confirmacion to the same And cōtinued vntil such time as thēperour did hed him After that sorte was Paule made pope and Petrus was crucified Therfore hath it another menyng then the pope allegeth And of the same wordes Tu es Petrus They haue made them a lawe contrarie to the doctrine of christe and the Apostles the lyues of faithfull byshops THe same Bonifacius the third when he hadde begged the chief byshoprike of Phoca immediately after he wrote him selfe pope Bonifacius the thirde of that name He gathered al his bishops preistes togither and kept a concile at Rome And declared there openly that from that time forward a pope beinge chosen by the priesthode the cōmon people shuld be taken of asmuch authorite as if he were created by themperour admitted Lo there may we se the first thankes or reward that the pope gaue to themperour for the priuilege graunted vnto him takyng away from him his old rightes which were had ben themperours since the first christen emperour was That thēperour shuld make no more bysshops but the pope so shuld the bysshops lykewise be more obedient to the pope thē to themperour despetch al their matter at Constantinople wtout thēperour And thus began he priuily to rule cōmād his maister themperour of whom he hadde begged the priuilege The same was not done immediatly by rigeur but the pope suffred themperour to haue styl for a time his deputie at Rome which admitted the pope NOwe was it come to suche a point that the popes power wolde breake out and take vppon hym to be aboue themperoure And therfore when after the birth of Christe .viic. .xviii. yeares Leo the third of that name beinge emperoure dyd put downe Germanum a Patriarche at Cōstantinople and in his place set Anastasium The pope of Rome sent Gregory the third vnto themperoure wrote vnto him that he shuld putte Germanum into his place againe whiche themperoure wolde not do There beganne all the mischeife at ones The pope found the meanes that all Italy fel from themperour and forsoke him whiche none other pope hath done but they paciently suffered persecution he cursed also themperour Thinking whē thempire were deuided within it selfe he wold be emperour for he had alredy gotten him a greate name amonge the princes and gouernours Reason wold also require that he were not only the cheifhead by name but also in might and power and so wolde he kepe Rome and graunt thempire to whom he wolde and listed WHen now Constantinus the fifte the sonne of Leo the thirde was emperoure and somwhat offended with the pope zacharia by reason of his father whome Gregorius suffered to dye vnder his curse in Messambria and caused all Italye to fall awaye from him He purposed to haue brought thē againe vnder his subiection zacharius the pope fearing leaste Constantinus might shorten his winges againe soughte another maner of meane then super hanc petram vpon this rocke that is to saye Howe the pope came by rome him selfe He sent for helpe vnto Pipinus thadministratour of fraunce promisinge to make him kynge of Fraunce with the fauoure and good will of the Magistrates and rulers Was not this lykewise done in despite of themperoure And thus was the romishe empire deuided one toke here and another there The pope kept Rome as his owne HEre haue you the first kinge made by the popes power and the fauour of the rulers and gouernours accordinge to the tenoure of his spirituall lawes .xi. q. i. Te quidem Pipinus the firste kyng made by pope zachariā But this pope dyed the nexte yeare after and Stephanus the seconde came in his stede The whiche hadde muche sorowe and trouble by kynge Astulphum and likewise called vnto Pipinus to assiste the churche of Rome Insomuche that the kinge Pipinus toke his parte and dyd driue kinge Astulphum awaye from rome and gaue the pope Stephane Rauēnam with dyuers other cities ANd so is the pope successiuely become a ruler aboue emperours and kynges and al christēdome vniuersallye And hath forsaken the holy scriptures the gospell the footesteppes of the auncients pouertie sorrowe care and all other kyndes of persecutions and troubles c. Howe can he then be the mooste holy vycare of christe and successor of sainte Peter we fynde writen Deare brethern be my followers as I am the folower of christ .i. cor xi yf the pope with his company do folowe Christ then is it reason that we lykewise followe him But for their deuylish and abominable rule and doctrine is ther not one iote in scripture There is neither Peter nor Paule that wyl know them muche lesse wil Chryst hym selfe knowe them Thus shal they be answered nescio uos I know you not Quia operati estis iniquitatē you haue set forth your own noughtynes in summa ebrietate sicut fortes Ephraim in all filthynes and diuers other kyndes of vngodlynes which be not to be wrytten with the myght of this world LO hitherto haue you hadde in wryting the beginninge of the pope thaugmētacion of his state and thirdly his full power and myght Nowe shall you lykewyse beholde and se the same in the olde painted figures folowynge HOw be it many olde and faithful fathers perceyued and sawe it well yet durste they not clearelye sette it forthe excepte only by fygures Trustyng alwais that thorow the mercy of god a tyme shulde come when they myght be brought to lyghte And so clearly sette forth that it were impossible more sightlye to paint them This wyll we now do for the plaisure and to the profit of suche as can not reade To proue whether they be able to knowe a lyon by his clawes ⧠The pope in his pontificall robes on euerye syde a beare castynge them money in their mouthes and the holy ghost a syde of hym IN this estate began the byshop of Rome to sette hym selfe Anno .ccc.xi. at the tyme of Constantinus Magnus the which when he had ouercome Maxentiū graunted the Christianes to buyld churches and gaue excedynge greate giftes towarde it but neither londes nor people nor yet the cure of Rome as they saye he dydde When they smelled ryches and daylye coueted more and more then was goddes worde laide aside And afterwarde ouercame they all thinges as they do yet with monney Lordes dukes emperours kinges landes and people haue made subiect vnto them They hadde well studied the wordes of Philip the king of Macedonia where as he saithe that there is no castell no towne ye no land so stronge which cannot be won yf a moyle laden with money maye entre into it And thus mony ouercommeth all thinges And so haue they sette a syde the very true rocke which is Christe the fotesteppes of Peter and finally al maner of tribulations and persecutions Their church haue they buylded vpon them selues and therefore they may not endure or cōtinue They haue sought also their helpe by
confession and knowledge and the pope agree euen as fier and water what comparison is there betwene Christ and Beliall if the popes both in faith and lyuinge were to be compared with Peter so were there some hope to be hadde Math. v Mat. ix Luc◠xiiii But whiles he is but a corrupte and vnproffitable lalte hauing lost his sauour wherto doth he serue scasse to the dong hill And therfore is he dekeied Yet the pope that the scriptures wolde not maintaine him he hathe sought another meane or waie As is to be sene and redde in the popes Cronicles ¶ How longe that the byshops haue bene in the churche and when with the beginninge lykewise of the pope THe christians hadde but bishoppes vntill the time of Constantine Anno .ccc. xi And these byshops did nothing but study the holye scripture and taught the holy gospell to the people and exercised the same liued soberly The bishop of rome had no dominion ouer rome as he hathe nowe he was a curate vnto thē that was al. And bishops generallye according to their vocation taught the people the kingdom of god comforted and fedde the poore The communes gaue thē mony with other necessary thinges whiche they dealed among the poore people as the apostles dydde lyke wise There was moche spite wroughte againste them by diuers great and mightye men They were there to suffre Fewe of the magistrates were of their syde yf by chaunce one were with them tenne were against them as both themperoures and popes Cronicles testifie The persecutiō of the christē peple how they came togyther yet dyd they suffer al thinges for gods sake Item the commune people labored truelye and holpe one another and where as they might be sewrest there did they gather togither So hathe lykewise the holy Anthony done in egipt and brought many to christ and they encreased Insomuche that there dwelt certaine thowsandes of christians in the wildernesse of Egipt and liued by the gospell geuinge them selues to mortify the flesh daily labours This witnesseth s Ierom. Ierom. x◠BVt whē the foresaid Constātinus Magnus had ouercome subdued cruell Maxētius whiche persecuted al christiās he gaue licēce to the christiās being scattered abrode to build chirches openlye to preache the gospell geuinge them also certaine greate giftes towards the same but not the citie of rome neither yet landes nor people as the pope alledgeth in his lawes Constantinus gaue not rome to the pope Distinct .xcvi. Constantinus but kept them to him self his heyres and executors Constantius his sonne had the possession of rome euen as Constantinus his father had before him After Constātius Iulianus lykewise Iouinianus Valentinianus Gratianus and so forth WE read no where that the byshop then inuaded the Romains neither that he kept anye maner of warres Suche emperour such byshops but lyued poorelye And the byshop with the christians were many times inuaded by the emperoure BVt when Iustinianus after the birth of christ v c .xix. became emperour he redemed the bysshops oute of their miserye and dydde muche good vnto them After hym reigned Iustinianus his susters sonne which was so righteous that he compiled set in order all the institucions of themperours of rome whiche nowe we name themperiall lawes he buylded diuers goodly churches at cōstantinople and gaue them greate riches yearelye fode and sustinaunce The begynnyng of the popes ryches And by this meane the bysshops and preistes became somewhat more welthye then they were before ANno v c .lxxx. was Gregorius Magnus the first of that name made byshop of rome and one named Mauricius de Cappadocia the first that came out of grecia emperour when as before the byshop of rome was become somewhat myghty and riche they coulde not agree betwene them Insomoche that Mauricius became ennemy vnto Gregorye At the same tyme were the byshoppes somethinge yet persecuted as yet being faithfull And themperour continuyng in persecution of thē god permitted a plage to come ouer hym that he was takyn prisoner by Phoca that was chosen emperour in hys rome and causyd hym to be headyd When nowe Phocas Anno. vic. iii. kept hys seate at Constantinopell And the occidental empire that is Rome Italy France and Germanie were withoute a heade Practise to get londes and people the vice emperoure beinge slaine of the Gottishe kinge Theodorico The byshop of Rome thoughte in his mynd what yf thou hadste the dominion of the vice Emperowre that rowme neded not to stond open for a preye to euerye man For that cause wente Bonifacius the thirde vnto themperour Phoca to obteyne of hym that as in worldly dominion euery mā toke themperoure for the chief heade of all the worlde lykewyse the byshop of Rome might be the chief bishop within Christendome Then muste nedes followe that he must haue landes and men WHyles themperowre of Rome kepte his seate at Cōstantinople the byshop of Cōstantinople wrote hym selfe the chiefe bishop bicause of the empire Thys shrodely troubled the byshop of Rome called Bonifacius when and ī what bysshops time this name papa begā who went for the same cause to themperoure Phoca praienge hym instantlye to graunte to the seat of Rome hys Imperialle priuilege frō henceforth to be a bishop aboue al bishops that is Papa patrum And the byshoprike of Rome to be named the chiefe of all bishoprikes ALthoughe this priuilege wolde not so lyghtly be graunted yet he obteined it by continuall seute and begging This will they not be a knowen of nowe but saye that the pope is the supreme head and his romishe byshoprike to be aboue all byshoprikes by goddes ordenaunce .xxi. Quamuis and Distinct .xxii. omnes And themperour Constantinus say they sholde lykewise haue giuen this priuilege to be pope and his bisshoprike to be aboue al other which likewise appereth by their own Decret Distinc .xcvi. Constantinus They make of the priuilege whatsoeuer they wil the whiles it is to their profite And thus haue they writen it in their owne Decrees Thence commith the name of the most holiest father the pope The same haue they afterward colored with Christ his holy worde and Peter It sholde haue hadde no lykenesse to truth elles BVt how agre these thinges Constantinus did graunte the priuilege Gregorius the thirde broughte it to passe by Phoca And afterward must Christ confirme the same Haue the faithful olde bisshops before Constantynes tyme bene so ignorante that they vnderstode not the holy scriptures then is it no maruail that they were persecuted Yf they had set forth them selues by tymes with christes wordes they myghte haue bene in better case YF they hadde suche power of christe what neded they to entreate and flatter the vngodlye emperours for it when christus chose Paule to be an apostle amonge the heithēs he must nedes be it went also did as he was commaunded neding nether emperours nor kinges
innocent Abel neither hath the earthe dronke it in O god in thy kyngedome hathe the bloud of an Innocente man called vengeaunce vpon Cayne the fyrst murderer Howe can the innocentes bloude holde his peace so longe when the tyrantes haue bathed them selfes almost to the very kne in bloud neither thinke they as yet to hold vp Here neded well an Helias which thorowe the worde of the lorde spake to kyng Ahab in Israell 3. reg 11. 2. reg 12. Thou hast killed and taken possession of Naboths vineyarde Therfore in the place where the dogges lycked the bloode of Naboth there shal the dogges lycke euen thy bloude also c. But it semeth parauenture vnto the righteouse and mercifull god as yet to be no tyme. willynge his people to learne to be the more paciente Psal 9 vntyll the pytte be dygged vp for the vngodly Psal xciiii when the power of the Tiphones ones shal be gathered togither euen as Pharao As these gyauntes called Tiphones throughe the cōfidēce they had in their greate stature endeuoured to cōquire the heauens so dyd Pharo the chyldrē of Israell through the trust he had in his great multitude then shall it be sodenly done with them ¶ An vnicorne thrusteth the popes crowne from his heade HOwe be it the pope with his owne falseheade and subteltie hath gotten the reigne of this worlde by the deuyll for no christian euer helped another to suche a kyngdome he kepeth him self therin And though god haue putte him downe he wil not yet auoide yet shal the righteousenes of god come and iudge and euen vtterlye destroye the pope and expel and driue hym out of his reigne which is the deuylles by whome he gotte it with worldly power And the same signifieth the vnicorne LEt no Christiane be greued thoughe the pope and other tyrannes do yet sticke to their dominion before the face of the world Be it sufficient vnto him to know the iudgement of god and that the pope muste so longe remaine and walke in the same state and lyfe vntyll he happen ones sodenlye to come vnder the gallowes And than must he hange without redemption ALthough the keyes that is the power of absolucion is taken away from the pope yet is he sette here in spyte of all faithfull personnes to forgyue synne vntyll suche tyme as the zodomiticall synne be accomplisshed And then will god euen as he did send to the Iewes a Titum sende a Iehu to Baales preistes and suffre them 3. re 18. ◠4. re 9. 10. ◠one to destroye another BVt that the pope shoulde and muste be putte downe from a great dignitie and power And the whiles he hathe the deuyll the prince of this worlde to assist hym on his syde can not so soone be done as we meane so must his enemies be as strong as vnicornes DAVYD calleth vnto the God Psalm .xxii. Delyuer me frome the vnicornes Psal xxii ◠By them he meaneth doutles his myghty and stronge enemyes of the whiche he fearethe that he shall in no wise be delyuered except god helped him as namely was Saule with his company Lykewise the persecutours of Christe be named in this Psalme vnicornes by reason of their tirannye wherein they were lyke to the kynde and nature of the vnicorne Therof writeth Iob lykewise cap. xxxix Thinkeste thou that the vnicorne wil be so tame as to do the seruice Iob. 39. or to abyde styll by thy cryble Canste thou bynde the yoke aboute an vnicorne in thy forow to make hym plowe after the in the valeis maiest thou trust hym bycause he is stronge or commyt thy laboure vnto hym that he wyll brynge home thy corne or to cary any thinge to thy barne In no wise For it is to excedynge stronge fearfull and vnruely a beast THe very true horne of saluacion that shal ouerthrow all vngodlynes yf thou wylte spirituallye vnderstande it zacharias reciteth Luce. 1. Luc. i. And what soeuer god hath spiritually that is ordeyned by hym selfe that must alwayes procede in the world There can he well fynd an assure when his plaisure is and afterwarde breake the rodde also and cast it into the fyre Seynge the pope wyll haue it so that no man shal be able to resiste his power So muste there nedes come a more puissant and mightier than he that shall lyft him out of his neste that must he nedes a byde and must perish in the meane tyme let him defende him well Mat. 3.17 luce 3. Apo. 18. For then is all lost The axe is put vnto the roote of the tree and the workeman stryketh alreadye therein to pul out his roote from the grounde in somuch that men shall aske Apo. 18. where dyd Babylon the great citie stande ¶ By the pope lyeth a stronge oxe prayenge and the worldly gouernours beholde it styll IN the .xxii. Psa 22. Psalme complainethe Dauid vnto god saieng manye Oxen are come aboute me and fatte bulles close me in on euery syde There signifye the bulles and oxen doubteles the stronge enemyes of Dauid the kynge Saule with his adherentes But spiritually it appartaineth vnto the death and passion of Christ these twaine haue thorowe the helpe of god ouercome all their enemies as hauinge righte the pope as hauynge no right The whiche hath almost brought vnder him all princes landes cities and people for all these muste lye downe at the popes fete and kysse them deuoutly wisshing neuertheles to be disamist of it if possible were SEcondarely is lykewise this Oxe compared to the common poore artificer and husband man Seinge the Oxe is a common rude beaste and apt to all rude and hard laboures in the feldes and villages but selden in the greate cities fedde with no delicate meates but onely with heye and chapped strawe c. And is by the popes vngodly and tirannishe institutes so farre consumed that he can no more pul or drawe and so sore sucked out ye the very marye out of his bones that he is no more able to stonde but lyeth there wishinge delyueraunce of the popes tyrannye but all in vayne for suche as shulde helpe therin stand styll and loke vpon it And euery one putteth from hym as if it appertained not vnto hym By raison ought emperours kinges and princes here to putte to their handes and to helpe the poore oxe out of his miserye and so mighte their owne busines likewise prosper the better afterward And the subiectes shoulde become the more obedyent For the holy gospell hath taughte them how they shall behaue them selues towarde the potestates and rulers ye and they wold dowtles do it But in the reuelacion may we sone see what they be that worship the beaste Apo. 13. ◠And then shall we haue the reason and cause why it happeneth not And therfore becommeth of the paciente oxe a grimminge beare as shewethe the figure folowinge Falleth on the pope a griminge beare with her