rule the Church the which shoulde be alwayes conuersant with the militant Church The aunswere I do graunt it For what consequent is this The king of Boheme is head of the kingdome of Boheme Ergo the Pope is head of the whole militant Church Christ is the head of the spiritualtye ruling and gouerning the militant Church by much more and greater necessity then Cesar ought to rule the tēporalty For so much as Christ which sitteth on the ryght hand of God the Father doth necessaryly rule the militant Church as head And there is no sparke of apparance that there should be one head in the spiritualty ruling the church that should alwaies be conuersant with the militant churche except some infidell would heretically affirme that the militant Church should haue here a permanent and continuall Citty or dwelling place and not to enquire and seeke after that which is to come It is also further euident in my booke how vnconsequent the proportion of the similitude is for a reprobate Pope to be the head of the militent church and a reprobate king to be the head of the kingdome of Boheme The 4. Article Christ would better rule his Churche by his true Apostles dispersed through out the whole world without such monstrous heades I aunswere that it is in my booke as here foloweth that albeit that the doctor doth say that the body of the militant Church is oftentimes without a head yet notwithstanding we do verelye beleue that Christ Iesus is the head ouer euery Churche ruling the same without lacke or default pouring vpō the same a continuall motion and sence euen vnto the latter day neither can the doctor geue a reason why the Churche in the time of Agnes by the space of 2. yeares and 5. monethes liuing according to many members of christ in grace and fauour but that by the same reason the Church might be without a head by the space of many yeares For so much as Christ should better rule his Church by his true disciples dispersed throughout the whole world without suche monstrous heads Then sayd they all together Beholde now he prophecieth and Iohn Hus prosecuting his former talke sayd but I say that the Church in the time of the Apostles was farre better ruled and gouerned then now is And what doth let or hinder that christ should not now also rule the same better by his true Disciples without such monstrous heades as haue bene now a late For beholde euen at this present we haue no such head And yet Christ ceaseth not to rule his Church when be had spoken these wordes he was derided and mocked The 5. Article Peter was no vniuersall Pastour or shepheard of the sheepe of Christ much lesse is the Byshop of Rome The answere These words are not in my book but those which do follow Secondly it appeareth by the wordes of Christ that he did not limit vnto Peter for his iurisdiction the whole world no not one onely prouince So likewise neither vnto any other of the Apostles Notwithstanding certayne of them walked through many regions and other some fewer preaching and teaching the kingdome of God as Paule which laboured trauelled more then all the rest did corporally visite and conuert most prouinces whereby it is lawfull for any Apostle or his vicar to conuert and confirme as much people or as many prouinces in the fayth of Christ as they are able neither is there any restraynt of their liberty or iurisdiction But only by disability or insufficiency The 6. Article The Apostles and other faythfull priestes of the Lord haue stoutly ruled the Church in al things necessary vnto saluation before the office of the Pope was brought in to the Church and so would they very possibly doe still if there were no Pope euen vnto the latter day Then they all cryed out agayne and sayd Behold the prophet but Iohn Hus sayde verely it is true that the Apostles did rule the Churche stoutly before the office of the Pope was brought into the Churche And certaynely a great deale better then it is now ruled And likewise may other faythfull men which doe follow their steppes doe the same for as now we haue no Pope and so peraduenture it may continue and endure a yeare or more Besides this were brought agaynst him other 19. articles obiected vnto him being in prison which with his answeres to the same here likewise follow Of the whiche Articles the first is thys The first Article Paule according vnto present iustice was a blasphemer and none of the Church and therwithall was in grace according vnto predestination of life euer lasting The aunswere This proposition is not in the booke but this which foloweth whereby it doth seme probable that as Paule was both a blasphemer accordyng to present iustice and therewithall also was a faythfull childe of our holy mother the Church and in grace accordyng to predestination of life euerlasting So Iscariot was both in grace according vnto present iustice and was neuer of our holy mother the Church according to the predestination of life euerlasting for so much as he lacked that predestination And so Iscariot albeit he was an Apostle and a Byshop of Christ which is the name of his office yet was he neuer no part of the vniuersall Church The 2. Article Christ doth more loue a predestinate man being sinnefull then any reprobate in what grace possible soeuer he be The aunswere My wordes are in the 4. chapter of my booke intituled of the Church and it is euident that God doth more loue any predestinate beynge sinnefull then any reprobate in what grace so euer he be for the time for so much as he will that the predestinate shall haue perpetuall blessednesse and the reprobate to haue eternall fire Wherefore God partly infinitely louing them both as his creatures yet he doth more loue the predestinate because he geueth him greater grace or a greater gift that is to say life euerlasting which is greater more excellent then onely grace according vnto present iustice And the third Article of those Articles before soundeth much neare vnto this that the predestinate cannot fall frō grace for they haue a certayne radicall grace rooted in thē although they be depriued of the aboundant grace for a time These thinges are true in the compound sence The 3. Article All the sinnefull according vnto present iniustice are not faythfull but doe swerue from the true Catholicke fayth for so much as it is impossible that any man can committee any deadly sinne but in that point that he doe swerue from the fayth The aunswere I acknowledge that sentence to be mine and it appeareth that if they did thinke vpon the punishment which is to be laid vpon sinners and did fully beleue and had the fayth of the diuine knowledge and vnderstanding c. then vndoubtedly they would not so offend and sinne This proposition is verified by the sayinge of
woulde geue so impudent an attempt to the blinding and deceiuing of all posterityes inserting for grounded truthes and holy decrees such loude lyes and detestable doctrine what may be thought of the rabble of the rest of writers in those dayes what attemptes hope of gayne might cause them to worke By whom and such like is to be feared the fasifying of diuers other good workes now extant in those perillous tymes writtē Thus when the Bishops had once wrested this autoritie out of the Emperours handes they then so fortified armed thēselues and their dominion that although afterwardes Fredericke the first graundfather vnto this good Emperor Fredericke the second as also Ludouicus Boius and Henricus Lucelburgensis as men most studious and carefull for the dignities of the Empire vnfeined louers and maintainers of the vtilitie of the commō weale and most desirous of the preseruatiō and prosperity of the Church did all their indeuors with singular wisedome strength as much as in them lay to recouer agayne from the byshop of Rome this the authoritie of the Imperiall iurisdiction lost most cruelly wickedly abusing the same to the destruction both of the Empyre vndoyng of the cōmon wealth and vtter subuersion of the Churche of God yet coulde they not be able to bryng the same to passe in those darck and shadowed tymes of peruerse doctrine and errours of the people and most miserable seruitude of ciuile Magistrates The same and like priuilege also in the election of theyr bishops Prelates and disposing of Ecclesiasticall offices as the Emperour of Rome had euery Prince and king in theyr seuerall dominions had the like For by the decree of the Councell of Tolerane which in the 25. canon and 63. distinction is mentioned the authoritie of creating and chusing byshops and Prelates in Hispane was in the power of the king of Hispane The like also by the Histories of Clodoueus Carolus Magnus Ludouicus nonus Philippus Augustus Philippus pulcher Carolus 5. Carolus 6. Carolus 7. Kinges of Fraunce is apparaunt and well knowne that all these kinges had the chiefe charge and gouernement of the French Church and not the byshops of Rome And by our English historyes also as you heard it is manifest that the authoritie of chusing ecclesiasticall ministers and byshops was alwayes in the kings of Englād till the raygne of king Henry the 1. who by the labour and procurement of Anselmus Archb. of Cant. was depriued and put from the same Also the Princes of Germany and electors of the Emperor till the tyme of Henry the 5. had all euery Prince seuerally in his owne dition and Prouince the same iurisdiction and prerogatiue to geue dispose ecclesiasticall functions to their Prelates at theyr pleasure and after that it appertayned to the people and prelats together And how in the raigne of Fridericke the Prelates gate vnto themselues alone this Immunitie Ioannes Auentinus in his 7. booke of the Annales of the Boiores doth describe Also it is probable that the kinges of Sicilia had the same facultie in geuing and disposing their Ecclesiasticall promotions and charge of churches Andreas de Istmia ad 1. constit Neap. nu 12. And that because Fridericke defended him against the tyranny of the bishop of Rome therfore as Fazellus sayth he was excommunicated of Honorius But that Platina and Blondus allege other causes wherfore he was excommunicate of Honorius I am not ignorant Howbeit he that will compare theyr writings with others that write more indifferently betweene Honorius and hym shall easily finde that they more sought the fauor of the Romayn bishops then to write a veritie But now agayne to the history of Fridericke Nicholaus Cisnerus affirmeth that whilest Friderike the Emperour was in Sicilia hys wife Constantia dyed at Catrana or Catana In the meane time the Christians which was a great nauy sayled into Egipt and tooke the citie Heliopolis commonly called Damatia and long ago named Pelucinum beyng in good hope to haue dryuen Sultanus the Sowdā out of Egipt had a great marueilous ouerthrow by the conueiyng of the water of the floude Nilus which then ouerflowed into their Campe were sayne to accord an vnprofitable truce with the Sowldane for certayne yeares and to deliuer the citty agayne and so departing out of Egipt were faine to come to Acone and Cyrus to the no small detriment and losse of the Christian army Wherupon king Iohn surnamed Brennus being king of Ierusalem arriued in Italy and prayde ayd of the Emperor agaynst his enemies in whō he had great hope to finde remedy of the euils and calamities before declared and from thence he went to Rome to the Pope declaring vnto him the great discomfite and ouerthrow past as also the present peril and callamitie that they were in desiring also hys ayd therin By whose meanes as Cisnerus sayth the Emperour was reconciled agayne to the Pope and made friendes together to whome also king Iohn gaue Ioell his daughter in maryage which came of the daughter of Conradus King of Ierusalem and Marques of Mounte Ferrat with whome he had for dowry the inheritaunce of the kingdome of Ierusalem as right heyre thereunto by her mother By whome also he atter obteyned the kingdome of Naples and Sicill and promised that with as much expedient speede as he might he would prepare a power for the recouery agayne of Ierusalem and be there himselfe in proper person whiche thinge to doe for that vppon diuers occasions he deferred whereof some thinke one some an other Honorius vnto whome he was lately reconciled purposed to haue made agaynst hym some great and secrete attempt had hee not bene by death before preuented vppon whome were made these Uerses O pater Honori multorum nate dolori Est tibi decori viuere vade mori After whom succeeded Gregorius the 9. as great an enemy to Frederike as was Honorius whiche Gregory came of the race whom the Emperor as before ye heard condemned of Treason which they wrought against him This Gregory was scarcely setled in hys Papacy when that he threatned hym that greatly with excommunication vnlesse he woulde prepare hymselfe into Asia according to hys promise as ye heard before to king Iohn And what the cause was why the Pope so hastened the iourney of Frederike into Asia you shall heare hereafter In effect he could not wel bring that to passe which in his mischieuous minde he had deuised vnlesse the Emperour were farther from him Notwithstanding Fredericke it shoulde seeme smelling a ratte or mistrusting somewhat as well he might alledged diuers causes and lets as lately and truely he dyd to Honorius Fazellus a Sicilian writer sayth that the special cause of the Emperors stay was for the oathe of truce and peace during certayne yeares whiche was made betweene the Saracens and Christians as you heard which tyme was not yet expired The same
and determination of the matter was committed to the iudgement of king Edward of England who after sufficient proofe made to the Scottes and firme euidence brought out of all the ancient historyes both of England and Scotland testifying from tyme to tyme that he was chief head and soueraigne of the Realme of Scotland first by necessitie of the law and by al theyr consentes tooke full possession of the same And that bone adiudged the right of the Crown to John Bailol who descended of the daughter of Dauid Earle of Huntington brother to Dauid King of Scotland in the dayes of Kyng Henry the second This Erle Dauid had three daughters Isabell maried to Robert Brusse Margaret to Allen Earle of Galeway had Ellen to Henry Lord Hastinges AlleÌ„ Earle of Galeway had ElleÌ„ maried to Roger Quincy Erle of Winchester Constable of Scotland Doruagile maried to John Bailol father to Edward king of Scots When these thinges were thus finished in Scotlande and Syr Iohn Bailol as most rightfull inheritour had receaued the crowne of Scotland at the handes of kyng Edward thankefully for the same in the presence of the Barony of England and of Scotland did vnto the sayd king Edward his homage and sware to him fealty the Scottes with theyr new king returned into Scotland and Kyng Edward remoued agayne to England But not long after the falsenes of this Scotishe Kyng soone appeared Who repenting him of his homage done vntruely for sook his former othe promise and made war against king Edward through the counsaile of the Abbot of Menros Wherfore the king with a great host sped hym into Scotland in processe laid siege to the towne of Berwicke which the Scots did egerly defend not onely to the discomfiture but also to the decision of the kinges and hys English host But in conclusion the English men preuayled and wan the towne where were slayne of the Scottes the number of 25. thousand And while the king was there busied in winning other holds about the same he sent part of his host to Dunbarre where the EnglishmeÌ„ agayn had the victory and slue of the Scottes xx thousand Gis burne sayth but x. thousand so that very few were lost of the English company The king with a great nuÌ„ber of prisoners returning into his realm shortly after sped him ouer vnto FlauÌ„ders where he sustayned great trouble by the French kyng till truce for certayne space was betweene them concluded But in the meane while that K. Edward was thus occupyed beyond the Seas the French king resorting to his practised maner set the Scottes secretly agaynst the Englishmen to keep the king at home Which Scots makyng themselues a Captaine named WilliaÌ„ Waleis warred vpon the borders of NorthumberlaÌ„d where they dyd much burt At length the king returning from Burdeaux into England shortly vpon the same tooke hys iourny into Scotland Where meeting at Yorke with hys host marched into the Realme of Scotlande winning as he went townes and Castles till at length comming to the towne of Frankyrch on Mary Magdalens day he met with the power of Scotland and had with them a fore sight but through Gods prouidence the victory fel to the right cause of Englishmen so that of the Scottes were slayne in the field as it is of diuers writers affirmed ouer the number of xxxii thousand and of Englishmen but barely xxviii persons Whereupon the king agayn taking possession and feairy of the whole land returned home And yet the false vntroth of the Scots would not thus be ruled but rose vp in a new broyle so that the kyng was enforced to make his power agayn the yeare folowing into Scotland where he to suppressed the rebellion of that Lords and of the commons that they swearing to the kings allegiaunce presented themselues by great companyes put them wholy in the kings grace and mercy so that the king thinking himselfe to be in peaceable possession in a great surety of the land caused to be sworne vnto hym the rulers of the boroughes citties and townes with other officers of the land and so returned vnto Barwicke and so into England and lastly to Westminster These martiall affayres betwene England and Scotland although they appertayne not greatly to the purpose of our story Ecclesiastical yet so much by the way I thought briefly to touch whereby the better it might be vnderstanded by these premisses that whiche followeth in the sequele hereof As the Scottes were thus warring and ragyng agaynst the king and saw they could not make theyr party good they sent priuily to Pope Boniface for hysayde and counsaile who immediatly sendeth downe his precept to the K. to this effect that he should hereafter succease to disquiet or molest the Scottes for that they were a people exempt and properly pertaining to hys Chappell And therfore it could not otherwise be but that the Citty of Ierusalem must needs defend hys own Citizens as the mount Syon mayntayn such as trust in the Lord. c. Whereunto the king briefly maketh aunswere agayne swearing with anothe that he would to his vttermost keepe defend that which was hys right euideÌ„tly known to all the world c. Thus the Scots bearing themselues bold vpon the popes message also confederating themselues with the French meÌ„ passed ouer that yeare The next yeare after that whiche was 29. of the kinges raigne the sayd Pope Boniface directeth hys letters agayn to the kyng wherein he doth veÌ„dicate the kingdome of Scotland to be proper to the Church of Rome not subiect to the king of England And therfore it was agaynst God against iustice and also preindiciall to the Churche of Rome for hym to haue or hold dominion vpon the same which he proued by these reasons First that when king Henry the father of this Kyng receiued ayd of Alexander king of Scots in his warres agaynst Simon Mountfort he recognised acknowledged in his letters patents that he receaued the same of king Alexander not of any duety but of speciall fauour Item when the sayd king Alexander comming to England did homage to the sayd kyng Henry he did it not as king of Scotland but onely for certayne landes of Lyndal and Penreth lying in England Item where the sayd king Alexander left behynd hym Margaret his heyre being â—ece to the king of England and yet vnder age yet the tuition of the sayd Margaret was committed not to the K. of England but to certain Lords of Scotland deputed to the same Moreouer when any legacie was directed down from Rome to the Realme of England for collecting oftenthes or other causes the sayd legacie tooke no place in the realm of Scotland and might well he resisted as it was in kyng Alexander hys dayes except an other speciall commission touching the realme of Scotland were ioined wall Wherby it appeareth these to be two seueral dominions and not
citation sent by messenger by letters or edict not admitting proofe by witnesses and sentēce definitiue to be we do ordeine will and declare for the easier punishment of the offēders in the premisses and for the better reformation of the church deuided and hurt that all such as are diffamed openly knowne or vehemētly suspected in any of the cases aforesayd or in anye article of the catholicke fayth sounding contrary to good manners by authoritie of the ordinary of the place or other superior be cited personally to appeare cyther by letters publique messenger being sworne or by edicte openly set at that place where the sayd offender commonly remayneth or in hys parish Church if he hath any certayne dwelling house Otherwise in y◠Cathedrall church of the place where he was borne and in the parish churche of the same place where he so preached and taught And afterwardes certificate beyng geuen that the citation was formally executed agaynst the party cited being absent and neglecting hys appearannce it shal be proceeded agaynst him fully and playnly without sound or shew of iudgement and without admitting proofe by witnesses and other canonicall probations And also after lawful informatiō had the sayd ordinary al delayes set apert shall signifie declare and punishe the sayd offender according to the quallitie of his offence and in forme aforesayd and further shall doe according to iustice the absence of the offender notwithstanding Geuen at Oxford ¶ Who would haue thought by these lawes and constitutions so substantially founded so circumspectly prouided so dilligently executed but that the name and memory of this persecuted sort should vtterly haue bene rooted vp neuer could haue stand And yet such be the works of th◠lord passing all mēs admiratiō all this notwithstanding so far was it of that the number and courage of these good men was vanquished that rather they multiplied dayly encreased For so I finde in Registers recorded that these foresayd persons whome the king and the Catholique fathers did so greatly deteste for heretickes were in diuers countries of this realme dispersed and increased especially at London in Lincolnshire in Northfolk in Herefordshyre in Shreusbury in Callice and diuers other quarters mo with whom the Archb. of Caunterbury Thomas Arundell the same time had much ado as by hys own registers doth appeare Albeit some there were that dyd shrinke many did reuolt and renounce for daunger of the law Among whom was Iohn Puruey whiche recanted at Paules Crosse of whom more foloweth the Lord willing to be said in the yeare 1421. Also Iohn Edward priest of the dioces of Lincolne who reuoked in the greene yard at Norwich Richard Herbert and Emmot Willy of Lōdon also Iohn Becket who recanted at London Item Iohn Seynons of Lincolneshyre who was caused to reuoke at Caunterbury The articles of whom which commonly they did hold and which they were constrayned to abiure most specially were these as follow Their Articles First that the office of the holy Crosse ordayned by the whole Church celebrated doth contayne idolatry Item they sayd and affirmed that all they which doe reuerence and worship the signe of the crosse do commit idolatry and are reputed as Idolaters Item they sayd and affirmed that the true fleshe and bloud of our Lord Iesus Christ is not in the sacrament of the aulter after the words spoken by the priest truely pronounced Item they sayd and affirmed the sacrament of the aultar to be sacramentall bread not hauing life but onely instituted for a memoriall of Christes passion Item they sayd and affirmed that the body of Christe which is taken on the aulter is a figure of that body of christ as long as we see the bread and wyne Item they sayd and affirmed that the decree of the prelates and clergie in the prouince of Caunterbury in theyr last conuocation with the consent of the king and the nobles in the last Parliament agaynst him that was brent lately in the citty of London was not sufficient to chaunge the purpose of the sayd Iohn when the substance of materiall bread is euen as before in the sacrament of the aultar it was no change being made in the nature of bread * Item that any lay man may preach the Gospel in euery place and may teach it by his owne authoritie without the licence of his Ordinary Itē that it is sinne to geue any thing to the preaching friers to the Minorites to the Augustines to the Carmelites Item that we ought not to offer at the funerals of the dead Item that the confession of sins to the people is vnneedefull Item that euery good man though he be vnlearned is a priest Item that the infant though he dye vnbaptised shal be saued Item that neither the pope nor the prelate neither any ordinary can compell any man to sweare by anye creature of God or by the bible booke Item that as well the Bishop the simple man the priest and the lay man be of like authoritie as lōg as they liue well Item that no man is bound to geue bodily reuerence to any prelate ¶ William Thorpe THus much briefly being signified by the way touching these which haue bene forced in time of this king to open abiuration Next commeth to our handes the worthy history of maister William Thorpe a warriour valiaunt vnder the triumphant banner of Christ with the processe of his examinations before the foresayd Thomas Arundell Archbishop of Caunterb written by the sayd Thorpe and storyed by his owne pen at the request of hys frendes as by hys own words in the processe here of may appeare In whole examination whiche seemeth first to begin an 1407. thou shalt haue good reader both to learne and to merueile To learne in that thou shalt beare truth discoursed and discussed with the contrary reasons of the aduersary dissolued To marueile for that thou shalt beholde here in this man the merueilous force and strength of the Lordes might spirite and grace working and fighting in his souldiors also speaking in theyr mouthes according to the word of hys promise Luke xxi To the rest of the story we haue neither added nor diminished but as we haue receiued it copied out corrected by maister Williā Tindall who had his own handwriting so we haue here sent it and set it out abroad Althoughe for the more credite of the matter I rather wished it in his own naturall speach wherein it was first written Notwithstanding to put away all doubt and scrouple herein this I thought before to premonishe and testifie to the Reader touching the certaintie hereof that they be yet aliue whiche haue seene the selfe same copy in his own old English resembling y◠true antiquitie both of the speach and of the time The name of whom as for recorde of the same to auouche is M. Whithead who as he hath seene the true ancient copy in the hādes of George Constantine so hath he
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
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
to passe according vnto Zisca his will and minde and that vpon him alone the whole state of Boheme did depend he sought priuie meanes to recōcile and get Zisca into his fauour promising him the gouernance of the whole kingdom the guiding of all his hostes armies and great yearely reuenues if he would proclaime him King and cause the Cities to be sworne vnto him Upō which cōditions whē as Zisca for the performance of the couenants went vnto the Emperour being on his iourney at the Castle of Priscouia he was stricken with sicknesse and died It is reported that when he was demaunded beyng sicke in what place he would be buried he commaunded the skinne to be pulled off from his dead carkase and the flesh to bee cast vnto the foules and beastes and that a drumme should be made of his skinne which they should vse in their battailes affirming that as soone as their enimies should heare the sound of that drumme they would not abide but take their flight The Thaborites despising all other Images yet set vp the Picture of Zisca ouer the gates of the Citie ¶ The Epitaphe of Iohn Zisca the valiant Captaine of the Bohemians I Iohn Zisca not inferiour to any Emperour or Captain in warlike policie a seueare punisher of the pride and auarice of the Clergy and a defender of my countrey do lie heere That which Appius Claudius by geuing good counsell and M. Furius Camillus by valiantnesse did for the Romaines the same I being blinde haue done for my Bohemians I neuer slacked oportunitie of battaile neither did fortune at any time faile me I being blinde did foresee all oportunitie of well ordering or doing my businesse Eleuen times in ioining battaile I went victour out of the field I seemed to haue worthely defended the cause of the miserable and hungry against the delicate fatte and glotonous Priests and for that cause to haue receiued help at the hande of God If their enuy had not let it without doubt I had deserued to be numbred amongst the most famous men Notwithstanding my bones lye heere in this halowed place euen in despite of the Pope 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ¶ Iohn Zisca a Bohemian enemy to all wicked and couetous Priestes but with a godly zeale And thus haue you the actes and doings of this worthy Zisca and other Bohemians which for the more credite we haue drawne out of Aeneas Syluius onely his rayling tearmes excepted which we haue heere suppressed All this while the Emperour with the whole power of the Germaines were not so busie on the one side but Martin the Pope was as much occupied on the other side who about the same time directed downe a terrible Bull full of all poison to all Byshops and Archbyshops agaynst all such as tooke any part or side with Wickleffe Iohn Hus Hierome or with their doctrine and opinions The copie of which Bull which I found in an olde written monument I wish the reader throughly to peruse wherein he shall see the Pope to poure out at once all his poison The Bull of Pope Martine directed foorth against the followers of Iohn Wickliffe of England of Iohn Husse of Boheme and Hierome of Prage MArtine Bishop the seruant of Gods seruants to our reuerend brethren the Archbishops of Salzeburgen Gueznen and Pragē to the Bishops of Dlumcen Luthomuslen Bambergen Misnen Patauiē Uratislauien Ratisponen Cra. ouien Poznamen and Nitrien also to our beloued children the Inquisitours appointed of the Prelates aboue recited or where else soeuer vnto whome these present letters shall come greeting and Apostolicall benediction Amongst all other pastorall cares where with we are oppressed this chefly and specially doth inforce vs that heretikes with their false doctrine and errours being vtterly expulsed from amōgst the cōpany of Christen mē and rooted out so farre forth as God will make vs able to do the right and Catholike faith may remaine sound and vndefiled and that all Christian people immoueable and iuiolate may stande and abide in the sinceritie of the same fayth the whole vayle of obscuritie being remoued But lately in diuers places of the world but especially in Bohemia and the Dukedome of Morauia and in the straights adioining thereunto certaine Archheretickes haue risen and sprong vp not against one only but against diuers sundry documēts of the Catholike faith being landlopers schismatikes and seditious persons fraught with diuelish pride Woluish madnes deceiued by the subtlety of Sathan and frō one euill vanity brought to a worse Who although they rose vp sprang in diuers parts of the world yet agreed they all in one hauing their tailes as it were knit together to wit Iohn Wickliffe of England I. Hus of Bohemia Hierome of Prage of dammable memorie who drew with thē no small nūber to miserable ruine and infidelitie For when as those such like pestiferous persons did in the beginning of their poisoned doctrine obstinately sow and spread abroad peruerse false opinions the prelates who had the regiment execution of the iudiciall power like dumme dogs not able to barke neither yet reuenging speedely with the Apostle all such disobediēce nor regarding corporally to cast out of the lords house as they were enioined by the canons those subtill and pestilēt Archheretickes and their Woluish fury and cruelty with all expedition but suffering their false and pernicious doctrine negligētly by their ouerlong delaies to growe and waxe strōg a great multitude of people in stead of true doctrine receiued those things which they did lōg falsly pernitiously and damnably sow among them and geuing credite vnto them fell from the right faith and are intangled the more pitie in the foule errors of Paganisme In so much that those Archheretickes and suche as spring of them haue infected the Catholicke flock of Christ in diuers climates of the world and parts bordering vpon the same and haue caused them to putrifie in the filthie dunghill of their lies Wherefore the generall Synode of Constance was compelled with Sainct Augustine to exclaime against so great and ruinous a plague of faythfull men and of the sound and true faith it selfe saieng what shall the Soueraigne medicine of the Church do wyth motherly loue seeking the health of hir sheepe chasing as it were amongst a companie of men franticke and hauing the disease of the Lethargie What shall she desist and leaue off hir good purpose No not so But rather let hir if there be no remedie be sharpe to both these sorts which are the greenous enemies of her wombe For the Phisition is sharpe vnto the man bestraught and raging in his frensie and yet is he a father to his owne rude and vnmanerly sonne in binding the one in beating the other by shewing therein his great loue vnto them both But if they be negligent and suffer them to perish sayth Augustine this mansuetude is rather to be supposed
make the Pope subiect vnto the Church for it is conuenient that the lesse perfect be subiect vnto the more perfect There be also many other testimonies reasons wherof we will now somewhat more entreate If authoritie be sought for sayth S. Hierome for I willingly occupie my selfe in his senteÌ„ces as in a most fertile field the world is greater then a Citie What then I pray you Hierome Is the Pope mighty because he is head of the Church of Rome His authoritie is great notwithstanding the vniuersall Church is greater which doth not onely coÌ„preheÌ„d one Citie but also the whole world Hereupon it followeth that if the Churche be the mother of all faithfull then she hath the Bishop of Rome for her sonne Otherwise as S. Augustine saith he can neuer haue God for his father which will not acknowledge the Church for his mother The which thing Anacletus vnderstandyng called the vniuersal Church his mother as the writers of the Canons do know And Calixtus sayth as a sonne he came to doe the will of his father so we do the will of our mother which is the Church Whereby it appeareth that how much the sonne is inferiour to the mother so much the Church is superiour or aboue the Bishop of Rome Also we haue sayd before that the Churche was the spouse of Christ the Pope we know to be a Vicare but no maÌ„ doth so ordaine a Vicar that he maketh his spouse subiect vnto him but that the spouse is alwayes thought to be of more authoritie then the Vicar for somuch as she is one body with her husbaÌ„d but the Vicar is not so Neither will I here passe ouer the wordes of S. Paule vnto the Romaines Let euery soule sayth he be subiect vnto the higher powers Neither doth he herein except the pope For albeit that he be aboue all other meÌ„ yet it seemeth necessary the he should be subiect to the Church Neither let him thinke himselfe hereby exeÌ„pt because it was said vnto Peter by Christ whatsoeuer thou bindest c. In this place as we wil hereafter declare he represeÌ„ted the person of the Church for we finde it spoken afterward vnto theÌ„ Quaecunque ligaueritis super terraÌ„ ligata eruÌ„t in coelis i. Whatsoeuer ye shal binde vpoÌ„ earth shall be also bounde in heaueÌ„ And furthermore if all power be geueÌ„ of Christ as the Apostle writeth vnto the CorinthiaÌ„s it is geuen for the edifiyng of the Church not for the destruction therof why then may not the Church correct the Pope if he abuse the keyes and bring all thinges vnto ruine Adde hereunto also an other argument A man in this life is lesser then the aungels for we read in Mathew of Iohn Baptist that he whiche is least in the kingdome of heauen is greater then he Notwithstanding Christ sayth in an other place that amongest the children of women there was not a greater then Iohn Baptist. But to proceede meÌ„ are forced by the exaÌ„pâ—e of Zacharias to geue credite vnto auÌ„gels least through their misbelief they be striken blind as he was What more The Bishop of Rome is a maÌ„ Ergo he is lesse then the aungels and is bound to geue credite to the aungels But the aungels learne of the Church and do reuereÌ„tly accorde vnto her doctrine as the Apostle writeth vnto the EphesiaÌ„s Ergo the pope is bouÌ„d to do the same who is lesse then the aungels and lesse then the Churche whose authoritye is suche that worthely it is compared by S. Augustine vnto the Sunne that lyke as the Sunne by his light doth surmount all other lightes so the church is aboue all other authority and power Wherupon S. Augustine writeth thus I would not beleue the Gospel saith he if the authority of the church did not more me thereunto the which is not in any place souÌ„d to be spoken of the bishop of Rome who representing the Church and being minister thereof is not to be thought greater or equall to hys Lorde and maister Notwythstanding the wordes of our Sauiour Christ do specially proue the Byshop of Rome to be subiect to the church as we will hereafter declare For he sending Peter to preach vnto the church sayd go and say vnto the Church To the confirmation of whole authoritye these wordes do also pertaine hee that heareth you heareth me The which wordes are not onely spoken vnto the Apostles but also vnto their succesaurs and vnto the whole Church Wherupon it foloweth that if the Pope do not harken geue eare vnto the Church he doeth not geue eare vnto Christ consequently he is to be counted as an Ethnicke Publicane For as S. Augustine affirmeth when as the Church doth excommunicate he which is so excommunicate is bounde in heauen and when the Church looseth he is loosed Likewise if he be an heretike which taketh away the supremacie of the Churche of Rome as the Decrees of the councel of Coustance doth determine how much more is he to be counted an hereticke which taketh away the authoritye from the uniuersall Church wherein the Church of Rome and all other are conteined Wherefore it is now euident that it is the opinion of al men before our daies if it may be called an opinion which is confirmed by graue authors the the Pope is subiecte vnto the vniuersall church But this is called into question whether he ought also to be iudged of the general Councel For there are some which whether it be for desire of vaine glory or that thorough their flattery they looke for some great reward haue begon to teach new and strange doctrines and to exempt the byshop of Rome from the iurisdiction of the generall Councel AmbitioÌ„ hath blinded them wherof not only this present Schisme but also all other Schismes euen vnto thys day haue had their originall For as in times past the gredy desire ambition of the papacy brought in that pesriferous beast which through Arrius then first crept into the church euen so they do specially norish and mainteine this present heresie whych are not ashamed to begge Of the which number some cry out say the workes of the subiects ought to be iudged by the Pope but the Pope to be reserued only vnto the iudgemeÌ„t of God Others said that no man ought to iudge the high and principall Seate and that it can not be iudged either by the Emperour either by the Clergy either by any king or people Other affirme that the Lord hath reserued vnto himselfe the depositions of the chiefe Bishop Others are not ashamed to affirme that the Byshop of Rome although hee cary soules in neuer so great number vnto hell yet hee is not subiect vnto any correction or rebuke And because these their words are easily resolued they runne straight waies vnto the Gospell and interprete the wordes of Christ not according to the sense and meaning of the holy Ghost
the Romayn Empyre so lesse he passed vpon the proud obedience of the Pope What Saynt Paule ment by this defection the reading of these Turkishe storyes and the miserable falling away of these Churches by him before planted will soone declare Another mistery there is in the Reâ—elations Apoc. 13. where the number of the beast is counted 666. Whereby may seeme by all euidences to be signified the first origene and springing of these beastly Saracens as by sequele hereof may appeare by the first rising of this deuilish sect of Mahumet Moreouer an other place there is cap. 16. Apoca. where we read that by powring out of the Phial of Gods wrath of the sixt Aungell the great floud Euphrates was dryed vp to let in the kinges of the East the openyng of which Prophecy may also more euidently appeare in coÌ„sidering the order and maner of the comming in of these Turks into Europe Some also apply to the Turkes certayne Prophecyes of Daniell Ezechiell and other places of the old TestameÌ„t moe which here I omit for so much as the Prophecyes of the old Testament if they be taken in their proper natiue sence after my iudgement do extend no further then to the death of our Sauior and the end of the Iewes kingdome Albeit herein I do not preiudicate to any mans opinioÌ„ but that euery man may abound in his owne sense As touching the yeare and time when this pestiferous sect of Mahumet first began histories do not fully consent Some affirming that it began an 621. and in the 10. yeare of Heraclius Emperour of Constantinople in whyche minde is Ioannes Lucidus As Munsterus counteth it was in the yeare of our Lord 622. Martin Luther Iohn Carion referreth it to the 18. yeare of the raigne of Heraclius which is the yere of our Lord 630. Unto the which nuÌ„ber the computation of the Beast signified in the Apocali doth not farre disagree whiche numbreth the name of the Beast with three Greeke letters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whiche Greeke letters after the supputation of the GreciaÌ„s make the number of 666. In this all writers agree that this damnable Mahumet was borne in the country of Arabia bordering on the East part of Iewry His father was a Syrian or a Persian his Mother was an Ismalite which Ismalites being a people of Arabia were called then Agarens which term Mahumet afterward turned to the name of Saracens Of this wretched Mahumete mention was made before pag. 124. where we shewed how he making himselfe the highest Prophet of all other yet denyeth not Christ to be an holy Prophet and next to him and Moses also to be an other Moreouer he denieth not Mary the mother of Christ to be a uirgin and to haue conceiued Christ by the holy ghost affirming further that Christ in his owne person was not crucified but another called Iudas for him He greatly coÌ„mendeth also Iohn the sonne of Zachary for a virgin wheÌ„ he himselfe permitteth a man to haue 4. wiues and as many concubines as he is able to finde sayth that where as Christ other Prophets had the gift geuen them to worke myracles he was sent by force of sword to compell men to his religioÌ„ The prodigious vanityes lyes blasphemies conteyned in his lawe called Alchoran are rather to be laught at then recited It is thought that Sergius a Nestorian was a great doer with MaÌ„humet in coÌ„triuing of this lying AlchoraÌ„ so it doth well appeare by the scope and pretence thereof which especially teÌ„deth to this end to take the diuinity froÌ„ the person of Christ whom he graunteth notwithstanding to be a most holy man also that he is receiued vp to God and shall come agayne to kill Antichrist c. Moreouer this ridiculous Alchoran is so blaunched poudered with so diuers mixtures of the Christians Iewes and the Gentiles lawes geuing suche liberty to all wantonnesse of flesh setting vp circumcision absteyning from swines flesh and Iudaicall lotions and so much standeth vpon Father Abraham that it is supposed of some this filthy AlchoraÌ„ not to be set out in the dayes of Mahumet but that certayne Iewes had some handling also in this matter and put it out after his death and so semeth first to take his force about the number of yeres limited in the Apocal. as is aforesayd where thus it is written He that hath intelligence let him count the number of the beast For it is the number of a man and his number is sixe hundred sixe score and sixe After this deuilish Mahumet had thus seduced the people teaching theÌ„ that he came not by miracles but by force of sword to geue his law that they which wil not obey it must either be put to death or els pay tribute for so be the wordes of the Alchoran and after that hee had gathered strength about him of the Arabians which Arabians theÌ„ had occasion to rebell agaynst the Emperor because theyr stipendes were not paid them of Heraclius the Emperors officers he began to raunge with force and violence in the partes of Syria bordering nere vnto him and first subdued Mecha then Damascus and further encreasing in power entred into Egypt and subdued the same From thence he turned his power agaynste the Persians with whome Cosroes the king of Parsia encountring with a puissaunt army ouerthrew the Saracens put Mahumet to fight Of these Persians came the Turkes which afterward ioining with the Saracens maynteyned them agaynst the Christians Ex Munster After the death of this beast which as some say was poisoned in his house succeeded Ebocara or Ebubecer his father in law or as Bibliander affirmeth his sonne in law who tooke vpon him the gouernmeÌ„t of the Saracens and gotte the Cittye Gaza and besieged also Hierusalem two yeares He raigned two yeares hauing for his chiefe City Damaicus After him folowed Omar or Ahumar who conquered a great part of Syria and got Egypt The 4. king of the Saracens after Mahumet was OdmeÌ„ then folowed Haly after him Muhanias which after the siege of 7. yeares obteined got the christian Citty of Cesaria also ouercame the Persians with theyr king Orunasda and subdued that country to his law Thus the wicked Saracens in the space of 30. yeares subdued Arabia got Palestina Phenicia Syria Egypt and Persia whiche came directly to the 666. yeares prophecied of in the Reuelations of S. Iohn as is aforesayd And not long after they proceded further and got Affrike and then Asia as in the processe of theyr story shal appeare the Lord willing Not long after Heraclius Emperor of Constantinople succeeded Constans his nephew who in the 13. yere of his Empyre fighting vnluckely agaynst the Saraceus in Licia was ouerthrown of Muhamas aforesayd in the yeare of our Lord 655. Which Constans if he were not prospered by the Lord in his warres it was no great
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
sinne For when as the Church doth containe all men which are called Christiās which also do agree come together in one beliefe of faith and participation of the Sacraments I do feare least some men will thinke that I do affirme all mē to be without sinne which is so far frō my meaning that I do verely thinke the cōtrary to be most true For I suppose that there is no man in the Church being clothed in this mortall flesh without sinne Neither do these things vary or dissent among themselues For the Church hath this gift that albeit euery part and mēber therof may sin yet the whole body can not sinne For there bee alwayes good men in the Church the which albeit that they be subiect vnto humaine fragilitie notwithstāding they haue so perfect a gift of sincere and pure vertue that subduing all carnall desires and affectiōs they keep themselues a pleasant and acceptable sacrifice vnto God Neither do I consent or agree vnto the opiniō of diuers which affirme that the Virgin Mary onely perseuered in faith at the Lordes passion Whereupon diuers haue not bene ashamed to say that the faith might be so debilitate and weakened that it should returne to one only old woman Whose opinion or rather madnes Saint Paule seemeth opēly to reiect writing thus vnto the Romaines do ye not know saith he what the Scripture writeth of Helias how incessantly he called vpon God against the childrē of Israell saieng O Lord they haue slayne thy Prophets and digged downe thine aultars and I alone am left and they seeke after my soule But what answere receiued he of God I haue left vnto my self yet vij M. men which haue not bowed their knees vnto Baal What other thing doth this answere of God declare then that it is a foolish opiniō of them which thinke the Church of God to be brought vnto so small number We ought to beleeue the words of Christ which are altogether repugnāt vnto those mē who affirme the the Virgine onely did perseuere in faith For Iesus sayd vnto his Father O holy father saue thē in thy name whome thou hast geuen me that they may be one as we are one Whē I was with them I kept them in thy name I haue kept them that thou gauest vnto me and none of them perished but onely the sonne of perdition And I do not desire that thou shouldest take them out of the world but that thou shouldest preserue them from euill Beholde Christ praieth that his disciples shoulde not fall but should be preserued from euill and he so praieng without doubt is heard for he saith in another place I know the thou hearest me But how is he heard if all those for whome he praieth swarned at the time of his passion As for example By what meanes did Christ hanging vpō the Crosse commende his dearely beloued mother vnto Iohn if so be he were either then swarued or should by and by after haue swarued from the faith Moreouer did not the Centurion by and by cry out and say truly this is the sonne of God The Iewes also which at that time were farre distant from Ierusalem might both be called faithfull and also saued by their faith seeing that as the Apostle sayth men are bound vnto the Gospell after it is once knowne and reuealed vnto them But let vs leaue these men and speake of that which is more likely and let vs iudge that there hath bin and is a great number of good mē in the Church and by thē as by the more worthy part let vs name the Church holy and immaculate the whyche doth comprehend as well the euill as the good For the Church is compared vnto a net which is cast into the sea and gathereth together all kinde of fishes And agayne it is compared vnto a King which made a marriage for his sonne and sent forth his seruantes to call those which were bidden vnto the wedding and they gathered together good euill as many as they could finde Wherfore their opinion is erroneus which affirme that only good men be comprehēded in the Church the which if it were true it would confound all things neither could we vnderstand or know where the Church were But for so much as the Scripture saith no man knoweth whether he be worthy of loue or hatred their opiniō is more to be alowed truer which include all the faithfull in the Church of whom although a great part be geuen to voluptuousnes and auarice yet some notwithstāding are cleane frō deadly sinne The which part as it is the most worthy it geueth the name vnto the church to be called most holy which is so often done that we are commaunded to sing in our Creede vnam sanctam Catholicam Apostolicam Ecclesiam that is to say one holy Catholicke Apostolicke Church the which Article the Synode of Constantinople added vnto the rest Wherefore if the Church be holy it is also without sinne But to returne to our former purpose this word Sanctum which signifieth holy as Macrobius alledging Trebatius affirmeth is sometimes taken for religious and sometimes for cleane and vncorrupt And after the same maner we call the Church holy as the Apostle Peter calleth it immaculate as we read in the famous Epistle of Clement To this end also tendeth that whiche is spoken by S. Paule that Christ is the head of the Churche For if the Churche should wholy sinne she should not agree with her head Christ who is in no pointe defiled This also Christ himselfe would signifie vnto vs in Mathew when he cōmendeth the house which wās builded vpō the strōg rocke against the whiche neither the windes neither the stormes could preuaile In the house of God sayth the Apostle which is the Church builded vpō the strong rocke which rocke as the sayd Apostle declareth is Christ. Who then is so vnshamefast that hee will affirme the Churche which is founded vpō Christ to be subiect to sinne will not rather cry out with the Prophet and say Domine dilexi decorem domus tuae That is to say O Lord I haue loued the beawtie of thy house Hereupon wrote Iohn Chrisostome this golden sentence The Church neuer ceaseth to be assaulted neuer ceaseth to be layne in wayte for but in the name of Christ it hath alwayes the vpper hād ouercame And albeit that other do lye in wait for it or that the floudes do beate agaynst it yet the foūdatiō which is layd vpon the rocke is not shaken S. Hillary also sayth that it is the propertie of the Churche to vanquish when it is hurt to vnderstād when it is reproued to be in safetie whē it is forsaken to obtaine victory when as it seemeth almost ouercome Thus by many reasons testimonies it is proued that the Church doth not erre which is not spoken or affirmed of the Bishops of Rome so that this reason doth