it giue beginning to the two factions of the Guelphes who tooke their name from this Duke of Bauier and of the Gibelins so called of Wiâ—bling which was the place where the Emperour Conrade had bin brought vp Against Fredericke Barâ—arossa who succeeded Conrade Hadrian the fourth raised them of Milan and the other Lumbards Alexander the third stirred the Dukes of Saxon and of Austrich aiding them with all his power to intertaine disquiet in Almaine Pope Celestine the third excoÌ„municated Henrie the sixth Emperour the successour and sonne of Fredericke Barbarossa and depriued him of all his dignities making this the meanes to auoide him out of Italie into Almaine Against Philip brother vnto Henerie the sixth Pope Innocent the third caused Otho Duke of Saxonie to be elected Emperour whereby the Empire was embroiled with a bloodie warre Against Fredericke the second Pope Honorins the third raised the Lumbards in rebellion adioyning the Sicâ—ians to the side and the greatest part of the other Italians All these troubles were so tempestuous that the Emperour Radulph of Haspurge could neuer be perswaded to passe the Alpes for his coronation affirming that Italie was the denne of the Lion whereof the entrance was faire but the issue fearefull Clement the fifth armed and opposed Rebert King of Sicilie against the Emperour Henrie the seuenth because hee would not doe homage and sweare faith to the Sea of Rome and in the end caused him to bee empoisoned by a Iacobâ—e in giuing him the sacred host What troubles had Lewes of Bauier against Frederick of Austrich who was elected Emperour at the same time with him by the faction of Pope Iohn the 22 The same troubles were continued by Pope Clement the sixth who caused Charles the fourth King of Boheme to be elected Emperour and yet he could not enioy the Empire vntill after the decease of Lewes This Charles was a weake Prine both in counsaile and courage who in fauour of the Popes did extreamely both enfeeble and abase the Empire of Rome Nauclerus writeth that he entred the citie of Rome on foote in derision whereof a certaine Senatour began a speech which he made to the people with these words Ecce Rex tuus venit tibi mansuetus Petrarch who liued at that time did also write betweene scorne and disdaine of this deiection of the imperiall Maâ—estie I omit the tragedies which Eugenius the fourth raised against the Emperour Sigismond principally to impeach the Councell of Basil. I omit that which Paul the second did to chase Frederick the third out of Italie Generally they alwaies endeauoured to endomage the Emperors not onely as hating them for so Guâ—ccâ—ardine saith yâ— it grew into a proueâ—b It is proper to the Church to hate the Caesars but as fearing to be endomaged by them In the end partly by opposing enemies and partly by raysing rebellions against the Emperours the Popes haue bin able to expell their gouernment out of Italy Whereof our countrie man Sanderi in this sort hath written It is a thing more admirable then can be vtteâ—ed and able to make a man astonished that when the most puissant Emperours did for many ages display all their forces to no purpose for driuing the Roman Bishops from the citie of Rome now to the contrarie the Roman Bishops without any power haue remoued the Roman Emperours from the tower of the Empire and made themselues Lords of the Palaces of Caesars and turned the whole citie into their proper power This is true Master Sanders which you haue said but neither is it worthie of any wonder neither iâ— it all that which the Popes haue done What maruaile is it that most puissant Emperours could never preuaile against the Bishops of Rome when their owne subiects were persuaded that they drew their swordes against heauen and made offer like those Giants of whom the Poets write to scale the skies and to pull God out of his throne Where subiects haue bin of other opinioÌ„ there Princes haue preuailed against many Popes Againe what necessity had the Popes to vse force of armes when the consciences of men were vnder their commaund whilest this rule held good cloisters and Colledges were in stead of Castles vnto them and religious persons were in steed of many armies These were their garrisons these their soldiers these quelled the courage of all their enemies by thundring forth threats against those who disobeyed them not of death which might be peraduenture either contemned or else auoyded but of damnation which as it is most terrible so was it held for this cause vnauoydable For so Boniface the eight decreed that vpon necessitie of saluation all men must be subiect to the Bishop of Rome These forces were plaÌ„ted within euery state and by these might any state be supplanted By these meanes the Bishops of Rome were easily able not onelie to driue the Romane Emperours from the chiefe tower and seate of the Empire but also making one wrong the cause of another to reduce them to a very low degree both of power and of authoritie within Almaine and to hold them as no better then vassalls to their Sea For after that eight Emperours had been excoÌ„municate by Popes Namely Frederick the first Frederick the second Philip Conrade Othe the fourth Lawes of Bauaria Henriâ— the fourth and Henriâ— the fifth which was occasion enough for their subiects to reuolt and for other Princes to inuade the succeding Emperours partly vnwilling but principally vnable to sustaine so sad and heauie blowes submitted themselues to the papall power renounced the right which by long custome they claimed in election of the Pope and of other Bishops And to the contrarie the Emperour Charles the fourth acknowledged by his letters Patents that although he was elected Emperour by the Princes yet hee was to bee confirmed by the Pope and to receiue the Imperial crowne from him Whereupon Pope Pius the fifth did sharpely rebuke the Emperour Ferdinand by his Legat for neglecting to receiue of him the Imperial Crowne neither would he admit the Emperours excuse but had proceeded by excommunication to compel him had he not by entreaty of the French King and of King Philip of Spaine the Emperours kinseman been otherwise appeased In the forme of the coronation of the Emperours which was approued by the Emperour Charles the fourth and is kept in the Vaticane at Rome many seruile ceremonies are contained As that the Emperour supplieth the office of a subdeacon in ministring to the Pope when he saith Masse and that after diume seruice he holdeth the stirtop whilest the Pope mounteth to horse and for a certaine space leadeth his horse by the bridle Adde heereto the kissing of the Popes feete as Charles the fifth did at Bononia at Rome and last of all at Marsielles in Prouence in the presence of diuers other great Princes adde their humbâ—e subscriptions to the Pope I kisse the hands and feete of your holinesse adde
iudgements to correct his lawes to restraine or constraine him at pleasure and with case Religion is seated within the soule and conscience of man and is a most potent ruler of the same The life saith Plinie consisteth in religion If then the consciences of a people be commanded by a stranger if their soules be subiect to a forraine power if their liues be at the seruice of an external Prince it is but a weake but a dead dominion which the naturall Prince shall hold ouer their bodies That Prince whose subiects soules are in subiection to a stranger for matters of religion shall neither preuaile more against his enemies nor beare greater authoritie amongst his owne people then that stranger shall limit him leaue All men of themselues are moued with religion but when they are also thrust on by those who make it their purchase as Liuie speaketh to possesse soules with superstition then doe they not inconsideratly only but in a wild furie runne and rush vpon most desperate aduentures The multitude saith Curtius being weake fierce and mutable when it is once possessed with vaine religion is more obedient to their Priests then to their Commander or Prince Diodorus Siculus hath a memorable Historie concerning this point of the Priests of Iupiter in the Iland Meroe enuironed with the riuer Niliu who held the people of Aethiopia in so superstitious dependancie vpon them that they would send to them at pleasure and giue in charge the slaughter of their Kings no man making offer either to deny or to delay their cruell command vntill Ergamenes a King of Aethiopia suddenly surprised and slew them all whereby both their office and authority did surcease Florus writeth that Eunus a slaue counterfeiting a fanaticall furie and pretending some diuine inspiration was able to see 60. thousand armed men in the face of the Romans euen in the principal time of their policie and strength being then hardlie able to deliuer Sicilia froÌ„ his subiection Iosephus reporteth of an Aegyptian in the time of the Emperour Claudius who bearing himselfe to be a Prophet vnder that pretext adioined 30. thousand men vnto him in the country of Iudea with whom he maintained head against the forces of the Romans Tacitus writeth the like of Maricus who giuing forth that he was the God and deliuerer of Gallia drew 8. thousand men vnto him with whom he attempted against the Romane garrisons One of our late writers reporteth that because in one chapter of the Alcoron all the Musulman Princes are forbidden to call themselues Lords except their Caliph or great Vicar of their Prophet Muhamed by colour thereof the Mahometan Bishops vsurped absolute soueraignety aboue all their Princes disposing of principalities at their pleasure vnder the name and title of gouernments At last the Muselman Princes supposing that Chapter not to haue been inserted by Mahamed their Law-giuer but by their Caliphes for aduancing their owne authoritie at such time when of diuers corrupt Alcorons they composed one long time after the death of Muhamed they tooke aduantage of a diuision among their great Bishops when three of them did take vpon them the title of great Caliph together and thereupon the Princes of Persia the Curdes the Turkes the Tartars the Sultans of Aegypt the Kings of Marrocco of Fez of Telensin of Tanes of Bugia the people of Zenetes and of Luntune quitted themselues of their obeysance to the Caliphes and maintained Soueraigntie within their states Elmahel in Africa hauing gained a great opinion of sanctitie among the people of Marocco raised them against Abraham their King and dispoyled him both of his Empire and life With like industrie and art an other impostor called Chemin Mennal stirred the people against the King of Fesse and constrained him by armes to yeeld vnto him the kingdome of Temesna Schacoculis being of the sect of the Persians by pretence of piety gathered such strength that he tooke many Cities in Asia ouerthrew the Turkes forces in three great battailes and brought his whole Empire to a dangerous distresse How Iohn of Leiden a Taylor by his trade set all Germany in vproare and in armes by bearing himselfe to be a principall man in religion it scarce exceedeth the memory of this present age And what practises in this kind haue been either atchieued or attempted in other Christian countries I shall haue occasioÌ„ hereafter to touch But for auoiding of these and the like dangers I find that two policies were aunciently obserued One consisted in excluding all externall ceremonies and rites the other was in commâ—ting the gouernment for matters of Religion to the soueraigne power and authoritie in the State In regard of the first the Iewes would not conuerse or accompanie a man who was not of their owne religion Among the Grecians Socrates and Protagoras were condemned Anaxagoras and Aristotle were accused for holding opinions contrarie to their receiued religion Iosephus writeth that the Athenians had a seuere law against any man who should speake a word in religion against that which was established by law The Scythians put Anacharsis to death for performing the tites of Bacchus after the manner of the Grecians Liuie writeth that among the Romanes the Aediles receiued in part of their charge that no externall religion or ceremony should be brought in And to the same purpose M. Aemilius recited a decree that no man should sacrifice in a publike or sacred place after a new or externall rite How often saith the same Liuie haue our fathers and ancestors giuen charge to the Magistrates that externall ceremonies should bee forbidden Maecenas in Dio gaue this exhortation and aduice to Augustus Obserue religion after the fashion of your country and compell others to do the like but those who bring in strange and foraine rites hate and correct because they perswade many to worke alterations from whence conspiracies and seditions are oftentimes occasioned Concerning the second point Iustine reporteth that it was a custome among the Iewes to haue the same men both Princes and Priests This was at sometimes true in the gouernment of the Iewes At other times the Kings gaue order in matters of religion and appointed not only inferiour Priests and officers as did Iosias but also high Priests as did King Salomon to execute the same For this cause Moses left in charge that the King should reade in the booke of the law all the daies of his life that he might learne to feare the Lord his God and to keepe all the words of that law and those ordinances for to dee them For this cause also they were sacred with oyle to declare saith Eusebius both their dutie and authoritie in matters of religion From hence it proceeded that as the Kings prooued good or euill so the true religion was either obserued or neglected From hence also Tacitus hath
should repaire to his Court and open to him the decrees of the Councell That he might consider saith Sozomenus whether they were agreed according to the Scriptures and that he might further determine and conclude what were best to be done In briefe Cardinall Cusanus doth acknowledge that he did euermore find that the Emperours and their Iudges with the Senate had the primacie and office of presidence in the eight generall Councels In regard whereof Odoacer did in this sort expostulate with Pope Symachus and the Clergie of Rome We marueile that any thing hath been attempted without vs for without vs nothing should haue been done our Priest being aliue In like manner Nicephorus did write to the Emperour Emanuel Paleologus You are the captaine of the profession of our faith you haue reformed the Temple of God from Marchants and exchangers of the heauenly doctrine and from heretickes by the word of God During this time a stiffe strife did arise betwixt the Bishops of Rome and the Bishops of Constantinople as did once among the Disciples of Christ whether of them should be greatest In the Councell of Nice it had been decreed that the first place should be giuen to the Sea of Rome the second to Alexandria and the third to Antioch for the Citie of Constantinople at that time was not built neither was Hierusalem then a patriarchall Sea But after that Constantinople was aduanced to be the head of the Empire the Bishop thereof did claime prerogatiue before all the rest affirming as Platina and out of him Sabellicus doe write that where the head of the Empire was there also should be the principall Sea The Bishop of Rome answered that the Citie of Rome from whence a colonie was brought to Constantinople was in right to be esteemed the head of the Empire for the Graecians did vse to stile their Prince 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Emperour of the Romans and they themselues were also called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Romans In this contention Platina affirmeth that diuers Emperours fauoured the Bishops of Constantinople In the Councell of Chalcedon it was decreed that the Church of Constantinople should stand in one degree of dignitie and enioy equall priuiledge with the Church of Rome The same equalitie was also decreed in the second Councell of Constantinople and confirmed by constitution of Honorius and Theodosius By a constitution of Leo and Athemius the Bishop of Constantinople is declared to haue precedence of place before all others which law was alleadged by Photius to confirme the primacie of the Patriarch of Constantinople Iustinian declareth that the Church of Constantiâ—nople was the head of all other Churches Which constitution is omitted in some editions of Iustinians Code Mauritius admonished Gregorie the first to beare obedience to Iohn Bishop of Constantinople Afterwards Pope Gregorie the third with much adoe as Platina writeth obtained of Phocas Emperour or rather as Zonoras and P. Diaconus do discribe him the wilde drunken bloodie adulterous tyrant of Constantinople that the Sea of Rome should be the chiefe of all other Churches But this was an errour in the Emperours of Constantinople first to settle so great dignitie and prerogatiue in a place far distant from the principal seat and strength of the Empire Secondly to permit affaires of so high nature to depend vpon direction of any one within their Empire For by this meanes the Bishops of Rome did steale into such strength with the common people that by their Interdictions only they were of power to withdraw them from paying tribute and bearing alleagance to the Emperours of Constantinople vpon occasion that Leo surnamed Iconomachus had caused the Images of Saints to be taken downe Finally they pulled the west-part of the Empire from their subiection and left the residue with that mortall maime to be a pray to the barbarous infidels The west Empire flourished for a time first in France and afterwards in Germanie and the most apparant cause whereby it was broken and beaten downe was the absolute vnlimited power which the Bishops of Rome challenged principally in Ecclesiasticall affaires and consequently in all For by entitling themselues the Vicars of Iesus Christ the Spouse of the Church the Soueraigne Bishop and Prince of all others the Maisters and Lords of all the world for these are the titles which Innocent the third Boniface the eight Clement the fifth and diuers others haue assumed by exempting also both the persons and goods of all the Clergie froÌ„ secular subiection and by binding all men to their obedience in matters which concerne the soule they haue alwaies been able to stirre vp not onlie weightie warres against the Emperours but also most stiffe and vnnatural rebellions Which disordered demeanour Carion accounteth the only cause that brought the Empire to a feeble state So Iohn the third combined with Berengar the third aud Adalbar his sonne who pretended themselues to be Kings of Italy to make head against the Emperour Otho the great Pope Iohn the eighteenth made league with Crescentius and mutined the people against the Emperour Otho the third Benedict 9. to stay Henrie the blacke from entering into Italy stirred Peter King of Hungarie to beare himselfe for Emperour to whom he sent a crowne with this inscription Petra dedit Romam Petro tibi Papa coronam Gregorie the seuenth who was the first that enterprised to cause himselfe to be elected and consecrated without the consent and against the pleasure of the Emperour and who set forth a decree whereby he excommunicated all those who should affirme that either the consent or knowledge of the Emperour was herein necessarie opposed against the Emperour Henrie the fourth first Rodulph Duke of Suauie giuing charge to the Archbishops of Menâ—s and of Collen to consecrate him Emperour to whom also he sent a crowne with this inscription Petra dedit Petro Petrus diadema Rudolpho Afterwards weary of nothing so much as of quiet he stirred Ecbert Marquis of Saxonie against the same Emperour Galasius the twelfth raised against Henrie the fifth Emperour the most part of his subiects and especially the Archbishop of Ments whom he so strongly seconded with the Normanes that were in Sicilie that the Emperour was constrained to quit his quarrell and to yeeld the collation of Bishoprickes to the Pope Innocent the second raised against Lothaire the twelfth Roger the Norman whom he inuested in the Duchie of Pouille which the Emperour claimed to be a fiffe of the Empire At the last the contention was composed by mediation of S. Bernard who then liued and was with the Emperour wherein the Pope sped so well that he was ioyned with the Emperour in holding Bauier The same Innocent the second raised Guelphus Duke of Bauier against Conrade the third whom hee aided with monie and all other conuenient meanes This warre was so villanouslie cruell that
written The honor of Priesthood is a great assurance of power to the Iewes The Scriptures doe further testifie that Melchisedeen was both King and Priest and that Balak King of Moab offered sacrifice together with Balaam The Aegyptians from amongst whom the Iewes were extracted and with whom they communicated in many ceremonies are reported likewise by some to haue annexed the royall and priestly dignitie together Marcilius Ficinus affirmeth out of Plato and Seuerus in Stobâ—â—us that their custome was to elect Priests out of their Philosophers and out of their Priests whom Diodorus placeth next in dignitie to the King as Strabo writeth of the Priests of the Albanes to make choice of the best approued for their King Wherupon Mercurius the grand-child of that Mercurie who was sonne to Iupiter and Maia being called by the Aegyptians Tenot by the Grecians was named Trismegistus which signifieth thrice greatest because he was the greatest Philosopher for so is he also termed by Tertullian the greatest Priest and the greatest King although Suidas coniectureth that name to be giuen him because he did expressely write of the Trinitie Strabo saith that in Aritia hee was a King who was Priest of Diana the same is confirmed by Suetonius and mentioned by diuers Poets namely Ouid Ecce suburbanae templum nemorale Dianae Partaque per gladios regna nocente mann And Lucane Qua sublime nemus Scythicae qua templa Diana And Valer. Flaccus Etsolâ— non mitis Aritia regt And laâ—tly by Martial Qua triâ—ne nemerosa petit dum regna viator Octauum demina marmor ab vrbe legit The like doth Hartius report to be obserued in the Temple of Beâ—ona in Cappadocia The like also doth Virgil write of Anins â—â— Rex idem hominum phoebique facerdos Diodorus Siculus affirmeth that the Priests of Pantheon were both Leaders in the field and also Iudges and arbitratours in controuersies of right Strabo testifieth that in Zela the Priest had supreme both dignitie and authoritie in all things Iustine writeth that Mida sonne of Gordius King of Phrygia being by Orpheus entred into the orders of the sacred and solemne mysteries of those times filled all Phrygia with religion wherewith he more assured himselfe then hee did by armes Tacitus reporteth that among the Germanes it was permitted to no man to beate or bind or otherwise to punish but only to the Priests Strabo saith that in Cuma of Pontus the Priest did weare a Diadem twise in the yeere which is the ensigne of a King Vitruâ—iâ—s declareth that among the Trallians the principall Priest had a princely Palace appointed for his aboad Diodorous Siculus Orosius and Pausanias doe write that the priest of Hercules in Tyre was apparrelled in purpure and did weare a Diadem vpon his head Herodiane writeth that the Priest of the Sunne among the Phoenicians was attired in a long garment consisting onely of purpure and gold and did weare a Crowne of gold set with precious stones and that Heliogabalus being Emperour of Rome did exercise that priesthood Ferd. Lopex affirmeth that the Kings of Malabar in East India are Priests or Bramenes and must die in their sacred place as men consecrated vnto God And in China there is an auncient law that no religion bee brought in without allowance of the King and of his Councell he that violateth this law is punished by death In the first great Empire Berosus hath left written that Ninus first dedicated Temples to Iupiter Belus and Iuno his parents and caused them to bee honoured as Gods Zamies Ninias his sonne exceedingly both amplified and adorned these Temples Belochus with the rule of his Empire exercised also the office of the high Priest of the same Iupiter Belus and for that cause the name Belochus was giuen vnto him The Kings of Persia vnder whose gouernment the second great Empire was founded are acknowledged by all writers to haue been inaugurated to be the Princes of their sacred ceremonies In Athens and Lacedaemonia the two eyes of Greece as Leptines and Iustine doe rightly tearme them the ceremonies of their religion were ordered by their Kings The Athenians had their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or King as Demosthenes testifieth who was president and chiefe directer in all their sacred ceremonies Xenophon saith that the Kings of the Spartanes or Laced â—monians so soone as they were assumed to that state of dignitie did discharge also the office of chiefe Priest to the celestiall and Lacaedemonian Iupiter Alexander the great Monarch of Greece did oftentimes offer sacrifice giue order for their kinde of religious obseruations and at the last commaunded diuine honours to bee done vnto himselfe Among the Romanes this was one of their ancient royall lawes Sacrorum omnium potestas sub regibus estâ— Let all sacred matters bee vnder the power of Kings Which law was stablished by their first King Romulus but seemeth also to haue been more anciently in vse insomuch as Seruius noteth that Virgil alwaies bringeth in Aeineas as president both in action and drection in all offices of their religion Whereof Ouid also seemeth to make mention in these words Vtque ea nunc certaest ita rex placare Numina lanigerae coniuge debet ouis After Romulus Numa PoÌ„pilius performed al those sacrifices and rites which afterward were committed to yâ— Diall Flamen Dyonisius Halicarnassaeus and Plutarch doe affirme that he did beare the office of Pontifex Liuie writeth that hee committed the same to one of the chiefe Senators named Marcius Of these two Kings Cicero saith Romulus auspicijs Numa sacris constitutis fundamenta ieccrunt Romanae ciuitatis The Kings succeeding performed the most high and sacred rites of their religion with whom as Liuie writeth the Priests tooke often aduice concerning sacrifices and al sorts of ceremonies Whereupon Dionysius Halicarnassaeus affirmeth that they had the principalitie or chiefest rule of sacred matters and of sacrifices and that all things pertaining to diuine worship were ordered by them After that the Kings were cast out of state that the chiefest in power had authoritie to giue order in religion it may appeare by the two decrees of Senate before cited out of Liuie for excluding the vse of foraine ceremonies and rites but more plainely it appeareth in that it was decreed that no Bacchanalls should be kept either at Rome or within Italie if any man should esteeme such sacred solomnitie to be necessarie and that hee could not omit it without offence and violation of Religion he should declare the same to the citie Praetor the Praetor should consult with the Senate If it should be permitted him when a hundred and no fewer should be assembled in Senate that solemnitie might be performed so that no more than fiue should be present at the Sacrifice And although the
name of King at that time was hatefull to the Romanes yet they created a King whom they called Rex Sacrificulus or Rex sacrificus to performe those offices of their religion which in former times were proper to their Kings His office was not annuall but perpetuall which ioyned to his high title lest it should draw him to dangerous attempts they stripped him of all ciuill authoritie He might not beare either charge in the armie or magistracie in the common wealth He might not make any oration to the people nor deale with them about publike affayres His authoritie was restrained only to religion to offer sacrifices and to determine doubts if any did arise His person was sacred as Seruius noteth so that neither violence notr despight might be offered vnto him And yet the greatest Pontifex was preferred before him insomuch as in their festiuall solemnities hee was placed next to their greatest Pontifex aboue all the Flaminos His daughters might not be compelled to become Vestals His wise was called Regina sacrorum who euery Calendes did offer sacrifice to Iuno her head circled with a white wand of a Pomegranate tree called inarculum to whom the Vestals resorted vpon a certaine day in the yeere to admonish her not to neglect the solemne rites committed to her charge They erected also a Colledge of Pontifices First consisting of foure afterwards encreased to eight lastly by Sylla enlarged to fifteene Their office was both to preserue and interpret all solemnities pertaining to their religion to keepe a true record and remembrance of them to bee carefull that no Roman ceremonie were neglected and no externall obseruation brought in to determine what things were sacred and what prophane to appoint what sacrifices were to be offred vpon what daies in what Temples in what manner and whence the charge should bee supplied to decide doubtes concerning funerall obsequies performancies of vowes and oathes obseruation of festiuall times and such like If in any matter they did differ in iudgement that was obserued wherein the greatest part being three at least did fully agree They had also the interpretation of the Ciuill lawe which for many yeeres was reputed sacred among the Romanes They kept the Annales as Cicero saith of most memorable accidents and atchieuments euery yeere which were termed Annales maximi as Macrobius doth write and did set them forth in a white table called album pontificium out of which it was free for any man to write them It was also a part of their charge to repaire the bridges which vntil the time that Aemilius was Questor were made of timber and not fastned together with any iron or brasse These were esteemed sacred by the Romanes and if they were in any part decayed they might not be repaired but with sacrifices other ceremonious obseruancies From hence it is commonly supposed that they were called Pontifices but Scaeuola as Varro saith did more properly deriue that name from posse and facere not only in regard of their eminent authoritie but because the word facere in ancient Latine did signifie to sacrifice as Vigil speaketh Cum facer em vitula The principal of this Colledge was called Pontifex Maximus who as Iestus Pompeius and Valerius Maximus do write was the greatest Iudge in their religion And although other priests could not beare Empire in the armie or office in the state or be carried vpon horse or be three nights absent from the citie yet the same man might be Consul or Censor or Praetor or Magister equitum the greatest offices of that common wealth and also greatest Pontifex As Liuie writeth of P. Liciunius Crassus and M. Marcellus and of diuers others This Pontifex Maximus was so highly honoured in the populare state of Rome that hee was reputed to approach neere vnto the degree of dignitie which the kinges held in former times insomuch as L. Florus reporteth that a fine was imposed vpon Câ— Tremelius Tribune of the people for vsing vnciuill speeches against M. Aemilius Lepidus the greatest Pontifex A Sergeant was appointed to goe before him he was carried in a Coach-chaire called Curules sella which was reputed a royall ensigne because Romulus vsed the like by example of the Hetruscanes His doores were adorned with greene Lawrell if he vndertooke any office or charge he was not lyable as were other men either to controulement or account whether to the Senate or common people His proper ornament was a hat in token of his loftie estate If any offender did slie vnto him that day hee was protected from punishment Hee was married after a speciall manner called confarreatio His wife must be of singuler example and he might not iterat marriage the second time he might not behold a dead bodie hee might not foyle his hands with blood and neither giue nor assist sentence of death Hee was chiefe not onely of the College of Pontifices but also of him that was Rex sacrorum the Augures Flamines and vestale Virgins vpon whom hee might impose either fine or other punishment as the qualitie of their offences did require All their sacred matters whether publike or priuate did principally depend vpon his direction And yet this authoritie was often borne as hath been said by the highest ciuill Officers of that Common wealth the election of him pertained to the people and prouocation or appeale did lie also from him to the people For so Linie writeth that a contention did arise betwixt C. Seruilius the greatest Pontifex and L. Cornelius Dolabesta Duâ—muir because the Pontifex commaunded him to abdicate his office that he might be inaugurated Rex sacrificus in place of Cornelius Dolâ—bella This when the Dâ—umuir refused to doe the Pontifex set a fine vpon him for which cause hee appealed and brought the matter before the people Many tribes being assembled the difference debated on both sides they commanded the Duâ—muir to bee obedient to the Pontifex and yet they remitted his fine in case hee should abandon his office In the meane time the heauens were couered with darke and thicke clowdes which brake forth into a terrible teÌ„pest This being taken for ominous the assemblie dissolued and the authority to inaugurate was taken from the Pontifex The Common-wealth of yâ— Romans being changed againe to the gouernment of one the chiefest authoritie in all affaires depended vpon the Emperours For so Tertullian acknowledgeth the Heathen Emperours to be second and inferiour only to God before all and aboue all Againe he saith Wee worship the Emperour as a man next vnto God and inferiour only to God So did Eleutherius in those times Bishop of Rome write vnto Lucius King of Britaine You are Gods Vicar within your owne Realme according to the