are infinite past al nombre that are dayly blustred vp of hym whiche like as he walketh about as a roaring Lyon to destroy vs so is he most craftie in layeng of snares 1. Pet. 5. and false deceaueable baytes yet we ought before al thinges to considre two maters false doctrine the griefe of the crosse and persecution which are speciall snares to ouerthrowe our weaknesse withall For the deuil knoweth the disposicion of our nature that in diuine and heauēly affaires it is wonderfull dull and drowsye and maye very easely be deceaued but in other causes in religiō specially it estemeth euery thyng accordyng to the successe and spede so it is offended at persecution and aduersite By reason wherof we se that he vseth alwaies this knacke against the flocke of Christ that either he deceaueth the simple sorte with falsly cōceaued opinions or disquieteth them with cōtentions and wrangling disputatiōs or els he feareth them with the crosse of persecution and bloody warres of cruelly procured tyrannes Yf any man wolde require examples herof he shal mete them so thick that he shall not nede to take muche paine in searching of them For the deuelishe dreames of the Nazarenes maye stande for an example whiche iomble the lawe and Christ together and make his merite of none effecte And whan those dreames were euen scarcely repressed ther was persecucion done by that monstre of nature Nero. Hervnto we maye make rehersal of Cerinthus and his successour that prodigious slaue of lechery pryde crueltie Domitianus Among these we wil reckē Arrius and the tyrānes that folowed his heretical madnesse And lyke as the nerer we drawe to th ende of the world so muche that more pernicious and more perilous is euery thing so in our tyme we see that myghtye houge Antichrist the bishop of Rome farre excede al his predecessours in tyranny and so outragiously raue wyth bothe these sweordes that a man can not wel discerne with whether he dothe hurte the churche The vertue of the Popes doctrine the sorer For he hath brought in doctrine that is cleane contrarie repugnaunt to the true doctrine For it draweth men from God maketh them to serue creatures it teacheth mē also to seke saluacion in their owne merites and to trust in their owne strenghtes He hath also forged suche a kynde of religiō as hath more twitle twatle toyes in it then the Leuitical lawe and al the supersticion that euer the gentiles vsed Yea it is patched together with parte of both of them and is most farre of frō spirite truthe Ioh. 4. And yet vnder pretense of this religion he is aduaunced to so highe power and tyranny that he is hable to compel them that repyne against it to represse them that speake against it to kil and slea them that resiste can not beleue it Therfore the lyeng spirite of errour playeth the deuil in the churche at this daye and the Bishop of Romes tyrānical swoord layeth on load withal and that not vpō priuate persons now as in tymes past long ago but vpon most myghtye Princes the most famous cyties yea vpon al sortes of people his sweorde is drawen maketh streames of blood to renne downe euery where For now we see great cities takē and throwē downe fieldes laide waste honest wemē and maydēs defiled with abominable lecherie and yong babes also either killed or elles which is the more horrible maymed of their limmes We se the flowre of youthe brought to the horrible wyckednesse of buggery and al hole Germany in the meane space euery where cruelly vexed And albeit that chosen instrumēt of Satan Antichrist rage with open tyranny yet by ioynyng lyes to his tyranny his drift is to cloke his deuillishe attemptates and the occasions therof to enueagle the vnlearned and simpler sorte with false forged causes craftily to cause many folkes to hate the truthe of the Gospel true religion Let vs awake therfore brethren seing we are placed in the watche towre let vs reproue the sweorde not that is yet commyng but presently come and layeth on loade yea and batheth it self all ready in the bowelles of the flocke For in this case ther is many a mannes faithe assayed Ther be som whych bicause they perceaue not the feate of forgeing of lies are sone begyled Ther be some which bicause they can not discerne the true doctrine ymagined supersticiō asondre take falshead for truthe And som ther be that are yet still afraide of the thōder bolt of the Romyshe curse that is to saye Antichristes curse And som ther be also which are so offended whan the crosse and heate of persecucion cometh that after that triall euery mā maye plainly perceaue they receaued the sede of the Gospell in to stonye grounde In this case therfore is our diligēt cure required good brethren In this behalfe it standeth vs necessarily in hande to shewe our selues faithful watchemen so as the people being warned by vs maye be hable to knowe false fained doctrine to beware of forged supersticion to shonne the baites snares of lies and in no wise to be offēded whā persecuciō cometh And principally it shal be our parte to geue the onsette vpon the autour of so haynous a mischief the bishop of Rome whom not only the prophetes but also Christ and thapostles according to the histories directly proclayme to be the right mightie houge Antichrist He it is therfore whom our duetie is to reproue to set him out plainly in his colours for the congregatiōs to loke vpon him that no man be amased by reason of his falsly causeles vsurped persone or title or be afrayde of his vayne gōneshotte of wordes bicause of his pratīg power And against forged supersticion lyeng doctrines ther is doutles no presenter a remedye than to knowe the truthe For where the lyght of the truthe spreadeth out his beames ther maye the deuil put vp his pypes for any hurt he can do with his darke dongeon of lyes As for the talkes of some fyne fyngred tēdrelinges they are not worth the hearing which bycause they are afrayde of their owne carcasse and pelfe wolde in no wise haue an enemye of so great myght power spokē against to be prouoked through such maner of open mouthed playne declaraciōs Is ther not vnquiet trouble ynough otherwise saye they Is ther not dissension tumultuous vproares ynough besides what auaileth it to throwe fire in to the fornace and oile in to the fire I beseche you good brethren felowe curates beare wyth me though I answer these men playnly home at fewe wordes For I coulde easily cōtemne their prittle prattle talking if ther were not som of their company that loke to be reported not only for fanonrers of the gospelles truthe but euen doctours also and that not of the cōmon sorte of doctours Who forasmuche as they wōderfully myslike this worke which I purpose to
so must al they nedes be false Christes that set out who is a false Christ them selues for redemers and saueours of men And than also they are false prophetes shewe a false Christ as many as teache men to seke saluacion and redempcion forgeuenesse of synnes the waye of lyfe the grace of God and the true eternall blessednesse any wher elles than at the fole and only sonne of God our redemer and saueour Iesus Christ Wherof it is in this place to be noted that this worde Christ is vsed for redemer saueour and reuenger so that the meanyng of our Lordes wordes is this Whan the destruction of the temple citie begynneth to drawe nere O brethren ther shall ryse many that shall boast them selues to be saueours of the people shall wythdrawe many of the people vnto their partes for asmuche as they also shal haue Apostles Prophetes of their owne that shall praise theÌ„ vnto the symple rude people And in like case ther shall not a fewe in the later tymes goo before my glorious commyng which shall boldely take vpon them to be that thing that none is but only I that is to saye they shall crepingly insinuate them selues in mennes consciences to be suche through false setting furthe and wicked arrogauncie as thoughe they hade in their handes the grace of saluacion redempcion forgeuenesse of synnes euerlasting life Beleue not these maner of men yea although they sende furthe preachers of their name and doctrine neueâ— so many to praise them most highly wyth wordes and studious diligence yea and though they do miracles and suche wonders as haue hitherto ben scarcely sene or knoweÌ„ of For they are deceauours most falselyeng seducers of the simple rude coÌ„mon people Beholde therfore I haue tolde you before and forewarned you Learne you this lesson at least waye to remembre my warninges and to beware and to escape so great a mischief Now thaÌ„ like as Christ faithfully admonished those that his were of these thinges euen so the mater it self beareth recorde that he was a true prophet the veritie of the dedes afterwarde proued hys sayeng true For if a man coÌ„sidre the destruccion of the citie and temple and the thinges that went before it he maye fynde that ther were many of this kynde of guydes and rulers connyngly sene in craftie deceates that is to wete a sorte of magical philosophers coÌ„nyng in deuillishe sciences other wicked knackehardye felowes amoÌ„g the nombre of whom a certain Egipcian is chiefly reckoned than Caphedon Theodas and others which like as through their false ê“mises allured the people that were of them selues to muche inclined to sedicioÌ„ eueÌ„ so were they Autors vnto many of most depe miseries and extreme sorowes Loke for these maters in Iosephus the 20 boke of antiquities the 11. 1â— and 14. chap. Furthermore in case False Christes in the primatiue churche we marke respectiuely the apostles tymes and the thinges that chauÌ„ced about the primatiue churche it shall euidently appeare that euen at that tyme also many rose which partly toke vpon them the office to geue the grace of God and the giftes of saluacion and partly which declared that they must be hade som wher elles thaÌ„ at our sole and only redemour Iesus Christ For to this meanyng the texte ought to be applied that we reade in Act. 8. the actes of Symon magus which was so sawcye as to name him selfe the mightie power of God To this sayeng also the swarmes of heretikes are to be accoÌ„pted which by by euen in the apostles tymes or sone after arose withdrewe meÌ„nes myndes from Christ Iesus miserably disquieted mennes consciences with their doctrine Herevnto shal worthily be referred the blaspemous helhouÌ„d the deuilles owne mynion that deceauour Mahomet Mahomet who as he is the autor of a new lawe hath with his abominable entreprise feined also a new kingdome of heaueÌ„s not hearde of before newe blessednesse newe waye of saluacion and a newe secte To be short vnto this purpose belong they that from the lippes forewarde as touchyng the title aduaunce the religion and faith of Christ and for al that they commonly set furthe remission of synnes the grace of God the father eternall lyfe and saluacion not in the only merite of our saueour Iesu Christ but trayne awaye mennes simple rude myndes to other purposes Of this sorte we saye that all the Popishe doctours are which in dede Teachers of Popery professe Christ wyth their mouthe but yet the maner of theÌ„ is to teache the folowers of their doctrine religion to put their trust partly in their owne workes and merites partly to trayne them vnto Saintes merites vnto Saintes intercession vnto Popes pardones vnto Saintes ymages and finally vnto many suche sortes of trifles and fantasies of maÌ„nes brayne or rather supersticion and also to seke comforte of mynde peace and quietnesse of coÌ„sciences in suche gaire For it shal appeare more clear than the daye lyght that euen these sortes of men are no lesse ment by Christes wordes than the other sortes are in case the thinges that are spoken of in this place be compared with their tradicions For they are not afrayde to declare not only that remission of synnes and saluacion of soules must be atteyned by som other meanes than at our saueour Christ but also to set furth eueÌ„ that same our Lorde him selfe in sondry places contrary to the autoritie of the scriptures and of the worde of God For as concerning Christ which was hanged on the crosse and dyed and after that whan he was raised vp agayne from deathe caried his very owne true bodye into the heauens in the sight of his disciples they teache contrary besydes the plaine articles of our catholyke faithe and besydes the truthe of the holy scriptures that he is conteyned without all doubte in the sacrameÌ„t of the aultare corporally also in the same substauÌ„ce as he was hanged on the crosse and offred vp him selfe for vs and that he lieth enclosed in the churches or boxes as they call them that are consecrate to that ende and so they shewe him in those same places to the sely rude people whom they haue wyth their tradiciones faÌ„tasies brought in to suche a madnesse that they forgette the faithful admonicion of this our Lorde Iesu Christ and put their confidence in these mennes tryfling toyes a great parte of meÌ„ folowing these deceauours goo about to seke the Lorde Christ the saueour of the worlde in breade in boxes in the aultare in other soÌ„dry sortes of places And how great and how farre out of square this errour of the world is it shal be declared in other places more plenteously God so willing And forasmuche than as we heare that the Lorde Christ him self in this place nameth false Christes And seing that mencion is made of suche maner of deceauours which by theyr false prophetes
most victorious king Iesus Christ shall suffre him to haue so great autorite who at leynght wyth his iust iudgement shall slea and despeche that fearce and prowde aduersarie wyth all his membres and wyth sentence past calling again shall iudge him to be punyshed in the torment of vnqueÌ„cheable fyre Hereunto ther shal be a faithful admonicioÌ„ takeÌ„ out of Christes wordes instede of a coÌ„clusioÌ„ how the godly ones faithfull folkes ought to behaue theÌ„ selues vnder his rageing tyrannye And in dede I shall by the grace of God purpose to treate of all these maters with suche for sight and diligence as shall lye in my best possible power to doo Now as perteynyng to the furst wher Antichrist was borne question of Antichristes original begynnyng and the place of his birthe the holy goost hathe sufficiently and perfitely instructed vs by Daniel the Prophet which saithe that the litell horne by the which we hearde in the Homilie before that Antichrist was figured sprong out of the fourthe beast that is to wete out of his head as of that parte wherof hornes commonly vse to growe out Now forsomuche as this fourthe beast is a figure of the fourthe monarchie that is to saye of the empire of Rome as it is before largely ynough declared it foloweth yea it is out of all paraduenture euen by the vnfailing demonstracion of the holy goost that Antichrist shall spring out of the empire of Rome yea and out of the heade of it that is to wete out of the principal citie Rome euen ther he must be sought for Here vnto that sayeng must partly be referred that How the temple of god is to be vnderstand here Paule thapostle speaketh of the departing and that he teacheth that his seate must be placed in the temple of God For that sayeng may not in any wise be expouÌ„ded of the temple of Ierusalem but it ought to be vnderstaÌ„den of the felowship and congregacion of the faithfull which is the true and lyuing temple of God NotwithstaÌ„ding least the dulnesse of our witte might doubte somthing in this behalfe our Lord Iesus Christ himselfe dothe shewe yet more euidently and more clearly poynteth as it were wyth his fyngre that Antichrist must be borne in the very citie of Rome For in that reuelacion which he shewed to his beloued disciple Iohn the Apo. 17. great aduersarie of Christ is ment by the Image of the hoore which sytteth vpon many waters is caried vpon a mightie beast an vnknowen that gothe rageing grymmely wyth seuen headdes armed wyth ten hornes And the angell willing to interprete the mysterie of the Image to Iohn thapostle saithe that the waters wher the woman sitteth are the people and folfe and naciones tongues whom she shall beare rule ouer And that woman quam he whome thow sawest is the great citie which hathe rule ouer the finges of the earthe and the seuen heades are the seuen mountaines wher vpon it is sette Now who is it that seeth not herin the openly manifest and euident descripcion of the citie of Rome For Rome if a man considre the olde circuite of the walles comprehendeth wythin it seuen mountaynes and that of famous reporte in the monumentes of olde writours of which mountaynes bothe the tokens and the names remayne euen yet to this daye And the same Rome whaÌ„ Domitianus was Emperour ther in whose tyme Iohan thapostle being banished for the faithe of Christ in to the I le of Pathmos receaued this reuelacion of the Lorde reigned hade empire ouer the kinges of the earthe For at that tyme the power of the Romaynes hade conquered and subdued wyth their marciall powers the greatest parte of al the hole world vnder their autoritie empire By reason wher of it is vndoubtedly playne by most certain reasones argumeÌ„tes that Antichrist must be borne of the empire of Rome place his seate in the head of it that is to wete in the very citie of Rome And this I saye more ouer The B. of Rome is the great Antichrist ê“fesse frely bothe wyth mouthe mynde that the chief mightie greatest Bishop which hauing his seate in the citie of Rome chalengeth to him self the dominion name of the same citie is the very right and great Antichrist the exceding enemie of Christ our saueour like as in these that folowe we shall wyth a thicker raÌ„ke of argumentes most euidently declare Therfore those men erre and be toto muche deceaued as mani as put their coÌ„fideÌ„ce in those fals feined popishe gloses mynde to seke for the right Antichrist either in the citie of BabiloÌ„ or Ierusalem They are deceaued also no lesse begyled than the other before as many as being entaÌ„gled with the blynd folishe loue of the empire which at this why Mahomet is not the right Antichrist present is coÌ„moÌ„ly called SanctuÌ„ RomanuÌ„ imperiuÌ„ the sacred empire of Rome crye out sayeng that Mahomet the autor of the Turkish faythe and religion is that great enemie of our saueour why Mahomet is not the right Anticrist Christ and Antichrist to thinteÌ„t they might by that meane expelle the slauÌ„derous marke of Antichristes name froÌ„ that empire of theirs which they haue in so great estimacion and obedience For albeit no true faithfull person dothe doubt that Mahomete is a most pestilent wicked man a singular enemye of Christ our Lorde a most cruell persecutour of Christes churche an abominacion to be abhorred wyth all the powers of our heartes and a most pernicious seducer of very many men yet for all that we shall neuer be hable to proue that he is the notable and great Antichrist inasmuche as he was nother borne in the head of the Romayne empire that is to saye in Rome but in Arabie farre distaunt from Rome ne yet placeth nor occupieth his seate in the temple of God that is to wete in the congregacion among them that reioyce to be compted christianes but maketh a manifest departing quyte from them teareth awaye the name of Christ wyth so vehement hate and wickednesse that he can in no wise abyde to vse it to the professing of his relygion Which not withstanding are al applied by the notable sayengs bothe of the prophetes and the apostles vnto that mightie houge Antichrist Therfore in this case we nede no white tongued wordes nor groping reasones of flaterers of suche as saye as other men saye but rather if we intende to com to the certain and vnfailing knowlage of Antichrist it is requisite for vs to seke him in that place wher he is most accustomed to hauÌ„t that is to wete at Rome wherof euen our elders in tymes past not without the mocion of Goddes prouidence commonly vsed this coÌ„mon prouerbe The nerer a man cometh to the citie of Rome the farther he is of from the faithe and religion of Christ The meanyng of whiche prouerbe
although they lytel considered yet it is a most true sayeng For the nerer we are vnto Antichrist so muche the farther of we must nedes be from Christ Iesu vnto whom it becomed vs to cleaue with a constauÌ„t vndisseuered faithe Let this be sufficiently ynoughe sayde of the mater that we propouÌ„ded in the furst place We must now therfore passe ouer to the secoÌ„de question that is to were we must searche by what meanes reasons Antichrist shal occupie that so large so mightie an Empire of his Howbeit we shal knowe euen that same by the notable sayenges bothe of Daniel the prophet Paule thapostle which coÌ„sidered we will compare the bishop of Rome and his empire and tiraÌ„nye with them to thintent it maye euideÌ„tly appeare vnto vs whether it be he whom they haue set furthe in their writinges Daniel therfore mencioneth that the fourthe beast had ten hornes as he marked wel the hornes the litel horne by whom as I haue sayd Antichrist is figured growed vp whiche whaÌ„ it had taken away .iii. of the furst hornes it occupied their roume And the interpretour of these sayenges the angel teacheth that by the ten hornes ten kinges are represented which shoulde spring vp in the fourthe Empire that is to say the Empire of Rome Howbeit as sone as they are risen vp he saithe that Antichrist shoulde growe vp also which euen at the furst begynnyng of his kingdom shoulde oppresse three kinges and with their streingthes and substauÌ„ces which he shal chaleÌ„ge to him self shoulde confirme his owne kingdom Hereunto the sayenges of Paule agree in euery coÌ„dicioÌ„ which sayeth that a Departing shall com furst and than the man of synne the childe of perdicion shal be reuealed And a litell after he signifieth the very same thing sayeng For euen now the mysterie of iniquitie dothe worke and that only 2. Thes 2. is behinde vntil he that hindreth him be taken out of the waye thaÌ„ that wicked one shal be opened c. Which wordes of thapostle the eldest most catholike doctours of the churche saye ought to be vnderstandeÌ„ of the Empire of Rome that is to wete bicause whan it is takeÌ„ out of the waye Antichrist should starte vp which thaÌ„ was holdeÌ„ backe through the myghtie power of it For in dede Antichrist coulde not chalege to him self the Dominion of the citie of Rome nor reigne in it as long as the empire yet florished and increaced his power And for that cause the prophete Daniel maketh mencion that the empire of Rome must be diuided in to ten that is to saye many kingdomes And Paule maketh reporte of a Departing by the which many naciones and people shoulde departe froÌ„ the empire of Rome create kinges princes of their owne Than whan the empire of Rome throughe suche scismes and departinges shronke in to decay Antichrist hade occasion and place to burst out in to the same his Empire In this behalfe reade the sayenges of S. hierome to Algasia and of S. AusteÌ„ in his 20. boke intitled De Ciuitate Dei the. 19. chap. also the sayenges that Tertullian before them set furthe coÌ„cerning the Resurrection of the bodie and it shall openly appeare that I dashe in no newe nor straunge sense vpon this place But how this gaire hathe according to the sayengs of the scripture come to passe after what sorte they haue ben fulfilled in dede by the bishoppes of Rome we shall now shewe out of the most credible approued historie writers bothe of the greke and the latine At the tyme that whaÌ„ the greuous and horrible persecuciones of Christes churche were slaked which the The historie of the beginnyng successe of the Bisshoppes of Rome most cruell emperours of Rome had stered against it the administratioÌ„ of the Romane empire came vnto ConstaÌ„tine the great Helenes sonne who whaÌ„ he hade grauÌ„ted peace to the faithful christianes which they hade long wished for in the. 25. yeare of his Empire which was al most the CCC xxxvi year from Christ our saueours birthe he ordayned the citie of BizantiuÌ„ to be the seat of his Empire which whan he hade builded and garnished with many roiall buildinges he called it after his owne name Constantinopole And that was the occasion of the furst diuision of the Empire of Rome and shortly after it engendred also a very scisme in dede For the mightie chief emperour and monarke of the worlde reignyng at ConstaÌ„tinopole was called the king or the emperour of the easte And Cesar his felowe in office which bare the swynge at Rome they called the emperour of the west And this furst diuisioÌ„ of the Empire endured coÌ„tinually vnto the tyme of Valentinianus the thrid about Cxx. yeares that is to wete vnto the yeare of our Lorde CCCC lvi But in the meane while ther beganne a certain of nacions to conspire newe maters and in rising against the empire of Rome to set them selues at libertie by reasoÌ„ wherof the Departing came by and by whiche we haue read in Daniel and Paule the apostle For ther rose vp the most warlike people of the Vadalianes Gotthianes FreÌ„che men Lumbardes and Herulanes and many other besydes which as sone as they had created them kinges of their owne people they got on harnesse rebelled against the empire of Rome But as sone as Valentinianus the .iii. of that name was slayne at Rome of his owne folkes and ended his lyfe and west Empire al at once one Maximus a cytezen of Rome maried Valentinianus wyfe Eudoxia to hym selfe against her will Than commeth by by Gensericus the kyng of the Vandalianes beyng called out of Aphrica he inuadeth the cytie of Rome and whaÌ„ the tyrauÌ„t Maximus was slayne pulled in pieces and cast into Tiberis he caried Eudoxia Valentinianus the Emperours wyfe ouer into Aphrica And after him many inuaded the Empire of Rome Howbeit ther was none that reigned stably nor long seyng one slewe an other so as it myght trulier haue ben called a warfaryng thaÌ„ a reigning The last of them was Augustulus hauing a name of an vnlucky fortune who whan he had catched holde of the west Empire Odoacer king of the Herulanes gathered a great an huge exceding furnished armye of people out of Germanie and through he gothe into Italie And at Ticinum TicinuÌ„ is a citie in Lumbardie which now is called Pauia Orestes the father of Augustulus mette him and was ouercome and slayne in notable manly fightyng By reason wherof Augustulus threwe away his robes Imperial dignitie for feare and fled away from Rome Odoacer occupieth al Italie he entreth the cytie Rome called Odoacria lyke a conquerour and hauyng chauÌ„ged the name of it he called it after him selfe Odoacria And in dede after this sorte the empire of Rome whose myghtie power had letted Antichrist â—s Paule sayeth that he coulde not burst out was despeched oppressed and all together decaide about the yeare of
them that was yet lefte in the west parte of the empire and to translate it from them som whider elles and that they might get suche Emperours whose powers they shulde haue the lesse nede to be adradde of and by whose autoritie and empire they shoulde be defended from the driftes and conspiracies of their foes For which cause Leo the thrid sake pope Leo the thrid being endued wyth very large benefites of Charles the great and seing euidently his valeaunt courage of stomacke his notable boldenesse his ioyous successe of victories his redy good wil wythal towardes the churche of Rome the Bishoppes of the same toke vpoÌ„ him so bolde an entreprise to doo so great a feate as none of his pÌ„decessours euer did greater nor aueÌ„tured with more perile that was to traÌ„slate the empire Than to thintent he might get the most men to fauour his purpose and the more easily bring the mater to passe that he wolde he complayned long many tymes to the people and cleargie of Rome of the decayed streynght of the empire and of the vnprofitablenesse of the greke emperours For they ê™ he dwelling being so very farre of can be hable in no wise to assiste sely Italie being many wayes distressed especially seing they were daily vexed with newe and that most haynous batailes And therfore sauegarde peace and freedome can not be better restored to Italie again than if a newe chosen emperour in the west take vpon him all the dignitie of the empire and the charge of the same These wordes in dede moued many meÌ„nes heartes which being ledde wyth the likelyhode of the wordes perceaued not manifestly what the popes drift was Than perceauing the greatest parte of the people to incline to his purpose in the yeare of our Lorde Iesu Christ DCCCiij he brought the mater to ful effecte For in Petres churche after the solemne seruice by the sentence and at the besechinges of the people of Rome the pope ordayned Charles with a great lowde voice emperour gaue him the crowne Imperial and ther vnto the people of the Romaynes shouted three tymes aloude To Charles the mightie crowned of God the great and peacemaking Emperour be life and victorie And albeyt the greke emperours toke these maters right greuously yet they were not hable to leste these thinges froÌ„ doing bothe in that they were turmoiled with innumerable warres and also bicause the empresse Hirene being polluted with the cruel murthering of her sonne stered vp newe hurly burlies and exceding great stormes of busynesse for she can in nowise seme to haue ben vnknowing of this dede seing Charles now made emperour went about to mary her she her selfe not being discoÌ„tented So the bishoppes of Rome vsing these knackes promoted the Frenche kinges their most earnest defendours and most trusty aiders with wonderful sleyght subtiltie to the highe dignitie of the empire by whose helpe and mayntenaunce they became afterwarde of higher power than all their enemies Than after Lewis that was called Pius gaue Rome to the Pope emperour Charles the great Lewis his sonne succeded who also for his great liberalitie was very dearely beloued of the bishoppes of Rome for that cause they named him Pius godly or deuout For he did not only coÌ„firme the gifte of his progenitours that is to saye of Pipine his grandfather and of his father Charles but he also wonderfully augmented it and gaue them ouer those thinges they hade before the citie of Rome with his iurisdicioÌ„ and al the landes rouÌ„de about with the cities hauens and sea coastes of Hetruria Wher vpon bishop Antichrist is encreaced agayn with newe streynghtes is become Lorde of the olde auncient seat of the Empire that is to wete Rome Ther is no cause welbeloued christian brethren why we shoulde maruaile that the bishop of Romes dignitie and power growed vp on such an heyght that he hade all the bishops not only of Italie but also of Fraunce Germanye and Spayne vnder their daungier and in subiection to their sea seing they coulde fynde out such men to be their defendours and patrones which hade the administracion of all those naciones and the power of the empire it self in their owne handes Nowe though all these maters which we haue hitherto made rehearsall of are muche vnworthye and also full of wickednesse and falsehead yet the bishoppes of Rome not conteÌ„t herewith thought they might be bolde to doo more vnworthye more wicked entreprises thaÌ„ al those And to thintent they might vse their dignitie and power with the more ease quietnesse they were nothing ashamed at all to mocke the Frenchemen also with the same falshead that they practiced before against the greke emperours For they thought to chearishe and make muche of Princes and peoples freÌ„dship so farre as it might serue to mayntene their pleasur idlenesse Kyng Beringarius And for that cause wher as Berengarius whych at that tyme bare the rule in the LuÌ„bardes landes greued al Italie very muche with his power disquieted it many wayes the Frenchemen cam not whan they were called but gaue ouer their aide froÌ„ the defeÌ„ce of Italie of the church of Rome ne yet folowed the example of their auÌ„cettours forewardenesse in that behalfe Bishop Agapetus and after him Iohn the. 13 of that name wrote lettres to Ottho which thaÌ„ being king of Germanye Prince of SaxoÌ„ was after warde made emperour and garnished wyth this syrname Augustus humbly beseching him for the loue of God the apostles Petre Paule to de liuer the holy churche of Rome out of the daungier of Berengarius and his coÌ„plices In this mater Ottho being a very mightie Prince and moued Ottho also by other meÌ„nes instaunt desires and lettres tendred the bishoppes peticiones And therupon he gathered a great armye of Germaynes cam in to Italie He ouercame Berengarius and whan he hade takeÌ„ him prisoner he banished him away wyth his wife and Albert his sonne in to Babenberge and so deliuered all Italie from the feare and tyrannye of him And than like a conquerour he entred the citie of Rome and was most honourably receaued of pope IohnÌ„ and crowned in the title of the Empire of Germany Pannonye To be brief this IohnÌ„ through whose crafte and deuise the empire was translated was he that as the Italian writours recorde being euen froÌ„ his springing youthe tyme spotted with al the villanye in the worlde and all filthynesse and geuen more to hunting if he hade any spare tyme from hooring than to praier shamed the churche of Rome wonderfully with his lyuing polluted that sea in many behalfes and at leynght being takeÌ„ in the abominable synne of hooredome was slayne and suffred worthie paynes of his wickednesse and hooreoome But how muche either of honour or profite in the wanyaunt came hereof vnto king Ottho being otherwise a very good and a right noble man it
Benedicte ye. 5. was created pope by making Benedicte the. 5. Iohn̄ the. 14. of a sedicion And shortly after Iohan the 14. toke the seat who being in an vproare by the Romaynes dryuen out of the cytie and returnyng the eleuēth moneth of his exile vsed such crueltie against his foes as hade ben mete to haue ben practiced rather by the most bloodthursty tirannes Phalaris Dionise and other like them than by the apostles of Christ After Iohan succeded Benedicte the Benedicte the. 6. 6. which was takē of Cinthius a citeze of Rome and shutte vp in to Adrianes pile and shortly after he was strangled in the same place Whom albeit Platina wold fayne excuse with worthy reasones yet being offeded wyth those bishops most mischieuous maners he is enforced to saye Vereor ne talia fuerint Benedicti merita quale praemium a Cinthio consequutus est That is to say I am afrayde least Benedictes desartes were suche as the rewarde was that he receaued of Cinthius Than next after Donus the seconde Boniface the. 7. whose sirname Bonisace the. 7. countrey by reasō of his basse astate is vncertain obteyned to be pope through noughtie sciences And by the power of the magistrates the setting on of good citezenes he was compelled to flee the citie stealing awaye al the preciousest Iewelles out of saynt Petres churche he fled to Constātinopole taried ther so long till he hade solde the wares that he had takē awaye by sacrilege so hade gotē together a great deale of mony which he vsed as an helpe to practice his tyrānie cam again to the citie going about to corrupte the citezenes of Rome with rewardes But the good men wtstode his purposes specially Iohā that diacon Cardinal whom whā the B. hade takē by the helpe of a sorte of myschieuous felowes he thrust out his eies out of hād Howbeit that autor of so great myschiefes the sedicion encreaceing more and more wtout fear as Platina hauing alwaies a better hope of those holy fathers saithe wythout repentaunce of the dede that he hade done died miserably and filthyly Iohan the 15. of the name in the thrid moneth of hys popeheadde was takē Iohn̄ the. 15. by the Romaynes bicause of his tirānye vsing being shutte vp in Adrtanes pile as in the cōmon warde was pyned ther so long wyth the stynke of the prison with hungre grief of mynde till he shamefully fynished his life After him succeded Iohn the 16. who was in wōderful hotte hatred against Iohn̄ the. 16. The charitie of the Pope and clergie the cleargie wherupō he was iustly hated of the cleargie again But specially bicause he gaue out al bothe diuine humane treasures to his kinsfolkes and alliaunce and so God wotteth he set aparte the honour of God and that dignitie of that sea of Rome leauing an example of this right naughtie vsage to his successours which the bishoppes wyth most diligēt endeauour folowe the like euen at this present daye Now therfore let euery hartie man iudge right louing brethrē in Christ whether all good men haue not iustly cōplayned of the bishoppe of Romes tyrannie and wickednesse seing that sea hathe hatched vp so many knaues tyrannes theues robbers murtherours sedicion sowers and open churche robbers as we haue rehearsed and all wythin these lxxxv yeares And I pray you who wold honour it as an holy see inasmuche as it could abyde so many pestilent myschiefes And for al these their regestres were neuer ful ynough of such mischeuous villanes popes as these were For scarcely a dousin yeares after that Iohn Iohn̄ the. 18. the 18. of that name stearte vp who pope Gregorie the 5. being yet a lyue occupied the papacie by meanes of diuision and rewardes And for that cause Platina calleth him a theefe and a robber and in the. 10. moneth of his vsurped popeship he made a shameful ende of his life His successour was Siluester the secōde who as we said a litel before was promoted to be pope by the deuilles diligent payne taking Anon after this folowed Benedicte the. 9. Benedicte the. 9. Siluester the. 3. Gregory the. 6. Siluester the. 3. and Gregorie the. 6. thre most vggly monstres which like as they sought gredily to haue that see by rewardes euē so playeng wickedly among them selues they were not afraide to sell this honour and dignitie and to redeme it again one of another for money Whervpō sence they were notoriously bruted to be wicked vsers of Symonie they did great iniuries and ther withall great shames vnto the see of Rome After these succeded Clement the seconde whom Damasus poisoned Clement the. 2. Damasus and toke the popes rowme vpon him self with shame ynough And these sixe most naughtie villane knaues as we reade were all bishoppes of Rome within 46. yeares space But what nede is it to reckē thē vp which without all doubt haue either vnlaufully occupied this see or elles more wickedly haue ordred it and all but a fewe yeares a goo inasmuche as three bishops of this see of Rome are yet freshe in memorie which by the autoritie of the coūsail of Constaunce were depryued of their dignitie for their most vngracious desartes Let them be marked also if it so please you that within our fathers remembraunce and ours haue bē bishoppes of Rome and we haue sene that by their deuises and crafty conueyaunces they haue passed ouer the toppe of the Alpes and com through euen to our countrey of Heluetia as Sixtus Sixtus the 4. Alexāder the. 6. Iulius the 2. Leo the 10. Clemēt the. 7. the. 4. Alexander the. 6. with his sonne duke Valentine the monstre of all mischief vngraciousnesse and vice Also Iulius the seconde a man that delited muche in blood sheading and burnyng Leo the tenthe Clemēt the 7. of whose false crafty artes and traiterous deceates Florentia an vnfortunate citie to hatche vp so vnthankeful a babe was a feling witnesse And who wil not saye that these marchaūtes were not only like vnto the other before but many waies much worse For let them com furthe as many as euer haue dwelt in the citie of Rome in their tymes and haue marked wel their life and maners or haue ben knowing of their counsailes and I knowe they will confesse if they will confesse the truthe that they were notable naughtie packes not in common trifling vices alone but also in all maner of most vngracious and notorious wickednesse that could be Finally marke the most holy father Paule the thrid that late was And Paule the 3. let his children and childres children be marked also And we shall fynde in them no lesse myschieuous cruel and abominable partes But this must nedes be cōfessed that if Rome should see two or three popes of his like condiciones that wold as he is vsed to doo bestowe the goodes of the churche cities townes castles villages and landes vpon
loke aloft by those glorious gay stiles For of them ther be that they cal Cardinalles as thoughe they were Cardines ecclesiae christianae the very true perfite sure bankes of Christes churche Ther be that haue obteyned to be called not only Patres fathers but also Patriarkes as though they were newe Abrahames and fathers of the faithfull And ther be som that we must nedes call bishoppes as that geue attendaunce to the charge of the churche and haue the office of ouerseers and watchmen Hereunto perteyne the names of most profounde learned Doctours Our maistres the ReuereÌ„de the most Reuerende the Seraphical ordres the malles or confoundours of heretikes most dearely beloued children infinite other suche which a man maye thinke doo farre excede ambicioÌ„ it self And these be the honours which the B. of Rome aduauÌ„ceth theÌ„ the folowe his secte wtal But like as his wonted custome is to adourne these with glorious gaye stiles eueÌ„ so coÌ„trary wise those that dephye his tiraÌ„nye are wiped besides al their honours dignities are called by most bitter horrible names For the papistes crye out vpoÌ„ theÌ„ as though it were but a small mater to call them wicked they name theÌ„ tearers of Christes seameles coate Disturbours of the churche corruptours of christes spouse Seducers heretikes churche robbers Traitours and damnable wretches yea ther can not be deuised so cruell nor so horrible a kynde of villanous speche but the papistes thiÌ„ke it not bad ynough to be spewed out against such men Also the B. of Rome accomplisheth the secoÌ„de poiÌ„t according to Danieles ê“phecie that is he maketh them that serue him his God mayzim Lordes princes kinges As about the furst begynnyng of his power tyraÌ„nye he deposed Chilpericus the FreÌ„che king froÌ„ his regal estate bicause he was a quiete sobre a softe spirited maÌ„ nothiÌ„g for his purpose maketh Pipine his great freÌ„de a woÌ„derous experte a forwarde maÌ„ in coÌ„passing of maters the king of FrauÌ„ce And after the same facion bicause he was greued at the Greke emê‘ours for disobeyeng him he put theÌ„ out of their empire made Charles the soÌ„ne of pipine emperour bicause he was a zelous folower of his fathers examples Again this pranke ought to be reckoned among his felowes that chaunced afterwarde to the FreÌ„che kinges also by like enter â–ª or beare them a grudge and straightwaies putteth in other whom he perceaueth more fitte to serue his turne yea he dothe also graunt men autoritie to cast out whom he wil haue cast out of their kingdomes and to take vpoÌ„ theÌ„ the gouernemeÌ„t of those realmes hauiÌ„g otherwise no title therto either by goddes lawe or maÌ„nes lawe Such a maner of parte we reade was plaide about the yeare of our Lorde MCCC whan the B. of Rome appointed the realme of FrauÌ„ce to Albertus the king of the Romanes wolde haue depryued king Philip of his auncient possession bicause he wolde haue stopped the open entries of his realme to holde out the rauenyng Romanes The like chaunce happened also to the Archebishop of Mence by the drift and false fetche of Pius B. of Rome For whan the archebishop somwhat grudged at the vnreasonable sommes wherof the bishoppes of Rome polled al the bishopriches of Germanie and wolde fayne haue hade his tenauntes and people of his iurisdicion no more so pilled and polled by their false craftes and subtilties by by the B. of Rome stripped him out of his bishoplie honour and dignitie and a newe bishop at the same B. of Romes commaundement was put in his rowme That mater was the occasion of wonderful sore dissensiones and warres that many princes of Germanie yea and that the greatest princes were combred with al. But the ende of that tragedie was a most bloody piece of worke For at leinght the citie of Mence after greuous and bloody fieldes foughten was betraied and taken euery strete ranne streames of the slayne citezines blood and all maner of wickednesse done in it that the insolencie of a prowde conquerour lusteth to doo and so the citie was miserably spoiled of her libertie that wher it hade ben afore an emperial citie it is in subiection perforce to abominable bawdie bishops lecherous polleshorne massemoÌ„ging priestes eueÌ„ vnto this daye But what dede is it to rehearse olde maters whan present new maters can beare large witnesse therof ynough For after that Germanye being lightened by the worde of God receaued her eie sight and hauing throwne awaye the yowke of the popes tyrannie will nother acknowlage the B. of Rome supreme head of the churche nor vouchethsafe to worship and serue that God of his Mayzim the B. of Rome thought it not ynough to make warres vpoÌ„ the wretche people that hade ben long punnished with hongre and dearthe of euery thing but also to make merciles cruell souldiours the more gredy vpon vs he wold haue al Germanie and all the substaunce therof to be his mennes praye And thus the. 5. piece of Antichristes workemanship must nedes be fulfilled according to Danieles prophecie that he must bestowe realmes and laÌ„des at his pleasure for rewarde and feo vpon them which serue Mayzim that God of his The sixthe worke that Daniel ascribeth 6. Antichrist hathe dominion ouer treasures of golde and Siluer c in the same place vnto Antichrist is this that he sayth he shall haue dominion ouer treasures of golde siluer and al precious iewelles As for this mater we shal be hable to take the bishoppes of Rome nolesse apparently with the maner hereof than we haue proued those maters that we haue treated vpon al this while hitherto For after that the churche in the tyme of emperour CoÌ„stantine the great beganne to possesse golde and siluer and to florishe in the wealth of this worlde than it beganne also to abuse the same wealthe in religioÌ„ to set vp a god seruice by and by a folishe a pernicious errour toke roote and growed vp in the simple commoÌ„ sorte and vnlearned peoples heartes Note well so that they thought this gaye gorgeous and riche golden glystring godseruice was better and more acceptable vnto that God than their olde bare religion was Now this errour being fastened in folkes heartes engeÌ„dred an other errour more greuous and more pernicious thaÌ„ it self For hereof came the opinion and belefe of many that the saluacioÌ„ of soules and the kingdome of heaueÌ„ might be redemed for golde siluer precious stones and other earthey substaunce if they gaue them either vnto priestes or vnto religious men to the maintenauÌ„ce of their churches monasteries colleges other external god seruice Nowe here came the sacrificeing Note how errour caused landes and riches vnto the shauelinges churche popishe priestes gayne in the deuill and all Hereby also was great substaunce gathered in euery place vnder a vayne pretense of the churche wherby their tyrannye was mightily establyshed For
And forasmuche as al men are not Antichrist fighteth wyth open force so ignoraunt blynde that all doo suffre them selues to be deceaued and blynded wyth this furst sweorde of Antichrist that is lies and false miracles Paule ascribeth vnto him that other sweorde of sathan also that is open violent force and power to doo wrong wherwyth he may openly laye vpon them that resiste him and oppresse and make them to couche that speake against him And this we may see as playnly in the Bishoppes of Rome as we doo their lies and falfe craftes For furst they are furnished well ynough wyth their owne streynght and their owne power They haue great cities obedient at their commaundement They haue great countreyes and great menne vnder their subiection and autoritie they haue great hostes of valeaūt and wel furnished warlike mē they haue also harnesse and weapones for the warres and al that can be required vnto marciall affaires and to make warres withal yea they not only haue them but also they occupie them openly against kynges princes cities and people that refuse to be vnder their subiection and dare be so hardy as to withstande their lawes Notwithstanding bicause they haue perceaued by experience the chaunce of warres to be vncertain and doubtfull the myschieuous subtil helhoundes haue made them newe kynde of armour and a newe sweorde so kene that they haue strikē downe euē most mightie kinges and emperours with the edge of it Excommunicacion I meane which a man may call rather a thonderbolt that they vse to strike and to curse suche princes withall as be not their frendes and to depryue them of their princely dignities and whan they haue put downe them to set other in their places And to thintent their tyrannye should want nothing they haue made their power so strōg wyth other mennes marcial force that they neuer myssed of som either princes or cōmō people which were content to put their iudgementes sentences in execuciō against suche as were enemies of the sea of Rome to hasarde them selues in most daungerous warres for the mayntenaunce of it Of this tirannie ioyned with wonderfull muche politike falshead the Greke Emperours felt their parte For the B. of Rome procured the Lumbardes in to Italie to make warres vpō thē till he hade wiped them besides the Empire of al Italie And yet the lumbardes them selues tasted of the like falshead and tirannie For whan they beganne to wexe to sore vpon the Bishoppes of Rome and to couet the empire of Italie and Rome wher the Bishop durst not meddle wyth them him self he calleth the Frenche kinges to helpe him by whose power he furst repressed the Lumbardes and at last he ouerlaide them so by Charles the great that he lefte them nothing of their realme which they hade kept in possession CC. yeares saue only the bare name And in our tyme we haue sene the B. of Rome doo to muche wronge to the Frenche men For he droue them also after his owne practiced maner by other mennes power namely by the armies of the Heluecianes at that tyme out of al Italie In dede these are the craftye trickes of this bawdye hoore of Babilon yea she is so connyng in these wilye knackes and can brewe madde loue cuppes so fynely that she can get her louers in euery countrey so trusty and so constraunt that they wil not sticke to put their owne lyues in hasarde so they may defende and mayntene her maistresship Yet least she should be constrayned to seke her newe louers and defendours or rather protectours euery daye afreshe she is crept so depe in to the bosomes of emperours that they suffre them selues to be bounden by their solēne othe to defēde this beast against all her foes who so euer they be as we maye vnderstande by the forme of the othe lately prescribed vnto the emperour Ottho and as it is somwhat more euidently recorded in other of the popes owne Canones For in the Extrauagauntes Com. li. 1. Tit. De Maioritate obedientia he writeth thus We are taught by the wordes of the Gospel that in this churche meanyng the churche of Christ which he vnderstādeth to be the churche of Rome and in the power of the same ther be twoo sweordes a spirituall sweorde and a temporall sweorde For whā the apostles saide Lo here are two sweordes that is to saye in the churche the Lorde answered them not that they were to many but ynowe Doubtles he that denyeth the tēporal sweorde to be in Petres power dothe marke euil the worde that the Lord speaketh Put vp thy sweord again in to the scaberde Therfore the churche hath power of both sweordes that is to saye the spirituall sweorde the material sweorde But the material sweord must be exercited for the churche the spiritual sweorde of the churche The spiritual sweorde is in the priestes owne hande and the material sweorde in the hande of kinges and knyghtes howbeit at the appointement and sufferaunce of the priest Marke here now brethren Antichristes external power and his bloody murthering sweorde which the B. of Rome chalengeth to him selfe by so playne wordes hauyng no grounded reason of the scriptures but wrasteth them so blasphemously so violently For he sayth ther be two sweordes in the churche that is the Ecclesiasticall power the Emperours power he maketh them bothe subiecte to the B. of R. And he sayeth that they misunderstande Christes wordes which denye the Emperours power to be subiecte to the B. of Romes pleasure And herein in dede the beast sayeth moste true For they that denye this do the greatest displeasure that can be to the sea of Rome while they wolde set the Emperours power at libertie wype the sea of Rome besyde so great autoritie to appoint and commaunde But let it suffice vs to haue learned thus muche hereout that it is out of question that the B. of Rome hathe snatched to him selfe that other kynde of Antichristes weapones And what nede we to beate any longer vpō this mater seyng experience telleth plainly that I saye the truthe For is not the Emperours sweord drawen now at the B. of Romes berke Doth it not rage and make hauocke alreadye of the Lordes saintes And I thinke ther is no man but he knoweth for what cause the B. of Ro. cōmaundeth this sweord to be drawne Ther be bulles that came frō Rome which testifye the same Mary that the Germanes muste be brought agayne to the obedience of the churche of Rome with fire and sweorde and be spoiled quyte of the ioyous cōfortable fodder of the Gospell Yet to bring vs the more out of doubte let vs heare what the beast him selfe sayeth The wordes of the Indulgence Idibus Iulii 1546 Therfore wher we vtterly despered of their amendement meanyng the Germanes and seyng that they were open enemies to the holy churche of God and at vtter dephyaunce with all godly men and that