō and therfore caused the king to send for him vp to Uienna and there priuely to woorke hys death But Huniades hauing thereof intelligence offereth hymselfe wythin Hungary to serue hys Prince to all affaires Out of the lande where he was it was neyther best sayde hee for the Kynge nor safest for hym selfe to come The Earle being so disappoynted came downe wyth certaine Nobles of the Courte to the borders of Hungarie thynking eyther to apprehend him and bryng hym to Uienna or there to dispatch hym Huniades without in the fieldes sayde hee woulde common wyth hym wythin the Towne he would not be brought After that an other trayne also was laide for hym that vnder pretence of the kings safe-conduct he shoulde meete the king in the broade fieldes of Uienna But Huniades suspecting deceit came in dede to the place appoynted where hee neither seeing the Kyng to come nor the Earle to haue any safe conduct for hym was mooued and not without cause against the Earle declaring howe it was in hys power there to slay him which went about to seeke hys bloud but for the reuerence of the king he would spare him and let him goe Not long after this the Turke wyth a great power of fighting men to the number of an hundreth and fifteene thousande arriued in Hungarie where he laid siege to the Citie Alba. But through the mercifull hand of God Iohn Huniades and Capistranus a certaine Minorite wyth a small garrison of Christian souldiors gaue him the repusse and put him to flight wyth all hys mighty hoste Whereof more Christ willing heereafter Ex hist Bohemie Aen. Syluij Huniadés shortly after this victorie deceased Of whose death when the king and the Earle did vnderstande they came the more boldly into Hungarie where hee being receiued by Ladislaus Huniades tonne into the Towne of Alba there vewed the places where the Turkes before had pitched theyr tentes When thys Ladislaus heard that the king was comming first toward the towne obediently he opened to hym the gates Foure thousand only of armed souldiours he debarred from entring the Citie In the meane time while the King was there resident in the Citie the Earle with other nobles did sitte in counsaile requiring also Ladislaus to resorte vnto them who first doubting with hymselfe what he might doe at length putteth on a priuie coate of maile and commeth to them Whether the Earle first beganne wyth him or he wyth the Earle it is not knowen The opinion is of some that Ulricus first called him traitor for shutting the gates against the kings soldiours Howsoeuer the occasion began thys is vndoubted that Ulricus taking his sworde from hys page let flie at his head To breake the blowe some putting vp their hands had their fingers cut of The Hungarians hearing a noise tumult wythin the chamber brake it vpon them there incontinent slewe Ulrike the Earle wounding and cutting him almost alto peeces The King hearing thereof although he was not a little discontented thereat in his minde yet seeing there was then no other remedy dissembled his griefe for a time Frō thence the king tooke his iourny againe to Buda accompanied wyth the foresayde Ladislaus who passyng by the towne where the wife of Huniades was mourning for the death of her husband seemed with many faire wordes to comfort her and after he had there sufficiently repasted hym selfe wyth such pretence of dissembled loue and fained fauour that they were without all suspition feare from thence he set forward in hys iourney taking wyth him the two sonnes of Huniades Ladislaus and Mathias who were right ready to wait vpon him The king being come to Buda whether of his owne head or by sinister counsell set on when hee had them at a vauntage caused bothe the sonnes of Huniades to witte Ladislaus and Mathias to be apprehended And first was brought foorth Ladislaus the elder sonne to the place of execution there to be beheaded where meekely he suffered being charged wyth no other crime but thys published by the voyce of the cryer saying Thus are they to be chastened which are rebelles against their Lord. Peucerus wryting of his death addeth thys moreouer that after the hangman had 3. blowes at his necke yet notwythstanding the sayd Ladislaus hauing his hands bound behinde hym after the thirde stroke
to ouerrunne vs to lay our land waste to scatter vs amongest the Infidels the enemies and blasphemers of the sonne of God Nowe although these 4. families aboue mentioned long continued together in bloudy warres and deadly hatred yet one of them passed the rest in all crueltye and tyranny and subduing the other 3. familyes tooke vpon him the gouernement alone and so became the first Monarch or Emperour that reigned amoÌ„g theÌ„ called Ottomannus of whome all that raigned after him were called Ottomanni Who succeeding orderly of his lyne haue occupyed the same dominion and seate of the Turkes from the yeare of our Lord 1300. vnto this present time which haue bene to the number of 12. Of the which 12. in suche order as they liued and raygned I intend Christ so permitting scuerally and compendeously something to entreat briefely abstracting out of prolixe and â—edious writers such specialties as for vs Christians shall be chiefely requisite to be knowne ¶ Ottomannus the first great Emperour or Tyraunt of the Turkes THis Ottomannus was at the first of poore estate and obscure amongest the common sort of men comming of a base progeny and of rusticall parentes but through hys valiantnes and actiuity in warre he got him a great name amongest the Turkes For he being a man of fearce courage refusing no labour and delighting in warre and gathering together by great subtlety and multitude of common souldiours began to make warre and by conquestes and victories to aduaunce himselfe and his family Fyrst he began to robbe and spoyle with a great band of rouers and afterward he attempted to set vpon all men Neither did he vexe and destroy the Christians onely but set vpon his owne nation also and sought al occasion to subdue theÌ„ wholy vnto him For now the Princes and Captaynes of the Turkes inflamed with ambition and desire of rule began to fall out and contend among themselues in so much that they fell to domesticall and inward warre with all the power they could Ottomannus hauing this occasion very fitte meete to accomplishe that whiche he long had sought for gathering vnto him all such as he thought to be geueÌ„ to robbing and spoyling and sette all vpon mischiefe in short time began to grow in authority first set vpon certayn townes as he saw oportunity to serue him Of which towns some he tooke by force some by yelding other some he spoyled ouerthrew to terrify the rest thus laying the first foundation of his rising In the meane time the discorde whiche was among the Christians was no small aduauntage to this Ottomannus by occasion whereof he within x. yeres space subdued Bethinia and al the prouinces about Pontus Also Natolia which comprehendeth all the dominion of the Greekes within Asia Ancyra a City in Phrigia Sinope a Cittye in Galatia and Sabastia a Cittye in Capadocia and thus still preuayling he encreased in short time to a mightye power either through the secret iudgemente of God agaynst that nation or els because God woulde haue them so farre so cruelly to preuayle for the punishmen of the sinnes of other nations like as it was prophecyed before that such a kingdome there shoulde be of Gog and Magog This Ottomannus after he had raigned 28. yeares in the yeare of our Lord 1527. dyed and departed to his Mahumet leauing behind him three sonnes of whom Orchanes being the youngest killed his two brethren whilest they were at variaunce betwene themselues ¶ Orchanes the second Emperour after Ottomannus ORchanes the youngest of the sonnes of Ottomannus after he had slayne his two brethren tooke the regimeÌ„t of the turkes after his father Who after he had drawne to him the hartes of the multitude such as had theyr dispositions set vpon the liceÌ„tious life of warre coÌ„uerted his power further to enlarge his fathers dominion winning subduing Mysia Lydia Lycaonia Phrygia and Caria All whiche countryes being within the compasse of Asia vnto the sea side of Hellespontus and the sea Euxinus he added to the Turkishe Empyre Also he wanne Prusia which was the metropolitane City of Bithynia which theÌ„ he made the chiefe seate of the Turkes Empyre Besides these moreouer he conquered Nicea got Nicomedia all which were before Christian Cities regions And yet all this could not make the Christian Princes in Grecia to cease theyr ciuill warres to ioyne accord among themselues Such debate and variaunce was theÌ„ betwene CaÌ„tacuzenus on the Greeks part Paleologus the Emperor of Constantinople By reason whereof the turkes ayd was sent for out of Asia to helpe our Christians one to kil an other and at length to get all those partes of Europe from them both Who if they had according to theyr profession so well ioyned in brotherly vnity as they did in cruel hostility dissent neither had Orchanes so preuayled in gettynge Prusia from the Grecians neither had the turkes so soone presumed into Europe as afterward they did Orchanes after these victories when he had raigned 22. yeares was strokeÌ„ as some say with a dart in the shoulder at the siege of Prusia The opinioÌ„ of others is that he fighting against the TartariaÌ„s where he lost a great part of his army was there also slayne himselfe an 1349. ¶ Amurathes the 3. after Ottamannus THe Greeke writers doe holde that Orchanes had two sonnes Solimannus and Amurathes Of which two first Solimannus raigned albeit not long After him folowed Amurathes who after that Asia nowe was subdued by his predecessors sought by all meanes and wayes how to proceede further to inuade Europe To whose ambitious purpose the domestical warres of the Christians gaue vnprosperous occasion which occasion is thus declared Certaine discord fell betwene the princes of Greece whose captayne was Cantaguzenus and Paleologus Emperor of Constantinople WherupoÌ„ Paleologus for that he was not able to make his party good with the Grecians moste vnwisely sent for Amurathes to helpe him Who beinge glad to haue such an occasion offered which he so long had sought sent to ayde him 12000. Turkes into Thracia but first vsed all delayes he could of crafty pollicy to the entent that the Greekes first shoulde waste theyr strength and power vpon themselues whereby he might be more able afterward to set vpoÌ„ them and to accomplish his conceiued desire The Turkes thus being called into Europe by the Christians whether they tasting the sweetnesse of the soyle incensed Amurathes theyr Emperor to make inuasion or whether Amurathes of his owne head thought good to vse the time in the yeare of our Lord 1363. he came himselfe ouer into Europe with 60000. Turkes falling vpon the Grecians being wasted and spent with their long warres and battelles before The pretence of the deuilishe Turke was to ayd and to assist the Emperour Peleologus whether he would or no and to subdue such as had
Athens Beocia likewise Aetolia Acarnauia with all the region beyond Peloponesus vnto the coast of Corinth to whome S. Paule also wrote other two epistles were brought in bondage and slauery vnto the Turke In Epirus and in that quarter that adioyneth to Macedonia named Albania reigned then one Ioannes Castriotus who perceiuing himselfe too weake to matche with the Turkes power made with the Turke this cōuention that he should haue Croia a famous Citie in Grecia and also gaue to him his three sonnes for hostages to wit Constantinus Reposius and Georgius In this George such towardnes of noble courage such vigour of minde and strength of body singularly did appeare that the Turke caused him more freely to be instructed after the Turkish religion and maner in his owne court where he being traded vp did so shoote vp as well in feates of actiuitie as in strength of body that he excelled all his equals in so much that he was named Scanderbeins which soundeth as much as Alexander Magnus After this Alexander was grown vp to mature ripenes of age and was well trained vp in feates of war he was sent out by the Turke to warre against Caramannus of Cilicia The Turkes enemy In which expedition he sped himselfe most manfully fighting hand to hande first with a footeman of Scythia then with an horseman of Persia being chalenged by them both to encounter first with the one after with the other whom he so valiantly ouerthrew the he wan great renoun with the Turk In so much that he trusting to the Turks fauour whē he heard of the decease of his father durst aske of the Turke the graunt of his fathers dominion to be giuen vnto him Which request although Amurathes y◠Turke did not denie him yet notwithstanding he perceiuing the matter to be dalied out with fayre wordes by subtill meanes and policie slipt out of the Turks court and came to Epirus his owne inheritance where first by forged letters he recouered Croia The other Cities of their voluntary minde yeelded themselues vnto him who then gathering vnto him the people of Epirus Macedonia which were not so many in nūber as with good willing minds they stucke vnto him so māfully and valiantly behaued himselfe that against all the puissance both of Amurathes and also of Mahumete he mainteined his owne repulsed their violence and put to flight their armies many yeres together But to returne againe to the course of Amurathes victories after he had thus preuailed as is before signified agaynst the East parts of Europa and Grecia and had conuented thus for the dommion of Epirus he inuaded Iluricum otherwise called now Sclauonia conteining in it Dalmatia Croacia Isiria and Liburnia which Countreys after he had spoiled and wasted he continued his course to Albania and Bosna In which regions when he had subdued a great part and had led away an innumerable multitude of captiues he moued further to Walachia and Seruia vpon hope to conquere all Pannonia There reigned at the same time in Seruia a certayne prince named Georgius Despota who made great sute to the Turke for truce peace promising to giue his daughter to mariage for by y◠Turkes lawe they may marry as many wiues as they lust It was not long after Amurathes had maried the daughter of Despota but he contrary to his league and promise made warre vpon Despota his father in law and expelled him out of his kingdome taking from him diuers Cities as Scopia Nouomonte Sophia and all Misia Georgius himselfe fled into Hungary leauing behind him his son to defed the town of Sinderonia Amurathes vnderstāding of the flight of Despoto his father in law compassed the Citie of Sinderonia with a strōg siege which whē he in few daies had expugned he tooke his wiues brother sonne of Despota and without regard of all mercy and affinitie after the barbarous tyranny of the Turkes put out his eies with a basen red hoat set before his eies and after that led him about with him in derision and despite of his cowardly father Ex Christof Rhicherio Gallo Gasp. Peuc alijs Seruia beeing thus wonne and gotten Amurathes thinking to go further into Hungary besieged the Citie called Belgradum and no doubt had also suppressed the same had not the prouidence of God found a meanes that partly through slaughter of his men partly for lacke of victuall and other forage he was compelled to raise his siege and retire In the meane time Ioannes Huniades of whom mention was made before pag. 720. had got great victories against the Turkish power and had recouered parte of Seruia and all Muldauia against whome Amurathes the Turke with a mighty army moued into Pannonia But Huniades with the power and ayde of Ladislaus King of Polonia but specially by the power of the Lord did soone infringe the puissance of the Turke and gaue him the ouerthrow recouering vnto the Christians the greatest part of Seruia and Bulgaria In this battaile Huniades had fiue sundry conflictes with the Turks vpō one day and with fiue victories put them to the worse and toward night did so discomfit and ouerthrow the great captaine of Amurathes called Bassa the Duke of Anatolia which is otherwise named Asia Minor that he slue of the Turks that day to the number of 30. thousand Amurathes although he was not a little thereat discouraged yet dissembling his feare with stout counteuace sent for Carambeius his principal stay captaine with a new power brought out of Asia to assist him in his warres Then Carambeius in the downes of Trasiluania Ladislaus the foresaid king of Polonie the Lord so working through the industrie of Ioannes Huniades so receiued with such celerity oppressed him vnprouided that all his stout sturdy army either was slaine downe right or else put to flight disparcled Carambeius the Captaine being himselfe taken prisoner in the same field These victories of Huniades strooke no little terror to Amurathes in somuch that for distresse of minde he was ready to destroy himselfe as some do write but being cōfirmed by Helibeus Bassa his coūsailer he kept himselfe wtin the streites of the moūt Rhodope Who then hearing that Caramannus inuaded the same time the countrey of Bithinia and Pontus in Asia was glad to take truce wyth Ladislaus and Huniades vpon such conditions as they listed to make themselues which conditions were these that Amurathes should depart clearely from all the region of Sernia and should remoue from thence all his garrisons which were placed in the Castles and forts of the same Also he should restore George Despota which is to say Prince of Seruia vnto his possession and set his children free whome he had in captiuitie and restore them to their inheritance Item that he shoulde make no more claime nor title to the countrey of Moldonia aboue mentioned nor to that part of Bulgrauia which he
good Fortune irriding and mocking the mindes and iudgemeÌ„ts of men which beleue that God by his prouidence gouerneth and regardeth the state of humaine things on earth After that this Mahumete heard of the victories and conquests of other his predecessours and had vnderstanding how Baiazetes lay eight yeares about Constantinople and could not winne it he dispraising Baiazetes and disdaining that so long time should be spent aboute the siege thereof and yet no victory gotten bent all hys studie and deuice how to subdue the same But first hauing a priuie hatred against the Citie of Athens and hauing his hands lately embrued with the bloud of his brethren this murthering Mahumete first of all taketh his vâ—age to subuert and destroy the Citie aforesaid being a famous Schoole of all good learning and discipline Against the which Citie he did so furiously rage for the hatred of good letters that he thought he ought not to suffer the foundation thereof to stand because that Citie was a good nursse and fosterer of good Artes and Sciences wherefore he commaunded the Citie to be rased and vtterly subuerted and wheresoeuer any monuments or bookes could be found he caused them to be cast into durty sinkes and the filthiest places of the Citie or put to the most vile vses that could be deuised for extirping and abolishing of all good literature and if he vnderstood any to lament the case and ruine of that noble place those he greeuously punished and put to death Thus the famous and auncient Schoole of Athens being destroied and ouerthrowne he returned his army power into Thracia where in all haste he gathering hys power together both by sea by laÌ„d with a mighty multitude compassed the Citie of Constantinople about and began to lay his siege against it in the yeare of our Lord 1453. and in the 54. day of the said siege it was taken sacked and the Emperour CoÌ„stantinus slaine As touching the cruelty and fearcenes of the Turkes in getting of this City and what slaughter there was of men women and children what calamitie and misery was there to be sene for somuch as sufficient relation with a full description thereof hath bene made before pag. 708. it shall be superfluous now to repeate the same This only is not to be omitted touching three principall causes of the ouerthrow of this City whereof was the first the filthy auarice of those Citizens which hiding their treasures in the grouÌ„d would not imploy the same to the necessary defence of their City For so I finde it in story expressed that when the Turke after the taking of the City had found not so much treasure as he looked for suspecting with himselfe as the truth was the treasures and riches to be hidden vnder the ground commaunded the earth to be digged vp and the foundations of the houses to be searched where when he had found treasures incredible what quoth he how could it be that this place could euer lacke inunition and fortification which did flow and abound with such great riches as heere is and plenty of all things The second cause was the absence of the Nauy of the UenetiaÌ„s which if they had bene ready in time might haue bene a safegard against the inuasion of the enemies A third cause also may be gathered vpon occasion incident in stories either for that the City of Constantinople fifteene yeares before did yeeld to the Bishop of Rome as is before to be seene pag. 76. or else because as in some writers it is euident that Images were there receaued mainteined in their Churches and by the Turkes the same time destroyed Ioannes Ramus writing of the destructioÌ„ of this Citie amongst other matters maketh relation of the Image of the Crucifixe being there in the high temple of Sophia which Image the Turke tooke and writing this superscription vpon the head of it Hic est Christianorum Deus 1. This is the God of the Christians gaue it to his souldiours to be scorned and commaunding the sayde Image with a trumpet to be carried through all his army made euery man to spit at it most contumeliously Wherein thou hast good Reader by the way to note what occasion of selaunder and offence we Christians geue vnto the barbarous Infidels by this our vngodly superstition in hauing Images in our temples contrary vnto the expresse commandement of God in his word For if Saint Paule writing to the Corinthians faith we knowe Christ now no more after the flesh how much lesse then is Christ to be knowne of vs in blind stockes and Images set vp in our Temples seruing for none other purpose but for the Infidels to laugh both vs our God to scorne and to prouoke Gods vengeance which by the like example I feare may also fall vpon other Cities where such Images and Idolatrous superstition is mainteined whereof God graunt Uienna to take heede betime which hath bene so long and yet is in such great danger of the Turke and polluted with so many Images and plaine Idolatric In summa to make the story short such was the cruelty of these Turkes in winning the Citie that when Mahumete had geuen licence to the souldiours three dayes together to spoile to kill and to do whatsoeuer they listed there was no corner in all Constantinople which did not either flow with Christian bloud or else was polluted with abhominable abusing of maids wiues matrones without al reuereÌ„ce of nature Of the which CitizeÌ„s some they murthered some they rosted vpon spits of some they fleyed off their skin hanging theÌ„ vp to consume with famine of othersome they put salt into their wouÌ„ds the more terribly to torment them insomuch that one of them contended with another who could deuise most strange kinds of new torments and punishments exercising such crueltie vpon them that the place where the Citie was before seemed now to be no citie but a slaughter house or shambles of Christian mens bodies AmoÌ„g the dead bodies the body also of Constantine the Emperour was found whose head being brought to Mahun 〈◊〉 he commaunded to be caried vpon a speare through the whole City for a publike spectacle decision to all the Turkish army And because he would diminish the number of the captiues which seemed to him to be very great he neuer rose from his table but he put euery day some of the nobles to death no lesse to fill his cruell minde with bloud then his body was filled with wine which he vsed so long to do as any of the nobles of that Citie was left aliue And of the other sorte also as the stories do credibly report there passed no day in the which he did not orderly slay more then three hundreth persons the residue he gaue to his rascal souldiours to kill and to do with them what they would Where is to be noted that as
Constantinus the sonne of Helena was the first Emperour of Constantinople so Constantinus the sonne also of Helena was the last Emperour thereof Not farre from the said Citie of Constantinople there was another little City called Pera once called Gallatia situated by the Sea side who hearing of the miserable destruction of Constantinople and seing the City flaming with fire sent certain of their chiesmeÌ„ with speed to Mahumete declaring vnto him that they neither had sent any helpe to the City of Constantinople neither yet wrought any detrimeÌ„t to any of his army wherefore they desired praied him that as they would gladly yeeld vnto him so he would be fauourable vnto theÌ„ and spare them not to punish the giltles with the gilty Mahumete although he was not ignoraunt that for feare rather then of any good will they submitted themselues and that they would rather resist him if they had ben able yet he receiued for that time the submission of the messengers but sending wyth them his Embassadour into the Citie he commanded also his army to follow withall and to enter with him into the City which although it was greatly suspected mâ—sliked of the Citizens yet they durst no otherwise do but suffer them to enter which beeing done the Embassadour gaue a signe to the souldiours euery man to do whatsoeuer he was bidden of whom some ranne to the walles some to the temples and Churches some to yâ— streetes houses of the City plucking all things downe to the grounde sacking and rauÌ„ging with no lesse fury and abhominable filthines then they had done at CoÌ„stantinople before sauing only that they absteined froÌ„ murther but the same day letters came from Mahumete to the Embassadour that he should spare none but destroy and murther all that euer were in the Citie which message because it seemed to the Embassadour to be too cruell forsomuch as they had yeelded theÌ„selues he staied his hand a little vntill night came In the meane time drunken Mahumete comming something to himselfe whome drunkennes had before ouercome sent his second letters to reuoke the first Where againe is to be noted the mercifull prouidence of God towardes his people in their deserued plagues by staieng the handes and brideling the fury many times of their enemies when otherwise the case seemeth to be past all remedy Mahumete thus beeing in himselfe not a little aduanced and eleuated by the winning of CoÌ„stantinople where he had now made the Imperiall seat of the Turkish dominion the third yeare next folowing to adueÌ„ture more masteries he set out to yâ— siege of Belgradum a City of Hungary lieng neare to the bankes of Danubius thinking to haue the like successe there as he had in the winning of Constantinople albeit through the Lords disposing it sel out much otherwise Within the Citie of Belgradum the same time of the siege thereof was Ioannes Huniades the valiant Captaine of whom in diuers places mentioÌ„ hath bene made before who with a sufficient strength of piked souldiours albeit in number nothing equal to the Turks army valiaÌ„tly defended the City with great courage and no lesse successe In the which siege great diligeÌ„ce was bestowed and many of the Turkes slaine AmoÌ„g whom also Mahumere himselfe being stroken with a pellet vnder the left arme was faine to be caried out of the field for halfe dead and the rest so put to flight that of the Turkes the same time were destroyed to the number or not much vnder the number of 40. thousaÌ„d besides the losse of all their ordinaunce which the Turkes in hast of their flight were forced to leaue behinde them Hieronymus Zieglerus writyng of the siege of this Belgradum addeth moreouer that wheÌ„ Mahumete was at the siege therof seyng the towne to be so small wâ—ake of it selfe that it could not be won with all his great multitude he staryng and faryng like a mad man commaunded all his brasen peeces to be layd to battare downe the walles and Towers of the Towne So that the Christians within the walles were vehemently distressed for the siege continued both night and day without intermission AmoÌ„g the rest of the Christians which defended the towne Hieronymus Zieglerus maketh mentioÌ„ of a certaine Bohemian much worthy of his condigne coÌ„mendation Who beyng vpon the walles and seyng a Turke with a baÌ„ner or ensigne of the Turkes to be gotteÌ„ vp by the sight wher of the whole Towne was in daunger to be coÌ„quered and taken runneth vnto the Turke and claspyng him about the middle speakyng to Iohn Capistranus standyng by low asking him whether it were any daunger of damnation to him if he of his voluntary mynde did cast himselfe with that dogge so he termed him downe headlong from the wall to be slayne with him what should become of his soule and whether he might be saued or not To whoÌ„ when the other had aunswered that hee should be saued without doubt hee estsoones tombleth him selfe with the Turke downe of the wall where by his death he saued the same tyme the lyfe of all the Citie Mahumete beyng so wounded and in dispayre of wynnyng the Citie was caryed as ye heard out of the field Who at length commyng agayne to himselfe partly for feare and partly for shame was ready to kill himselfe And thus was the towne of Belgradum at that tyme rescued through Gods prouidence by the meanes of Ioannes Hunianes and this good Bohemian This siege of BelgraduÌ„ begaÌ„ in the yeare of the Lord. 1456. and endured 46. dayes At the which siege were nuÌ„bred of the Turkes 200. thousand Of whom more then 40. thousand as is aforesayd were slayne where the victory fell to the Christians through the prosperous successe geuen of God to Ioannes Huniades Capistranus Which Huniades not long after the sayd victory through the importune labour and trauaile in defendyng the sayd towne was taken with a sore sickenesse and thereof departed to whose valiaunt prowes and singular courage stories doe geue great land and commendation Mahumetes the Turke after this done in Europe returned into Asia to warre with Vsumcassanes a Persian one of the Turkes stocke with whoÌ„ he had three battailes The first was about the Riuer Euphrates where the Turke lost 10. thousand men and was put to the worse In the second field likewise he was discomsited The third battaile was at ArseÌ„ga where through the terrible noyse of the brasen peeces the Persian horses disturbed the caÌ„pe and so was Vsumcassanues ouercome From thence the Turke reduced agayne his power against the Christians and first subdued vnto him Synope and all Paphlagonia Also the kingdome of Trapezunce which he besiegyng both by land and water wanne from the Christians and sent Dauid the kyng of the same with his two sonnes and Calus his vncle vnto Constantinople where they were miserably and cruelly put to death all the stocke of the
was sent two Captaines of the Turke who fighting against the prouinces of the Venetians made great spoyle and waste about the regions of Stiria Carinthia where also the Venetian power was discomfited Hieronimus Nouell their Captaine slaine At length truce was taken betweene the Turke the Venetians vpon this conditioÌ„ that Scodra Tenarus Lemnus should be yeelded vnto him and that they shoulde pay to him yearely 8. thousand duckets for the free passage of their Marchants After this peace concluded with the Venetians Mahumete himselfe saileth ouer into Asia sending two of his great captaines abroad to sundry places of whom Mesithes was sent against the Rhodes with a mighty nauie The other called Acomates Bassa was sent into Italy to take Rome and all the West Empire Concerning the viage of which two Captaines this was the euent that Mesithes after his great trauaile and bloudy siege against the Rhodians was faine to retire at length with great shame and losse The other Captaine Acomates as is said was sent into Italy with a nauie of a hundreth Ships and fifteene thousand men who by the way in his sailing got Leucadia which now they call S. Maure Cephalenia and Zacynthus and sayling by Fauelona arriued in Apulia and so passing along by the sea side spoiled and wasted diuers parts by the coast till at length he came to Hidruntum a City of Calabria in Italy which after long siege he ouercame and subdued and brought such a terrour into all Italy that the Pope forgetting all other things yet mindfull of himselfe with all haste fled out of Rome After the Citie of Hydruntum was taken and the Turkes placed in the same which was the yeare of our Lord 1481. Mathias Coruinus Huniades son was sent for by the Italians to set vpon the said Citie vnto the rescue whereof when Acomates was about to make his returne with 25. thousand Turkes in the meane time newes came that Mahumete the great Turke was dead by reason wherof the siege brake vp and yâ— Citie was deliuered to the Italians againe and so was Italy deliuered at that time out of that present perill and dauÌ„ger This Mahumete wanne from the Christians 200. Cities and twelue kingdomes and two Empires which he ioined both together He died in the yeare abouesayd anno 1481. ¶ Baiazetes second the 10. after Ottomannus MAhumetes aforesaid had three sonnes of the which Mustapha the eldest through voluptuousnes carnall iust died before his father The other two were Baiazetes and Demes otherwise called Zizimus Aboute whom great coÌ„trouersie arose amongst the Turks which of them should succeede in their fathers kingdome For neither of them was present at Constantinople wheÌ„ Mahumetes died Baiazetes being in Cappadocia Demes in Lycaonia wherfore when great disscution was amoÌ„g the nobles for the succession and great strife bloudshead for the matter the Ianizarites which were the Turkes garde did proclaime Baiazetes Emperour others in the absence of Baiazetes the father did choose Corcuthus his sonne Baiazetes the father coÌ„ming at length from Cappadocia partly through yelding partly by corrupting with money got the wils of the Ianizarites was made Emperour Demes the other brother being in Lycaonia more neare although he made no lesse speede in his coÌ„ming yet was preuented of Baiazetes and excluded out of CoÌ„stantinople Wherfore he being put backe from all hope of his kingdome incited by some of his frends moued warre against his brother who being ouercome in three battailes by Acomates Baiazetes Captain who had got Hydruntum before did flie to the greate Maister of the Rhodes leauing in a place called Carrae his mother and two yong children whom Baiazetes slue This Demes being wyth the maister of the Rhodes was desired first of Pope Innocent the 4. then of Ludouicus the 2. Frenche king but especially of Mathias Coruinus king of Hungarie entending by him to obtaine great victory against Baiazetes But in conclusion the Knights of the Rhodes sent him to the B. of Rome where he being kept and afterwardes sent to Charles the 8. French king for an hostage of Pope Alexander the 6. was poysoned by the way of Terracina by the sayde Pope Alexander as is before declared After whose death Baiazetes to require the foresayde Acomates for his good seruice put hym to the halter partly misdoubting his power partly for lucre sake to haue his treasure Whose death redounded to the great profit of the christians for somuch as he was euer an vtter enemy to the religion and name of Christ. Baiazetes thus being confirmed in his tyrannie made hys first expedition against Walachia where hee subdued two great fortes one called Lithostomus the other called Moncastrum From thence he remooued hys power taking his voiage into Asia thinking to be reuenged of the Sultane of Egypt which had succoured and entertayned before hys brother Demes against hym whâ—re he lost two great battailes the one fought at Adena the other at Tarsus but specially at the fielde at Tarsus the armye of the Turke tooke such a wound that of a 100. M. brought into the fielde scarse the thirde part remained vnslayne But as touching the Rhodians although they were succourers of Demes aforesayde yet Baiazetes whether for feare or for subtilty abstained to prouoke them with warre but rather entred with them the league of peace requiring the master of the Rhodes to kepe hys brother safe vnder his custody promising for his yerely salary to be paied vnto him euery yere in the moneth of August 45000. duckets Thus Baiezetes being ouerthrown and terrified with euill lucke fighting against the Sultane of Egypt remooued from Asia and directed his army into Europe where he got Dyrrachium neare vnto Velona had a great victory ouer the Christian armye in the countrey of Croatia wher the Illyrians Pannonians and Croatians ioyning their power together encountred with the Turke and lost the field about the yeare of our Lord. 1493. From thence the Turke leading his armye against the Venetians had with them diuers and doubtfull conflicts where the Turke sometimes was put to the woorse and sometimes againe preuailing out of Iadra and diuers other cities about Dalmatia caried away great multitudes of Christians into captiuitie whych was about the yere of our Lord. 1498. Two yeares after thys whych was the yeare of oure Lorde 1500. Baiazetes with 150. M. armed men entred into Peloponesus whych although Mahumete had expugned before yet the Venetians had defended Methone otherwise called Modon all this while against the Turks Which Methone the Turke besieged wyth three armies hauing about the wals 500. great brasen Canons wherof 22. were most violent and hurtfull wherewith he battered the City both day and night but the Citizens which were wythin the Citie committing themselues to God defended their Citie as well as they could rather chusing to dye then to yeelde vnto the Turkes
were in furnishing he sate downe vnder a tree began to curse his sonne and to axe vengeance vpon him for that he had so despised his father was become so impious a wretch Zelymus vnderstāding of his fathers departure came into the orchard where his father was seeming to be very heauy and much lamēting that hys father would so priuely depart and goe away seeing that hee desired not the gouernement of the Empire but was contented onely wyth the title thereof O father sayd he do not thus priuely depart away doe not procure this shame to your sonne who so tēderly loueth you Let me haue but the name only and be you the Emperor in dede The ende of your natural life most paciently I shal expect which I pray God may long cōtinue And thus vsing many faire flattering words to his father he cōmanded a banket with many deinty iunkets to be brought vnto him but tempered and infected with poyson Which as soone as Baiazetes had begon to tast of and felt the strēgth of the poyson working in his body he toke his last farewell of his sonne and going out of the citie accompanied with a great retinue of mē yelling and crying out in the streetes in the middle of his iourney fell downe and miserably died in the yeare of our Lorde 1512. Heere mayest thou see good Reader a cursed broode of thys Turkish generation where that father dieth in cursing the sonne and the sonne raigneth by poysoning his father Zelymus the 11. after Ottomannus AFter that thys wretched Zelymus had exercised hys barbarous cruelty vpon hys father with like impietie he seeketh the destruction of hys brethren and their children first beginning his murther wyth the fiue children hys Nephewes which were the sonnes of hys 3. brethren before departed Which done then remained his other 2. brethren yet aliue Acomates and Corchutus wyth theyr chyldren likewise to be destroyed Of whome the one had 3. sonnes whom the father sent to Zelymus his brother their vncle with faire and gentle wordes to entreat him to be good vnto their father offering to him their duety and seruice in all things honoring him also as Emperor But cruel Zelymus commaunded forthwith his saide Nephewes to be strangled The father hearing of the cruell murther of hys sonnes leauing house and home went and hid hymselfe in mountaines where he liued for a space with hearbes and wilde honie but being bewrayed by one of hys men was brought to Zelymus and so was strangled Christophorus Richerius wryting of these matters seemeth some thing to differ from other storyes and sayeth that Zelymus after the death of hys brother Corchutus came to Bursia where hee vnder the colour of making a great triumph ordeined a feast for his frends and kinsfolk Wherunto were called especially his nephewes who then at the end of the feast calling his nephewes aside as vnder the pretēce of conferring with them secretly about hys necessary affaires committed them to hys seruauntes to be strangled and put to death All this while Acomates hys brother through the help instruction of his mother was kept out of the tyrants hands till at length after great labor and search made how to get him certain forged letters were cast abroad wherin was cōteined that Acomates to reuenge the great impiety subdue the tirāny of Zelimus his brother should shew himself abroad Which if he wold do he should find frends enough to take his part Acomates circumuented with these subtill traines partly for hope of reuengement partly for desire of that Empire shewed him selfe abroad with such power and strength as he had who being set vpon incontinent by Zelymus hys brother was ouercome in battaile and falling from hys horse beyng a man corpulent and grosse and his horse falling vpon him was so ouerpressed and slaine Touching the death of thys Acomates Munsterus somwhat differing from this narration addeth moreouer and sayeth that hee was not killed with the fall from hys horse but sitting all dismayed vpon a stone and seeing no other remeady but death desired the Captaine taking hys rings from his fingers to deliuer the same to his brother desiring hym that he might not be put to any extreme cruelty of death but that hee gently would suffer him to be let bloud in the hath and so to die But Zelymus being not ignoraunt of thys suborneth priuy tormenters who binding his hands behinde him with their feete cast hym downe vpon the ground and so twixing his necke with a coarde did strangle him This Acomates had two sonnes who hearing of the death of their father did flie for succour the one to Sophus in Persia and the other to the Sultane in Egypt By the meanes whereof new occasion of warre grew vnto Zelymus whereby hee was kept in Asia at home to fight againste the Persians Egyptians so that throughe the Lordes prouidence Christendom by that meanes was deliuered from great daunger and perill of the Turkes tirannie For otherwise the Turke was wholy mineded wyth all his force and puissance to inuade the Christians being in doubt whether first to beginne wyth Rhodes or whether to assault Pannoma or els to set vpon Italy being then at great discorde within it selfe but thys cause occupied the Turks mind otherwise and kept him at home Suche was then the prouidence of the Lorde for the safegard of hys people Wherfore for somuch as the affaires and doings of this Turke were spent for the most part in the Turkish heathenish countreys it shal not be greatly necessary to trouble our christian stories therw t but onely shal suffice to contracte them in a briefe summe declaring superficially what vnquietnes was amongst them there which coulde neuer be quiet but euer working some mischief either abroade or at home Amurathes the Turks nephewe aforesaide after he had obtained aide of Sophus the king of the Persians first inuaded Cappadocia not long after whome folowed Ismael Sophus the Persian king By reason whereof a great battell was fought betwixt the Persians and Zelymus in the fieldes of Armenia maior In the which battaile Ismael Sophus the Persian Kyng was hurt on the shoulder with a pellet and so being caryed out of the field left the victory to Zelymus who all be it had an army of 150. M. men yet he in the same fielde lost about 30000. of hys Turkes Which field was fought in the yere of our Lorde 1514. Zelymus after thys victorie went to Tauricia the imperiall Citie of the Persians whiche he by yelding subdued In thys meane time it happened that one Aladulus a king in Armenia the greater was also a helper to Ismael against the Turk wherupon Zelymus the Turke taking great indignation the next yere folowing leauing the Persians fought against the sayd Aladulus in the end ouercame him and afterward being found in a caue in a woode was taken out and brought
to Zelymus and so beheaded whose hed being first caried about Asia for a triumph was afterward sent to the Senate of Uenice for a terrour vnto them The eldest sonne of Aladulus scaping the handes of his pursuers fled into Egypt This battaile thus fought and ended Zelymus after he had deuided the kingdome of Aladulus into three prouinces went to Lycaonia from thence to Europe there to defend the Citie of Samandria against the Christians in Hungary But the Hungarians being sone repressed by Iuno Bassa the Turkes captaine great preparation began to be made by the Turks against the confines of Seruia bordering vpō Hungary The terrour whereof stirred vp Maximilian the Emperour and Ladislaus king of Hungarie and Sigismundus Kyng of Polonie to consult together and conioyne their power for defence of Christendome But through new incumberances incident the turke leauing Europe made haste againe into Asia to renue againe his warres against the Persians who had made a vow not to geue ouer that warre before Ismael was ouerthrowne But before he entred that warre first he sent hys messengers to the Sultane of Egypte requiring hym not to entermedle in that warre for this sultane before had promised to assist the Persians against the Turke The name of the Sultane which reigned then in Egypt was Campson set vp by the Mamaluci These Mamaluci were a certain order amongst the Egyptians much like to the Ianizarites about the Turke being the childrē of christen men and after denyeng Christ were the chefest doers in y◠Sultanes court and being growne into a great multitude did degenerat into a turkish barbarity or rather became wors then Turkes This Campson vnto the messengers of the Turke gaue this aunswere againe that vnlesse he woulde leaue of his warre against Ismael and restore the sonne of Aladulus otherwise he woulde not lay downe his armor Zelymus being incensed not a little wyth this insolent aunswere of the Sultane leauing all other warres aside with great celeritie aduanced hys power against the Sultane Which Sultan partly through the falshode of his captaine Caierbeius partly by the sodeinnesse of the Turkes comming not farre from the citie of Damascus encoūtred with the turke and there ouerthrowne from his horse being a fatte and grose body and falling vnder his horse and his horse also falling vpon him was quashed in peces and so died which was the yere of our Lord. 1516. Mamalucie of whome more then a M. in thys battaile were slaine flyeng from thence to Memphis set vp Tomoumbeius in stede of Campson whose captaine Gazelles was ouercome at the City of Gaza he afterward himselfe driuen out of Memphis where a great part of the Mamaluci were destroyed Then Tomoumbeius flying ouer the floud Nilus renued his army agayne but in the ende was discomfited and chased into a marish where hee was found standing in the water vp to the chinne and so being brought to Zelymus was put to the rack and great tormentes to make him confesse where Campsons treasures were But when he would not declare he was caryed about the Towne with a halter about his necke hanged vp vpō a hie gibber for a spectacle to all Egypt which was the yeare of our Lorde 1517. And thus were the two Sultanes in Egypt destroied with the Mamaluci whych there had borne the rule in Egypt the space of 243. yeares The progenie of the whych Mamaluci remaining of the warres the Turke commaunded in pryson gates of Alexandria to be cut in peces Zelymus frō thence triumphing departed to Constantinople entending to spend the rest of his time in persecuting the Christians But in that meane space he was stroken with a cankerd sore rotting inward and died after hee had raigned 7. yeares like a beast in the yeare of our Lord. 1520. The raigne of this Turke was but short in number of yeres but in number of his murthers and cruel bloudshed it might seme exceeding long which liued more like a beast then a mā for he neuer spared any of hys frends or kinred His father first he poysoned his brethren and al his cosins he quelled leauing none of all his kinred aliue Moreouer his chief and principal captaines for smal occasions he put to death as Mustapha Calogere Chendeme Bostāg hys sonne in law and Iunobassa It is said moreouer that he entended the poysoning of his owne sonne Solyman sending vnto him a shirt infected with poison because he seemed something freely to speake against the cruel demeanor of his father But by the meanes of hys mother the gifte being suspected was geuen to an other which was his Chamberlaine who putting on the shirt was strucken with the poyson therof and therewith all died As touching thys Turke Zelymus by the way heere may be noted how the secret prouidēce of the Lord kept hym occupied with hys Turkish warres at home while that the reformation of christian religion here in Europe the same time begō by Martin Luther might the more quietly take some roring without disturbance or interruption For so it appeareth by the computation of time that in the dayes of this Zelymus Martin Luther first began to write against the Popes indulgences which was in the yeare of oure Lord. 1516. Solymannus the 12. after Ottomannus SOlymannus the onely sonne of Zelymus succeded after hys fathers death who in the first beginning seemed to some to be simple and shepish and not mete for the turkish gouernmēt Wherfore certain of his nobles cōsulting how to depose him entended to set vp an other Emperour In which conspiracy especially are named Caierbeius Gazelles This Caierbeius was he that betraied before Campson the Sultane of Egypt to Zelymus as is aforesayde who nowe also being in consultation with Gazelles other about this matter detected thē also vnto Solyman Wherfore the sayd Gazelles and his fellowes being thus detected were put to death by Solyman declaring thereby that he was not so shepish as he was thought of them to be as also by his acts afterward did more appeare Solymannus after thys execution done vpon the conspiratours taking his voiage into Europe first besieged Belgradum which being a Citye in Hungarie was the strongest forte of all the Romaine Empire and the chiefe defence at that time of al christendom which also being assaulted before time by Amurathes the 2. was valiantly defended by Ioannes Huniades as is aboue specified But here nowe lacked suche a one as Huniades was For the kingdome of Hungary at that time was vnder y◠gouernment of Ludouicus a yong king vnexpert and of a simple wit Whom other Princes specially the couetous church men did so pil and pol that they left hym nothing but only the bare name and title of his kingdom Wherby he being vnfurnished both of men and mony was vnable to match with such an enemie An other vauntage also the Turkes had in besieging of
and by reason of their multitude ouercharged their horsemen Amongst whom was slaine the same tyme the Archb. Frier aforesayd wyth the Bishops of Strigone and Uaradine many other nobles besides Also the kyng himselfe being destitute of hys necessary aide and succour was compelled to flie into a marish where he falling from his horse being heauy loden with his harneis was not able to rise againe but there miserably perished Solyman the Turke marueiled at the foolyshnesse of Ludouike the King who wyth so small an armye woulde presume to encounter wyth such a great hoste of two hundreth thousande This battaile in Hungarie was fought Anno. 1526. After the deceasse of Ludouicke Ferdinandus succeded in the kingdome being Duke of Austria and king of Hungarie Then Solyman setting contention betwixt Ioannes Uaiuoda and Ferdinandus for the kingdom of Hungarie spedde his viage to the Citie of Buda whych also in short time he made to be yelded vnto hym vpon condition that they should escape with their liues and goodes whych cōdition some say he kept and some say he did not Besides Buda diuers places and munitiōs the sayd Turk contrary to his league made before did spoile and waste as Varadinum Quinque Ecclesias and other fortes and munitions moe bordering about the coastes of Hungary In the yeare of our Lorde 1529. Ferdinandus king of Hungarie aforesaid recouered diuers holdes gotten of the Turke before and also warring againste Ioannes Uaiuoda his enemy with whom he had variance as ye heard before expulsed him out of his kingdom Wherupon Uaiuoda flying to the Turke desired his ayde The Turke glad to take that occasion wyth great preparatiō addressed himselfe to returne into Hungary where he recouering againe the Citie of Buda which Ferdinandus had gotten from him a little before remooued his armye into Austria spoyling and destroying by the way all that came to hys handes shewing many examples of great cruelty tyranny most lamentable to here and vnderstand For of some he put out their eies of some he cutte of their handes of some their eares and noses and of their children he cut of theyr priuy members The maidens he corrupted the matroues had their brestes cut of and such as were with childe were ript and their childrē cast into the fire And these examples of horrible and barbarous tyranny thys wretched Turke perpetrated by the way comming toward Uienna a noble City in Austria besides the captiues which he tooke by the way and led into seruitude moste miserable mounting to the number of 30. thousand Among other holdes by the waye as the Turke came there was a castle called Altenburch strongly by nature situated and by art defenced which castle the Turke entending not to ouerpasse because he woulde make all thynges sure behinde him began to make hys assault and lay hys ordinance against it The warders and kepers of the Castle so soone as the Turks began to lay siege against them making no resistance of a womanly cowardnes sent their messengers to the Turke to yelde themselues ready to doe his commaundement and further him with their vitaile Amongest whome were three hundreth Bohemians who were commaunded to followe the hoste that the Turke by them might learne what strength was in the city of Uienna also where the king was and what was to be done for the winning therof Of whom when the Turke had vnderstanding howe all things stoode and how that there was but 20. thousand men in Uienna able to beare armour and that other cities of Austria would soone yeelde if that were gotten and that Uienna was vitailed but for 2. monthes and that the king was of late in Boheme thus the Turk of all things being certified hauing no doubt in hys minde of victorie made speede toward Uienna and first comming to Neapolis a city but 8. miles distant from Uienna he required them to yelde themselues who notwithstanding withstoode them and repulsed them valiantly Then the Turkes assigned a place for the pitching of their tents whych because it semed some thing too litle for such a great multitude they tooke in more ground to the compasse of 7. miles circuit The multitude of his armye which hee there planted is accompted of some to extend to 250. M. souldiours The Turke thus being planted made daily excourses ouer all the countrey of Austria specially about the citie of Uienna wasting and spoyling with great crueltye murther amongst the poore Christians Moreouer to make al things more sure toward the preparation of the siege scoutes were sent abroade and bushments were laid about the riuer side of Danubius to prouide that no aid nor victual should be brought to Uienna So it pleased the prouidence of the Lord who disposeth all things that 3. daies before the comming of the Turk Fridericus the Earle Palatine which was then assigned by that Empire to take the charge of Uienna was come downe by the riuer of Danubius with 14. M. and with a certaine troupe of horsemen well apoynted and picked for the purpose After the comming of thys Fridericke prouision also of victuall was appoynted to followe shortly after by the sayd riuer of Danubius In the meane time they which had the cariage trāsporting therof hearing how the waies were laid all the passages 10. miles about Uienna stopped by the Turkes although they knew the city to stand in great nede of vitail yet seing there was no other remedy rather then it should come to the ennemies hande thought it best to sincke theyr boats with their cariage and so they did Wherby all be it the christians wanted their reliefe yet were the Turks disappoynted of their pray purpose The captains whych had the keeping of the City which were chiefly Fridericus the Earle Palatine Gulielmus Rogendorffius and Nicolaus erle of Salme seing themselues so straightned contrary to their expectation although they had great causes to be discouraged yet calling their courage vnto them they consulted together for the best way to be taken and seing that the little city Neapolis aboue mentioned being 8. miles distaunt from them so valiauntly withstoode the Turkes that in one day they sustained 7. greuous assaultes against all the maine force of the Turkish armye by their example and manfull stāding being the more animated and encouraged thought to abide the vttermoste before they woulde geue ouer and first plucking downe all the suburbes and buildings wythout the walles wherby the enemy myght haue any succor they willed all the farmers inhabitantes about the Citye to saue themselues and to bryng in theyr goods wtin the walles Such places as were weake wythin the walles they made strong About the towers munition of the walles they prouided rampires bulwarks distant 80. foote one from another to kepe of the shot and euery man hadde hys place and standing awarded to hym vpon the wal and his office appoynted what
to do but especially that side of the City which lyeth to the riuer of Danubius they fortified after the best wise for that way only now remained for vitail to be transported from the Bohemians vnto them Wherefore 8. enâ—ignes were assigned to the keping of the bridge and in the plaine which was lyke an Iland inclosed wythin the riuer a sufficient garrison of horsmen were placed lying within the gunshot of the city to the entent that if any graine or vitail were sent from the Bohemians they myght prouide the same safely to be brought into the Citie These things thus being disposed and set in order L. William Rogendorffe to assay the strength of the Turks made diuers rodes out wyth his horsemen albeit much against the mindes of the Austrians who knowing the maner of the Turkes thought it better to suffer them while either wyth time they myght be ouerweried or for lacke of victuals consumed Among many and sondry skirmishes which the Christians had with the Turkes one especially was to our men vnprosperous in whych certaine of the horsemen espying a small troupe of the Turkes scattering abroad from theyr company made out after them who sodenly guilefully were inclosed and circumuented by the Turks before they could recouer the gates of the citie and so were all taken aliue Of whome 3. were sent from the Turkes into the Citye to declare to the Uiennians what strength they had seene in the campe of their aduersaries and to sollicite them to yelde their city for feare of punishment which would followe The residue they reserued to torments and punishment whom in the sight of the whole army and of the Christians whych should tell the same to the Citizens they caused euery man to be drawne with 4. horses a piece and so to be dismeÌ„bred and pluckt a sonder After thys done the barbarous Turk immediatly sent his Herold to talke wyth the Captaines of the City whether they would yelde the City vpon honest conditions or els would abide the arbitrement of warre If they would gently submit them selues they should haue all gentlenes to them shewed If they would be stubburne and stand to their defence he wold also stand to hys siege begon so that he neither woulde spare man woman nor childe To thys the captaines aunswered againe that they were contented Solyman to stand to his siege begon and to do his vttermost what he would or what he coulde As for them they were at a poynte to defende them selues and their Citie so long as they might the euent fall of victory to be doubtfull and many times so to happen that they whych begin the warre are wearied sooner then they which be prouoked neither againe that they were so vnmindfull eyther of themselues or of their country but that they did remember well what they are and what they be called named to be Germaines who vse alwayes first to assay the aduersary what he is able to doe and not rashly to committe themselues into their enemies handes Solymannus not a little disdaining at thys aunswer first burning and consuming all the villages houses and places round about the city infecting also the springs and fountaines whych gaue water into the Citye and so stopping al passages that no reliefe should haue way vnto theÌ„ began with angry moode to approche more neare to the Citie with 3. great campes sending them worde in skorne and contumely by one of his captiues that if they stood in nede of helpe of soldiors he would send vnto them the 300. Bohemians mentioned a little before to aid them in theyr defence To whom the Palatine directed answer again that they had moe soldiours in the City then they neded As for the Bohemians which had yelded themselues he might do wyth them what he would for Uienna stoode in no great neede of them In the meane time a messenger comming from Ferdinandus was priuily let in by night into the Citie which brought word that they should play the men in keping out the enemy a while for it would not be long but both Ferdinandus and Carolus his brother with the streÌ„gth of all Germanie would be ready to rescue them At whych message the hearts of the soldiours began somwhat to be cheared and to contemne the huge multitude of the aduersaries being so great as they neuer did beholde nor did euer almoste heare of before The largenesse of whose army extended to no lesse in compasse as is aboue sayde then of 7. miles round about the Citie walles Long it were to recite the whole order of thys terrible siege with all the partes and circumstances therof Briefly to touch so much as shal suffice for this history with fewer words then were stripes geuen at the siege thereof thys is to be iudged and confessed whosoeuer beholdeth the noÌ„ber and fiercenesse of the Turkes the absence of the king Ferdinandus the lacke of prouision and vitaile within the city the noise of the gunnes the violence of the shot the terror of the sight and yet no succour sent vnto them that the custody of that city was no mans doing but the arme only of the Lord God of hostes according to the true saying of the Psalme Unlesse the Lorde doe keepe the Citie the watchmen watch in vaine which watch to saue it Unles the Lord doe build the house the builder striueth in vayne whych taketh vpon hym to builde it Experience whereof in keping thys citie may well appeare First Solymannus bending hys shotte and ordinance against the City beate downe to the ground the vaÌ„mures with all the vttermost suburbs of the city and that in suche a short moment of time that the hearts of the Uiennians a little before refreshed were now as much appaled agayne with feare misdoubting wyth themselues least the Turke with the same celerity and violence woulde haue preuailed against the inwarde walles as he did in beating down the outward vamures And no doubt the same time the Turk had put the city in great hazard had not night commynge on broken of the siege for that day In the meane time the Citizens laboured all night in repairing and refreshing the wals to make all things sure against the next assault The next day early in yâ— morning the Turks approching the city againe with a new assault thinking to scale the walles were so repulsed manfully resisted by the Germaines that vnneth any ditches aboute the walles could be sene for the bodies of the dead Turkes wherwith they were replenished so that the Turks were faine to fight standing vpon the bodies of them which wer slaine By the which calamitie the force of the enemye was not a little abated It happened the same time that a companye of the Turkes being spied oute of the Citie wandering oute of order the Captaine Rogendorffius wyth two legions of horsemenne issuing out of the Citie gate called Salmaria and so passing closely
vnder the hilles side did so set vpon them that they slew a great number of them the rest being driuen to take the riuer whome with stones and shot likewise they destroyed and so retired backe into the Citie againe By thys victorie the Captaine Rogendorffius began to be terrible to the Turkes For in the same skirmish as after was knowen was slayne of them so many that of 5000. and 300. horsemen and footemen scarse 140. escaped aliue Solyman disdayning at this repulse thought to proue an other way so bringing his power toward the gate called the kings gate there making his trenches bulwarkes plāted his ordināce with the violence wherof the walles were so battered shaken that no man was able there to stand Wherefore the Turke seeing 2. great breaches made in the wal cōmaunded his souldiors couertly in the darck smoke of gunnepouder to prease into the City The like also was done at the scottish to wer whereby the city was inuaded in 2. sundry places at one time The Uiēnians at the first freshly began to withstand thē new souldiors still cōming in the place of them that were slaine and hurt and so this assault continuing more thē 6. houres together our mē beganne at length to languish faint not onely in strength but also in courage wherby the Citie had bene in great daunger of loosing had not the two foresaid Capitaines Rogendorffius in the one place and the Earle of Salme in the other place manfully encouraged the souldiors to abide the brunt and to beare out a while the violence of the Turkes promising that immediately they should haue ayde from Ferdinandus In the meane time the Turkes came so thicke for gredines of the victory scaling climing and fighting vpō the walles that had it not bene for the prease and throng of the great multitude of the Turkes comming so thicke that one of them could not fight for an other Uienna that same day had bene taken and vtterly lost But by the pollicy of the captaines geuing a signe within the city as though new souldiors were called for our men began to be encouraged the Turkes hartes to be discomfited When Solymannus saw his army the second time repulsed he began to attempt a new way purposing by vndermining to ouerthrow the city in the which work specially he vsed the helpe of the Illyrians of whome he had a great number in his campe expert in that kinde of feare These Illyrians beginning to breake the earth at the gate Carinthia and comming neare to the foundations of the Tower which they by strength of hand attēpted to break could not worke so closely vnder the groūd but they were perceiued by certayne men aboue which were skilfull expert in that kind of matter who cōtrariwise vndermining against thē filling their trēches as they wēt with gūpouder conueyed their traine that when fire should be set vnto it the violence thereof should brast out by the trenches of the enemies which done sodenly the ground beneath made a great shaking so that the tower did cleane asunder and all the vnderminers of the Turks woorking in their trēches were smothered and destroyed which came to the number as it was supposed afterwarde of 8000. persones in so much that yet till thys day a great number of deade mens skuls are found in the ground When Solyman saw that this way also would not serue and had priuy intelligence that the walles about the gates of Stubarium were negligently kept and that hee might haue there more easy entrance secretly he conueyeth about 10. garrisons of fresh soldiours in such sort as the townes men should not perceiue them who came so sodenly vpon them that they had filled the ditches and were vpon the top of the fortresses and munitions before that our men were aware of them or coulde make themselues ready to resist them For although there was no lacke of soldiors wythin the Citie yet for somuch as the whole brunt of the siege did lye specially at the 2. gates aforesaide from whence the soldiors which were there warding could not be wel remooued for a shifte the rescuers which wythin the Citie were ready for all sodaine aduentures were sent to the walles by whose comming those fewe whych kept the enemies of before being sore hurted and woūded were succoured and sent to surgery and thus the sayed assault continued terrible and doubtfull vntill the darcke night commyng vpon them they could not wel know the one from the other In thys vickering were counted of the Turkes to be slayne more then 5000. Then the Captaine Rogendorffius commendyng the valiant standing of his souldiours misdoubting with him selfe as it happened in dede that the Turks would not so geue ouer but would set vppon him the next day with a fresh assault prouiding wyth all diligence for the purpose made vp the breaches of the walles prepared all things necessary for resistaunce The next morning following whych was some thing darke and mistie the Turkes thinking to preuent our men with their sodain comming began again busily to bicker vpon the toppe of the walles It would require a longe tractation heere to describe the great distres and danger that the city those 3. daies following was in During all the whych time there was no rest no intermission nor diligēce lacking either in the enemies fighting against the City either in our men in defending the same For the Turkes besides the multitude of the great ordinance wherwith as wyth a great tempest of gunshot they neuer ceased still battering the walles and beating the munitions of the Citie sent also such heapes multitudes of the Turkes to the scaling and climing the walles that vnneth wyth all the ordinance and shot of the city either the violence of them could be broken or the number of them diminished til at last the soldiors of the Turkes perceiuing themselues able by no meanes to preuaile but onely to runne in daunger of life and to do no good began to wrangle among themselues grudging and repining against their dukes and captaines imputing the whole cause onely to them that the City was yet vntaken seeing there was in them neither diligence nor good will lacking and so ceased the siege for that time After this when Solymannus had purposed in hym selfe with his last and strongest siege to try against the city the vttermost that he was able to doe and had encouraged hys soldiers to prepare thēselues in most forcible wise therunto the soldyers shewed thē selues much vnwilling to returne againe from whence they were so often repulsed before by reason wherof great commotion begā to rise in the Turkes campe The rumour wherof when it came to Solymans eares he sendeth his grand captaine to kepe all the souldiers in order and obedience or if they would be stubborne to compell them whether they would or not to accomplish his commandement Who comming to the
soldiers shewed to them the great Turkes message and to animate encourage them declared that the oportunitie of the time presēt was not to be neglected neither could they now wtout great shame geue ouer after so many assaultes attempted Who if they would sustein but one brunt more the victory were in their owne handes The townesmen he saide were wasted and their victualles spent and the more to enflame their mindes he promised them not onely great thanks and reward of their Emperour but also the whole spoyle of the Citie in recompence of their trauaile But when all thys could not stir vp the sturdy stomacks of the tired Turkes vsing compulsion where perswasion would not serue he appoynted a number of horsmen to be set at their backs wherby to enforce them either to go forwarde or if they denied with gunnes and speares to destroy them The Turkes seeing themselues in such a strait that whether they went or taried it was to them like perill yet woulde they not set forwarde except the Captaine woulde take the vēture before them Who warding forward in his array thus spake vnto his felows saying Do you forsake your faith allegeance and betray the Emperor of Constantinople vnto the Christians if you wil but I will discharge my duety towardes the commune wealth and my Emperour and with that worde auaunced his ensigne making toward the city walles Whō when other folowed stil mo and mo pressed after so it came to pas that whole routs of them were ouerthrowen slain of our men vpon the wals before it was knowne what they meant Other terrified by their example gaue backe and left their array and wineding them selues by bie wayes and vnder couert of hilles retourned againe into their tentes and so came it to passe that the strength of the ennemies daily more and more decreasing they had lesse hope euery day more then other of obtaining the Citie For besides the innumerable slaughter of Turkes vpon the walles the townesmen also watching the forragers and purueyers of the Turkes as they raunged about for victual for the campe euer as occasion serued them did compasse them about and so encountered with them by the way that of a whole Legion scarly the tenth part returned again to their felowes aliue by meanes wherof the courage of the enemies began greatly to faint Wherby such a maruelous alteration hapned that as our mē began to receiue more hope and courage so the Turkes began still more to droupe and to languish wyth dispaire so that at length skarce durst they appeare wythout the bounds where they were entrenched but onely in light skirmishes when they were prouoked by our men to come out and to shew them selues Solymannus perceiuing his soldiers thus daily to go to wracke of whome he had lost already more then 80. W. and that wyth long tarying he could do no good being also in lacke of forrage for that the countrey about hym was wasted beginneth to consult with hys captaines counsailors what remained best to be done Of whom the most parte aduised hym to raise his siege and betime to prouide for hymselfe Which to doe many causes there were that mooued hym First the losse of his men which daily were cut frō him by great numbers besides them which lay in hys campe wounded or sicke or famished Secondly lacke of perueyance Thirdly the approching nere of winter But the chiefest cause was for that he heard Friderike Palatine aboue mētioned cōming with a great army at Ratisbone towardes Uienna and there had done great molestation to a greate number of the Turks forragers whom by the way he preuented and so enclosed in the woods that he slew them Wherof when Solyman had intelligence thinking it not best to abide the comming of the Palatine made hast wyth bagge and baggage to remooue hys campe and to retire and first sending away his cariage before him made speede hymself with his army to follow shortly after The Uiennians when they heard of the remoouing away of the Turkes although at the first they scarsly beleeued it to be true being afterwarde certified out of doubt both of their remouing and also of the order therof how it was in a maner of a flight or chase were greatly desirous to make out of the City after them Wherein albeit the presence of the Palatine wyth his armie if hee had bene there present might haue stand them in great stead yet notwithstanding they tooke the oportunitie of the time present and issuing out of the Citie in moste speedy wise set after them with their horsemen and first ouerpassing the tentes where the Turkes had pitched their stations or pauillions for hast of the way they made such pursute after them that wythin litle time they ouertooke the rereward or latter ende of the armie whereof they made suche hauocke and destruction that as the author reporteth there was neuer a shotte of the pursuers nor weapon drawen nor stroke strucken which light in vain Which was no hard thing for our men to doe For as the Turkes in their flight went scattered out of order aray neither woulde they in the fore rancke being so farre off from ieopardy retourne backe to helpe their felowes it was easie for our men without resistance to come vpon their backes as they would Yet notwythstanding in long pursute when our men could not see the cariage of the Turkes which was woont in armies to come away behinde after the hoast and suspecting as trueth was some ambush to be left in priuie wayte behinde them to come betwixt them and home called themselues to retraite and consulted vpon the matter thinking good first to sende out certaine scoures to espie and bring them word where the enemies lay what was the number of them Wherof when intelligence was geuē them that the remnaunt of the Turkes army was remayning in the tentes behind word was sent to their fellowes in Uienna to issue out and to ioyn also with them against the tayle of the turkes whiche had entrenched themselues within the campe Other were appoynted to followe the chase least peraduenture the turks seeing our men to recule backe might returne again vpon thē help their felowes Which thinges being thus ordered and appoynted in the meane time while part of the Uienians were houering after the mayne armye the rest encountered with them that were left in the campe Who seeing themselues ouermatched first defenced theyr campe with a deepe ditch Bulwarke to delay the time vntill some helpe might come to them from the army Secondly they directed messengers to the Christians to entreate for peace Thirdly they conueied their priuy letters vnto Solyman for speedy ayde and rescue But all the wayes and passages being stopped by the Christians there letters were intercepted and so the miserable Turkes being destitute of all hope sucour seing no other remedy made out of theyr campe
to hassarde and proue the vttermost for theyr defence but in conclusiō in their desperate venture they were enclosed about by our men on euery side and there put to the sword and slayne a few only excepted who escaping out very hardly by secret passages shifted after the rest of their fellowes as well as they could Their carriage and other furniture lefte behind them in their tentes was distributed amongst the souldiers onely such thinges reserued as might serue for the publike vse and commoditie of the Cittie Thus through the mercifull protection and benefite of almighty God Austria was deliuered from the fierce and barbarous hostilitie of the cruell Turkes notwithstāding that neither Ferdinandus the king nor the Emperour his brother were there present but only the power of God thorough the valiauntnes of the worthy Germaines defēded that cittie in defence wherof consisted the safety deliuerāce no doubt of all these west partes of Christendome For the which immortall prayse and thankes be vnto our immortall God in Christ our Lord according as he hath of vs most graciously and worthely deserued Wherin by the way take this for a note gentle reader how after what maner Gods blessing goeth with the true reformers of his religion and so much the more is it to be noted for that the Turkes in so many battailes sieges heretofore were neuer so repulsed foyled as at this present time in incountring with the protestantes defenders of sincere Religion This citty of Uienna was besieged deliuered the yeare of our Lord. 1529. The assaultes of the Turke against y◠City are numbred to be 20. and his repulses as many The nūber of his army which he first brought was 25000. Wherof were reckened to be slayne 80. thousand and aboue During the time of his siege he led away out of the country about many captiues virgins and Matrones he quelled cast them out naked the children hee stucke vpon stakes Solymannus thus put from the hope of victorye of Uienna after he had breathed himselfe a while at home the second yere after which was an 1531. repayring his host returned agayne into Hungarye with no lesse multitude then before where first he got the towne called Gunza being but slenderly kept with a small garrison By reason whereof the townsmen and souldiours yelding thēselues vnto the Turke were constrayned to agree vpon vnreasonable conditions Ex Ioan. Ramo Melchior Soiterus in his second booke writing De bello Pannonico touching the foresaid Towne of Gunza or Gunzium differeth herein something from Ramus declaring how this Gunza being a small town in Hungary and hauing in it but onely a 100. souldiours or as Wolfegangus Drechslerus in his chronicle reporteth at the most but 200. souldiours vnder the valiaunt captayne Nicholas Iureschitz defended themselues so manfully and wonderfully through the notable power of God against the whole puissance of 200. thousand Turkes that they beyng notwithstanding distressed with lacke and penury of purueiance and sodenly of the Turkes inuaded yet with pure courage and promptnes of hart susteined the vttermost force and violence of xiij assaultes of that great multitude for the space of 25. dayes together Although the narration of the authour may seeme to some incredible yet thus he writeth that what tyme the great ordinance and battering peeces of the Turkes were planted vpon two mountaynes much higher then that town whereby they within the towne were oppressed both before and behinde in so much that 8 ensignes of the Turks were already within the towne yet by the reason of women and children and other impotent persons who in the middle of the towne were congregate in an house together such a noyse and clamour went vp to heauen praying and crying to God for helpe that the turkes within the walles supposing a new army of fresh souldiours to be sent into the towne for sodayn feare voyded the towne leaped down from the walles agayn which before they had got whom no man eyther pursued or resisted for neuer a souldiour almost was left on the walles which was not eyther slayne or els wounded with the Turks ordinance At what time through the Lordes prouidence it so happened that one Ibrahimus Bassa neare about the Turke seeing bothe the town to be small and the great destruction of the Turkes in the siege thereof and that the captayn in no case woulde yeld perswaded so the Turke declaring howe the Towne being so little was not worth the losse of so many men in the winning wherof there was no glory if he were repulsed great dishonour might follow wherby the Turke being perswaded did follow hys counsaile which was thys that Nicholaus the Christen captaine beyng called vnto him vnder pledges and safe conduict should receaue the town as of his hand and gift with condition that he shold do no violence to hys souldiours left behinde and wounded but should procure such meanes as he could for the recuring of them and so he raysing his siege departed An other cause might be also whiche moued him so sodaynly to rayse hys siege for that he heard the Palatine not to be far of in pursuing after him and therfore taking his flight by that mountaines of the Noricians he returned with muche spoyle of Christian mens goods into Constantinople Ex Melchiore Soit lib 2. de bello Panno For so it was prouided the same time in Germany after the counsaile or August and of Ratilboon at what time the controuersie of Religion betweene the Protestantes the papistes was differred and set of to the next generall Councel that Charles the 5. and Ferdinandus his brother hauing vnderstanding of the Turke thus raunging in Hungary should collect of the Germanynes Hungarians and Spanyards and others an able army of 80. thousand footmen and 30000. horsemen to repulse the inuasious of the Turke But Solymanus hauing intelligence of thys preparation of the Christian power comming toward him whether for feare or whether to espy further oportunitie of tyme for hys more aduauntage and our detriment refused at that time to tary theyr comming and so speeding hys returne vnto Constantinople retired with much spoyle and pray sent before him as is aboue premised Whiche was in the yeare of our Lord. 1532. Not long after being the yeare of our saluation 1534. Solymannus intending ij warres at once first sent Corradinus Barbarossa the admiral of his nauies into Afrike to war against the kyng of Tunece Whō the Barbarossa also dispossessed depriued of his kingdome but Charles the Emperour the next yeare following an 1535. restored the said king agayne into hys kingdome and deliuered in the same viage 20. thousand captiues out of seruitude The same tyme the Turke also sent an other captayne into Hungary to warre agaynst Uaiuoda while he hym selfe taking hys course to Persia planted his siege agaynst the Citty Taurus which he in short
hugenes of the Turkes armye conteining in it 220. thousand fighting men was so discouraged and put out of hope and hart that the b. â—h and chiefe nobles of the town fled before the ieoperdy the rest of the coÌ„mons which were partly preuented by the sodein comming of the turkes partly for pouerty could not auoid sent theyr messengers to the Turke to yealde and surrender the towne vppon promise of life vnto his handes Whose promise how firme it stood the story leaueth it vncertaine This is affirmed that three dayes after the yelding of this Quinquecclesiensis neuer a Turke durst enter the Cittie an 1543. Ex Ioan. Mart. Stella alijs The next fort or holde gotten by the Turkes in Hungary was Soclosia The towne at the first inuasion of the Turkes was wonne sackte and fiered The castle within the towne did something hold out a tyme and first requiring truce for 14. dayes to see what ayd should be sent vnto them and to deliberate vpon the conditions that should be proposed vnto theÌ„ after the 14. daies expired they trusting to the situation and munitioÌ„ of the place which was very strong began for a certayne space stoutly to put back the enemy But afterward seeing their walles to be battered theyr foundations to shake for the Turke had set xij thousand vnderminers vnder the diches of the castle their strength to diminishe and misdoubting themselues not to be able long to hold out agreed in like maner to yeld them selues vpon condition to escape with life goods Which condition of sauing theyr goodes was the loosing of theyr lyues especially of the richer sort For the Turkes perceauing by that condition that they were of wealth and substaunce omitting the inferiour or baser sorte fell vpon the wealthy men for their riches and slue them euery one an 1543. Ibid. In the which his history this is also to be noted that during the time while the castle of Soclosia was besieged the villages pages round about the same came of theyr own accord submitting and yelding themselues vnto the Turke bringing in as they were commanded all kynd of victuall and forage into the Turkes campe Which done Solyman the Turke commaunded all the head men of the pages to appeare before hym whiche humbly obeyed and came Then the turke warned them to returne agayne the next day after euery one bringing with him his inferiour retinue and houshold seruauntes Whiche when they had with like dilligence also according to his commaundemeÌ„t accomplished the turke immediately commaunded them euery one in the face of hys whole army to be slayn and so was this theyr reward Which reward the more that it declareth the bloudy crueltie of the turke the more encourage it may minister to our men the more constantly to wtstand him Ex Martino Stella An other strong town there is in HuÌ„gary named Strigonium distant from Buda aboue sayde the space of fiue Dutch miles agaynst the whiche the Turkes made great preparation of ordinaunce and all other instruments of artillary necessary for the siege therof Which cittie in like maner began also to be compassed and inclosed by the turks before it could be sufficiently prepared garnished of our meÌ„ but that the archbishop onely of Strigon priuely conueyed vnto them 200. Oxen. Such was then the negligence of Ferdinandus king of Hungary which so slenderly looked vnto the necessary defence of his townes and cities More ouer such was the discorde then of christen kinges Princes which in their ciuile dissension and warres were so occupied and hoate in needeles quarrels that they had neyther leasure nor remeÌ„braunce to help in tyme there where true neede required Which slender care and cold zeale of the Christian rulers not in tendering the publicke cause while they contend in priuate trifles hath caused the Turke to come so farre as hee hath and yet farther is like vnlesse the mercy of the Lord doe helpe more then our dilligence One of the chiefe captaynes within the Cittye was Martinus Lascanus a Spanyard The Turkes in the beginning of the siege began first to attempt the Cittizens with fayre wordes and accustomed promises to yelde and gently to submit themselues But they not ignoraunt of the Turks promises wisely refused and manfully stood so long as they coulde to the defence of their citty now and then skirmishing with them in out corners and killing certayne numbers of them sometime with their shot disturbing their munitions breaking the wheeles of their gunnes c. Three speciall meanes the Turkes vse in winning great fortes and cities great multitude of souldiors great ordinaunce and mortarie peeces the third is by vndermyning All which here in the siege of this Cittie lacked not This siege continued vehement a certaine space in whiche the Strigonians had borne out foure strong assaultes and slue many thousandes of the turkes till at length the turkes eyther departing away or els seeming to depart vnto Buda the people at last being so perswaded and made to beleue of some chiefe rulers of the citty peraduenture not the truest men the citizens being erected with hope and comforte and singing Te Deum as though the city had bene free from all daunger sodenly by whose counsaile it is vnknowen conueyed themselues all out of the Citty 300. horsemen also passed ouer the riuer and departed The ItaliaÌ„s which were vnder FraÌ„ciscus Salamanca a Spanish captayne hardly coulde be perswaded by him to abide whiche were in all scarse 600. Within 3. daies after 300. Germaine souldiours with 2. ships laden with shot pouder artillery were priuily let into the town So that of our men al there were scarse 1300. souldiors Who seing the small quantitie of their number burning and casting downe the towne suburbes tooke theÌ„ to the castle from whence they beate of the turkes valiantly with theyr ordinaunce a good space and with wyld fire destroyed great companies of theÌ„ till at last they seyng theyr walles to fayle them and the whole castle to shake by vndermyning but especially by the working of a certayne Italian surnamed Presbyter they gaue ouer Thys Italian whether for feare or falshood secretly vnknowing to the rest of the souldiours accompanied with two other conueyed himselfe down from the walles being brought into the tentes of the next captayne or Bassa of the turkes there in the name of all hys fellowes conuented with the turkes to geue vp to them the Castle wherupon the turkes were bid to cease the shooting This Italian shortly after with two other turkes was sent backe to Salamanca hys Captayne with the Turkes message The goyng out of this Italian being priuy to the residue of hys fellowes coÌ„trary to the lawes and discipline of warre although it seemed to come of hys own head yet for so much as the other souldiours were not sure but rather suspected lest the other Italians his countreymen had beene in some
parte of consent therein and would take his part neither durst offer him any harme for that his doing nor yet could wel aduise with themselues what was best to do for feare of priuy confederacie within themselues Thus while Lascanus the chiefe captaine of the Christians aforesayd with his fellowe souldiours were in a mase what to doe or not to do in the meane time came one running who geuing a signe both to the Christians and the Turkes to hold theyr hands and weapons for that it was against all lawe of warre to fight after peace and truce taken our men as they were commaunded went into the inward tower The turkes in the meane time had got into the Castle and occupyed all the vtter parties Then was Salamanca by the consent of the rest sent out to the Turk who there being stayde that night the next morrowe the Turkes bull or warant was sent into the Castle permitting free libertie to the Christians to depart with bag and baggage Who now beyng ready to depart first were coÌ„maunded by the turkes compassing them round about to cast from them theyr dagges launces and battaile axes into the trench Then comming to the gate to go out theyr swordes were taken from them looking then for nothing but present death At last wheÌ„ they were come a little further other were sent to them to discharge them of theyr helmettes their tergattes currettes and what soeuer peece of harnes was about them Whereupon great feare came vpon them least some great cruelty should be shewed vpon them SolymaÌ„ after he had long deliberated with himself whether to kil theÌ„ or not at last contrary to all expectatioÌ„ granted theyr liues but before they should be dismissed he first caused them in derision of Christianitie to be bayted with scornes and mockes throughout all the Turkish army and so the next day commaunded them being stript out of theyr coats and apparell to be reduced againe into the castle by companies setting ouer them certayne turkes with cudgels battes to lay vpon their backes and sides causing them to bury the dead carcases and to gather vp the rubbish broken downe from the castlewalles and to scoure the ditches Which done the next day following he demaunded of them by an interpreter whether they would enter wages with hym take horse and armour to serue hym in his Warres which condition diuers for feare were contented to take seyng no other remedy to auoyd present death Some neyther by manasing wordes nor for any feare of death coulde be compelled thereunto of whom certayn which stoode stoughtly in refusing thereof were presently slayne whome I may worthely recite in the number and catalogue of holy martyrs Of the foresayde christians part were caryed ouer the riuer of Danubius not without great vilany contumely most despitefull For some had theyr wiues taken from them and caryed away some had theyr wyues rauished before theyr face and such as made or shewed any resistance therat had their wiues before them cast into the riuer and drowned also theyr infantes and yong children beyng appoynted by the turkes to the abhominable order of the Ianizarites mentioned before pag. 736. theyr parentes not consenting thereunto were precipitate and throwne into the riuer and drowned All whiche thinges are testified by Iohn Martinus Stella in hys Epistles in print extant written to his two brethren William Michaell c. Whiche Mart Stella moreouer this addeth affirmeth that he hymselfe being the same time at Uienna did see one of the foresaid wiues who being holden fast by the heare of the head yet notwithstanding hauing her heare pluckt off cast her selfe into the riuer Danubius for the singuler loue to her husband and so swamme to the shippe where he was And thus this miserable company of Germaynes Spanyards and ItaliaÌ„s mixt together macerate with labours with hunger pyned with watchinges dolours and sorow consumed came at length to Schinda When the tidings therof was noysed at Uienna partly with feare and dread partly with indignation all mens hartes were moued vexed diuersly Some thought them not worthy to be receiued into their citty shewing themselues so dastardly and cowardly Other thought agayne that mercy was to be shewed vnto them and commended their fact for that they being so few vnfurnished of ayde neither able to match by any meanes with suche an innumerable multitude of the turkes kept themselues till better time might serue theÌ„ But howsoeuer the matter was to be thought of the captaines brought the poore remnant of that rufull company vnto possidonium where the sayd Captayns were layd fast and their kept in durance to render accompt of the whole matter howe it was wrought and handled And thus haue ye the lamentable story of Strigonium The Turke proceeding in his victories conducted his army next vnto Tath and to the parties lying nere about Comaron This Tath was also a strong hold in Hungary wherein were placed certayne garrisons pertly of the Germaynes partly of the Italians The chieâ—tayne of the Italians was one Anniball Tosso constitute by Philipus Torneilius This Tasso was a man well experte in prowes of warre but of a filthy corrupt life also a foule swearer and horrible blasphemer of God and his saintes To make the story shorte this forte of Tathe before anye siege was layde vnto it was yelded and geuen vp to the Turkes vpon what conditions or by whose meanes the author sheweth not Thus much he sheweth that the sayd Anniball shortly vpoÌ„ the same returning into Italy was commaunded by Tornellius aforesaid to be apprehended and beheaded After the turkes had subuerted and destroyed the forte of Tathe they turned their power against Alba surnamed Regalis for that the kinges of HuÌ„gary haue bene always wont there to be crowned and buryed This Alba is a litle well compacted citie in Hungary hauing on the one side a marishe somewhat foggishe or fenny whiche made the town lesse assaultable But nere to the same was a woode from the which the turkes euery day with vi C. cartes brought such matter of wood and trees felled for the same purpose into the marish that within lesse then 12. dayes they made it apte and harde to their feete whiche the townes men thought neuer could be gone vppon but onely in the hard frostes of wynter At the first beginning of the siege there stoode a little without the munitions in the front of the citie a certayne church or Monastery whiche the Cittizens pretending to mayntayne and keepe agaynst the turkes had priuily coÌ„ueyed light matter easely to take flame with pouder in secret places therof and had hid also fire withal Whiche done they as agaynst theyr willes being driuen backe withdrew themselues within the munitions wayting the occasions when this fire woulde take Thus the turkes hauing the possession of the churche sodenly the fire comming to the pouder raysed vp the
Churche and made a great scatter and slaughter among the barbarous turkes This was not so soone espyed of them within the towne but they issued out vpon them in this disturbance and slue of them a great number Among whom diuers of theyr nobles also the same time were slayne and one Bassa an Eunuch which was of great estimation with the turkes Moreouer in the same skirmish was taken one of those gunners which the french king is sayd to haue sent to the Turke a little before Whiche if it be true let the Christian Reader iudge what is to be thought of those Christen princes which not onely forsaking the common cause of Christes Churche ioyned league with the turke but also sent hym gunners to set forward hys warres to the destruction of Christes people and to the shedding of theyr blond for whom they know the blond of Christ to be shed If this be not true I shew myne authour If it be then let the Pope see and marke well howe hys title of Christianissimus can well agree with such doinges But to let this matter sleape although the turkes as ye heard had wonne the fenne with theyr pollicie and industry against the Cittie of Alba yet all this while the Albanes were nothing inferiour to theyr enemies through the valiant help couragious indeuour of Octauianus Scruzatus a captayne of Millane By whose prudent counsaile and constant standing the busy enterprises of the turkes did little preuayle a long time till at length sodainly arose a thick fog or miste vpon the cittie where as rounde about besides the sunne did shine bright Some sayde it came by Arte Magicall but rather it may appeare to ryse out of the fenne or marish beyng so pressed downe with mens feete and other matter layd vpon it The turkes vsing the occasion of this misty darckenes in secret wise approching the walles had got vp to a certayne fortresse where the Germaynes were before our men coulde well perceane them where they pressed in so thicke in such number that albeit the christian souldiors standing strongly to the defence of theyr lyues dyd what valiaunt men in cases of such extremetie were able to doe yet beyng ouermatched with the multitude of the Turks the sodennes of their comming gaue backe seeking to retyre into the inward walles Which when theyr other felowes did see to recule then was theyr flyeng of all hands euery man striuing to get into the Cittie There was betweene the outward Wales or vamures and inward gate of the citty a straite or narrow passage cast vp in maner of a bancke or causey ditched on both sides which passage or ingresse happened the same timeto be barred stopped By reason wherof the poore souldiors were forced to cast them selues into the ditch thinking to swimme as well as they could into the cittye where many of them sticking in the mudde were drowned one pressing vpon an other many were slayne of their enemies comming behinde them they hauing neither hart nor power to resist A fewe whiche could swimme out were receiued into the Citty but the chiefe Captaines and warders of the towne were there slayne The cittizens being destitute of theyr principall captaines and warriors were in great perplexitie and doubt among thēselues what to do some thinking good to yeld some counsayling the contrary This while the mindes of the cittizens were distract in diuers doubtfull sentences the Magistrates minding to stand to the turkes gentlenes sent out one of theyr heads vnto the turke who in the name of them all should surrender to him the citty and become vnto him tributaries vpō cōdition they might enioy liberty of life goods which being to thē granted after the turkish faith assurance first the souldiors which were left wtin the citty putting of theyr armour were discharged sent away Who being but onely 300. left of 4. ensignes of Italians of a thousand Germaynes by the way were layd for by the Tartarians for hope of theyr spoyle so that they scattering a sunder one one way an other an other to saue themselues as wel as they could fled euery one what way he thought best Of whome some wandering in woodes marishes faynted for famine some were taken and slayne by the Hungarians a few with bare and empty and wythered bodies more like ghostes then men escaped came to Uienna And this befell vpon the souldiors Now vnderstand what happened to the yelding Citizens So in story it followeth that when the turke had entred the towne and had visited the sepulchre of the kynges for three or 4. dayes he pretented muche clemency toward the cittizens as though he came not to oppresse them but to be reuēged of Ferdinādus their king to deliuer them from the seruitude of the Germaines On the fourth day al the chiefe head men of the citty were cōmaunded to appeare before the turke in a playne not far frō the citty where the condemned persons before were wont to be executed as though they should come to sweare vnto the turke At this commaundement of the turke when the cittizens in great number in their best attyre were assembled the turk contrary to his fayth and promise commaunded sodenly a generall slaughter to be made of them all And this was the end of the citizens of Alba. In the meane time during the siege of Alba the Hungarians meeting sometimes with the horsemen of the Tartarians which were sent out to stop their vitailes from the citie slue of them at one bickering 3000. Turks In which story is also reported mentioned of mine author an horrible sight and example of misery concerning a certayne captiue a Christian belike who comming into Uienna was found to haue in his scrip or satchel the halfe of a yong childe of two yeares old which remayned yet vneaten the other halfe beyng eaten before an 1543. Ibid. Next after this was expugned the castle of Pappa by the Turkes Let the castle now of Papa take heede least one day it follow after The like fidelitie the turkes also kept with the fort of Wizigradum and the souldiours therof This Wizigradū is situate in the mid way betweene Buda and Strigoniū Of the which fort or Castle the highest tower so mounteth vpon the hil that vnlesse it be for famine and lack of water they haue not to dread any enemy Notwithstanding so it happened that the lower peece being wonne they in the higher tower abiding foure dayes without drink were cōpelled wyth liberty graunted of life and goodes to yelde themselues But the deuilish turkes keeping no fayth nor promise slue them euerye one onely Petrus Amandus the captaine of the peece excepted who priuely was conueyed by the Captayne of the Turkes out of the slaughter an 1544. To these moreouer may be added the winning of Nouum Castellum in Dalmatia where he slue all that were wtin both soldiors other for
declareth to vs the affliction of Christes Church for sinne and yet that God will not vtterly reiect his people for his sonnes sake as by manifold examples of y◠Church hetherto may well appeare Againe the continuance of the law first geuen by Moses vnto the destruction of the sayde people by Titus amounteth to 1564. yeares So we counting the age of the new Testament and reckening from the day of our redemption vnto this present be come now to the yeare 1534. lacking but only 33. yeares of the full number Likewise in counting the yeares from their deliuerāce out of captiuitie to the ende of their dissolution we finde 564. yeares during which yeares as the Churche of the Iewes was not gouerned vnder the authoritie of kings but the high Priests tooke all the power and authoritie to themselues so we Christians for the space especially of these later 564. yeares what haue we seene and felt but only the iurisdiction and domination of the Pope and his high Priests plaieng the Rex in all countreys and ruling the whole whereby by the count of these yeares it is to be thought the daye of the Lordes comming not to bee farre off Furthermore in those latter yeares of the Iewes kingdome what troubles and afflictions that people susteined three hundreth yeares together but chiefly the last 166. yeares before the comming of Christ by Antiochus and his felowes the history of the Machabees cā report Wherin we haue also notoriously to vnderstād the miserable vexations and persecutions of Christian Churches in these latter ends of the world by Antichrist For by Antiochus Antichrist no doubt is figured and represented Thys Antiochus surnamed Magnus and Antiochus Epiphanes his sonne came of the stocke of Seleucus Nicanor much like as the Mahumetes the Turke and Solymannus came of the stocke of Ottomannus Wherein this is to be noted and pondered that like as of the sayd Seleucus issued xij Syrian Kings one after another of that generation which reigned ouer the Israelites with much seueritie and tiranny so of this diuelish generatiō of Ottomannus haue come xij Turkish tyraunts whereof thys Solyman is now the twelfe God grant he may be the last And as the ij last Antiochi being sonnes of the ij brethrē did fight together for the kingdome and in fighting were both slaine and shortly after the kingdome fell to the Romaines so the Lorde graunt for Christes sake that the bloudy broode of this old Solyman which had reigned now 46. yeares may so fight together and perish in their owne bloud that the bloudy tyranny of theirs may come to a finall end for euer Amen And that the truth heereof may the better appeare to such as be disposed to meditate more vpon the matter I thought good and profitable for the reader to set before his eies in tablewise the catalogue of both these Antichristian families with the names and succession of the persons first of the twelue Syrian Kings then of the twelue Ottomans in like number and order A comparison betweene the Syrians and the Turkes ¶ The Syrians 1 Seleucus 32 2 Antiochus Soter 19 3 Antiochus Theos who killed Bernice his mother in law and his yong brother 15 4 Seleucus Callinicus with Antiochus Hierax his brother which two breethren warred one against the other 20 5 Antiochus Magnus 36 6 Seleuchus Philopator 12 7 Antiochus Epiphanes or rather Epimanes 8 Antiochus Eupator 2 9 Demetrius brother of Epiphanes who killed Eupator his cosin 10 Demetrius Nicanor whome Antiochus Sedetes his brother repulsed from his kingdome 11 Antiochus sedetes These two last being brethren had two sonnes 12 Antiochus Grypus Antiochus Cyriconus These two striuing together for the kingdome were both slaine and so not lōg after the kingdome of Syria came to the hands of Cigranes King of Armenia and so being taken from him came to the Romaines in the time of Pompeius ¶ The Turkes 1 Ottomannus 28 2 Orchanes He slue his two brethren 22 3 Amurathes He put out the eyes of Sauces his owne sonne 23 4 Baiazetes He slew Solymannus his brother 5 Calepinus The Greeke stories make no mention of this Calepinus the Latin stories say that Calepinus and Orchanes were both one and that hee was slayne by Mahumetes hys brother 6 6 Orchanes whome Moses his vncle did slay 7 Mahumetes 1. He slue Mustaphas his brother 14 8 Amurathes 2. Hee siue Mustaphas his brother 34 9 Mahumetes 2. He slue his two brethren Turcinus an infant and Calepinus 73 10 Baiazetes 2. He warred against his brother Demes which Demes was afterward poisoned by Pope Alexander 6. 33 11 Zelymus He poisoned Baiazetes his father his two brethren Acomates and Corcutus wyth all their children his owne cosines 7 12 Solymannus He slue Mustaphas his owne sonne and was the death or Gianger his seconde sonne 46 These two pestilent families and generations rising out doubtles from the bottomles pit to plague the people of God as in number of succession they do not much differ so in maner of their doings and wicked abhominations they be as neere agreeing being both enemies alyke to the people and Church of Christ both murtherers and paricides of their owne breethren and kindred both blasphemers of God and troublers of the whole worlde Wherein we haue all to learne and note by the way the terrible anger of almighty God against sinne and wickednes of men Furthermore who so is desposed to consider and cast the course of times and to marke how things be disposed by the maruelous operation of Gods prouidēce shal finde the times also of these two aduersaries in much like sorte to concurre and agree For in considering with our selues both the Testaments and Churches of God the first of the Iewes the second of the Christians looke what time had the Syrian Kings to rage then in Hierusalem the same proportion of time hath now the tiranny of the Turks to murther the Christians so that the one Antichrist may well represent and prefigure the other For as by the booke of Machabees may appeare Antiochus Epiphanes was about the 191. yeares before the passion of our Sauiour and day of our redemption so now casting the same number from this present yeare backward we shall finde it to be about the same yeare and time when Baiazetes the fourth Turke after Ottoman began to remoue his Imperiall seate from Bursa in Bithynia to Adrianople in Europe which is a City of Thracia In which yeare time began all the mischiefe in Europe as is to be seene before pag. 738. and this was the yeare of our Lord 1375. Unto the which yeare if we adde 691. it maketh 1566. according to the prophesie of the Apocal. chap. 20. where it is prophesied of Gog and Magog that they shall compasse about the tents of the Saincts and the well beloued Citie by the which welbeloued Citie is meant no doubt Europa and this was in
teeth it deuoured and brake in peeces and stamped the residue vnder his feete and it was vnlike the other beastes that were before it for it had ten hornes As I considered the hornes behold there came vp among them another little horne before whome there were three of the first hornes pluckt away And behold in this horne were eyes like the eyes of a man and a mouth speaking presumptuous things and seemed more stoute then the other Which horne also wheÌ„ I looked on made battaile with the saints preuailed against theÌ„ vntill the old aged came iudgement was giuen to the Saintes of the highest and till the appointed time was come that the Saints shuld haue the kingdoÌ„e Thus haue ye heard the plaine words of Daniell In the which as he doth manifestly describe the comming of Antiochus the great aduersary toward the latter ende of the Iewes so by the same Antiochus is figured also to vs the great aduersary of Christ which is the Turke Although some there be notwithstanding which wyth great learning iudgement do apply this place of Daniel aboue recited not to the Turke but rather to the Pope that for vj. or vij speciall causes herein touched and noted The first is this that the wicked transgressours of the couenaunt shall ioine with him deceitfully and hypocritically which shall pollute the tabernacle of strength take away the perpetuall sacrifice and bring in the abhomination of desolation The second note is that the Prophet declareth how the learned among the people shall reach many that they shall fall into the sword into fire and captiuitie and shall be banished whereby they shall be tried chosen made bright and pure c. All which say they is not amoÌ„g the Turkes to be seene but only in the Popes Church where the faithfull preachers teachers of the people are slaine and burned and go to wracke c. Where likewise it foloweth that they shall be holpen against Antichrist and that many false brethren shall ioine vnto them dissemblingly c. To thys they alledge that the Christians haue no such help against the Turke whereunto such false brethreÌ„ should ioine theÌ„seâ—ues as is and hath bene commonly seene amoÌ„g the Christians against the Pope from time to time almost in all Countreys as in Germany by the Protestants free Cities In EnglaÌ„d in King Henries time by the Lord Cromwell and afterward by King Edward now by Queene Elizabeth In Scotland by the godly nobilitie In France by the Queene of Nauarre and her sonne and also by the Prince of Condy and the worthy Admirall and his two breethren and many others In Flaunders by theÌ„ whom the Regent calleth Beggers So as was in the time of the Machabees against Antiochus Thirdly that the King shall exalt himselfe aboue all that hath the name of God and shal lift vp his mouth to speake presumptuously against God Fourthly that he careth not for the desires of women which may seeme to note how the Popes doctrine shall forbid the honest and lawfull mariage in Churchmen The fift specialtie which they apply to the Pope is that foloweth in the Prophet saieng Neither shall he regard the God of his fathers nor any God but in steade of him shall set vp his God Mauzzim shall worship him with siluer gold pretious stone c. which they do apply to the Pope setting vp his God of bread worshipping him with glistering golden ornameÌ„ts most solemne seruice Sixtly it foloweth he shall encrease them with much glory and riches and shall diuide vnto them lands possessions c. meaning that the Pope hauing dominioÌ„ ouer treasures of gold and siluer and all precious things of the land shall indue his Cardinals Prelats his flatring doctours with Friers and Monkes Priestes and all such as shal take his part with great priuilegies liberties reuenues possessions And thus I say some there be which apply this prophesie of the xij and xi chapter of Daniell vnto the Bishop of Rome whom although I take to be an extreme persecutour of Christs Church yet I iudge rather those two chapters of Daniel concerning the litle horne in the middle of the x. hornes and the great destroier of the pleasant land and glorious holy mountaine to meane first Antiochus and by him secondly to meane the great Antichrist the Turke who hath now set already the tabernacles of his palace betwene the Seas accordyng to the Prophecies of Daniell as is abouesayd Ouer besides these Prophecies aboue alledged may be added also the Prophecie of Ezechiel chap. 39. speakyng of Gog Magog which as it may be applied to the oppressioÌ„ of the Iewes vnder the Heathen multitude which stopped the buildyng of the Citie and vnder the Syrian kynges c. yet in the same also is expressed the calamities and afflictions of Christes Churche in these latter tymes vnder the Saracens and the Turkes c. Proceeding further in this matter let vs come now to the Prophecies of the new Testament marke the wordes of S. Paule writyng to the Thessalonians which then were Christened now either are Turkish or vnder the Turke which wordes be these Be ye not sodenly moued in your mynde nor troubled neither by spirite not by word nor by letter as sent froÌ„ vs as though the day of Christ were at hand let no maÌ„ deceaue you by any meanes for the Lord will not come before there come a defection or a departing first and that wicked maÌ„ be reueled the sonne of perdition which is an aduersary and is extolled aboue all power and that which is called God so that he shall sit in the teÌ„ple of God boasting himselfe to be God c. Although this defection departing may haue a double vnderstandyng as well of the popes sect which is gone departed froÌ„ the free iustificatioÌ„ by fayth onely in Christ through the promise of grace as of the Turkes yet learning a while to speake of the Pope because it appeareth more notoriously in the Turke we will chiefly apply it to him in whoÌ„ so aptly it doth agree that vnles this great defection froÌ„ faith in so many Churches had hapned by the Turke it had bene hard to vnderstaÌ„d the Apostles mynde which now by the history of these Turkes is easie and euident to be knowen coÌ„sidering what a ruine hath happened to the Church of Christ by these miserable Turks what Emperies nations kyngdomes countreys townes and Cities be remoued from the name professioÌ„ of Christ how many thousands infinite multitudes of Christen men and children in Asia in Afrike in Europe are caried away from Christes Church to Mahumetes Religion some to serue for the Turkes gard among the Ianizarites some for souldiours some for miners some for gunners to fight warre agaynst the Christians so that the most part
the 13. chap. of the Apoc. expounding the mistery of the second beast rising out of the earth hauing the hornes of a lambe c. doo apply the same to Mahumet and the Turkes with a solemne declaration made vpon the same Which interpretatioÌ„ of theirs although in some pointes it may seeme to haue some appearance of probabilitie neither can it be denied but that Mahumet the Turke be pestilent and wicked enemies of Christ our Lord most bitter persecutors of his Church yet as touching the proper naturall meaning of the Apostle in that place speaking of the false lambe c. if we consider well all the circumstances of that beast and marke the consequence of the text both of that which goeth before and followeth after we must needs graunt that Nicol. de Lyra with hys fellowes with al such like of the Popes schoole that folow that schoole be deceaued and that the description and interpretation of that falshorned lambe must necessarily be applyed only to the Bishop of Rome and none other which is to be proued by sixe principall causes or arguments The first is for that this beast is described to beare the hornes of a lambe By the which lambe no doubt is ment Christ. By yâ— hornes of the lambe is signified the outward shew or resemblance of Christ our sauiour which shew or resemblance can haue no relation to Mahumet for that he taketh himselfe to be aboue Christ Christ as an excellent Prophet of God sitting at his feete Wherfore seeing Mahumet commeth neither as equall to Christ nor as vicar vnder Christ this prophesy can not agree in him but only in him which openly in plaine words protesteth that all Christes lambes and sheepe not singularly but vniuersally through the whole world are committed to him as Uicar of Christ and successor of Peter and that all men must confesse the same of necessitie or else they are noue of Christes sheepe c. wherein it is easy to see where the pretensed hornes of the lambe do growe The second argument And he spake like the Dragon c. A Lambes hornes and the mouth of a Dragon do not agree together And as they do not agree together in nature so neither can they be found in any one person either Turke or other if we will iudge truely so liuely as in the Bishop of Rome When thou hearest him call himselfe the Apostolicall Bishop the Uicar of Christ the successor of Peter the seruant of Gods seruants c. thou seest in him the two hornes of a lambe and would thinke him to be a lambe in deede and such a one as would wash your feete for humilitie but heare him speake and you shall find him a dragon See and reade the Epistle of Pope Martine the fift aboue mentioned pag. 649. charging commaunding and threatning Emperoures Kinges Dukes Princes Marquesses Earles Barons Knightes Rectors Consuls Proconsuls with their Shires Counties and Uniuersities of their kingdoms Prouinces Cities Townes Castles Uillages and other places See the answere of Pope Urban 2. and his message to King William Rufus pag. 192. Behold the workes and doings of Pope Innocent against King Iohn Note also the answere of another Pope to the King of England which for the price of the kings head would not graunt vnto him the inuesting of his Bishops Marke well the wordes and doings of Pope Hildebrande against the Emperor Henry the fourth pag. 175. Also of Pope AlexaÌ„der the 2. treading vpon the neck of Fredericus Barbarossa not like a lambe treading vpoÌ„ a dragon but like a dragoâ— treading vpon a lambe so that his owne verse might â—ac turned vpon himselfe tanquam aspis basiliscus super ouiculam ambulans tanquam Leo draco conculcans agnum CoÌ„sider moreouer the behauior maner coÌ„dition and property almost of all the Popes which haue bene these 600. yeares and what Dragon or Serpent could be more viperous then their owne doings and words can speake and giue testimony against themselues It followeth moreouer in the same prophecy of the Apocalipse for the third argument And he doth all the power of the first beast presently before his face and causeth the earth and all the inhabitants therein to honour the first beast the stripe of whose deadly wound was cured c. In this prophesy ij things are to be noted first what the first beast is whose power the second beast doth execute Secondly what this second beast is which so doth exercise his power in his sight The first of these beastes here in the Apoc. described hauing 7. heads 10. hornes must needes signifie the city of Rome which may easely be proued by two demonstrations First by the exposition of the 17. chap. of the same Apocalips where is declared and described the sayd beast to staÌ„d of 7. hils to containe 10. kings hauing the whole power of the dragon geuen and also the same citie to be named the whore of Babylon drunkeÌ„ wyth the bloud of saints All which properties ioined together can agree in no wise but only to the heatheÌ„ Empire of Rome which Citie at the time of writing these prophesies had the gouernment of the whole world The second demonstration or euidence may be deduced out of the number of the monethes assigned to this beast Apoc. 13. For so it is written that this beast had power to make that is to worke his malice against Christes people 42. monethes which monethes counted by sabbates of yeares that is euery moneth for seuen yeares maketh vp the iust number of those yeares in which the primitiue Church was vnder the terrible persecutions of the heathen Emperors of Rome as is afore specified pag. 397. Which thing thus standing proued and confessed that the first beast must needes signifie the Empire and City of Rome then must it necessarely follow that the second beast with the lambs hornes must signifie the Bishop Pope of the same City of Rome The reason whereof is euident and apparant by that which followeth in the prophecye where it is declared that the seconde beast hauing two hornes of a lambe receaued and exercised all the power of the first beast before or in the sight of the said beast which can not be verefied neither in the Turke nor in any other but only in the Pope of Rome who as you see receiueth vsurpeth and deriueth to himselfe all the power of that Citie and Monarchy of Rome In so much that he saith that when Constantine or Ludouicus yeelded vnto him the rule kingdome of that Citie he gaue him but his owne and that which of right and duty belonged to him before And this authority or power ouer all the Empire of Rome he worketh not in Asia or in Constantinople as the Turke doth but in the sight of the beast which gaue him the power that is in the City of Rome it selfe which is the
first beast heere in this prophesy of the Apocalypse described Fourthly it foloweth more And he causeth the earth and all the inhabitants therein to worship and honour the first beast which had a deadly wound and was cured c. The interpretation of this part as also of all the other parts of the same chapter standeth vpon the definition of the first beast for being graunted as it can not be denied that the first beast signifieth the Citie and Empire of Rome it must consequently follow that the Bishop whome we call the Pope of the same Citie of Rome must be vnderstoode by the second beast for somuch as neither Turke nor any other but only the Bishop of Rome hath holden vp the estimation and dignity of that Citie which began to be in ruine and decay by the Uandalians Gothes Herulians and Lombards about the yeare of our Lord 456. but afterward by the Bishop of Rome the pristine state and honor of that Citie reuiued againe and flourished in as great veneration as euer it did before And that is it which the holy Ghost seemeth heere to meane of the first beast saieng That he had a wound of the sword and was cured For so it followeth Fiftly And he caused all the inhabitants of the earth to make the image of the beast which had the stripe of the sword and liued And it was geuen to him to giue life to the image of the beast and to make the image thereof to speake and to cause all them that worshipped not the image of the beast to be killed forcing all persons both little and great rich and poore bond and free to take the marke of the beast in their right hand or in their forheads and that none might buy or sell but they which had the marke or the name of the beast or the number of his name c. By geuing life to the image of the beast and making it to speake is to be presupposed that the beast was at a neare point of death and lay speachles before insomuch that the Citie of Rome began to lose and change his name was called a while Odacrie of Odacer King of the Herulians which by dent of sword surprised the Romans and yet notwithstanding by the meanes of this Romane Prelate the said Citie of Rome which was then ready to geue the Ghost so recouered his maiestie and strength againe that it is hard to say whether Rome did euer ruffle and rage in his tirannie before in the time of Nero Domitian Diocletian and other Emperors more tragically then it hath done vnder the Pope or whether that Rome had al Kings Queenes Princes Dukes Lords and all subiects more vnder obedience and subiection whē the Emperors raigned or now in the raigne of the Pope And therefore it is said not without cause of the holy Ghost That it is geuen to him to geue life and speach to the image of the beast causing all them to be slaine which will not worship the image of the beast c. As for example heereof who seeth not what numbers and multitudes of Christian men women and children in all Countreys haue bene put to the fire and sword Stories of all times will declare what hauocke hath bene made of Christen bloud about the preheminence and maioritie of the Sea of Rome what Churches and Countreys both Greekes and Latin haue bene excommunicated what Kings haue bene deposed and Emperors stripped from their Imperiall seate and all because they would not stoupe and bend to the Image of the beast that is to the maiesty and title of Rome aduanced vp so highly now by the Bishop thereof as it was neuer higher before in the raigne of Nero or Dyoclesian Wherefore taking the first beast to signifie the Empyre of Rome which can not be denyed it is playne that the second beast must necessarily be applied to the Pope and not to the Turke for as much as the Turke seeketh nothing lesse then the aduancement of that Empire but rather striueth against it to plucke it downe The sixt and last argument is grounded vpon the number of the name of the beast expressed by the holy Ghost in the same Prophecie by the letters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In which letters a though there lyeth great darcknesse and difficultie to be vnderstoode yet certaine auncient Fathers whiche were Disciples and hearers of them which heard S. Iohn himselfe as Irenaeus and other do expound the sayd letters coniecturally to containe the name of the beast and to be the name of a man vnder this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Where as els no other name lightly of any person either in Greeke or Latine will agree to the same saue onely the foresayd name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Although some latter writers geuing their coniectures vpon the same doe finde the name of Lateranus in Hebrew Letters to aunswere to the same number Some fayne other names as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 made wordes which signifie nothyng as Diclux or Luduuic by Romane letters c. But of all names properly signifying any mā none commeth so neare to the number of this mistery if it go by order of letters as doth the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 aforesayd And this much by the way and occasion of Nicolaus de Lyra Paulus Burgen Matthias Dorinkus the author of Fortalilium fidei and other Cōmentaries moe o◠the same faction who writyng vpon this xiij Chapter of the Apocalipse and not considering the circumstaunces thereof both are deceaued themselues and deceaue many other applying that to the Turke which can not otherwise be verified but onely vpon the Pope as may appeare sufficiently by the premisses Not that I write this of any incode or malice either to the Citie of Rome or to the person of the Byshop as beyng Gods creature but beyng occasioned here to entreate of the Prophecies agaynst the Turkes would wishe the Readers not to be deceaued but rightly to vnderstand the simple Scriptures according as they lye to the entent that the true meanyng therof beyng boolted out it may be the better knowen what Prophecies directly make agaynst these Turkes what otherwise In the which Prophecies agaynst the Turkes now to proceede let vs come to the 20. Chapter of the Apocalipse wherein the holy Scripture seemeth playnly and directly to notifie the said Turkes The wordes of the Prophecie be these And I saw an Angell descendyng from heauen hauyng the key of the bottomlesse pit and a great chayne in his hand and he tooke the Dragon the old Serpent which is the deuill and Satanas and bound him vp for a thousand yeares and cast him in the pit and sealed him vp that he should not seduce the people any more til the thousand yeares were expired and after that he must be let loose for a litle while c. And it followeth after And
when the thousand yeares shal be complete Satanas shal be let out of his doungeon and shall go abroad to seduce the people which are on the foure corners of the lād of Gog and Magog to assemble them to battaile whose number is like to the sandes of the Sea And they went vp vpon the latitude or breadth of the earth and compassed about the tentes of the Saintes and the welbeloued Cities c. To the perfect vnderstandyng of this Prophecie three thynges are necessary to be knowen First what is ment by byndyng vp and loosing out of Satanas the old Dragon Secondly at what tyme and yeare first he was chayned vp and sealed for a thousand yeares Thirdly at what yeare and tyme these thousand yeares did end when as he should be loosed out agayne for a litle season Which three poyntes beyng well examined and marked the Prophecie may easely bee vnderstand directly to be ment of the Turke Albeit Anagogically some part thereof may also be referred not vnproperly vnto the Pope as is aboue notified First by byndyng and loosing of Satanas seemeth to be ment the ceasing and staying of the cruell and horrible persecution of the Heathen Emperours of Rome against the true Christians as is to be sene in the x. first persecutions in the primitiue Church aboue described in the former part of these Actes and Monumentes in the whiche most bloudy persecutions Satanas the deuill then raged without all measure till tyme it pleased almightie God to stoppe this old Serpent and to tye him shorter And thus haue you to vnderstād what is ment by the bindyng vp of Sathan for a thousand yeares whereby is signified that the persecution agaynst the Christians styrred vp by the beast that is in the Empire of Rome through the instigation of Sathan shall not alwayes continue but shall breake vp after certaine tyme and shall cease for a thousand yeares c. Now at what tyme and yeare this persecution that is the fury and rage of Sathan should cease is also declared in the Apocalipse before where in the chapter 11. 13. wee reade that the beast afore mētioned shall haue power to worke his malice and mischiefe the space of 42. moneths and no more and then that Sathan should be locked vp for a thousand yeares The computation of which moneths being counted by Sabbates of yeares after the example of the 69. weekes of Daniell cap. 11 it doth bring vs to the iust yeare and time when that terrible persecution in the primitiue Church should end and so it did For giue to euery moneth a Sabbat of yeares that is recken euery moneth for seauen yeares and that maketh 294. yeares which was the full time betweene the 18. yeare of Tiberius vnder whome Christ suffered and the death of Maxentius the last persecutour of the primitiue Church in Europe subdued by Constantinus as may appeare by calculating the yeares moneths and dayes betweene the said yeare of the reigne of Tiberius and the latter end of Maxentius and so haue ye the supputation of the yeare and time when Satan was first bound vp after he had raged in the primitue Church 42. monethes Which moneths as is said being counted by Sabbates of yeares after the vsuall manner of the Scripture mounteth to 294 yeares and so much was the full time betweene the passion of our Lorde which was in the 18. yeare of Tiberius vnto the last yeare of Maxentius And heere by the way commeth a note to be obserued that forasmuch as by the number of these 42. monethes specified in the Apocalips the Empire of Rome must necessarily be confessed to be the first beast therefore it must by like necessitie follow the Bishop of Rome to be the second beast with the two hornes of the Lambe for that he only hath and doth cause the sayd Empyre of Rome to reuiue and to be magnified and so doth not the Turke but rather laboureth to the contrary Wherfore let euery Christian man be wise and beware betime how he taketh the marke of the beast least peraduenture it follow vpon him that he drinke of that terrible cup of wrath mentioned Apocal chap. 14. Thirdly it remayneth to be discussed touching the third point in this foresaid prophesie that as we haue found out through the helpe of Christ the yeare and time of Satās binding so we search out likewise the time and season of his loosing out which by the testimonie of Scripture was appointed to be a thousand yeares after his binding vp and so rightly according to the time appointed it came to passe For if we number well by the Scripture the yeare of his binding vp which was from the passion of our Lorde 294. yeares and adde thereto a thousand yeares it mounteth to 1294. Which was the very yeare when Ottomannus the first Turke began his reigne which was the first spring and welhead of all these wofull calamities that the Church of Christ hath felt both in Asia Affrica and Europe almost these three hundreth yeares past For so wee finde in Chronicles that the kingdome of the Turkes being first deuided into four families an 1280. at length the familie of Ottomanus preuailed and thereupon came these whome now we call Turkes which was about the same time when Pope Boniface the eight was Byshop of Rome Where by the way this is againe to be noted that after the decree of Transubstantiation was enacted in the Councell of Laterane by Pope Innocent the iij. the yeare of our Lord 1215. not long after about the yeare of our Lord 1260. was stirred vp the power and armes of the Oguzians and of the Orthogules father of Ottomannus who about the yeare of our Lord 1294. began first to vexe the Christians about Pontus Bithinia so beginning his kingdome anno 1300. reigned 28. yeares as is afore mētioned Mention was made before of Ezechiell prophesieng against Gog whose words diuers expositours do apply against the Turke and are these Thou shalt come from thy place out of the North partes thou and much people with thee all riding vpon horse a great and a mighty army and thou shalt come vp against my people of Israell as a cloude to couer the land Thou shalt be in the latter dayes and I will bring thee vpon my land that the heathen may know me when I shall be sanctified in thee O Gog before their eyes Thus sayth the Lord God Art not thou he of whome I haue spoken in the old time by the hand of my seruants the Prophets of Israell that prophesied in those dayes and yeares that I woulde bring thee vpon them At the same time also when Gog shall come against the lande of Israell sayth the Lord God my wrath shall arise in mine anger For in my indignation and in the fire of my wrath haue I spoken it Surely at that time there shall be a great shaking in the land of
Israell so that the fishes of the Sea the foules of the heauen the beastes of the field and all that mooue and creepe vpon the earth and all the men that are vpon the earth shall tremble at my presence the mountaines shall be ouerthrowne the starres shall fall and euery wall shall fall to the ground c. ¶ The Prophesies of Methodius Hildegardis and other concerning the reygne and ruyne of the Turkes VNto these testimonies aboue excerped out of the holy Scriptures let vs adde also the propheticall reuelatious of Methodius Hildegardis Sybilla and others This Methodius is thought of some to be the same Methodius of whome Hierome and Suidas make mention which was Bishop first of Olympus in Lycia then of Tyrus and suffred martyrdome in the last persecution of the primitiue Church vnder Diocletian Unto whome also Trithemius attributeth the booke intituled De Quatuor nouissimis temporibus But that can not be forasmuch as the said Methodius doth cite and alleadge the Maister of Sentence namely in his second booke and sixe distinc Which Maister of Sentence followed more then a thousand yeare after Christ besides certaine other fabulous matter conteined in the same booke Albeit because he speaketh there of many things coÌ„cerning the state of the Church vnder Antichrist and the reformation of Religion as secmeth rightly to come to passe and more is like to follow I thought not to defraude the Reader thereof leauing the credite of the Authour to his arbitrement to esteeme and iudge of him as he seeth cause Among diuers other places of Methodius prophesieng of the latter time these words do follow After that the children of Ismaell haue had multiplied in their generations to an infinite and innumerable multitude in the desert aforesayd they came out of the wildernesse of Arabie and entred into the habitable land and fought with the Kings of the Gentiles which were in the land of promise and the â—â—â—d was filled with them And after 70. weekes and halfe of their power wherewith they haue subdued all the kingdome of the Gentiles their hart was exalted seeing themselues so to haue preuailed and to haue conquered all things c. And afterward it followeth of the same matter in this sort It shall come to passe that the sayde seede of Ismaell shall issue out and obteine the whole world with the regions thereof in the entring of peace from the land of Aegypt vnto Ethiopia from the floud Euphrates vnto India and from the riuer Tigris to the entring of Nabaot the kingdome of Ionithus the sonne of Noe and from the North vnto Rome and Illyricum Aegypt and Thessalonica and Albania and so foorth to the sea Ponticum whych deuideth the sayd kingdomes from Germanie and Fraunce and their yoke shall be double vpon the neckes of all nations and Gentiles neither shall there be nation or kingdome vnder heauen which shall be able to stand against them in battaile vntill the number of eyght weekes of yeares c. Briefly as in a grosse somme this shall suffice to admonish the reader touching the meaning and methode of Methodius Prophesies which Methodius first describing the long and tedious afflictions of Christes Church maketh mention of the seede of Ismaell which comming out of the partes and deserts of Arabie shall destroy saith he and vanquish the whole earth So that the Christians shall be giueÌ„ of God to the hands of the filthy Barbarians to be slain polluted and captiued Persia Armenia Capadocia Cilicia Syria Aegypt the East partes Asia Spaine all Grecia Fraunce Germania Agathonia Sicilia The Romanes also shall be slaine and put to flight also the Ilands of the Seas shall be brought to desolation and to captiuitie and put to the sword The which tribulation of the Christians shall be without mercy or measure the raunsome of gold and siluer and other exactions intolerable but especially the dwellers of Aegypt and Syria shall be most in the affliction of those times And Hierusalem shall be filled with multitudes of people brought thether in captiuitie from the foure windes which are vnder heauen So that beastes also and foules and fish in the water and the waters of the Sea shall be to them obedient Cities and Townes which were before full of people shall be layde waste Women with child shall be ript their children sticked infantes taken from the mothers and cast in the streates and none shall burie them The rulers and sage of the people shall be slaine and throwne out to the beastes Churches shall be spoiled the Priests destroyed virgines defloured and men coÌ„pelled to sell their children and the comming of them shall bee chastisement without mercy and with them shall go these foure plagues captiuitie destruction perdition and desolation wyth much more which for breuitie I ouerpasse And this affliction sayeth hee shall last eight weekes or Sabbates of yeares which I take to signifie eight hundreth yeares c. Secondly after these terrible plagues thus described by Methodius vpon the Christians which he sayth shall fall vpon them for their wicked abhominations recited in the first and second chapter of S. Paule to the Romaines the saide Methodius afterwarde in this great distresse of the Christians being out of all hope and comfort of reliefe declareth and speaketh of a certaine King of the Greekes or Romains which shall restore peace againe to the ChristiaÌ„s In which peace they shal reedify their cities mansions againe the Priests shal be deliuered from their greuances men at that time shall rest from their tribulations and then shall the King of the Romaines dwell in the Citie of Hierusalem a weeke or sabbate and a halfe of times c. Thirdly during the time of this peace the said Methodius saith the men shal fal into licentious securitie carelesse life and then according to the word of the Apostle saying WheÌ„ they shal say peace peace sodeine destruction shal fall vpon them then sayth he shal be opened the gates of the North the beastly people shal breake in which King Alexander the great did close vp within 2. mountaines making his prayer vnto the Lorde God that he would bind vp that bestial execrable people least with their filthy detestable pollutions they shuld come out and pollute the holy land Whose intercession being heard the Lord coÌ„manded them to be inclosed within 2. mountains in the North parts to the depenes of 12. cubits which signifieth peraduenture 12. C. yeres so that neither by witchcraft nor by any means they could get out or any might come vnto them vntill the time of the Lord apointed which are saith he the latter times then according to the prophecie of Ezechiel in the latter time of the coÌ„summation of the world Gog Magog out froÌ„ the north shal come forth into the land of Israel shal work al this mischiefe against the christiaÌ„s aboue recited And then saith Method
riches and shall treade downe pride with his owne death In the night he shall rise vp and be changed he shall liue and raigne and all these things shall be consummated and regeneration or newe things be made at last hee shall iudge both good and euill c. And thus much briefly collected out of Sybilia Erythrea concerning Christ our Lord. Furthermore touching the state and course of the Church and of Antichrist it foloweth in the sayde Sybille saying Then shall 4 Winged beastes rise vp in testimonie they shal soūd out with trumpets the name of the lambe sowing righteousnes the law irreprehensible Against which law the beast shal gainstand the abhomination froth of the dragon But a maruelous star shal rise hauing the image of the 4. beasts shal be in a maruelous multitude he shal bring light to the Greekes and shal illustrate the world The lake of the fisher shall bring the name of the lambe with power into the Citie of Eneas vnto the end of the worlde or time Then in the city of Eneas the starre ioyned shall loose such as were bound of the deuill and thereof hee shall reioyce and glory and glorious shal be his end c. After this Sybilia wryting as it semeth of Antichrist importeth these words And it shall come to passe that an horrible beast shal come out of the East whose roaring shall be heard to Aphrike to the people of Carthage Which hath 7. heades and scepters innumerable feete 663. He shall gainstande the lambe to blaspheme his Testamēt encreasing the waters of the dragon The kings princes of the world he shall burne in intolerable sweat they shal not diminish his feete And then two starres like to the first starre shall rise against the beast and shal not preuaile till the abhomination shall be come and the wil of the Lord shall be consummate And again speaking of the same matter he inferreth these words of the foresaid 2. starres aboue mētioned And toward the latter dayes two bright starres shall arise raising vp men lying dead in their sinnes being like to the first starre hauing the face of the 4. beasts which shall resist the beast the waters of the dragon testifying or preaching the name and lawe of the lambe the destruction of abhomination and iudgement and shal diminish his waters but they shal be weakened in the bread of affliction and they shall rise againe in stronger force c. And it foloweth moreouer After the abhomination then shal truth be reuealed the lambe shal be known to whom regions and countreis shal submit their necks all earthly men shal agree together in one to come into one fold and to be ruled vnder one discipline and after this shal be but a small time c. And shortly after the saide Sybilia speaking of the latter iudgement to come declareth how all the abhominations of sinnes shall come before the lambe and that terrible fire shall fall frō heauen which shall consume al carthly things created vnto the top of heauen c. And thus muche out of Sybilla touching her prophesies of Christ Antichrist according a◠I founde them alleaged of a certaine catholike Romish wryter in his booke entituled Onus ecclesiae excerped as he sayeth out of the library of S. George in the citie of Uenice Philip Melancthon in his preface vpon Bartholomaeus Georgienitz Peregrinus wryting of the Origene and manners of the Turks alledgeth a certaine prophesy of Hikenus mentioned hereafter which foresaid that the Turkes should beare rule in Italy and in Germany An. 1600. Now it remaineth in conclusion of these prophesies of the Turks something to say of the Turks owne prophesies concerning the enduring ending of their own kingdom whose propheticall prognostication being taken out of their owne language and their own bookes I thought here to insert as I finde it alleaged in the booke of the forsayd Bartholomaeus Georgienitz as followeth A Turkish prophecie in the Persian toung of the raigne and ruine of the Turkes PAtissahomoz ghelu Ciaferum memleketi alur keuzul almai alur Kapzeiler iedi y ladegh Gyaur keleci csikmasse on ikiyladegh onlaron beghlig eder eusi iapar baghi diker bahesai baghlar oglikezi olur onichi yldensora Hristianon Keleci csichar ol Turchi gerestine tus chure The Latine of the same IMperator noster veniet ethnici Principis regnum capiet rubrū quoque pomum capiet in suam potestatem rediget quod si septimum vsque annum Christianorum gladius non insurrexit vsque ad duodecimum annum els dominabitur Domos ae dificabit vineas plantabit hortos sepibus muniet liberos procreabit post duodecimum annum apparebit Christianorum gladius qui Turcam quaqua versum in fugam aget The same in English OUr Emperour shal come he shal get the kingdome of the Gentiles prince also he shal take the red apple and shall bring it vnder his subiection and if the sworde of the Christians shall not rise vnto the vij yeare hee shall haue dominion ouer them vnto the xii yere He shal build houses plant vineyardes shal hedge about his orchards shall procreate children and after the xij yeare shal appeare the sworde of the Christians whych shall putte the Turke to flight euery where They whych make declaration of thys Turkishe prophesie do expound this xij yeare to signify the xij yeare after the winning of Constantinople which Constantinople they say is ment by the redde apple And after that xij yeare say they shall rise the sworde of the Christians c. and this prophesie being wrytten and translated out of the Persian tounge with this exposition vpon the same is to be found in the boke of Bartholomeus Georgienitz Albeit concerning the exposition therof it semeth not to be true which is there spoken of the xij yeare after the wynning of Constantinople being nowe 100. yeares since the wynning thereof Wherefore it may rather seme probable that by the vij yeare and xii yeare of the Turkes this to be the meaning that if the vij of the Ottaman Turks do scape the sworde of the Christians they shall continue builde and plant c. vntill the xij Turke which is thys Solymannus then after that shall rise the Christians sworde whych shall put them to flight and vanquish them in al quarters And this exposition may seeme to accord with the place of Genesis wherin is wrytten of Ismael that he had xij sonnes no mo So that this Solymannus being the xij Turke after Ottomannus may by the grace of Christ be the last whō we heard credibly to be reported at the printing heereof to be dead But howsoeuer this prophecy is to be takē it appeareth by their owne Oracles that at length they shal be ouercome by the Christians A Table describing the times and yeares of the Saracens Turkes and Tartarlans for the better explaining
of the storie aboue prefixed AN. 632. Began the kingdom of the Saracens or Arabians after the death of mahumet the fiâ—ft ringleader of the mischief which Savacens reigning in Babylon ouer Persia and Asia continued about 198. yeres An 667. Ierusale was taken of the Saracens These SaraceÌ„s after they had subdued Ormisda K. of Persia set vp to them selues a new kingdom calling their chiefe prince Calipha which signifieth a general Lord and vnder him Seriphes that is an vnder prince And againe vnder him their Soldan whych is a ruler or captaine vnder the which Soldanes all the prouinces were deuided And thus ruled obey the space abouesayd of 198. yeres An. 703. The Egyptians being weary of their subiection vnder the Romaines called for helpe of the Saracene Calipha and so casting of the Romains submitted themselues to the law of the Saraces and had also their Calipha and theyr Babylon called Cairus where their Calipha continued vnto Saraco or Syracinus 447. yeres An. 810. Mauginetus or Muchumetus the chiefe Sultan of Persia being at variance with Imbrael the Sultan of â—abiâ—on feut for the aid of the turkes out of Sâ—ychia â—â— whoÌ„ when he had got the victorye against the Babilonians the sayd Turkes shortly after conquered the Persians and subdued their countrey within the space of 20â— yeres An. 830. The SaraceÌ„s being â—â— pussed â—â— of Asia by the turkes wandered aboue Afrike Spayne and Italy and were 〈◊〉 uers places dispersed and 〈◊〉 An. 830. The Turke after they had expulsed the Saraâ—â—â—our of Asia began to reigne in Asia in Persia in Arabia and there reigned without interruption til the comming of the Tartarians the space of 192. yeres An. 1009. The Turkes wanne the city of Herusalem froÌ„ the Saraâ—ens which citie the Sultan of Egipt want againe 〈◊〉 the Turkes shortly after possessed the same till the comming of Gotfeldus An. 1051. Began the first king of the turkes called â—aduke to raign in Asia and ioyned league with Calipha of Egypt and there raigned till the conquest of Gotfridus and the Christians the space of 46. yeres An. 1078. SolymaÌ„nus nephue to Aspasalem the turkish king in Asia otherwise called Turquinia subdued Capadocia which hath continued now since the space of 500. yeres An. 1099. Gotfridus Bulion duke of Lotharing a christeÌ„ prince taking his voiage into Asia with 700000. Christen soldiours first got the city of Nicea against the Sultane of the Turkes then Lycaonia Cilicia Syria afterwarde Mesopotamia and Comagena then Autiochia An. 1098. and the next yere recouered Hierusalem being then in the hands of the Saracens whych they a little before had wonne from the Turkes as is aforesayde After this Gorfridus succeded viij christian kings which kept the kingdome of Hierusalem and Asia both from the Turkes and Saracens the space of 88. yeres An. 1100. The Georgians which be a people of Armenia the greatye vaÌ„quisheâ—â— the Turks out of the kingdom of Persia afâ—â—â— they had cutte their king in pieces wherby the Turks flying to Cappadoria there remained vnder Solynian ioyned them selues to the Solban of Egypt and waxed the strong in Asia minor couted now Turquinia An. 1170. When Americus the vii king of Hierusalem after Goufridus had ouercome the Calipha or Sultan of Egypt the Sultan being ouercome called for the help of Saracon the Sultane of Syria Thys Saracon after he had expulsed the christians out of Egypt â—â—oned his power against the Sultane of Egypt and vanquishing him tooke to him selfe the kingdome of Egypt Which kingdom he with his posteritie did holde till the comming of the Tartarians and the Mamaluches about the space of 88. yeres An. 1187. Saladinus the nephew of Saracon the Sultane of Egypt perceauing the dissention among the Christian states of Palestina got Antioche where he slewe Raymundus the Prince with hys owne hands Then got Tiberias From thence went to AccoÌ„ where he tooke Guido king of Hierusalem and Master of the Templares prisonners for whose raunsome the Turke had Ascalon yelded vp to him of the Christians That done he subdued Hierusalem whych had bene in the handes of the Christians before the space of An. 1189. Friderike Emp. Philip French king Rich king of Englande made their viage into Asia where Friderike washing in a riuer at Lilicia died In this voiage at the siege of Accon Saladinus wanne the fielde of our men of whome 2000. were slaine in the chase Accon at length was got of the Christians King Richarde got Cyprus The two kings tell at strife Phillip retired home without any good doing king Richarde laide siege to Hierusalem but in vaine and so returning homewarde was taken neare to Uienna in Austria after hee had taken truce before wyth the Soldane vppon such condition as pleased hym And thys good speede had the Popes sending out against the Turkes An. 1215. There was an other Councell holden at Rome by pope InnoceÌ„t 3. where was enacted a newe article of our faith for transubstantiation of bread and wine to be turned into the body and bloud of our sauiour In this Councell also great excitation was made by the Pope great preparation was through al Christendom to set forward for recouery of the holy laÌ„d A mighty army was collected of Dukes Lordes knights bishops Prelates that if Gods blessing had gone wyth them they myght haue gone throughout all Asia and India Anno 1219. The Christians after 18. monethes siege gotte a certaine towne in Egypte called Damiata or Elipolis wyth much a do but not much to the purpose For afterward as the christian army of the popes sending went aboute to besiege the Citie Cairus or Babylon the Sultane throughe his subtile traine so intrapped and inclosed them wythin the daunger of Nylus that they were constrained to render agayne the Citie Damiata with their prysonners and all the furniture thereof as they found it into the Souldanes hande and glad so wyth their liues to passe forwarde to Tyrus An. 1221. In the meane time the Egyptian Turke caused the Citie of Hierusalem to be rased that it should serue to no vse to the Christians What great thing els was done in that viage it doth not greatly appere in stories All be it Fridericus the 2. Emperour was not vnfrutefully there occupied and muche more myght haue done had it not bene for the violence and persecution of the Bishop of Rome against him whereby he was enforced to take truce wyth the Sultan for 10. yeres and so returned After which things done not many yeares after at lengthe the last citie of all belonging to the Christians which was Ptolomais or Aâ—â—â—s was also taken from them by the Sultane so that now the christians had not one foote left in all Asia An. 1203. Thus the Christians being driuen out of Asia by the Sultans Turkes yet the sayd Turkes and Sultanes did not long enioy their victorie For estsoones the Lord stirred vp against them
in England as by these stories abone past may be apparent Now these things declared which to the Church matters be apperteining coÌ„sequently it remaineth something to entreate of the state likewise of the coÌ„mon wealth which commonly doth follow the state of the Church Where the Church is quietly and moderately gouerned and the flock of Christ defended by godly Princes in peace safety froÌ„ deuouring and violence of bloudy wolues the successe of ciuile estate for the most part there doth florishe and the Princes long coÌ„tinue through Gods preseruation in prosperous rest traÌ„quillitie Contrariwise where the church of Christ either through the negligence of Princes or thorough their setting on the poore members of Christ be persecuted and deuoured shortly after ensueth some iust recompence of the Lord vpon those Princes that eyther their liues do not long continue or else they finde not that quiet in the common wealth which they looke for Examples heereof as in all other ages be aboundant so in this present time be not lacking whether we consider the state and condition of other countreys farre off or else of our owne countrey neare at home And heere not to wander in our story farther then to Fraunce onely let vs a little behold the example of Kyng Charles the viij who liuing in this Kings time died also not long before him This Charles is commended of Philippus Cominaeus to be a moderate valiant and victorious Prince adorned with many speciall vertues to a Prince apperteining And yet the same king because he was flack and remisse in defence of Christes Church neither did vse his authority nor tooke his occasion offered to him of God to amend and refourme the state of the Bishop and Cleargy of Rome when he might he was therefore himselfe punished and cut off of the Lord as by his story ensuing may right well appeare For so it is of him recorded that being maruelously excited and prouoked of his owne minde coÌ„trary to the counsaile of most of his Nobles he tooke hys viage into Italy neither being furnished with money nor the season of the yeare being coÌ„uenient therunto And that this may appeare the better to proceede of the Lords doing to the entent he woulde haue the Church and Cleargy of Rome reformed by the Princes sword which so vexed all Christendome at that time we shall heare what is testified in the Commentaries of the foresaid Philip. Cominaeus Lib. 3. De bello Neapolit writing in this wise There was saith he in the City of Florence the same time a Dominicke Frier Dominicke Frier named Hieronimus Sauonarola of whom meÌ„tion was made before pag. 731. a man of a right godly and approoued life who in the said City of Florence preached and prophecied long before that the French King should come with an army into Italy being stirred vp of God to suppresse the tiraunts of Italy and none should withstand him He should also come to the Citie of Pisae and the state of Florence should be altered all which hapned true He affirmed moreouer to be signified to him of the Lord that the Ecclesiasticall state of the Churche must bee redressed Per vim aâ—morumâ—â— by the sword or force of armes Many things also he prophesied of the Venetians of the French King saieng that the King with some danger difficultie should passe that iourney yet notwithstanding shoulde ouercome it and escape albeit his strength were neuer so slender for God woulde safely conduct him in that iourney and safely bring him home againe But because he had not done his office in amending the state of the Churche and in defending his people from iniurie and from deuouring therefore it shoulde come to passe said hee and that shortly that some incommoditie or detriment shoulde happen to the King or if hee shoulde escape that danger of hys sicknesse and recouer health then if he did resist the cruelty of the wicked and procure the safety of the poore and miserable God would shew mercâ—â—nto him c. And this the saide Hieronymus declared before to Cominaeus one of the Kings counsaylours whych was the writer of the story and required him to signifie the same vnto the King which so did and he moreouer himselfe comming to the presence of the king declared no lesse All which things as he had foretold came directly to effect For the King being but easely accompanied wyth a small power entred into Italy where first he came to Asâ—a then to Gemiaâ— and to Pisae from thence proceeded to Florence which also he obteined displacing there Petrus Medices the Duke who had vsed great tyrannie vpon the subiects From thence he remoued toward Rome where a great part of the Citie wall at the comming of the french King fell downe Afterward when the King was entred into the Citie and the Pope who then tooke part with Alphonsus King of Neaples against the French King had immured himselfe within the mount of Adrian the wall of the Castell fell downe of it selfe whereby when the King was both occasioned and exhorted also by his Captaines to inuade the Pope and to depose him to reforme the Church of Rome which he might then easely haue done as it had pleased him yet all these occasions offered so opportunely of God moued not the king to do his duty to help the poore church of Christ wherefore shortly after returning home into France from Neapolis either the same yeare or the next yeare folowing he was strooken with a sodeine sicknes at Amboise as he was looking on theÌ„ that played at tennes and that in the stinkingest place in all the Castle where he fell downe died within twelue houres according to the forewarning of Hieronimus who wrote vnto him a little before both of his sonnes death and of his owne which was about the yeare of our Lord 1498. Ex Philip. Cominaeo Lib. 5. Like examples we haue many heere also in this our realme of England So long as king Iohn kept out of the realme the Popes authority and power he continued safe and quiet with his nobles but so soone as he brought the realme vnder tribute and subiectioÌ„ to that foreine Bishop God stirred vp his Nobles against him whereby he had much disquiet and trouble and soone thereupon decayed Of all the Kings of England from William Conquerour to this king Henry vij were none which either longer continued or more prosperously flourished then King Henry the second King Henry the third King Edward the first King Edward the third of whome the first how stout he was in withstaÌ„ding Tho. Becket and Pope Alexander the iij. is sufficiently before comprehended pag. 206. The second which was sonne of King Iohn albeit through the wretchednes of that time his power was not sufficient to repulse the Popes usurped iurisdiction out of the Realme yet his will was good at least he so defended prouided for his subiects that
stoupe and should tread vpon the necke of Emperors and make them to kisse his feet Moreouer where the Apostle sayth that he shall sit in the temple of God thereby is ment not the personall sitting of the Pope in the Citty onely of Rome but the authority and iurisdiction of his sea exalted in the whol vniuersall Church equall with God himselfe For let men geue to the Pope that which he in his lawes decrees and in his pontificall requireth and what difference is there betweene God and the Pope If God sette lawes and ordinaunces so doth he If God haue his creatures so hath he if God require obedience so doth he If the breach of Gods commaundementes be punished much more be his God hath his Religion the Pope also hath his yea for Gods one Religion he hath an hundreth God hath set vppe one Aduocate he hath an hundreth God hath instituted but a few holydayes for Gods one he hath instituted xl And if the holy day that God hath appoynted be simplex the feaste that the Pope appoynteth is duplex triplex Christ is the head of the Church so is the Pope Christ geueth influence to his body so doth the Pope Christ forgeueth sinne the Pope doth no lesse Christ expelleth euil spirites by his power so pretendeth the Pope by his holy water Furthermore where Christ went barefoote vpon the bare ground he with his golden shoes is caried on mennes shoulders And where Christ was called Sanctus Sanctorum he is called Sanctorum Sanctissimus Christ neuer practised but onely the spirituall sworde he claymeth both spirituall and temporal Christ bought the Church he both buieth and selleth the Church And if it be necessary to beleue Christ to be the Sauiour of the world so is it necessary to beleue the Pope to be the head of the Church Christ payd tribute to Cesar he maketh Cesar to pay tribute vnto him Finally the crowne of Christ was of sharp thorne the Pope hath three crownes of golde vpon his head so farre exceeding Christ the sonne of God in glory of this world as Christ excedeth him in the glory of heauen The Image and Paterne of whose intollerable pride and exaltation according as S. Paule doth describe him in his epistle aforesayde we haue here set forth not onely in these Tables to be seene and by hys owne factes to be noted but also his owne wordes and Registers Clementines Extrauagantes and Pontificals expressed as in order the Lord willing shall folow Byshops of Rome aduanced by Emperours Constantinus Theodosius c. ¶ The exaltation of popes aboue Kinges and Emperours out of historyes FIrst after that Italy and the Citty of Rome were ouerrunne by the Gothes and Vandales so that the seate of the Empire was remoued to Constantinople then began Ioannes Patriarch of Constantinople to put forth hymselfe and would needes be called vniuersall Bishop of the world but the Bishoppe of Rome in no case would suffer that and stopped it After this came the Emperours deputy and Exarch of Rauenna to rule Italy but the Byshop of Rome through ayde of the King of Lombardes soone quayled him Not long after about the yeare of our Lord 500. came Phocas the murderer who slue the Emperor of Constantinople his maister Mauritius and his children By which Phocas the bishops of old Rome aspired first to their preheminēce to be coūted the headbishops ouer the whole church and so together with the Lombardes began to rule the city of Rome Afterward when the Lombardes would not yeld vnto him in accomplishing his ambitious desire but would needs requyre of the Bishop the said city of Rome he styrred vppe Pipinus but first deposed Childiricus the king of Fraunce and so thrusting him into an Abbay sette vp in his place Pipinus and his sonne Carolus Magnus to put downe the sayde king of Lombardes called Aistulphus And so translated the Empyre from Constantinople into Fraunce deuiding the spoyle betwene him and them so that the kinges of Fraunce had all the possessions and landes which before belonged to the Empyre and he to receiue of them the quiet possession of the city of Rome with such donations and Lordships which now they challenge vnto thē vnder the name of S. Peters patrimony which they falsly ascribe to the donatiō of Constantinus the great It foloweth then in proces of tyme after the dayes of Pipinus Carolus and Ludouicus who had indued these Bishops of Rome called now Popes with large possessions when the kinges of Fraunce were not so applyable to theyr becke to aide and maynteine thē agaynst the Princes of Italy who began then to pynch the sayde Byshops for theyr wrongful vsurped goodes they practised with the Germanes to reduce the Empyre to Otho first of that name Duke of spayne referring the election thereof to 7. Princes Electours of Germany which was aboute ann 1002. notwithstanding reseruing still in his handes the negatiue voyce thinking thereby to enioy that they had in quietnes and security and so did for a good space At length when some of these Germane Emperours also after Otho began a litle to spurne agaynst the sayd bishops and Popes of Rome some of thē they accursed some they subdued and brought to the kissing of theyr feet some they deposed and placed other in theyr possessions So was Henricus 4. by these Byshoppes accursed the Emperour himselfe forced with his wife and child to wait attendaunce vppon the Popes pleasure three dayes and three nightes in winter at the gates of Canossus Reade before pag. 179. Besides all this the sayd Pope raysed vp Rodulphus to be Emperor against him who being slaine in warre then the sayde Pope Gregorye vij not restyng thus styrred vppe his owne sonne Henricus 5. to fight agaynst his owne naturall father and to depose him whiche Henricus the 5. was also himselfe afterwarde accursed and excommunicated and the Saxons at last set vp by the Byshops to fight agaynst him After this the Emperours began to be somewhat calmed and more quyet suffering the Byshops to reigne as they listed till Fridericke the first called Barbarossa came and began to styrre coales agaynst thē Howbeit they hampered both him and his sonne Henry in such sort that they brought first the necke of Fridericke in the Church of Venice vnder theyr feet to tread vpon and after that the sayde bishops crowning Henricus his sonne in the church of S. Peter set his crown on his head with theyr feet and with theyr feet spurned it of agayne to make him know that the Popes of Rome had power both to crowne Emperours and to depose them agayne Whereof read before pag. 784. Then folowed Philippus brother to Henry aforesaid whome also the Popes accursed aboute the yeare of our Lord. 1198. and set vp Otho Duke of Saxonye But when the sayd Otho beganne to be so laucy to dispossesse the Byshops of theyr Cittyes and landes whiche they had encroched into
England one for Greeke the other for latine Ex historia Guliel de Regibus Ang. Pleimondus teacher to king Alfred and after Bishop of Canterbury Bookes translated out of latine by K. Alfrede None permitted to haue any dignitie in the court except he were learned Polycron lib. 6. cap. 1. The Psalter translated into English by king Alfrede The cause why the king turned latine bookes into English Learned men sent for and placed about the king The dialoges of Gregory translated Neotus â— Abbot The schole and vniuersitie of Oxford first begonneâ— King Alfrede The newâ— Colledge in Oxford Ioan. â—â—â—tus The aunswere of Ioannes Scotus to the French king Ioan Scotus translated Hierarchiam Dionâ—tij from Greek to Latine The booke of Ioannes Scotus called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ioannes Scotus adicted more to the Greeke Churche then the Latine Ioan Scotus accused of the pope for an heretike Ioannes Scotus slayne by hys owne scollers Ioan Scotus a Martyr This Ethelwitha builded first the house of Nunnes at Winchester The children of K. Alfrede All hys daughters learned The decease of King Alfred An. 901. Etheredus Plâ—imundus Athelmus Vlâ—elmus Odo Archb. of Canterbury 9. Popes in ix yeares at Rome Fermosus first Pope Ex Chroniâ—oâ— Sigeberti Schismes among the Popes Character indâ—lebilis Whether the pope with hys Cardinals may erre Bonifacius 6. Pope Stephen 6. Pope Ex Chroni Martini panitentiarij Sigebert Ex Polych alijs Pope Theodorus 2. Pope Iohn 10. One councell burneth an others decrees Pope Benedictus 4. Pope Leo. 5. imprisoned and vnpoped by hys own chaplayne Pope Christoferus 1. Pope Sergius Pope Formosus after hys death be headed of Pope Sergius A false fayned myracle vpon the body of Formosus Popish miracles not to be credited Bearing of candels on Candlemas day how it came vp Pope 〈◊〉 Pope Lâ—â—â—do 1. Pope 〈◊〉 11. Harloâ—â— this time ruled 〈◊〉 Rome P. Iohn 1. P. Leo. 6. P. Stâ—â— â— restored Liuthpranâ—dus 〈◊〉 sis lib. 3. P. Steph. â— P. Leo. â— P. Marâ— â— P. Agapetus 2. Ordo Clâ—niacensis beginnâ—â— King Edward the elder The Edwardes before the â—â—quest A comparison betweene Alfrede and hys sonne Edward Vse and long exercise of things maketh perfectnes Clyto Ethelwold rebelleth agaynst K. Edward An. 904. An. 913. Chesâ—er repayred and enlarged The Castle of Herford builded Castles builded vpon the riuer of Auene and Ouse The townes of Towcetour and wigmore builded The newe towne of Nottingham builded Thilwall Manchester repayred Elfleda Cittyes Townes and Castles builded by Elfleda The lawes of king Alfred and K. Edward Note howe kinges of England in tymes past had authoritie in spirituall causes Anno. 925. The Children of K Edward the elder Prince Ethelwald excellâ—nt in learning Galiel de Regib The bringing vp of K. Edwardes Children King Ethelstine or Adelstane Duke Elfrede sodenly stroken by the hand of God for periury Guliel lib. de Regib in vita Ethelstani The copie of an old Cart of K. Ethelstane Anno. 927. Northumberland subdued to king Ethelstane The Scots subdued to the king of England It is more honour to make a king then to be a king A fabulous miracle falsely reported of king Athelstane Bristanus Byshop Anno. 933. A ridiculous miracle forged vpon Bristanus Byshop of Winchester A miracle of soules aunswering Amen A sore battaile sought at Brimford An other vnlike myracle of K. Athelstanâ— sword Odo Archbishop of Cant. Analanus The North Brittaynes brought to tribute The South Brittaynes subdued K. Ethelstane seeketh the death of his owne brother A note to learne not to sowe discorde betwixt brother and brother The cause of building Abbeyes examined Otho first Emperour of the Germaine Precious iewels sent to king Ethelstane from the French K. Concerning one of the nayles wherewith our Sauiour Christ was crucified Kinges of England gouernors as well in 〈◊〉 ecclesiastical aâ—â—â—mporall Extractum on legib 〈◊〉 Athelstane * alias 〈◊〉 * alias minoribus * alias scristes dictionum * alias seruitistimentalas * 〈◊〉 sunt * alias seristes mensia 〈◊〉 * in sua scrysiseyra A lawe how that maisters ought to condiscend and beare sometime with their seruauntes The law of king Ethelstane concerning tythes Tythes The K. woulde vsurpe no mans goodes wrongfully The law of K. Ethelstane concerning fealous stealing aboue xii d. Epitap in Ethelst Sol illustrauit bisseno scorpion ortu Cum regeÌ„ cauda percuâ—â—t ille sua Anno. 940. Edmundus kyng of England Ex historia Cariona Monkes put out of Eusham the yeare of our Lord. 941. The difference betweene Monkes and priestes Chastitie wroÌ„gly defined Holy mariage by the definition of Paphnutius is chastitie Monkes how they differed from Priestes and how they first began in England Guliel de pontiâ—â—â—â— The monâ—stery of Fâ—â—riake Oswaldes Byshop of Yorke a great paâ—â—â—â— of Monkery Guliel lin 3. de pontif The origâ—â— of monkery how it first began in England Dunstane Abbot of Glastonbury The sonnes of King Edmund The impâ—dent vanitie of the Popes Churche in forgyng false myracles Guliel lib. 1. de pont The monastery of Glastonbury Dunstane Abbot of Glostanbury The Abbey of Glostenbury was first builded by K. Iue by the couÌ„sell of Adelmus after beyng destroyed by the Danes Guliel lib. 2. de Regib The lawes of king Edmunde touching as well the state spirituall as temporall Vlstanus Archbishop of Yorke Odo Arch. of Canterbury Guliel de pont lib. 1. Polycron lib. 6. ca. 6. Odo made monke at Floriake after he was Archb. of CaÌ„terbury Guliel de pont lib. 1. Guliel lib. 3. de pont Ebor. The difference of habite and garmentes among men of the Church False and lying myracles noted vpon Odo A note to the reader Transubstantiation not yet receaued The letter of Odo Archb. to the prelates Elsinus Archb. of Caunt elect S. Edmundesbury The children of King Edmund Anno. 946. Edrede gouernour of the Realme Dunstane made byshop of Wirceter and after of London With lye and all K. Edwyne Anno. 955. The king suspensed by the Archbishop K. Edwyne an enemye to Monkes Monkes put out and seculâ—r priestes placed in their roomes The death of K. Edwyne Anno. 959. K. Edgar called Pacificus Dunstane made Bysh. of Worceter and of London Ex hist. Rog. Houenden Spirituall liuinges geuen by the king and not by the Pope Oswaldâ—â— byshop of Worceter and after â— Yorke Ethelwâ—â—â— byshop of Wint. a great â—â—â—tayner of Monkery An. 96â— Ex Guliel Malmâ—sâ—â—rieâ—â— de gostis ponâ—â—â— Aâ—g Monkishe dreames Dreames not necessary to be regarded Difference of dreames How and wheÌ„ monks first began to swarme in England Dunstane Ethelwold Oswald three setters vp of Monkishe religion 40. Monasteries builded and repayred by K. Edgar Priestes thrust out of Cathedrall houses and monkes set in Roger Houeden lib. Continuationum post BedaÌ„ Chronicon Iornalense Guliel de gestis pontifi lib. 1. Oswald Byshop of Wytceter and Archb. of Yorke The pollicy of Oswald in driuing out priestes to place
bee noted in the turks how many victories they haue got howe cruelly they haue vsed their victories Ex Marino Barletio de Scodr ex pugnat lib. 2. Ex Michael Sottero lib. 1. de Bello Pannonico fol. 525. Ex Bernardo de Breydenbach Decano Eccl. Maegunâ— The superstitious vse of the materiall crosse Vide supra pag. 755. Ex Bernardo Breydenb A notable example of maydenly chastitie Vid. supra pag. 7â—4 The miserable spillyng of Christen mens bloud by the wretched turkâ— A briefe recitall of Christen townes forts wonne of the tuâ—ke in Europe The crueltie of the turk against the Citizens of Constantinople Vide supra pag. 706. The crueltie of the turk against the prisoners of Methone Ex Leonico Chalcondyla de rebus Turcicis lib. 10. A straunge and a prodigious wonder of a brute beast towarde a dead Christian body More humanitie seene in a brute beast then in the turke The Byshop with the Citizens of Methone slayne of the turke Ex Andrea de Lâ—cuna aliss Ex Ioanne Fabro in oratione ad Regem Henr. 8. The crueltie of the turke in Euboâ—a The prince of Seruia slayne slayne of the turke â—et neuer Christen prince trust the turke The turkes stirred vp of the deuil to fight against Christ. The turkes are butchers of the Christians The miserable state of the Christian captiues vnder the turke The buying and sellyng of Christen captiues vnder the turks Christen capriues tythed of the turke O wickednes passing all miserie O miserie aboue all miseries The seruitude of yong women captiues Ex Bartholomeo Georgioniz Peregrina lib. de afflictionibus Christianorum sub Tuica The miserable calamitie of Christen women being in captinitie vnder the turkes The maner of Christen captiues how they are brought to markets and solde Christians in their captiuitie put to drawe in the plough like horses The great daungers of Christen captiues which flye out of turky The maner and shift of our men in getting ouer the sea The manifold daungers by the way in flying The mysery of Christian cities prouinces which line vnder the turkes tribute If Christians may not goe lyke turkes why should our Gospellers goe like Papistes The turkes haue their fire fagots as well as our papistes The Christians must light from their horse meting a turkish priest and adore hym An other miserie most lamentable in takyng away Christen mens children from their parentes to serue the turke O myserie This is with teares rather theÌ„ with words to be expressed Priuy Gospellers in Turkie An olde Prophesie of the turkes touching the sword of the Christian. Necessary for many causes that the troubles of the church beknowen The largenes of the Turkes dommions declared A pamea is a citie in Bithinia also another in Mesopotamia Apamea Cybotus also a citie in great Phrygia and another also in parthia Phrygia Minor in Ptolomy is called Iroas At Carura a certayne baude with a company of harlots beeing there lodged sodenly hapned an earthquake in the citie wherein the sayde baude with al his strompettes were swallowed vp Pius 2. papa lib. Descriptione cap. 16. Here Basilius Magnus was Bishop The couÌ„trey where S. Paule was borne * Another Corycus is also in the I le of Creta Bessabee is a citie in Iury also an other in Ipumaea * Antiochia apud Orentem chiefe citie in Siria where the disciples of christ were first named Christians Acts. 11. * Nicopolis is a City also in Macedonia mentioned in the Epistle of S. Paule to Titus Cap. 3. * Seleucia is a citie in Siria Also another in Pamphilla another in Cilicia pisidiae an other in Coelisyria and in Mesopotamia another * In this Laodicaea was the councell kept which is called Concilium Laodicense There is another Laodicaea in Lydiae neare to Colosâ—ae in Asia minor Coloss 5. Lacodicae a also is the chief Citie in Phrigia pa catiana neare to Galatia Act. 18. 1. Tim. 6. In Edessa raigned king Abgarus mentioned in Euseb. lib. 1. cap. 15. to whome Christ wrote promysing to send vnto him after his death Babylon in Chaldoea where Nabuchodonoser raigned and was after destroyed and translated by Seleucus Nicanor Another is in Egypt called Alcayâ—â—s Ilands belonging to Asia Minor This Cyprus K. Rich. the first did once subdue fighting agaynst the Saracens Ex Aene. syluio Lib. De Orbis Descrip. cap 74. A memorable facte of a virgine in defence of her countrey Ex Sebast. Munst Cosmo lib. 5. in praefat Vide supra pag. 98.99 Argos is a citie in Amphilochia and an other also in Peloponesus Of Corinthus Strabo writeth that more then a thousande virgines there in the temple of Venus vsed yearely to be set out to bee made common and therfore not without cause Saint Paule writeth Eratis Scortatores Idololatrae c. 1. Cor. 6. The Ilands about Graecia Vide supra pag. 719. In Creta S. Paule ordained Titus to be Byshop and ouerieer Corcica is an Iland beyond Italy whiche the Turkes nauie ioynyng with the French dyd ouercome an 1553. The region of Mysia is deuided into two partes wherof the one is in Asia is deuided into Mysia maior and Mysia minor The other is in Europa is deuided into Mysia or Moesia superior and Mysia inferior Epidaurus is a citie in Illiria and also an other in Peloponesus These regions were in the former tyme called by the name of Illyria or Illyricum and Afterward by reason of certaine Scythians commyng thether they were also called Sclauonia Stephanus kyng of Bosna afterward of Rascia and Mysia was by subtil trayne allured to come and speake with Mahumete the Turk who being come was taken and his skinne flayne off All this tracte of Bulgaria Walachia Transyluania Seruia Rascia Moldauia was wont to be called Dacia but afterward was seuered into diuers lands and dominions Of Ioannes Huniades read before pag. 720.721 At Columbetz Sigismunde loste the fielde fightyng against the Turkes Vide supra pag. 719. In Varna a Citie in Rascia Ladislaus K. of Hungary fought with the Turke and was ouercome an 1444. Vide supra pag. 720. Prophesies considered for the beginning and falling of the Turkes kingdome Two things to be considered in the tyme and order of the olde Testament The scriptures the people In Dan. Prophe Phil. Melanct Gen. 4. The Saracens come of Ismael ResemblaÌ„ce betweene the 12. soÌ„nes of Ismaell and the 12. Ottoman Turkes 4. Reg. 17. The olde church of the Israelites beareth a representatioÌ„ or image of the publicke church of Christ Iesus 1. Cor. 10. The church of the Iewes a figure of Christes Church Ex Phil. Melanct in Danielem cap. 9. The tymes and yeares of the old church compared with the newe The rule and dominion of the high priestes in the Iewes common wealth and of our prelates compared Antiochus beareth a figure of Antichrist The family of Antiochus The family of the Turkes ResemblaÌ„ce betwene the Syrian kings and
the Turkes The tyme of Antichrist examined by prophesies One Antichrist prefigureth an other Apoc. cap. 20. Machab. lib. cap. 1. The furious crueltie of Antiochus agaynst Gods people 1. Machab. cap. 1. Daniel 9. Antiochus a figure of the Turke Ex Lyra in Glosa ordin cap. 1. Machab The name of Antichrist what it conteyneth Dan. cap. 11. Dani. cap. 7. Vide Rodulphum Gualt de Antichristo The first note The second note Helpes of the Christians against the Pope The third note The fourth note The fift note Mauzzim the popes God The sixte note The 7. and 11. chapt of Dan. meaneth the great Antichrist the turke Ezech. cap. 38.39 Gog Magog The prophesies of the new Testament concerning the 〈◊〉 * 2. Thessal 2. The defection in time of Antichrist declared Vide supra pag. 903. The place of S. Paule 1 Thess. 2. applyed 〈◊〉 the Pope Ex Bonifacio Extrauag Apoc. 20. The 7. trumpets of the 7. Angels in the Apoc. expounded The sixt trumpet Loosing of the angels vpon the ryuer Euphrates Apoc. 19. Apoc. cap. 16. The 4. beastes in the Apoc. mean the 4. Monarchies The kings of the East Drying vp of Euphrates Ibid. Ibid. An exhortation of the holy ghost to the faithfull Apoc. cap. 13. The prophesie of the Apo. cap. 13. discussed The beast hauing hornes like the lambe must needes meane the Pope The first reason Ex Boni 8. Extr. de Maiorit obed The second reason Anno. 1553. Vid. supra pag. 649. The Pope hath the hornes of a Lambe but the mouth of a Dragon The third reason The two beastes in the 13. cap. of the Apoc. expounded A description of the Citie and Monarchy of Rome The description of the beast with the two hornes of the Lambe Apoc. 13. The Pope hauing all the rule and power of Rome 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Apoc. 13. The fourth reason The fift reason Rome almost dead Roma called Odacria To geue life to the image of the beast The Image of Rome speaketh again as cruelly as euer it did Et faciet eos occidi qui non adorauerint imaginem beitiae Apoc. 13. The sixt reaâ—â—â— The number of the name of the beast discussed 666. The number of these letters in greeke maketh the full number of 666. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 o. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nicol. de Lyra and other popish writers deceaued in the 13. chap. of the Apoc. Apoc. cap. 20. The bynding and loosing out of Sathan examined Three things to be noted in thys prophesie What is meant by bynding vp of Sathan The tyme of bynding vp of Sathan Apoc. 11.13.42 monethes in the Apoc. declared Supputation of yeares betwene the beginning ceasing the persecutions in the primitiue Church Vide supra pag. 385. The pope proued to be the seconde beast mentioned in the Apoc. ca. 13. Et hic bibet de vino irae dei Apoc 14. The 3. part of the prophesie for the loosing out of Satan The beginning of the Turkes progenie The tyme of Transubstantiation The tyme of the Turkes Ex Laonico Chalcondyla lib. 1. The prophesie of Ezech. ca. 38. Methodius prophesies The booke of Methodius mistaken The prophesies of Methodius concerning the turkes Viij weekes of yeares counting euery weeke for a Sabbate of yeres that is euery day for a yeare commeth to 56. yeares The first state or alteration of tymes concerning the comming of the Saracens Christians plagued by the Saraces The seconde state or alteration of the Christians relieued of theyr plagues and tribulations Christians abusing Gods benefites The third alteratioÌ„ by the coÌ„ming of the turks The reigne of Christian kinges in Hierusalem lasted 88. yeares ' an 1187. By this resigning vp the crowne to the crucifixe in Golgotha is signified the ceasing of the reigne of the christiaÌ„s in HierusaieÌ„ tyll the coÌ„ming of Christ. By this tribe of DaÌ„ and the citie Chorosaim Bethsaida CapernauÌ„ is signified Gods great malediction vpon Antichrist The destruction of Antichrist The interpretation The comming of the Saracens The coming of the turks Seythia iux ta Câ—ueassi Victory of the Christians gotte against the Saracens Ex Paulo Ionio The citie of HierusaleÌ„ recouered by the Christias froÌ„ the Saracens Hierusalem possessed of the christians 88. yeares HierusaleÌ„ woÌ„ne froÌ„ the ChristiaÌ„s by the turkes an 1187. The coÌ„ming markes of Antichrist described The time of Antichrist Petrus Lombardus Gratianus Innocentius 3. TraÌ„substaÌ„tiatioÌ„ The first persecution by the church of Rome Dominicke Frier Fraunces Ex antonino part 3. tit 19. c 1. The orders of Fryers beganne The pope exalting himselfe aboue kings and Emperours Notes of Antichrist Enoch Hely Iohn Hus Hierome of Prage Vid. in primo Tom. operuÌ„ IohaÌ„ Hus. De Anatomia Hierome of Prage a prophet and Martir The nearnes of the Lordes iudgement The prophesy of Hildegardis and Brigiete of the Turkes Ex Auentino lib. 3. Annalium A caneat to England Ex Brigitta lib. 4. cap. 57. Prophesies of Brigitte against Rome The Prophesies of Erithrea Sybilla named Eriphila Ex Erithrea Sybilla in suo Nazilographo i. imperiali scripto Prophesies of Sybilla of christ By his feete is supposed to be ment the yeares of his age * The lambe lying c. that is the Church without trauell shall be mainteyned with some liuing or possessions of chiefe rulers By these foure beasts is ment the 4. Monarchies of the worlde that is the multitude of all the kingdoÌ„s of the Gentiles as is in the Apocal. By the citye of Aeneas is ment Rome The prophesies of Sybilla of Antichrist The 663. feet do meane the yeares of his reigne These two starres seme to meane Iohn Hus Hierome who being put to death by the pope their doctrine rose agayne more strongly then before Ex libro cui titulus onne Ecclesiae By the prince of the Gentiles the turkes do here meane the kingdomes and dominions of the Christians whom they call Gentiles becuse they are not circumcised after their maner The exposition of the turkes prophesie Ex Barthol Georgienitz An other â—â—â—â—sition Gen. 25. The SaraceÌ„s beginne their reigne The Egiptian Saracens or Sultans The SaraceÌ„s kingdome ceaseth The turkes kingdome beginneth Transubstantiation Vide supra pag. 312. Tartarians Portae Caspiae Saladinus stocke in Aegipt ceaseth Mamaluchi in Aegipt Vide supra pag. 747. Why the pope cannot preuaile against the Turkes God offended with Idolatrie and wrong faith of the Christians A prayer against the Turkes Psal. 119. Galat. 4. Sapien. 5. Elai 55. Genes 6. Iudic. 14. Ioa. 22. Luke 6. Colosl 2. Anno. 1500. A question whether is the greater Antichrist the turke or the Pope Babram and an olde man Martirs Vide supra pag. 737. Diuers kentishin â—n bearing fagots Will Tilsworth Martir The daughter compelled to set fire to her father Tho Barnard Iames Mordon Martirs Father Roberts Martir Father Reuer
maintaining of Monkery falsly being perswaded that remission of theyr sinnes remedy of their soules therein did lie in building monasteries erecting churches and cloysters and in placing monks in the same and such other almes deedes and workes of deuotion Wherin appeareth how ignorāt that time was of the true doctrine of Christes faith and of free grace of the Gospell which promiseth life remedy and iustification not by any deuout merits of oures nor by any workes either of the lawe of God or of the inuentions of man but onely and freely by our faith vpon Christ Iesus the sonne of God in whom only consisteth al the promises of God Amen Nowe remaineth as in the former booke before so in this likewise to prosecute the order race of Archbishops of Canterbury as we haue done the race of kings beginning with Etheredus who succeded next after Celnocke the seuententh Archbishop of that Sea mentioned where we last left before Pag. 131. The names and order of the Archbishops of Caunterburie from the time of king Egbert to William Conquerour 18. Ethelredus 18  19 Pleimūdus 29 This Pleimundus was scholemaster to king Altrede 20. Athelmus 12. 21. Vlfelmus 23  22. Odo 20. By the players of thys Oddo the Monkish stories say that the sworde of King Ethelstane was brought again into his scabberd As touching the Epistle of thys Odo sent to other Byshoppes vide pag. 251. 23. Elfius or Elfinus 1 This Elfius first bishop of Winchester came to the sea of Cant. by the commaundement of King Edgar some say by bribes contrary to the mind of Odo Wherupon in the first day of hys consecration he insulting vppon the tomb of Odo with despite shortly after wēt to Rome for his pal where in his iorny vpon the alps he died for colde in so much that his horses being killed he put in their warme bellies yet could get no heate Malms 24 Dunstan 20. Of this Dunstane many monkish miracles be fained as of the harpe vpon the wall playing by it self Gaudent in Coelis c. of our ladie with her companie appearing to him singing Cantemus domino sociae Cantemus honorem Dulcis amor christi personet ore pio Also of the Angels singing Kyrieleyson c. Item of holding the Deuill by the nose with a paire of tonges tempting him with women Malmes Item of seeing the holy Ghost at his masse in likenesse of a Doue Item in deliuering the soule of Edwine from the Deuill Item in foreseeing the death of King Edred by the death and falling of his horse Item of his mother being great with Dustane when all the candels of others went out her onely candle remained light many other like fables c. ¶ Polydorus maketh Dunstane to be the 23. archb 25. Ethelgarus 1 This Siricus was the counseller to king Egelred to redeme peace of the Danes with a great tribute 26. Elfricus 11 27. Siricius 5 28. Elphegus 6 Elphegus because he denied to paye to the Danes a tribute was stoned to death at Greenewich of some is called a martyr 29. Liuingus 7 30. Egenoldus 17 31. Edsius 11 32. Robertus 2 This Robertus caused Godwine and his sonnes to be banished accusing them of Treason But afterward they being restored he went to Rome and at his returne died 33. Stigandus 17 Stigandus being an English man in the time of W. Conquerour the Normane was by the craft of the sayd William conueied into Normandie where a while with great honour he was entertained At length the sayde William procured secreately the popes letters to depose him that hee might place Lanfrancus in his roume This Stigandus died at length in prison 34 Lanfrancus 19 The ende of the thirde Booke THE FOVRTH BOOKE CONTEINING other 300. yeares from William Conquerour to the tyme of Iohn Wickliffe wherein is described the proude and misordered raigne of Antichrist beginning to stirre in the Church of Christ. WILLIAM Duke of Normandie surnamed Conqueror base sonne of Duke Robert the sixth Duke of Normandie nephew vnto king Edward after the foresaid victorie against Harold the Englishmen obtained was receiued king ouer the Realme of Englande not so much by the assent as for feare and necessitie of time For els the Londiners had promised their assistance to Edgar Atheling to the vttermost of their power But being weakened wasted so greatly in battailes before and the Duke comming so fast vppon them fearing not to make their partie good submitted themselues Whereupon the saide William of a Duke made a King was crowned vpon Christmas day the yeare of our Lorde 1067. by the handes of Aldredus Archb. of Yorke Forsomuch as at that time Stigandus Archb. of Canterb. was absent or els durst not or woulde not come in the presence of the king A litle before the comming in of this Duke a terrible blasing starre was seene the space of 7. daies which was the yere before In record wherof as well of the conquest of the Duke as of the blasing starre these verses yet remaine Sexagenus erat sextus millesimus annus Cum pereunt Angli stella monstrante cometa Which king thus being crowned did reigne ouer the realme of England the space of 21. yeres and one moneth with great seuerity cruelnes towarde the Englishmen burdening them with great tribute and exactions which was to pay of euery hide of grounde containing 20. acres 6. shillings By meane wherof certaine parties of the land rebelled and specially the citie of Exceter But at last William ouercame them and wan the city and punished them grieuously But for that for other sterne deedes of William diuers of the Lordes departed to Scotland wherfore he kept the other Lordes that taried the straiter and exalted the Normanes geuing to them the chiefe possessions of the land And for so much as he obteyned the kingdome by force and dent of sword he chaunged the whole state of the gouernance of this common weale and ordeined new lawes at his owne pleasure profitable to himself but greuous hurtful to the people abolishing the lawes of king Edward Wherunto notwtstanding he was sworn before to obserue maintaine For the which great commotions and rebellions remained long after among the people as hystories record to haue the sayd lawes of king Edwarde reuiued againe Ouer and besides this he builded 4. strong castles 2. at Yorke one at Notingham another at Lincolne which garrisons he furnished with Normanes About the third yere of his reigne Harold Canutus sonnes of Suanus King of Denmarke entered into the North countrey The Normanes wythin Yorke fearing that the Englishmen woulde aide the Danes fired the suburbes of the towne wherof the flame was so big and the winde so strong that it tooke into the city and brent a great part therof with the minster of S. Peter Where no doubt many worthy workes and
Monuments of bookes were consumed In the time whereof the Danes by fauour of some of the citizens entred the citie and slew more then iii M. of the Normanes But not long after King William chased them out and droue them to the ships tooke suche displeasure with the inhabitauÌ„tes of that countrey that he destroied the land from Yorke to Durham so that 9. yeres after the prouince lay wast and vninaâ—â—red onely except S. Iohns land of Beuerley the people theroft so straitly being kept in penurye by the warre of the king that as our English storie sayeth they eate rats cats and dogs and other vermine Also in the fourth yeare of this king Malcolyn king of Scots entred into Northumberland destroyed the couÌ„trey slew there much of the people both of men women and children after a lamentable sorte and tooke some prisoners But within 2. yeares after king William made such warre vpon the Scottes that he forced Malcolyn theyr king to doe him homage And thus much concerning the outwarde calamities of this Realme vnder this forreine Conquerour Whych is nowe the fifth time that the sayd land with the inhabitaunce thereof hath bene scourged by the hande of God First by the Romaines in the time of Iulius Cesar. Then by the Scottes and Pictes as hath bene shewed afterwarde by the Saxons Againe the Saxons or Englishmen did not enioy the possession of Britain with long quiete but were brought in as much subiection themselues vnder the Danes as they had brought the Britaines before and that muche more in so muche that throughe all England if an Englishe man had mette a Dane vppon a bridge he might not stirre one foote before the Lord Dane otherwise Lurdane were past And then if the Englishe man had not geuen lowe reuerence to the Dane at hys comming by he â—as sure to be sharpely punished wyth more as aboue hath bene declared And this subiection almoste continued from the reigne of Kinge Ethelwolfus 230. yeares till the reigne of king Edwarde And yet the indignation of God thus ceased not but stirred vp the Normandes against them who Conquered and altered the whole Realme after their owne purpose in somuche that besides the innouation of the lawes coignes and possessions there was in no Church of England almoste anye English bishop but only Normands forreiners placed through all their Dioces To suche miserie was this lande then brought vnto that not onely of all the English nobilitie not one house was standing but also it was thought reprochfull to be called an English man This punishmeÌ„t of God against the English nation writers do assigne biuersly to diuers causes as partly before is touched of whoÌ„ some assigne this to be cause as foloweth in the wordes of the storie In primitiua Angliae Ecclesia religio clarissimè splenduit ita vt Reges Reginae Duces Episcopi vel MonachatuÌ„ vel exilium pro Dei amore appeterent processu verò temporis adeo omnis virtus in eis emarcuit vt gentem nullam proditione nequitia sibi parem esse permitterent c. The meanyng whereof is that whereas Kings and Queenes Dukes and Prelates in the primitiue time of the English church were ready for Religion to forsake either liberty or countrey and giue themselues to a solitarie life In processe of time they grew to such dissolutenes that they left no other realme like vnto them in iniquity c. Again some writing of the vision of king Edward a litle before the inuasion of the NormaÌ„ds testify how the king reporting of his owne vision should heare that for the great enormitye and misbehauior of the heade Dukes Bishops and Abbats of the realme the kingdome should be geuen to the hand of their enemies after the decease of him for the space of a C. yeres and one day Which space was also seene by William conquerour to be a hundreth yeres fiftie and that his progenie so long should continue Againe some wryters entreating of this so great wrath of God vpon the Englishe people declare the cause therof as foloweth Nam ficut Angl Britones quds Deus disterminate proposuerat peccatis suis exigentibus humiliuerant a term Angliae minus iniustè fugauerant sic ipsi duplici persecutione c. Like as the Englishmen did subdue the Britons whom God proposed for theyr deseruings to exterminate and them vniustly did dispossesse of their land so they should likewise be subdued and scourged with a double persecution first by the Danes and after by the Normanes c. Moreouer to these iniuries and iniqnities done and wrought by the English men hetherto recited let vs adde also the cruell villanie of this nation in murdering and tything of the innocent Normans before who comming as straungers wyth Alfrede the lawfull heire of the Crowne were despitefully put to death Which seemeth to me no little cause why the Lorde whose doings be alwaies iust right did suffer the Normans so to preuaile By the coÌ„ming in of the which Normans and by their quarel vnto the Realme iii. things we may note learne First to consider and learne the righteous retribution and wrath of God from heauen vpon all iniquitie and vnrighteous dealing of men Secondly we may thereby note what it is for Princes to leaue no issue or sure succession behinde them Thirdly what daungers often do chaunce to Realmes publiquely by foreine mariage with other Princes c. In the same fourth yeare of this king betwene Easter and Whitsontide was holden a solemne councell at Winchester of that clergy of England At the which counsell were present two Cardinals sent from Pope Alexander 2. Peter Iohn In this counsell the king being there himselfe present were deposed diuers bishops Abbots and priors by the meanes of the king wtout any euident cause to the intent his Normans might be preferred to the rule of the Church as he had preferred his knightes before to the rule of the teÌ„poraltie therby to stand in more surety of the land Amongest whoÌ„ also Stigandus Archb. of Cant. was put downe for 3. causes against him pretended The first was for that he had holden wrongfully that byshoprike while Robert the Archbishop aboue meÌ„tioned pag. 156. was liuing The seconde was for that he had receiued the palle of Benedict byshop of Rome the fifth of that name Whyche Benedict for buying his Popedome had bene deposed as is shewed before The thirde cause for that he occupied the said palle wtout license and lawfull autoritie of the court of Rome Then Stigandus wel proued the beneuolence of king William For where before the king seemed in frendly couÌ„tenance to make much of him and did vnto him great reuerence then he chaunged all his mildenes into sternes excused himselfe by the bishops of Romes autority So that in the ende Stigandus was depriued of his dignitie and kept in
the yeare abouesaid 1375. Although touching the precise points of yeares and times it is not for vs greatly to be exquisite therein but yet where diligence and studious meditation may helpe to knowledge I would not wish negligence to be a pretence to ignorāce And thus much for the times of Antiochus and his felowes Now what cruelty this Antiochus exercised against the people of God it is manifest in the history of the Machabees where we reade that this Antiochus in the eight yeare of his reigne in his second comming to Hierusalem first gaue forth in commaundement that all the Iewes should relinquish the law of Moses and worship the Idole of Iupiter Olimpius which he set vp in the temple of Hierusalem The bookes of Moses and of the Prophetes he burned He set garrisons of souldiours to warde the Idole In the Citie of Hierusalem he caused the feastes and reuels of Bacchus to be kept full of all filthe and wickednes Olde men women and virgines such as woulde not leaue the lawe of Moses with cruell tormentes he murthered The mothers that would not circumcise theyr children he slue The children that were circumcised hee hanged vp by the neckes The temple he spoiled wasted The aultar of God and candlesticke of gold with the other ornaments and furniture of the temple partly he cast out partly be caried away Contrary to the lawe of God he caused them to offer and to eate Swines fleshe Great murther and slaughter he made of the people causing thē either to leaue their lawe or to lose their liues Among whome besides many other with cruell tormentes he put to death a godly mother with her vij sonnes sending hys cruell proclamations through all the land that whosoeuer kept the obseruauncies of the Sabboth and other rites of the lawe and refused to cōdescend to his abhominations should be executed By reason whereof the Citie of Hierusalem was left voide and desolate of all good mē but there was a great nūber that were contented to follow obey his Idolatrous proceedings and to flatter with the king became enemies vnto ther brethren Briefly no kind of calamity nor face of miserie could be shewed in any place which was not there sene Of the tiranny of this Antiochus it is historied at large in the book of Machabees And Daniell prophesieng before of the same declareth that the people of the Iewes deserued no lesse for their sins and transgressions By consent of all writers this Antiochus beareth a figure of the great Antichrist which was to folow in the latter end of the world and is already come worketh what he can agaynst vs Although as S. Iohn sayth there haue bene and be many Antichristes as parts and members of the body of Antichrist which are forerūners yet to speake of the head principall Antichrist great enemy of Christs Church he is to come in the latter end of the world at what tyme shall be such tribulation as neuer was sene before Whereby is ment no doubt the Turke prefigured by this Antiochus By this Antichrist I do also meane all such which followyng the same doctrine of the Turkes thinke to be saued by their workes and demerites not by their fayth onely in the sonne of God of what title and professiō els soeuer they be especially if they vse the like force violence for the same as he doth c. Of the tyranny of this Antiochus aforesayd and of the tribulations of the Church in the latter tymes both of the Iewes Church and also of the Christian Church to come let vs beare consider the words of Daniell in xj chap. also in his vij chap. Prophecying of y◠same as foloweth He shall returne and freat agaynst the holy couenaunt so shall he do he shall euen returne and haue intelligence with them that forsake the holy couenaunt And armes shall stand on his part and they shall pollute the Sanctuary of strength and shall take away the dayly sacrifice and they shall set vp the abhominable desolation And such as wickedly breake the couenaunt shall flatter with him deceitfully but the people that doe know their God shall preuayle and prosper And they that vnderstand among the people shall instruct many yet they shall fall by sword and by flame by captiuitie and by spoyle many dayes Now when they shall fall they shal be holpen with a little helpe but many shall cleane vnto them faynedly And some of them of vnderstandyng shall fall to be tryed and to be purged and to make them white till the tyme be out for there is a tyme appointed And the kyng shall doe what him lyst he shall exalte himselfe and magnifie himselfe agaynst all that is God and shall speake marueilous thynges agaynst the God of Gods and shall prospere till the wrath be accomplished for the determination is made Neither shall he regard the God of his Fathers nor the desires of womē nor care for any God for he shall magnifie himselfe aboue all But in his place shall he honour the God Mauzzim and the God whom his fathers knew not shall he honour with gold and with siluer and with precious stones and pleasaunt thynges Thus shall he doe in the holdes of Mauzzim with a straunge God whom he shall acknowledge he shall increase his glory and shall cause them to rule ouer many and shall diuide the land for gayne And at the end of tyme shall the kyng of the South push at him and the kyng of the North shall come agaynst hym lyke a whirle wynde with charets and with horsemen and with many shyppes and he shall enter into the countreys and shall ouerflow and passe thorough He shall enter also into the pleasaunt land and many countreys shal be ouerthrowen but these shall escape out of his hand euen Edom and Moab and the chief of the children of Ammon He shall stretch for his handes also vppon the countreys and the land of Egypt shall not escape But he shal haue power ouer the treasures of gold and of siluer ouer al the precious thynges of Egypt and of the Libians and of the blacke Mores where he shall passe But the tydynges out of the East and the North shall trouble him therfore he shall go forth with great wrath to destroy and roote out many And he shall plant the tabernacles of his palace betweene the Seas in the glorious holy mountaine yet he shall come to his end and none shall help him To this place of Daniell aboue prefixed might also be added the Prophesie of the said Daniell written in the vij chapter and much tending to the like effect where he intreating of his vision of foure beastes whiche signifie the foure Monarchies and speaking now of the fourth Monarchie hath these words After this I saw in the visions by night and behold the fourth beast was grimme and horrible and maruelous strong It had great yron